Chapter 231: Killing the Monk

"Vajra Indomitable!"

Monk Ban Chi's body glowed with brilliant Buddhist light. His muscular physique expanded, growing to approximately thirty-six feet tall. The nine-ringed monk's staff in his hand also grew larger and longer, resembling a sun radiating from behind a great Buddha's head.

This was the Buddhist sect's Vajra Indomitable Art, a cultivation technique that specialized in enhancing physical divine abilities.

Buddhist cultivation techniques are categorized into various types. Some excel in mental cultivation, focusing on magical divine abilities, while others specialize in wisdom and sudden enlightenment, practicing saber or sword techniques. Still others belong to the combat technique school, excelling in physical divine abilities.

The Vajra Indomitable Art belongs to the combat technique school, but unlike other such schools, it also incorporates some spells. However, it differs from the battle-magic fusion practiced by Lord Ba Shan Jisiu. In the Vajra Indomitable Art, spells are stored within the monk's staff or prayer beads. During daily practice, one carries the staff and prayer beads, continuously chanting Buddhist scriptures to refine one's evil thoughts into the prayer beads and the divine abilities from the scriptures into the staff.

In battle, the evil thoughts stored in the prayer beads can be unleashed, transforming into a ferocious combat form. The spells imbued in the staff, on the other hand, serve as surprise tactics to catch opponents off guard and secure victory.

Monk Ban Chi charged forward. Though his Buddhist light shone brightly, this "Buddha" resembled a Vajra Yaksha from a temple, with a fierce and terrifying countenance. His staff violently struck down at Qin Mu!

Qin Mu had already experienced the power of the Vajra Indomitable Art. Once the Vajra Yaksha form was manifested with this technique, it became incredibly rigid, even capable of withstanding attacks from the Young Protector Sword.

Moreover, its strength was unbelievable, even pressing Qin Mu's treasure ship down into the clouds.

Qin Mu activated his Overlord Body Three Elixir Art, and his body swayed. Suddenly, a golden light shot from the sky, pouring into his body and transforming his physique. He became a golden deity with tiger claws and white fur, standing on two dragons. He had a tiger's head with fierce, watchful eyes and a white forehead. The golden energy in his hand transformed into a bronze *yue*, resembling a large axe.

A golden serpent hung from Qin Mu's left ear, hissing and breathing out golden energy.

He was performing the True Art of Tai Bai Xing Jun, the Golden Marquis, divinely transforming into the form of Tai Bai Xing Jun and controlling all the golden energy under heaven.

The Five-Luminaries realm held many secrets. Qin Mu himself possessed exceptionally high mastery in this realm, and with the guidance of Imperial Advisor Yan Kang, he had cultivated the divine transformation forms of the Five Great Star Lords, long surpassing countless other Five-Luminaries realm experts.

"Indeed, it's a demonic spell!"

Monk Ban Chi saw his body change and let out a cold snort. The nine rings on his monk's staff spun, buzzing and expanding, like a giant hammer adorned with nine golden rings, smashing down with a crash!

With a violent tremor, Qin Mu's bronze *yue* collided with the nine-ringed monk's staff. Both erupted with terrifying power. Qin Mu was forced to retreat repeatedly as the two dragons beneath his feet flew out, climbing onto Monk Ban Chi's body and entangling his legs. Meanwhile, the nine golden rings from the monk's staff whizzed out, striking Qin Mu's forehead one after another, sending sparks flying and sending him tumbling over a dozen times.

Monk Ban Chi, after all, was a powerful divine ability practitioner with many tricks up his sleeve. With a forceful stomp of his feet, he shattered the two golden dragons. He then grabbed his staff and leaped up. In mid-air, the nine golden rings whizzed back, landing squarely on the staff.

Boom!

Monk Ban Chi swung his staff down. The staff struck Qin Mu, who, standing firmly on the ground, was involuntarily sent sliding backward, plowing a deep furrow in the ground. The bronze *yue* in his hand was already shattered.

Monk Ban Chi strode forward at an extremely fast speed, reaching him in just a few strides. He thrust his staff forward with another loud bang, hitting Qin Mu so hard that he lost his footing and sent him flying backward.

The monk's staff vibrated with a hum, and the nine golden rings clanged against Qin Mu's chest, smashing him a hundred *zhang* away and flattening swathes of trees.

"Sumeru Seal!"

Monk Ban Chi soared into the air, uttered a mantra, and slammed a palm down where Qin Mu had fallen. The earth trembled, trees toppled, and a handprint roughly half a *mu* in size appeared, deeply imprinted into the ground. Above this palm print, a phantom image of Mount Sumeru appeared, with countless Buddhist scripture runes revolving around this mountain phantom.

"Amitabha, the demonic villain has finally been beheaded and punished, granting this humble monk a share of merit."

Monk Ban Chi landed, one hand leaning on his staff, the other placed at his chest in a bow. Standing outside the palm print, he bowed and said, "This humble monk is not fond of killing, and employing such thunderous means now is merely to eliminate harm for the world—a last resort. This humble monk shall chant a passage from the Rebirth Scripture for the Cult Master, to send the Cult Master's wronged soul to blissful rebirth, so it may no longer commit evil..."

Just as he was about to chant, a sudden chill ran down his spine. He quickly leaped up as the ground cracked open, and golden energy spikes shot out from the earth, stabbing wildly into the sky!

Monk Ban Chi thrust his staff downwards, the nine rings swinging outwards and shattering the golden energy spikes. Then, he saw the phantom image of Mount Sumeru collapse. Countless golden energies converged, transforming into innumerable sword lights, which coalesced into a single beam over ten *zhang* long, piercing Monk Ban Chi's chest with a clang.

Monk Ban Chi cried out in pain, his chest pierced by the sword light. He let out a furious roar as Buddhist chants emanated from the prayer beads around his neck. As they vibrated, Buddhist scripture runes surged forth from the beads, forming rings. Layer upon layer of these scripture rings clasped the sword light, spinning continuously, finally blocking the attack.

At this moment, a flash of water light suddenly appeared before Monk Ban Chi. Enormous waves surged before him, and at the forefront of the giant waves, Qin Mu had transformed into the Water Marquis Chen Xingjun form, with a human head, red hair, and a serpent's body, holding a trident.

The trident thrust towards Monk Ban Chi, and the towering waves transformed into a massive palm print, crushing down on him.

Monk Ban Chi roared, his Buddhist light blazing brightly. He raised his hand to block, but suddenly felt an boundless force assault him and was violently flung away by the colossal wave.

The trident, having pierced his chest, transformed into a three-headed dragon and propelled his body forward with a roar, smashing into the ground.

With a loud bang, the three-headed dragon and the towering waves crushed the monk into the ground, carving a large crater in the earth.

As the water receded, Monk Ban Chi quickly stood up, only to see a monster with a bull's head, human body, and two flaming dragons beneath its feet charging towards him. The monster's bull's eye between its brows opened, and a flash of fire, swift as lightning, sliced horizontally. Monk Ban Chi raised his hand to guard his neck, but his palm stung with pain, and two of his fingers were severed.

A hint of panic crept into his heart. He gripped his nine-ringed monk's staff tightly with one hand. The staff's head expanded with a roar, growing larger and larger like a mountain peak smashing forward. With his other hand, he formed a seal and slammed it forward.

Qin Mu had divinely transformed into the Fire Marquis Ying Huo Xingjun form, roaring furiously with boundless strength. A fiery gourd appeared behind him; he embraced it, and raging true fire erupted from within. The intense fire scorched the nine-ringed monk's staff crimson, with golden liquid continuously flowing out.

Monk Ban Chi was startled. The nine-ringed monk's staff was a spiritual weapon he had painstakingly forged and blessed with Buddhist magic, yet it couldn't withstand the true fire from this gourd. If it were to melt, he would lose a major weapon.

However, he had no time to think deeply now. He could only risk his spiritual weapon being destroyed and brace himself to smash Qin Mu to death!

Bang—

The fiery gourd exploded, and the two flaming dragons beneath Qin Mu's feet were also shattered by the impact. Monk Ban Chi's Sumeru Seal followed closely. Suddenly, Qin Mu's body swayed as a blue light shot from mid-air. His body transformed into the Wood Marquis Sui Xingjun form, with a human head, bird body, and bird feet. With a pair of wings on his back and standing on two green dragons, he flapped his wings and rose, evading the Sumeru Seal and appearing above Monk Ban Chi, a willow whip striking directly from his hand.

Monk Ban Chi raised his hand to block, but just as he blocked the willow whip, he sensed something amiss. The willow whip was incredibly soft, coiling around his arm like a green serpent. Then, the willow whip suddenly grew wildly, wrapping around his body.

In the blink of an eye, the willow whip became as thick as a water bucket, transforming into a willow tree that tightly bound him.

Meanwhile, the two green dragons beneath Qin Mu's feet shrank, turning into two streams of green energy that drilled into his nostrils.

"Empty in coming, empty in going! Six senses, six consciousnesses, seal!"

Monk Ban Chi sealed his senses, preventing the two streams of green energy from penetrating his body. They were immediately refined by his Buddhist light. The prayer beads around his neck then burst open one after another, releasing more evil thoughts that surged from the beads and returned to his body.

Monk Ban Chi's evil thoughts intensified greatly. He let out a roar, and his physical body expanded again, shattering the willow tree to pieces. He bellowed furiously, "When Buddha Grandfather gets angry, even the heavens must yield! Demon, prepare to die!"

No sooner had he roared this, Qin Mu's form changed again, transforming into a human head with a serpent body. The Gate of Bearing Heaven appeared behind him, and holding two pig-slaughtering knives, he charged straight at Monk Ban Chi.

Only continuous explosive clangs were heard as Buddhist light and fire continuously erupted from Monk Ban Chi's body. Yet, his body bore no wounds despite being struck by the pig-slaughtering knives.

"Buddha Grandfather has a Vajra body; nothing can break it!"

Monk Ban Chi's face was ferocious, his staff swinging wildly and smashing down furiously. Qin Mu's two knives collided with his staff, causing tremendous explosions that sent birds and beasts in the surrounding mountains and forests fleeing frantically.

Suddenly, the two knives in Qin Mu's hands exploded with crackling sounds, unable to withstand the immense force of the two combatants. The monk's staff in Monk Ban Chi's hand also self-destructed.

"Die!"

Monk Ban Chi roared repeatedly, his fists heavy as mountains, punching him again and again. Qin Mu roared back, his muscular physique surging, his body enveloped in electricity. Activating the Eight Styles of Thunder Sound, with green dragons coiling around him, he met him head-on with brute force!

The two small giants fought fiercely in the mountain forest. Suddenly, the Young Protector Sword flew out, piercing the great sun behind Monk Ban Chi's head like lightning.

Monk Ban Chi was startled and quickly raised his hand to block. At this moment, Qin Mu unleashed a punch, like a great sun illuminating and refining the spirit. Monk Ban Chi's spirit wavered, and he failed to block the sword light, allowing the Young Protector Sword to shatter the great sun behind his head.

His Vajra Indomitable Art was instantly broken, and his body began to shrink. Qin Mu unleashed another punch, causing Monk Ban Chi's bones to vibrate violently. He let out a muffled groan and retreated.

Qin Mu's fists rained down like a furious storm, pounding him relentlessly. Monk Ban Chi cried out in pain, growing increasingly alarmed. He quickly turned and fled frantically, soaring into the air in a few bounds and escaping towards the sky.

Qin Mu paused and looked up at the sky. The monk fled at an astonishing speed, covering six or seven *li* in just a few breaths before stopping, with lotus flowers appearing beneath his feet to support his body. He thought to himself, "This demon is formidable, with too many tricks, but his speed isn't great; he can't catch up to me. I can still regroup..."

No sooner had he thought this, than he suddenly heard a thunderous tremor. Monk Ban Chi hastily looked and was horrified to see Qin Mu's feet moving like blurs, breaking through the air towards him at a speed so fast he could barely make him out!

Boom!

Qin Mu's punch struck his face, causing Monk Ban Chi's entire face to cave in. The power of Nine Dragons Wielding Wind and Thunder pierced through, surging into his head and suddenly exploding.

In mid-air, forty-five green dragons, emanating bloody light, clawed and roared furiously, as a headless corpse fell from amidst them.

"Stupid monk, I can let you run ten *li* first."