"Trying to escape?"
Seeing Gu Er's severed arm as he sought to escape its control, the Demon God's grotesque face, shifting like clouds, displayed an expression of furious defiance.
As the highly corrosive "black mist" ensnared him once more, Cheng Hong, already severely wounded, clasped his hands together. A Qinghua Buddhist Lotus bloomed from beneath his feet, spanning a dozen feet, absorbing all five-colored radiance. Its twelve petals closed, blocking the attack.
In doing so, he successfully drew the Demon God's attention.
"Son of the Buddha, among these three thousand Buddhas and gods, which one do you believe in? Which one will come to save you?"
The Demon God's gaze saw through Cheng Hong completely. The intertwined threads of karma, the complex overlapping of rebirth and space—he had come to sever karmic debts but found himself trapped, unable to extricate himself, leading to a renewed cycle of destiny.
"I believe in fate, and I also believe that fate is created by oneself. I, this humble monk, will bear all karmic consequences and blessings."
Even facing the Demon God's stern majesty, Cheng Hong remained neither servile nor overbearing.
"I fear you cannot bear it."
A large expanse of murky, blood-red space twisted. The flat void was instantly torn apart, and the Nine-Headed Dragon from the depths of the demon realm flew down.
It was an undead creature, half-corrupted, with green miasma floating around it—a potent poison. The flame it spewed could dissolve all magical barriers.
This dark creature subsisted on demonic power and was a subordinate of the Demon God.
Cheng Hong flicked his robe, his movements agile as he repeatedly evaded.
Under the onslaught of wind and energy, the Nine-Headed Dragon's massive, evil form covered the sky, casting a terrifying shadow like an island in the air.
In contrast, Cheng Hong's lone white speck appeared so insignificant and perilous.
The old abbot of Maha Chan Temple, despite exerting his utmost with the celestial venerables to shield the others from the impact, kept a constant watch on Cheng Hong's situation.
Seeing the Nine-Headed Dragon summoned from the abyss, his expression grew grave. He suddenly roared, "Cheng Hong, take the staff!"
With that, a stream of crimson light, like a bright flame, shot towards Cheng Hong.
He paused for a moment, then reached out and caught the swiftly flying Zen staff.
"When sentient beings are lost, their nature solidifies into mind; when sentient beings awaken, their mind becomes nature!"
The old abbot's voice was vast, like ten thousand voices in unison, crashing into Cheng Hong's ears like a tidal wave, causing him to tremble.
"When sentient beings are lost..."
He murmured the words softly again.
Instantly, his entire body felt connected. The Zen staff in his hand emitted a dazzling, blinding light, scattering the poisonous miasma brought by the Nine-Headed Dragon over a vast area.
Seeing this, the old abbot's heavy, pale face finally relaxed slightly. Bathed in the warm yet majestic Buddhist light, he sighed inwardly: his premonition was correct. The Luoxiao Staff did not require recognition as its master to be wielded by the Holy Son, and it could unleash its full power...
Now, he was powerless. Everything could only rely on a miracle, on whether a turn of events could occur.
The old abbot did not know that Cheng Hong's familiarity with the Luoxiao Staff was no less than his own.
In his first life, after the old abbot Yuan Ji passed away, Cheng Hong became the new abbot of Maha Chan Temple and, concurrently, inherited the temple's most sacred treasure—the Luoxiao Staff.
Although his current cultivation was slightly inferior to his first life, Cheng Hong could not afford to hesitate. He directly employed the Luoxiao Staff's ultimate secret move.
"The Buddha's body is the Dharma body, born from immeasurable merit and wisdom, born from precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge—"
The Buddhist pronouncements were like divine Dharma, and the Luoxiao Staff surged into the sky like an astonishing burst of fireworks, stirring immense waves.
The heavy clouds and dense fog were blown apart. As the rings of clouds continuously expanded, a phoenix, burning in fierce flames, let out a majestic cry. Its shrill, piercing shriek seemed to break through illusions, stabilize the spirit, and cleanse evil energy.
"What—what is that?!"
The others, seeing the flames burning like the sunset in the sky, were greatly shaken, filled with shock and doubt.
"The Phoenix, also known as the Fire Phoenix, is said to be an ancient divine beast, capable of rebirth countless times through fire, possessing the power of the ancient divine realm."
The old abbot spoke in astonishment, then his trembling eyelids slowly closed as he recited Buddhist verses in his mind.
It turned out that the Luoxiao Staff was the dwelling place of the Phoenix, the Fire Phoenix. The first abbot of Maha Chan Temple had died too suddenly and had not revealed the slightest detail about this staff. For many years, through successive abbots, no one had deciphered this significant secret, only knowing that the Luoxiao Staff was an ultimate immortal artifact.
Now, if the Luoxiao Staff had not formed a connection with Cheng Hong, it could not have been summoned to aid in battle.
"Phoenix, Fire Phoenix?!"
The Phoenix flapped its vast wings, covering the sky and accelerating in a dive. Its immense force, amplified by acceleration, grazed the air, forming meteor-like streaks of light and fire as it collided with the Nine-Headed Dragon.
A cataclysmic explosion ensued, creating a siphon. A giant black hole appeared above. The Phoenix and the Nine-Headed Dragon, locked in a fierce struggle, were both dragged into it. Furthermore, space distorted, and the original teleportation channels were completely destroyed. The Demon God screamed and struggled, being sucked in.
For a moment, heaven and earth lost their color. After a deafening roar that made eyes water, everything was annihilated into stillness.
*Pfft—*
Cheng Hong suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face ashen. Having lost the Luoxiao Staff and exhausted his spiritual power, he descended like scattered petals, falling powerlessly.
His monk's robes fluttered, drifting down from the ethereal and vast sky. For a moment, his life was uncertain.
"Brother—"
"Holy Son—"
"Martial Uncle (Junior Brother, Senior Brother)—"
As he descended, everyone rushed forward, their hearts overflowing with the desire to catch him.
However, someone who had remained aloof moved faster than anyone else. He transformed into a mass of black mist, approaching the unconscious Cheng Hong, and revealed his form.
This person was the Human Emperor.
He was now cooperating with Tan Ya and had been earnestly requested to go and rescue Cheng Hong.
He effortlessly carried Gu Er, whose face was blackened, in one hand, and Cheng Hong, pale-faced and frowning, in the other.
Tan Ya marveled at Cheng Hong's cultivation, remaining in a daze for a long time.
He had no time to catch Cheng Hong and could only entrust him to the Human Emperor.
He believed the Human Emperor was a wise person. For the sake of Gu Jun Shi, for the revival of his loved ones and departed friends, and for the peace of the world, he would understand that Cheng Hong's strength was indispensable; he could not die.
The Demon God was also surprised by the strength Cheng Hong displayed.
Although this single move had completely drained Cheng Hong, being able to command the Phoenix to help him expel evil and eliminate demons was a power from the ancient divine and demonic realms, which even the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon could not resist.
"With such fortune, given time, even I might have to avoid him by a few points. It is a pity, however... time does not wait for you. The gap between you and me is not merely millions of years. Now, you are nothing more than this."
As these arrogant and confident words were spoken, the sky, previously purified, once again revealed a boundless "black hole." It was as if the heavens were collapsing, making breathing incredibly difficult and causing the skull to tingle uncontrollably.
"Is this all the skill you possess? Then, it is time to end this boring and protracted process..."
The Demon God's red eyes emitted a captivating light. Continuous life force and power poured into the Demon God's body. The spiritual energy, a tangible milky white, was devoured by its demonic energy, transforming into demonic essence that continuously nourished and repaired its deficiencies.
Everyone could guess what this signified.
The more people died, the greater the Demon God's recovered strength would be.
And through the scenes broadcast into the mist realm, the brutal suffering of several realms was displayed, with blood staining the heavens and earth, leaving no exception.
At this moment, all hope in their hearts seemed to vanish instantly.
Witnessing all their efforts and prayers shattered time and again, they were almost devoid of the spiritual power to maintain basic enchantments. Each person was pale-faced, utterly helpless.
Everything before them appeared in a desolate hue, mirroring their state of mind.
And in a corner unobserved by anyone, a small patch of sky, influenced by some unknown power, silently began to descend with a light gray snow.
An organization, regarded by cultivators as a heretical cult, was fervently and excitedly protecting, refining, and sacrificing to a formation.
As the critical moment approached, black lotuses bloomed one after another in the air, connecting to form a magnificent, mysterious, and dark passage.