Chapter 187: Holy Light’s Defeat
After receiving the blessing from Holy Light Cultivator Yuan Zhu, Meng Xiyue showed particular interest. She raised a pair of small fists and squeezed them. Sure enough, a layer of seemingly thin and brittle Holy Light Force Field appeared on the surface of her fists.
“Roar roar!”
She let out a ghostly wail, imitating a boxing contestant by throwing continuous punches at the air. Feeling it wasn’t satisfying enough, she twisted her body and punched the wall.
“Ah!”
A cry of pain rang out. The pink-haired girl, wearing a mask of agony, withdrew her fist and complained, “Is this blessing of yours fake? Why does it hurt so much!”
Yuan Zhu said helplessly, “Sanctuary isn’t some boxing glove. Its main effect is to isolate and block pollution. Of course it has defensive effects, but that’s against attacks, especially those carrying polluting energy. Your one-sided act of bullying the wall can’t activate Sanctuary. After all, blessings have consumption too. Defending against everything at every moment would exhaust it long ago.”
“Bad review!”
Crack!
Another crisp sound rang out. Yuan Zhu quickly turned his head to look. At this moment, A Miao’s index finger and thumb were pinched together, with a layer of white force field appearing at the point of skin contact.
She saw her fingers squeezing tightly. Sanctuary Blessing instantly shattered, bursting into a dazzling ball of light that dissipated completely.
“So brittle!” A Miao said in surprise.
Seeing this scene, Yuan Zhu was immediately speechless. This sister’s power was probably quite strong? Using pure physical body power, she had crushed a Sanctuary at 1/10 strength.
Translated, the pure physical body power she applied to Holy Light Blessing had exceeded the bearing limit. It was regarded by the blessing as ‘damage output,’ and then it failed to defend, getting crushed by her.
Meng Xiyue suddenly changed her expression at lightspeed and said disdainfully, “So weak! Such garbage Holy Light noob. You’re so lame and you still dare to give people blessings? You think this Sanctuary can protect me? Better cancel this Sanctuary of yours!”
As she spoke, she quickly ran behind A Miao and grabbed the hem of her clothes. “Sister Miao, Sister Miao, you’ll protect me, right?”
The other party placed a hand on her shoulder and instructed, “Don’t act rashly, don’t make intense movements, don’t perform attack actions, and you’ll be safe.”
Hearing this, Meng Xiyue immediately understood that she had been given a new buff. Unlike Big Candle’s garbage Holy Light blessing, this wave of ‘Miao Miao Blessing’ was silent and undetectable; she hadn’t felt any unusual changes at all.
But analyzing A Miao’s words, she had entered some kind of ‘low presence’ state. Like an invisible person with a background character aura, even in a ‘psychological invisibility’ state. So she provocatively raised her eyebrows at Yuan Zhu.
Seeing that no one needed Sanctuary, Yuan Zhu, whose divine skill had reached perfection, felt doubly disappointed.
This A Miao’s power was even above mine (human stance). I wonder how many seals’ worth of strength?
…
After some preparations, having memorized the bank map and analyzed the retreat route of the ‘five-person squad,’ Meng Xiyue once again led everyone toward the first floor to see if they could pick up some new bargains. Along the way, they would explore what exactly had happened in the bank and how to escape.
This time, the three were no longer staying away from risk but actively approaching the danger source.
During this time, the bank’s floor erupted with two quakes—one short and one long—shaking the roof chandelier violently. At the same time, even separated by layers of thick walls, they heard angry roars and the assault of extremely mentally polluting Buddhist Dharma Zen Sound.
This Zen Sound mental pollution was so intense that even the bank’s walls undulated and writhed along with it, manifesting smiling ‘Maitreya faces’ that turned hollow eyeballs, their gazes following the three as they moved.
As the first, shorter-duration Zen Sound stopped, these writhing human faces gradually receded from the walls, leaving only faint human face outlines.
When the second, longer Zen Sound + tremor erupted, Yuan Zhu saw the surrounding walls, floor, and ceiling simultaneously showing wave-like undulations of animation. Maitreya Buddha Faces came alive again, protruding from within the walls, opening their mouths in laughter, chanting scriptures that drilled into the mind.
But they were all blocked and repelled by the Soul Crystal. Though unharmed, their heads buzzed uncomfortably.
When this round of Zen Sound stopped, those visible invading Buddha Face outlines no longer receded but automatically shrank, ultimately turning into petrified small Buddha Head Cocoons embedded within the walls.
The closer they got to the ‘Buddhist Dharma pollution source,’ the thicker the Buddhist polluted aura belonging to Buddhism became. Buddha Head Cocoon fossils and Buddha Face outlines formed along both sides of the road in increasing numbers.
On the ground, the ordinary people who should have been lying unconscious had long vanished.
Looking at the empty ground, Meng Xiyue analyzed, “At first, the Buddhist Dharma pollution wasn’t that dense. Only passersby with supernatural powers were targeted by Buddha Cocoon and converted into puppet hosts. But now, as that Buddhist entity’s power continues to be unsealed, released, and spread, even ordinary passersby who should have been ignored have become targets for Buddha Cocoon parasitism.”
Yuan Zhu suddenly spoke up, “I don’t understand! From the projection footage Meng Xiyue pulled up, those Buddha Cocoon Hosts had considerable power. Surely a Buddha Cocoon capable of such reinforcement must be of extremely high quality itself, not some cheap item conjured casually, right?”
Yuan Zhu secretly compared it with his own Tiger Demon Form.
Even with Shadow Dream Hole at full power, drawing endless free shadow pollution and refining Shadow Magic Worms 24 hours nonstop, the efficiency wasn’t this fast or high.
It had also taken him several days to refine a dozen magic worms with the Shadow Dream Hole.
Yet those practitioners’ performance strength was even higher than after his own seal casting, enough to kill single Shadow Magic Worms head-on. And there were quite a few such practitioners. One could only say the Buddha Cocoon quality was extremely high, and the quantity impressive too.
But this behavior was quite unreasonable. No one would waste such a massive amount of high-quality pollution crystals to create a bunch of low-end cannon fodder. Way too unprofitable!
A Miao: “So that unknown Buddhist Expert is very strong! Extremely strong! As I said before, Buddhism has two major branches: ‘Spiritual Platform Insect Nest, Bodhi Flesh Root.’ The Body Refinement branch cultivates the indestructible Vajra Body, which nurtures a Bodhi Flesh Root within the shell. This blood flesh Bodhi tree naturally bears full fruits. High-level experts of the Buddhist Vajra lineage often nurture large quantities of Flesh Bodhi within for salvation.”
Meng Xiyue: “So Buddhist Experts go the ‘quantity over quality, legion route’?”
A Miao: “Not at all! Buddhism pursues individual ultimate power. At the same time, they have the ingenious method of ‘universal salvation’ as support. All top systems are powerfully flawless: Kunlun, Yellow Heaven, Holy Church, Buddhism—all the same.”
Meng Xiyue once again looked at Yuan Zhu with disdain: All top systems, how are you so lame?!
“Take a detour, go this way.”
Meng Xiyue led the way, taking a shortcut for a distance. Yuan Zhu soon discovered that his surroundings felt like falling into water; even the air had become heavy and viscous.
Every inch of air around him transmitted Zen Sound vibrations. No need for eardrums to perceive; just skin contact with air would infuse Buddhist Dharma erosion. Helplessly, he could only resist with Holy Light.
Not only that, faces of struggling people kept emerging on the surrounding walls, shifting between male and female, ultimately turning into Buddha Faces. Some began collapsing and contracting into Stone Buddha Cocoons.
This indicated that the Buddhist Dharma pollution had continuously spread and eroded the surrounding buildings. They were gradually entering that Buddhist Expert’s domain.
A Miao noticed Yuan Zhu and the other’s discomfort, casually pried a Stone Buddha Cocoon from the wall, then crushed it forcefully, turning it into crumbs scattered on the ground.
Inside these Stone Buddha Cocoons, there were no Buddha Maggots, just solid material.
“How about that, feel better? They’re essentially no different from carved Buddha Head statues. In fact, much cleaner than leftovers from other supernatural systems. Those Buddha Maggots aren’t bred by naturally formed Buddha Cocoons—only Bodhi Roots and Spiritual Platforms can produce them. So no need to fear these Buddha Cocoons.”
Despite this explanation, Meng Xiyue still intentionally avoided walls budding with Maitreya Head Stones, choosing to go around.
Yuan Zhu pried one out and crushed it, comparing the wild Buddha Cocoon with Holy Light.
He felt Holy Light’s byproducts (ashes) were still purer. Major laboratories scrambled to acquire them. In contrast, naturally grown Buddha Head Cocoons could only be sold as handicrafts.
…
They hadn’t gone far on this detour when a mixed smell of scorched odor and blood wafted through the air.
Continuing forward, sure enough, the ground and walls ahead were splattered with large patches of bloodstains and flying crushed stone. The Buddhist polluted aura in the air was even denser and more oppressive, beginning to suppress and reject all non-Buddhist supernatural powers.
Tap tap tap…
The three slowed their movement speed, lightening their footsteps. Then they heard chaotic footsteps in the silent corridor—two sources, but very disordered.
Yuan Zhu sent out his mouse to scout and discovered two straggling Buddha Cocoon Hosts wandering back and forth like headless flies on a road where a melee had occurred, mechanically carrying out guard duties.
Under the two Buddha Cocoon Hosts’ feet were large numbers of grotesquely shaped broken corpses, most bearing burn marks, a few pierced through vital points or torn apart. Beyond the scorched smell, sandalwood wafted—that was the meditative fragrance released after Buddha Maggots died.
It could be judged that the newbie squad, split into two groups, had passed through here not long ago, fighting and retreating while drawing away large numbers of Buddha Cocoon Hosts, leaving only wreckage everywhere.
Under Meng Xiyue’s guidance, they arrived behind the ‘fleeing squad’ and followed the trail of slaughter to pick up bargains from behind, while also spying on their secrets.
And the current priority was to take out these two Buddhist small fry.
“Take refuge in my Buddha, take refuge in my Buddha!”
“Heretic, you shall be executed!”
While Yuan Zhu was pondering, the two Buddha Cocoon puppets sniffed them out and approached the trio, then both stopped, locking their gazes on Yuan Zhu, ignoring A Miao and Meng Xiyue beside him, and showing hateful expressions.
“Me? Heretic!”
He abruptly looked at his teammates with a puzzled expression seeking explanation.
A Miao pulled Meng Xiyue back half a step soundlessly and whispered, “The Holy Light scent on you is too pure, drawing the Buddha Cocoon’s enmity. We have no Holy Light mark, so we’re ignored.”
With ‘stealth buff’ stacked on her, A Miao gave Meng Xiyue a look, signaling her not to make big movements or initiate attacks. So they just stood still, handing the scene over to Yuan Zhu.
“Enemy of Buddha, you shall be executed!”
“Die!”
Two figures accelerated simultaneously, charging at Yuan Zhu. Subdue Demons power erupted from their bodies, crimson red Buddhist Magic Power wrapping their forms like lightning. One fist blasted out like a meteor.
Bang!
A transparent barrier (Holy Light Force Field) materialized in front of Yuan Zhu, blocking the punch. Immediately after, fist after fist came continuously, making the Holy Light Force Field flicker dimly and brightly, cracks appearing.
Yuan Zhu clearly saw that under the arms of the two Buddha Cocoon Hosts were installed extra arms from who-knows-where. The skin color and arm size obviously differed from the originals, but the flesh had recombined seamlessly without scars, both entering four-armed form.
This reminded him of the Vajra Temple warrior monks in Little Xihong Realm, who also had multiple arms.
But these two ‘devotees’ in front of him differed greatly from Little Xihong Realm’s monks. They lacked Yellow Springs Death Qi and tomato aura (personality). Their Buddha Rhyme was denser and purer, and the color extremely evil: crimson red! Like thick blood.
“Break the law!”
The Buddha Cocoon Host directly ahead roared. The crimson lightning Buddhist Magic Power wrapping his fist suddenly condensed into a force field similar to Sanctuary, enveloping the heavy fist, then lightning struck. It heavily smashed the Holy Light Force Field, breaking it with field against field, blasting open a crack that then shattered.
“Hm?”
Yuan Zhu widened his eyes in surprise and shock. It really was another kind of Buddhist Dharma Force Field, similar in function to his Sanctuary but more condensed and sturdy.
Before the opponent could continue, he unleashed all the Holy Light from his Soul Crystal in one go. Holy Light Barrier formed first, caging and restraining the opponent. Then intense Holy Light blazed inside: “Refinement!”
“Vajra!”
The one being refined reacted swiftly. Four palms clapped together in pairs, one above the other, in a worshiping pose. Crimson force field flickered over his body, wrapping it entirely, resisting Holy Light’s purification and incineration like an unyielding boulder, standing firm within the barrier.
While Yuan Zhu was forcefully refining the pollution source (Buddha Cocoon Host), the other host closed in too. Four limbs and arms simultaneously formed four different hand seals, crimson light wrapping around to form Buddhist Dharma attacks of varying intents, successively bombarding Yuan Zhu.
Continuous explosions rang out, successively withstood by Holy Seal Sanctuary. His body didn’t sway at all. But the act of refining the heretic was interrupted.
To be precise, the captured practitioner was hard-resisting the Holy Light Barrier’s refinement with crimson Buddhist Dharma Force Field, locked in a consumption standoff. He hadn’t broken the opponent’s defense at all and wasn’t refined in the slightest.
Yuan Zhu, who always crushed various pollution sources with Holy Light Barrier, tasted failure for the first time. It felt awful, making him doubt his life even more.
Little Spicy Stick hurriedly comforted, “Boss, this guy’s overall strength is above 1 seal! And his foundation isn’t inferior to yours. He’s the first tough opponent you’ve met since debuting!”
In Little Spicy Stick’s cognition, though Yuan Zhu used Holy Light to burn mice, burn frogs, burn goblins, burn disease weeds, even Cicada City magic worms, Qi Refiners… the ‘pollution source’ foundation of any was weaker than Holy Light.
It was either bullying weaklings or ‘pollution assortments.’ Only this time, facing high-quality Buddhist Magic Power head-on, he couldn’t refine it at all—couldn’t refine it!
What Yuan Zhu was bullying now wasn’t some puppet host but the insanely strong Buddhist Expert behind the puppet. The opponent’s Buddhist Magic Power (polluting energy) far surpassed this 1-seal small fry in both quality and purity.
Though the Buddha Cocoon hadn’t diverted much, just a trace of high-quality Buddhist Dharma power could hard-resist Sanctuary’s rogue refinement and tear Holy Light barriers with fists.
Beating Sanctuary to constantly ripple…
