Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 123: Five People Show Their Might in Buddha’s Kingdom

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Five People Show Their Might in Buddha’s Kingdom

What a standoff it was, but how could one tell? Let the praise be proof: Five Great Ming Kings with furious eyes wide, swordsmen from all corners brandishing frosty blades. Immovable at the foundation like mountains, within the Ming King Formation glinted flashes of Buddha’s Light; the sword masters’ edges unbent, the four famed swords swung with chilling edges that alarmed the gods. Buddha Ancestor too had moments of fierce gaze, with killing intent thick as clouds that veiled the sky; yet the sword masters never shrank back, their momentum sun-like, charging against the cosmos."

The Five Great Ming Kings surrounded Heaven-Defying Taoist and four others in the center, channeling their mana to form a barrier.

The Immovable Ming King, upon hearing the words of the white-browed ancestor, chuckled and said, "Good, since you’ve put it that way, we need not brute force! Let us cast a simple Formation, and if these five can break through it, we shall let them go."

However, the white-browed elder scoffed, "What shameless Tathagata!"

To form a Formation was surely far more formidable than individual combat.

The Immovable Ming King declared, "The five of us shall establish a palm-sized Buddha nation in this world. If these five can breach it, let the matter be concluded."

Upon hearing the words of the Immovable Ming King, Heaven-Defying Taoist’s rage burst forth, his hairpin snapping in an instant, and his black hair flying wildly.

"Very well, very well, oh so grand Tathagata! You won’t be satisfied until you’ve shaken my Daoist conviction! Today, I shall shatter your domain!" roared Heaven-Defying Taoist with wild laughter.

Tathagata first used the palm-sized Buddha nation to trap Wukong, suppressing him for five hundred years; the second time too with the palm-sized Buddha nation, had it not been for Xiaoqing, he would certainly have been suppressed again; and now, he wished to try for the third time, clearly intending to break his Daoist heart, confident that he would agree.

"Amitabha Buddha, Heaven-Defying, you jest. With your name matching Heaven itself, how could I shatter your Daoist conviction?" The Immovable Ming King cunningly remarked.

Yan Shisan’s eyes slightly closed, he said indifferently, "I too wish to witness the extent of your abilities."

Ye Gucheng burst into laughter and said, "What is there to fear? Let Ye have a try."

Ximen Chuixue uttered only six words, "No idle talk, come and face us!"

The white-browed elder also held considerable apprehension towards the Five Great Ming Kings but was obliged to help, seeing that the five were willing to break the Formation themselves. He agreed with pleasure, holding back the disciples and observing from the side to serve as a witness.

The Immovable Ming King shouted, "Formation, rise!"

One could then see the Five Great Ming Kings each clasping Dharma Seals in their hands, as the entirety of Emerald Cloud Peak resonated, seemingly on the brink of collapse. In an instant, the five within the Formation felt the world spin, engulfed within a massive palm.

This hand was the transformation of the Great Formation by the Five Great Ming Kings; their five fingers bent, enveloping the entire palm.

Heaven-Defying Taoist frowned, "The power of this palm-sized Buddha nation has increased a lot since before. Be cautious, everyone. Don’t hold back!"

The five stood firm at the central position, surveying the surroundings, only to see clouds and mist, as if they had arrived at the edges of the world. The five fingers, though slightly bent, shot straight into the sky, tops unseen.

"These five fingers are transformed by the Five Great Ming Kings with great magical power. To break this palm-sized Buddha nation, we must shatter these five fingers!" Heaven-Defying Taoist said.

Heaven-Defying Taoist raised the Great Revolution Seal in his hand and declared, "I’ll take the thumb!"

Xie Xiaofeng said, "I’ll take the index finger."

Ximen Chuixue said, "The middle finger."

Yan Shisan and Ye Gucheng each chose the little finger and the ring finger. After deliberating, each confronted one of the sky-piercing giant fingers.

Heaven-Defying Taoist, before the thumb, shouted, "Great Revolution Seal, revolutionize the world, all beings are equal, the will to revolution, courageously ever onward, bending for none!"

One could see the Great Revolution Seal soaring from his hand, becoming hundreds of meters tall, pressing down towards the thumb!

Right before the thumb, an image of the Immovable Ming King was conjured. This Immovable Ming King was no less formidable than the Immovable Ming King Seal that drew forth the Dharma Body by the Great Might Heavenly Dragon. With his Sword of Wisdom raised, he struck towards the Great Revolution Seal. Sword Qi crisscrossed, throwing the void into chaos and clearing the mist.

But the Great Revolution Seal was not stopped, crashing directly down, threatening to crush the thumb.

"Immovable Fundamental Seal!" The Immovable Ming King Dharma Body clasped the Dharma Seal, a foundation immovable, and a force of profound conviction surged forth, entangling the revolutionary will within the Great Revolution Seal.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist once again brandished the World-Cleansing Dust Whisk, and immediately, Seven-Colored Divine Light surged forth like tidal waves.

The Immovable Ming King Dharma Body sat cross-legged, unleashing Dharma Seals in attack, and suddenly the earth shook and mountains swayed to the sound, resonating non-stop as if a Thunder Dragon was rolling by. Ever since Wukong had severed himself from Sun Wukong, his cultivation level had greatly increased, and naturally, the cultivation of the Heaven-Defying Taoist had also progressed substantially. Moreover, after spending the year teaching his disciples, refining Incense Willpower daily, and meditating on the Dao, his cultivation had improved even further. This time, facing the Dharma Body controlled by the Immovable Ming King, he was not at a disadvantage in the slightest.

The Heaven-Defying Taoist, with disheveled black hair, continuously unleashed spells with his hands, Sword Qi crisscrossing, great suns like wheels, flying sand and rolling stones, heaven and earth turned upside down... But the Immovable King was exceedingly formidable, thwarting the attack with just one Immovable Fundamental Seal.

The avatar of the Immovable King, seeing that the Great Revolution Seal could not be blocked, threw various magical treasures into the formation. The Dharma Body picked them up and lifted them into the sky, instantly weaving them into a grand net, blocking the Great Revolution Seal. The Heaven-Defying Taoist’s hands shifted spells, and suddenly scythe and axe broke free, striking fiercely and splitting the Vajra Rope into two!

This Vajra Rope was the personal magic artifact of the Immovable King, yet it was cleaved into two by the scythe and axe, which attests to how formidable artifacts forged from the intentions of sentient beings can be.

On this side, the Heaven-Defying Taoist unleashed his True Fire, going all out and temporarily pressing the Dharma Body on the defensive, but still unable to determine a victor for the time being.

Yan Shisan, on the other hand, faced the Vajra Yaksha Ming King, whose Dharma Body had three faces and six arms, each wielding weapons and magic artifacts like bows, arrows, swords, wheels, pestles, and bells.

He shook the Vajra Bell in his hand, and instantly Buddha’s Light resounded powerfully, making Yan Shisan feel as though he was in the Great Thunderclap Monastery, with the sound of Buddha ringing deafeningly in his ears, causing blood to flow from them! Yan Shisan felt an excruciating pain in his ears, but he remained motionless, holding a three-foot-seven-inch longsword, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

"With the sound of the bell, I shall shake all beings and subdue all demons and heretics!" the Vajra Yaksha Ming King shouted, reciting a passage of scriptures, lifting the Vajra Bell towards Yan Shisan’s crown and suddenly intensifying the Buddha’s sound to an explosive crescendo.

Yan Shisan held his azure blade horizontally and with cold, frosted eyes, said, "Lord of Spiritual Treasures, comfort my form and disciple’s spirit, internal organs of Xuan Ming, with Azure Dragon, White Tiger formations at my side, and Vermilion Bird, Xuan Wu as my guards."

Lord of Spiritual Treasures was the Taoist honorific for the Tong Tian Sect Master, who also practiced the Sword Dao. Thus, all sword cultivators revered the Lord of Spiritual Treasures as their ancestral master. What Yan Shisan recited was the "Spirit-Treasure Body-Cleansing Divine Incantation." This spell was specially designed to counteract Buddhist True Words, a unique creation by the Lord of Spiritual Treasures. It utilized the power of the Four Symbols and the causality of the Heavenly Dao, protecting the body with Taoist True Words, making it difficult for Buddhist mystical spells to cause harm.

Seeing the Vajra Bell ineffective, the Vajra Yaksha Ming King now lifted his other five magic artifacts and, at that moment, the avatar outside also threw his magic artifacts into the formation to combine with the Dharma Body’s artifacts, causing Buddha’s Light to pierce the sky, the power now more than tenfold compared to before!

Yan Shisan’s expression remained unaltered, but his incantations changed, "Heaven and Earth, the mysterious stronghold, the origin of all Qi, through countless cycles of calamity, I affirm my divine skills. Within and beyond the Three Realms, only the sword is revered supreme. My body radiates golden light, sheltering me, unseen to the eye, unheard to the ear, encompassing all creation, nurturing all beings. With one recitation, bright light envelops my form, with Three Realms as guards, and the Five Emperors to welcome, myriad gods pay homage, summoning thunder to control spirits and demons, causing ghosts to cower and fiends to perish. Within me, the Thunder God stirs, wisdom interpenetrates, and the Five Qi arise vigorously, the golden light swiftly appears to protect the true man. Lord of Spiritual Treasures, hurry, hurry, as if it is an order!"

As he chanted this spell, a burst of azure light flashed, and Yan Shisan, aware of the craftiness of the Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s magic artifacts, let out a light shout, with his Sword Elixir trembling inside him, unleashing a Sword Aura that pierced towards the chest of the Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s Dharma Body.

The Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s Dharma Body pressed palms together, retrieving one of the magic artifacts, the Treasure Wheel.

A round fell, hitting the Sword Aura released by Yan Shisan right in the center, causing a continuous series of explosions as if turning lightning into firecrackers, igniting them in an instant!

"Life-Seizing Thirteen Swords!"

Vajra Yaksha Ming King felt as if darkness enveloped the space between heaven and earth, thirteen sword lights streaking through the air like shooting stars, aiming at his vital spots!

Vajra Yaksha Ming King didn’t dare to exaggerate; he retracted his six magical treasures, his six arms moving fluently, using each treasure to its mystical extent.

Yan Shisan’s thirteen swords, renowned for their life-seizing sharpness, unparalleled edge, saw thirteen sword lights fall, and even someone as formidable as Vajra Yaksha Ming King had thirteen cuts sliced into his body! Although it was the Dharma Body, the true body was being controlled from the outside, and Yan Shisan’s mana was still weaker in comparison. Injuring Vajra Yaksha Ming King at the same time, he was also struck in the chest with a staff, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood as he flew backward, while Vajra Yaksha Ming King lifted the Treasure Wheel into the air, dropping it on Yan Shisan’s left shoulder, snapping it with a crisp ’crack’, fracturing the arm.

Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s Dharma Body was also bleeding profusely, showing some weakness, but it was still in better shape than Yan Shisan as he sneered, "You’ve used your ace move, what else have you got?"

The Vajra Bell rang, and the wounds on his body began to heal slowly...

Yan Shisan, propped up by his sword, stood up and didn’t tend to his severed left arm. Instead, he wore a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, saying, "I once thought that my fourteenth and fifteenth swords would never appear in this world... because I couldn’t bear to use such ferocious sword moves to kill people. But having seen you pretentious gods and Buddhas, I just can’t help wanting to show them. Thank you! Thank you for letting me truly understand my own heart... Today, let me show you the fourteenth and fifteenth swords that shouldn’t exist in this world!"

Vajra Yaksha Ming King only saw the fourteenth and fifteenth sword lights rushing towards him, unavoidable and exceptionally sharp with no way to block!

These two swords represented the pinnacle in the world, created with all of Yan Shisan’s lifelong efforts; yet, because they were too vicious, he felt they should not exist and had never used them, but now he finally wielded them!

Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s face changed dramatically; six magical treasures were fully deployed, but the two sword lights, like Spirit Snakes, evaded the sealing of the treasures, thrusting straight at Vajra Yaksha Ming King’s chest and brow!

After executing these two swords, Yan Shisan coughed up more blood, yet he didn’t hesitate for a moment and charged forward, combining with the two sword lights to cut down Vajra Yaksha Ming King!

The prowess of Sword Master Yan Shisan was undoubtedly revealed, causing the entire Shu Mountain Sword Sect watching to shudder in terror, chilled to the bone by such bizarre and vicious sword moves.

As for the fate of the five, stay tuned for the next installment.