Chapter 421: Want to Become Immortal? Let Me Help!
"Holy shit, that was brutal?" Chen Huaian stared dumbfounded at the charred ground. "Did it just kill that old monk outright?"
"No," Zhang Yibai shook his head. "Not that easy to kill. He probably withstood the last strike while severely injured and fled, afraid you'd finish him off while he's weak. Great Ascension Stage cultivators always leave behind ashes after even the most terrifying heavenly tribulation, while Buddhist cultivators leave relics. Notice how there's nothing left where Monk Burning Karma stood except some broken artifact fragments?"
Chen Huaian stepped forward to examine the area and found it was exactly as described. The shattered artifacts were mostly supreme-grade spiritual treasures.
He opened the Righteous Cultivator Store interface and indeed saw several supreme-grade spiritual treasures marked as [Temporarily unavailable, awaiting restock].
Was this "restock" waiting for Monk Burning Karma to repair them? Chen Huaian chuckled at his own thought.
If his guess was correct, this store must also contain Real Person Yuyao's artifacts.
"The Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus was split by the tribulation lightning too. Soon all minor realms within the Sumeru Realm will collapse into the sea, and the Burning Purity Holy Land probably won't escape either."
Zhang Yibai looked at Chen Huaian with complex emotions. Monk Burning Karma had been thoroughly defeated - by someone two major realms below him.
"The explanation would take too long... Consider it one of my divine abilities." Chen Huaian could only offer this vague response. He wasn't entirely clear on the principles himself anyway. What mattered was that it had fooled the Heavenly Dao.
"The battle at Burning Purity Holy Land is intense. I should return to assist."
"Right." Seeing Chen Huaian's reluctance to explain, Zhang Yibai didn't press further. "Better resolve the Burning Purity Holy Land situation quickly. Who knows where that old monk Burning Karma has hidden himself? If cornered, he could bring catastrophe upon our disciples."
Chen Huaian nodded, then suddenly his expression darkened. He had told Li Qingran to call for help if in danger. Though he hadn't received any distress signal from her, the Nine Dragon Sacred Pavilion was his artifact. Just now, he'd sensed one of the black flood dragons dying.
Each flood dragon in the Nine Dragon Sacred Pavilion was at least Nascent Soul cultivation, with the leader reaching Divine Transformation. Since Li Qingran had control of the artifact, the flood dragon's death indirectly signaled she might be in danger.
Anxious, Chen Huaian slashed open space and stepped through into the Burning Purity Holy Land.
"Damn it! Damn heavens! Why strike this poor monk but not the Sword Pavilion Patriarch? Why?! Why?!"
Ten thousand miles from the tribulation site, in a sea cave among the reefs, Monk Burning Karma huddled in the deepest recesses. Gone was his former dignified appearance - his monastic robes were charred and tattered, the supreme-grade spiritual treasure dragon-scale kasaya nearly completely shattered, leaving only strips of cloth hanging from his body.
His once-shiny bald head was covered in dust and scorch marks, still emitting wisps of black smoke. His face bore severe burns, eyebrows and beard singed and curled. Swollen eyes, cracked lips, his entire body a mess of mud and lightning scars.
"Sorcery! The Sword Pavilion Patriarch must have used some dark sorcery!"
Monk Burning Karma gasped for breath, attempting to stand but finding his legs shaking violently before collapsing back down. The external injuries looked severe, but meant little to a Great Ascension cultivator. The real damage was internal.
Examining himself, he found his dantian fortunately intact - as long as that remained unharmed, his cultivation wouldn't drop too much. But the meridians once nourished and strengthened by Buddhist power now appeared withered and shriveled from the heavenly lightning's assault.
Attempting to circulate energy sent waves of burning pain throughout his body. Clearly, recovery would take time.
"Damn this accursed heaven..."
Reaching for his waist to retrieve healing pills, he discovered all his storage pouches had been destroyed by the tribulation. Not a single pill remained.
"Vile heavens! When this poor monk achieves Buddhahood... I'll demand answers from your celestial court for this injustice!" He recalled many patriarchs who had already attained Buddhahood. Once he joined them, he'd have some influence in the heavenly realms. The thunder tribulation might not come directly from the Heavenly Dao but from certain Thunder Immortals.
Then he could settle accounts properly.
This thought brought a slight smile to Monk Burning Karma's lips, as if already seeing himself trampling over heavenly tribulations. He failed to notice the cave's temperature gradually dropping. Nor did he catch the faint scent of blood in the air.
"Well, well, if it isn't our dear Master Burning Karma..."
A chilling voice suddenly spoke before him. Hearing it, the monk froze as if petrified. Looking up at the white-robed woman radiating cold elegance, he felt icy dread shoot from his feet to the crown of his head.
"Real Person Yuyao! H-how did you get here?" Monk Burning Karma's voice trembled.
"This Venerable One divined Master Burning Karma's distress and came specially to assist." Yuyao lightly tapped the array disk in her right hand. Though her tone was gentle, to the monk it sounded like a death knell.
"The Burning Purity Holy Land is... this poor monk's internal matter." Burning Karma staggered back, stammering. "No need to trouble Real Person Yuyao with such trifles."
"Is that so?" Yuyao advanced step by step. Her spiritual energy spread across the ground like frost, snaking toward the monk like a python with each step. "This Venerable One seemed to hear something about... 'accursed heavens'? And how once immortal, you'd demand justice... Has the heaven wronged you, Master?"
"No such thing..." Monk Burning Karma forced composure, even as Yuyao's palm pressed against his forehead.
"Oh but there is, Master Burning Karma." Yuyao's eyes narrowed slightly. "Want to become immortal? This Venerable One can help you achieve Buddhahood!" Her fingers gradually tightened.
"You'd help me? Since when have you been so kind?" The monk's spiritual energy began leaking from his seven orifices, slowly being absorbed by Yuyao's palm, though in his injured state he didn't notice the gradual loss.
"You'll become this Venerable One's nourishment, and I'll take you to immortality!" As she spoke, her hand slid down to suddenly clutch his throat.
"W-what are you doing...?" The monk's complexion turned ashen.
"This Venerable One wants you... to become one with me!" Yuyao's fingers abruptly constricted as countless vines sprouted from her arm, instantly enveloping the monk's head before spreading across his entire body.
The vines burst from the cave, encasing the entire reef in a massive cocoon. Within it, terrifying pressure steadily grew as dark clouds gathered above once more, the aura of heavenly tribulation descending again.