Chapter 1143: Mingyang's Fierce Attack

Nuzi's status among the Mahas was not low, and his deep connection with Peacock had saved him several times, leaving him unharmed to this day. Yet, despite this, his status and importance could never compare to Guangchan's from back then. Even his master, Que Liyu, had held a status no higher than Guangchan's before going to the Root of Evil!

So, when a pitch-black curtain, devoid of any light, enveloped the sky, the fear in this Maha's heart was palpable. A wave of chilling dread overwhelmed his mind, and his Dharma body trembled, releasing streaks of light. His first reaction was to resist the Gate of Heaven!

"Killing me is far less troublesome than killing Guangchan. As soon as the Gate of Heaven suppresses, the next moment I'll be met with the Huayang King's Axe!"

His thoughts flashed like lightning. The Buddhist artifact, a jade bottle, in his hand immediately shot forward to block the streaking golden light! Only at this moment did a gleam of gold, born from the darkness, emerge. The royal halberd, like a sliver of heavenly light lurking under the night sky, struck with a thick blade of condensed white light!

"Boom!"

This Buddhist artifact jade bottle was Nuzi's new treasure, specifically designed to suppress close-range objects. At this moment, it immediately unleashed a torrent of brilliant light, like a waterfall, attempting to suppress the heavenly light. But the long halberd shone brightly. Thick, pale white heavenly light rippled outwards from its crescent-like blade, like a beam of brilliant light in the night sky. It struck the edge of the jade bottle and spread with lightning speed, imprisoning the waterfall of brilliant light—as if from the Nine Heavens' Milky Way—all in mid-air!

Binding Light!

"What... what new power has he acquired!"

Nuzi's body glowed with brilliant light, as if ten thousand arrows were fired at once, which should have repelled all incoming light. Yet, the golden-eyed youth's gaze remained calm, and golden scale patterns had already appeared on his face.

Jun Daowei.

"Boom!"

A massive white phantom light surged upwards, rapidly rushing towards the endless dark sky. Just as it was about to unfold its form amid screams, black-golden streams of light, like a torrential downpour, suppressed this white light back onto the great desert!

Amid earth-shattering sounds of shattering, the Wei King rotated his long halberd, his golden eyes slightly slanting as he looked at the pink light streaking in from beyond this realm. In an instant, the great desert vanished, and layers of golden bodies reappeared between heaven and earth, followed by an angry roar:

"The Qilin is here!"

"Thud!"

As the great desert vanished, the colossal golden body rapidly rose, still standing between the heavens. But under the astonished and angry gazes of his fellow disciples, Nuzi's face was already covered with spiderweb-like cracks, fading rapidly. His eyes flickered on and off, filled with dullness.

"Such a despicable act!"

Nuzi Maha couldn't utter harsh words. He projected brilliant light from his eyes, barely maintaining the dignity of a Maha. In reality, he was already dizzy and disoriented, too overwhelmed to even notice the strange gazes of his fellow disciples. Feeling the heavenly light penetrating his Dharma body, his heart was greatly shaken:

"Is... is this still human?"

Nuzi was not strong among Buddhist cultivators, but he was a Maha nonetheless. Yet, in front of this white Qilin, he couldn't even manage to block a single strike! Although his injuries weren't severe, this was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous sign—Li Zhouwei had only moved one long halberd!

His heart was already utterly dismayed, but even more embarrassed was Zhelu, covered in a thousand eyes. As a seasoned Maha, his gaze was far more discerning:

"The weapon in Li Zhouwei's hand has changed... it's not that useless spirit embryo... but an excellent spiritual artifact comparable to a spirit treasure!"

The next moment, the thousand-eyed Maha's gaze turned cold as thick golden energy poured down like a waterfall. Situ Huo appeared, his long blade sharp, his fierce might boundless! Zhelu, however, was not surprised. Among the cultivators present, he was the only Six-Ages Maha, possessing the widest range of divine powers and a Maha of measured strength. Neither Li Zhouwei nor Situ Huo would allow him to fully exert himself; the one facing him would certainly be Situ Huo!

"Li Zhouwei is Mingyang after all..."

Mingyang despised weakness and favored strength. Although Li Zhouwei and Situ Huo had similar divine powers, when it came to killing these first or second-age Mahas, the white Qilin's speed was bound to be terrifying! The thousand-eyed Maha wore an embarrassed expression. He should have forcefully intervened to block Li Zhouwei first to prevent greater losses, yet there was little ripple in his heart, and he barely moved:

"I don't care what hidden cards Qi Lanyan possesses... even if someone gets hurt, it will be someone from his Grand Desire Dao! As long as they're not instantly killed..."

Zhelu was unhurried, but Nuzi was utterly terrified. The Wei King's figure had already reappeared before him, long halberd pointed directly, its sharp edge glinting. Darkness and sunset visibly intertwined on his face, making this Maha realize:

"Zhelu, that bastard!"

"Boom!"

He didn't hesitate. Brilliant light burst from his body, transforming into a sky-filling waterfall of sand and wind as his figure vanished in a single step. Simultaneously, a golden body stepped forward, actively meeting Li Zhouwei's golden blade!

This person had a broad back and thick waist, his golden armor shimmering, exuding a profound and mighty aura. His four eyes, like those crafted from gold and stone, were colorful, and he held two staffs overlapped in his hands, clearly blocking the long halberd. It was Ba Shan Maha.

Among Buddhist cultivators, promotion from one's immediate circle was paramount. Nuzi was once Que Liyu's protégé, and Ba Shan, in turn, was Nuzi's protégé. Positions in the Buddhist Land were limited; there were countless others like Wumu and Chilu. Only with a background could one ascend!

Ba Shan Maha himself was a Buddhist Dao prodigy with innate divine strength. Unskilled in sorcery, his Dharma body had been tempered for countless years. Now, his golden staff met the halberd with surprising force, sending the royal halberd bouncing high!

"Oh?"

Li Zhouwei wore a look of joyful anticipation as the royal halberd in his hand instantly danced like the wind, casting light in all directions, relentlessly smashing down. This spiritual artifact was inherently heavy, like a series of weighty peaks falling, leaving the golden body covered in sparks and dents. Ba Shan had ample strength but lacked agility. His Dharma body trembled from the blows, covered in fine cracks, as he endured painfully. Finally seizing an an opportunity, he violently wedged his two staffs into the halberd blade, suddenly locking it down and causing a burst of elemental fire, bending the halberd's shaft.

The Wei King's smile, however, only deepened. The long halberd's brilliance had reached its peak; various white lights retracted inward, transforming into bright white patterns spreading over the blade:

Bright King!

"If I were truly using my full power... how would you dare to continue taking my blows, allowing me to stack this Bright King light?"

The smile in those golden eyes flickered for only an instant. Golden patterns flashed on his face as he gripped the long handle tightly with both hands, exerting force, and the crescent-like curve suddenly rotated.

"Creak..."

Ba Shan's face changed dramatically—the divine power and strength from the blade suddenly multiplied several times. The golden body began to tremble, slowly but steadily shifting sideways. The brilliant light, stalemated in the sky, grew increasingly dazzling. The brilliant light was like a collapsing dam, and Ba Shan Maha's expression changed. The Wei King released one hand, effortlessly holding the halberd with a single hand.

A hint of shock appeared in Ba Shan Maha's pupils, but Li Zhouwei's free hand reached for his waist, unclasping a richly golden, brilliantly shining royal axe. Ba Shan, who had always been so stoic, finally showed emotion, greatly surprised and losing color. A fraction of the strength in his hands leaked away, and he plummeted to the ground at a terrifying speed, as if a mountain were crumbling and the earth cracking:

"Boom!"

Finally, a beam of light descended from the sky. Ba Shan's mighty tiger mount stepped out of the air, manifesting its true form and causing the earth to shake. Carrying rolling divine mysteries, it fiercely pounced towards the man's back!

"Good!"

The Wei King, instead of anger, rejoiced. He suddenly turned his head, his eerie golden eyes locking with the tiger's. All colors in the sky turned to darkness, the setting sun rose, and the vast Gate of Heaven descended from thin air!

Gate of Heaven!

"I've been waiting for you!"

A loud cry of distress shook the heavens. The glorious Gate of Heaven remained in place, and the Crimson Broken Arrowhead, like a fleeting dream, vanished. Li Zhouwei had already drifted over, and Jun Daowei's divine power dissolved the many brilliant lights flying towards him. The long halberd pointed again, locking onto Ba Shan, who had just gotten up!

"Thud!"

Light emerged from the darkness. A lotus of demon-subduing, covered in intricate patterns, suddenly bloomed, crafted from dark gold. It stood before the fierce long halberd, giving rise to a dense light of destruction.

The Three Retributions Lotus of Incarnation!

This renowned Buddhist artifact, refined by Zhelu for nearly a century and once capable of severely damaging True Person Zhugong's Dharma body with a single strike, appeared, finally offering a brief reprieve from the uncontrollable collapse and making Li Zhouwei pause. But the Buddhist cultivators across the entire battlefield were terrified, without a trace of joy.

In just a few exchanges, the Wei King was like a fierce tiger charging into a flock of sheep, causing the earth to shake and mountains to tremble. He made the group of Buddhist cultivators in the siege formation scramble in confusion, daring neither to save nor to retreat. Zhelu, fiercely battling Situ Huo, for the first time genuinely changed color. When Guangchan fell that year, Zhelu was present. What truly scared him away was indeed one of Li Zhouwei's axes, but even more so was the fear of miscalculating the Dharma Aspect. Now, his heart felt even heavier.

"Li Zhouwei's divine powers, in terms of combat, can absolutely be called the best in Song Nation! Even Yang Ruiyi... without using his trump cards, would be slightly inferior to him."

But the next instant, the heaviness in his heart transformed into astonishment. This dark golden lotus bloomed in the sky, yet it could not bring Ba Shan a shred of security. The royal halberd that struck the Three Retributions Lotus of Incarnation dissolved completely like a fading reflection in water. The long halberd, covered with white patterns, bypassed the Buddhist artifact and reached the Dharma body's throat!

"Thud!"

Nuzi in the distance had indeed not gone far; a thick golden light, accumulated for a long time, flew over. The Wei King merely flicked out a streak of brilliance:

"Qianyang Bracelet!"

Ba Shan only felt a dim yellow spread before his eyes, as if a dark light had exploded. A buzzing metallic sound echoed in his ears, and the lotus that had just shown its power was already gone! The long halberd pierced down, and the royal axe shone brightly!

The arrival of the "Sub-Manifestation Forged White Again Bright King Halberd" was like giving wings to a tiger, completing the final link in Li Zhouwei's charge. From Jun Daowei's divine return to the right path to the White Qilin Dharma body, and from the "First Strike" that bypassed enemy Buddhist artifacts to the "Binding Light" that imprisoned them, a threshold had been formed, the dissolution of which came at an extremely high cost! As long as one could not bypass it, one had to endure his halberd strike!

The brilliant light released by Ba Shan, struggling for his life, was like dim water ripples before Jun Daowei, causing the opponent's strength to decrease instead of increase. The binding force reappeared, locking the flying treasure bottle that intended to provide aid. Under these varied lights, Ba Shan also experienced Nuzi's feeling of powerlessness:

"He is the White Qilin, after all..."

But Li Zhouwei's golden eyes gleamed brightly, without a hint of complacency; his attention wasn't even on the person before him:

"Still refusing to act?"

"Boom!"

A swath of pink brilliance showered down as Zhelu arrived late, stubbornly resisting the golden energy filling the sky. His face was extremely grim.

"Ba Shan and Nuzi can be injured, but they cannot be forced back to the Buddhist Land within just a few exchanges!"

This Maha of measured strength swept his spiritual sense and found that Ba Shan's brilliant golden body was already covered in cracks, dim and lifeless. His colossal head had vanished. The colors of the setting sun in the sky had just receded, and the Three Retributions Lotus of Incarnation fell crookedly, disappearing into the void.

"Hmm?" Zhelu felt a slight shock in his heart.

"That axe... it didn't land?"

His gaze quickly swept over, observing that the royal axe was already hung on his robe. The Wei King held his halberd, frowning silently, and squinted towards the void. The atmosphere between the two instantly solidified, though Situ Huo didn't notice. He had been fighting Zhelu for a while, and while being temporarily suppressed by Zhelu was one thing, Zhelu had even found an opportunity to provide aid, which caused Situ Huo to lose face. He raised his eyebrows with a stern expression, his pupils turning an autumn yellow, as golden energy surged from his hand. Zhelu also suddenly became serious.

Engraved Gold Stone!

Streaks of pale golden malevolent energy descended from the sky, rapidly converging and empowering the long blade. Spanning the sky, they surged forth, but then a laugh was heard:

"What a powerful royal axe!"

Then, the void stirred, and a doll-sized porcelain gourd leaped out. It spun around, collecting all the golden energy in the sky. Only then did a white-bearded man in a Daoist robe step out of the air, not looking at Situ Huo or Zhelu, but fully focused on holding a piece of green stone in his hand. This green stone was extremely hot, causing the Daoist to pass it from his left hand to his right, and then back again, as if holding a hot potato, constantly flipping it. An axe mark on the stone slightly brightened, then rapidly faded.

Li Zhouwei slightly narrowed his eyes:

"He finally appeared..."

The winds and clouds in heaven and earth momentarily froze. Although Zhelu didn't recognize who was before him, he could tell this person was Qi Lanyan's hidden trump card. All his eyes instantly shone with purple-red light, all directed at Li Zhouwei! Situ Huo, on the other side, was filled with cold dread. Being closest to this Daoist, he instantly became wary, stepping back once. He moved his lips and teeth, blowing out a streak of golden powder, his vast divine power accompanied by autumn dew filling the sky.

The Daoist, however, paid him no mind. He tossed the scorching green stone into his sleeve, and seeing the golden energy approaching, he simply said:

"Go!"

The porcelain gourd spun once more, allowing no time for reaction. In a blink of an eye, it collected all the golden powder in the sky, leaving Situ Huo frozen in disbelief as if he had seen a ghost, the horror in his eyes seemingly about to overflow:

"This isn't good!"

Situ Huo had cultivated the Golden Virtue for several centuries; his cultivation in this path was absolutely formidable. If the vast golden malevolent energy sensed earlier through his divine body wasn't potent enough, then this mouthful of "Changing Seat Golden Malevolent Energy" he had cultivated for years, if it struck someone unprepared, would be enough to cause significant harm to even ordinary Purple Mansions! Being dissolved wasn't terrifying; what was terrifying was that it couldn't even linger in the sky for a single breath, and the opponent had done it so effortlessly!

For a moment, he didn't know how to react, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cavern. The Daoist, however, completely ignored him, casually stroking his beard and smiling:

"This humble Daoist came down from the Grotto-heaven and saw this mountain, disturbing the Wei King's interest—please forgive me... please forgive me!"