"That sounds pretty useful."
Kongwu hurriedly spoke.
"As long as you spare my life, I can..."
Chen Changqing raised his sword.
"Too bad I don't trust bald donkeys."
Rujie's eyes snapped open.
"Chen Changqing!"
"Insult him all you like, but don't drag this poor monk into it!"
Sword light descended.
Kongwu's demonic soul was swallowed by lightning and fire.
The Demon Buddha from thirty thousand years ago vanished for good.
The demonic energy that had weighed down the cavern for thirty thousand years was mostly shredded by the sword domain, while the rest was drawn back into the Tianyin Buddha Bone.
Only the ruined base remained of the enormous Buddha statue.
The four manifestations returned behind Chen Changqing, then dissolved into light and faded away.
Chen Changqing sheathed his sword and exhaled.
This battle had been far from easy.
Kongwu must have been immensely powerful at his peak.
Had he not been suppressed for thirty thousand years and only just broken free of the seal, Chen Changqing would probably have needed to play more of his hidden cards.
The Buddha Bone before Rujie's chest suddenly blazed with light.
The Tiger-Taming Arhat's dharma manifestation slowly appeared behind him, then lowered its head and bowed to the Buddha Bone.
The old monk Huiming trembled all over with excitement at the sight.
"The patriarch's inheritance has acknowledged the Buddha's chosen."
Rujie had yet to speak.
An aged voice suddenly rang out from the Buddha Bone.
"Disciples of Tianyin Temple, heed my command."
"Whoever bears the Buddha Bone shall be the next abbot of Tianyin Temple."
Rujie froze.
Chen Changqing looked at him.
"Congratulations."
Rujie turned his head, his neck stiff.
"Is it too late for this poor monk to put the Buddha Bone back?"
The Buddha Bone trembled gently.
A ray of golden