At the northernmost point of Yue State, there was a towering peak that pierced the clouds. The mountain range stretched endlessly, grand and majestic. However, the highest point of the mountain had been cleaved by a sword, leaving a smooth and flat surface, creating an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
On the flat surface of the peak, a man in a white robe lounged with his feet up, half-reclined in the mist, holding a sword in his arms. The sword had a wooden scabbard which was unremarkable in appearance. The man's face was shrouded in fog, making his features indistinguishable.
The piercing cold wind at the mountain summit was bone-chilling, yet he wore a simple white robe, idly toying with the jade pendant on his sword. He murmured to himself, "Wrathful Maha..."
From below, a woman in flowing robes ascended, her hair neatly combed and styled. Mana light shimmered around her, and her crystal hair ornaments sparkled with extraordinary brilliance. She descended with a radiant glow and greeted gently, "Shangyuan."
"Hmm," Daoist Master Shangyuan responded, staring into the distance as if he could see through the layers of mist to the situation at Mount Bianyan.
"The Wrathful Form is about to die... This grand feast should come to an end. Pity the millions who perished in Xu State, not even causing a ripple," he commented nonchalantly.
The woman's brows furrowed slightly, and she sighed. "Indeed... From the Buddhist cultivators advancing east to the great battle in Xu State and now to the siege of the Wrathful Maha, it has been a grand feast. Three Mahas from the Seven Dao have journeyed through fate and gathered their mounts. Two members of the demon clan have become great demons. We have reclaimed our territory, eliminated the unstable Wrathful Form, and everyone benefited. Things should settle down now."
As the woman spoke, a golden light shone in the distance. Chains emerged from the void, binding the Wrathful Maha's golden body. As the Wrathful Maha roared to the heavens, Daoist Master Shangyuan raised an eyebrow and said softly, " Golden Bridge Lock ."
The woman focused her gaze and replied, "Indeed. The dharma relic bestowed by the immortal mansion to that Qingyuan Pristine Water True Monarch for his past meritorious service... It seems the True Monarch intends to annihilate him completely, leaving no trace of his true spirit."
Upon hearing this, the mist on Daoist Master Shangyuan's face swirled, as if he were struggling to contain something. Suddenly, he spoke with deep hatred in his voice, saying, "Old scoundrel, one day I will tear apart his immortal body, shatter his golden core, and make him taste..."
"Shangyuan!"
The woman's face turned pale with shock. She hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and whispered, "No matter what... he is still a Golden Core Realm cultivator! You cannot speak so recklessly."
"Hmm," Daoist Master Shangyuan composed himself, nodding as if nothing had happened. His dharma eyes watched the cultivator who had fallen into the forest until he landed safely. It was only then did Daoist Master Shangyuan pat the sword in his arms and said, "I will go take a look."
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Mount Bianyan.
The sky was filled with dense chains and intertwining golden light. The dharma relic blazed with the intensity of a thousand suns, exuding an invincible aura. It effortlessly cut through the golden ribbons on the Wrathful Maha, coiling around his bronze skin and producing sizzling noises.
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh...!"
The golden chains of the dharma relic seared the Wrathful Maha as if they were imbued with a unique power, leaving charred marks on his once beautiful skin. The excruciating pain caused the Maha to howl in agony.
"Fellow Daoist... is this a dharma relic?" Daoist Master Changxi asked as he stared dumbfoundedly, his face flushed from the relic's power. Beside him, Xiao Chuting secretly marveled.
The Purple Mansion Realm cultivator who had previously quarreled with Changxi in the void sneered and replied, "Small factions are always so ignorant! A dharma relic naturally possesses boundless power. This is merely a Golden Bridge Lock. If you saw the dharma relic of the immortal mansion, the Sun-Moon Profound Light, you might faint on the spot."
Daoist Master Tianyuan nodded slightly. Seeing Changxi's embarrassed expression, he quickly stepped in to smooth things over, smiling as he said, "My master gave me explicit instructions for this mission, saying that the Azure Pond Sect places great importance on this matter and has even deployed a dharma relic. Honestly, even I didn't expect it to be this formidable."
Changxi's expression eased, and Tianyuan turned to the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, agreeing, "Daoist Master Xianyao, you are indeed knowledgeable. I have heard that the dharma relic of the immortal mansion can emit the sun's essence during the day and the moon's essence at night. Naturally, this Golden Bridge Lock is incomparable."
Daoist Master Xianyao was also surprised, clearly just learning about this, and he admired the marvel of the relic. Xiao Chuting nodded, adding, "Perhaps it should be called an immortal artifact rather than a dharma relic."
As the Daoist Masters conversed, the Wrathful Maha's suffering intensified. His deep golden eyes widened with rage. The more he suffered, the angrier he became, his aura surging and straining against the Golden Bridge Lock, causing loud creaking noises.
The Purple Mansion Realm cultivators unleashed their divine abilities, bombarding his golden body. The heaven and earth were filled with the radiance of their mana, causing the ground to shake and the spiritual energy of Mount Bianyan to wane.
"Stop."
Amidst their display of power, a faint voice drifted from the sky. It was not particularly harsh, yet it flowed past the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators' ears, causing them to stop and look up silently.
"Who dares to interrupt..." Zhang Tianyuan's expression darkened, but his gaze was quickly drawn to a figure holding a sword in the sky. He halted abruptly, smiling apologetically as he said, "Fellow Daoist Shangyuan, this matter has been agreed upon by the three sects..."
"Hmm," Daoist Master Shangyuan nodded, nonchalantly saying, "I am aware. However, if you continue to recklessly use your divine abilities, you will destroy this entire mountain range. Once you leave, the spiritual energy here will be unusable for three to five hundred years."
"This..." Daoist Master Tianyuan hesitated. He had not considered this and quickly offered, "How about I present a compensation gift..."
"No need." Daoist Master Shangyuan responded softly, his hand resting on his sword as he continued softly, "I will just kill him with one strike."
This statement caused a brief silence.
Though the Wrathful Maha was reincarnated and weakened, suppressed by the Golden Bridge Lock and battered by the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators until he seemed near death, Buddhist cultivators were renowned for their survival skills. Ending him with a single strike would not be an easy task.
"Please, go ahead."
Daoist Master Tianyuan's smile became more sincere though he secretly scoffed, thinking to himself, Arrogant fool!
Daoist Master Shangyuan fixed his gaze on the golden body of the Wrathful Maha before him, remaining silent for several breaths. The monk, panting heavily, glared with eyes wide in fury, his voice cracking as he spat, "Cowardly scoundrel, you..."
Daoist Master Shangyuan continued to stare at him. In the monk's dimming vision, the mist on Shangyuan's face began to clear. The monk's rage suddenly ceased, and he stared in stunned disbelief at the figure before him.
"It's you..." The Wrathful Maha gazed at him in disbelief, his lantern-sized eyes fixed straight ahead. As his anger dissipated, his overwhelming aura diminished to a little stream. Daoist Master Shangyuan slowly drew his sword.
Clang!
The long sword was unsheathed. The falling leaves stopped mid-air, and the birds fell from the sky. The world was enveloped in a single, brilliant flash of white light.
————
BOOM!
In Duanchen Temple, far away in the Zhao State, an old abbot was silently striking the wooden bell under the statue of the Wrathful Vajra. Suddenly, a series of ear-piercing sounds echoed through the temple. The old abbot was stunned, raising his head shakily.
Cracks appeared all over the statue of the Wrathful Vajra before him, starting from the neck. With a thunderous crash, the statue shattered into pieces, falling to the ground in a chaotic scatter.
"The Maha... has fallen..."
————
On Yunmo Cliff in Zhao State, the brownish-yellow wind howled. A group of monks walked in a line below the cliff. Countless statues of the Wrathful Vajra, each with a different form—some holding short rods, others riding tigers, leopards, or dragons—stretched for hundreds of li, presenting a spectacular sight.
The lead monk held a torch, illuminating each statue and wiping them down. Suddenly, he looked up in confusion.
Crack, crack, crack...
The eyes of the highest Wrathful Vajra statue shattered with a loud bang. Tiny stone fragments rained down, covering the monk's head and face.
"How... is this possible... How is this possible?!"
The monks scattered like headless chickens, pushing and crying as if the sky itself were collapsing. The sound of the breaking statues resonated through the air, turning into a sea of shattered limbs and debris amidst the cries.
————
Similar events were happening in Xu State's underground cave and Beiliang's Buddhist Grotto.
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Wrathful Subduer of the Four Demon Emperors Form, the Ninth Maha Reincarnate, fell at Zhenhui Temple on Mount Bianyan.