“Guangxian, we meet again!”

A deep voice emerged from Shen Shu’s chest cavity.

After the torso merged with the legs, left arm, and primordial spirit, the left arm’s flamboyant malice was tempered by the torso’s gentleness, while the legs’ reckless frenzy made his temperament volatile and mercurial.

His mere presence affected all living beings with an aura that induced frenzy and mental chaos. Anyone who looked directly at him heard terrifying mumblings and experienced hallucinations, wanting to kill everything around them, including themselves.

Bodhisattva Guangxian didn’t respond. The wheel behind him slowly turned, the characters for “Asura” lighting up and shooting a golden beam toward Shen Shu. But the light hit only an afterimage. Shen Shu appeared ghost-like before Guangxian, his left hand “bang” crushing the air as he drew back his torso and swung his raised left arm violently at Guangxian.

Boom!

This punch also hit the air as Guangxian’s body dispersed into golden light.

Shen Shu’s fist struck the ground, creating a three-meter-wide crater. The violent force traveled along the ground, tearing open a fissure. When the fissure hit the distant wall, there was a “bang” as the wall cracked and stone fragments flew.

Guangxian’s reincarnation golden light didn’t hit Shen Shu, indicating his precepts had no special effect. Shen Shu’s current rank must be at least First Rank… Xu Qi An calmly rolled up his sleeves, tightened his belt, and adjusted his trouser legs.

He was now a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, perhaps quite delicate-looking, otherwise the Nine-Tailed Fox wouldn’t have mocked him.

The golden light gathered in the air, condensing into the young monk’s form. The Reincarnation Dharma Mark had dimmed slightly. He hadn’t been able to dodge Shen Shu’s punch and had already “died” once – this avatar could only die three times.

Shen Shu straightened his body and let out a deep roar, like an ancient beast awakening after ten thousand years, eager to display its might to the world.

Chaos erupted in the battlements as Western Region guards, warrior monks, and demons began killing each other indiscriminately.

Behind Bodhisattva Guangxian, the Reincarnation Dharma Mark faded as a thirty-zhang-tall golden Dharma Mark materialized. This Dharma Mark pressed its palms together, head lowered, face full of compassion.

“Great compassion, never wearying, eternally seeking good deeds, benefiting all beings.”

Bodhisattva Guangxian pressed his palms together and chanted softly.

As his words fell, Sanskrit sounds filled heaven and earth. The thirty-zhang Dharma Mark blazed with ten thousand zhang of golden light, breaking through the night.

This blood-soaked battlefield seemed to transform into a compassionate Bodhisattva’s sanctuary.

*Clang!*

Weapons fell to the ground one after another. At this moment, whether human or demon, all abandoned their weapons, unwilling to cause more killing.

A moment ago they had been mortal enemies, now they looked at each other with eyes full of compassion and love for life.

That they didn’t embrace each other and call out “brother” was their last remnant of reason.

The warrior monks, soldiers, and demons who had been driven to extreme frenzy by Shen Shu’s body all broke free. Now filled with compassion, they had no desire to fight. Wary of the transcendent battle, they withdrew from the battlefield in an orderly manner to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

“The Great Compassion Dharma Mark…”

The Nine-Tailed Fox’s fine brows furrowed. Under the Buddhist light’s baptism, the hatred, schemes, resentment, and ambition in her heart dispersed like smoke.

But her powerful primordial spirit represented strong rationality, letting her know these emotions were wrong – Buddhism and the demon race were mortal enemies.

Reason and emotion reached a stalemate.

The Nine-Tailed Fox couldn’t block the influence of the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark.” This Dharma Mark was extremely special – it had no offensive ability.

Its only purpose was to manifest Bodhisattva Guangxian’s “Way.”

Unless one was a Second Rank boundary-merged martial artist who had completed their Way, any system below First Rank would be affected by the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark.”

Suppressed by Bodhisattva Guangxian’s status.

The demon race didn’t follow a “Way,” cultivating innate divine abilities instead.

Of course, she didn’t need to worry about Buddhism taking advantage to ambush them, because whether Du E or Asura, they were all filled with compassion at this moment.

“This Great Compassion Dharma Mark is like the Great Reincarnation Dharma Mark – it doesn’t distinguish friend from foe. Bodhisattva Guangxian feels like a troublemaker.”

Xu Qi An had also noticed the state of the Buddhist crowd.

“You…”

The Nine-Tailed Fox looked at him in surprise. This boy who hadn’t even grown facial hair was completely unaffected by the “compassion.”

At the same time, she noticed Xu Qi An now holding a blade – long-bladed and dark golden.

On the scene, only two people were unaffected by the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark” – Xu Qi An and Shen Shu.

Seeing the silver-haired, fox-eared beauty staring at him in surprise, Xu Qi An explained:

“Compassion is not my Way.”

He raised the blade in his hand and said:

“This is my Way.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox saw two characters carved near the blade’s handle: “Great Peace.”

She pondered for a moment, then asked:

“You’ve established your destiny?”

As she asked, undisguised envy showed in the demoness’s eyes.

“Establishing destiny” was the term for the Confucian Third Rank. The Confucian explanation for establishing destiny was: to rectify oneself to await heaven’s mandate.

Establishing destiny and “Way” reached the same destination by different paths.

Xu Qi An made a sound of agreement and sighed:

“Perhaps because I bear national destiny, when I named it, I mysteriously established my destiny too. My cultivation was shallow then, I didn’t understand much. If I had another chance, I wouldn’t establish this kind of destiny.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox scrutinized him:

“What destiny would you establish?”

Probably “freeloading” or “listening to music in brothels”… Xu Qi An smiled and said: “Guess.”

On the other side, Shen Shu’s navel split open, transforming into a mouth that emitted a buzzing strange laugh:

“Great Compassion? What use is that to me.”

The mouth formed from his navel suddenly “ptui” spat out an arrow of blood that struck the Great Compassion Dharma Mark, instantly polluting the brilliant golden body, covering the thirty-zhang tall Dharma Mark in black-red bloody light.

Bodhisattva Guangxian’s face twitched slightly as if enduring great pain.

*Thump thump thump…* Shen Shu broke into a sprint. Under the moonlight, his nimble form was full of power, muscles undulating with each stride.

But Shen Shu’s target wasn’t Bodhisattva Guangxian, but the distant wall.

*Boom!*

The towering wall seemed to have been hit by dozens or hundreds of tons of explosives. Under the shockwave, stone fragments became bullets shooting in all directions.

A gap nearly ten meters wide was smashed open in the southern wall.

At this moment, if the demon army charged through this gap, they could capture the South City and retake Wan Yao Mountain in a short time.

But whether demon race or Western Region guards, all had already withdrawn from this area, either fighting in the distance or watching from afar.

Looking down at the collapsed wall, Bodhisattva Guangxian showed no anger or shock on his face, instead seeming relieved as he withdrew the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark.”

Xu Qi An had been observing expressions, and an inexplicable thought flashed through his mind:

Guangxian’s true intent in using the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark” was to stop the killing on the battlements and relieve the mental frenzy and chaos of the lower-ranking soldiers and demons affected by Shen Shu’s aura.

Silently, a shadow covered Bodhisattva Guangxian – it was Shen Shu blocking the moonlight. He had somehow reached high in the sky again, like a hawk striking a rabbit.

The mouth formed from his navel split open in a fierce grin.

Just then, a golden figure shot diagonally, colliding with Shen Shu and sending him flying. They grappled and rolled as they fell toward the distance.

It was Asura.

The two agile and fierce physiques, filled with unparalleled power, grappled as they rolled. Hands, feet, elbows, knees… any part of their bodies could become divine weapons causing terrible damage.

The wheel behind Guangxian clicked and turned, projecting a beam of golden light that shone on Asura, branding a “卍” symbol on his forehead.

Meanwhile, no longer affected by the “Great Compassion Dharma Mark,” the Nine-Tailed Fox used eight tails to push off the ground, leaping high to pounce at Bodhisattva Guangxian in the air.

Eight tails danced behind her, demonic and beautiful.

“Amitabha!”

Guangxian bent into a cross-legged sitting position, palms pressed together.

A faint golden light rose from his body.

Meditation technique!

*Clang clang clang…* Eight fox tails like tentacles struck Guangxian’s body, making the golden light ripple repeatedly.

Seeing this, Arhat Du E took off the prayer beads hanging around his neck and gently tore them apart. Ninety-nine beads floated around him, gradually taking on five-colored halos.

“Go!”

Du E waved his sleeve, sending all the beads flying.

The brilliant, colorful “rain” crossed the night sky, attacking the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The little boy leaped out of the silver-haired demoness’s shadow, left hand holding the blade, right hand the sword, wielding them in an impenetrable defense.

Amid “ding ding ding” sounds and flying sparks, brilliant prayer beads were deflected one after another.

If only we were in Great Feng, I could use the Imperial Sword to gather the power of all beings, perhaps splitting Guangxian’s meditation technique with one stroke… Xu Qi An’s gaze swept around to see the prayer beads like a swarm of insects, circling to attack the Nine-Tailed Fox from the side.

Even transcendent martial artists wouldn’t dare let these beads imbued with demon-slaying power strike their bodies.

The Floating Pagoda trembled, spreading prison-suppressing power to restrain the prayer beads that fell like rain.

With Her Highness entangling Guangxian and Shen Shu suppressing Asura, now was the best chance to capture Arhat Du E. If I capture him, my last Demon-Sealing Nail can be removed…

Xu Qi An merged into the shadows, emerging from Du E’s shadow with the Imperial Sword blazing with brilliant sword light, attacking his back.

But he couldn’t thrust the Imperial Sword – Buddhist precepts of “no killing” enveloped him.

The Floating Pagoda “hummed” and trembled, again releasing prison-suppressing power. It wasn’t to counter the precepts’ power, but to affect Du E, suppressing his subsequent response.

This created a situation where Xu Qi An emerged from the shadow behind Du E, holding his sword intending to backstab, but unable to thrust.

While Du E faced away from him, showing no response.

A second later, as the precepts and prison-suppressing power’s effects passed, the Imperial Sword was no longer hindered, resolutely thrusting toward Du E’s back.

The light wheel behind the latter’s head spun rapidly, his kasaya billowing as rainbow-like brilliant light rippled outward.

Xu Qi An was pushed away by this tremendous force. Immediately after, he heard whistling sounds behind him as ninety-nine prayer beads shot toward him like brilliant flames.

Meanwhile, Shen Shu gripped Asura’s neck with one arm, holding him in mid-air while making a buzzing strange laugh:

“Boy, there’s a familiar aura about you.”

The flame halo behind Asura’s head extinguished as the five-colored wheel lit up, golden flames flickering in his gaze.

“No killing!”

The precepts had no effect.

He calmly sat cross-legged, using meditation techniques to cover his body in a faint golden light.

*Crack!* The golden light was immediately crushed by Shen Shu – the meditation technique ineffective.

Five-colored light blazed from Asura’s fists as he pushed his demon-slaying power to the limit. His fists struck like wind against Shen Shu’s chest.

*Bang!*

Like a great bell tolling, the fist force passed through Shen Shu’s body like a storm surge rushing hundreds of zhang, destroying all houses and walls in its path.

*Bang bang bang…* Asura’s fists repeatedly exploded against Shen Shu’s chest, the force passing through his body. Behind Shen Shu for hundreds of zhang, an irregular vacuum zone was cleared.

“Are you tickling me?”

Shen Shu’s navel-mouth asked in a puzzled tone.

Asura’s rain-like dense fists slightly stiffened, showing hesitation.

You should say: My little fists are pounding your chest… Watching this scene from afar, Xu Qi An muttered internally.

He calmly dealt with Du E’s prayer beads without rushing for results, working with the Bear King to contain Du E from left and right.

The gap between Third and Second Rank was still very large, especially for a veteran Second Rank like Du E.

Demon-slaying power could cause massive damage to him and the Bear King, plus Buddhism’s various spells.

The best strategy now was to wait for Shen Shu to kill Asura, freeing up manpower to deal with Du E and Guangxian.

Shen Shu lifted Asura and slammed him down hard.

In the thunderous crash, Xu Qi An seemed to hear the sound of a missile exploding, violent tremors coming through his feet.

The compacted ground suddenly sank and cracked, fissures extending downward to tear apart the rock body inside Wan Yao Mountain.

Asura’s eyes bulged as great mouthfuls of blood spurted from his throat.

*Thump thump, thump thump…*

Amid heartbeats loud as war drums, Asura’s skin lost its dark golden color, replaced by jet black.

This meant he was no longer suppressing his Asura blood, releasing his inner battle spirit. He was an unyielding warrior, an undefeated war god, he was…

*Bang!*

Shen Shu stomped him into the ground, making the mountain’s internal rock fractures even more severe.

“Such a familiar aura, there’s such a familiar aura about you.”

Shen Shu spoke while stomping. Asura’s chest bones collapsed as he continuously coughed blood – even the Asura race’s unyielding warrior body couldn’t withstand Shen Shu’s great footsteps.

Asura’s lips curved, his gums bloody as he sneered:

“You’re pathetic.”

Shen Shu seemed enraged. He raised his left hand, a black-red energy ball rising from his palm – a black core surrounded by bloody light, the black core continuously collapsing and shooting black lightning.

Shen Shu gripped this energy ball and smashed it violently onto Asura’s head.

Red and black light instantly expanded, spreading outward like a light dome, and then “boom” exploded into pure, rampaging energy storms.

The surrounding dense forest bent like withered grass.

Xu Qi An, Bear King, and even the Nine-Tailed Fox all stopped fighting to look toward Shen Shu’s direction.

Shen Shu stood in the crater dissolved by energy, his left-hand smoking, beside his feet a broken black corpse with a head and chest cavity missing.

Dead?

Xu Qi An focused his senses but could not detect Asura’s primordial spirit.