His words fell, and a Buddhist chant rose.
The golden light that had wrapped around the Nine-Phoenix Demon Lord like an egg began to grow and spread.
As it expanded across hundreds of miles, it shut out the Southern Ming Separation Fire and formed a small world of its own.
A rift appeared in that world. A hand, pale and tender as jade, reached through, gripped an edge sharp enough to slice stars apart, and pulled the rift open.
Crested Ibis sensed something amiss within the Southern Ming Separation Fire. At a thought, the flames of the Bright Illumination sun that covered five million miles parted, forming a passage straight to its core.
She followed the passage to the heart of the fire and found that the sun's core, where the heat should have burned all things to ash, now held a field of golden light spanning hundreds of miles.
That golden light had blocked her Southern Ming Separation Fire. That golden light had protected the Nine-Headed Insect!
Crested Ibis raised a hand and drew in the streaming flames on either side, condensing strands of Southern Ming Separation Fire into swords. With a casual gesture, ten thousand blades tore through the void.
Just as they were about to pierce the golden light, a Buddhist invocation rang out.
A hand thrust out from the light and stopped the fiery swords. Then came a voice of gentle admonition: "Benefactor, show mercy where you can."
Crested Ibis gave a cold laugh. "Show mercy where I can? Which Venerable of the Buddhist Sect stands before me? Why won't you show your face?"
"Alas."
A soft sigh sounded, and a figure stepped out of the golden light.
Crested Ibis looked up. The monk wore white robes, with a crimson mark between his brows. He was