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In the desolate border of the Dunhuang Desert, the terrain was rugged and mountainous.
At Leiyin Temple, the leader Haikong, along with his disciples Shan Hui, Chang Liulang, Douding, and Iron Bull, set off towards the temple, followed closely by a massive Qiongqi.
Iron Bull carried Douding on his shoulder, and as they traveled, the group laughed and joked. However, Haikong, who walked at the front, felt a sense of doubt. He stopped and asked, "Shan Hui, how did you know we were in Jiangnan looking for Yang Sanqian?"
Shan Hui replied, "Master Hai Deng told me."
Haikong responded, "We were at Sword Pavilion to rescue someone. How did you find out about Yang Sanqian's residence?"
Shan Hui calmly said, "Yang Sanqian is a Divine Hero; everyone knows where he lives."
Haikong scoffed, "Even if Yang Sanqian's residence is well-known, my disciples at Leiyin Temple wouldn't know it. You hadn't left Dunhuang before you met Living Buddha!"
Hearing this from Haikong, Shan Hui smiled slightly, and his voice suddenly changed to that of another person: "You bald donkey! Only now do you realize the flaw? But it's too late!"
Roar~
The Qiongqi roared in anger and suddenly lunged forward, knocking Shan Hui to the ground and biting him to death. A Light Shadow flew out from Shan Hui's body and landed in the body of a Red-Clad Elder on a nearby hill.
"Big Cat, don't hurt anyone," Douding said as he jumped down from Iron Bull's shoulder and ran over to pet Qiongqi's head.
Qiongqi nudged Douding back gently, signaling him to stay behind.
The Red-Clad Elder remarked, "To have tamed the Ancient Fierce Beast Qiongqi is indeed worthy of a reincarnated Living Buddha."
"Amitabha. Who exactly are you? Why did you harm my disciples at Leiyin Temple and deceive us into coming here?" Haikong asked.
The Red-Clad Elder laughed heartily and said, "You are not qualified to know who Old Man is. After many years away from the martial world, your master might be more suited to ask this question."
"In that case, why did you deceive us into coming here? If you wanted to do something at Jiangnan Courtyard, you could have done it without fear of Yang Sanqian and his wife," Chang Liulang interjected.
The Red-Clad Elder's face flushed slightly as he looked at Chang Liulang and said, "Old Man fears no fledglings! That's simply ridiculous. I came under the orders of Divine Serpent Sect Supreme to invite Living Buddha to visit the Divine Serpent Cult Headquarters."
Chang Liulang snorted, "At your age, you should know better than to feel no shame. My junior is only in his teens, and you from the Divine Serpent Sect Supreme must be over a hundred years old. What is there to discuss?"
"You're right; there's really nothing to talk about. Just come with me!" The Red-Clad Elder huffed, flying down from the hill and reaching out to grab Douding.
A luminous wheel sent the Red-Clad Elder flying back. Sanskrit characters flowed across the wheel, radiating a dazzling Buddhist light. It was Haikong who had made the move.
The Red-Clad Elder let out a soft exclamation, "I thought such a young person could only be a figurehead as the abbot of Leiyin Temple, but it seems you have some skills."
Haikong replied, "There's no need to resort to violence against a child. Let's speak civilly."
The Red-Clad Elder chuckled darkly, "I advise you not to oppose the Serpent Cult. Emei has likely been destroyed by now. The time for our unification is at hand. Hand over the Living Buddha, and Leiyin Temple might survive as a branch of the Serpent Cult. Otherwise, your temple will be the next target!"
"Indeed, those from the demonic sect are utterly unreasonable," Haikong said. "Then let Poor Monk experience your abilities."
"Good!" The Red-Clad Elder exclaimed, and with a flourish of his red robe, he rubbed his hands together, unleashing countless sharp rays toward Haikong. Haikong widened his eyes and pressed his palms together, suddenly unleashing an overwhelming aura. A great Buddha phantom expanded from him, blocking the crimson rays.
Golden light erupted with sparks flying everywhere as the Buddha phantom struck toward the Red-Clad Elder, who had to shift back several dozen feet.
"So it's Meng Xuanjian, the Grand Elder of the Serpent Cult. My master mentioned your reputation years ago," Haikong remarked.
Meng Xuanjian responded, "After all these years, I didn't expect someone in their forties would know my name. If you know my reputation so well, why don't you just scram?"
Haikong replied, "My master said you're more trouble than you're worth—full of power but lacking wisdom, arrogant and self-important. You're not a threat."
"You!" Meng Xuanjian was infuriated by Haikong's serious demeanor.
"Amitabha," Haikong chanted softly.
Chang Liulang and Iron Bull burst into laughter while Meng Xuanjian seethed with rage. He struck out at Haikong with a palm; Haikong countered with his own palm. Both retreated a step as dust swirled around them.
Meng Xuanjian leaped into the air, raising his right hand as a red light trailed behind him, slicing through the void toward Haikong. Surrounded by Buddhist light, Haikong revealed a Buddha character in his palm that pressed down on Meng Xuanjian. The Daoist Arts of Meng Xuanjian were shattered as he felt the weight of the Buddha's true words pressing down on him. Fire symbols ignited on his body and scattered into flames before vanishing completely.
In the next moment, a gust of wind rushed behind Haikong. Before he could react, he was struck by a powerful palm, spitting out blood and staggering back several steps.
Qiongqi roared and lunged at Meng Xuanjian, who transformed into flames and vanished. Qiongqi leaped up, slapping at the sky, and Meng Xuanjian was forced out of the void, crashing to the ground with a pale face.
"Why can you see me?" Meng Xuanjian coughed incessantly.
"Die, old fool!" Iron Bull bellowed as he descended.
Boom!
Although Meng Xuanjian rolled away to avoid the blow, he was still blasted away by the heavy hammer, tumbling across the ground.
He threw a punch, his Dao Qi blazing. Iron Bull attempted to block with his hammer but was sent flying by the overwhelming force of Dao Qi, sliding across the ground for dozens of meters.
Iron Bull coughed, his arm numb. He sprang back up and exclaimed, "So it's the Mahayana Realm!"
Both Haikong and Meng Xuanjian were early-stage experts in the Mahayana Realm, having just advanced a few years ago. Compared to the Five Great Sect Leaders, they were still lacking; otherwise, Iron Bull wouldn't have been able to withstand such an attack.
Seeing Meng Xuanjian caught off guard, Haikong plucked a flower with his right hand and pointed at him. The ground trembled as spikes erupted from below. Meng Xuanjian hurriedly retreated and leaped into the air. Haikong changed his gestures and chanted an incantation; a palm came crashing down in a Buddha Palm technique, pinning Meng Xuanjian to the ground.
Countless light wheels shot up from beneath, locking onto Meng Xuanjian. He struggled in vain. With both hands on the ground and his hair standing on end, he expanded his form and broke free from Haikong's Buddhist Chant restraints. However, he was struck in the chest by Haikong's palm and sent flying backward.
Meng Xuanjian hit the ground and coughed up blood. From his robe, he took out a black statue, biting his fingertip to draw a symbol in front of him. He then placed the statue within the talisman; it shattered, causing the void to tremble.
"I humbly invite the Supreme to descend!" Meng Xuanjian knelt down.
The sky darkened as a massive vortex appeared. An ancient voice echoed from within: "Xuanjian, you truly are more trouble than you're worth!"
"Master, I..." Meng Xuanjian nearly spat out another mouthful of blood.
Haikong turned to Chang Liulang and said, "You all go first."
Chang Liulang nodded, holding onto his head as he mounted Qiongqi. He then looked at Iron Bull and shouted, "Iron Bull, get on! We need to go!"
Iron Bull responded with a grunt and jumped onto Qiongqi's back. Chang Liulang instructed, "Take us to Leiyin Temple."
With a roar, Qiongqi dashed into the desert with the three of them.
"Trying to escape? Hmph, no one can flee from the Old Man's grasp." A vortex formed in the sky, coalescing into dark clouds that pursued Qiongqi.
Haikong struck at the black clouds with a palm, but was intercepted by Meng Xuanjian. Meng Xuanjian said, "Now it's just the two of us. Come on, show me what you've got!"
Haikong frowned, a strong Buddhist light radiating from him as he engaged in fierce combat with Meng Xuanjian. They were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Amidst the many dunes of Dunhuang Desert, Qiongqi moved swiftly while the dark clouds followed closely behind. Black hands occasionally reached out from the clouds to block Qiongqi's path, causing dunes to collapse and sand to swirl.
Suddenly, a cliff appeared ahead. Qiongqi leaped powerfully across to the other side, tumbling to the ground. Douding, Chang Liulang, and Iron Bull all fell off Qiongqi's back. Chang Liulang rolled with Douding in the sand for several turns before coming to a stop. He patted the unconscious Douding and said, "Douding, wake up."
Douding grimaced in pain and called out, "Senior Brother."
"Are you okay? Get up quickly! Big Cat will take you to Leiyin Temple to find Master Hai Deng and the Three Divine Monks!" Chang Liulang said as he helped Douding onto Qiongqi's back.
"What about you?" Douding asked as he sat on Qiongqi and turned to look at Chang Liulang.
Chang Liulang replied, "It's my fault for not being able to protect you properly."
He glanced back at Iron Bull, who was readying his hammer for battle, then gently stroked Qiongqi's face and said, "You must protect Douding."
Qiongqi let out a low growl and nudged Chang Liulang before turning and running toward Leiyin Temple.
"Senior Brother!"
Douding called out for Chang Liulang, but Chang Liulang did not turn back.
Dark clouds swiftly gathered in the sky as Iron Bull hefted his massive hammer and shouted, "Come out if you have the guts! One swing from me, and I'll smash you, Immortal, so hard you won't even bear the surname Bull!"
"Interesting. Then let the Old Man show himself!" The dark clouds surged downwards, coalescing into an old man clad in a black robe. The robe was embroidered with vibrant red clouds, bordered in gold.
As the old man's features sharpened into clarity, his crimson eyebrows arched upwards, resembling Nangong to some extent, though he lacked Nangong's imposing stature.
"I've shown myself now; let's see you try to kill me with one swing—"
Suddenly—
A tremendous sound erupted before the old man could finish his sentence. Iron Bull's colossal hammer crashed down onto the old man's head.
"With that big forehead and bushy eyebrows, you look just like that old bird Nangong! Time to smash you!" Iron Bull exclaimed as he swung again with all his might.
A bump formed on the old man's head as he grasped Iron Hammer. Iron Bull roared and swung it again, but the old man remained unmoved. Dao Qi surged around him, and mystical symbols radiated from his body, freezing the void around him. His fingers suddenly pierced through Iron Hammer, and then he delivered a punch straight to Iron Bull's heart.
Iron Bull was sent flying backward, his toes lifting three feet off the ground. The old man seized Iron Hammer and moved like a streak of light, appearing behind Iron Bull in an instant. He struck Iron Bull on the back of the head with a powerful blow, causing blood to spurt from his seven orifices as he was sent hurtling away.
"Hit me? Young people these days have no sense of proportion; it's time to give that head of yours a good pounding!" The old man declared before transforming into a flash once more. He appeared beside Iron Bull and slammed down on his back, driving him into the ground.
Iron Bull lay on the ground, trembling as he clutched the old man's ankle tightly.
"Let go!" the old man commanded.
"Pah!" Iron Bull spat defiantly at him.
Boom!
The old man hammered Iron Bull's head into the ground, blood splattering everywhere, yet Iron Bull still refused to release his grip.
"Let go! Let go! Let go!" The old man struck repeatedly at Iron Bull's back, driving him further into the earth until blood soaked the ground and Iron Bull's grip finally twisted loose from the old man's ankle.
The old man snorted, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Hard bones? I love to torment people like that."
He finished speaking and tossed the Iron Hammer onto the bloodied body of the Iron Bull, then turned to look at the young man standing not far away.
The old man nodded and asked, "Not bad, you didn't run away. What's your name?"
Chang Liulang took a step back and suddenly vanished from sight.
"Eh?" The old man was slightly surprised, reaching into the void with his large hand before pulling it back again. "Not Void Technique, then it's an illusion formation?"
The old man focused, spreading his legs apart as Dao Qi surged, his imposing presence scattering the yellow sand. Chang Liulang's screams echoed as countless wounds burst forth from his body, revealing his form.
"I thought you were impressive. Do you have any other formations?" The old man chuckled as he walked toward Chang Liulang.
Chang Liulang's palms moved slightly as he charged at the old man. He had just set up an illusion to buy time for Douding to escape, but he hadn't expected the old man to see through it in an instant. Now he could only fight desperately.
The old man looked at Chang Liulang and delivered a punch to his chest. Then he grabbed Chang Liulang's wrist and suddenly flung him backward, sending him tumbling down the cliff like a dog. The old man shook his head, stretched lazily, and glanced in the direction where Qiongqi was fleeing, transforming into a cloud of darkness to pursue.
Dozens of miles away, Qiongqi was sprinting with Douding on its back.
The void split open as dark clouds appeared, a massive hand reaching for Douding on Qiongqi's back. Douding shouted, "Big Cat, run faster!"
Qiongqi accelerated, leaving behind an afterimage in the swirling sand like a fierce wind. The old man looked down from the dark clouds and unleashed Daoist Arts; countless black energies surged down like a torrential black river, causing dunes to collapse and the sandy sea to churn.
Qiongqi darted left and right in search of an escape route while the old man laughed sinisterly. "A dog with broken wings carrying a little one thinks it can escape from Old Man? It's not that easy!"
Douding turned back to look at the approaching dark clouds and asked, "Who are you? Why do you want to capture me?"
The old man replied, "Old Man Nangong Yun, the Old Master of the Serpent Cult. Naturally, I want to capture you for research—to see if I can obtain Zen Bodhisattva."
Douding pleaded, "I don't have anything related to Zen Bodhisattva! Please let me go!"
"Have you really lost it? Ever since the day your Golden Body awakened, my Seven-Colored Relic has been glowing non-stop, trying to escape my grasp. I suspect it's the remnants of Leiyin Temple causing trouble. Those three foolish donkeys sneaked into my Divine Serpent Cult Headquarters to investigate me, and I estimate they are still trapped in the Xuan Snake Formation, unable to escape. If the Old Man just probes a monk from Leiyin Temple, he will know of your existence," the old man said.
Douding replied, "What if you obtained Zen Bodhisattva? Can it grant you immortality?"
Nangong Yun responded, "I don't know if it can grant immortality, but at least it can make me invincible."
Douding asked, "If you're already this powerful, who could possibly be your opponent? What does being invincible even matter?"
"Good question!" Nangong Yun said. "Being invincible means I can unify the Daoist Sect. I will roam freely and take down those old geezers like Miao Guanyin and Old Scholar, ultimately seeking the Immortal Path and establishing my supremacy! It's truly laughable; what competition do I have with you, bald boy?"
As Nangong Yun finished speaking, he transformed into a red light and stood before Qiongqi. He pointed out, and Qiongqi opened its massive mouth to bite at Nangong Yun, only to be struck by a powerful force on its jaw, flipping over onto the ground. Douding fell off Qiongqi's back.
Qiongqi protected Douding and let out a warning roar towards Nangong Yun. Nangong Yun chuckled lightly and said, "You're also an Ancient Fierce Beast; I have a snake raised in my place, a remnant species of the Kunlun Mountain Coiling Dragon. I'd love to see how you compare with it."
Qiongqi opened its enormous mouth and unleashed a Qiongqi roar that shattered the void. A strong wave of energy rolled forth, carving a massive trench in the desert. The old man chuckled darkly and said, "After all, it's just a crippled Ancient Fierce Beast. I've heard your ancestors could soar through the skies, battling true dragons and fighting Kunpeng. With your current state, at first glance, I thought you were just a dog that had turned into a spirit!"
Qiongqi roared in anger and lunged at Nangong Yun, its giant claws tearing through the air. Nangong Yun dodged swiftly and appeared above Qiongqi, delivering a punch to its head. Blood immediately flowed from Qiongqi's ears as it collapsed to the ground.
"Don't kill Big Cat! I'll go with you!" Douding shouted.
"Heh heh, it would have been better if you had said that earlier. I'm not one to relish killing; I'm already one hundred thirty years old. If you come with me, I won't mistreat you," Nangong Yun said as he grabbed Douding and flew into the sky, a black cloud shuttle flying out from his sleeve and landing beneath his feet.
Qiongqi struggled to stand up, emitting angry sounds from its mouth. Its eyes turned red as its pupils constricted sharply. Suddenly, a long bloody mouth opened in its forehead, revealing a terrifying eyeball within. Qiongqi let out a long howl as its third eye emitted a beam of extreme light that shot through the universe, striking down Nangong Yun from above.
Qiongqi dashed towards Douding's falling direction and leaped up, using its fleshy wings to cushion Douding's fall.
Douding lay on Qiongqi's back and asked, "Big Cat, are you alright?"
Nangong Yun fell from the sky with disheveled hair, terrified by the previous attack. Clenching his fists in anger, he declared, "The Old Man hates ambushes the most! I will use my Shuttle to kill this beast!"
Nangong Yun landed on the ground and watched as Qiongqi fled. He quickly pursued it through the swirling dust. Soaring into the air, he released his Shuttle which pierced through Qiongqi's back and exited through its abdomen.
Qiongqi let out a mournful cry, and Douding asked, "Big Cat, what's wrong?"
Qiongqi staggered, its speed slowing down even more. Ahead of them loomed a cliff, towering thousands of feet high. Qiongqi stopped at the edge, its insides pierced and bleeding profusely. It glanced down at the abyss below and hesitated; without Dao Qi, it couldn't fly. If it jumped, the outcome would be dire.
Nangong Yun descended gracefully, landing beside the cliff. With a smile on his face, he looked at Qiongqi and gestured for it to jump.
Douding looked distressed as he clung to Qiongqi's neck. "Big Cat, I'll jump with you."
Qiongqi bared its fangs and shot a fierce glare at Nangong Yun before flapping its wings and leaping off the cliff.
"That beast really dares to jump!" Nangong Yun sighed helplessly and followed suit.
Douding held onto Qiongqi tightly, his eyes shut tight. Suddenly, he felt their descent become smoother. Qiongqi was adjusting its position in mid-air, its wings flapping vigorously. As they neared the ground, it began to glide but ultimately crashed down hard.
With a sorrowful roar, Qiongqi got back up from the ground and nudged the fallen Douding with its snout. Douding lay there, covered in beastly markings that emanated from Qiongqi's body. Then Qiongqi settled beside Douding, resting its head on the ground as blood poured from its abdomen and back, unable to heal.
Nangong Yun's Shuttle was one of the Eight Great Sacred Treasures of Taoism, also known as the Demon-Hunting Shuttle. It was designed to subdue beings infused with Demonic Energy. Qiongqi was an Ancient Fierce Beast; its demonic aura was vastly different from that of humans. While ordinary magical tools could be healed quickly after injuring it, the Shuttle continuously damaged Qiongqi's Meridians, preventing its wounds from healing.
Douding stood up groggily, looking at the massive beast beside him that was barely alive. Wiping away his tears, he said, "Big Cat, it's all my fault for not being able to protect you."
Nangong Yun descended again and laughed heartily. "What a touching scene! How about this, beast? You spit out your demon core and give it to Old Man here, and Old Man will let this kid go."
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