The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS-Chapter 1231 - 256: Battle Between Buddha and Demon

Zhang Yuanfeng's capture was only the beginning.

With the Thunder Blade, Lin Zixiao surged with power like a tiger with wings, unstoppable in the battle against the Taoists. If not for the continuous support from White Jade City, Lin Zixiao might have already breached East Province by now.

On the other hand, Yanmo Hanba led the Demon Army toward Ji Province, with their sights set on the reviving Buddhist Sect.

Upon contact, the disparity was obvious.

The Buddhist Sect, having lost its elite in the battle at the Great Zen Temple, couldn't easily rise to match the Northern Zhou's cultivated Demon Army, even with the Buddha's presence.

In just three days, nearly ten thousand Buddhist disciples perished under the iron hooves of the Demon Army, while the casualties among believers were beyond counting.

Although Yanmo Hanba showed no interest in the weak, he didn't mind eradicating any obstacles. Any believer influenced by the Buddhist Sect to confront the Demon Army, regardless if they were citizens of Northern Zhou, met only one fate from Yanmo Hanba—death.

Sometimes, the sword and slaughter prove far more effective than laborious persuasion. Under the iron-fisted approach of the Demon Army, apart from a few fanatics, the rest dared not challenge the military might.

Of course, covert assistance still existed, but Yanmo Hanba paid it no mind.

With a hundred thousand demons storming Ji Province, relentless slaughter forced the leader of the Buddhist Sect, Buddha's Son, to reveal himself.

"Amitabha."

A figure sat cross-legged in mid-air, bathed in Buddha Light, descending before the Demon Army.

"Thieving bald monk from the Buddhist Sect!"

Sensing the powerful Buddha Energy, Yanmo Hanba approached with raging flames, causing the temperature to climb rapidly, wilting the grass beneath.

"Finally, a worthy opponent," Yanmo Hanba thought, eyeing the massive blade, eager for battle.

Until now, few Divinity Realm members of the Buddhist Sect stood against the journey to Ji Province, let alone Supreme Beings. Against the weak, Yanmo Hanba couldn't muster the spirit for battle unless they blocked his path.

Now that a Supreme from the Buddhist Sect appeared, how could he not be excited?

"What's your name, bald donkey?" Yanmo Hanba scrutinized the monk bathed in Buddha Light.

From that Buddha Light, he sensed a transcendental Buddha Energy, indicating this monk was no ordinary foe.

"This humble monk is Shi Jue," the monk appraised Yanmo Hanba in return. "And who might you be? Since when does Qing Yu have such a monster under his command?"

Yanmo Hanba had a triangular head, armored face, and blue-green skin, making "monster" a simple description.

Even martial artists cultivating the most sinister Demon Techniques rarely mutated to the extent of sprouting horns. This transcended the realm of the Human Race.

"Calling me a monster, and addressing my emperor by name..."

Yanmo Hanba spoke no more, unleashing the Yanmo Desolate God Slash with mountain-crushing force, "Die!"

Thus began an epic battle.

Yanmo Hanba wielded the purest Demon Dragon bloodline, so potent it deformed his body, nearly transforming his arm into a dragon claw. His corporeal strength surpassed ordinary Supremes.

With his body brimming with domineering Demonic Qi, he wreaked havoc on all before him.

Yet, Shi Jue, Qing Yu's old friend, was no easy adversary. Mastering the Buddha's Four Holy Truths to a profound level, his rotating Buddha Wheel cycled through suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path, withstanding the intense Sword Force.

"Evil God Slash."

Yanmo Hanba swung his blade ferociously, yet another shadow emerged as a blade struck from the side.

An uncanny move, in stark contrast to his usual domineering style, highlighted its sinister cruelty.

Shi Jue raised his palm in defense, its radiant gold resisting the Yonmo Desolate God Slash, igniting fierce sparks upon collision.

"Buddha and I are one, heaven and earth acknowledge supreme."

As one palm blocked the Demon Sword, the other hand formed seals and passed incantations, revealing a colossal Buddha's appearance, pressing downward with a Buddha Palm.

"Desolate God Flames."

Yanmo Hanba retaliated with fierce Fire Power, dragon-claw-like arms rising to meet the Buddha Palm, his frenzied flames clashing viciously with the Buddha Energy.

Both were extraordinary beings, Yanmo Hanba's body transformed by the War Beast Sky Slaughter, fiercely resilient and supremely domineering.

Shi Jue's "Buddha-Self Supreme Skill" borrowed the Buddha's power, elevating the Heart Zen Immortal Skill to an unprecedented level. His Buddha Body, undying, directly battled the demon body.

Their fierce battle, fiery energy scouring heavens and earth, Buddha Light radiating in all directions, with the shockwaves forcing both the Demon Army and Buddhist disciples to retreat further and further away.

This battle, too, was observed by Qing Yu through Yanmo Hanba's eyes, manifesting as a vision in the Taiji Palace.

"Shi Jue, I remember when Xinyuan emerged from his body, spiritual sense entering the Demon Buddha body, drawing his physical form into the Pure Land. I didn't expect him to revive again."

Qing Yu studied this old friend, murmuring.

Xinyuan had seized Shi Jue's body; logically, he shouldn't have had any chance of survival. Usually, save for a few exceptional constitutions capable of hosting dual souls, even if dual souls coexist peacefully, a phenomenon of assimilation often occurs.

Much like a big fish consuming a small fish, a stronger Divine Soul assimilates a weaker one, unless the stronger willingly relinquishes all resistance, allowing itself to be assimilated.

With Xinyuan's powerful soul, Shi Jue had no chance to resist and should've been assimilated.

But now he's revived again, truly astonishing.

"It seems the Buddha intervened to resurrect Shi Jue's Divine Soul. The Buddha's expertise in Divine Soul is indeed impressive," Qing Yu speculated.

Though Buddhist body cultivation techniques were unparalleled, the Buddhist Sect regarded the body merely as a mere shell.

Buddhist martial arts emphasized spiritual transcendence and cognitive enlightenment.

Purely body cultivation within the Buddhist Sect typically resulted in a status no higher than Dharma Protector Vajra or Golden Arhat.

"Buddha-Self Supreme Skill and the Buddha's Four Holy Truths..."

Qing Yu immediately communicated to Yanmo Hanba: [Capture him.]

Receiving the command, Yanmo Hanba's Demon Essence surged, and his aura rose once more, "Reverse True Scripture."

The explosive cultivation technique dramatically increased his power, Yanmo Desolate God Slash slashing with boundless demonic might, "Desolate God Tyranny."

The ghostly green Sword Force slashed at the Buddha's Son, and where it passed, the Sword Force's dominance splintered even the Undying Golden Body with countless cracks.

"Hah!"

Shi Jue roared, raising the Buddha Energy again, yet still struggled against the fierce tyrant blade, blood trickling from the corners of his lips, forced to step back under the pressure of the blade.

"Boom—"

Shi Jue, pressed by the Demon Sword, crashed into the ground, forming a massive pit, his feet slowly sinking into the earth.

He was about to reach his limit.

But just then, the Buddha's appearance reappeared, pointing to the sky and earth, infinite majesty pressed down.

Heaven and earth, I alone am supreme.

Though the Buddha's appearance was silent, all who saw it understood its intent. Observing the once-dominant Yanmo Hanba suffered a tremendous shock, his form quaked, falling back and stamping several pits into the ground.