Chapter 1566: Jiang Wuyas Return

"What exactly is this thing? Why does it have its own consciousness?" the Three-Star Giant King roared in shock and fury.

The Divine Monument ignored him, flying back above the space that had imprisoned Jiang Fan. With a gentle press, the space shattered completely. Jiang Fan was freed. At this moment, he resembled a porcelain figure about to shatter, covered in countless cracks.

He was so fragile he could break at a touch. He quickly took a Heavenly Garment Divine Water pill, and the cracks rapidly disappeared. The cold, tearing pain in his body also receded like a tide.

Ignoring his physical state, he stared intently at the Monument of Misfortune before him, his eyes filled with confusion, and cautiously asked, "Do you have your own intelligence?"

The stone monument flew down and hovered at his eye level. A familiar voice, one that made Jiang Fan utterly disbelieving, emanated from within the monument.

"It's me, sworn brother."

Jiang Fan felt a sudden dizzying sensation, as if time had flowed backward. His pupils dilated, and his body trembled uncontrollably, his eyes brimming with disbelief.

Many in the world called him "sworn brother." The Four Seas Demon Emperor and the Ginkgo Tree, among others, used this address. However, there was only one person whose re-emergence of this title he could not believe. That person was Jiang Wuya, who had already perished.

True Word Venerable and the others also recognized the voice, simultaneously revealing looks of disbelief. They stared unblinkingly at the stone monument.

Jiang Fan's throat bobbed. He was somewhat afraid, fearing he had misheard. He stammered, "Brother Jiang...? Is it really you?"

The monument responded with a voice full of relief: "Thank you, sworn brother, for protecting the lands of Taicang Great Province for me. I saw it all."

It truly was Jiang Wuya! Jiang Fan's eyes welled up. He rushed forward, covering the distance in a few strides, and excitedly clasped the sides of the stone monument.

"You... didn't you perish?"

He had personally witnessed Jiang Wuya's last wisp of soul light disappear into the void. How could he have returned as the Monument of Misfortune?

Jiang Wuya said apologetically, "I made you worry. I did indeed die, and my consciousness dissipated. It was the Monument of Misfortune, which possesses a spirit, that absorbed all my scattered soul fragments into itself for nourishment. That's how my consciousness re-formed, but it's only consciousness. If I were to leave the monument, I would still scatter into light fragments. Now, I don't know if I'm considered a human soul or the spirit of the monument," he added with a bitter laugh.

Jiang Fan suddenly understood! When the Great Wine Offering led him into the forbidden area, he had said that if the Monument of Misfortune was fated with him, he should take it. Unfortunately, the monument showed no reaction to Jiang Fan's arrival. In the end, it was Jiang Wuya's powerful will, sacrificing himself for the sake of all beings, that earned the monument's recognition. At the moment of his death, it absorbed all his soul fragments, allowing him to continue existing as the spirit of the Monument of Misfortune.

At the same time, Jiang Fan also began to understand why the Great Wine Offering had arranged for Jiang Wuya to guard the barrier, instead of Evil Raven Venerable, Inner Demon Venerable, or even a Bodhisattva. He had long foreseen that only someone like Jiang Wuya, who was wholeheartedly dedicated to the righteous path, would gain the monument's approval and ultimately mobilize this monument to become a core force in the great battle. He swept away the sorrow in his heart, patting the side of the stone monument with a look of profound relief.

"If our Taicang Great Province survives this catastrophe, I will devote the rest of my life to helping you regain a physical body!"

Jiang Wuya chuckled, "That's a matter for later. For now, let's continue the fight! Leave the Three-Star Giant King to me. As for the rest, kill as many as you can!" With that, he crashed towards the Three-Star Giant King with a force capable of suppressing all things.

The Three-Star Giant King, both surprised and enraged, roared from a distance at the Two-Star Giant Kings of Water and Fire, "What are you waiting for? Kill them! Leave no one alive! Otherwise, the King will not spare you useless wretches!" The Fire Giant King looked stern. They had lost ten Giant Kings in one battle, while the enemy had only a handful of individuals. If the King knew, they would not escape punishment.

A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the King's cruelty. When he looked at Jiang Fan and the others again, his eyes were filled with murderous intent. He decisively pulled out his golden spiked club and said chillingly, "Nine Giant Kings, do we really need to fear their mere five people and one corpse? Besides, we still have two Two-Star Giant Kings!" The Giant Kings, after a brief panic, regained their composure, their faces showing savage expressions.

The majority of their heavy casualties were due to the Bodhisattva's strange Great Vow and consuming his flesh and blood containing Resting Earth. Otherwise, Jiang Fan and the others would have been crushed to dust by their collective assault long ago. Now, without the Bodhisattva, how difficult could it be to kill them? Jiang Fan and the others also became solemn. Although the immense threat of the Three-Star Giant King was gone, they were still facing nine Giant Kings! This battle, they feared, still offered little chance of victory.

Pingtian Bodhisattva calmly stated, "A correction, it's not nine against five." He silently chanted a Buddhist mantra, and suddenly, large quantities of sand coalesced from the surrounding earth, forming a twenty-zhang tall Giant King. It was the Two-Star Giant King who had been converted! Heavenly Listener Bodhisattva had once said that the Conversion Great Vow originated from this very world; even if he died, its effect would remain. Now that Pingtian Bodhisattva had inherited the Bodhisattva Fruit, he could naturally command the Sand Giant King. Everyone's eyes lit up slightly. It was now six against nine; finally, there was a glimmer of hope!

"Furthermore..." Pingtian Bodhisattva looked up at the sky, silently reciting Buddhist scriptures. Streams of golden Sanskrit script descended from the heavens onto the twelve-petaled golden lotus beneath him. This was clearly the activation of the Great Vow, "No End to Giants, No Attainment of Buddhahood"! As the golden lotus was nourished by the Sanskrit script, it grew larger, its petals increasing from twelve to sixteen. A twelve-petaled golden lotus symbolized a first-grade Bodhisattva. A sixteen-petaled golden lotus, however, symbolized a second-grade Bodhisattva!

Pingtian Bodhisattva's gaze fixed on the Fire Giant King as he calmly stated, "In terms of Heavenly-Human Decay combat power, it's two against two!"

Jiang Fan was both surprised and delighted. The more difficult a Great Vow set by a Bodhisattva was to fulfill, the more powerful its effect. For example, Heavenly Listener Bodhisattva's third Great Vow, Calamity Transformation, possessed the powerful ability to open the void and take countless enemies with him to destruction. Pingtian Bodhisattva, on the other hand, had made the immense Great Vow of "No End to Giants, No Attainment of Buddhahood." The ability it granted him was even more formidable! It allowed him to match giants equally in battle. Just like his Bodhisattva title, Pingtian Bodhisattva!

With this development: True Word Venerable would face the Water Giant King, and Pingtian Bodhisattva would face the Fire Giant King. The remaining seven One-Star Giant Kings would be handled by Jiang Fan, Inner Demon Venerable, Jian Lanjiang, and the Sand Giant King. This was a seven-against-four situation. Among them, the battle corpse controlled by Jian Lanjiang and the Sand Giant King were both considered puppets. Their combat strength was slightly weaker than typical Soul Transformation realm cultivators. The true offensive power lay with Jiang Fan and Inner Demon Venerable. Still, this was infinitely better than their most desperate moment.

A flash of killing intent appeared in Jiang Fan's eyes, and he said, "Everyone, this is our last stand!" Without a word, True Word Venerable, his eyes filled with murderous intent, charged at the Water Giant King.

Pingtian Bodhisattva, riding his twelve-petaled golden lotus, charged towards the Fire Giant King. The Fire Giant King snorted in anger, "Attack! Prioritize killing Wang Chongxiao!" The seven One-Star Giant Kings immediately gripped their spiked clubs and charged towards Jiang Fan and the others. Four of them, astonishingly, joined forces to attack Jiang Fan alone!