Jian Chou wasn’t particularly skilled in swordplay.

Going to Yashan had been a chance encounter. Though she had learned the Heaven-Flipping Seal in thirteen days of Foundation Establishment, when she opened the armory to choose a magical artifact, she couldn’t bring back any sword due to her incomplete soul.

So she had almost no contact with Yashan’s most refined sword techniques.

But this didn’t hinder her from pursuing Shang Lu with the Human Emperor Sword at this moment!

Xie Buchen had the Human Emperor Sword, Qu Zhengfeng had the Sea Light Sword, Wu Duan had the White Bone Dragon Sword—these three men’s swords were the most impressive among all the swords Jian Chou had seen.

Even without knowing sword techniques, imitating their forms could achieve some effect.

Jian Chou was still in midair, still some distance from Shang Lu, but she already thrust the Human Emperor Sword forward without hesitation.

“Clang!”

Sword qi immediately surged, the mountain and river map engraved on it instantly activated by spiritual power, phantoms floating.

It was an extremely obscure feeling, yet seemed to carry a hint of wandering.

Hand stroking tall pines, gazing up at white clouds; courtyard empty of bird songs, leisurely self-appreciation.

It was a tranquil, otherworldly feeling that surged up, instantly perceived by everyone, making them feel comfortable.

But Shang Lu, under the coverage of this sword qi, felt no comfort at all—only that he faced the greatest life-and-death crisis since beginning cultivation!

Even when he had risked obtaining the “Kumarajiva Dharma Body,” he had never felt such terror.

As if what was rushing toward him wasn’t a hermit, but a true god of death!

The change in Jian Chou’s strength was truly shocking.

It was as if after being ambushed by Sima Languan, an earth-shaking reversal had immediately occurred.

Shang Lu couldn’t understand it at all, but this wasn’t the time to consider such things—escaping was urgent!

After all, this was awareness and experience cultivated through years of battle. Shang Lu steeled himself and gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to crash to the ground, he suddenly struck downward with his palm!

“Boom!”

Palm force surged, immediately striking the ground and raising a cloud of black earth.

Shang Lu, originally falling, used the rebound force of this palm strike to forcibly leap nearly three zhang backward at a moment when changing direction seemed impossible!

Barely avoiding it!

The next moment, the precisely aimed Human Emperor Sword qi fell like rain, turning his original landing spot into a muddy swamp.

Jian Chou hadn’t expected that even while heavily injured, he could react so swiftly. Her eyes couldn’t help but brighten.

If today weren’t truly a life-and-death situation, she would certainly consider him an excellent opponent.

Unfortunately, he still had to die!

Jian Chou’s first strike failed, but her mood was almost unaffected. She directly changed direction, raised her sword, and continued pursuing!

An inch longer, an inch stronger.

Jian Chou was already in an advantageous position cultivation-wise, not to mention wielding a powerful weapon.

In the blink of an eye, Shang Lu was reduced to barely defending himself left and right.

But for Jian Chou to kill him wasn’t so easy, because—there weren’t just the two of them here!

Sima Languan, who had already battled Jian Chou intensely before, followed closely when Jian Chou pursued Shang Lu, just reacting a moment slower.

When he arrived, the two sides had already exchanged over ten moves.

Fortunately, Shang Lu held on and wasn’t struck down by Jian Chou’s sword.

Sima Languan knew something was wrong today—encountering such an incredible opponent in Jian Chou. They had fought before, yet Jian Chou hadn’t reached such a terrifying level then…

Upon reaching their battle circle, he directly raised his hand!

“Buzz!”

The human skin lantern he held suddenly flew out, suspended in midair, spinning rapidly and causing the surrounding air to vibrate continuously.

A strange, mysterious aura immediately emanated from the lantern.

This human skin lantern had originally been bright with no patterns drawn on its exterior. But at this moment, it suddenly dimmed.

When it brightened again, a graceful woman’s phantom abruptly appeared on the lantern’s surface.

As the lantern rotated, in just moments this woman’s phantom became substantial, actually transforming into a living person who pounced from the lantern toward Jian Chou!

“Pop.”

“Pop.”

The lantern dimmed again, brightened again; dimmed, brightened…

Between light and dark, in just a few breaths, over ten figures successively pounced from this seemingly normal lantern!

There were graceful ladies, elegant gentlemen, rough woodcutters, white-haired old women…

Each person’s facial expression seemed extremely stiff, completely lifeless.

Seeing this, Jian Chou’s heart chilled.

She knew these weren’t real living people or cultivators, but “soul puppets” bound within Sima Languan’s human skin lantern.

As a cultivator with very “evil” practices, every piece of Sima Languan’s lantern skin was human skin, soul skin!

Then where had the cultivators whose skin was peeled gone?

They had all been made into the puppets before her, attached within the lantern’s wick, never to be reborn for eternity!

Thinking this, Jian Chou suddenly felt disgusted. Though she sympathized with these “soul puppets'” fate, when striking back, she remained extremely calm without the slightest hesitation or mercy!

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

…

Over ten soul puppets almost buried Jian Chou’s figure, completely surrounding her with enemies on all sides, preventing further maneuvering and trapping her in heavy encirclement.

At this moment, the long sword’s advantages were completely nullified.

Too close.

Really too close.

So close that these soul puppets’ outstretched hands could touch her shoulders!

At this moment, many inside and outside the eighteenth layer of hell sighed—they could almost foresee the scene of Jian Chou being severely injured or even torn apart by countless ghostly claws.

Even Sima Languan himself thought so.

But none of them expected that Jian Chou’s face showed no fear whatsoever. Even through this heavy encirclement of soul puppets, she actually showed Sima Languan, who was continuously controlling the human skin lantern nearby, a mocking smile!

Close combat?

At Nine-Head River Bay, on a misty moon night, she had fought desperately against Zhou Chengjiang;

On Connecting Heaven Platform, amid floating clouds, she had forcefully defeated Tang Buye!

—When had she ever feared?

One horizontal sword strike severed half the body of the wooden old woman before her. Jian Chou finally gained a moment’s respite, but memories that seemed long distant flashed through her mind…

In Black Wind Cave, Zhou Chengjiang had comprehended the Dragon Scale Dao Seal.

Qu Zhengfeng had subsequently analyzed all the mysteries of the Dragon Scale Dao Seal after his inscription, and she had stolen the technique by chance.

At the Three Thousand Small Assembly, Tang Buye from the Northern Domain had emerged to defeat Zhou Chengjiang.

Afterward, she and Zhou Chengjiang had shared wine on the river, very tacitly sharing their techniques with each other, exchanging “Human Vessel” and Dragon Gate cultivation methods…

Those familiar Dao Seals, flickering with faint golden light, all emerged from the depths of memory.

Jian Chou was currently only a soul body.

But her current soul body existed in this world and could also cultivate, having similarities to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator’s Nascent Soul.

From the very beginning, she had already tested that as long as there was spiritual energy, a soul body could also use Dao Seals.

So now…

She only quietly lowered her eyelids, and the fingertips of her hands forming seals lightly touched—

“Buzz!”

As if heavenly thunder had stirred earthly fire, traces of spiritual energy suddenly overflowed, then suddenly vanished…

A mysterious aura, carrying vastness and supremacy, immediately swept forth.

A golden scale, like a slowly seeping drop of spring water, descended to Jian Chou’s forehead under this aura’s coverage…

A golden dragon scale!

Sima Languan and Shang Lu ahead both felt their hearts chill upon seeing this!

But stopping it was already too late.

The pale golden tiny scale, originating from Jian Chou’s forehead, had already spread to her entire forehead, face, neck and other areas in the blink of an eye.

In just an instant, her entire body seemed covered in a layer of pale gold!

Her lowered eyelids quietly lifted at this moment.

What kind of gaze was that?

Her dark pupils emerged, tinged with a strange dark gold, yet faintly carrying a kind of aloof indifference—a condescending view of all living beings, or rather, of other races.

Looking down from above!

All the soul puppets surrounding her had no self-awareness and couldn’t sense danger at all. But waves of crisis had already invaded Sima Languan, their controller.

He unhesitatingly tried to recall these puppets he had painstakingly refined for years, but…

Too late!

The palm covered in golden scales had already formed a tight fist, directly and boldly striking out, trailing a golden afterimage!

“Bang!”

A soul puppet that had just rushed up to attack Jian Chou had half its head directly blown apart!

“Hiss!”

Throughout the Extreme Domain, all cultivators seeing this scene almost simultaneously gasped, shocked by this suddenly soaring combat power, by this suddenly explosive fierceness!

These soul puppets weren’t living people after all, having no physical form.

Though Jian Chou’s punch exploded their heads without terrifying blood spattering, the dark soul power directly shattered by violent force scattered like flowing sand across the battlefield!

What a terrifying yet heart-shaking scene!

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

…

Each punch and kick, every attack was hard and fierce, occasionally accompanied by the Heaven-Flipping Seal she had used before, just controlling the power within an extremely small range to ensure her strength wasn’t overextended.

Golden afterimages flickered between soul puppets…

Making the entire battlefield explode with her attacks!

Above the eight directions’ cities, eight floating Yama Palaces cast heavy shadows on the ground.

Several Yama Kings were now all frowning, their gazes locked tightly on the light screen, staring at Jian Chou’s every move as if to burn through her entire being…

These techniques!

Absolutely not possessed by the Extreme Domain!

On this point, no one in the entire Extreme Domain could be clearer than them: because they were at the peak of Extreme Domain power. If such powerful techniques existed, they absolutely couldn’t be unaware!

Moreover…

More importantly, at this moment, Jian Chou covered in golden scales made them feel a hair-raising familiarity!

Six decades ago, during the Yin-Yang boundary war, hadn’t they seen similar scenes?

Those cultivators from Left Three Thousand Central Domain’s Dragon Gate…

Weren’t they exactly like the current Jian Chou?!

This female cultivator’s origins were definitely problematic!

King Song Di’s voice at this moment seemed poisoned, containing infinite gnashing of teeth, only looking toward the figure in the palace who hadn’t moved since this battle began: “Lord Qin Guang…”

On his luxurious royal robe, golden patterns flowed; twelve hanging pearl strings on his crown showed no movement, proving he had indeed stood there for a long time.

Lord Qin Guang stood with hands behind his back, but his five fingers were tense.

Hearing King Song Di’s voice, his eyes flickered with inscrutable light, but his gaze fell on Jian Chou’s ridiculously frequent “Heaven-Flipping Seal” strikes.

“Don’t you all think her technique is very similar to someone in the City of Wrongful Deaths?”

City of Wrongful Deaths?

The other Yama Kings were immediately stunned, not reacting.

But when they followed Lord Qin Guang’s gaze to notice Jian Chou’s Heaven-Flipping Seal, they began to discern some clues: “This!”

Though one used legs and one used palms, observing the spiritual power’s flow and seal formation methods, they vaguely seemed indeed similar to that person in the City of Wrongful Deaths!

The eight Yama Kings were indeed the Extreme Domain’s rulers.

They could almost control everything in the Extreme Domain, but one person, or one cultivator, was an exception—they would never forget the scenes of fighting that person in the past…

That withered old man living in broken old alleys—

Immortal Wuzhong!

At this moment, Jian Chou’s attacks had seven or eight parts similarity to the “Heaven-Flipping Seal” they had seen when fighting Immortal Wuzhong in the past!

“Could it be…”

Behind this female cultivator’s mysterious origins was actually Immortal Wuzhong?

The Yama Palace was temporarily shrouded in layers of doubt.

Lord Qin Guang’s majestically stern expression showed no change—he was still observing.

Within the eighteenth layer of hell, it remained thrilling.

Jian Chou had summoned the Dragon Scale Dao Seal and, accompanied by repeated strikes of the Heaven-Flipping Seal, gradually regained control of the situation.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Fist meeting flesh!

Whether in terms of power or impact, both had reached their peak in these continuous punches!

But Sima Languan and Shang Lu weren’t pushovers either.

This battle, having reached this point, had brought out everyone’s true fire.

Sima Languan had originally felt sorry for these soul puppets he had painstakingly crafted for years and wanted to recall them.

But if he lost his life, what use was recalling them?

So in the blink of an eye, he changed his retreating intention and instead continuously summoned soul puppets from the human skin lantern, wanting to constantly exhaust Jian Chou through overwhelming numbers!

On the other side, Shang Lu finally got a chance to catch his breath.

After slightly recovering from his injuries, his eyes also burned with intense fighting spirit. Though the three willow leaves on one branch had been used up, he now shook the remaining willow branch.

Snap!

The soft willow branch immediately became a jade-green long whip that, under Shang Lu’s manipulation, lashed toward Jian Chou!

Streams of jade-green runes shot forth during its passage, like pieces of scripture.

This attack was completely different from Sima Languan’s ghostly aura, instead revealing supreme Buddhist nature.

Kumarajiva Dharma Body…

Jian Chou repeated this silently, feeling everything was misplaced in this Extreme Domain, but her thoughts recovered in an instant.

Obviously this willow whip wasn’t simple.

If struck, it wouldn’t be pleasant.

But Jian Chou had the Dragon Scale Dao Seal, making her extremely fast, plus the Riding Wind Dao Seal’s enhancement made her ethereal—Shang Lu couldn’t easily capture her.

So the first whip only grazed Jian Chou’s cheek.

But immediately came the second whip, the third whip…

Whip after whip!

Each whip faster than the last!

Soon the sky filled with whip shadows covering Jian Chou!

Above were endless whip shadows, beside her seemingly endless soul puppets!

Though Jian Chou’s evasion speed was fast, if prolonged, she would inevitably be hit sometimes, not to mention soul power and spiritual power had limits.

Even if her replenishment speed was fast, she would eventually be exhausted!

One long-range, one group combat?

They wanted to exhaust her!

How sharp was Jian Chou’s mind? She almost instantly realized these two’s purpose.

But from the beginning, she had pursued quick decisive battles and wouldn’t change her fighting strategy based on circumstances like these two.

Now Shang Lu was distant, Sima Languan was near.

Then…

First break Sima Languan, then deal with Shang Lu!

In a flash, the strategy was set.

Jian Chou raised her elbow in a clean palm chop, directly defeating the soul puppet blocking her. At this moment, Shang Lu’s long whip from above followed closely.

But she wouldn’t give this whip a chance to reach her anymore.

The timing was perfect.

In this gap, Jian Chou directly shouted “Wind come!” and the Riding Wind Dao Seal was reawakened. She stepped on empty air, momentarily like a crane in wind, her figure immediately becoming ethereal and swaying.

Seeing this, Sima Languan’s scalp immediately exploded!

He was too familiar with Jian Chou’s state!

The previous nearly mad battle with Jian Chou had been combat between concealment techniques. Though he didn’t know what Jian Chou relied on for flight, he clearly understood the brilliance of her technique!

Dangerous!

Almost by conditioned reflex, human skin lantern in hand, Sima Languan unhesitatingly struck out, soul power immediately pouring from his palm.

“Poof!”

A cluster of pale blue ghostly light released from the lantern.

His figure flickered, immediately about to hide in light to avoid the coming attack.

But at this moment, Jian Chou’s attack was sudden, with complete initiative in her hands, plus the Dragon Scale Dao Seal boosting her state to the extreme!

Sima Languan only reacted after her attack, inevitably being several beats slower.

So this time, he simply couldn’t avoid it!

His figure had only half-hidden in light, just becoming hazy, when sharp sword qi carrying an unstoppable momentum descended from above!

Before the sword arrived, oppressive force came first.

Its terrifying energy directly interrupted the light-shadow concealment technique!

“Boom!”

Sima Languan’s tall figure was directly forced out of those pale blue ghostly lights, returning from illusion to solidity!

“Whoosh!”

His dark blue cloak billowed against the incoming sword qi.

His half-divine, half-demonic face lifted, still half handsome and charming, half grotesque and terrifying, looking upward—

Above his head was a pale blue figure carrying sword qi!

Not long ago, when he had led others to surround her at the Prison Bureau, she had almost no ability to resist, only able to escape from his hands relying on the Void Demon Umbrella’s intimidation.

Now, every move was deadly, forcing him to desperation!

Role reversal…

How much time had passed?

At this instant, Sima Languan felt somewhat dazed, knowing he absolutely couldn’t escape this sword, even though it had no fancy techniques.

If he wanted to survive this desperate situation…

“Boom!”

Jian Chou’s figure was too fast, everywhere she passed resounded with terrifying air-breaking sounds.

The Human Emperor Sword was Xie Buchen’s magical artifact.

As a prodigy who achieved Foundation Establishment in ten days at Kunwu, an unparalleled genius on the Jiushijiu Zhou continent, his magical artifact was naturally a divine weapon among divine weapons.

Even without sword techniques for support, under Jian Chou’s strike, it carried the dominance of ruling the world!

This was the Human Emperor Sword’s own dominance—

Below me, all people are ants, to be ruled by me!

On the black blade edge, astonishing sword qi condensed!

Jian Chou’s eyes also seemed tinted by this sword intent, carrying a trace of ruthlessness and indifference, only looking down from above, meeting Sima Languan’s gaze directly.

Sword qi broke through air, appearing extremely slow yet actually extremely fast!

At this moment, Sima Languan couldn’t avoid it. Jian Chou didn’t think her sword would miss either. But at this lightning moment, she unexpectedly saw that different color in his eyes…

So the various scenes of their brief encounter at the Ice Prison Bureau flashed quickly through her mind, finally stripping away all redundancy, leaving only the clearest detail—

Splitting in two.

One Sima Languan becoming two Sima Languans!

Not good!

This was bad!

Jian Chou immediately realized something was wrong, her face showing shock and anger.

But it was too late to change now—the sword move was already out. If she retreated, Sima Languan would surely pursue, and the advantage she had built by choosing the timing would vanish.

Since so, better to do the opposite!

Her eyes showing piercing coldness, her long eye corners pulling open with icy charm.

Jian Chou clearly knew the Sima Languan before her was wrong, yet she didn’t retreat at all. Instead, she mobilized all her body’s power, fully activating the Human Emperor Sword.

The already extreme speed actually increased by two more points!

When the sword edge passed, it could shatter the sky!

But still not in time—

When the Human Emperor Sword arrived, from Sima Languan’s figure shrouded in sword qi, another identical figure suddenly burst forth!

Two Sima Languans!

The one in place had only the grotesque and terrifying right face, both hands empty; the one pouncing toward Jian Chou had only the handsome and elegant left face, still carrying the human skin lantern.

“Clang!”

Jian Chou’s Human Emperor Sword fell, only splitting the “Sima Languan” in place into two pieces. The sharp sword qi twisted, and pale white blood splattered across the sky!

But simultaneously, the other Sima Languan had already reached Jian Chou’s front!

The handsome half face was pale and wan due to the destruction of the other body, teeth clenched tightly as if enduring tremendous pain.

But the sinister ghostly aura that had previously surrounded him due to his grotesque features had vanished without a trace, leaving only an opposite ethereal quality.

At this moment, he simply raised his hand straight up, and at this moment of nearly face-to-face contact, pointed toward Jian Chou’s forehead!

Just as Sima Languan couldn’t avoid Jian Chou’s sword, Jian Chou also couldn’t avoid Sima Languan’s finger!

Wisps of blood qi coiled around his fingertip.

Jian Chou only felt her forehead turn cold!

Sima Languan’s fingertip, devoid of any warmth, had already touched her forehead. By coincidence, it was precisely on the initial dragon scale of the Dragon Scale Dao Seal!

Knife-stabbing pain immediately came from her forehead.

Those wisps of blood qi seemed to condense heavy murderous aura, instantly transferring from Sima Languan’s finger to Jian Chou’s forehead, wrapping around that initial dragon scale.

In her mind, within her heart and soul, there was immediately an explosive sound!

The forehead ancestral aperture was originally the most vulnerable yet most important place when cultivators trained. Even with dragon scale protection, it couldn’t withstand such terrifying destructive force.

Not to mention, Jian Chou already had an incomplete soul, making her forehead ancestral aperture more fragile than ordinary people.

Sima Languan’s strike had hit precisely the right spot.

Jian Chou’s entire body shook, and she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The Dragon Scale Dao Seal immediately reached its limit, and after a light “pop” sound, it shattered into golden fragments that disappeared into her forehead.

With the initial dragon scale already collapsed, how could the other dragon scales generated from it continue?

For a moment, like mountains collapsing and peaks crumbling, the dragon scales that had originally covered her entire body actually crumbled completely clean in the blink of an eye!

This lightning-fast exchange between the two resulted in neither being able to completely kill the other!

Sima Languan’s finger broke Jian Chou’s strongest defense, shaking her spirit and soul; Jian Chou’s sword destroyed one “Sima Languan,” severely damaging his vitality and leaving him unable to fight again!

Purely from the results, Jian Chou was naturally more victorious.

But the moment she saw one Sima Languan split into two, she knew—the plan had failed.

Quick decisive battle emphasized timing.

If she could have killed Sima Languan in this instant and then faced Shang Lu who was rushing over, she could have avoided facing the situation of being worn down by two people.

But now…

The connection between Sima Languan’s two “bodies” was close. Losing one would inevitably cause great damage to his strength. Just looking at his aura, it was almost impossible for him to fight again.

But he had broken her Dragon Scale Dao Seal, preventing her from facing Shang Lu with full combat power!

At this moment, without looking back, she could clearly sense the information carried by the wind: a figure was rapidly rushing toward her from Shang Lu’s previous position!

“Whoosh!”

The sound of breaking air suddenly rang out.

A whip shadow floating with ancient script had already lashed directly toward her!

At the same time, above the firmament, it seemed as if heavy muffled thunder was rolling, with something vaguely circling in the sky, about to cover and press down.

Jian Chou immediately made a judgment: double attack!

What a black-hearted and ruthless Shang Lu!

Although she knew the attack above might be more powerful, she couldn’t ignore the whip shadow that had already reached her.

At this moment, Jian Chou had no other choice!

Human Emperor Sword in hand, she raised it and struck with extreme precision!

“Crash!”

The sword edge cut through iron like mud, directly starting from the whip tip and splitting the currently straight whip in half from the middle!

But where was even half a human figure at the whip’s end?

Shang Lu, who had launched this strike, was already holding an unrolled mottled bamboo scroll, soaring upward!

His face was like jade, already handsome and dignified. Under the dark sky, he was bright as the moon, as if he could illuminate all directions and empty the five aggregates!

On the unrolled bamboo scroll, countless lustrous jade-colored runes continuously leaped up like living things.

Each time a rune jumped out, a golden light pierced through the black cloud layers from the sky. In just moments, under the firmament, it was like a shower of inch-long golden rain!

Massive oppressive restriction force poured down with this “rain”!

Compared to the previous restriction force on the willow leaf banner, this was more than ten times stronger!

Jian Chou had already raised her sword, preparing to go against the trend and interrupt Shang Lu first no matter what. But this suddenly arriving massive restriction force actually struck her like substance, forcibly disrupting her soul power circulation!

Her ascending trajectory was immediately interrupted.

Before Jian Chou could react, Shang Lu’s rare hearty laughter had already resounded from the sky: “Fellow Daoist Jian Chou, this shall send you on your way!”

After speaking, without saying more, he suddenly slapped the bamboo scroll!

“Boom!”

The surrounding vague muffled thunder immediately became solid, deafening.

The bamboo scroll also immediately sank toward Jian Chou below!

The countless golden lights like rain in the sky all flew over at this moment, condensing around the bamboo scroll. It was like a golden ocean gathering.

In the blink of an eye, it actually wrapped the bamboo scroll within, condensing into a ten-zhang giant stele blazing with golden light!

Its form was exactly the same as the stone steles often standing in Buddhist stele forests.

Only those golden runes originally floating on the bamboo scroll jumped out from the stele’s interior, gradually floating to the stele’s surface and imprinting themselves.

“Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when practicing the deep Prajna Paramita…”

Only at this time did Jian Chou finally see these runes clearly, discovering that what was inscribed on the previous bamboo scroll and current giant stele was actually a complete “Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra”!

This was Shang Lu bringing out his final trump card, right?

Taking advantage of illness to take a life!

If Jian Chou understood this, how could Shang Lu, a master who had survived in the treacherous Extreme Domain for years, not deeply understand this principle?

After fighting with Sima Languan, Jian Chou hadn’t suffered severe injuries.

But without the Dragon Scale Dao Seal’s protection, even with the Four Symbols White Jade Crown still present, her overall defensive power would weaken by a large margin.

It could be said that it was almost impossible to find a more suitable moment for attack than now!

Shang Lu in midair only raised both hands high, letting soul power rush forth.

His unique cultivation method gave him unique soul power circulation patterns. In the blink of an eye, a three-zhang-tall Buddha statue phantom condensed behind him.

Wearing robes with cloud-like patterns, his appearance gave a withered feeling. Eyes downcast, sitting on a lotus platform, one hand resting on his knee, seemingly in contemplation.

This didn’t look much like a Buddha statue, more like a wise man.

Wasn’t this precisely that Venerable Kumarajiva!

The moment this phantom appeared, Shang Lu’s momentum began climbing steadily.

His spread ten fingers immediately danced and fluttered like Buddha lotuses. In the blink of an eye, he formed complex hand seals one after another, condensing dark red talismans one after another, striking toward the golden giant stele falling below!

“Buzz!”

“Buzz!”

The dark red talismans struck the golden giant stele, but in the blink of an eye merged together, presenting a strange and magnificent golden-red color, brilliant as ten thousand zhang of clouds at the horizon.

To others, what a magnificent beautiful scene this was?

But to Jian Chou below, covered by its momentum, it was no different from a death warrant!

Each talisman that fell made the golden-red color on the giant stele deepen by one layer, and the originally terrifying restriction force on the stele became heavier by one layer!

Even its originally slow falling speed suddenly accelerated!

From a distant hundred zhang to ten zhang overhead, just the blink of an eye!

Like a ten-thousand-ren mountain peak thunderously toppling, wanting to crush both heaven and earth!

A huge shadow fell on the ruins below.

Only hearing a “boom” of annihilation, all ruins within the shadow’s coverage were actually pressed into powder by the terrifying force overflowing from this giant stele, leveled to the ground!

The ravine in the ruins previously created by Jian Chou’s Heaven-Flipping Seal became insignificant in comparison.

Even more terrifying was the change in space!

If normal space was like solid level ground, then the space currently covered by the giant stele’s golden-red light was like a swamp!

Not only making those within unable to move an inch, but also restraining their soul power!

What a terrifying feeling was this?

Standing under this golden-red giant stele, she could even feel the soul power in her body slowing bit by bit, gradually becoming sluggish, even finally stopping completely!

What did stopping mean?

It meant being unable to mobilize even a trace of soul power, transforming from a cultivator who could stir wind and thunder with every gesture into an ordinary person without any power!

Shang Lu’s final killing move was incredibly strong!

It could be said that if any other Extreme Domain cultivator stood here, they would probably have given up all hope long ago, unable to generate any resistance, only able to despairingly await slaughter.

But—

Jian Chou had never been an Extreme Domain cultivator, not to mention that at this moment, soul power wasn’t her main source of power at all!

Stagnation?

Even if it completely disappeared, what harm was there?

The spring-like pure and clear spiritual power in her body still flowed endlessly, unaffected in any way!

How could Shang Lu have calculated this point despite all his calculations?

He stood high in midair, only able to see Jian Chou standing in place, as if stuck in mud, pressed motionless by his Buddhist scripture stele!

Looking around, the surroundings of the eighteenth layer of hell were all wilderness.

Those countless abandoned heaven-piercing stone pillars would become witnesses to his current glory!

Complete victory in hand!

Just waiting for him to send down the final talisman, this scripture stele could press all the way down, completely crushing Jian Chou, making her become powder like the surrounding ruins, sleeping here forever!

A battle was finally reaching its end!

Shang Lu almost leisurely turned his wrist and fingers, beginning to form the final hand seal.

The earth force and yin essence floating around had already gathered as his fingers turned, gradually circling around his fingers.

One turn, two turns…

After nine turns, it transformed from colorless to deep dark red!

On Shang Lu’s hands, it was as if a beautiful flower of the other shore had bloomed, ready to ferry souls away.

At this moment about to determine victory or defeat, countless feelings suddenly arose in his heart, even generating some reluctance and regret that had almost never appeared before.

What a powerful and respectable opponent?

Not inferior to any male cultivator in this cauldron competition!

Unfortunately, she shouldn’t have encountered him.

In his mind, numerous complex thoughts flashed, but finally all swayed and settled. The hand seal formed by Shang Lu’s hands showed no wavering.

The best way to respect an opponent was to go all out.

Even if it meant sending her to destruction!

Arms raised high, the dark red light condensed on his hand seal immediately blazed. Shang Lu slightly closed his eyes and directly raised his hand, about to send out this final strike and completely erase Jian Chou’s existence.

But at this very instant, this instant approaching the end.

From below, which had been almost deathly silent, suddenly came a light laugh: “Fellow Daoist Shang Lu, you don’t have any other trump cards, do you?”

This, this voice?!

Shang Lu suspected he had heard wrong. His previously composed and slightly closed eyes suddenly opened wide, his gaze directly shooting toward the source of the voice below, instantly becoming filled with disbelief!

Jian Chou, who had originally been almost bent over and forced to lower her head by the Buddhist scripture stele’s power, had actually raised her head at this time, looking at him with calm and profound eyes.

Even her lips carried a relaxed and pleasant smile.

As if…

She wasn’t affected by any restraint or oppressive force at all!

How was this possible?!

Shang Lu’s heart shook violently, his face full of disbelief. The strike he was about to push out also completely stopped in his palm, light and shadow flickering.

Where could he still remember the question Jian Chou had asked? Of course, he couldn’t think of answering either.

Fortunately, Jian Chou didn’t actually need him to answer.

Seeing his expression, she could understand everything: “Seems there aren’t any, which is reassuring…”

Reassuring?

What did that mean?

Shang Lu felt the current situation differed too greatly from his previous expectations, leaving him unable to react at all.

But Jian Chou didn’t need him to react anymore.

The instant her words landed, the casual joking expression on her face suddenly disappeared, and the smile at her lips immediately vanished.

Her neck lightly twisted with a slight “crack” sound.

This movement absolutely had nothing to do with gentle and chaste behavior, only revealing a hair-raising strangeness and eeriness!

As if…

A wild beast had suddenly awakened!

Jian Chou’s entire temperament underwent earth-shaking changes in this instant!

Her originally gentle and deep pupils were suddenly filled with the vicissitudes of changing ages—an aura from ancient times, from the wilderness, from those ancient existences…

Revealing the most primitive, purest, most unrestrained wildness and dominance!

As if something was hidden within her tense shell, ready to strike, choosing prey to devour…

At this instant, Shang Lu only felt something jolt in the depths of his mind.

All wandering thoughts were almost instantly recalled!

Rich combat experience and suddenly arising crisis sense actually allowed him to make the swiftest reaction after long hesitation!

Activate soul power!

Stabilize the seal!

His raised palms pushed out like lightning!

The final delayed seal finally left Shang Lu’s fingertips, shooting toward the Buddhist scripture stele only ten zhang from the ground!

“Buzz!”

On the giant stele, the final trace of pale gold was finally dyed pure deep red.

Like a burning setting sun!

Earth-shaking destructive aura instantly swept the entire eighteenth layer of hell, falling toward Jian Chou.

But…

What made Shang Lu’s heart and courage turn cold was that at this moment, he couldn’t see even a trace of fear or wariness on Jian Chou’s face!

“Boom!”

The scripture stele plummeted rapidly!

Ten zhang!

Eight zhang!

Five zhang!

Three zhang!

Jian Chou actually didn’t move at all!

On her body was only that increasingly intense aura, like wildly growing vines in a deep valley, reaching upward with teeth and claws, wanting to touch the highest firmament!

Building momentum!

Building momentum!

Still building momentum!

In this eighteenth layer of hell, facing this vast wilderness plain, it seemed as if an aura distantly echoed with her Dao Seal’s aura.

Her body seemed to become a huge whirlpool.

That aura was continuously absorbed, filling her body.

Two zhang.

One zhang.

Six feet.

Until the final three feet!

Like the last gap in a container being filled with water, that aura finally filled Jian Chou’s body completely, unable to squeeze in even a trace more, reaching a critical point.

At that moment, she only heard a light sound from the depths of her heart and soul.

Like breaking from a cocoon!

A brilliant golden radiance finally pierced through from her right shoulder blade like a sharp thorn, extending longer and longer, expanding more and more!

Though surrounded by red light, it couldn’t cover this extremely tiny point of golden radiance at all.

Shang Lu in midair saw it almost immediately.

But his control and manipulation of the Buddhist scripture stele had reached its limit. Even using all his strength, he couldn’t accelerate its descent by even half a point.

So he could only watch helplessly.

Watch that point of golden radiance ignite a storm within these final remaining three feet of space!

A golden storm!

A huge wing phantom!

It was flowing radiance, flying golden feathers, ancient flickering runes inscribed upon it that no one recognized!

Leveling the eight directions, sweeping the six unions!

Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing!

The moment it appeared, the entire eighteenth layer of hell fell silent. But immediately after, as if sensing something, it became clamorous!

In the distance from the altar, long winds rushed through the wilderness forests; near the ruins, withered seasonal grass gradually swayed in the breeze; under the firmament, among the black cloud layers, countless blue-purple lightning bolts suddenly exploded!

It was…

A kind of intimacy.

This was a forgotten ancient wilderness, and they—or it—were welcoming the arrival of a friend from the same era.

Even though it was only a Dao Seal, a wisp of aura.

Jian Chou’s gaze immediately became distant.

Her vision swept over the countless tall heaven-piercing stone pillars on this vast wilderness, as if she could imagine what a prosperous place this should have been long, long ago…

The huge wing extending from her shoulder blade, bathed in such an aura, actually became increasingly solid—a feeling of unprecedented power filling her entire body!

As if…

Like the legendary roc, she could “cover half the sky with wings”!

The mere three feet of narrow sky above—how dare it contain her massive wings?

In her chest, all the wild spirit of her life surged forth!

At this moment, Jian Chou didn’t glance at Shang Lu at all, nor notice Sima Languan’s shock. She only instantly rode the wind upward, soaring to the sky!

Wings shook once, half a clear whistle, and the earth shook with qi, sound moving heaven!

The sharp wing edges were like blade edges.

At the moment she soared skyward, they raised a golden radiance and rolled up a tumbling hurricane!

The huge deep red Buddhist scripture stele in midair was like breaking window paper at this moment, utterly vulnerable, shattered into several pieces by the radiance in the blink of an eye.

The following hurricane rose from earth to sky, extending from the ground to the black cloud-covered firmament!

Stone blocks on the ground, fragments of the shattered scripture stele, broken walls and ruins in the waste…

Everything that could move or wasn’t solid enough was pulled into the hurricane by that terrifying wind, instantly ground to powder!

None could oppose!

Destroying everything!

Over the vast evil earth, all was wind singing, all was thunder roaring.

In everyone’s hearts too, all was wind singing, all was thunder roaring.

Between heaven and earth, only this figure shrouded in wild golden light seemed to remain, racing across the field!

Like—

The incarnation of an ancient deity!

At this moment, even the Great Vow Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva standing tall above the snow-white temple couldn’t compete with the current Jian Chou’s brilliance!

Sun and moon eyes, thunderbolt tongue;

Sage bones, hero’s courage!

Even if heroes gathered, who could be her match?

The hurricane swept up ruins everywhere, dust and smoke filling the air.

On the broken altar, a group of Chan sect monks along with Zhang Tang, Fu Chaosheng and others had appeared at some unknown time, all now gazing distantly at that figure under the black-pressed firmament, speechless.

Only the young novice Ding Neng in moon-white monk robes, standing in the crowd, heart pounding, eyes unblinking as he stared at those huge golden wings surrounded by wind and thunder!

A voice in his heart was madly shouting!

Not an illusion!

What he had seen in the Burning Hell before wasn’t an illusion!

He hadn’t seen wrong!

At this moment, Ding Neng was extremely excited, directly grabbing his nearby senior brother Ding Xin’s arm and shouting loudly.

“Senior Brother! Wind Thunder Wings! Dijiang Wind Thunder Wings! I saw them before when I secretly went to watch the Small Assembly—it’s Senior Sister, Senior Sister Jian Chou from Yashan!”

Author’s Note: Yama Buddha’s palm.