Chapter 299: Angry Stare

Li Tongya held his sword in his left hand, pointing it obliquely at the ground. Puddles on the floor tiles reflected a bluish-white light, while white flesh on the stone bricks and broken tiles converged towards the center. The words from that mouth transformed Li Tongya's calm expression into uneasy hatred.

The reanimating flesh had already formed Fahui's head. As the Wrathful Maha slowly possessed him, his face grew increasingly handsome, and the gold in his eyes deepened. His handsome face became smooth and delicate, and his deep golden eyes stared intently into Li Tongya's as he spoke furiously:

"You're avoiding blame!"

"You are avoiding blame! You owe your father and elder brother, so you honored your deceased brother and elevated his orphan, but I am forced to pay the price, Li Tongya! How utterly innocent I am!"

"Shut up!!"

Li Tongya's voice exploded like thunder. His lips were pale and slightly trembling, and the longsword in his hand let out a sharp cry, like the wail of a flood dragon or the roar of a true dragon. This caused all insects and birds throughout Mount Bianyan to fall silent, and the world became still.

"Huuuuum—"

Bluish-white sword light erupted, crystal clear. Hundreds of sword qi leaped from the Azure Ruler Sword wielded by Li Tongya, crashing down like a waterfall. The puppet-like figure instantly turned to ash, and the entire mountaintop trembled incessantly, making crashing sounds.

"Boom..."

The dazzling bluish-white sword light flashed for a full five breaths. Sword qi crisscrossed, riddling the ruins with holes. The rainwater on the entire platform reversed its flow, turning into a hazy, pale white mist, like a celestial realm.

"Hahahahahahaha!"

The rain was too heavy, and a gray puddle quickly collected in the large central crater. Fahui's pristine white head was riddled with innumerable small, red, mouth-like wounds, revealing dark golden bones within. His deep golden eyes seemed about to pop out, still filled with rage as he stared at Li Tongya.

"It's nothing but a futile effort," Fahui scoffed. "My Wrathful Four Demon Kings' Indestructible Form is returning from the Void. Just now, you could shatter my true body, but now you can only expose my bones. In a moment, you won't even be able to harm my flesh!"

Fahui's arms had already regrown. They alone propped up his shoulders and head as he tentatively took two steps on the ground, looking quite horrifying. The wounds on his face rapidly healed, and he turned his head to smile.

"Father, isn't that right?"

Li Tongya simply watched him in silence, the longsword in his hand glowing with divine light, his eyes full of rage. Fahui saw that Li Tongya's mind was affected by his magic, yet he showed no intention of fleeing. He smiled wrathfully, tears actually streaming from his eyes, and gritted his teeth as he said:

"You wanted me to protect the younger generation, so I gave up my cultivation to descend the mountain and guard them. You wanted me to oversee the mineral veins, so I gave up my celestial mountain to reside in that barren land. Just when I finally achieved Qi Condensation, I was ordered to escort spiritual treasures. And finally, you even wanted me to die!"

"Mother cultivated for many years, yet you wouldn't give her an extra bit of resources; you gave it all to Li Xuanfeng and those of his generation. The only elixirs she used were the few times Liu and I offered them. And when she was on her deathbed, all you said was: 'Forget it...'"

Fahui's face had changed into Li Xuanling's likeness, and his voice was identical. He glared furiously, causing Li Tongya to subtly shift his gaze. The old man seemed somewhat disoriented, the longsword in his hand flickered erratically, and his usually sharp eyes grew weak, yet he remained silent.

Seeing that Li Tongya remained silent, Fahui pulled his legs from the ground, picked up the two ornate bronze staffs, boldly took a step forward, and struck at Li Tongya's head.

"Clang..."

The dark golden short staffs, intricately patterned, glowed with streaks of golden light. Bluish-white sword light collided with them, sending sparks flying. The colorful aura behind Fahui's head swirled, becoming increasingly dense. Li Tongya drew his longsword and exchanged a few blows with him, forcibly pushing him back half a step.

"Heh..."

The gold in Fahui's eyes grew deeper as his facial features constantly shifted. He changed from Li Xuanling to a bearded giant, then to a young child, a middle-aged woman, and a yellow-haired girl. Nine faces continually rotated. Li Tongya drew his sword defensively, but his expression grew increasingly bewildered.

Golden light once again permeated the surroundings, so thick it resembled long strips of silk wrapped around Fahui's body. A buzzing chanting also resonated, solemn, majestic, and vast.

"Yah!"

Fahui's entire body was covered in dense golden patterns. His brass-colored skin reflected the rain between heaven and earth, and his face constantly shifted between the nine countenances, all expressing wrath. The short staffs in his hands glittered with golden light as he brought them down upon Li Tongya's head.

A Buddhist master is inherently stronger than someone in the Foundation Establishment realm. Moreover, Fahui was a reincarnation of a Maha, and now that he had awakened his wrathful form, his aura was already comparable to that of a compassionate being. The short staffs in his hands struck the Azure Ruler Sword, producing a grating friction sound. Li Tongya grunted and was flung back like an arrow, coming to a stop far away in the rain curtain.

"Just as well," Fahui declared. "Devouring you will restore me to my Maha position!"

The Wrathful Maha, fearing Li Tongya might escape, stomped heavily on the ground, closing the distance in an instant. He left a trail of dark golden afterimages as his brass-like golden arm swung out, five fingers clawing at Li Tongya.

Li Tongya naturally swung his Azure Ruler Sword to block, while his hand within his sleeve formed a spell sign, casting a spell. The vast sea of immortal foundation within him surged continuously. Rainwater condensed, and bluish flood dragons swarmed behind him, lunging and biting at the Maha.

"Screeching..."

The Wrathful Maha pressed his five fingers together, catching Li Tongya's magic sword and producing a grating, screeching sound. The Azure Ruler Sword, a top-grade magic sword for Foundation Establishment, instantly flared with a dazzling light.

"Jing Dragon King."

The Wrathful Maha, having lived for nine lives and being widely knowledgeable, immediately called out the ancient name for the Vast Sea. He chuckled, his deep golden eyes fixed on Li Tongya, as he uttered Sanskrit sounds:

"Your swordsmanship is passable, but your immortal arts are far too weak!"

The Li family had only risen for a little over sixty years, relying entirely on swordsmanship for their prestige; they had no refined magic arts. The Wrathful Maha released the sword and with a backhand, tore the flood dragons around him to shreds. The golden-yellow ribbons on his body leaped up like snakes, coiling around Li Tongya. The Maha then swung his large fists, raining blow after blow upon him.

"Thud, thud-thud, thud..."

In a matter of breaths, the Wrathful Maha had thrown a hundred punches. Li Tongya defended with his sword, trying to create distance, but the golden ribbons had already coiled around his feet, binding him tightly.

"Pfft."

Li Tongya took a hundred punches from the Maha. All the blood vessels, large and small, on his skin burst, his internal organs were shattered, and he spat blood, his entire body stained crimson as he slumped limply.

"Fate is sealed! I shall return to my rightful place!"

The Wrathful Maha let out a loud laugh, his entire body blazing with golden light. He thrust a fist into Li Tongya's abdomen, his eyes shining brightly. He held Li Tongya, breathing heavily at a distance of three inches. The golden talismans on his palms lit up one by one, and the last traces of white in his eyes completely vanished, turning into deep gold. He then burst into loud laughter:

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha."

"Cough, cough... Hahahahaha... Hahaha."

The Wrathful Maha's laughter echoed throughout heaven and earth. Before him, Li Tongya coughed twice, and a faint smile appeared on his blood-stained face. His body contorted, and he, too, laughed weakly.

The Wrathful Maha froze for a moment, his handsome smile solidified on his face. Horror and fury surged from his heart. He slowly raised his head and looked into the distance.

The rain poured down heavily, and the world between heaven and earth was dark and dim. But the puddles on the ground reflected streaks of colorful light slowly appearing in the sky.

"One, two, three... seven, eight, nine."