Following the appearance of Zen Master Xiaoyue, the soldiers and guards of the Lu family became even more subdued, daring not to act presumptuously. At most, any action taken was merely verbal harassment or making slight advances upon the female monks.

These tens of thousands of men were now swarming through the monastery like a plague of locusts, searching everywhere. They dragged out women and nuns from the rooms, most of whom were convalescing within the monastery grounds; over seventy percent were pregnant.

All of them trembled, their faces etched with terror. Fortunately, none of the armored soldiers harbored any intent to commit actual violence.

Finding nothing within the temple complex, they spread out again into the dense woods surrounding the area. A portion of them headed toward this rear mountain.

A hint of worry surfaced on Jingyin’s face. Although Xiaoyue had set up a spiritual array here, one difficult for ordinary people to detect, it might not necessarily fool the powerful experts from the Lu family.

Zong Shou, however, remained utterly calm and composed. The illusion array set up on this cliff face was quite well-executed.

Even an Immortal Realm expert might not necessarily see through it. That Zen Master Xiaoyue was not only proficient in pharmacology but a true all-rounder.

Moreover, even if discovered, the worst outcome would merely be the exposure of his future status as the Boundless Beginning and End Buddha, leading to a battle with these people. Just as this thought crossed his mind, a loud burst of laughter echoed from below.

"So, there's a hidden mechanism here!" Accompanying the sound, a fissure abruptly flashed across the void. With a sharp crack, a figure stepped out from within.

It was the green-armored man who had appeared to be leading the troops just moments ago. Now, he could tear open the void with a mere gesture, and he had completely shattered the illusion array here.

A fiery intent swept across the area. Jingyin was the first to buckle under it, her limbs weakening as she collapsed to her knees.

Seeing the two figures nestled in the thicket on the cliff, the man's brow arched, and then he chuckled again, "Indeed, you were hiding here!" However, the gaze fixed upon them was not directed at Zong Shou, but at Jingyin. As for Zong Shou, the man merely glanced at him dismissively, paying him no mind.

"Lan Jingyin, do you know that I, Lu, have been searching for you for a full four years? This torment of yearning is impossible to fully express or articulate.

All I know is that it is etched into my bones, occupying my thoughts day and night, yearning for the chance to grace your lips with a kiss. I wonder if today I might finally realize that wish—" With a great grab, a vast and unparalleled surge of vital energy lashed out, intending to forcibly drag Jingyin towards him.

Just as he was about to pull her body forward, a hand as translucent and pure as white jade suddenly reached out from the side. With a gentle touch, the tremendous protective force was effortlessly dissipated!

It seemed effortless, and certainly, no significant strength had been exerted. The green-armored man’s expression instantly shifted slightly.

He frowned, looking at Zong Shou. This time, he scrutinized him carefully from head to toe, then burst into a dry laugh.

"Your skill is not bad; with just this ability, you could hold a place among the Immortal-rank experts. However, I see your bloodline is obstructed, your vital energy swirling darkly in conflict—clearly you are gravely wounded, not far from death." When the green-armored man reached this point, his tone abruptly sharpened.

"A dying man, instead of staying put to recover, why do you come looking for death? How dare you interfere in the affairs of me, Lu Xichen?" Without any warning, countless sharp shadows erupted from Lu Xichen's sleeve.

They were tiny sword shadows, less than ten inches long, stabbing forth like a hurricane and a downpour. Zong Shou's expression also tightened.

His only usable hands flickered rapidly before him, batting the fine swords back towards their origin. Initially clumsy, he gradually became more practiced.

His two hands moved like blossoming flowers and dancing butterflies before him, weaving a net of finger shadows. Impenetrable, they batted away the sword light.

Though he could hold the line initially, gradually, as all his remaining internal energy was depleted, with nearly every block, the wheelchair beneath him would roll back a step. And every time a sword ray pierced through, during the clash of fingers and blade, a fierce trace of fiery energy would penetrate his body.

It posed no fatal threat, but it caused waves of throbbing pain throughout his limbs and meridians. Half a breath later, when the entire tide of sword light had scattered, countless flying swords were visible across the sky, swirling like a vortex, their momentum immense, enveloping the entire cliff face.

Lu Xichen’s face now showed a touch of surprise, and he clicked his tongue, "To withstand my attack while gravely injured—I did not expect that within this Azure Spirit Realm, within the Water Moon Nunnery of that old nun, there would be an expert like you! But seeing your condition today, I doubt how many more strikes you can withstand?" A thin trickle of blood was now escaping Zong Shou's mouth.

Hearing these words, he found it merely amusing. An indescribable surge of rage suddenly rose from his chest.

He was meant to be like a divine dragon, high above, soaring in the ninth heaven. Now, he was being belittled and oppressed by this mere ant.

In his entire life, he had never experienced such a predicament. Shaking his head slightly, Zong Shou let out a sigh.

This situation today could certainly not end peacefully. Since that was the case, why hesitate?

It seemed he would finally have to fulfill the wishes of those Buddhas and Venerable Ones— As the thought arose, the black and white Dharma Idols within his Sea of Consciousness abruptly expanded. Guided by his will, he could feel the dense Power of Vows permeating the entire world, churning and surging.

It rolled in from all directions like a vast tide within a whirlpool. Zong Shou's will, in that very instant, suddenly spread out.

Using the infinite Beginning and End Buddha statues spread throughout this realm as nodes, it enveloped everything in a seemingly boundless expansion. He felt as though the entire Azure Spirit Realm was under the dominion of his spiritual consciousness.

Zong Shou's consciousness briefly swam in a daze. After a single moment, he startled back from his distraction.

With a sense of disbelief, he manipulated the Power of Vows with his mind. Is this the Divine Power of Vows?

Truly incredible. He felt that within this Azure Spirit Realm alone, he could be omnipotent, his power inexhaustible, without fear of running dry.

All the divine abilities and profound arts he had previously grasped now seemed to be deployable with utter ease. "Now, I only need to forge the Sarira Dharma Body to borrow the myriad vows here and achieve the rank of the Boundless Beginning and End Buddha, directly attaining the Divine Realm, the Bodhisattva fruit of Buddhism!

Moreover, it is the supreme Vajra Indestructible Body that Overcomes Calamity within the Buddhist path—" Legend held that once this divine ability was mastered, not only would the body be like an immortal artifact, possessing an indestructible form, but it would also possess infinite regeneration; as long as the Sarira remained intact, the physical body would recover endlessly. No matter how severe the injury, it would not affect the foundation.

It would only be slightly inferior to the undying and unperishing body of those at the Ultimate Realm experts. Yet, Zong Shou forcefully suppressed and resisted the temptation to ascend to this height in one step.

He merely exerted his spiritual will to command this vast, boundless power. Opening his eyes again, a cold glint flickered within Zong Shou’s pupils as he looked indifferently at his opponent.

If the Marrow Burning Blood Spirit had not flared up, this man would have been nothing more than a jumping clown in his eyes, unworthy of a sneer. But at this very moment, he could also be extinguished with a mere flick of his finger!

Just then, Lu Xichen casually waved his sword again, sending the vast expanse of sword light sweeping downward. (To be continued.

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