Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 227 - 220: Drums of War Resound, Who Dares to Be Fierce

Chapter 227: Chapter 220: Drums of War Resound, Who Dares to Be Fierce

The Buddhist and demon factions set up their formations at the foot of Spiritual Mount, facing each other with battle intentions soaring high into the sky, the clouds of war obscuring the sun.

From within the Buddhist ranks, the Immeasurable Light Buddha and the Immeasurable Life Buddha stepped forth. These two were brothers of the same blood, with innate divine abilities that complemented and fused perfectly with each other. United, their combat power was extraordinary. The Immeasurable Light Buddha declared, "Immeasurable Light," while the Immeasurable Life Buddha proclaimed, "Immeasurable Life." Then, in unison, they both said, "Immeasurable Light, Immeasurable Life. We’ve come to receive your teaching."

Wukong’s eyes narrowed slightly. With the Immeasurable Light Buddha and Immeasurable Life Buddha joining forces, their strength was formidable; it seemed the Buddhist sect was determined to claim victory in the first battle. This opening battle was crucial—victory would boost morale sky-high, whereas defeat would crush it. Tathagata, you really have played a clever game!

Wukong said, "Which two of you wish to take on this first battle? It’s extremely perilous; you must win, failure is not an option!"

The best choice for this battle would be to have the Ksitigarbha King Bodhisattva make a move. His mana was profound, and he had a deep understanding with his mount, Diting; when they joined forces, they could match these two Buddhas. However, Yuan Hong jumped forward first, saying, "Let Yuan take on this battle alongside Wu Zhiqi!"

Wu Zhiqi also laughed strangely, baring his teeth and saying, "Exactly, exactly! Comrade Yuan is right; let the two of us take on this battle."

Since Yuan Hong had spoken first, it would be inappropriate to choose someone else now, as it could damage the morale. Yuan Hong, after all, was a battle-hardened warrior who had survived since Ancient Times; he was indeed a suitable candidate for this battle.

Wukong said, "Fine, then you two go cut down those false Buddhas, and I will beat the drums for you!"

Yuan Hong and Wu Zhiqi each performed a somersault to leap out from the midst of the demon army, landing at the forefront of the formation, each wielding an iron rod.

"Yuan Hong has come for your heads!"

"Wu Zhiqi is here to meet the challenge!"

As each announced their name, the drumbeats of the demon tribe reverberated through the heavens, and Wukong beat the war drum, producing a sound like thunder.

This drum had been crafted by the Holy Emperor Xuan Yuan of the Human Race during Ancient Times. Xuan Yuan himself had participated in the war against the witches and demons, using the hide of the Kui Ox to make this war drum. When struck, it sounded like thunder, greatly boosting the morale of the cultivators of the Human Race and leading them to a crushing victory over Chi You’s Jiuli army, earning immense prestige.

"A great wind rises, the clouds fly! The war drum sounds, the war clouds rise!" Wukong shouted, inspiring everyone’s hearts.

The Immeasurable Light Buddha and Immeasurable Life Buddha each charged forward wielding a Demon-Subduing Vajra Pestle. Yuan Hong faced the Immeasurable Life Buddha, while Wu Zhiqi took on the Immeasurable Light Buddha.

"Boom!"

Upon contact, they clashed with true force. One reason was to establish their own momentum, and the other was to test each other’s strength. Upon the meeting of staff and pestle, a thunderous sound erupted, the earth cracked in layers, and the heavens flashed with bursts of golden light that dazzled the eyes. This thunderous roar that spread was the result of the two parties’ mana surging out in that moment, transmitting via the staff and pestle, shaking continuously.

"Victory comes, the Four Seas unite!" Wukong roared once more.

Yuan Hong wielded his staff masterfully—as if he could dictate its movements with just a thought—left, right, up, down, throwing the Immeasurable Life Buddha into disarray, highlighting the close-quarters combat prowess that made Yuan Hong an invincible force! Suddenly, the Immeasurable Life Buddha let out a tiger’s roar, using the Buddhist Lion’s Roar, causing Yuan Hong’s Primordial Spirit to stagnate for a moment, giving the Immeasurable Life Buddha a chance to step back and launch a palm strike.

The Great Hand Seal of the Buddhist Sect was among the most powerful in palm techniques, and Kong Xuan’s Five Elements Inversion Palm had evolved from it.

"Immeasurable Life!" the Immeasurable Life Buddha softly chanted. The palm seal carried an extended intent, filled with endlessness, continuous like the surging Yangtze River.

Yuan Hong grunted, flicking his finger and saying, "A thought blooms a flower!"

This was a divine skill of Ling Weiyang, the Green Emperor, and during Ancient Times when everyone was selfless, most would exchange their divine skills. Yuan Hong had a deep connection with Ling Weiyang and naturally knew one or two of Ling’s formidable innate divine abilities.

The void blossomed silently, with an image of Ling Weiyang, shrouded in mist, standing among them, his figure hazy but his bearing magnificent.

Ling Weiyang was the Green Emperor, who commanded the plants and flowers of the world, wielding the power of nature. As he saw the palm strike from Immeasurable Life Buddha coming, he too cast a palm seal created entirely from flying flowers and falling leaves. Although it seemed frail and easily disrupted by the wind, when it came into contact with the palm seal of the Immeasurable Life Buddha, it exploded. The endless scatter of petals and leaves spun as they advanced upon the Immeasurable Life Buddha, like a myriad of incomparably sharp flying knives.

The Immeasurable Life Buddha’s expression changed slightly, not expecting such an ingenious use of the palm technique. He invoked the Golden Bell Shield of the Buddhists, and a golden light rose all around him. The myriad of leaves and flowers struck the shield, sounding like hammer strikes on iron, dimming the golden radiance yet never breaking through, failing to injure the Immeasurable Life Buddha.

Yuan Hong plunged his staff into the ground and stretched out his arms, forming fists and displaying his Innate Divine Ability. His punches landed on the palm seal, shattering it and continuing directly toward the Immeasurable Life Buddha’s face!

In this fierce battle, the four combatants fought intensely, with ghostly wails and divine howls filling the air, and a miasma of energy rising tumultuously. On one front, Wu Zhiqi, relying on his robust physique, pursued and attacked relentlessly. Although he wasn’t at sea and couldn’t utilize his Water System Divine Skills, he had benefitted from Yuan Hong’s staff technique instruction. Intelligent and quick to learn, he improved rapidly, and managed to press the Immeasurable Light Buddha into a disadvantage.

Wukong’s drumming thundered, and the demon ranks couldn’t help but chant in unison, "Victory, victory, victory!"

Kong Xuan’s expression was grave as he said, "Separated, the strength of Immeasurable Light and Immeasurable Life is not much greater than that of an ordinary Primordial Golden Immortal, but they possess a Divine Skill Spell that gathers immeasurable power to converge into immeasurable Buddhas, which can be quite troublesome. However, Yuan Hong and Wu Zhiqi haven’t yet utilized their Primordial Golden Dou and Golden Jiao Shears, so the outcome of this battle remains unpredictable."

The Ksitigarbha King nodded slightly and said, "Indeed, Immeasurable Light and Immeasurable Life are extraordinary. I hope Yuan Hong and Wu Zhiqi won’t underestimate them."

Yuan Hong was a powerhouse who survived from Ancient Times and naturally wouldn’t be careless. He exerted his full power to crush any enemy he faced.

"Boom!"

Yuan Hong’s punch landed on the Golden Bell Shield of the Immeasurable Life Buddha, causing it to tremble violently. Then, a series of crisp cracking sounds rang out, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the shield, indicating just how powerful Yuan Hong’s punch was! It was no wonder he was known as the Long-Armed Ape; his arm strength was unquestionably formidable.

A look of shock crossed the face of the Immeasurable Life Buddha as he raised his hand and threw a beam of golden light from his sleeve, striking towards Yuan Hong’s face.

Yuan Hong swiftly dodged the attack and was just about to deliver another punch to completely shatter the Golden Bell Shield when the golden light curved back to strike him at the back of his head.

Yuan Hong had no choice but to retract his arm, grab his staff, and swing it around to hit the golden light. With a loud bang, the golden light was shattered into a shower of light rain that dispersed into the air.

Seizing the opportunity to catch his breath, the Immeasurable Life Buddha didn’t hesitate to unleash Divine Thunders with a rapid lift of both hands!

Divine Thunders shot out from his fingertips, and in an instant, hundreds fell towards Yuan Hong, whose expression shifted slightly. He wielded his staff in an airtight defense, knocking each Divine Thunder away as it landed, causing them to explode, but their explosive force was diverted by the staff, leaving Yuan Hong unharmed.

After a few thousand Divine Thunders were unleashed, Yuan Hong was left gasping for air, his forehead beaded with sweat.

It was only after releasing those thousands of Divine Thunders that the Immeasurable Buddha remembered to bring out the Demon-Subduing Vajra Pestle, striking it down towards Yuan Hong.

Yuan Hong executed a "Blazing Sky" move to block the Demon-Subduing Vajra Pestle, then with a somersault, he stowed away his staff and countered with a strike that swept the Vajra Pestle away, sending it flying. The Immeasurable Life Buddha caught it and flicked his finger, sending a Flying Sword shooting towards Yuan Hong!

This Flying Sword was three inches and three fen long. Once launched, its momentum was like lightning, incomparably sharp and swift, as if a bolt of thunder had descended, too quick for anyone to cover their ears.

Yuan Hong used his Fiery Eyes with Golden Vision and waved his left arm to block the path of the sword, grabbing the blade edge. However, the sword was extremely sharp, piercing Yuan Hong’s palm and causing a gruesome, bloodied injury.

With his Innate Divine Ability, Yuan Hong was capable of seizing Magical Treasures, and he immediately took possession of the Flying Sword, brandishing his staff to attack once more.

The Immeasurable Life Buddha was secretly astonished; this monkey’s combat power was so formidable that his Flying Sword was so easily taken. He promptly sacrificed a string of Buddha Beads, splitting thirty-six of them off to press towards Yuan Hong.

"Bang, bang, bang bang bang!"

Yuan Hong waved the Heaven-reaching Rod in his hand repeatedly, fending off one Buddha Bead after another. His Staff Technique was stripped of all fanciness, reaching the ultimate simplicity, exuding the sense of ultimate simplicity of the great Dao. Despite being plain and unadorned, it was extremely effective. Under such Staff Technique, the Immeasurable Life Buddha simply couldn’t gain any advantage!

"Boom!"

Suddenly, one of the Buddha Beads exploded, unleashing a wave of Xuan Yin evil energy.

Yuan Hong cursed, "What hypocrisy in your respectable appearance, Immeasurable Life Buddha, even those from the Buddhist Sect crafted such insidious Yin Thunder!"

Hit by the Yin Thunder, anyone would be left dizzy and disoriented, and if the Immeasurable Life Buddha didn’t take this chance to attack, when would he? He leaped forward, forming a Dharma Seal with each hand, unleashing a Great Hand Seal and a golden giant lion, which both charged out towards Yuan Hong.

Yuan Hong snorted coldly as a layer of golden light rose from his body. A beam of golden light descended, ensnaring both the Great Hand Seal and the giant lion without causing so much as a ripple, and then Yuan Hong opened up with his staff and thrust fiercely towards the chest of the Immeasurable Life Buddha!

"Be careful!"

The Buddhist camp shouted out a Buddhist Lion’s Roar to alert the Immeasurable Life Buddha and try to impede Yuan Hong’s movement.

But Yuan Hong had already safeguarded his Primordial Spirit with the Three Flowers and Five Qi in full circulation, striking fiercely with his staff upon the unsuspecting Immeasurable Life Buddha’s chest, breaking right through the Golden Bell Shield on his chest. With a "crack," the shield completely shattered, followed by a muffled sound, and the Immeasurable Life Buddha was sent tumbling backward, covered in dust.

"Primordial Golden Dou!" The Immeasurable Life Buddha cursed inwardly, also blaming himself for his carelessness.

If it weren’t for the Buddhas cultivating their Golden Bodies, this one blow would have certainly dispersed their physical forms, and their Primordial Spirits would have been struck out.

Seeing Yuan Hong injure the Immeasurable Life Buddha, the Demon Tribe’s side burst into loud cheers with Wukong’s drumming resounding louder and louder.

The Immeasurable Life Buddha spat out a mouthful of golden Buddha’s Blood, considerably injured, but ultimately still possessing the strength to fight again.

To find out who will emerge victorious, stay tuned for the next installment. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)