Have You Ever Seen Me at My Peak?

Whoosh... A fierce wind arose. The sky was cloudless as tens of thousands of li of rolling yellow sand billowed in. Seven silhouettes materialized before Luo Chen's eyes. Five were bald monks draped in kasayas, one of whom was Master Cihai, who had blocked their path earlier. The other two wore lavish Taoist robes. One was Zhou Mingxuan, while the other's name was unknown, though the faint fluctuations of magic power rippling around him made it obvious he was no pushover either. They stood squarely across the path along which Luo Chen and Qingshuang were advancing. Though phrases like "Heaven cherishes life" and "Amitabha" rolled from their lips, their purpose was nothing short of slaughter. Luo Chen sighed helplessly. "Fellow Daoists, the two of us are merely passing through the Western Desert. Isn't this relentless pursuit a bit excessive?" Cihai glared at him and snapped, "Who doesn't know of the vile deeds committed by that demoness Qingshuang? Had such a vicious avian remained confined to her tiny corner of the Million Mountains, that would be one thing. But now she has come to the Western Desert. Who can say what sinister designs she harbors?" Luo Chen frowned. "Yet she has done nothing here. Even during the previous clash, she did not deal a single fatal blow against you." "Not doing so now does not mean she will not do so in the future! We must nip this in the bud to prevent blood from spilling across the Buddha Lands once more!" "Aren't you being somewhat unreasonable, Grandmaster? To fabricate a charge out of nothing..." Before Luo Chen could finish, another monk with white eyebrows and a long white beard cut him off. "Fellow Daoist Luo, the world speaks of you as a noble gentleman of benevolence. Why, then, do you walk alongside such a great demon? Word has reached us that at the border, you slaughtered hundreds of Zhou clansmen with a sword formation. And now you go to such lengths to shield Demon Emperor Qingshuang. Have you fallen into the demonic path?" Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, radiating a dangerous aura. "May I ask the Grandmaster's Dharma name?" The white-bearded monk pressed a single palm together in salute. "Amitabha. This old monk is Ci'en of Puji Temple on Mount Wutai." "Ci'en?" Luo Chen repeated the name, his gaze sweeping over the rest of them. "In that case, the other three Grandmasters also hail from Mount Wutai?" Faced with Luo Chen's gaze, the three looked somewhat uneasy, but backed by superior numbers, they showed no fear. "Ciping of Lingying Temple on Mount Wutai greets Fellow Daoist Luo!" "Ciguang of Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai greets Fellow Daoist Luo!" "Cishu of Shengshu Temple on Mount Wutai greets Fellow Daoist Luo!" Five mountains, five temples, five monks—not a single one of them was an easy opponent. Luo Chen pursed his lips and turned to the other two, particularly the middle-aged man in luxurious robes. "And who might this fellow Daoist be?" The middle-aged man snapped his feather fan shut and said with a refined flair, "Wu Changge of the Wu family of Wenzhou!" As for Zhou Mingxuan, no introduction was needed. Surveying this imposing lineup, Luo Chen's heart sank. An outsider might have thought he was frightened. Yet what crossed Luo Chen's mind was: the first time had been two Nascent Souls, the second was seven. If this escalated further, what would come next? What sort of terrifying existences would be drawn into the fray? "Fellow Daoist Luo, I hope you will not lead yourself astray by entangling yourself too deeply with this demoness. The sea of bitterness is boundless; turn back, and the shore is at hand!" the white-bearded monk, Ci'en, urged. "I..." Just as Luo Chen was about to speak, Qingshuang beside him lost her patience. "Enough drivel! When all is said and done, it comes down to a fight anyway. Out of the way!" A fierce gale surged at his side. Luo Chen instinctively yielded a step, and Qingshuang had already shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring. The five monks dared not take her lightly. They immediately brandished their Buddhist treasures and moved forward together to intercept her. Luo Chen frowned and took a step forward, but Wu Changge was already blocking his path. "Fellow Daoist Luo, we respect your renown as the Alchemy Grandmaster of the Eastern Desolation. Even though you are under suspicion, we are willing to offer you a chance. For this battle, it would be best if you did not intervene." Although the Western Desert was dominated by Buddhist factions, that did not mean it was inhabited solely by monks and nuns. Sect lineages and ancestral clans still persisted here. However, to establish a foothold in the Western Desert, these major sects and clans maintained close ties with the Buddhist lineages to varying degrees. This was true of the Zhou family, and equally true of the Wu family. Having previously learned a bit about the circumstances of the Western Desert, Luo Chen was not surprised to see Buddhist and Daoist cultivators working in tandem. Yet at this moment... The corner of Luo Chen's mouth curled slightly. "Wu Changge, do you truly think you alone can stop me?" Wu Changge's expression stiffened. With guarded caution, he replied, "Were you at your peak, Fellow Daoist, this Wu might have less than a thirty percent chance of victory. But the battle in Sinking Sand Valley caused such a tremendous commotion; even if you did not perish, you must surely be gravely injured. Naturally, even against your wounded form, I possess no absolute certainty of subduing you. But tying you down for a time should present no difficulty at all." He spoke neither subserviently nor arrogantly, but with absolute confidence. This was because the outward fluctuation of Luo Chen's magic power appeared to be merely at the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage. Wu Changge himself was a mid Nascent Soul cultivator. No matter how gloriously the outside world sang praises of Luo Chen's battle exploits, ultimately, everything was grounded in cultivation realm itself. He possessed that confidence! Luo Chen said nothing, merely narrowing his eyes toward the battle ahead, which was rapidly growing more violent. The five monks of Mount Wutai were formidable indeed. The three monks who had introduced themselves last possessed solid foundations, rivaling early Nascent Soul cultivators. Master Cihai, with whom they had crossed paths before, had cultivation on par with a mid Nascent Soul cultivator. His purple-gold Sumeru Bowl, in particular, suppressed space and inherently constrained Qingshuang. Finally, there was the leader, Master Ci'en. With his white beard and eyebrows, he looked thoroughly benign and benevolent. Yet the moment he struck, his monastic robes billowed, his muscles corded like dragons, and the roar of wind and thunder rang ceaselessly. This monk was treading the path of Vajra body tempering! He was even more formidable than the Wrathful Vajra Luo Chen had encountered in the Central Plains years ago. Crisscrossing astral qi erupted from him, easily matching Qingshuang's direct, full-force assaults. Coupled with the five of them joining forces in a formation, Qingshuang was unable to overcome them in the short term. Instead, she found herself repeatedly beset by danger, her options growing ever more constrained. Failing to break through after so long, signs of impatience crept into Qingshuang's demeanor. Had she not been grievously injured, and had she not been restricted by the Void-Accumulating Flower, how could these people ever have been a match for her in her normal state? Clang! After taking a strike from a crescent monk's spade with her bare hand, Qingshuang's expression turned frigid. Universe in the Sleeve was useless, her Void Escape Divine Art was constrained, and even the tyrannical physical body she took the greatest pride in was held in check by Ci'en and the Five Directions Bitter Sea Formation. Did they truly think this was enough to bring her down? Ignoring the Sumeru Bowl descending toward her head, Qingshuang formed a hand seal. The moment that familiar seal gesture appeared, Luo Chen's eyelids twitched. He stepped forward. Wu Changge's attention was fully fixed upon him. Seeing that step, he barked, "Fellow Daoist Luo, do not bring ruin upon yourself!" Luo Chen glanced at him and said calmly, "You claim you had a thirty percent chance of victory against me at my peak. But have you ever seen me at my peak?" Meeting those eyes, Wu Changge froze. It was like gazing at flowers in a mirror or tumbling toward the moon reflected in water. In that fleeting daze, Luo Chen had already passed him by. Within the formation, a pitch-black rift suddenly surfaced and drifted upward. The purple-gold Sumeru Bowl, which had been exerting crushing spatial suppression in all directions, abruptly split in two the instant it touched the pitch-black rift. Seeing an opening appear, Qingshuang shot straight into the sky. Right at that moment, a fist dazzling like gold smashed down toward her, the faint outline of a swastika flickering upon it. Suddenly! Smack! A hand caught that colossal fist. Even as the swastika's golden light surged up the arm, ceaselessly battering its owner, the man did not yield a single step. Ci'en's beard and hair whipped wildly as he channeled the full might of his astral qi, sending wave after wave scouring against the man blocking his way. Glaring with eyes wide, he roared, "Luo Chen, are you truly so lost in delusion?" Whoosh! His robes snapping in the wind, Luo Chen burst with radiant crimson light, forcing the swastika's golden radiance back step by step. He replied calmly, "It is you Grandmasters who cling to false appearances!" Then, he raised one hand high and brought it crashing down. "Roar!" From high in the heavens, a flame dragon roared and plunged downward. Bearing the brunt of it, Ci'en hastily retreated. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Chen grabbed Qingshuang. As a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, he discerned the formation's flaw and drifted clear with her. The moment they broke free, a colossal roar detonated. Boom! The Five Directions Bitter Sea Formation, which had caused Qingshuang immense frustration and sluggishness, instantly shattered. Five figures burst forth in fury, giving chase after Luo Chen and Qingshuang. Faced with their relentless pursuit, Luo Chen sighed. His hands wove into a seal, and a spell formed in an instant. Beside him, Qingshuang had already regained her composure, weaving hand seals of her own. The next moment! Skree! A distinctive bird cry resonated in all directions. Crimson light blazed across the earth, while azure radiance repelled the void. Luo Chen looked on with slight astonishment at the two spells released in unison. One was a fire phoenix—his most practiced spell, Fire Phoenix Ignites the Plains. The other was an azure qingluan, unleashed by Qingshuang. At this moment, the two spells seemed to synchronize in frequency and rhythm, intertwining with tacit perfection as they bridged the void to crash down upon five... no, six people, including Wu Changge. Amidst the harmonious cry of phoenix and qingluan, Master Cihai's physical body burst apart on the spot. Ci'en fared little better; his Flawless Golden Body, tempered to the Great Vajra realm, withered momentarily. The other three, spared the brunt of the initial blast, were nonetheless hurled hundreds of zhang backward. Wu Changge was relatively fortunate; by fanning furiously with his feather fan, he neutralized the lingering aftermath. When the dust cleared and he gazed upon the empty expanse ahead, his face was pale with terror. "Danzong Luo Chen... terrifying beyond measure!" ... "I never imagined you could cast spells." "Nonsense. I tread the pure path of Qi Cultivation. How else would I have comprehended the law true intent of space?" "Then why haven't I seen you use spells against enemies before?" "Spells are too slow. Forming seals is far more cumbersome than using fists and feet. Besides, that Qingluan Destroys the Void art consumes an exorbitant amount of magic power. Under ordinary circumstances, there is simply no need for it." Through this exchange, Luo Chen learned the name of the spell Qingshuang had just cast. Qingluan Destroys the Void! Though not a divine ability, its might was immense and its range vast, rivaling his own Great Perfection Fire Phoenix Ignites the Plains. What was even more extraordinary was that in that fleeting moment, the two had shared a tacit understanding, casting their spells together. With fire phoenix and azure qingluan complementing each other, they achieved the harmonious resonance of paired mythical birds. The unleashed combination struck with power no less devastating than a divine ability! With just a single strike, it had heavily wounded Ci'en's Great Vajra physique, destroyed Cihai's physical body, and inflicted significant injuries upon the rest. And this was while both of them were wounded and lacking magic power. Had they been in their prime, casting the combination with their spells at full capacity, its sheer destructive power... "Is that your innate demon art?" Luo Chen asked. Qingshuang did not reply. Her naturally fair skin looked somewhat pale after several grueling battles. She merely stared at Luo Chen and asked in a low voice, "Why did you step in to save me?" Luo Chen answered with utmost naturalness, "You placed restrictions on me. What if you dragged me down with you before dying?" Qingshuang shook her head. "With your spatial restriction mastery capable of seeing through my Void Escape Divine Art, those restrictions would never take your life." Luo Chen laughed freely. "But the Live and Die Together Gu doesn't care about that!" Hearing the name "Live and Die Together Gu," Qingshuang fell silent. In the subterranean cavern of Sinking Sand Valley, not only had the two placed mutual restrictions upon each other and sworn Great Dao oaths, but they had also implanted the fourth-tier Live and Die Together Gu. Because of this, their fates were truly tied together; they were grasshoppers bound to the same cord. So, had he intervened only out of sheer necessity? Seeing her silence, Luo Chen stopped pressing the subject and thought of another matter instead. How had Ci'en, Cihai, and the others tracked them down so precisely? The answer became immediately clear the moment they truly stepped onto the oasis Buddha Lands. The demonic qi clinging to Qingshuang was immensely thick. And the baleful aura, ferocious intent, and lingering stench of blood clinging to Luo Chen from the battles in the Southern Border, the clash at Broken Soul Cliff, and his slaughter of a hundred thousand demon beasts with a single sword were far too intense. Across the Buddhist lands of the Western Desert, only the fragrance of Zen incense and Buddhist qi permeated the air. The two of them walking among it stood out like the moon and stars against the night sky—glaringly conspicuous and completely out of place. Solving this problem was simple enough. Luo Chen executed the Dragon Slaying Art repeatedly, stripping away every trace of the bloody scent from his body. Next, using the Myriad Formations Gu, he laid down an aura-concealing formation, cloaking Qingshuang's demonic qi entirely. Even that did not seem enough to him. Still feeling uneasy, Luo Chen led Qingshuang into a Buddhist temple, intercepted two wisps of Buddhist qi from a young novice, and planted them upon himself and Qingshuang. "Now it should be foolproof!" "Unnecessary fuss!" Qingshuang commented, yet she allowed Luo Chen to carry out his work. Luo Chen shrugged. "You may not be afraid, but I truly have no wish to keep fighting. If this continues and my foundation is damaged, how will I ever attempt to break through to the Soul Formation stage?" Qingshuang countered, "Missing a portion of your life soul, no matter how deep your foundation or profound your reserves, how can you ever coalesce your Origin Soul and step into the Soul Formation realm?" This time, it was Luo Chen's turn to fall silent. Inside the Buddhist temple, the gilded golden bodies of deities and buddhas shone brilliantly in their niches, while solemn Zen chants echoed through the ancient monastery. Believers gathered all around amidst swirling clouds of incense smoke. Luo Chen stood silently in their midst, weighed down by troubled thoughts. Seeing him like this, Qingshuang realized her thoughtless question had touched upon an issue Luo Chen had never dared to ponder deeply. She sighed and said softly, "Judging from what transpired at Broken Soul Cliff that day, Mo Shouzhuo, the Sect Master of Tianyuan, was not carrying your life soul on his person. That portion of your life soul is almost certainly hidden within the Dao Sect in the Central Plains. The fact that you feel no resonance right now is good news. You will always have a chance to take it back in the future." Luo Chen pressed his lips tight, his cheeks hollowed. "Let's go!" Luo Chen turned his back on the gaze of the golden Buddha and strode out of the temple. Without another word, Qingshuang followed closely behind. ... The journey that followed went far more smoothly. Perhaps the Buddhist experts of the Western Desert were occupied with scouring the remnants of demon beast forces on the Buddhist lands, or perhaps Luo Chen's concealment methods were simply too exquisite. Whatever the reason, the Western Desert powerhouses failed to locate them. Traveling peacefully and undisturbed, they reached their destination half a year later. Fomu Temple! Though dedicated to the Mother of Buddhas, this ancient temple enshrining the Peacock Great Wisdom King enjoyed little incense. Only a few monks performed simple chores like sweeping the grounds and striking the temple bell. A man and a woman slipped quietly inside. By this time, Luo Chen had recovered from his despondent mood of half a year ago, and was even in the mood to discuss the application of spatial restrictions on teleportation formations with Qingshuang. "It isn't difficult. What's truly difficult are the materials. Take your natal treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron; its materials were extraordinary, which was why it could bear my spatial restriction back then." "In that case, the teleportation formation nodes Sovereign Qixia established across the Mountain Sea Realm must have consumed an immense amount of precious materials!" "So you know they're precious! You were the one who severed a corner of the one in the Northern Sea, weren't you? It took me quite a bit of effort to repair that teleportation formation." "Haha." Luo Chen gave an awkward chuckle and ignored Qingshuang's eye roll, extending his divine sense. Qingshuang brushed the Star-Fixing Plate, casting its glow over the ground. "No need to search. It's right beneath the golden statue of the Wisdom King in this Fomu Temple." With that, she moved to step inside. Yet her raised foot hung suspended in the air, never coming down. Puzzled, Qingshuang looked at Luo Chen, who had reached out to stop her. Luo Chen shook his head with an expression of sharp vigilance, slowly retreating. From behind the weathered, golden statue of the Peacock Wisdom King stepped an ordinary-looking young novice monk. Seeing the two of them, he showed no alarm at all. Instead, he pressed his palms together in a respectful bow. "Amitabha. This humble monk, Xuandu, greets both patrons." The moment the name Xuandu was spoken, Luo Chen's expression subtly shifted. As mentioned before, across the five continents of the Mountain Sea Realm, the names of the preeminent Nascent Soul Great Cultivators traveled far and wide. Apart from the enigmatic Southern Border, where few renowned experts were known to the outside world, the other continents all boasted such figures. Among the Three Great Loose Cultivators of the Northern Sea was the Mad Hermit; in the Central Plains stood the Chess Saint, Ke Lianshan; in the Eastern Desolation was Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen, Tianduzi, and their peers. And in the Western Desert, the most renowned Great Cultivator was one, and only one! "Xuandu?" Luo Chen pursed his lips, speaking the other party's background aloud. "Could you be the Master of the Glazed Pure Land, renowned as 'One Man, One Temple'—Grand Master Xuandu?"