NOVPUB"This is," the crowd looked toward the center of the explosion, all with shocked expressions.
"What level of battle is this!"
"I didn’t expect there to be such an existence within Heavenly Dao Academy," Sage Banyue said with emotion.
"Heavenly Dao Academy has been established for a long time; it’s not surprising that it has such beings," True Man Pudu said indifferently.
"It’s just that this old man is quite interesting; even I have not heard of his name."
True Man Pudu had also borne Destiny alongside Mage Cihang; that era was already very long ago.
One could say that he had heard of many things, including many people.
"Do you still have the mind to care about others?" A woman in a white dress spoke up from the side.
Another lotus reflected the heavens, blooming with eight petals, directly turning into a rain of flowers across the sky.
"Dean, we admit you are strong, stronger than we could imagine," True Man Pudu said.
"But the destruction of Heavenly Dao Academy signifies a grand era, and it’s not something a Half-Step Nirvana Void like you can reverse."
"There’s no need for everyone to worry about this," the woman in the white dress said faintly.
......
The center of the explosion gradually dissipated,
and the aftereffects ceased, with the originally completely shattered void repairing itself.
Xu Zimei’s figure and the Old White Tiger were at a stalemate.
After a silent period, a sudden "crack, crack" sound emerged.
Xu Zimei looked down and saw that, perhaps due to the immense pressure it endured, the blade of Tyrant Shadow had begun to show fine cracks.
It might not be long before the entire blade would become fragments.
"In terms of technique, I am not inferior to you," Xu Zimei said lightly.
"It’s just that in strength, I fall short."
"You fall short by quite a lot," the Old White Tiger laughed.
Indeed, in the previous clash, Divine Desolation was absolutely not weaker than the opponent’s Tian Wu.
But in terms of sheer strength, the Nirvana Realm was several levels higher than Xu Zimei’s current Divine Vein Realm.
This was inherently a battle with a huge disparity in strength.
"Didn’t you say your Way of Inquiry has nineteen forms? Show me the last two," Old White Tiger replied.
"No need," Xu Zimei slightly shook his head.
"If we were of the same realm, the first seventeen forms would be sufficient."
"It seems I was underestimated," the Old White Tiger chuckled lightly.
"But you’re right, you do have the grace of a young Great Emperor.
Even stronger than many Great Emperors I’ve known."
"That’s enough," Xu Zimei shook his head; he had achieved the result he wanted.
"Although I acknowledge your talent, you must understand that a genius who has not grown up is nothing at all."
The White Tiger next to him watched Xu Zimei with a covetous gaze, ready to pounce at any moment.
"Hey, since I can’t beat him, I’ll leave him to you," Xu Zimei shouted toward the white-dressed woman fighting beside him.
The woman in the white dress smiled slightly, her white lotus blooming again, directly repelling True Man Pudu and the others.
"Then I’ll leave them to you," the woman in the white dress laughed.
"Master, please instruct me."
"White girl, do you really want to fight with me?" Old White Tiger said.
"It was I who taught you how to cultivate back in the day."
"For the sake of Heavenly Dao Academy, it has to be this way," the woman in the white dress said.
"Those old fellows ascended to the Upper Realm and left you a huge mess, you’ve had a hard time these past years, haven’t you?" the Old White Tiger laughed.
The woman in the white dress shook her head slightly and said, "Master, since you know it’s been tough, why did you still stab us in the back at the crucial moment for the academy?"
"You know the reason," the Old White Tiger’s smile slowly faded.
The White Tiger stood proudly beside him, its majestic animal might radiating outward.
"Then I ask for forgiveness in advance," the woman in the white dress said with an icy voice.
She strode forward, lotus flowers blossoming beneath her feet.
…
On the other side, Xu Zimei looked towards True Man Pudu and his companion.
"You hold him off, I’ll go into Myriad Treasures Pavilion first," said True Man Pudu.
Sage Banyue hesitated slightly but still gave a faint nod.
It wasn’t that he doubted Xu Zimei, but rather he feared that True Man Pudu might hoard all the treasures for himself.
"Young friend, you’d best not stand in my way," Sage Banyue said, looking at Xu Zimei, with the half-moon symbol above his head shining.
He added softly, "The senior who tested you earlier did not truly strike, and you should be thankful.
If you leave now, you might still save your life."
Xu Zimei let out a light chuckle.
Tyrant Shadow slowly rose, cleaving down in a single stroke.
He did not use Divine Desolation; he was afraid that in its current state, Tyrant Shadow could not withstand that pressure and would shatter immediately.
He unleashed the sixteenth form of No Life.
A relentless world took shape beneath the slash of sword and blade.
Watching Tyrant Shadow’s pressure create sonic booms as it descended upon him, Sage Banyue hastily raised both hands.
A round of bright moon spun over his head, blocking the attack.
Curved Blade fell, and the moon’s shadow shattered.
With a "boom," as though a grenade had detonated, Sage Banyue’s figure was blown away in retreat.
"Repeat what you just said," Xu Zimei, holding Tyrant Shadow, stood his ground.
His imposing presence rose steadily.
He executed War God’s Nine Transformations.
Continuing through Cang Dragon Seventh Transformation,
Azure Cloud Eighth Transformation, and finally, War God’s Nine Transformations.
The armor of the War God materialized around Xu Zimei, brimming with the urge to battle.
The winds and clouds around him were tumultuous, filled with the roars of dragons and the cries of tigers.
Sage Banyue stabilized his posture, his gaze darkening as he looked towards Xu Zimei.
"Let’s deal with him first before heading to Myriad Treasures Pavilion," he said to True Man Pudu.
"What a hassle," True Man Pudu huffed coldly.
He performed a Buddhist salutation, standing still as the Buddhist light around him grew more intense.
"The first light of Buddhism, the omnipresent glow."
The surging Buddhist Light enveloped the area, covering everything.
Yet this Buddhist Light was strange; it seemed to have no offensive purpose. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
But when Xu Zimei came into contact with the Buddhist Light, he felt something peculiar.
In his eyes, True Man Pudu seemed to have become a true Buddha.
As if the Buddhist Light could permeate anything, peering into his inner world.
All contempt, ignorance, hate, anger, and greed, every negative emotion was stirred up.
In an instant, swarmed by negative thoughts, endless darkness threatened to overwhelm Xu Zimei completely.
"They say Buddhist Light can suppress evil, expel demons, and avert misfortune, but your light seems only to breed darkness.
In the end, you’re merely defying the Buddha," Xu Zimei said with a light laugh.
"You’re actually unaffected," remarked True Man Pudu coolly.
"Your realm is not high enough," Xu Zimei retorted.
"Buddha Ancestor descends," True Man Pudu snorted coldly, followed by a "bang."
As the skies filled with the Buddhist Light, a colossal Buddha statue descended from the firmament.
With a serene countenance, the Buddha Ancestor’s gentle chant spread around.
The Buddha Ancestor struck down with a palm, stirring up thousands of waves.
Ripples in space and time surged in waves, a giant palm pressing down from above.
Xu Zimei, not to be outdone, struck fiercely with Tyrant Shadow, the impact causing an explosion in mid-air with the Buddha’s palm.
