"Ah, ah, ah..."
Ji Mo's howls echoed through the air.
His entire body was engulfed in raging karma fire, smoke spewing from his nose and mouth, appearing utterly miserable as he screamed in agony from the burning.
"Mr. Ji, you have died a terrible death. As they say, good people seldom live long, and heroes are often short-lived. Heaven envies talent..."
The Qilin-like beast's eyes welled up with large tears, filled with sorrow.
It had finally found such a good master, only for him to be killed off like this, leaving it deeply saddened.
Most importantly, if Ji Mo was finished, it feared it wouldn't escape this fate either.
"Heh, I participated in the ambush of the Great Immortal Kongxu back then, and now I have personally killed the astonishingly talented Ji Mo. This proves that no matter how exceptional your talent, if you don't know the times or understand when to advance or retreat, you will ultimately meet a tragic end."
Mingguang Buddha was immensely proud, laughing heartily as he stared at Ji Mo, declaring his victory.
Personally eliminating a heaven-defying talent brought him immense satisfaction.
"Ah..."
Ji Mo bared his teeth, gasping for breath and letting out cries of pain.
However, contrary to what outsiders saw, he was not on the verge of death. In fact, his condition was excellent, and his body's evolution was slowly progressing.
He was experiencing pain and pleasure simultaneously.
It turned out that Ji Mo's descent into demonic form was intentional.
After breaking through the golden cage, he had also touched a trace of karma fire. He suddenly discovered that this flame could temper his body and promote its evolution, so he decided to play along.
At this moment, Ji Mo's muscles, bones, flesh, skin, internal organs, and soul were all being refined by the endless karma fire. His exterior was scorched black, but his interior was radiant, his organs resonating, his blood surging like a vast ocean, and every cell contained unimaginable power.
Over the years, his body had been ravaged and cleansed by the system's Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, rendering it pure and indestructible. But now, under the tempering of the karma fire, it was undergoing a qualitative leap, becoming stronger and stronger.
"Evolution progress: 5%..."
"Evolution progress: 6%..."
"Evolution progress: 7%..."
Ji Mo's body continued to evolve, and he could clearly feel himself growing stronger.
"This is abnormal. What kind of physique does this brat have to be so resistant to burning?"
Mingguang Buddha also sensed something was amiss, finding it incredible.
The Buddha's son, Jiumo Shixiu, had cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Body of Buddhism, and even he only lasted for a dozen breaths before being reduced to ashes.
This brat had been burning for so long, yet he wasn't missing any limbs, and his screams were only getting louder.
The Qilin-like beast's divine power began to wane. Its skin was torn and burnt by the karma fire, and it too began to howl, finding it difficult to endure.
It wondered if Ji Mo had a masochistic tendency. Why was it that while both were being burned by karma fire, it was screaming like a ghost, while Ji Mo seemed to be getting more excited with each cry?
This was highly unusual.
"His physical body is stronger than my divine beast form?!"
The Qilin-like beast noticed that although Ji Mo was smoking all over, not a single strand of his hair had been burnt, and it fell into a daze.
"Even gods would find it difficult to withstand the karma fire burning the body; they would be reduced to dust. I want to see how long you can last."
Mingguang Buddha became ferocious, forming a Buddha seal and channeling the Buddhist charm that had settled in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss for over ten thousand years. He madly injected it into the ancient bronze bell, unleashing more karmic power, intending to burn Ji Mo to death at any cost.
This brat was more troublesome than the Great Immortal Kongxu back then. If he wasn't eliminated, the consequences would be endless.
The ancient bronze bell chimed, its body becoming crystalline and emitting layers of halos.
Within the halos, Azure Dragons roared, Phoenixes sang in harmony, Qilins strode across the sky, and countless phantom Buddhas chanted supreme scriptures. Terrifying karmic power washed over Ji Mo like a waterfall.
Ji Mo's body erupted in flames, completely transforming into a fiery figure. Even every strand of his hair was burning, and flames spewed from his mouth and nose, indicating that he was burning internally as well.
"Let's see if you die."
Mingguang Buddha's gaze was cold. To require him to expend so much effort, this brat could be proud even in death.
"Ah, harder... no, continue... don't stop..."
Ji Mo displayed an expression of enjoyment, his face filled with pleasure, urging Mingguang Buddha not to stop.
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire scene was shocked.
Even the nearby beings who were immobilized trembled violently.
What kind of freak was this Holy Buddha, bathing in karma fire and still wanting more, as if he were taking a bath or getting a spa treatment!
"This is impossible. How can you not fear karma fire?"
Mingguang Buddha was completely unsettled; this was beyond his comprehension.
"I understand!"
The Qilin-like beast shouted excitedly, "Mr. Ji, so all of this was your plan. You deliberately withheld a piece of the Golden Pagoda from Lesser Thunderclap Temple to lure Mingguang Buddha into ambushing you, and then used this karma fire to cultivate the Supreme Holy Body! Mr. Ji, you... you are simply too awesome. Mingguang Buddha was played by you like a fool. This bald donkey is just a pathetic little brother in front of you!"
The intelligent Qilin-like beast pieced everything together, firmly believing that Ji Mo had meticulously planned all of this.
From the moment he withheld that piece of gold, Mingguang Buddha had fallen into his scheme.
Ji Mo blinked innocently. He hadn't had any such plans; he genuinely just wanted to take a small advantage, not with such deep intentions.
Instantly.
Mingguang Buddha's face turned green, feeling as if he had indeed been manipulated by Ji Mo, as the Qilin-like beast had said, played like a fiddle.
Most importantly, he had acted smug and in control from beginning to end, believing he had victory in hand, only to realize he was the clown all along.
He imagined that Ji Mo must have been secretly laughing at him the entire time, viewing him as mentally deficient, which was utterly humiliating.
"Despicable and shameless! None of you from the Void Sword Sect are good people. Great Immortal Kongxu was a scheming embryo back then, and I never thought you would be even more insidious and cunning than him, you old schemer..."
Mingguang Buddha's lungs were about to explode. He opened his mouth and cursed, spewing foul language.
The surrounding beings were stunned; it turned out Buddhas could also curse!
"I am refined and amiable, pure and kind, definitely not a schemer. Don't slander me and spread rumors."
Ji Mo retorted, defending his reputation, unwilling to admit he was a cunning person.
However, as he spoke, his body began to emit a glow, and the black skin on his surface started to peel off, revealing a crystalline, radiant body underneath.
Pure and flawless, without blemish or defect!
"Is this the legendary Chaos Dao Body, or the Nine Tribulations Undying Physique?"
Mingguang Buddha's pupils dilated. He stared intently at Ji Mo's exposed skin, his breathing stopping.
He could feel the terrifying oppressive aura emanating from Ji Mo's physical body, his heart contracting uncontrollably, his face filled with horror.
He had indeed fallen into this scoundrel's scheme and helped him forge a supreme divine body!
Mingguang Buddha pondered for a moment, his heart filled with rage. He hastily withdrew his power, ceasing the activation of the ancient bronze bell, no longer wanting to foolishly pave the way for Ji Mo.
The karmic power in the void disappeared, and the karma fire that filled the sky also dissipated.
The Qilin-like beast narrowly escaped death and let out a heavy sigh of relief, having almost been roasted into a donkey meat bun.
Ji Mo was still unsatisfied, but the effect of the karma fire tempering his body had become minimal. Burning any longer would have no further benefit.
He looked towards the ancient bronze bell in the distance, his eyes shining. This was a treasure, and he had to seize it.
"Hmph, this is a sacred Buddhist artifact of my Lesser Thunderclap Temple. How can outsiders touch it?"
Mingguang Buddha snorted coldly and flicked a finger.
The ancient bronze bell rapidly grew larger, like a mountain range, shattering the void and whistling as it smashed towards Ji Mo.
*Clang!*
Ji Mo raised his hand and easily caught the ancient bronze bell.
"Amitabha!"
He recited the Buddhist mantra, and the demonic energy on his body instantly vanished without a trace, his demonic form completely disappearing as he reverted to his human form.
A Buddha halo circled above his head, golden lotuses bloomed beneath his feet, and his body radiated immense Buddhist light.
Becoming a Buddha in a single thought was effortless for Ji Mo.
Unfortunately, his scorched body ruined his solemn and holy image, but the lingering aura of fire and smoke on him possessed a unique charm.
"You like playing with fire, do you? Then let me give you a taste of it yourself."
Ji Mo raised the ancient bronze bell, aimed it at Mingguang Buddha, and a fierce beam of karmic power shot towards the sky.