Deep within the hidden valley behind the Great Snow Mountain of Cè Rèn Yàn, Fuya?Ming sat upon a dais woven from dark reeds. Hundreds of illusory figures of the Eight Legions of Dharma Protectors flickered around her. These protectors, holding various treasured wheels and vajras, stood upon azure lotus blossoms, chanting Buddhist mantras that coalesced into a dazzling canopy of light, tightly encircling Fuya?Ming.

Outside this canopy of light, the Divine Lord Zhào of the Xuàn Yù Palace stood smugly, arms crossed, brazenly scrutinizing Fuya?Ming from head to toe.

After a long silence, Divine Lord Zhào suddenly chuckled, "Little beauty, you are clever, knowing that the Xuàn Yù Palace only coveted your skill in artifact refinement. However, my mind has changed. Besides your path of refinement, I want you."

Fuya?Ming silently recited a true mantra, a bright halo stabilizing behind her head. She unleashed ten thousand zhang of radiant light, firmly blocking the encroachment of the light canopy surrounding her. Hearing Divine Lord Zhào’s words, Fuya?Ming merely cast him a cold glance, uttering not a single sound.

Inside the thatched hut of the ancient nun Wú Xìng, Fuya?Ming had abruptly struck out at Divine Lord Zhào. Alas, the cultivation of the ancient nun Wú Xìng and the True Monarch Wú Jí was too formidable. They easily deflected the exquisite pagoda that Fuya?Ming had sacrificed and refined. The old nun even intervened personally, trapping Fuya?Ming in the rear mountains.

According to the ancient nun Wú Xìng, this was to give Fuya?Ming ample time to reflect on her transgressions. As a monastic, attacking a visiting noble guest—such actions violated at least a dozen Buddhist precepts.

Seeing Fuya?Ming ignore him, Divine Lord Zhào immediately became enraged. He glared fiercely at her a few times, muttering curses under his breath, “A woman who doesn't know what’s good for her! When you fall into my hands, I’ll show you what it means to wish for life but find only death!”

Greedily scanning Fuya?Ming’s ethereal and refined countenance, Divine Lord Zhào sneered, “Once you marry me, hehe, I decide if you live or die! If it weren't for the faint trace of primordial energy clinging to those Buddhist artifacts you refined, why would the Xuàn Yù Palace expend so much effort and resources on a mere woman like you? Who do you think you are?”

Lifting his head proudly, the stubborn Divine Lord Zhào grinned, “When it comes to women, what kind of woman haven’t I obtained?”

As the words fell, a female novice nun dressed in cyan silently floated in from the entrance of the hidden valley. This novice was fair-skinned with red lips and white teeth, quite attractive. As she walked, her waist swayed side to side like a water snake, and a glance from her large, watery peach blossom eyes instantly imbued the air with a rich sensuality.

Upon seeing the cyan-robed novice, Divine Lord Zhào’s face lit up with joy, and he rushed forward to greet her. With a sweep, he pulled her into his arms, brazenly reaching a hand down the front of her collar and clutching a handful of the soft, smooth, high mound of her chest.

“Little novice, weren't you supposed to guard the valley entrance? Coming in so eagerly, have you been neglected for too long?”

The cyan-robed novice’s expression shifted, and she glanced fearfully at Fuya?Ming before slapping Divine Lord Zhào’s hand away. She murmured with a delicate protest, “Little Martial Uncle, this is the Great Snow Mountain of Huí Yàn! If anyone sees this, this disciple fears severe punishment.”

Divine Lord Zhào’s expression flickered slightly. He looked around quickly, then laughed, “What’s there to fear? If anyone spies with the Divine Eye of Dharma, they cannot escape my notice.”

Though his words were bold, Divine Lord Zhào dared not truly act wantonly here. The cyan-robed novice was clearly the disciple of the white-robed nun, making her his junior by seniority. If their conduct were witnessed, while he might be fine, the novice would likely be struck dead by the ancient nun Wú Xìng, who prized reputation above all else.

The cyan-robed novice shot Divine Lord Zhào an aggrieved look and quickly whispered with a sweet smile, “Martial Uncle has vast divine powers, so naturally, you fear nothing. Master sent this disciple to inform you that there is a disturbance in Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān; Master advises you to be cautious.”

Pausing slightly, a savage, lustful killing intent flickered across the novice’s face: “Master said the enemy force is immense, and the Great Snow Mountain will undergo great changes. If Martial Ancestor cannot attend to this pretense of a woman, Martial Uncle can take the opportunity to enjoy her body, imprison her soul, and slowly interrogate her for her refinement secrets.”

Divine Lord Zhào was momentarily stunned. A great change in Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān?

In the blink of an eye, he tossed this news into the highest heavens. What did any great change matter to him? With figures like the True Monarch Wú Jí and the ancient nun Wú Xìng holding the line, what was there to fear even if the heavens collapsed? The novice’s suggestion perfectly aligned with his desires. Taking advantage of the upheaval on the Great Snow Mountain, he would abduct Fuya?Ming, first claim her body, then imprison her soul for a slow, agonizing torture. The very thought sent a wave of heat through him.

He abruptly pinned the cyan-robed novice against a boulder, smiling suggestively, “What a good, obedient Martial Niece. Since there’s nothing else to do now, let Martial Uncle savor you properly... Ah, that old, ugly nun still hasn’t agreed to my request?”

The cyan-robed novice half-heartedly yielded against the rock. She glanced back at Fuya?Ming, then suddenly sneered, “The old nun says Martial Uncle is her most beloved final disciple, so she hesitates and refuses to agree. The True Monarch has offered many conditions and benefits, but the old nun insists on holding out for a higher price, yet won't flatly refuse—it's infuriating!”

Divine Lord Zhào stared at Fuya?Ming, feeling a rising internal fire that blurred his senses. He hastily tore off the cyan-robed novice’s clothes and cried out in exhilaration as he pressed down on her. As he moved violently, he laughed heartily, “To hell with her! If the old nun won't agree, I’ll just take the benefits myself! Uh, the enemy force is immense—what enemy is so powerful?”

The cyan-robed novice could no longer speak. Divine Lord Zhào’s movements were too swift, and the novice was rolling her eyes, breathless, unable to utter a word. She merely clung to Divine Lord Zhào’s body like a water snake, emitting sharp, unpleasant gasping sounds from her throat.

Fuya?Ming, trapped by the golden canopy, lifted her head and gazed coldly at Divine Lord Zhào and the cyan-robed novice, letting out a low, powerful shout: “Ultimate evil and depravity shall be slain!”

Divine Lord Zhào looked up, his face flushed, and mocked Fuya?Ming, “Shall be slain? Who can slay me?”

Before his voice faded, three golden, shining chánzhuàng staffs and three pearl-inlaid xiángmó chǔ (demon-subduing pestles) descended almost simultaneously upon Divine Lord Zhào’s back. These supreme Buddhist treasures struck silently, not even disturbing the air. Divine Lord Zhào, completely unguarded, was struck squarely.

With only the cultivation of a Mid-grade Daluo Golden Immortal—and at the bottom rung of that strength—Divine Lord Zhào was the typical incompetent dandy. Not only was his magical power realm forcibly boosted by countless resources from the Xuàn Yù Palace, but he had never truly tempered his cultivation or divine abilities. He had depleted his meager accumulated vital essence on women, never on honing his body.

With a dull thud, Divine Lord Zhào’s physical body instantly shattered into a spray of blood mist. The cyan-robed novice beneath him was also instantly pulverized by the immense Buddhist force without even a whimper. As the two souls attempted to flee, a clear Buddhist chant echoed from the void. Eleven monks and nuns in coarse robes simultaneously unleashed the secret transmission, Demon-Subduing Buddha Light, of the Wú Míng Chan Yuan lineage of the Great Snow Mountain of Huí Yàn, effortlessly turning both their souls into nothingness.

Fuya?Ming’s senior disciple, bestowed the name Bodhisattva Rìguāng, was a towering monk with a thick, bearded face. He retrieved his staff and strode to the golden light canopy trapping Fuya?Ming. With one swing of his staff, he snapped the three luminous golden pestles standing on the ground clean in half.

The golden canopy shattered, and Fuya?Ming rose to her full height, kicking the golden dais beneath her into dust.

Casting a cold eye over the remains of Divine Lord Zhào and the cyan-robed novice scattered on the ground, Fuya?Ming contemptuously unleashed a stream of Taiyin Xuànyàn, turning the residual flesh into countless ice shards. Even if a trace of soul essence lingered, they were utterly destroyed.

Bodhisattva Rìguāng bowed to Fuya?Ming with palms joined: “Master, we have inquired clearly. Millions of Immortals and countless demonic creatures have invaded Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān. Their leader calls himself the Evil Dragon Venerable, Gǔ Xié Chén, proclaiming the title of Grand Master of the Nine Hells Dao!”

Bodhisattva Yuèguāng stepped forward a few paces, smiling with a hint of schadenfreude: “Master, the Nine Hells Dao acts ruthlessly. Seven Great Chan Yuan have already been destroyed along the way. That one who challenged Master’s understanding of the Dharma a few years ago—the ‘Profound Maiden Bǎochán’—her ‘Celestial Sound Forest’ was also ruined. The entire temple was slaughtered to the last man. They say even the jade bricks used for their foundation were looted.”

Fuya?Ming’s delicate face shifted, revealing a faint, thin smile.

“Never mind. You arrived not too slowly, and you managed to locate this fellow quickly enough,” she mused, tilting her head for a moment before shaking it. “However, developing a force of over ten million over just ten thousand years? Are you deliberately hiding your capabilities, or are you truly inefficient? Hmm, the ‘countless demonic creatures’ part is interesting. Did you recruit dark beings as cannon fodder?”

She chuckled lightly, narrowing her eyes with a faint smile: “Never mind. Those dark creatures offer no other benefit; they just consume and breed quickly. No matter how heavy their casualties, they recover within a thousand years. Using them as cannon fodder is perfectly logical.”

Muttering a few phrases, Fuya?Ming sobered: “What about the people at the valley entrance?”

Bodhisattva Rìguāng sneered: “They were all disciples of Martial Uncle Zhào. We killed them.”

Fuya?Ming nodded: “Killed them well. However, this counts as a formal declaration of hostility. Hurry and follow me!”

Leading her eleven senior disciples, Fuya?Ming hurriedly departed the valley on clouds, flying tens of thousands of li away. Once sufficiently distant, she summoned the Azure Lotus Universe Banner, enveloping herself and her disciples completely, isolating all traces of their presence.

A golden light suddenly materialized in the hidden valley, followed swiftly by an astonishing surge of purple energy.

From the golden light came the shocked cry of the ancient nun Wú Xìng: “Who destroyed my three Demon-Binding Stakes and released Fuya?”

The purple energy roared violently, and the True Monarch Wú Jí shrieked hoarsely: “Never mind letting that woman escape—who killed my son? Who killed my son? Wú Xìng, your Wú Míng Chan Yuan owes this Monarch an explanation! Otherwise, I will fight you to the death!”

The golden light receded, and the ancient nun Wú Xìng revealed her true form. She stared blankly at the three broken Demon-Binding Stakes, then at the patches of white ice shards on the ground—so intensely cold that even she dared not approach easily. Suddenly, she uttered something extraordinarily foolish: “When this humble nun accepted Fuya as a disciple, I removed all her Daoist magical power. How could Daoist curses appear here?”

The True Monarch Wú Jí merely hopped and roared, ignoring everything the ancient nun Wú Xìng said. He demanded hoarsely that the nun hand over the murderer of his youngest son immediately, or he would summon the Xuàn Yù Palace Immortals and the Wú Míng Chan Yuan entourage currently on the Great Snow Mountain to turn against her right now.

He threatened the ancient nun Wú Xìng not to be arrogant just because her cultivation was sky-high. The entire Wú Míng Chan Yuan, all the bald monks combined, numbered only a few thousand, insignificant compared to the massive forces of the Xuàn Yù Palace. If the Xuàn Yù Palace truly risked everything for revenge for Divine Lord Zhào, he would smash the nun’s bald head.

The ancient nun Wú Xìng’s eyes twitched at the True Monarch’s constant barrage of ‘bald monk’ and ‘old nun.’ If her cultivation of forbearance over countless years had not been so profound, she would have erupted long ago. Glaring angrily at the True Monarch Wú Jí, the ancient nun Wú Xìng said coldly, “If the True Monarch hadn't coveted my disciple’s second-hand artifact refinement abilities, would this have happened?”

The True Monarch Wú Jí’s expression changed, and he suddenly fell silent.

The ancient nun Wú Xìng looked at the True Monarch Wú Jí with a cold smile: “These past years, have you truly been unaware of what that woman was doing under my tutelage? A pure Buddhist sanctuary was nearly turned into a place of Joyful Union Zen by her. If this humble nun hadn't valued the relationship with the Xuàn Yù Palace, I would have crushed her cultivation and cast her out of the Great Snow Mountain long ago!” The True Monarch Wú Jí’s face changed again. He pondered for a moment, then nodded. “My son died here after all. Taking my daughter as a disciple was also a symbol of alliance and cooperation between the Buddhist lineage of the Great Snow Mountain and the Daoist lineage of the Xuàn Yù Palace. If I don't pursue Zhào’er’s death, then Fuya?Ming must marry my second son as a concubine!”

The ancient nun Wú Xìng looked coldly at the True Monarch Wú Jí, her eyes flashing with frigid light.

The True Monarch Wú Jí stated coldly, “Foreign enemies are invading, and their approach is unfavorable. If the Xuàn Yù Palace and that person join forces, will the Buddhist lineage of Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān still exist?”

The old nun bit down hard on the string of prayer beads she wore, chewing them for a moment before coldly spitting out through clenched teeth, “Fuya?Ming’s matter shall be temporarily shelved. Her refinement methods—this humble nun will first help you obtain them.”

The True Monarch Wú Jí nodded with satisfaction. He said gravely, “Good. In that case, we must find Fuya?Ming first.” The two looked at each other, and their immensely powerful divine senses rapidly spread outwards.

The divine sense of the ancient nun Wú Xìng covered the entirety of Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān in one ten-thousandth of a breath. Every detail was encompassed—even a piece of moss on a tree, an ant upon the moss, and the speck of dust clinging to the ant’s mouth.

The divine sense of the True Monarch Wú Jí was only slightly slower, covering the entirety of Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān in a fraction more than one ten-thousandth of a breath, instantly sweeping over every flower, blade of grass, and tree in the realm.

The two great powerhouses stared in astonishment simultaneously. The ancient nun Wú Xìng cried out, “Fuya bears my restriction; she should not be able to leave the Great Snow Mountain. This humble nun searched the entirety of Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān with her great divine abilities merely as a precaution. Where is she?”

Searching the entire celestial realm with divine abilities merely as a precaution?

The True Monarch Wú Jí cast a mocking glance at the nun. Was she not trying to show off before him? Having one’s divine sense cover an entire celestial realm symbolized the preliminary power to open up a void, representing the supreme status among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, far surpassing those with cultivation at the peak of Daluo Golden Immortal, who already considered themselves invincible.

If he had not achieved a breakthrough in recent years, reaching this profound and unfathomable realm himself, he might truly have been intimidated by the old nun today.

He sneered coldly, the True Monarch Wú Jí gaining confidence. He was slightly weaker than the old nun, but the difference was not vast. If the two truly fought to the death, he could hold out against the old nun for at least a hundred years before falling. A hundred years would be enough for the Xuàn Yù Palace to slaughter every monk in the Wú Míng Chan Yuan, provided the other monks of the Great Snow Mountain lineage did not intervene.

Suddenly puffing out his chest, the True Monarch Wú Jí scoffed confidently, “That’s right, this Monarch hasn’t found a trace of her either. Either some innate formation is concealing her aura, or a primordial supreme treasure is hiding her tracks.”

The two exchanged glances. The ancient nun Wú Xìng snorted coldly. The True Monarch Wú Jí looked at the nun with mockery. Failing to guard her own sect grounds, yet claiming to be the foremost authority in Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān—this old nun had too thick a skin.

Regardless of whether Fuya?Ming used a formation or a primordial artifact to mask her traces, the old nun had lost face spectacularly.

The ancient nun Wú Xìng clenched her prayer beads, teeth grinding, about to expend her vital energy to unleash a great Buddhist divine power to divine Fuya?Ming’s whereabouts, when suddenly, countless deep, resounding Buddhist chants, like massive bells, echoed from near and far across the Great Snow Mountain.

The True Monarch Wú Jí’s expression changed. Amidst these chants, he sensed more than a dozen auras capable of matching his own. Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān was indeed a domain of Buddhism; their latent power was profound beyond measure. Even if he invited the secluded cultivators of the Daoist sects within this celestial realm to emerge, he feared they could not match the strength of these monks.

The ancient nun Wú Xìng, however, suddenly appeared radiant. She straightened her back and laughed proudly: “I hadn’t expected that several senior brothers and sisters who have been in secluded cultivation for nearly a hundred Yuan meetings would be roused. This time will be a grand assembly for the Buddhists of Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān. That little demonic clown will surely be eradicated in one sweep.”

After several loud bursts of laughter, the ancient nun Wú Xìng rose into the sky upon a golden cloud, shouting grandly: “Senior Brothers, the demonic flames threaten to extinguish the descendants of our Great Snow Mountain! Is the Great Snow Mountain of Huí Yàn a place where demons can run rampant?”

Countless beams of golden Buddhist light and flames shot up from all parts of the Great Snow Mountain, and numerous deep voices rang out one after another.

“Form the Manjusri Eight Legions Dragon Demon-Slaying Secret Array!”

“Form the Manjusri Eight Legions Dragon Demon-Slaying Secret Array!”

“Form the Manjusri Eight Legions Dragon Demon-Slaying Secret Array!”

As the long calls resounded again and again, mountains collapsed like rain and avalanches surged like tides on the Great Snow Mountain. Throngs of bald monks and nuns flew up on clouds, positioning themselves in clusters, sitting cross-legged, chanting Buddhist mantras, and releasing boundless Buddhist light and auspicious energy that enveloped the entire mountain range.

A tide of golden light rolled out from the depths of the Great Snow Mountain, instantly surging millions of li beyond its borders.

Boundless Sanskrit chants echoed in the void, and celestial flowers scattered down like rain. Illusory figures of the countless Heavenly Dragons and the Eight Legions manifested in the void, gradually solidifying.

Witnessing such majesty, the ancient nun Wú Xìng’s heart swelled with courage. She shouted loudly: “The demon is ignorant and reckless to attempt to occupy our celestial sanctuary! I invite the Great Heroic Venerable, the Great Mighty Venerable, and the Great Valiant Venerable of the Tiè Shuan Temple to deliver the first strike upon the demon!”

At this moment, the ancient nun Wú Xìng was engulfed in towering flames of light, her imposing presence radiating overwhelming power. She no longer resembled a secluded Buddhist nun but more like a marshall commanding troops in the mortal realm—unbeatably magnificent, spectacularly brilliant.

The True Monarch Wú Jí watched the unyielding and majestic ancient nun Wú Xìng with a cold gaze. His peripheral vision swept over the cold ice shards on the ground, and his expression suddenly turned glacial.

A streak of golden light flew out from a small, entirely gray-black Chan Yuan on the Great Snow Mountain. Three imposing old monks, each standing five zhang tall, wearing gray cloth robes and carrying three chán zhī (monk staffs), strode out arrogantly with eight hundred monks whose scalps were gleaming silver with reflected golden light, emerging from the Great Snow Mountain to meet the army led by Gǔ Xié Chén.

Still millions of li away from the Great Snow Mountain, the three old monks, whose cultivation was at the Mid-grade Daluo Golden Immortal realm—having already attained Bodhisattva status according to Buddhist terminology—blocked the path of Gǔ Xié Chén and his retinue.

“The sea of suffering is boundless; turn back and find the shore! All you benefactors, leave Bōluónímì Bùjiāolè Tiān, and there may yet be a sliver of life!”

The three old monks chanted in unison, immediately causing chaos and upheaval among Gǔ Xié Chén’s ranks.

The monks looked pleased, while Gǔ Xié Chén, seated upon his White Bone Demon Dragon Carriage, grew indignant. (To be continued)