Chapter 414: Buddhist Light Shines Universally, Ancient Sword Dragon Emperor

Chapter 414: Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere, Ancient Sword Dragon Sovereign

Neither Tang Buli and Xue Canghai, nor Tang Wanzhuang and Zhuque now, were as shocked as the others.

Cui Wenjing and Yang Jingxiu had gone to examine the corpses, keeping their unspoken judgments to themselves, but privately they had shared their analyses, and everyone had vaguely prepared themselves.

Both believed this was not like "blessing."

Because if it were a blessing, the casting process might need to be relatively close to the secret realm, but after casting, there would be no reason to stay nearby; they could have gone far away. Without fierce battle to rapidly deplete the "blessing," these monk soldiers could have charged straight for Suzhou and Hangzhou—why were they only able to defend Kuaiji?

Moreover, if it were a "blessing," it wouldn't be that even after the head was chopped off, the body could still writhe; no such blessing existed.

Cui Wenjing thought it more likely to be a kind of gu sorcery, but the two found no gu insects during the autopsy. Perhaps the insects had dissipated over time since the bodies were brought back, or perhaps these gu insects truly could not survive far from the secret realm.

Regarding gu sorcery, no one in the world understood it. Cui Wenjing believed they could treat these creatures as corpse soldiers or puppets—close enough. After all, if a gu insect had taken over a body, the original owner could be considered dead.

As for corpse mutation, they had seen it before when exploring some secret realms. For instance, corpses as hard as iron—that matched their "invulnerability to swords and spears."

Or the loss of rationality, the strong invasion of deathly qi, and so on.

Such words could not be spoken publicly. A "corpse mutation" of ten to twenty thousand people would not be a mutation—it would cause a mutiny on their own side, scattering everyone's morale.

As long as the commanders were prepared, Tang Buli organized the retreat without chaos, Xue Canghai quickly gauged what level of cultivation could withstand it, and the wall battle remained orderly.

Only the few who wanted to steal the fruits were caught off guard by the first counterattack, suffering some casualties, though not heavy, given the short time.

But no matter how much Cui and Yang speculated, they never imagined such a transformation in Maitreya—it was as if another person had grown out of his body, utterly nauseating.

Tang Wanzhuang drew her sword and stabbed again. With a "ding," she successfully pierced through, proving that her cultivation could still break their invulnerability. But the enemy no longer felt pain, and vital points were no longer vital; the damage was meaningless.

Tang Wanzhuang frowned.

The "fleshy tumor" on the neck split open and could even speak, still uttering words from Maitreya's memory: "Tang Wanzhuang... I will capture you... make you my consort..."

This was nothing but a lingering obsession, fused with gu sorcery, forming a new soul that might or might not still possess thought.

It didn't even remember Zhuque, who had burned its original mind, but clung to the lifelong obsession of possessing Tang Wanzhuang.

"Tsk..." Zhuque couldn't help but say, "What a flirt."

Tang Wanzhuang wanted to tell her that Ying Wu was still over there—should they see whose "flirt" was more impressive?

But this was really not worth arguing over. Saying that would make her lose half the battle. Having someone covet you showed your charm, not that you invited it; nothing shameful. But her suitor was Ying Wu, while this thing here—just mentioning it made her want to vomit.

She sighed. "Let's not talk about that. Can your flame power burn the gu inside him?"

"I can, but when he resists, it's not easy." Zhuque had provoked Tang Wanzhuang several times without response, and now felt bored. Her expression turned serious. "He still has a pseudo-Heavenly List body. In terms of pure physical training, he's even a bit stronger than you or me. Combined with this gu sorcery, it's very troublesome."

At this moment, she admired her little man. Before this, she hadn't realized the battle would be so difficult. On the surface, Maitreya had lost battle after battle and was cornered; a single breath could have swept him away. Yet Maitreya alone could hold off her and Tang Wanzhuang's combined efforts for so long... But from the very beginning, her little man had been extremely cautious, almost desperate to pull in every strong person he knew.

If even one had been missing, this battle might have been very dangerous.

Her little man wasn't cautious—he understood the power of gods and demons deeper than most. He knew that none of these things that had survived from ancient times were easy to deal with, even if this Bodhisattva was relatively weak.

Everyone traced back to antiquity through texts and techniques, knowing they were very strong, but never facing them directly, they lacked intuitive experience... So had her little man seen them in person?

The "fleshy tumor" murmured: "Tang Wanzhuang... you never imagined I could be immortal... hehe... the power of the Buddha is beyond your imagination... Surrender to me early, and I will grant you eternal life..."

It seemed the soul had revived a bit, gaining other memories beyond the obsession.

Tang Wanzhuang finally replied: "How pitiful... When you used the Blissful Art to drain others, you didn't know that what you drained—even your own flesh and blood and life—was all offered to him, to nourish and restore him. Even your hasty uprising was urged by him, to seize more. A thousand miles of white bones in Jiangnan—all because of his malice and your ignorance."

The "fleshy tumor" erupted in rage: "She was always offering her cultivation to me! She was my consort! Mine! Everything under heaven is mine!"

"Boom!" Black qi surged wildly, charging at Tang Wanzhuang.

Tang Wanzhuang sidestepped to deflect the force, but Maitreya rushed past her, heading straight for the secret realm.

Whether it was Maitreya's final remnant thought or the gu sorcery's guidance, his fundamental goal was still to return...

Because the "consort's" body was utterly unsuited for the fierce battles of Heavenly List experts. The Bodhisattva wanted Maitreya's tempered White Lotus Sacred Body!

"Whoosh!" Tang Wanzhuang raised her sword to block, but Maitreya didn't dodge or evade, charging through like a cannonball.

Tang Wanzhuang tried to stop him but was nearly knocked back, coughing blood.

Zhuque appeared ahead at some point, crouching slightly, one hand on the ground.

"Boom!" Blazing flames covered several li of road, turning everything Maitreya passed into a sea of fire.

"I wonder if this body of yours can cross it?" Zhuque's lips also bore traces of blood, a hint of madness in her eyes. "If I let you pass, how can I face him?"

Maitreya shot upward like a cannonball, but sword energy filled the sky above.

"Clang!" Tang Wanzhuang was knocked flying again, finally spitting out a mouthful of blood. But Maitreya was forced back, landing in the sea of fire.

The mountain grew closer. Would Maitreya charge through the fire, or be burned to ashes first?

Both sides had exhausted their strength.

Tang Wanzhuang's eyes were resolute. She was about to open her third secret treasury.

Suddenly, blood light flared at the mountainside, and the clang of weapons was clearly audible. Tang Wanzhuang turned to see Zhao Changhe fighting Fachu out of the secret realm.

...

If the battle with Maitreya was this difficult, the fight against the Bodhisattva inside the secret realm was unimaginable.

When the Bodhisattva entered the second stage, it was a transformation even more contrasting than the lazy Third Lady turning into the fierce Xuanwu.

Earlier, no matter how naked and seductive she appeared, her face was golden and solemn, sitting on a lotus throne with hand seals, exuding a strong Buddhist aura.

But now, her body cracked, black all over, a typical corpse mutation. The Buddhist aura turned into a sinister demonic intent, only the strong life force from the lotus throne remained unchanged.

"Amitabha..." A Buddhist chant came from beside: "If the old monk is not mistaken, you have nothing to do with this place. Instead, you might be a demon imprisoned in the back mountain of this ancient Buddhist sect... When the era collapsed, the sect fell, and you happened to be preserved by the treasure in their back mountain lotus pond, a remnant soul nurtured by the lotus throne, never dying. The Buddhist teachings Maitreya gained here were originally true Dharma, but lacking the true meaning, he listened to your interpretation and twisted everything."

The "Bodhisattva" showed a ferocious smile: "So what?"

"Nothing much... But if that's the case, the old monk is quite familiar with methods of soul-suppression and exorcism..." The old monk pressed his palms together and began chanting sutras.

Golden light radiated around him, softer than the "Bodhisattva's" earlier glow, not so glaringly bright, very gentle.

But as this gentle light passed over the "Bodhisattva's" body, it made a "sizzling" sound. Her body began to smoke, and she let out a scream.

This was true "Buddha's Light Shining Everywhere," genuine suppression.

"Monk, die!"

"Boom!" A pitch-black demonic hand viciously slammed toward Yuancheng.

A copper coin flew from somewhere, blocking the path.

The demonic hand struck the coin, also making a "sizzling" sound, as if the coin had been consecrated.

Ying Wu's figure swayed slightly, retrieving the coin and standing in front: "Bodhisattva, we grave robbers are prepared... Honestly, in this form, you might be at a greater disadvantage than before."

As he spoke, San Niang withdrew her snake whip and pulled out a sword from somewhere.

The intense life force and pressure, the fierce suppression of evil and dead things, made the Bodhisattva doubt her own ghostly existence, crying out: "Dragon Sovereign!"

Azure Dragon burial, ancient sword Dragon Sovereign.

The Return to Spring Art had been stored with it...

San Niang blinked, her face under the mask turning mischievous: "If that's your nature, then it couldn't be better..."