As Li Yundong watched the plague energy surge toward him from all directions, he instantly held his breath, transitioning from mundane respiration to true Zhenqi state. Simultaneously, his Yang Spirit shot out of his body, transforming into the mighty, three-headed, six-armed form of a Vidya-raja. He formed three Great Hand Seals with his hands while snatching the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl from his robes, flicking it with his finger to produce a sharp ding.
The Finger-Burning Alms Bowl naturally suppressed the malevolent energy of demons and ghosts. Although these Five Ghosts were celestial beings, the plague miasma they emitted was intensely yin, evil, and venomous, placing it squarely within the Bowl's range of suppression.
With that single flick, the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl immediately radiated layer upon layer of halos. These halos spread outward like ripples, instantly blocking the poisonous winds sweeping in from every side away from Li Yundong. Moreover, the moment these halos touched the four-colored smoke, they absorbed a portion of it and immediately flung it back, as if siphoning off a part of the yin-evil energy.
Xu Ling was instantly struck with shock and disbelief, staring at Li Yundong. He exclaimed, “The Finger-Burning Alms Bowl?! How is this possible? How can a brat like you possess such a magical artifact? You actually possess three magical treasures?”
Magical artifacts (Fabao) were the weapons of cultivators, but not every cultivator possessed them, as each artifact held unique, marvelous uses capable of altering the tide of battle if wielded correctly. Such items were naturally priceless. For an ordinary cultivator to possess even one artifact was extraordinary; to possess two was awe-inspiring, commanding fear and respect.
But if a cultivator possessed three magical artifacts simultaneously, their combat power was multiplied by more than double. Any challenger would have to contend not only with the cultivator but also with their three artifacts—effectively fighting one against four!
The initial surprise quickly gave way to intense jealousy and avarice in Xu Ling’s eyes. He sneered, “Good, good! What other treasures do you have? Bring them all out! This is a boon for this old Daoist!”
With that, he swept his sleeve, and his form vanished from the spot. His piercing laughter echoed through the gale. Meanwhile, Xu Kong, who was entangled with the Ba Sword, suddenly hurled the longsword he held high into the air, causing his treasured sword to become intertwined with the Ba Sword. He too wrapped his sleeve around himself, completely concealing his figure, and vanished in an instant.
Li Yundong observed the swirling four-colored poisonous winds. Although the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl could repel the evil energy, every wave of light it emitted absorbed a portion of the poison. This absorbed poison, unlike the primal energy of demons and ghosts, could not be directly digested and absorbed by the Bowl. This forced the Bowl to expend tremendous spiritual energy simply to contend with the hostile energy invading the artifact, causing the Bowl to weaken slightly with every pulse of light it emitted, while the surrounding gale and evil energy grew more ferocious.
Li Yundong saw the danger, yet he remained utterly unfazed. His face was as calm as still water. Instead, he closed his eyes. The moment his eyes shut, the eyes of his Yang Spirit form snapped open, and the vertical eye between its brows flared open, releasing a blinding canopy of light!
Controlling his Yang Spirit manifestation, Li Yundong systematically executed three Great Hand Seals with his six arms. In two hands, he clasped them inward, keeping the index fingers erect and parallel, the wrists separated by two to three inches, crossing the thumbs inward three times—this was the Primordial Seal of the Medicine Buddha, capable of dispelling all diseases and miasmas!
In his next two hands, he formed the Vajra Grip, extending the middle fingers straight like needles, taking the form of a single kobu—this was the Great Seal of Samaya in the Vajra Mandala, which renders one unmoved by the Eight Worldly Winds!
His final two hands were held together in a hollow palm-to-palm gesture. The ring fingers and middle fingers pressed their nail beds together into the palm, while the index fingers lay along the backs of the middle fingers, the thumbs held upright, forming the shape of three eyes—this was the Great Seal of the Ushnisha Buddha’s Crown, capable of shattering all obstacles and subduing all ghosts and spirits!
These three Great Hand Seals were extremely targeted: they were defenses and counter-attacks aimed specifically at the venomous nature of the four-directional poisonous winds, the relentless assault from all sides, and the summoned Five Ghost Celestial Deities.
Li Yundong’s previous use of True Word Great Hand Seals had already demonstrated immense power; now, unleashing them alongside the complete set of True Words, the resulting might was terrifying.
Though the surrounding frenzied evil winds were fierce, the moment Li Yundong struck forth with the Medicine Buddha Hand Seal, augmented by the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl, he immediately forced the evil winds away, preventing them from even approaching, as if an invisible barrier had sprung up around him.
When Li Yundong unleashed the Great Seal of Samaya in the Vajra Mandala, this shimmering golden seal instantly fragmented into countless Vajras scattering around him. Just as Xu Ling and Xu Kong appeared nearby to launch a sneak attack, a gleaming golden Vajra automatically materialized before Li Yundong and struck toward the two Daoists, forcing them to retreat, as if Li Yundong were encircled by an army of a thousand soldiers.
Li Yundong chanted True Words and unleashed two consecutive Great Hand Seals, instantly reversing the situation and securing an unassailable position. As he chanted the True Words and slammed down the third seal, the Great Seal of the Ushnisha Buddha’s Crown, the heavens and earth shifted; all light seemed to converge upon his massive hand seal.
This intense white light threatened to pierce through all darkness and evil energy. It instantly compressed the surrounding air, forcing it to surge outward in all directions like a fierce, surging flood, rushing toward the Five Ghosts!
The Five Ghosts dared not receive such a terrifying Great Seal of the Ushnisha Buddha’s Crown. They shrieked with a piercing, owl-like cry and instantly shot high into the air.
Li Yundong let out a cold snort and slammed another Great Seal of the Ushnisha Buddha’s Crown toward them. The Five Ghosts were immediately scattered and driven away in disarray, having no time or energy left to incite any perverse winds or evil energy.
Meiduo and Dorje Denzin, watching from the side, were stunned into silence. Although Meiduo was now the heir to the Bandara, and had witnessed Li Yundong’s divine might many times, she had never imagined he was this formidable!
Previously, these two Daoists had defeated and killed several of their side in just a few rounds, and those killed were among the most powerful Mountain Guardians! Yet, Li Yundong, fighting them both, was not at a disadvantage in the slightest! His prowess was truly terrifying!
Dorje Denzin’s eyes widened, and he involuntarily murmured, “Excellent, excellent. True Master Li is truly unmoved by the Eight Winds, a mighty, awe-inspiring Vajra! So powerful, so powerful!!”
But the moment he spoke, Xu Ling, who was enraged by his inability to secure a quick victory, glanced over. His eyes darted, and a sinister smile spread across his face. “Brat, I didn't realize you had some skill. Your Great Hand Seal techniques are quite good! But can you guarantee you won’t be corrupted by these Five Ghosts? Can you guarantee they are fine?”
Saying this, he let out a sharp cry and pointed toward Meiduo and Dorje Denzin. The Five Ghosts in the air swiftly unleashed another wave of evil winds, plunging toward Meiduo and the others.
Li Yundong was instantly furious. He unleashed consecutive Great Seals of the Ushnisha Buddha’s Crown, driving the Five Ghosts back so they had no opportunity to stir up the sinister winds. Yet, even that brief burst of yin wind and evil energy turned Meiduo and the others deathly pale.
Dorje Denzin roared, “Form the Great Vajra Array!”
The remaining three Lamas immediately sat cross-legged, positioning themselves at the four cardinal points—East, South, West, North. Each held the Immovable Root Seal and rapidly chanted scriptures.
In an instant, the four Mountain Guardians emitted a faint golden light that slowly merged, forming a golden barrier that blocked the invading evil energy.
However, while the Great Vajra Array could repel the poisonous miasma and evil energy, it could not stop Xu Ling and Xu Kong. The two instantly appeared beside Dorje Denzin and the others, striking down with open palms aimed at their heads!
Li Yundong roared in anger. His Yang Spirit instantly appeared between Xu Ling and Xu Kong. Relying on his six-armed form, he blocked both palms simultaneously, while sending a punch back at each opponent.
The resulting impact sent the two Daoists reeling; they were blasted back instantaneously, their forms seemingly shattered by Li Yundong’s lightning-fast double strike.
Meiduo registered the blow with a surge of joy, but then saw the true bodies of Xu Ling and Xu Kong materialize right next to Li Yundong’s physical form, attacking him from front and back. Her heart seized in alarm, and she cried out, “Heart!”
Li Yundong’s Yang Spirit had been drawn away by the diversionary tactic of Xu Ling and Xu Kong, leaving his physical body instantly stripped of the protection of the Great Seal of Samaya in the Vajra Mandala, suddenly vulnerable to attacks from both sides.
But Li Yundong remained unhurried. He sidestepped, and his hands rapidly formed two Great Hand Seals from the Nine Stages of Rebirth Seal, striking out left and right toward Xu Ling and Xu Kong.
Xu Ling and Xu Kong had not anticipated the sheer speed of these two Hand Seals; they arrived before Li Yundong even uttered a True Word. Caught completely off guard, both men were blasted backward. Xu Ling was struck in the chest and involuntarily inhaled a mouthful of the poisonous miasma, while Xu Kong was hit squarely in the chest by Li Yundong’s palm, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood. When he landed, he began to tremble violently, hacking uncontrollably.
Li Yundong snorted coldly and said flatly, “You brought this upon yourselves! Let you taste the flavor of this poisonous miasma!”
As soon as Xu Ling landed, he rubbed his chest, waved his wide sleeve, and instantly recalled the Five Ghosts. The four-colored evil energy swirling in the air vanished immediately. He rushed to Xu Kong’s side anxiously, “Junior Brother, are you alright?”
Then, he looked up, his face contorted with savage malice, his gaze filled with killing intent. “Brat, you dare injure my Junior Brother! You have angered this old Daoist!”
Li Yundong saw that Xu Ling had inhaled a lungful of the poisonous miasma, yet he seemed completely unharmed!
Li Yundong paused slightly, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart. He mused internally: This miasma is terrifyingly potent; any Yang Spirit master who touches even a trace should rot away and die. This Xu Ling didn't just brush against it; he inhaled a mouthful. Why is he not dead?
A sudden thought struck Li Yundong. Could it be that he transformed his Yang Spirit into a protective gangqi—an invisible barrier covering his entire body—to isolate himself from the poisonous miasma?
However, achieving such a feat was impossible at the Yang Spirit stage alone. Furthermore, Yang Spirit primal energy was insufficient to resist such horrific corruption; while the primordial yang energy of a Yang Spirit master was vast and dense, it was ultimately unsubstantial.
Only... only the vital energy of the Golden Body stage could condense with such solidity that not even a whisper of breath could penetrate!
Thinking this, Li Yundong stared at Xu Ling with a chilling dread, thinking: Could he possibly be a Golden Body master?
Just as the thought formed, Xu Ling let out a fierce roar. The bones in his body cracked audibly, and his squat, short figure slowly elongated and stretched, transforming into a powerfully built, towering man, large as an iron pagoda. Xu Ling’s formerly wretched countenance morphed into something heroic and imposing, though his eyes burned with even greater ferocity—as if a jackal had suddenly transformed into a monstrous, primordial beast.
Xu Ling stomped his foot, causing the Kary Sacred Mountain to tremble, and charged toward Li Yundong like a cannonball!
Li Yundong immediately formed the Immovable Root Seal with both hands, rapidly reciting the True Words, and blasted a Great Hand Seal toward Xu Ling.
This time, however, Xu Ling did not dodge; he grinned savagely and charged straight into the seal.
With a resounding boom, Xu Ling’s momentum was briefly checked. Behind him, a golden silhouette suddenly appeared, as if another person had been forcibly ejected from his body by the impact of the Hand Seal.
But it was momentary. In the next instant, the golden figure flew back into Xu Ling’s body, and Xu Ling remained completely unharmed!
Li Yundong sucked in a sharp breath. He knew that the golden figure blasted out moments before was Xu Ling’s Yang Spirit! And in the entire world of Yang Spirit cultivators, no one’s Yang Spirit could endure his previous Great Hand Seal without being scattered! The fact that Xu Ling could withstand his blow head-on—only having his Yang Spirit momentarily separated before snapping back into place—meant he was absolutely a terrifying Golden Body master!!