After collecting two dragon qi, Xu Qi’an’s sensing range for dragon qi had significantly increased. He could now detect it across dozens of streets in the surrounding area.

At present, he sensed the presence of a dragon qi host not far from the inn.

Convening the martial arts conference had indeed been a wise move. Before the Buddhist faction arrived, he could seize this opportunity to gather all the dragon qi he could sense in Yongzhou City…

Without further hesitation, he turned to Mu Nanzhi and the little white fox, saying:

“I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

Mu Nanzhi, holding the little white fox while standing by the window enjoying the view, responded with a soft “Mm.”

Hurriedly leaving the inn, Xu Qi’an followed his sense of dragon qi, weaving through streets and alleys until he finally spotted his target.

It was a middle-aged man dressed as a wandering martial artist. His expression was gentle and calm as he walked alone down the street, carrying a weapon wrapped in cloth on his back.

The crowd bustled around him, with many martial artists mingling among the throng…

“I’ll pretend to be seeking revenge, get close to him, snatch the dragon qi, and leave immediately…” Xu Qi’an thought as he quickened his pace to close the distance, prioritizing discretion over using shadow jumping.

When they were less than ten meters apart, the gentle-looking middle-aged man suddenly turned around, his gaze burning into Xu Qi’an:

“Why are you following me?”

Spirit Refinement realm… Xu Qi’an didn’t waste words with him. He took out the Earth Book fragment, aimed its mirror surface at the man, and silently recited the incantation.

At close range, the Earth Book fragment combined with the incantation could forcibly extract dragon qi.

This was his unique ability.

But at that moment, a simultaneous “crack” sounded from the dragon qi host’s palm.

Hm?

Amidst Xu Qi’an’s confusion, some magical device in the middle-aged swordsman’s hand shattered, transforming into pure, clear light that coalesced into a luminous door between them.

Within the light door, a faint figure appeared. He stood nine feet tall, with bulging muscles and what seemed to be a ring of fire behind his head.

The Buddhist faction, fishing?!

Xu Qi’an wasn’t flustered by this sudden turn of events. After a brief moment of shock, he quickly came to his senses, flipping over the Earth Book fragment and pressing its back.

A dark golden object fell from the Earth Book—the Pagoda of the World!

Currently, the Pagoda of the World was his greatest asset. Though its offensive capabilities were average, as a Bodhisattva’s treasure, it was incredibly durable with formidable defenses.

If he could enter the pagoda and use it to escape, even a Vajra might not be able to catch up. And even if they did, they couldn’t break in.

As the Pagoda of the World fell, Xu Qi’an reached out to catch it while mentally communicating with the pagoda spirit…

But in the next moment, another hand, as large as a fan, also grasped the Pagoda of the World.

Xu Qi’an looked up to see a giant standing before him, wearing a saffron and red kasaya, with large prayer beads around his neck. His body was covered in knotted muscles, and a ring of fire burned behind his head.

He was hairless, beardless, and eyebrowless, his entire head bare, and his skin a dark golden color, like a living bronze statue.

“Amitabha. This poor monk has come to guide the Buddha’s son into the Buddhist path,” said Dunang Vajra, his gaze intensely aggressive.

Bang!

Before Xu Qi’an could react, a kick struck his abdomen. The terrifying force sent him flying uncontrollably, causing him to lose his grip on the Pagoda of the World.

He crashed into a nearby shop, breaking through walls, shattering beams, and sending pedestrians screaming and scattering.

“Hum…”

Dunang Vajra’s palm stung as the Pagoda of the World vibrated, resisting his grasp.

Even though they were both of the Buddhist faith, the Pagoda of the World only recognized its master and wouldn’t be controlled by him. No matter how well-prepared he was, he couldn’t produce an artifact capable of sealing or suppressing the Pagoda of the World.

The pagoda itself was already a top-tier magical device.

Dunang Vajra immediately made the most correct decision, twisting his waist and swinging his arm to forcefully throw the Pagoda of the World into the distance.

The Pagoda of the World turned into a dark shadow, disappearing on the horizon.

In the ravaged shop, Xu Qi’an looked around. He saw the shop owner standing motionless behind the counter, as if scared stiff; he saw an assistant lying on the ground, head in hand, pinned down by a fallen cabinet, injured.

Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Dunang Vajra was using the dragon qi host to fish for me? How did he know I was nearby, and what was that light door just now? Isn’t teleportation something only sorcerers can do…

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, but he didn’t dawdle. His body suddenly vanished, using the dark insect techniques to jump to a street corner twenty zhang away.

His figure emerged from the shadows, and just as he got his bearings, a powerful aura bore down on him. The nine-foot-tall Vajra’s form materialized before him.

He clenched his fist and threw a vicious punch.

Xu Qi’an seemed to have anticipated this, tilting his head to dodge. His body took on a shadowy hue, about to meld into the shadows to escape.

Clang! Dunang Vajra’s fist struck his chest, interrupting the shadow jump.

Xu Qi’an should have been sent flying by this punch, but just as his body began to rise, Dunang Vajra slapped him back to the ground, followed by a barrage of fists.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The dark golden fists rained down relentlessly, creating waves of air pressure that swept across the street like a storm.

Xu Qi’an desperately tried to defend himself. With his ability to neutralize force, he shouldn’t have feared close combat, but Dunang Vajra possessed the same ability, and their strength was not on the same level.

Xu Qi’an inevitably found himself trapped in a “one-wave” predicament, seemingly destined to be beaten to death by a series of combos.

Unlike other systems, his physical body was also at the third rank, so Dunang Vajra couldn’t kill him quickly.

“His physical body is incredibly strong, even stronger than mine at my peak… A third-rank Vajra of the Buddhist faction has a physique a level above a third-rank martial artist, but he doesn’t seem to have ‘intent’.”

Xu Qi’an wasn’t merely taking a beating; he attempted to counterattack using his Seven Absolutes insect techniques.

After trying both the emotion insect and poison insect techniques, he found they had no effect.

His will is incredibly firm, he didn’t fall helplessly in love with me after inhaling the emotion insect’s aura… The poison insect is useless too, not showing any signs of poisoning… I must break free to escape, or the Vajra Body technique will eventually be shattered… Xu Qi’an crossed his arms to block another punch, then, enduring the pain, suddenly let out a piercing shriek.

In an instant, the barking of dogs and meowing of cats could be heard. The street was filled with a multitude of dogs, swarms of rats, and snakes slithering out from the cracks in the walls of every household.

He had used the power of the heart insect to summon nearby animals.

They charged forward as if crazed. Dogs tried to bite Dunang Vajra, and cats leaped at his face to block his vision, followed closely by snakes and rats.

Additionally, several horse-drawn carriages came charging from the end of the street, the horses’ eyes blazing red, recklessly rushing towards Dunang Vajra.

Dunang Vajra grabbed Xu Qi’an and slammed him violently into the ground, instantly cracking the street. At the same time, the flame behind his head suddenly expanded.

A wave of scorching air swept outward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Cats, dogs, rats, and snakes exploded, turning into bloody splatters that stained the street red.

Xu Qi’an finally managed to disrupt Dunang Vajra’s rhythm, gaining a moment to catch his breath. He didn’t use shadow jumping, as it would be immediately interrupted.

He rolled on the ground, then sprang up. At this moment, a sword appeared in his hand.

The Taiping Sword!

With a flick of his thumb, accompanied by a clear unsheathing sound, a dark golden sword light flashed by.

Sparks burst from Dunang Vajra’s chest as the immense force pushed him back a step.

Bloodstained Xu Qi’an’s chest.

This slash hadn’t cut through Dunang Vajra’s indestructible body but instead broke Xu Qi’an’s own nearly shattered Vajra Body technique.

However, he had achieved his goal.

In the next moment, he transformed into a shadow and vanished from the spot.

“Hmph!”

Dunang Vajra let out a cold snort and similarly disappeared. A third-rank Vajra’s spirit could cover an extremely wide range, and Xu Qi’an’s single shadow jump couldn’t escape his lock-on.

As one chased and the other fled, the two gradually left the bustling market area, with the battlefield shifting towards the outskirts of the city.

Xu Qi’an’s target was clear: the direction in which the Pagoda of the World had disappeared.

After nearly a quarter of an hour of pursuit, both left Yongzhou City. The lack of buildings outside the city left an open view, forcing Xu Qi’an to rely on tree shadows for jumping, which was unfavorable for escape.

In such a situation, when dealing with a pursuing enemy, the best method was to avoid moving in a straight line. Using shadow jumping to constantly change direction could disrupt the enemy’s pursuit rhythm, forcing them to keep changing direction as well.

This would slow down the enemy’s speed.

However, facing a third-rank Vajra who had mastered force neutralization, who could ignore inertia and defy the laws of physics, there was no difference between turning and moving in a straight line.

Seeing Dunang Vajra getting closer and closer, Xu Qi’an finally spotted the Pagoda of the World. It had returned to its original form, a massive tower deeply embedded in a field ridge.

At that moment, a gust of wind whistled behind his head, and a violent aura pressed against his back, like the breath of a hungry wolf.

Without hesitation, Xu Qi’an channeled the qi from his dantian into the Taiping Sword. After passing through the Sealing Demon Nail, only about 20-30% of the qi remained.

Then, he suddenly flung it backward!

The Taiping Sword let out a shrill cry as it stabbed towards the enemy, now just two zhang away.

Ding!

The Taiping Sword clashed against Dunang Vajra’s chest, sparks flying.

By this time, Xu Qi’an had already communicated with the pagoda spirit. The Pagoda of the World rose, and the gate of its first level slowly opened.

But just then, Xu Qi’an felt a sharp pain in his chest. The tip of the Taiping Sword protruded from his chest.

With the Vajra Body technique broken, this peerless divine weapon acted like a spear, piercing through his chest and pinning him to the ground.

At this moment, he was just one step away from success.

After throwing the Taiping Sword, Dunang Vajra saw that he had successfully blocked Xu Qi’an. Without wasting words, he strode forward, attempting to capture the Buddha’s son first.

“Turn back to the shore!”

Suddenly, a deep chanting voice sounded nearby.

Hengyun, the head monk of Sanhua Temple, had arrived.

When Xu Qi’an encountered Dunang Vajra’s ambush, he had already secretly used the Seven Absolutes insect technique to communicate with the puppet Hengyun in the inn, which was originally left there as a bodyguard for Mu Nanzhi.

After Dunang Vajra threw away the Pagoda of the World, Xu Qi’an made a quick decision to control Hengyun to rush here.

At this most critical moment, this puppet became his lifeline.

Under the power of the precepts, Dunang Vajra’s footsteps showed a slight, almost imperceptible pause. This wouldn’t change the outcome.

“No killing!”

“No violence!”

“…”

One precept after another was invoked, layer upon layer, accumulating.

Dunang Vajra was furious. He clenched his fist, swung his arm, and threw a punch towards Hengyun at his side.

Bang!

Several zhang away, Hengyun exploded into pieces. A fourth-rank Chan master completely vanished.

Clang… The gate of the first level of the Pagoda of the World opened fully. A pale golden light descended, enveloping Xu Qi’an and the Taiping Sword, instantly drawing them into the pagoda.

Immediately after, the gate closed, and the Pagoda of the World shot up into the sky, about to vanish in a streak of light.

“Trying to escape!”

Dunang Vajra bent his knees and suddenly leaped up, clinging to the body of the pagoda.

The Pagoda of the World carried him away, transforming into a streak of light.

Dunang Vajra clung tightly to the pagoda’s body, letting out a deep growl. His muscles bulged, and his dark golden skin lit up with a dazzling golden light.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dunang Vajra swung his fists, frantically pounding on the pagoda’s body.

…

Xu Qi’an, carrying the Taiping Sword, walked through the violently shaking Pagoda of the World, passing through the first level and entering the second. There, he saw Chai Xing’er, looking haggard.

She was imprisoned between two Vajra statues, just like Nalan Tianlu had been before.

The terrifying aura fluctuations from outside made this fifth-rank woman tremble in fear.

Xu Qi’an merely glanced at her before continuing on his way, climbing up to the third level.

The pagoda spirit, an old monk, sat cross-legged on a couch, his expression serene. Outside was a raging storm, but he remained calm and composed.

“Master…”

Xu Qi’an sat cross-legged beside him, palms pressed together in reverence, and said, “I think I need emergency treatment.”

Save this child, please.

He was severely injured, having been beaten like iron by Dunang Vajra, followed by the self-harm of “jade shattering,” and then pierced through the chest by the treacherous Taiping Sword.

His third-rank physique was sealed by the Sealing Demon Nail, his cellular activity was weak, and self-repair would take a long time.

The old monk nodded: “The Medicine Master’s manifestation can heal you.”

Without any visible movement from him, the slightly plump golden statue to the south, symbolizing the Medicine Master’s manifestation, released fine green fragments of light from the jade bottle in its palm. They seemed to have a mind of their own as they merged into Xu Qi’an’s body.

After the green light points entered his body, the burning wounds felt a cool clarity. Flesh and blood quickly writhed and healed, the recovery speed no slower than that of the immortal body of a third-rank cultivator.

This isn’t scientific… Is this one of the nine great manifestations of Buddhism? No wonder it can only be cultivated by a first-rank Bodhisattva… Xu Qi’an was so comfortable he almost moaned.

After about ten seconds, all injuries were healed.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Huge rumbling sounds came from outside as if two massive iron lumps were colliding.

That was Dunang Vajra pounding on the Pagoda of the World.

The interior of the pagoda shook violently.

“Master, how do we get rid of this guy?” Xu Qi’an hoped the pagoda spirit would take action and knock Dunang Vajra off.

“I’m already resisting him. Be patient, benefactor. Within an hour, I’ll be able to shake him off the pagoda’s body,” the pagoda spirit replied.

An hour…

“You’re a first-rank Bodhisattva’s artifact,” Xu Qi’an emphasized.

“But he’s not inside the pagoda, and I’m not an offensive artifact. If he were inside, I could suppress him,” the pagoda spirit said.

“Then let’s let him in?” Xu Qi’an’s eyes lit up.

“He can’t get in,” the pagoda spirit shook his head. “Those above fourth rank can’t enter this pagoda. To force entry, one would need to be a second-rank Arhat, and Vajras aren’t in the Chan master system.”

As they spoke, the pagoda spirit continued to shake. Dunang Vajra’s power was terrifyingly immense, causing the Pagoda of the World to resound constantly under his blows.

What use are you… Xu Qi’an frowned deeply.

He stood up and walked to the window. The sky was clear blue, and the earth was right below their feet as the Pagoda of the World flew through the air.

Although his face showed no expression, a strong sense of crisis welled up inside him.

“This won’t do. We don’t know if Duqing Arhat and Dufan Vajra are in Yongzhou. If they’re nearby, they might arrive at any moment.”

“A second-rank Arhat and two third-rank Vajras… Even with the Pagoda of the World by my side, I’d probably have no choice but to be captured…”

“If I go to the Buddhist sect to be their Buddha’s son, what use would this iron staff be? Tch, why is this Dunang Vajra so persistent?”

Duang! Duang! Duang!

Dunang Vajra was still pounding on the pagoda’s body. If they couldn’t shake him off, the situation would become increasingly dangerous.

At this moment, Shenshu’s severed arm twitched, as if awakened. It silently sensed for a moment, then chuckled eerily:

“Boy, seems like you’re in trouble.”

“So you’ve provoked a Vajra, tsk tsk. Interested in making another deal?”

Xu Qi’an asked in return, “What kind of deal?”

“Remove the seal, and I’ll help you kill him. A Vajra’s blood and qi are rich, a great tonic. I’m almost drooling.”

Shenshu’s tone was full of greed.

If you coated it in egg wash and fried it, you’d probably cry from wanting it so badly, Xu Qi’an thought sarcastically, not bothering to respond.

Whether to release Shenshu or not wasn’t his decision to make; it was up to the pagoda spirit. Besides, this severed arm was extremely evil. Before he regained his cultivation, he wouldn’t consider releasing it.

After frowning in thought for a moment, he suddenly slapped his forehead. “Right, I should call Senior Brother Sun for help.”

Without hesitation, he immediately took out the Dharma conch and transmitted:

“Senior Brother Sun, I’m near Yongzhou City, entangled with Dunang Vajra. Please come quickly to save me. You don’t need to reply, just come directly.”

There was no response from the Dharma conch, as expected.

Did he hear me, or not… Xu Qi’an’s expression froze.

In his anxiety, he suddenly sensed something. He paused, then became overjoyed. He quickly tilted the Earth Book fragment, and a triangular protective talisman fell out.

Xu Qi’an caught the talisman and heard Luo Yuheng’s cool voice from inside: “I’ve reached the borders of Yongzhou.”