Ye Fan struck with heavy hands, slaying cultivators of holy son caliber one after another, and then shot the Yin-Yang Holy Maiden dead through the forehead with an arrow. All the others grew fearful — none were without dread in the face of death, and soft words of surrender spilled from their mouths.
What was face or dignity compared to one’s precious life? As long as one could live, what did it matter to lower oneself and repent? They still wished to witness sunrise and sunset. They had no desire to be erased from the world.
“All of you — get to the side!” Ye Fan swept them with a glance, then fixed his gaze on Yan Yunluan and the bitter monk.
“Listen here, surnamed Ye — don’t think yourself invincible under heaven. I, the Great Buddhist, have long been meaning to send you on your way!” The bitter monk pressed forward. The scars on his face twitched, giving him a ferocious look.
“Send me on my way? I’ll be the one leaving you empty of all four elements!” Ye Fan leapt forward like a dragon charging in, fingers forming the True Dragon Seal and striking downward.
The monk let out a great roar, chanting an ancient scripture. His body radiated boundless light, taking on the appearance of a Diamond King — sixteen-foot golden body manifested, alms bowl in hand and striking forward.
“Clang!”
The gilded purple alms bowl shook violently, resonating like great bronze bells and temple chimes tolling together. Ten thousand surges of sound waves crashed outward — the ground heaved like an ocean, earth and stone rising and falling in waves like a sea surge, sweeping up to the high heavens.
“What is this monk’s background? He blocked the sacred body’s strike!” Those watching from the distant sky were startled.
“I possess the Diamond Indestructible Body — let us see how you wound me.” The bitter monk bellowed, the gilded purple alms bowl in his hand blazing with purple radiance, his aura growing even stronger as he pressed forward.
“Never mind a long-haired monk like you — even if an Arhat came, I could still smash him to pieces.” From the crown of Ye Fan’s head burst a thick pillar of blood qi, piercing through the cloud layer.
His whole body blazed with light, like a nine-turn golden body, sacred radiance searing and brilliant — every inch of his flesh and blood containing destructive power. He stretched his arms and spread his legs, seeking to collapse the void itself.
“Clang!”
Ye Fan struck in great sweeping arcs. Every lift of his hand, every move of his foot carried mountain-uprooting force. The gilded purple alms bowl keened under the blows — the Buddhist sacred treasure was beginning to falter.
“Amitabha!” The monk bellowed. His sixteen-foot golden body swayed as he stood there like a lion, releasing a sound like mountains collapsing and seas raging.
The Fearless Lion Seal!
He transformed into a divine lion. With one great roar, the mountain ridges on the horizon trembled. The profound seal struck out, clashing again and again against Ye Fan’s Dragon Seal in a ceaseless exchange.
“Spit!”
The bitter monk coughed up a great mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. Even the Diamond Indestructible Body of Buddhism could not withstand the assault of Ye Fan’s physical body — it was simply no match.
Yet the onlookers watching from a distance were greatly astonished. How many people in the current age dared to contend with Ye Fan in pure physical combat? This bitter monk had courage worthy of admiration, and the Diamond Body inspired genuine dread.
“This bitter monk must have quite a background. He most likely walked out of some divine temple. Without that, it would be impossible to cultivate such a body.”
“The Western Desert has ancient temples in abundance. Buddhism has many branches, and some of those ancient temples are unfathomably deep. He is most likely an inheritor from one such ancient temple.”
By this point, people had stopped discussing how overwhelmingly powerful the sacred body was. Instead, they were comparing who could endure longer under its assault.
“Ye Fan, the first time you wounded me with the Ten Thousand Calamities Bow, the second time I was defeated by your Heavenly Tribulation — today, let me see your true abilities!” Yan Yunluan bellowed.
He opened his mouth and exhaled a rainbow that materialized into a five-colored feather fan in the palm of his hand, bearing the feathers of the great roc and the divine phoenix, shimmering with five different lights.
“Boom!”
Yan Yunluan swept with full force. From within the five-colored feather fan surged a torrent of red light that instantly submerged everything within a radius of several li. A deep abyss appeared directly, with endless fire burning at the bottom.
In the distance, onlookers were horrified. What kind of sacred fan was this? A single sweep had burned a vast chasm into the earth, with lava surging — the sight was terrifying.
Even someone as powerful as Ye Fan felt a surge of scorching heat. The ground within a radius of one li sank and caved in, burned to a charred ruin. Any cultivator of the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm who was not a sacred body would certainly have been reduced to ash.
“Boom!”
Yan Yunluan swept again. From within the five-colored feather fan burst a beam of azure light — and in an instant, mountains collapsed and seas surged. Within a radius of several li, sand and stones flew about, and the earth was cut down by over a hundred zhang.
Furthermore, the void was torn apart again and again into great rents — dark and pitch-black, storm winds raging everywhere, wild gales like an ocean.
Ye Fan was flung backward by a dozen li, his robes tattered all over, struck by countless wind blades all across his body. As they met his flesh, a constant ringing of metal-on-metal could be heard.
This fan was clearly a sect’s secret treasure — everyone thought the same. Without the sacred body, anyone else at the fourth transformation of Dragon Transformation would have long since been sliced to pieces.
“The sacred artifacts of prodigious figures truly are extraordinary — even those at the saint master level would covet them!”
“Boom!”
Yan Yunluan swept the sacred fan a third time. A river black as ink surged forth, rushing toward Ye Fan — its yin aura deeply oppressive, dissolving all things.
“Supreme Yin True Water!”
Everyone was alarmed. On Yan Yunluan’s third sweep, supreme yin true force poured out — a great river surging and roaring, black water flooding the sky, corroding all living things in heaven and earth.
“Haven’t you had enough!” Ye Fan let out a great shout. Beneath his feet, a boundless golden divine sea spread, while at his side a green lotus accompanied him as he and the rest charged forward together.
“Sacred Body Phenomenon!”
Every single person strained their eyes wide. The sacred body phenomenon was the most mysterious of all — capable of overcoming others’ extraordinary celestial manifestations. Since ancient times none had fathomed its depths, and no one wanted to miss what was about to unfold.
The supreme yin true water was blocked by the golden divine sea. Like a war god, Ye Fan charged back more than a dozen li in an instant, returning to the battlefield and unleashing his fists.
“Boom!”
Yan Yunluan swept the fan a fourth time. In the void, vitality flourished — endless ancient trees rose, and various vines transformed into great dragons coiling and winding inward from all four directions.
In every direction, all vital energy was instantly drained dry. Heaven and earth dimmed briefly, the qi of plants and trees growing dense, forming image after image of Dao diagrams that sought to refine Ye Fan.
“Rustle!”
At Ye Fan’s side, the green lotus gave a gentle sway — and every blade of grass and tree withered entirely, boundless vital energy all drawn in and merging into the lotus. The moment his phenomenon emerged, no technique could adhere to him. Every form of attack was dissolved, and Ye Fan drove his golden fist through heaven and earth, striking to slaughter Yan Yunluan.
“Crack!”
An ancient shield shattered. More than a dozen flying swords snapped into pieces inch by inch. An array of sacred artifacts crumbled to dust before his golden fist.
“Spit!”
Yan Yunluan spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and was sent flying several li before managing to stabilize himself. Had he not blocked with the five-colored fan at the last moment, he would likely have been split open just now.
“Is this the openly fair fight you wanted? So this is all you amount to.” Ye Fan called out loudly.
Yan Yunluan’s face burned with humiliation. Defeat after defeat of late — for a genius who had grown up bathed in glory since childhood, this was unbearable. To him, it was a profound disgrace.
“Clang!”
A flash of clear radiance, and a bronze battle armor appeared before him, clanging and ringing as it automatically donned itself upon him. A bronze battle halberd appeared in his hand.
“Hiss!”
The five-colored feather fan condensed into a mass of light and branded itself onto the blade of the halberd. The bronze halberd grew more terrifying than ever — like a demonic weapon forged in the depths of hell.
“A weapon refined by the most supreme of saint masters!” Many people cried out in astonishment.
“Your weapon isn’t bad. I’ll receive it with gratitude.” Ye Fan said.
“Kill!”
Yan Yunluan bellowed like a bronze divine spirit and swept the heaven halberd forward in a killing stroke. The bronze halberd crushed divine might and severed the heavenly vault, sending a beam of azure radiance hundreds to thousands of zhang in length blasting outward.
“Clang” — “Clang”…
Ye Fan met the war halberd with golden palm and fingers. Sparks flew where the two collided. The bronze war weapon was extraordinarily fearsome — possessing an immortal sharpness that was exceedingly difficult to shatter.
Moreover, with every swing, a constant wailing sound filled the air, manifesting law force after law force that sought to refine Ye Fan — and it was enough to make him feel a pressure.
Even so, his physical body was rare in the current age and could not be wounded by blades or edges. With every deflection of his fingers, a tremendous force was transmitted through, rattling Yan Yunluan’s hands until the tiger’s mouth cracked and bled.
Gradually, Ye Fan overpowered the bronze halberd. Though the formation arrays engraved upon it were profoundly mysterious, they could not wound him. His golden physical body had nearly completely sealed it.
The law force was suppressed. The sharp edge failed to wound the sacred body. Yan Yunluan found himself in a desperate situation, with his life increasingly at risk — several times, the bronze heaven halberd nearly slipped from his grasp.
“Amitabha!” The bitter monk charged back in once more.
The gilded purple alms bowl came crashing down like a purple-gold mountain, aimed squarely at the crown of Ye Fan’s head, suffused with boundless Buddhist light. From it also flew forth a great roc, reaching its talons toward Ye Fan.
“Break open for me!” Ye Fan let out a light shout.
The Heaven-Flipping Seal launched forth, shattering the great roc king, while simultaneously sending the gilded purple alms bowl sailing up into the sky — nearly disappearing into the clouds.
Even together, the prodigy Yan Yunluan and the mysterious powerhouse known as the bitter monk could not withstand the sacred body. Those watching let out a helpless sigh. Ye Fan’s rise had become an unstoppable force.
Prodigious figures could fight across several cultivation realms. Yan Yunluan had recently broken through and was already capable of fighting against Revered Elder-level figures from the great holy lands — yet here, he was being suppressed.
The bitter monk seemed to have the edge over him, yet it was equally useless. He could not suppress Ye Fan — and had instead been driven into a desperate situation.
“Smack!”
After one hundred and twenty exchanges, Ye Fan launched the Void Great Hand Seal and through the bronze battle armor struck Yan Yunluan full-on with one palm — sending him coughing up fresh blood continuously.
“Clang!”
At the one hundred fortieth exchange, Ye Fan unleashed the Heaven-Flipping Seal against the gilded purple alms bowl, sending the bitter monk flying several hundred zhang, one arm bone shattered.
“This is the prodigy of the Eastern Wastelands!” That was all the spectators could say by way of awed exclamation.
Three figures battled — the fight growing ever more fierce. The few people who had not fled, suppressed by Ye Fan’s might and thus having refrained from joining the fight, exchanged glances with one another and broke off in every direction, attempting to escape in the confusion.
“Let us see who dares leave!” Ye Fan shouted at full voice. Those individuals’ bodies shuddered, yet they did not stop — charging toward the distance without pause.
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
Ye Fan launched the King of Men Seal and the Heaven-Flipping Seal. The vault of the sky shook. Yan Yunluan and the bitter monk were simultaneously sent flying, trails of blood at the corners of their mouths — both gritting their teeth.
He took out the Ten Thousand Calamities Bow once more. With an expressionless face, he drew the bow in rapid succession, his power rising to the domain of the eighth forbidden. His whole being radiated like an eternal divine entity, illuminating the heavens.
The bowstring sang repeatedly, and arrow after arrow flew in sequence, cleaving through the sky for more than ten li — every one striking its target. In different directions, flowers of blood bloomed.
Several cultivators of holy son caliber were shot down, their bodies split into several pieces, falling to the earth below.
“Buddhist Great One, I personally snapped all four limbs of that dark little wretch and crushed his chest bones flat beneath my foot — what can you do to me? If you have the ability, put me down as well.” The bitter monk said in a cold voice.
Ye Fan’s expression turned icy. “Now I will leave you empty of all four elements.”
He took one step, then another, vanishing and reappearing like a dragon concealed within clouds, advancing to within close range of both the bitter monk and Yan Yunluan. He formed a seal and drove it forward.
“Om!”
Suddenly, the bitter monk let out a tremendous roar. Behind him, a Buddha manifested, also emitting the same primal Buddhist resonance from its lips.
All of this was far too sudden. It seemed as though this expanse of heaven and earth had been annihilated — a breath of world-creating genesis erupted forth, piercing straight through and into the crown of Ye Fan’s head.
All things arose and perished. A small world within worlds was evolving. Nothing existed any longer — only an ancient Buddha, emitting the sound “Om.”
Beside him, Yan Yunluan coughed up blood in great mouthfuls. A bloody fissure cracked open at his brow. His body shook violently. Without the bronze battle armor, he would almost certainly have shattered apart.
Not far away, the one person who had not fled — under this mysterious ancient resonance — became dust in an instant, ceasing to exist.
“Clang!”
Ye Fan momentarily lost focus. The gilded purple alms bowl blazed with brilliant light, inhaling and exhaling heaven and earth, and drew him inside, sealing him within.
In the distant sky, not even a crow made a sound. Every person’s heart shook. What manner of ancient celestial resonance was this? It had reduced a cultivator at the third transformation of Dragon Transformation to powder in an instant — and had caused the body of a prodigy like Yan Yunluan to crack apart…
“Amitabha — I said I would send you on your way, and so I have!” The bitter monk laughed coldly.
The fractures at Yan Yunluan’s brow slowly sealed. His heart struggled to regain its calm as he asked, “Great Master, what ancient celestial resonance is this?” Had the bronze battle armor not been there to protect him, he too would have been in grave danger just now — a part of his physical body might well have been ground away to nothing.
“This is the Six-Syllable Mantra — the supreme unsurpassed truth of my Buddhist faith. With sufficient dharma power, it can subdue every powerful being in the world.” The bitter monk said.
From the distance, the crowd cried out in shock. The Buddhist Six-Syllable Mantra — Om, Ma, Ni, Pad, Me, Hum — was the supreme unsurpassed sacred art, capable of subduing all divine beings across the heavens.
The Western Desert had many temples, but only the most ancient among the holy sanctuaries each held mastery over a single syllable. They were nearly impossible to gather together, and some had already been lost forever.
“This bitter monk must have an extraordinary background. Only those few original ancient temples would each hold mastery over one syllable of the mantra.”
In the distant sky, everyone’s expression changed.
The legendary Six-Syllable Ancient Resonance — said to hold the power of world-creation, endlessly profound and supremely exalted, containing within it the greatest powers, wisdoms, and compassion of the universe.
“Om…”
The bitter monk chanted the celestial resonance aloud, continuously empowering the gilded purple alms bowl. With this supreme sacred art of Buddhism, he sought to dissolve Ye Fan — to extinguish his form and spirit entirely.
Buddhist light in ten thousand layers submerged this expanse of the void. He sat cross-legged, employing the supreme sacred arts of Buddhism to unmake Ye Fan’s form and smelt his soul.
“Clang” — “Clang”…
Suddenly, the gilded purple alms bowl shook violently, its ringing resounding through the sky. Crack after crack appeared along its surface — it was on the verge of collapsing.
This was a Buddhist treasure refined by the most supreme saint-level monk, yet it could not withstand the terrifying force within — about to be smashed apart from the inside.
“Bang!”
With one final violent impact, the alms bowl shattered into four or five pieces. Ye Fan emerged blazing with golden light from every inch of his body, having powered his way out — he had been cultivating the Battle Word Secret.
“Om!” The bitter monk bellowed, using this primal mantra to suppress Ye Fan.
“You have Buddhism’s Six-Syllable Mantra — I have Daoism’s supreme Nine Secrets. Let us see which is the weaker!” Ye Fan cried out in a great voice.
The crowd was dumbstruck. Although many had already surmised that Ye Fan possessed one or two of the Nine Secrets, this was the first time they had heard him personally acknowledge it.
He cultivated the Battle Word Secret — both hands tracing through the air, resonating with the universe itself. His body transformed into the form of a dragon, shredding the Buddhist resonance to pieces and charging straight through.
“Spit!”
The bitter monk was cut in two, blood spraying out. His extreme unwillingness showed as he spoke his last words: “What a pity. The Victorious Fighting Buddha entered closed-door seclusion and disappeared, and the Om syllable mantra was lost. I had only obtained half of it.”
In the distant sky, a clamor broke out. Everyone was shaken. In the Western Desert, there was still a living Buddha — a saint existing in the world!
“Spit!”
Ye Fan cultivated the Battle Word Secret. His body curved like a true dragon, transforming into the yin-yang dividing line of the Taiji diagram, and charged straight through. His right hand swept outward — and severed Yan Yunluan’s head cleanly from his shoulders.