"To leave? Not so easily!" Seeing Wang Xiaohu and Chen Xiaolong attempting to aid Ye Jingyu in breaking the Taiji Two-Yang Array, the Nether Sect Leader let out a sinister laugh, launching the Abi Sword and Yuantu Sword directly toward the backs of the two, their speed akin to a pair of shooting stars.

Ouyang Jun was already severely wounded; merely stalling the Nether Sect Leader was a feat, let alone intercepting these two malevolent blades.

"Xiaolong, you go..." Seeing the peerless, ferocious swords approach, a look of grim resolve flashed in Wang Xiaohu's eyes. The Taiji Two-Yang Array was an illusionary formation, and breaking it required immense power of thought (Nian Zhi Li). Among them, Chen Xiaolong possessed the strongest power of thought; even the grand scheme calculated by the Sages had been orchestrated by him, and only he could assist Ye Jingyu in shattering the formation.

Shouting this aloud, Wang Xiaohu's form instantly swelled to tens of millions of zhang, his muscles bulging instantaneously. Immense Earth Element Power (Tu Yuan Zhi Li) gathered, manifesting as layers of earth-yellow radiance before him, while he himself charged directly toward the two wicked swords.

He intended to use his own body to intercept the peerless, (fierce) blades. Chii! The two wicked swords plunged into Wang Xiaohu's body, yet he suppressed them with formidable strength, pinning them internally so they could no longer strike Chen Xiaolong.

Witnessing Wang Xiaohu’s near-suicidal act, Chen Xiaolong felt his heart wrench violently, and crystalline drops formed in his eyes. He understood that this was a moment of life and death; at this juncture, all schemes and stratagems were useless. What was needed now was pure power, absolute, unparalleled strength.

They had already exerted their utmost effort to narrow the gap between themselves and the living beings, setting up this massive game. Now was the time to test strength. With a shift of his feet, the man shot out tens of millions of li, arriving directly before the Taiji Two-Yang Grand Array. Without hesitation, he took a single step toward the heart of the formation.

As he entered the array, Chen Xiaolong’s body began to combust, releasing a colossal surge of Nian Zhi Li that transformed into the sharpest possible sword, shooting toward the Taiji diagram serving as the array's core...

Outside the grand array, Amitabha Buddha was completely suppressed by Zhunti Daoist and Sun Wukong. Tongtian Sect Leader had initially joined forces with Liang Xiaoke to hold back Yuanshi Tianzun, but when Taishang Laojun was freed up, they were completely at a disadvantage.

Taishang Laojun, wielding his crooked staff, ceaselessly battered Tongtian's head. Though appearing ancient, every strike was incredibly cunning and imbued with the rules of the Heavenly Dao. Even with Tongtian’s formidable cultivation, he was forced backward repeatedly. Especially with Yuanshi Tianzun’s Three Treasures Ruyi appearing above his head from time to time, Tongtian lacked the necessary leeway to retaliate effectively.

As for Liang Xiaoke, were it not for Tongtian's Four Swords of Zhuxian, he might have already been reduced to ash by Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun. The realm of a Sect Leader (Jiaozhu) was truly not to be underestimated. He had once thought defeating them possible, only now realizing the gap between them was not just a sliver.

The Nether Sect Leader was correct. Even if his cultivation infinitely approached theirs, even if his combat power could wound them, he lacked one thing: accumulation—tens of thousands of years of accumulation. At the start, he could barely contend with them, but as time wore on, the power stored within him began to deplete, while theirs seemed inexhaustible.

Moreover, their magical artifacts were endless, and their techniques flowed ceaselessly—things that could not be amassed in a short time. In essence, besides the sheer destructive force of his output, he was inferior to them in every other aspect.

This was the gap: a gap of time, a gap that was nearly impossible to bridge...

Decades of battle had made Liang Xiaoke understand this reality. Now, he was no longer impetuous; instead, he used the Zhuxian Sword Formation to shield himself, barely holding off the combined onslaught of the two Grand Masters alongside Tongtian. While defending, he continuously absorbed the various combat records, no longer focusing purely on offense as he had initially. He knew his opportunities to kill the two Grand Masters were scarce; he only needed to wait for the perfect moment to deliver the most fatal blow.

At this moment, sensing someone charging directly toward the Taiji Two-Yang Array, Taishang Laojun frowned and suddenly said to Yuanshi Tianzun, "Second Junior Brother, it is time!"

"Mhm..." Yuanshi Tianzun nodded. The Three Treasures Ruyi in his hand suddenly emitted a blue-green radiance, and his figure blurred. A titanic force, capable of splitting heaven and earth, emanated from that cyan light...

"Limitless Heaven and Earth, Recast the Cosmos, Creation Song!" A low voice resonated from Yuanshi Tianzun’s mouth. Immediately, the green light transformed into a vast, cyan river, sweeping directly toward Tongtian Sect Leader and Liang Xiaoke.

"Retreat..." Feeling the sheer power, horror flashed across Tongtian Sect Leader’s face. He lunged forward, seizing Liang Xiaoke, snatching the Four Swords of Zhuxian, and instantly setting up the Zhuxian Sword Formation around his body before rocketing into the boundless void.

From a distance, four streaks of sword light tore through the void.

Yet, the cyan ribbon of light seemed to possess eyes, clinging tightly to the sword light. The swords moved at incredible speed; in the blink of an eye, they had traveled billions of li. Unconsciously, they entered a star field, where massive planets appeared before them. But every star, whether a common planet or a giant sun, was annihilated as the Four Swords of Zhuxian swept past. Even those planets that avoided the sword energy were completely engulfed by the surging cyan-green light, vanishing without a trace.

This was a power that reshaped creation; the colossal stars were like ants before this force, unable to withstand even a moment of resistance.

Seeing the green light rushing closer, Tongtian Sect Leader’s brow furrowed deeply. He knew that if this continued, he would inevitably be struck by the cyan-green light.

He suddenly halted his movement, and the Four Swords of Zhuxian settled at four cardinal points, transforming into four towering sword peaks. The Zhuxian Array Diagram spun beneath Tongtian Sect Leader's feet, and razor-sharp sword energies wove layer upon layer of dense nets around them. The cyan-green light struck these nets at that moment. The initial wave of attack was shattered by the sword energies, but the nets were torn open with massive rents...

Meanwhile, Tongtian Sect Leader stood at the center of the Zhuxian Array Diagram, his hands moving rapidly. In the endless void, stars larger than the sun were pulled over by him, forming a star cluster directly above his head. The distance between these stars was scarcely a million li.

At such proximity, yet without exploding—this control stunned Liang Xiaoke. He had never imagined that these immense celestial bodies could be treated as mere toys by figures like Tongtian.

Never mind the immense gravitational pull; the searing heat from the stars made Liang Xiaoke’s body feel as if it were about to burn up. If not for the cool radiance constantly emanating from Tongtian enveloping him, he would have been roasted alive with his current cultivation.

Soon, ten thousand stars adorned the sky, shrouding the entire firmament. Blinding light filled heaven and earth, even as the Zhuxian Sword Formation seemed on the verge of being breached by the green light...

"Yuanshi, witness my Myriad Stars Shatter Heaven Array!" Tongtian scoffed, suddenly pointing a finger at the green light.

Instantly, the ten thousand stars streaked across the sky like meteors, plunging toward the green light.

That was ten thousand stars! Ten thousand stars larger than the sun! Such a scene was infinitely grander than any ordinary meteor shower. Even Liang Xiaoke, accustomed to all manner of sights, was dumbfounded. Imagine the spectacle of ten thousand suns appearing in the sky, and then imagine those ten thousand suns flying like meteors!

Aside from everything else, the sheer gravitational pull alone was enough to tear ordinary immortals to shreds, let alone the tremendous heat involved.

Stars within hundreds of millions of li had already been pulverized by the immense gravity, and the sounds of explosions echoed everywhere—a terrifying energy that seemed capable of ending worlds.

Too terrifying, too terrifying. Only now did Liang Xiaoke truly grasp the power of a Sect Leader, the might of his divine abilities (Shentong).

Indeed, in terms of raw combat strength, in a one-on-one duel, neither Tongtian nor Yuanshi Tianzun could match Sun Wukong. But when they employed their divine abilities, Sun Wukong was incomparable.

Their comprehension of Creation (Zao Fa) and their understanding of Rules were far beyond what he and his companions could rival.

Yes, no matter how strong an individual is, can they be stronger than the Rules themselves? Liang Xiaoke even felt as if he and Tongtian were not merely flying within the Yuan Realm, but had pierced through time and space, traveling to the past or perhaps to a future star field that never existed in the Yuan Realm...

This was no ordinary divine ability; this was the power to alter, dictate, and create Rules itself...

Boom, boom, boom, boom... Massive explosions continually erupted along the green light band. The ten thousand stars struck the green light band like glass marbles. Even though the light was the 'Creation Song,' the explosive force of so many stars detonating simultaneously shattered it...

In an instant, Liang Xiaoke witnessed streaks of colossal white light ignite—the power of the stellar explosions. His vision was filled only with white light, and the blinding glare forced him to shut his eyes. Even his divine sense (Shen Nian) felt a piercing pain, making him dare not extend it.

At that moment, he sensed an even vaster power approaching. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he heard Tongtian Sect Leader’s cold snort: "Trying to seal me in the future, Li Er (Laojun's name), Yuanshi, do you think you can?" As the words fell, Liang Xiaoke felt the surrounding sword energy expand several hundred million times. Every single streak of energy was capable of shattering a planet, and there were at least a hundred million such streaks near him...

"Third Junior Brother, we only want to ensure you have no accidents. Stay here peacefully! Heaven and Earth, Primordial Chaos, Taiji Two-Yang, Spacetime Seal, go!" Taishang Laojun's voice echoed through the void. Immediately, a massive golden-yellow pagoda descended from the sky, not covering Tongtian, but enveloping the entire expanse of heaven and earth.

"Hmph, Disciple, go..." Tongtian roared. Sensing the power emanating from Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun, he knew he could not break this seal quickly. He could only fling Liang Xiaoke out, with the Four Swords of Zhuxian closely guarding him.

His own body was an Immortal and Indestructible form (Bu Si Bu Mie Ti), making true death impossible—which was why Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun could only resort to sealing him.

And it wasn't just any seal, but a Spacetime Seal, locking him away in another continuum...

However, Liang Xiaoke was different. Although his body was already formidable, reaching the Immortal and Indestructible state required a long passage of time. Without the protection of the Four Swords of Zhuxian, he faced immense danger, though with the swords guarding him, he would be safe for now given his current power level.

Liang Xiaoke hadn't fully processed what was happening when he felt his body fly out like a kite. Next, he saw fragments of shattered void flashing before his eyes—the path they had traveled. Was he being sent back...?

By this time, the battle in the Yuan Realm was largely decided. The Nether Sect Leader, relying on his tens of thousands of years of accumulation, had completely suppressed Ouyang Jun and Zifeng, using supreme magical power to grind away at their divine souls. Wang Xiaohu had also been pierced by the Abi Sword and Yuantu Sword, his vital blood constantly draining away.

Only Amitabha Buddha remained at a disadvantage. Despite unleashing his full capabilities, he could not immediately counter Zhunti and Sun Wukong.

Whatever divine abilities Amitabha used, Zhunti neutralized them one by one, while in terms of direct combat, the Monkey King held him firmly suppressed.

The Monkey King had entered a frenzy, recklessly smashing his iron staff toward the Great Sun Tathagata, seemingly on the verge of killing him instantly when the Nether Sect Leader arrived.

Simultaneously, Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun also arrived, positioning themselves to surround Zhunti and Sun Wukong...

"Daoist Brother Zhunti, why this toil?" Taishang Laojun sat upon a cushion of rush, his expression slightly fatigued. Sealing Tongtian using supreme divine abilities had been taxing even for him.

Seeing the Nether Sect Leader, Taishang Laojun, and Yuanshi Tianzun encircle them, Zhunti Daoist and Sun Wukong exchanged a look, despair clouding their eyes. Had they truly lost this time? Was it impossible to shatter the Heavenly Dao they had formulated?

Would victory ultimately belong to them? Were all the plans laid over these years rendered in vain?

No, absolutely not. They absolutely could not let it end like this; they absolutely could not give up now...

An overwhelming surge of fighting spirit erupted from Sun Wukong’s body—a fighting spirit that would never admit defeat, a will that would never yield even in death. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven in his Demon Monkey form, the Wukong Daoist in his Daoist guise, and the Battle-Saint Buddha with eighteen faces and twenty-four arms—all unleashed this ferocious fighting spirit.

"Kill..." A roar escaped the Monkey King's mouth. The Wukong Daoist, holding the Kongtong Seal, charged toward Taishang Laojun.

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven tightly gripped the Ruyi Jingu Bang and smashed it toward Yuanshi Tianzun. The Battle-Saint Buddha lunged directly at the Nether Sect Leader—he intended to confront all three Grand Masters alone.

Regardless of whether he could succeed, the sheer courage and fighting will displayed in this final moment were unparalleled in the Three Realms...

Seeing his disciple erupt with such intense fighting spirit at this final moment, the most blazing light ignited in Zhunti’s eyes—a roaring flame...

"One grain of sand, one Bodhi; one grain of sand, one world. Countless worlds, go!" A light hum escaped Zhunti Daoist's lips. He knew Sun Wukong fighting the three Grand Masters solo was meant to buy him sufficient time to resolve the karmic entanglement between himself and Amitabha.

He also understood that with Wukong's skill, engaging one Grand Master would be manageable, but taking on three alone was impossible. Thus, his time was short; he had to cherish this final moment to completely suppress and seal Amitabha...

The moment the words left his mouth, Zhunti Daoist's hand trembled, scattering a handful of golden sand. Every single grain was a world, a Buddha Kingdom world...

Amitabha Buddha’s expression shifted. He instantly recalled the Nine-Petal Golden Lotus and summoned the Five Great Vidyarajas to shield him, attempting to block Zhunti Daoist's assault.

Pa, pa, pa, pa... The Nine-Petal Golden Lotus continuously blocked the immense power of these worlds, while Zhunti Daoist's eighteen-faced, twenty-four-armed Dharma Body lunged toward the Yaksha Vidyaraja. Disregarding the attacks from the other Vidyarajas, he seized the Yaksha Vidyaraja, bringing down the Demon Slaying Sword and Demon Subduing Pestle with crackling force, battering the Vidyaraja’s head into a daze.

Then, Zhunti Daoist brandished the Seven-Treasure Wonderful Tree and swept it across the void, conjuring a new heaven and earth, a new world. His Dharma Body hurled the Yaksha Vidyaraja into it, and the world immediately closed, sealing the Vidyaraja within that realm...

That was the world formed by the Seven-Treasure Wonderful Tree, a true Buddha Kingdom, the Seven-Directional World...

However, at this moment, Zhunti Daoist's Dharma Body was also heavily wounded by the attacks of the other Vidyarajas. Four arms had been severed, and one head was cleanly removed, with golden blood continuously spurting out...

But compared to the Monkey King, such injuries were far too minor...

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven swung the Ruyi Jingu Bang directly at Yuanshi Tianzun, but the Three Treasures Ruyi in Yuanshi Tianzun’s hand transformed into a massive ship. Yuanshi Tianzun settled upon this vessel, and no matter how hard the Great Sage struck, the ship's defense proved impenetrable. Instead, Yuanshi Tianzun continuously summoned colossal stars, hurling them at the Monkey King, who was battered and bruised, an unsightly mess.

As for the Wukong Daoist, upon confronting Taishang Laojun, he immediately summoned the Kongtong Seal. However, Taishang Laojun produced a Vajra Bangle and actually absorbed the Kongtong Seal into it! The Vajra Bangle then swooped down toward the Wukong Daoist, smashing fiercely onto his shoulder. The Wukong Daoist'

"I am Xiao Long, Chen Xiao Long. Xingchen, do you still remember Murong Rong? Do you still remember Nangong Shangxiang? Do you still remember Dongfang Lanluo? Do you still remember Huang Yifei? Do you still remember..." With every name Chen Xiaolong uttered in his arms, Ye Xingchen felt a sharp jolt of pain in his head. When he finally spoke the name Susan, the Susan lying in the ** suddenly dissolved into a stream of light and vanished. Simultaneously, Ye Xingchen’s mind was flooded with countless memories, an ethereal cascade of dreams that felt utterly real. Were they all true?

His heart roared in agony...

"Xingchen, wake up. This is all an illusion, an illusory grand formation. Wake up quickly..." Chen Xiaolong's calls bombarded his ears, making him feel as if he had just endured a monumental, confusing dream...

Wake up. And then what?

When the Star Radiance rises, demons perish; when the Star Radiance stirs, fiends weep. With my saber held to the heavens, I challenge the world; with my sword held high, I shake the Nine Provinces!

Shake the Nine Provinces, commanding awe throughout the Nine Provinces...

I am Ye Xingchen, the Ye Xingchen who shall never fall...

Suddenly, Ye Xingchen understood everything. A blinding white light erupted from his body, silver-white beams coalescing until a colossal sphere of light formed in his hand...

"Go, Star Burst..." Ye Xingchen, now clear-headed, unleashed his most powerful strike. Explosive energy burst forth, saturating the entire world. This realm, both illusory and real, shattered utterly under the force of such power, the violent energy sweeping over everything in its path...

At this moment, Ye Jingyu, deep within the formation and still lost in dreams of a fantastical world, suddenly felt the entire reality beneath him shaking violently, as if the end of days had arrived. Terror etched itself onto his face. The underlings who usually bowed to him had vanished without a trace, and the women who had cherished him were now scrambling to escape. As the surrounding structures crumbled and fissures tore open the ground, he suddenly saw a woman, a figure ethereal as a sprite.

With eyes of pure, unblemished innocence, dressed in exquisite palace robes, she stood like a celestial being from the Moon Palace, right in the middle of the street that was about to split apart.

Why did she feel so familiar?

"Ling'er..." Ye Jingyu breathed the name involuntarily. A fragment of sealed memory began to surface from the depths of his mind...

The considerate and gentle Jiu Feng, the fiery and frank Xi Yang, the charming and seductive Yao Rao, the cold-as-ice Hu Yanmeng, the cute and clever Hei Mingshixuan, and the thoughtful Gongsun Xiangyi—they all suddenly manifested before him.

Vaguely, in the distance, a corpse that should have remained dead suddenly stood up. It possessed a pale face and was smiling at him?

Why did he feel no fear toward this figure, but instead an overwhelming sense of familiarity?

That's right. He was his Eldest Brother, Liang Xiaoke...

I am Ye Jingyu, the Ye Jingyu destined to shatter heaven and earth, the Ye Jingyu who will change everything, the Ye Jingyu who will break the Taiji Liangyi Formation...

My true self is the Ye Jingyu who will grievously wound heaven and earth...

"Ah..." A furious roar tore from Ye Jingyu's throat. His body began to swell rapidly; the lost memories and depleted power rushed back in torrents...

His body grew larger and larger. With a single stomp, the skyscrapers and towers turned to dust as if they were mere toys...

The earth itself could not withstand his impact; the entire world was fracturing, utterly splintering...

Suddenly, he saw a flash of white light, and a figure clad in black appeared before him. That person shared about seventy percent of his features—wasn't that ancestor of his?

This world shattered completely, but the Taiji Liangyi Formation did not dissolve. Ye Jingyu raised the Tianzun Blade in his hand and struck the great formation with all his might. A colossal blade light slashed through the void, tearing across space and time, yet it failed to cleave the formation...

"The Taiji Liangyi Formation is unpredictable. Try the Donghuang Bell!" Ye Xingchen’s voice echoed at that moment. His strongest power had merely brought about the destruction of this illusory world, but it could not break the formation. The only hope now rested on Ye Jingyu.

Hearing Ye Xingchen’s suggestion, Ye Jingyu seemed to grasp something profound...

"Pangu opened the heavens and earth, Donghuang settled the universe, SETTLE!" he chanted. The cyan Donghuang Bell shot out from within his body and hovered fixedly in the sky. The constantly shifting formation instantly froze. Ye Jingyu raised the Tianzun Blade again and brought it down without hesitation.

This time, the blade light was fiercer, the power stronger. The Taiji Liangyi Formation seemed to sense the terrifying force of the strike and began to rotate violently, attempting to neutralize the power. But the Donghuang Bell unleashed its ultimate power at that instant, locking down space and time, leaving no room for maneuver.

As a result, the Taiji Liangyi Formation solidified as if water had turned to ice, and it was cleaved in two by Ye Jingyu's strike...

The Taiji symbol, still spiraling, was split directly in half by that blow...

Ye Jingyu stepped forward, while Ye Xingchen remained behind. He could feel Chen Xiaolong’s divine sense rapidly draining away. He had to gather his spirit; he could not lose him...

The protagonist of this play is Ye Jingyu; everything else is left to him...

Just then, Taishang Laojun, about to smash Wukong Daoren’s skull with his staff, suddenly felt a violent shudder as the Taiji Liangyi Formation fractured. His heart seized instantly.

Before he could recover his senses, a booming voice resonated from the void...

"Leave everything to my true self!" The moment the words fell, Ye Jingyu, whose colossal form now spanned billions of miles, strode out of the void. Even before he moved, the sheer, immense pressure made everyone’s brows furrow painfully.

The expressions of Taishang Laojun, Yuanshi Tianzun, Amitabha, and the Netherworld Sect Master shifted dramatically. Why had he appeared now, when Wukong and the others had not yet perished? This was completely contrary to their initial assumptions!

Ye Jingyu afforded them no such opportunity. The Tianzun Blade in his hand morphed into an unimaginably huge blade light, completely engulfing the Four Great Sect Leaders.

Caught utterly off guard by this sudden assault, the Four Great Sect Leaders, being figures of their stature, reacted instantly. Taishang Laojun, Yuanshi Tianzun, and the Netherworld Sect Master retreated rapidly—so far back that ordinary Immortals would need millions of years to fly that distance—dodging the terrifying strike. But Amitabha, currently entangled by Zhunti Daoren, could not evade.

The golden radiance of the Nine-Petal Golden Lotus was shredded to pieces. The remaining Four Great Wisdom Kings were swept up by the blade light, their bodies pulverized into countless flecks of golden light, attempting to flee back into Amitabha’s core.

But the Nine-Petal Lotus Seat beneath Amitabha was shattered by the blow, and his true form was struck as well...

His body was cleaved in two by the strike, vast swathes of golden blood pouring out. His divine soul was grievously wounded by the single blow...

For any ordinary being, even someone like Guangchengzi, this strike would have meant utter annihilation. But Amitabha was a Sect Leader, an existence of immortality and indestructibility. The two shattered halves of his body transformed into two streams of light, attempting to flee in opposite directions.

"Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, annihilate everything..." At that very moment, Liang Xiaoke, propelled by Tongtian’s supreme divine power, appeared in the void. The four peerless, ominous swords—the Immortal Slaying, Slaughtering Immortal, Destroying Immortal, and Trapping Immortal Swords—erupted, unleashing boundless sword energy that shredded Amitabha's two bodies into fragments...

Great quantities of golden blood and mangled flesh sprayed through the void. Liang Xiaoke opened his monstrous maw and, heedless of the danger, began to devour Amitabha’s vital essence. This was the essence of a Buddha, the essence of a Sect Leader! How much would his own power multiply if he could digest this energy?

He devoured desperately, but Amitabha’s physical body was not easily consumed. His divine soul was too potent; even gravely wounded, Liang Xiaoke could not contend with it. The vital essence Liang Xiaoke swallowed acted like poison, causing agonizing pain...

Witnessing this, before Ye Jingyu could act, a flash of sudden enlightenment crossed Zhunti Daoren’s eyes...

"The Bodhi has no tree, the bright mirror is also not a stand. Originally, there is not a single thing; where can dust settle?" A profound incantation issued from Zhunti Daoren's lips. Immediately, his body fused with the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, transforming him into a gigantic Bodhi Tree. A powerful suction emanated, drawing in both Amitabha’s physical remains and his divine soul. Then, the enormous Bodhi Tree began to burn, sending up transparent flames that ascended in streams...

"Master..." Sun Wukong cried out as he watched Zhunti Daoren incinerate himself...

"Why must you do this?" A faint voice echoed through the void, carrying the profound sorrow and resignation of Amitabha.

"Shakyamuni, have you not understood the essence of Buddhism after all these years? I was once merely a Bodhi Tree that had just gained sentience. Struck by lightning during a stormy night, I nearly perished. It was Nuwa, then a mere girl, who saved me, nurtured me with care, and told me countless stories. That is how I came to be, and how you came to be... When the Bodhi attained enlightenment, did you ever know that the compassion of Buddhism stems from Nuwa’s compassion—that universal, all-encompassing mercy? Do you know that the physical cultivation of Buddhism originates from the Wu Clan, whose bodies were renowned for their strength? Did you truly believe that all of this was merely your own enlightenment, Shakyamuni? You have disappointed me deeply!" The voice of Zhunti sighed faintly from the enormous Bodhi Tree.

At these words, even Ye Jingyu was startled. So there was such ancient gossip...

Buddhism was born from the compassionate heart of Nuwa?

Amitabha responded with a soft sigh. It seemed he understood something, for he, too, began to burn...

Streams of transparent flame flowed continuously from the Bodhi Tree, eventually transforming into a gentle energy that continuously merged into the bodies of Sun Wukong and Liang Xiaoke...

They were both immortal and indestructible Saints; theoretically, they could never die. However, if another Saint chose to sacrifice their own existence, it was possible to erase the consciousness of both, refining them into their most fundamental power.

Zhunti Daoren was sacrificing himself in a mutual destruction with Amitabha...

Their consciousnesses dissolved within the flames, but their Dao insights, their enlightenment, and some of their memories were passed on. Sun Wukong became their inheritor, while Liang Xiaoke absorbed only the purest form of power...

The bodies of the Battle Saint Buddha, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and Wukong Daoren gradually merged, finally forming a monk clad in a golden kasaya, with a lean face, holding a staff forged from the fusion of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree and the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

"My monastic name is Kong..."

Kong—emptiness, the absolute void. At this moment, he was truly empty. His right eye held the most benevolent compassion, while his left eye shimmered with the fiercest aggression.

A surging, boundless magical power radiated from him. The staff in his hand burst forth with blinding golden light, and his twin gazes fixed upon the Netherworld Sect Master, hundreds of millions of miles away, as if the latter stood right before him...

The Netherworld Sect Master and Amitabha shared a deep karmic tie. Since he had inherited Amitabha and Zhunti Daoren’s lineage, it was his duty to resolve this karma.

"All things return to emptiness, empty, empty, empty!" A soft cry emerged from Kong’s mouth. He gently raised the staff in his hand, and myriad Wan (Ten Thousand) character seals continuously emanated from it, transforming into golden dragons that charged toward the Netherworld Sect Master.

At the same time, Liang Xiaoke, having absorbed the majority of Amitabha’s vital essence, let out an angry snort. Wielding the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, he lunged toward Yuanshi Tianzun. As Tongtian’s disciple, he too had to settle a portion of his master's karma.

"Big Brother, catch!" Ye Jingyu knew that although Liang Xiaoke's cultivation had advanced greatly, dealing with Yuanshi Tianzun would still be difficult. He immediately sent his Donghuang Bell over.

Liang Xiaoke accepted without ceremony. With the Donghuang Bell shielding his head and the Immortal Slaying Swords in his hand, he charged forward.

Yuanshi Tianzun’s Pangu Banner had already been destroyed. He possessed only the Three Treasures Ruyi for offense, and his other magical treasures would struggle to breach the Donghuang Bell’s defense. Liang Xiaoke now had his opportunity...

Ye Jingyu himself strode forward with immense strides toward Taishang Laojun. Each step spanned hundreds of millions of miles. Along the way, countless stars were swept away by the residual shockwaves, shattering upon impact. The pressure was terrifyingly immense.

Seeing Ye Jingyu approach him so directly, Taishang Laojun frowned deeply. He knew this was a moment of life or death. He flicked the Vajra Bracelet on his wrist, and the Xuanyuan Seal, emanating five-colored light, appeared in his hand. With a light brush, he wiped away every restriction on it, even those secretly placed by the ancient Saint Emperor Fuxi, and instantly infused his divine sense into it. The Xuanyuan Seal erupted with five-colored light, soaring into the heavens, instantly transforming into a massive square seal hundreds of billions of miles wide, which it hurled down at Ye Jingyu.

This square seal was enormous. If it had fallen upon the Celestial Realm, it would have pulverized, perhaps not the entire realm, but certainly the territories held by the Heavenly Alliance and Earth Alliance, utterly wiping them out.

Yet, facing this terrifying seal, imbued with the power of the Five Elements, Ye Jingyu regarded it as a mere child's toy. He simply clenched his fist with effortless ease and slammed it upward against the underside of the Xuanyuan Seal. The Seal, which had existed for countless years, immediately developed cracks and began to splinter.

Taishang Laojun had not truly expected the Xuanyuan Seal to harm Ye Jingyu; how could a hastily acquired treasure compare to one he had personally refined? With his other hand, he rapidly tapped the air three hundred and sixty-five times. And just like that, three hundred and sixty-five stars materialized in the sky—stars so vast and unimaginable that each one was larger than the suns Tongtian had summoned. Each star had a diameter of several tens of billions of miles, larger than Ye Jingyu’s current Pangu True Body. These three hundred and sixty-five stars hovered around Ye Jingyu, forming a peculiar grand formation...

The Heavenly Cycle Star Array...

Powerful gravitational forces surged around Ye Jingyu, the immense power attempting to restrain his movements, making him feel significantly slower...

Then, Taishang Laojun pointed toward the East. Seven stars appeared there, connecting to form a colossal Azure Dragon...

He then pointed South, West, and North, manifesting the Twenty-Eight Mansions, which transformed into the Four Great Divine Beasts...

These celestial beings were unimaginably huge. Never mind the Vermillion Bird, the largest among them, the body of the Black Tortoise alone was the size of an entire world...

Even the current Ye Jingyu, in terms of sheer volume, seemed like an ordinary human facing a colossal dragon...

Not only that, Taishang Laojun continued tapping. The Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends also appeared. Finally, the number of stars in the sky grew until there were over thirty thousand—it seemed the entire cosmos was enveloped by these stellar bodies, showering down an unimaginably potent, boundless starlight...

Such power, such divine ability—who else in the Three Realms possessed it?

Let alone Ye Jingyu, even Ye Xingchen and the others far in the distance sensed this terrifying power. Solemn expressions settled upon their faces. Such terrifying power was capable of destroying everything. Could Ye Jingyu withstand it?

Jiu Feng, Xi Yang, Yao Rao, Luo Ling'er, and the others watched with growing anxiety. Even from billions of miles away, they felt the power emanating from the starry expanse. What about Ye Jingyu, who was at the epicenter? Could he endure it?

"In this world, there is no absolute immortality. Just watch if my Star Dance Bewitching Divine Array can refine you...!" Taishang Laojun’s voice echoed through the void. The over thirty thousand stars unleashed blinding starlight that poured into the three hundred and sixty-five main stars. These stars then emitted several beams of light that wove together into a massive star net, completely enveloping Ye Jingyu.

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends shot out one hundred and eight razor-sharp star-light sword energies, stabbing directly at Ye Jingyu's physical body. The Twenty-Eight Mansions transformed into the Four Great Divine Beasts—Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise—and lunged at Ye Jingyu. Countless beams of stellar energy continuously exploded upon Ye Jingyu’s form.

Ye Jingyu's body was colossal, and the streams of starlight bombarded him like missiles, blasting out one bloody crater after another. But the sheer monstrosity of his Chaos Body was revealed in that moment: the wounded areas healed instantly. No matter how powerful the starlight, it seemed incapable of inflicting any lasting damage upon Ye Jingyu...

However, Taishang Laojun seemed unconcerned. He produced a golden bridge from somewhere and stepped onto it...

Ye Jingyu showed no sign of struggle on his face. He simply stood quietly, watching ahead, observing the golden bridge, allowing the countless streams of starlight to fall upon him, allowing the star-light condensed Four Divine Beasts to gnaw at his body as if he felt nothing at all...

Seeing Ye Jingyu allow the starlight attacks to land as if he were an imbecile, Taishang Laojun’s face showed surprise. Did this brat truly believe his physical body was indestructible? There was no absolute immortality in this world. As long as the starlight continued to fall, his body would eventually be shattered—perhaps in a hundred years, perhaps ten thousand, perhaps a hundred million...

"Is this the Bridge to the Other Shore?" Just as Taishang Laojun was about to speak, Ye Jingyu suddenly spoke.

At these words, Taishang Laojun's heart jolted. He had actually recognized that this was the Bridge to the Other Shore left by his teacher...

"Correct. This is indeed the Bridge to the Other Shore..." Though inwardly shocked, Taishang Laojun’s face remained placid, and he replied calmly.

"The Bridge to the Other Shore. Then what is the Other Shore..." Ye Jingyu spoke, half murmuring to himself and half addressing Taishang Laojun...

"What is the Other Shore?" Taishang Laojun paused. Indeed, they all pursued the Other Shore, but what was it? Even possessing the Bridge to the Other Shore, did he truly comprehend what the Other Shore meant?

In that moment of stunned silence, Ye Jingyu’s eyes shot out dazzling light. He reached out and grasped the void, and the Tianzun Blade materialized in his hand. He suddenly slashed upward and diagonally, cleanly bisecting the Azure Dragon that was charging toward him. Then, his body strode forward.

This step shattered the Black Tortoise Stride into dust, releasing countless bursts of starlight, followed immediately by another casual slash that cleaved the Vermilion Bird Constellation to pieces. Then came a fierce kick that made the White Tiger Constellation explode outright…

With every footfall, countless stars fractured, the void continuously ripping apart with sharp, explosive sounds, spewing forth wave after wave of dark energy…

“Li Er, you think you can destroy my physical body bit by bit using the power of starlight? But you have no idea that to me, all of this is utterly insignificant. What Zhou Star Great Array, what Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends, what Twenty-Eight Mansions—how could any of them possibly contain me?” As Ye Jingyu spoke, his body stro