Counting from the moment Luo Chen and Qingshuang stepped into the Glazed Pure Land, three to four months had slipped by unnoticed.
Over such a long span of time, nearly all the major factions of the Monan Royal Court had caught wind of what was happening.
Even in distant places, such as the Far East Vast Sea through which Luo Chen and his companions had previously passed, news of the situation had more or less spread.
Consequently, an ever-growing number of cultivators gathered at the entrance to the Glazed Pure Land.
Though they did not mass together, looking out from beyond the entrance revealed a veritable sea of people.
Among them were no few old Nascent Soul monsters from the Monan Royal Court and the Far East Vast Sea hiding in the crowds.
These old eccentrics did not venture directly into the Glazed Pure Land. Instead, they lingered outside, watching the fire from across the river, their intentions unknowable.
Suddenly!
Someone in the crowd cried out in a low voice.
"They're here!"
Amidst the stir, an immense streak of light tore through the sky, churning clouds and winds wherever it passed and draining the color from heaven and earth, leaving behind a lingering rift in the sky that took long to dissipate.
When the light scattered, dozens of figures abruptly entered everyone's view.
The crowd erupted in clamor at the sight.
Every single one was a Nascent Soul powerhouse!
An old Nascent Soul eccentric even sucked in a breath of cold air and blurted out,
"All eight First Seats of the Hanging Temple have come!"
Looking across the solemn, austere gathering of Hanging Temple monks, eight figures exuded auras as deep and boundless as the ocean, their Buddhist power surging like a torrent.
The Arhat Hall, the Heart Chan Hall, the Medicine King Court, the Discipline Court... Even the First Seats of the Prajna Hall and the Bodhidharma Court stood among them.
Some might not have understood what the First Seats of those two halls represented, but mentioning that Mahakala, the current master of the Hanging Temple, had once been the First Seat of the Prajna Hall made their significance abundantly clear.
Their simultaneous arrival proved how seriously they treated the reappearance of the Glazed Pure Land.
After all, not long ago, when the Ancient Red Sand Scorpion attacked the Hanging Temple, the temple had not responded with such a formidable lineup.
Now, the thirty-six strongest among the temple's one hundred and eight eminent monks—even the First Seats of the eight courts—had mobilized together. Who in the entire Western Desert could stand against them?
The raucous crowd and agitated atmosphere did not disturb the solemnity of the Hanging Temple monks in the slightest.
After casting an encompassing glance around, their gazes collectively fell upon the entrance, where light swirled like an open gateway carved into the void.
A pale-faced monk clad in an ornate cassock pressed a finger between his brows.
As divine radiance flowed, his brow slowly parted to reveal a vertical eye.
It was none other than the Buddhist divine ability—the Heavenly Eye!
With a single look, astonishment crossed the pale-faced monk's features.
"Spiritual opportunities in flux, Buddhist rhymes surging wave upon wave!"
Beside him, an old monk with broad features, large ears, and a half-bare shoulder beneath his robes did not seem surprised.
"Just as the Arhat said, Senior Brother Xuan Du is indeed borrowing the Glazed Pure Land to gather spiritual opportunities, seeking to step into the Arhat realm."
The pale-faced monk drew a deep breath. "We cannot let him succeed. If he does, the Glazed Pure Land will be rendered unusable for at least a century, and Mahakala will be unable to personally purge the demonic miasma and deliver the world."
The old monk beside him nodded as well. "Indeed. If he wishes to advance, he could very well return to the Hanging Temple. The power of the Glazed Pure Land must not be squandered like this!"
The two exchanged a glance and stepped into the entrance in tacit understanding.
Without hesitation, the others followed in a single file.
In an instant, the thirty-six eminent monks of the Hanging Temple vanished, as though they had never been there at all.
Yet tens of thousands of cultivators could not have been mistaken.
Once the monks were gone, the old Nascent Soul eccentrics among the crowd began communicating with one another.
"Shall we go in?"
"With a lineup like that, they're bound to wage a fierce battle. When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat get scorched. This old man won't be going."
"Hmph, since when did you become so cowardly, Daoist Yu? With so many powerhouses from the Hanging Temple here, taking back the Glazed Pure Land will be child's play. We'd only be spectating—what is there to fear?"
"Fellow Daoist Shi is right. If things get a bit chaotic, we might even reap some benefits. Besides, Dafan Tianzi and Xiao Yan went in earlier, and nothing seems to have happened to them!"
"Go if you want. In any case, I will not wade into these muddy waters."
Following their exchanges, the hidden Nascent Soul eccentrics gradually divided into two camps.
One camp cast off their secrecy and stepped into the Glazed Pure Land.
The other remained concealed among the crowd, even retreating further away. Nevertheless, they kept their divine senses spread as far as possible, monitoring the vicinity of the Pure Land at all times.
Evidently, if an opportunity truly presented itself, they would not mind rushing in to claim a piece of the pie.
After all, the Glazed Pure Land was renowned as the supreme treasure of the Buddhist sect!
Regardless of what resources were tucked inside, the spirit treasure alone was enough to stir endless greed.
As they waited, the divine senses of all the old Nascent Soul eccentrics suddenly converged on a group of simply clad monks.
It was the Tuluo Sangha, who adhered strictly to ascetic practices!
At that moment, the ascetic monks' expressions shifted drastically, and waves of panic and anxiety instantly rippled through them.
Such a reaction could mean only one thing.
"The leader of the Tuluo Sangha has fallen!"
The old Nascent Soul eccentrics outside were thoroughly shocked.
How long had the eminent monks of the Hanging Temple been inside? How had a powerful ascetic already met his end?
***
Inside the Glazed Pure Land.
Winding back time by a few moments.
The instant the thirty-six eminent monks entered, they beheld the Buddhist temple bathed in moonlight and the Primordial Spirit suspended high in the void.
Drawing upon spiritual opportunities, using them as an anchor to roam the ocean of origin qi—this was the unmistakable omen of Soul Formation advancement.
The pale-faced monk's pupils constricted, and he barked in a resonant voice, "Amitabha! How could Senior Brother Xuan Du violate the precepts and squander the Pure Land's power for personal gain?"
Waves of Buddhist chanting surged straight toward the Moonlight Glazed Grand Hall.
Yet before the sound could disturb Master Xuan Du, it was intercepted.
"To arrive uninvited is to be an unwelcome guest. To shout so loudly makes you outright ill-mannered!"
A soft chuckle carried across the four quarters, instantly suppressing the pale-faced monk's Buddhist chants.
The pale-faced monk's expression shifted slightly as his attention finally turned to the pavilion outside the grand hall.
A man in golden robes, and a Daoist in white.
He naturally recognized the man in gold—Dafan Tianzi, who had nearly replaced him as the First Seat of the Prajna Hall. The other was the formidable figure who had just suppressed his Buddhist voice.
Drawing on the Hanging Temple's intelligence, the pale-faced monk matched the description at once.
"Eastern Desolation powerhouse, Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen?"
Luo Chen looked at them from afar and offered a faint smile. "It seems my reputation precedes me if even the long-secluded Hanging Temple knows my background."
The pale-faced monk shook his head. "Benefactor bore the name of a benevolent gentleman. Why aid a villain? You previously helped the great demon Qingshuang break free, and now you seek to meddle in our Buddhist sect's internal affairs?"
With his hands behind his back, Luo Chen walked out of the pavilion, radiating the bearing of a grandmaster.
"I was entrusted by someone and must fulfill my word!"
"You alone cannot stop us," the pale-faced monk said dismissively, shifting his gaze to the golden-robed man. "Benefactor Liansheng, do you intend to stop us, or assist us?"
Liansheng?
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow.
So that was Dafan Tianzi's true name.
Behind him, Dafan Tianzi, the foremost powerhouse of Monan, wore a helpless look.
"Buddhist matters should be settled by Buddhists. I shall neither assist nor interfere."
With that, he cupped his hands toward Luo Chen.
"My apologies, Fellow Daoist!"
Without looking back, Luo Chen gave an acknowledging hum.
"Go ahead! With me here, they will not cross this threshold!"
As he spoke, his right hand drooped, and a blood-red longsword slowly manifested.
Dafan Tianzi cast a wary glance at the crimson blade and stepped back slowly.
In the distance, the pale-faced monk pursed his lips tightly.
"A demonic sword!"
"Benefactor has truly fallen far. You commit demonic deeds and wield a bloodstained demonic blade. Given time, you will inevitably bring calamity to the world!
"In that case, we shall invite you back to the Hanging Temple along with the rest!"
With a wave of his hand, the monks behind him flew toward Luo Chen.
Moreover, their flight paths grew profoundly intricate and arcane.
Luo Chen's relaxed expression vanished. Guided by his Scarlet Eyes and Golden Pupils, he abruptly perceived a dramatic shift in the flow of heaven-and-earth spiritual energy.
A reminder sounded beside his ear.
"That is the Hanging Temple's renowned Arhat Grand Formation. Be careful, Fellow Daoist!"
It was Dafan Tianzi.
Though he said no more, the four words "Arhat Grand Formation" were enough.
The formation's name sounded common enough; variations of it were even spread through the mortal world.
Yet its true power was worlds apart.
Based on groups of nine and centered on the twelve earthly branches, it embodied the changes of yin and yang and encompassed the five elements. Once formed, it flowed seamlessly, almost entirely devoid of flaws.
In its variations, its strikes were marvelous and unpredictable.
In its contraction and expansion, the formation could adapt to any scale.
Furthermore, the more people involved, the greater its might.
An Eighteen Arhat Formation assembled from ordinary Golden Core monks was enough to threaten a Nascent Soul cultivator.
If constructed with Nascent Soul cultivators as its foundation, its might was unimaginable.
Rumor had it that the Hanging Temple had maintained its one hundred and eight seats of eminent monks precisely in hopes of fielding a One Hundred and Eight Arhat Grand Formation.
If formed by one hundred and eight Nascent Soul monks, it would be akin to a peak Arhat walking the earth, completely unstoppable in this realm!
Of course, across the entire Mountain Sea Realm, only the past Tianyuan Dao Sect had ever possessed such a reserve.
With the Hanging Temple's current heritage, it was far from capable of assembling an Arhat Grand Formation of one hundred and eight Nascent Souls.
Even seventy-two would be a stretch.
This time, to reclaim the Glazed Pure Land, they had deployed their most suitable thirty-six eminent monks—every one of them a Nascent Soul cultivator!
Above all, the First Seats of the eight courts leading them were figures comparable to Great Cultivators.
With them at the core, the Thirty-Six Arhat Grand Formation might not be invincible, but it was already potent enough to threaten a Soul Formation existence.
Luo Chen's mastery of formations was profound, and his knowledge was vast. The moment Dafan Tianzi named the formation, all relevant information surfaced in his mind.
His brows furrowed deeply.
Against thirty-six eminent monks, including the First Seats of the eight courts, he had absolute confidence in single combat.
If they formed an ordinary array, he was equally confident in breaking through, giving himself a seventy-to-thirty chance of victory.
Thirty percent for the enemy, seventy for him!
Yet against the Hanging Temple's most famous Arhat Grand Formation, Luo Chen's confidence took a sharp hit.
Thirty-six eminent monks... that number was truly ominous.
In the past, the Mingyuan Sect had relied on thirty-six Nascent Soul True Persons—including six Great Cultivators, among them Castellan Lingtian—to form the Grand Heavenly Stars Formation and subdue Immortal Qinghe by force.
Could he compare to the spiritualized Soul Formation entity Immortal Qinghe?
Luo Chen braced himself as if facing a mortal threat!
Just as his dharmic power circulated, his divine sense twitched slightly. He pivoted and slashed downward with his sword.
*Shhh!*
Sword light erupted violently, accompanied by a scream from behind.
"Ah!"
It was the leader of the Tuluo Sangha!
Before he could even act, having merely shown a sliver of hostility and intent to move, he was struck by a thunderous blow that left him no chance to resist.
In his place remained only a deep gouge in the earth and a corpse cleaved in two.
Xiao Yan and Tapo stood dumbfounded to either side, their eyes filled with horror.
That sword strike...
"Courting death!"
Luo Chen snorted coldly. Facing a mighty enemy, how could he tolerate petty scum lurking at his back?
From the Moonlight Glazed Grand Hall behind him came a sigh.
In the end, the leader of the Tuluo Sangha's life could not be spared.
Luo Chen did not look back, stating coldly, "A bodhisattva's heart must still wield thunderous methods. To deliver the living, compassion alone is not enough. Master Xuan Du, in this battle, I cannot hold back as I did before."
As he spoke, he slowly rose into the sky. His long hair, bound by the Mountain Peace Crown, drifted in the absence of wind, making him resemble a star of slaughter descended to the mortal realm.
Having slain one man, any hesitation toward the Arhat Grand Formation vanished from his heart, replaced entirely by peerless, unfettered killing intent!
Witnessing Luo Chen's brutal act, the monks of the Hanging Temple were enraged.
"Such a demonic fiend cannot be delivered, nor can he be forgiven!"
Luo Chen was completely unfazed. Being called a demon was nothing new; he had once held the Daoist title of Demonic Lord Qingyang.
His answer to the monks of the Hanging Temple was a single sword strike!
The Yuantu Sword, bordering on the rank of a spirit treasure, was primed and ready. Drawing upon heaven-and-earth spiritual energy, it slashed out a heaven-rending rainbow that tore through the sky.
He intended to strike down one or two weaker monks before the Arhat Grand Formation could fully coalesce.
Under his Scarlet Eyes and Golden Pupils, nothing could stay hidden.
A Nascent Soul monk with the weakest dharmic fluctuations bore the brunt of the assault!
Faced with the strike, the monk showed shock, but no fear. He simply pushed forward with a flat palm.
The rainbow of sword qi collided with that plain palm strike in an instant.
The bloodstained demonic energy was fierce and overbearing, as if capable of sundering anything.
Yet the Buddhist palm was balanced and peaceful, unyielding as an immoveable mountain.
Upon impact—
*Boom!*
The rainbow of sword qi slowly dissipated.
The bodies of the thirty-six eminent monks shuddered slightly, but they remained unharmed.
The pale-faced monk—the First Seat of the Prajna Hall—curled his lips into a faint smile.
"You possess some discernment, trying to slay one of us first to disrupt the formation. Unfortunately, we were already prepared. The Thirty-Six Arhat Grand Formation stands ever ready. Mara, surrender without resistance!"
As he spoke, thirty-four figures dispersed, casting a vast net toward Luo Chen.
Only the First Seats of the Prajna Hall and the Bodhidharma Court remained toward the rear.
The other six First Seats fully integrated themselves into the formation.
Luo Chen had nowhere to dodge and nowhere to retreat.
For the Moonlight Glazed Grand Hall stood directly behind him.
Nor did he wish to retreat!
With his current strength, he could roam wherever he pleased under the heavens. Yet if he wished to reclaim his life soul from the Tianyuan Dao Sect, he would inevitably confront a Soul Formation grandmaster.
Was he a match for a Soul Formation grandmaster right now?
Luo Chen did not know. But this Thirty-Six Arhat Grand Formation, capable of rivaling a Soul Formation existence, would serve as a fine touchstone.
"Then let this seat witness what you are made of!"
Amidst booming laughter, Luo Chen stepped into the formation with complete composure.
Chapter 990