High above, Zhunti's normally gentle, compassionate face stiffened.
The serene face of the sage, who had always seemed untouched by worldly turmoil, twitched beyond his control!
A junior Quasi-Saint had exposed his old tricks before everyone and called him shameless. Even Zhunti, patient and practiced at swallowing insults, felt anger and killing intent flash through his eyes.
But a sage's self-control ran deep. He forced the anger down in an instant and resumed his gentle, compassionate expression, as though Kong Xuan's rebuke had never reached his ears.
He spoke slowly. His Buddhist voice still echoed in every direction, warm on the surface but cold beneath:
"You misunderstand, young friend. We of Buddhism never speak falsely. The bonds ordained by the Heavenly Dao are fixed. You truly share a deep connection with the West."
The moment his words fell—
Boom!
The skies of the Nine Heavens split apart!
Golden light blazed around Zhunti, and the sage's Dao Resonance, which he had kept in check, erupted in full!
His towering golden Dharma Image manifested in the void once more. It stood between heaven and earth as countless rays of Buddha Light descended, suppressing the Four Pillars and locking down the whole of Golden Rooster Ridge!
Boundless pressure from the sage bore down, forcing mountains to bow, rivers to halt, and the Myriad Spirits to prostrate themselves!
Before Kong Xuan could speak again, the void shook!
An enormous hand spanning a thousand miles thrust from the palm of the towering Dharma Image, formed entirely of concentrated golden Buddhist light and a sage's power!
Its palm pressed down upon the heavens. Its Dao Resonance of annihilation froze time and space. There was nothing subtle about it—only brute, tyrannical force!
With a sage's supreme authority behind it, the hand reached across the distance. Five mountain-like