Within the pagoda, the golden Buddha statue still stood.
Beneath the great Buddha whose height couldn’t be seen, the dust-covered incense table and burner remained, several broken incense sticks buried in deep ash, long since cold.
A round mirror rested on the incense table, still flowing with brilliant light.
Its surroundings were antique, seemingly cast from bronze. Though the mirror surface emitted light, touching it revealed only roughness, appearing somewhat blurred.
In the center of the great hall, around the Buddha statue, stood six azure lamps.
At this moment, each azure lamp contained a small flame, gently flickering.
Suddenly, the rightmost azure lamp’s flame trembled and abruptly extinguished!
Following this came the bronze mirror’s violent trembling light, causing the adjacent lamp’s flame to tremble as well.
“Pff!”
The violently trembling flame showed signs of extinguishing.
An azure-robed figure burst forth from the azure lamp’s flame almost the instant the fire wavered!
It was none other than Xie Buchen, who had just broken free from Red Butterfly’s Red Dust Three Thousand Zhang!
Wearing azure robes, when he flew from the lamp wick, he seemed like a wisp of green smoke slowly emerging from flames, drifting and swaying like a solitary crane.
Yet this normally graceful posture carried a hint of dishevelment!
Because a brilliant blade light, like a persistent ghost, burst forth from the nearly extinguished flame!
Jian Chou!
The Deer-Cutting Blade!
From the tiny flame, it was as if a scorching sun had exploded, instantly illuminating the entire dark hall!
The azure lamp before the Buddha suddenly extinguished.
From the wick, blade light gleamed like snow!
Within the pagoda, three thousand human heads floated in the air, appearing grotesque under this blade light’s illumination!
Almost the instant Xie Buchen flew from that azure lamp, this silk-like blade light struck him solidly!
Rip!
The long azure sleeve was immediately torn open with a huge gash. Half of Xie Buchen’s body was stained with blood. Originally floating upward, he was now pressed down by the blade’s force and slammed hard toward the hall’s floor!
“Clatter!”
Countless dust particles scattered as the low incense table on the ground was instantly smashed to pieces. Lamp stands, candle holders, and incense burners all fell to the ground in chaos.
Bright red blood splattered on the dusty ground, the red blood mixing with white ash, creating a murky sensation.
Jian Chou’s figure emerged with that cascading blade light, in an instant standing atop that azure lamp.
Her toes lightly touched the lamp bowl, and the weak flame like a single star finally couldn’t hold on and completely collapsed.
Hiss…
A wisp of green smoke rose, and all the Red Dust worlds hidden in the lamp wick vanished without a trace.
What appeared before Jian Chou was still the same great hall as before, with no changes except for some damage from the collision.
The three thousand-plus human heads still floated in the pagoda, gently illuminated by the golden light flowing from the Buddha’s body—some fierce, some peaceful.
The scroll emanating pale white light still hung quietly at the top of the pagoda, just as when they had entered the Red Dust Azure Lamp realm.
Her gaze swept past Xie Buchen, and in that instant of eye contact, it was both extremely complex and extremely simple!
The Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records!
Kunwu’s objective, Xie Buchen’s objective!
In just that moment, she saw that though Xie Buchen was injured, his expression remained unchanged as he immediately leaped up, heading for the heights.
In that instant, Jian Chou laughed coldly: “Dream on!”
The same words as before—
If I could seize your Dijiang Wind-Thunder Wings yesterday, I can snatch your “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” today!
Whatever you desire, I will surely take!
With a single leap, Jian Chou instantly rode the wind, her form becoming hidden while her speed reached its peak!
She was like a meteor, tracing a brilliant arc, catching up to Xie Buchen while directly slashing at him!
Xie Buchen’s sleeve already bore a shocking bloodstain. Seeing that blade swing toward him, he suddenly struck his palm toward the Buddha statue!
At this moment, both had only just started, still at the Buddha statue’s base.
Xie Buchen’s palm struck exactly on the Buddha’s crossed knees.
Immediately came a metallic “clang” as Xie Buchen successfully borrowed force upward at the critical moment, narrowly avoiding Jian Chou’s blade!
The blade light was fierce with terrifying power. Though it missed Xie Buchen, it grazed past him and struck directly into the pagoda wall!
The seemingly solid and thick pagoda made cracking sounds at this instant.
“Crash!”
The Deer-Cutting Blade’s light broke through the pagoda wall, instantly penetrating it. Countless golden fragments fell from mid-air, filling the ground with smoke and dust!
It was like suddenly stabbing a hole in a gloomy tomb—the brilliant golden light outside immediately shone through this hole like a pillar of light.
Many human heads within the light pillar acted like living beings, all closing their eyes!
This scene was both supremely beautiful and supremely eerie!
Xie Buchen saw it, and Jian Chou saw it too.
Both knew these three thousand heads must have something sinister about them, but they couldn’t care about that now.
Even if this was the Asura Hell, she would first seize what Xie Buchen wanted, then behead him here!
This thought flashed through Jian Chou’s mind, then transformed into infinite cold killing intent, overflowing into her eyes.
While swinging her blade, her speed didn’t diminish.
Though Xie Buchen was blocked by her blade and wasn’t further injured, he still wasted considerable time avoiding it.
In this advance and retreat, Jian Chou had instantly surpassed Xie Buchen, heading for the heights!
Within the pagoda stood only this one Buddha.
She swiftly rose from the Buddha’s seated form, like wind soaring upward, like lightning streaking forth, rapidly approaching the scroll hanging high at the Buddha’s crown.
Xie Buchen followed closely behind.
Originally, he had nearly exhausted himself in the Ten Thousand Beasts Maze Formation, but the unexpected incident with Lu Xiangleng had forced Jian Chou to cooperate with him, giving him his first chance to catch his breath.
Then entering the painting realm, receiving a lotus root section from Lijun, he had another chance to recover.
Not to mention his constantly healing body within the Red Dust Thousand Zhang Lamps…
Even though he had just lost the initiative in chess to Jian Chou and taken a blade strike, his current strength was not inferior to his previous self!
His gaze fixed tightly on Jian Chou, that swaying figure seemed branded in his memory, still as stunning as when he first saw her…
Some emotion spread faintly in his heart.
But what followed was his unhesitating raised hand—
An obscure sword intent, almost substantial, condensed into a thin gray line, extending finely toward Jian Chou.
It was an extremely eerie feeling.
When Jian Chou’s spiritual sense spread out, she could clearly feel that thin gray line. The obscure, even harsh sensation invaded from behind her the moment it appeared.
She felt as if trapped in deep mud, her limbs becoming sluggish.
The spiritual energy circulating in her body seemed bound by this gray line that appeared from nowhere, almost unable to flow.
Seeing that thin sword intent about to fly from Xie Buchen’s hand and pierce her body, Jian Chou gritted her teeth and suddenly erupted with a terrifying aura from within!
Boom!
Dispersing spiritual energy!
In that instant, she actually scattered all the spiritual energy still circulating in her body!
Jian Chou, who had been rapidly ascending, suddenly plummeted.
Xie Buchen frowned, caught off guard.
Just as Jian Chou’s blade hadn’t landed on him earlier, Xie Buchen’s sword intent also failed to hit Jian Chou.
“Whoosh!”
Another hole appeared in the pitch-black pagoda.
A golden light pillar shone down from outside, illuminating Xie Buchen perfectly, as if coating him with golden light.
Still falling, Jian Chou suddenly let out a mocking laugh.
Hidden Sword Intent?
Nothing more than that!
The reason her spiritual energy had difficulty circulating was because it was locked by sword intent, but Jian Chou had the Heavenly Void Constitution!
All meridians in her body had dissolved—wherever she wished became meridians, became pathways for spiritual energy flow. How could she still be bound by Xie Buchen’s sword intent?
Just as Xie Buchen’s sword intent pierced the pagoda, calculating light already flashed in Jian Chou’s eyes.
A completely new meridian circulation path was formed in this instant!
“Condense!”
With a soft shout in her heart, the countless scattered spiritual energies suddenly flowed back into Jian Chou’s body like a whale drinking water!
In just a blink, Jian Chou had broken free from the sword intent’s control.
In the previous sword exchange, Xie Buchen had regained the initiative, but when his gaze fell on Jian Chou, he couldn’t hide the amazement in his eyes.
Changed…
Though the person before him was still Jian Chou, her spiritual energy circulation pattern had changed instantly. The feeling was like facing a complete stranger!
How could an ordinary cultivator’s meridian circulation pattern change?
With his vast knowledge, Xie Buchen almost instantly guessed the reason: “Heavenly Void Constitution!”
His voice carried uncontrollable amazement.
The Heavenly Void Constitution, like Jian Chou’s deficient soul and spirit, was something ordinary people couldn’t observe.
Now that Xie Buchen had blurted it out, he naturally hadn’t seen it but had guessed it from Jian Chou’s instantly changing meridians…
“Heavenly Void Constitution…”
Jian Chou showed a brilliant smile.
“Fellow Daoist Xie is very clever, guessing it immediately. Admirable, admirable.”
As her words fell, she immediately threw out another blade!
The smile on Jian Chou’s face carried a bloody scent baptized by suffering: “Jian Chou’s present state is greatly thanks to Fellow Daoist Xie. I’ll repay yesterday’s kindness blade by blade today!”
“Bang!”
The blade thrown earlier exploded the moment that shout reached Xie Buchen’s ears.
This time, caught off guard, Xie Buchen couldn’t dodge. Blood immediately sprayed from his shoulder.
Xie Buchen didn’t fully understand Jian Chou’s meaning, but could guess the general idea.
Everything she had today was thanks to him.
Without his heart-piercing sword of yesterday, how could there be today’s female cultivator so powerful she made hearts tremble?
The vague eyebrows and eyes of the past, the vague old friend of the past.
Still…
That heart-stirring woman.
In her every gesture, she already carried fierce authority, still neither humble nor arrogant…
The scenes in memory, through these several exchanges, completely overlapped with what he saw today.
Xie Buchen’s gaze at Jian Chou was almost tender, carrying a deep nostalgia carved in memory.
He had thought to deceive himself, but how could he deceive that feeling buried deep in his heart that even he hadn’t clearly seen?
Unable to deceive himself, he must kill her!
The scroll overhead concerned the “Nine Curves River Chart”—he was determined to obtain it; the old friend before him was the greatest heart-obstacle since he began cultivation—he must overcome it.
Thus, in this affectionate gaze, Xie Buchen’s lips curved in a smile.
His five fingers spread wide, and earth-shaking sword intents gathered madly!
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
…
Strike after strike of sword intent, countless golden holes pierced through walls!
Xie Buchen was attacking, and Jian Chou was counterattacking.
The two continuously engaged in perilous exchanges while constantly ascending in their mutual struggle.
Countless golden light pillars entered through the holes blasted by their combat, illuminating the tall Buddha statue in the great hall.
The brilliant golden light grew brighter and brighter…
In the pagoda, three thousand human heads were all illuminated by the brilliant and magnificent golden light. Unable to look directly at it, they all painfully closed their eyes.
From the Buddha’s seated knees, to the chest cast with the “卐” symbol, to those broad shoulders…
As the two continued advancing in their struggle, the height grew ever higher. Soon, they had reached near the pagoda’s top.
The pagoda’s peak was pointed—the higher they went, the narrower it became, leaving less and less space for them to maneuver.
Often in a single turn, they had already exchanged attacks and counterattacks several times.
Blinding golden light reflected from the golden body of the Buddha’s head, completely submerging the two fighters.
The Buddha’s face, originally unclear from below, finally became distinct at this height.
Long, rounded earlobes, gently curved jawline, slightly upturned mouth corners, gently closed eyes, a red mark between the brows…
Dignified and solemn, with a particularly peaceful feeling within the compassion.
He sat properly in the pagoda, lowering his gaze to watch below, seemingly observing the three thousand human heads floating in mid-air, three thousand suffering souls, extremely peaceful and extremely compassionate.
He couldn’t see the “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” scroll above his head, nor could he see the male and female cultivators fighting for the scroll.
He was Buddha, the Ancestor, the most compassionate existence, and also the most emotionless existence!
“Whoosh!”
Slender fingers tensed, instantly forming a complex hand seal, striking toward Xie Buchen’s face as he stood on the Buddha’s shoulder.
Red Dust Illusion-Breaking Finger!
Jian Chou found the Deer-Cutting Blade quite handy and hadn’t changed it throughout.
But having just swung the blade, she couldn’t strike again so quickly. In a moment of inspiration, recalling the feeling in Red Butterfly’s Red Dust Three Thousand Zhang, she raised her finger to strike!
In that instant, the three springs of green willows all darkened, while the hundred entertainments of red dust converged in the swaying.
The confusion and pain of being lost in the red dust directly assaulted Xie Buchen’s heart.
His dao heart was no longer without flaws.
Though Jian Chou’s finger didn’t capture the essence, it still caused Xie Buchen a moment of distraction when it struck.
This moment of distraction soon became intense pain!
“Pff!”
The sound of sharp fingers penetrating flesh and blood.
Even Jian Chou herself hadn’t expected to succeed so easily.
Red Butterfly Fairy’s words suddenly echoed in her ears…
Fallen in love again?
So this was why the Red Dust Illusion-Breaking Finger caught him off guard?
A mocking smile immediately appeared on her lips.
Jian Chou stared at Xie Buchen’s suddenly furrowed brow, her heart unmoved, directly withdrawing her hand, bringing out countless blood drops that scattered on the ancient Buddha’s golden body, adding an eerie touch to the magnificent solemnity.
The finger force that penetrated his shoulder ran along his meridians, and in a blink, that entire shoulder area was bloody and mangled.
Xie Buchen, standing on the Buddha’s shoulder, looked up through the pain only to see Jian Chou’s instantly departing figure!
The “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” scroll was right before his eyes!
Concerning the River Chart’s secrets, and being what Hengxu True Person called of utmost importance, it absolutely couldn’t fall into Jian Chou’s hands.
Absolutely…
Several thoughts flashed through Xie Buchen’s eyes, seeming somewhat hesitant, but seeing Jian Chou’s figure about to reach the scroll, if he wanted to stop her, he had no choice!
Wasn’t this exactly how trump cards were revealed one by one?
In that instant, divine light condensed in Xie Buchen’s eyes, and countless golden lights projected into his eyes, actually condensing into a strange seal.
Beneath Xie Buchen’s feet, a two-zhang five-dou compass rapidly expanded outward, spinning madly!
A golden dao seal condensed beneath his feet the moment golden light gathered in his eyes!
Thus, a strange fluctuation suddenly appeared in this narrow, almost cramped space…
Jian Chou, who had climbed over the Buddha’s nose bridge and reached the top, suddenly felt that Xie Buchen’s presence in the space her spiritual sense detected became ethereal.
Like a shadow floating on water, when a strange wave suddenly came, the water surface rippled, and in a blink, the original shadow was scattered, leaving nothing behind.
Xie Buchen’s figure vanished on the spot!
Jian Chou was startled in alarm, and in that instant, two words flashed through her mind in horror: Teleportation!
She didn’t look back even once, only in the moment Xie Buchen’s figure disappeared from her spiritual sense’s coverage range, she suddenly looked up toward the scroll!
A ripple of pale light arose, and Xie Buchen’s figure appeared without warning beside the scroll!
So close!
He only needed to reach out to touch it!
Perhaps the technique he’d just used consumed too much energy for him—Xie Buchen’s face bore a pale color, but at this moment he was already far ahead of Jian Chou, reaching toward the scroll with almost no suspense!
That was the “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” scroll!
Master Buyu’s secret to achieving dao and ascending, even involving the secret of the entire Shijiu Zhou’s birth!
Most importantly…
That was what Xie Buchen wanted to obtain!
A series of thoughts flashed rapidly through her mind.
Jian Chou’s body had already reacted before her mind, the instant Xie Buchen’s teleportation succeeded.
Also a complete two-zhang five-dou compass, instantly covering the entire top of the pagoda!
A golden wing-shaped dao seal spread between the compass’s kunxian lines, and suddenly a burning sensation rose from her back.
Those massive Dijiang Wind-Thunder Wings instantly spread!
“Boom!”
The golden wings struck like lightning across the high pagoda top, and the entire pointed peak was actually cut through the middle by those fierce wings, falling from the ninth heaven toward the ground below!
Jian Chou was only at Golden Core stage and had no secret techniques passed down by a master—only these ancient Dijiang Wings!
Swift as wind and lightning, fierce as rushing thunder!
Xie Buchen had only just reached out his hand, thinking he had victory in his grasp.
But who would have thought that the moment that terrifying fluctuation spread, in the corner of his vision, Jian Chou’s approaching figure was actually enveloped in a layer of golden light.
The next instant, that figure became blurred, even disappearing!
In its place was a brilliant golden lightning bolt!
At that moment, Xie Buchen’s fingertips had only just touched the scroll emanating faint white light!
The golden lightning was already before his eyes in a blink!
Jian Chou’s figure, set off by those raised Dijiang wings, seemed to possess an awe-inspiring presence that none could match!
The moment she appeared, her burning gaze fell on the scroll he had already touched.
The next instant, that hand reached over without any courtesy, forcibly grabbing one end of the scroll and pulling hard!
“Rip—”
The almost sharp sound of tearing fabric instantly echoed throughout the entire pagoda top!
Like two hands tearing open a gloomy curtain, the entire scroll was pulled open by two hands, and under their mutual struggle, the faint white light immediately disappeared.
The scroll, losing its protection, was torn in half down the middle by these two hands that had once been joined together!
In that instant, the entire seemingly majestic Buddha pagoda also seemed to be torn apart, actually splitting in half along with the scroll, crashing down on both sides!
Thus, that Buddha with golden body had no more shelter, and Buddha light shone everywhere…
Northern Domain, Western Sea Chan Sect.
Deep in the ancient temple, in the tall pagoda, Fudao Shanren and Hengxu Zhenren, hidden in the shadows, almost simultaneously stopped their steps and looked up in amazement at the largest Buddha statue in the pagoda.
The massive Buddha statue leaned against the pagoda’s edge, occupying the full height of eight pagoda floors.
This Buddha statue had been built long ago and had received incense offerings from Chan Sect disciples for years, appearing somewhat aged with peeling gold coating around it.
But just in that moment, countless golden rays suddenly shot from the Buddha’s body, as if gilding this clay and wooden puppet-like existence with a layer of pure gold!
“Good gracious, could it be that my cultivation has declined and I’ve been discovered?”
Fudao Shanren was terrified, quickly pulling back the foot he had just stepped forward.
Hengxu Zhenren in his dao robes stood beside Fudao Shanren.
Hearing his alarmed shout, he didn’t speak, only furrowed his brow with a grave expression.
These two—one the highest-ranking elder of Yashan publicly, the other holding the highest position in Kunwu, both leaders of the Central Domain—were now sneaking around in the Northern Domain’s Chan Sect territory, secretly infiltrating their back mountain pagoda. If word got out, it would be both a shocking and disgraceful matter.
Yet neither Fudao Shanren nor Hengxu Zhenren showed any embarrassment on their faces, not feeling it damaged their dignity at all.
Their only concern was being discovered by the Chan Sect people, causing unnecessary trouble.
In the dark pagoda, the Buddha statue’s golden light grew ever more intense, simply unstoppable.
In the blink of an eye, the entire dark pagoda was illuminated.
Fudao Shanren and Hengxu Zhenren, hidden in the shadows, suddenly had nowhere to hide!
“No good, trouble!”
Fudao Shanren, clutching his broken bamboo pole, quickly stuffed the greasy chicken leg—forbidden in this pure Buddhist place—into his mouth and unhesitatingly jumped down from the ninth floor!
“Old monster, old monster, the wind’s tight—let’s go!”
As he left, he didn’t forget to call to Hengxu Zhenren who had come with him.
However, Hengxu Zhenren stood in place, gazing at the glowing Buddha statue for a long time, his eyes already showing changing clouds and winds.
He and Fudao Shanren had originally come for the grudges between Central and Northern Domains, for the secret of reincarnation, never expecting to encounter such a coincidence…
His gaze slowly moved away from the Buddha statue.
Hengxu Zhenren acted as if he didn’t see Fudao Shanren jumping around below, only turning his head to gaze far into the southwest direction!
Across misty layers of clouds, across crisscrossing mountains and waters, lay the vast Central Domain land, the forest of three thousand sects, the chaotic Mingri Xinghai…
In that vast basin that never saw tomorrow, beside the broadest street, stood a riverside tall building.
Qu Zhengfeng had been drinking wine beside the tall building for three days, sitting with his back to the crowd. Others couldn’t see his face clearly and wouldn’t connect him with the recent “Qu Zhengfeng” who had been challenging heroes one after another with his sword.
Mingri Xinghai had always been the most chaotic place in all of Shijiu Zhou, and also where news converged most intensely.
“Word came from the southeastern wilderness recently, hahaha, that young sect master of Hero’s Tomb, Yong Zhou, schemed Song Lin of Mountain Shade Sect to death. I heard that among those who went to the Qingfeng Hermitage hidden realm, except for Song Lin—”
“What happened?”
“Haha, total annihilation!”
“Gasp!”
Many people drew sharp breaths hearing this.
“Are this session’s Left Three Thousand gathering cultivators really so formidable?” someone immediately asked. “The demon dao of the southeastern wilderness are usually stronger than their peers at the same cultivation level. How is this possible?”
“This shows how ignorant you all are!”
Those in the know were quite disdainful, immediately counting on their fingers to clearly explain one, two, three, four, five.
The Central Domain had always been a land of brilliant stars, and in recent years had produced several stunning talents.
War Lord Xia Houshe needn’t be mentioned—his cultivation was mysterious; the neither-male-nor-female Young Master Ruhua had long been infamous; the medicine-dispensing Healer Xiangleng was famous not just in the Central Domain but throughout Shijiu Zhou.
All three were part of this Qingfeng Hermitage hidden realm expedition.
The even more formidable ones came after.
Yashan and Kunwu!
“First place on the Solitary Platform at the gathering, Yashan’s Jian Chou—two years of cultivation, breaking through to Golden Core, overwhelming the heroes to climb the Solitary Platform, truly outstanding among the outstanding.”
“Then there’s Xie Buchen—ten days to establish foundation, thirteen days to be listed on the Nine Heavens Tablet. Even in all of Shijiu Zhou, he’s a heaven’s pride rarely seen in a hundred years!”
“Just these two people alone would be enough to deal with Song Lin over there—he died worthily!”
Hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, lamenting that comparisons between people were deadly.
When they first cultivated, how difficult it was! Forming a core was like risking their lives.
Look at these people—it was as simple as eating and drinking!
“Thinking that these two went to the Qingfeng Hermitage hidden realm together, both from Yashan and Kunwu, they must have joined hands with united hearts. Combined, who among their peers could be their opponent?”
“Haha, so Song Lin’s fall this time really wasn’t unjust…”
…
Laughter filled the building.
“Glug glug…”
Wine poured into the cup. Qu Zhengfeng listened to those discussions, looking at the clear liquid, feeling an indescribable sense of “everyone’s drunk but I’m sober.”
Joining hands shoulder to shoulder, united in heart?
A hint of mockery flashed through his eyes, then transformed into amusement.
Qu Zhengfeng drank a cup of wine, laughed once, but still said nothing.
Below the tall building, an aged elder slowly approached from the distance.
He walked steadily, gazing at the cloud-covered sky, raising and lowering his hands, striking and singing with a mighty and weathered voice: “Heaven and earth vast and boundless, sun and moon bright and clear. The great river flows east, waves washing away all heroes, through the ages competing in elegance…”
“Through the ages competing in elegance…”
The desolate song, carrying the lingering charm of chanting, gradually faded away.
Colorful clouds scattered across the sky.
Leaping out of the huge basin, crossing the chaotic southeastern wilderness, all the way west lay the vast Western Sea.
The Thirteen Islands of the Immortal Path were like thirteen chess pieces scattered on the sea surface, also like chains connecting the human isolated islands with the Shijiu Zhou mainland, appearing and disappearing in the sea water.
A pillar of golden light spread from the back mountain of Qingfeng Hermitage on the coast of the human isolated islands, seeming to shine down from the heavens above.
Faintly, the phantom of a great Buddha appeared in the azure sky, causing all the people of the mortal realm to look up in wonder.
The pagoda had completely collapsed, all the ruins falling into the Heavenly Mirror Lake.
Karma fire red lotus bloomed on the lake surface, reaching up to the sky, climbing over the high heavens, a brilliant gold-red that made hearts palpitate.
A Buddha statue seemingly reaching the sky sat solemnly on the calm lake, with a compassionate face carrying sympathy for the mortal world.
His head’s topknot was one spiral after another, connected into a whole, covering the entire Buddha statue’s crown.
What a massive Buddha statue!
Standing below, even craning one’s neck wouldn’t allow a clear view of the Buddha’s face. People at the Buddha’s feet were as humble as ants.
Yet at this very moment, there were two swaying figures standing at the highest point of the entire Buddha statue—
Atop the Buddha’s crown!
Like two extremely tiny shadows, like mayflies to heaven and earth, insignificant.
One in azure robes, one in light blue, standing at this highest point, standing amid the fierce winds.
Below their feet were flying layers of clouds, drifting karma fire red lotus, golden dust and smoke splashed up by falling ruins…
Neither spoke.
Jian Chou looked at him, and he looked at Jian Chou.
She still held the half-scroll of “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” she had torn from Xie Buchen’s hand.
The jade axle was wrapped around fluttering dried deer hide covered with profound writing, its torn edge particularly rough, swaying in the wind.
The remaining half was still in Xie Buchen’s hand.
However, that palm gripping the scroll had clenched so tightly that prominent veins showed on the back of his hand.
The duck at his lips had been torn away by half like this!
Like an opponent with gaping bloody maw who had fiercely bitten away most of it…
If Xie Buchen weren’t someone of firm will, he would probably have lost his composure on the spot.
He gazed at Jian Chou, watching the Dijiang Wind-Thunder Wings gradually fading behind her.
If he hadn’t guessed wrong, this was her greatest gain from the Red Slaughter Small Realm expedition—the dao seal refined from the Dijiang Bone Jade seized from Gu Qingmei’s hands.
All the events since their reunion passed through Xie Buchen’s mind.
Confrontation, entering the hidden realm, compromise and mutual killing…
From initially being at a disadvantage, to gradually becoming evenly matched, to—
Slightly superior.
The change had been too fast.
Or rather, her growth speed far exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Probably even the confident Hengxu Zhenren hadn’t expected he would face such an awkward situation?
The complete “Qingfeng Hermitage Forty-Eight Records” had been torn in half, and he didn’t have full confidence in taking it back…
“Can’t believe it?”
A leisurely laugh suddenly came softly.
Jian Chou made no movement, only using her fingertips to feel the finely polished texture of the deer hide paper, sensing the marks carved hundreds of years ago, feeling an indescribable exhilaration in her heart!
Look at that eternally unruffled face opposite her, look at the complex emotions on that face now beyond words!
Who would have thought that even when he unexpectedly used teleportation, she could still be so cunning, tearing half the scroll from his hands?
Light wind blew the light scroll.
Her light words fell into Xie Buchen’s ears like heavy hammers striking.
Xie Buchen gazed at her, not moving his gaze away for a long time.
They stood two zhang apart—very close yet very far.
“In the Red Dust Thousand Zhang Lamps, you early guessed from my chess style that your opponent was me, so you deliberately changed your style, creating false formations to confuse me…”
“Correct.”
Jian Chou smiled with narrowed eyes, showing appreciation in her gaze, though her words weren’t pleasant.
“It seems Fellow Daoist Xie’s brain hasn’t deteriorated in these years at Kunwu—he can still figure out the truth, truly not easy.”
Everything was as Xie Buchen had said.
Jian Chou had deliberately confused him.
She held white and moved first. When the last piece fell, the last azure lamp would light, and the Red Dust Thousand Zhang realm would automatically break.
The two were in two Red Dust realms, playing the same chess game. Jian Chou didn’t need to think to know that when the game ended, she would encounter Xie Buchen.
But Xie Buchen didn’t know.
Here, she already had an advantage, and since Xie Buchen hadn’t guessed the opponent was her, he was caught off guard when the game finally ended.
How clever was Xie Buchen?
His thoughts only needed to turn once in his mind to become crystal clear.
Hearing Jian Chou’s mocking voice, he didn’t show any unusual expression, only his gaze carried a long-missed familiarity.
“After more than two years apart…”
A sighing voice.
Jian Chou’s wrist flicked, the Deer-Cutting Blade in hand, cutting through bright blade light.
Sleeves flowing lightly—
With three thousand fierce heads hanging around, shaking robes in the clear wind atop the thousand-ren Buddha crown!
Hearing this, she only smiled, her eyes containing no emotion, no love, no hatred, no resentment, only the lightest trace of calm indifference.
“Yes, only two years. Third Young Master Xie once killed me to prove his dao. Now that two years have passed, has Fellow Daoist’s Great Dao been achieved?”