Chapter 568
by fanqienovelChapter 568: Bought with Spirit Stones
On the Lian Tai, Zhi Hai’s expression shifted dramatically.
As the foremost Vajra-level monk of Xuan Yuan Temple, Zhi Hai’s combat prowess outshone his peers, making it nearly impossible to find a rival of his caliber within the entire Western Buddhist Sect. The golden crescent shovel he wielded had claimed the lives of countless monsters and demons.
Not a few Purple Palace cultivators had fallen to his might—more than one or two!
It was this unshakable confidence in his own strength that emboldened Zhi Hai to challenge Wang Chen at the Spirit Mountain Conference, seeking vengeance for his Master Xu Wen.
If he let this day slip by, the opportunity would be lost forever!
The representatives of the Daoist sect were only present for a single day of observation and would depart the following morning.
Unless Zhi Hai could rally the entire Western Buddhist Sect to his cause, there was no way he could slay Wang Chen!
What could a mere Vajra-level monk possibly do to achieve such a feat?
But on the Lian Tai, the situation was different. If Wang Chen accepted the challenge, Zhi Hai could strike him down with a single blow, and the West Sea Sect would have no grounds for complaint—they could only blame Wang Chen for his own inadequacy.
From the very beginning, Zhi Hai had meticulously calculated every detail.
The unique environment of Ling Mountain Temple, combined with the close combat on the Lian Tai, meant that all the elements were in his favor. Unless Wang Chen had reached the Golden Core level in his cultivation, his fate was sealed—he would surely perish!
Yet, despite all his calculations, Zhi Hai had overlooked one crucial detail: Wang Chen’s close combat prowess was not only on par with his own but perhaps even superior.
The force of that strike was like a mountain bearing down on him. Zhi Hai felt an overwhelming pressure that caused the Qi and blood within him to churn and stagnate, making even the act of breathing a struggle.
His burgeoning battle intent was utterly crushed!
This moment brought back memories of when Zhi Hai had faced a Golden Core cultivator, feeling utterly powerless and insignificant.
Had it not been for Master Xu Wen’s timely intervention, he would have perished beneath Fire Mountain long ago.
Now, as that scene replayed in his mind, Zhi Hai realized he no longer had a second Master who regarded him as a son!
“Ah~”
In the face of life and death, a profound terror arose. The immense pressure unleashed the most savage aspect of this warrior monk’s bloodline. With a sudden, thunderous roar akin to a lion’s, his body swelled, his eyes turned blood-red, and his veins bulged with intensity!
Zhi Hai swiftly raised his golden crescent shovel to meet the descending Concealed Dragon Stick.
Clang!
The collision of their weapons echoed for miles, unleashing a surge of invisible energy that rippled outward in all directions, shaking the massive Lian Tai to its core.
Rrrrip!
Wang Chen’s Daoist robe was torn to shreds, unable to withstand the force of the backlash, revealing his taut, muscular frame.
Behind him, the Heavenly Dragon Manifestation materialized!
“Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method!”
Surrounding the Lian Tai were the monks and Zen masters of the Western Buddhist Sect. How could they fail to recognize that the manifestation Wang Chen had summoned was the supreme technique of Tianlong Temple?
While it was widely known that Tianlong Temple disseminated the techniques of the first three levels of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method to amass wealth and attract talent—earning a fortune from the sale of Vajra Ghee—the mental techniques of the latter six levels were not part of this dissemination. To practice them, one had to become a disciple of Tianlong Temple.
And the Heavenly Dragon Manifestation Wang Chen had just revealed unmistakably demonstrated that he had attained the sixth level: the realm of the Invulnerable Vajra!
How could this be possible?
Countless great monks were stunned, and the monks from Tianlong Temple were left utterly speechless, their eyes wide with disbelief.
It is worth noting that even within Tianlong Temple itself, very few have cultivated the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method to such an advanced level.
Not a single Vajra-level monk has ever achieved this!
Wang Chen, a Daoist and a disciple of the West Sea Sect, the foremost immortal sect in the Mountain-Sea Realm, had somehow mastered a Buddhist secret technique to such an extraordinary degree. This was nothing short of astonishing.
Does the West Sea Sect even know about this?
The gathered monks were at a complete loss for words.
“Pfft!”
Amid the silence, Zhi Hai on the Lian Tai staggered backward three large steps, his gaze fixed on his opponent. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and spat out a torrent of scorching blood.
The blood was mixed with fragments of his internal organs!
Wang Chen’s strike had landed squarely, and Zhi Hai had paid a devastating price to endure it.
Though Zhi Hai still clutched the golden crescent shovel tightly, it had begun to bend and warp under the strain.
His arms were twisted unnaturally, the bones within shattered!
The true lethality came from the immense force of the Concealed Dragon Stick that had penetrated his body.
The power was so overwhelming that even Zhi Hai’s battle-hardened warrior monk physique could not withstand it.
Under the watchful eyes of all, Zhi Hai slowly sank to the ground.
His expression shifted from ferocity and pain to despair, then to regret, loss, and finally, a serene calm.
It was clear to everyone that this warrior monk had reached the end of his life.
Wang Chen did not deliver a final blow.
Zhi Hai gently lowered the crescent shovel in his hand, facing the Ling Mountain Buddha as he exhaled deeply. His once-pale face regained color, now glowing faintly with a pure, translucent light.
This was unmistakably the visage of profound enlightenment!
“Namo Amitabha~”
The warrior monk, born for battle, softly chanted the Buddha’s name, bowing his head as he drew his final breath.
“Amitabha!”
In the next moment, the air around the Lian Tai filled with the sound of chanting as all the monks bid farewell to Zhi Hai.
Even the Golden Core-level Zen masters joined in.
A profound sense of compassion permeated Ling Mountain Temple, both inside and out.
Wang Chen held the stick in his left hand and raised his right hand in a respectful salute to the now-deceased Zhi Hai, honoring his fallen opponent.
But at that moment, Wang Chen had become the focal point of everyone’s attention.
Anger, suspicion, harshness, indifference, solemnity…
The gazes directed at Wang Chen were varied, and the silent pressure from the assembled monks began to weigh heavily upon him.
Regardless of the circumstances, Wang Chen’s act of killing Zhi Hai in front of them was akin to delivering a resounding slap to the face of the Western Buddhist Sect. It would be strange indeed if these monks remained indifferent!
Wang Chen naturally felt the immense pressure closing in from all sides. He stood firm and sneered, “What? Is the illustrious Western Buddhist Sect incapable of accepting defeat?”
His voice was not loud, but amplified by his spiritual energy, it carried clearly for miles.
As soon as he spoke, the oppressive force directed at him diminished significantly.
After all, Wang Chen had fought Zhi Hai openly and fairly; the latter had lost due to his own limitations, not because Wang Chen had resorted to underhanded tactics.
If the monks chose to suppress him on the spot, even if they slaughtered every Daoist representative in attendance, it would not absolve them of the consequences.
Should a war erupt between the Buddha and the Dao, the survival of the Western Buddhist Sect would be in grave doubt, and at least ninety percent of the monks present would perish!
Such an outcome was unthinkable for anyone.
“May I ask, fellow traveler…”
At that moment, a burly monk with a rugged face stepped forward and demanded in a deep voice, “Where did you learn the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method?”
Wang Chen smirked, a hint of mockery in his expression. “I bought it with spirit stones at the Four Seas Trading Association.”