Chapter 68: Shakyamuni's Disciples

He arrived almost at the same moment as the sound, his body clearly incredibly tough; otherwise, his physical form wouldn't have been able to withstand such terrifying speed.

The awakened ones who had survived showed signs of joy. An expert had arrived to rescue them; perhaps they could leave this mountain range alive.

‘Uncle Qianye,’ Jiang Luoshen said with a faint smile, greeting the newcomer.

The newcomer was about forty years old, of medium build, with a wheat-colored skin that possessed a crystalline sheen. Though his features were unremarkable, it was immediately clear he was no ordinary person; his eyes gleamed with intense vitality.

A faint radiance emanated from his body, drawing everyone’s attention and even making them overlook his ordinary looks.

‘You only allow yourselves to kill mutated beasts, but forbid us from retaliating? Is that not an excessive bloodlust on your part?’ The White Snake’s voice was cold as it coiled into a massive mound, looking down at the newcomer.

‘Look at this blood-soaked forest, how many innocent people have died tragically? And how many mutated beasts have perished in comparison? Do you still claim your intent to kill isn’t excessive?’ Qianye retorted.

‘For centuries, humans have appeased their hunger with birds and beasts. If we are truly to count, whose bloodlust is greater?’ the White Snake said coldly.

Qianye opened his mouth, finding it difficult to respond.

He was human, and the other was an anomalous being. If one truly considered it from the other's perspective, it was unclear who was in the right or wrong.

‘You are a disciple of Sakyamuni, one who knows that all things possess spirit and that all living beings are equal. How can you, then, stand here so self-righteously and condemn anomalous beings?’ the White Snake asked calmly.

Behind them, the awakened ones stared blankly. This White Snake was indeed extraordinary; a disciple of Sakyamuni had arrived, only to be lectured by it in turn.

Qianye frowned and said, ‘You intend to slaughter a city. My heart is filled with apprehension, and so I have specifically come to the Taihang Mountains to stop you.’

‘Since ancient times, the weak have been preyed upon by the strong; survival of the fittest is, in essence, the most fundamental law, yet it is utterly ruthless,’ the White Snake said, its tone remarkably calm.

‘Humans took a shortcut at one point in time, but things are different now,’ the White Snake stated simply.

Many people felt their hearts pound with dread, realizing that tremendous changes might unfold in the future!

‘What will it take for you to stop?’ Qianye asked, sensing an ominous turn. This White Snake was far too calm.

‘Unless I inflict enough pain to instill fear, there will be no reverence. The city slaughter will proceed as planned!’ The White Snake stated coldly, its voice echoing powerfully through the mountainous terrain.

Negotiations had failed. Qianye’s expression darkened as he formed hand seals; there was no other recourse but to fight.

The White Snake moved as well, its entire body radiating a silver glow. Its thick, long tail lashed out violently, descending like a silver waterfall towards Qianye.

Qianye reacted swiftly, taking a stride that covered nearly a hundred meters, evading the attack.

Bang!

The ground shattered, and black cracks spread across the mountainside. It was like a natural disaster, something no human power could withstand.

Boom!

In the next moment, Qianye surged forward. He formed a Vajra Seal, and his body gleamed with a dazzling metallic luster. His speed was incredible as he attacked the White Snake from the side, aiming for a devastating blow.

The White Snake didn't dodge; its body swept sideways, meeting him in a direct, forceful collision.

With a resounding thud, it was as if a gigantic drum had been struck in the heavens—a dull, powerful sound that vibrated throughout the surroundings.

With a loud bang, Qianye was sent flying backward, a look of shock on his face. Blood trickled from between his right thumb and forefinger, the web of his hand having split open, shattered by the White Snake’s body.

‘I truly thought you were a disciple of Sakyamuni from over two millennia ago,’ the White Snake remarked, shaking its head with a hint of disappointment. ‘It seems that was never truly possible.’

‘Anyone who grasps the true meaning of Sakyamuni can be called his disciple,’ Qianye stated.

‘The 'true meaning' you speak of, I presume, refers to Sakyamuni’s combat techniques. In that regard, you are still far, far from the mark,’ the White Snake scoffed coldly.

Boom!

It swooped down, opening its maw to unleash a torrent of silver light. The power was immense, sweeping all before it and instantly causing the mountainside to crumble.

Qianye dodged, not daring to meet the attack head-on.

Possessing extraordinary speed, he scaled a mountain peak in a few agile movements, narrowly avoiding the White Snake’s fierce assault.

Rumble!

The White Snake’s speed was astonishing; it moved as if flying, closing in on him by hugging the mountainside. Its enormous body coiled around the peak, and its massive head swooped down, intending to swallow Qianye whole.

Thud!

Qianye countered with a fist imprint, his entire body glowing, but he was ultimately sent flying by the impact, his strength far inferior to that of the White Snake.

With a loud crack, the White Snake twisted and severed the low mountain peak. Its power was truly terrifying; with just a slight exertion, it launched itself from the spot, soaring horizontally through the air as if in flight.

The White Snake, like a true dragon, pursued Qianye through the air.

Roar!

Qianye let out a thunderous roar, resembling a mighty lion, golden ripples erupting from his mouth and shaking the surrounding mountains. It was a sound wave technique.

The White Snake was momentarily hindered, but it quickly resumed its pursuit.

With a whoosh, it moved incredibly fast, pressing its immense serpentine body onto Qianye and slamming him towards a mountain, the impact carrying immense force.

Boom!

Smoke and dust billowed skyward as the mountain range below collapsed. The White Snake had slammed Qianye into the ground, violently crushing him as the mountain fractured into pieces and rocks tumbled everywhere.

Bang!

A figure broke free from the mountain’s cracks and fled into the distance.

Qianye was at a disadvantage, clearly outmatched.

The White Snake stretched its body, exerting slight force against the mountain before launching itself horizontally through the air as if flying, once again pursuing Qianye.

Despite its immense size, its body was surprisingly agile, covering hundreds or even thousands of meters in a single leap, traversing the air with terrifying power.

Qianye let out a low cry and plunged towards the mountainside. Then, his hands rapidly formed seals, emitting blinding light as he struck towards the White Snake’s diving head.

The White Snake opened its mouth, spewing out a brilliant, dazzling silver radiance that surged towards Qianye.

A massive explosion erupted. Qianye stumbled, then was sent hurtling sideways by the shockwave; he was no match.

Just then, the White Snake lashed its tail, breaking the sound barrier with a powerful sonic boom that vibrated across the entire mountain range.

Crack!

The thick, snowy-white tail struck Qianye square on, sending him coughing up mouthfuls of blood. His body was launched like a cannonball, slamming into a distant rocky mountain.

The mountain wall cracked loudly, and he slid down its face.

Whoosh!

The White Snake was too fast; it followed up instantly, coiling its body around him in a powerful strangling motion.

The stone wall shattered as the serpent's body crashed into it, sending Qianye tumbling. He let out a long howl, his right fist glowing as he powerfully aimed for one of the White Snake’s eyes.

The White Snake merely tilted its head slightly, effortlessly evading the blow.

Qianye scrambled up, fleeing the rocky mountain.

Behind him, rocks tumbled and the rocky mountain collapsed. The White Snake stretched its body, once again traversing the air and giving chase, its horrifying speed instilling despair.

‘This…’

The awakened ones felt a chill deep in their bones. Qianye was incredibly powerful, possessing almost inhuman strength, yet it was still insufficient against the White Snake.

Even a disciple of Sakyamuni could not subdue the White Snake.

However, people also realized that the so-called Sakyamuni disciple was not an ancient figure from over two thousand years ago, but merely a modern individual.

‘Unless Sakyamuni himself were to resurrect, human strength is no match for the White Snake,’ someone whispered.

Of course, his statement disregarded mythological elements and drew from historical records.

Legend has it that in his youth, Sakyamuni could hurl elephants, possessing boundless strength, which led to the numerous legends in later generations and his eventual deification.

What kind of power would it take to hurl an elephant hundreds of meters?

‘Ultimately, this Qianye is likely just another awakened one, who appeared in this world earlier than us,’ someone remarked, simultaneously moving quickly to escape beyond White Snake Ridge.

All of this unfolded in a brief moment. People had not anticipated that the so-called disciple of Sakyamuni would also be defeated, proving no match for the White Snake.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

The awakened ones were all fleeing. Who would dare to stay and watch? Qianye’s arrival had granted them a chance to escape, and it would be foolish not to seize it now.

Chu Feng’s senses were sharp; he had already realized Qianye was outmatched. He was among the first to act, knowing he couldn't resist or help, and that his only option was to escape, not to wait for death.

Bang!

In the mountains, Qianye stumbled backward, struck once more by the silver radiance spewed by the White Snake. He was covered in blood, and the glow that enveloped his body had dimmed.

Each time, he was sent flying dozens, even hundreds, of meters away. If it had been anyone else, they would have been reduced to a pulp long ago; his physical body was extraordinarily robust.

‘According to legend, Sakyamuni’s physical might was exceptionally powerful. Your techniques, when compared to his, are still far inferior,’ the White Snake said, its attacks growing even more ferocious.

Bang, bang, bang…

Qianye was repeatedly sent flying, crashing against mountain peaks and slamming into rock walls. He found it increasingly difficult to resist; if this continued, he would surely die.

‘You possess awakened divine senses; you could have easily avoided the missiles earlier. Why did you choose to withstand them head-on?’ Qianye asked, spitting out a mouthful of bloody foam.

He was worried, for only after truly engaging did he understand how terrifying this White Snake was. Its strength was immense, and its speed was equally astonishing.

Moreover, it also possessed divine senses, allowing it to foresee and avoid danger.

‘I merely wished to test how long my physical body could endure against conventional weaponry,’ the White Snake replied, its voice melodious yet sending a chill down Qianye’s spine.

This White Snake must be planning something significant to take such a risk.

‘What exactly do you intend to do?’ Qianye demanded.

The White Snake ignored him, instead beginning to exert its power, coiling forward with murderous intent that permeated the air, causing the entire Taihang Mountain range to grow cold.

‘Run!’

The awakened ones screamed, frantically fleeing into the distance.

The White Snake did not pursue them.

This battle was exceptionally brutal. Out of four to five thousand awakened ones, only about a thousand survived and made it out alive.

Eventually, more conventional weaponry was deployed into the Taihang Mountains, but by then, the White Snake was long gone.

Whether Qianye was alive or dead became a mystery, as none of the other awakened ones saw him emerge.

Chu Feng ran wildly, moving like lightning away from the terrifying mountain range. In an uninhabited area, he changed his clothes and quietly returned home.

‘With the White Snake appearing, this area is no longer safe,’ he thought, considering leaving.

Where was the Yellow Ox? Chu Feng worried, unsure of its fate.

Suddenly, he looked up and gazed into the courtyard, where an additional figure now stood.