Chaos Bead Traps Maitreya Buddha, Saints' Thoughts Suppress Longevity Mountain

Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain; the front hall had already turned into a chaotic killing ground!

Twelve Great Evolution Chaos Formation Flags sealed the four directions, rolling gray mist obscuring vision, distorting divine sense, and suppressing laws. The Fan Tian Yin, wielded by Guangchengzi, smashed into the Chaos, disappearing like a clay ox entering the sea, making it impossible to lock onto a target, its power greatly diminished. The golden array of Buddha light, laid out by the Western Bodhisattvas and Arhats, was also eroded and worn down by the pervasive Chaos energy, its radiance dimming.

"Fellow Daoists, guard your minds and do not be deceived by this villain's formation! Break it with force!" Guangchengzi, both shocked and enraged, shouted loudly, directing the immortals of the Chan Teachings to form a battle array, attempting to forcibly tear apart the Chaos with their immense magical power.

On the other side, Maitreya Buddha's expression was also grave, his smile gone. Golden lotuses bloomed beneath his feet, and the Buddha Palm Kingdom in his hand desperately expanded, yet it could not dispel the surrounding chaotic mist. The wisps of Chaos energy even began to erode his pure land of the Buddha Palm Kingdom, causing the illusory figures of chanting monks within to continuously collapse.

"Well done, Tongtian! To possess such a devious formation!" Maitreya gritted his teeth, his apprehension towards Tongtian deepening.

As for Tongtian, he was in his element! Within this domain of Chaos that he had created himself, his perception was amplified to the extreme. His movements were like those of a phantom, and each appearance was accompanied by sharp Chaos sword qi!

His primary target was none other than Maitreya!

"Maitreya! Accept your death!"

With a cold shout, Tongtian stepped out from the chaotic mist, his fingers forming a sword. A gray sword qi, condensed to its peak, tore through space and lunged directly at Maitreya's face! This strike not only contained the immense magical power of a late-stage perfected Quasi-Saint but also carried the unique will of the Great Dao of Chaos to destroy all laws!

Maitreya felt a sense of great terror and destruction wash over him, his entire body's Buddha light freezing. He let out a strange cry, abandoning all pretense of composure, and hurled the seemingly unremarkable cloth bag in his hand into the air!

"Human Seed Bag, collect!" The cloth bag grew larger as it flew, its opening emitting a terrifying suction force, attempting to draw Tongtian and the Chaos sword qi into the bag! This was an Innate Spiritual Treasure bestowed by Saint Zhunti, possessing infinite power!

However, a mocking smile played on Tongtian's lips.

"A mere firefly dares to shine?"

He didn't dodge or evade. The Chaos Bead above his head vibrated, showering down billions of strands of even denser Chaos energy. The terrifying suction force acted upon the Chaos energy, yet it couldn't budge it in the slightest! The Chaos sword qi, sharp and unparalleled, pierced directly through the treasure light emanating from the Human Seed Bag!

Shriiiik! Although the sword qi's power was greatly weakened, it still fiercely struck Maitreya's hastily erected Buddha light shield!

Boom!

The shield vibrated violently, and Maitreya stumbled backward, his face paling. He had clearly suffered a slight loss.

"How is this possible?!" Maitreya was horrified. His Human Seed Bag had failed? Was the opponent's Chaos supreme treasure so overbearing?

He didn't know that the Chaos Bead possessed an extremely high status. Even as a fragment, it was not comparable to ordinary Innate Spiritual Treasures, especially within this Chaos Array Formation, where it was like a tiger with wings!

"Form the Myriad Buddhas Paying Homage Array!" Maitreya urgently commanded the Bodhisattvas and Arhats behind him.

The disciples of the Western Teachings immediately recited true scriptures, and streams of Buddha light converged, intending to form a powerful Buddha array.

But how could Tongtian give them the opportunity?

"Chaos Chains!" With a thought, countless gray chains made of Chaos energy condensed within the formation, coiling like venomous snakes towards the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, disrupting their formation and continuously devouring their Buddha power!

For a time, the Western Teachings' formation was in disarray!

On the other side, Guangchengzi's eyes flashed with a sharp glint upon seeing this. He stopped trying to break the formation and instead gave a look to Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren, and the others beside him, secretly bringing out another treasure—an ancient bronze mirror!

The Demon Mirror? No! This mirror was bestowed by Venerable Lord of Primordial Beginning and specialized in countering souls and True Spirits! Its target was not Tongtian, but Old Ancestor Hongyun, who had been standing beside Zhen Yuanzi with a shifting expression!

Guangchengzi actually intended to take advantage of the chaos to forcibly "awaken," or rather, "stimulate" Hongyun, making him completely fall to the Western Teachings, or even attack Zhen Yuanzi!

A formless, intangible beam of mirror light silently shone towards Hongyun!

However, just as the mirror light was about to reach him—

Zhen Yuanzi, who had been watching coldly, let out a cold snort, his feet pausing slightly!

Buzz! The power of the earth veins of the entire Longevity Mountain surged forth, and a majestic and heavy essence of Wutu rose from the ground, forming a barrier that instantly blocked in front of Hongyun, nullifying the mirror light!

"Guangchengzi! How dare you employ such insidious tricks in my temple!" Zhen Yuanzi's face was as dark as water. A book radiating a heavy yellow light was already in his hand—the Earthly Fetus Membrane, the Earth Book!

With the Earth Book's appearance, the entire Wuzhuang Temple seemed to merge with the earth, becoming as solid as gold! The Chaos Array Formation even resonated with it, becoming more stable!

Guangchengzi's expression changed. He hadn't expected Zhen Yuanzi to be so decisive and directly bring out the Earth Book! With the Earth Book's blessing, it was almost impossible for him to tamper with things secretly.

Old Ancestor Hongyun was startled by the mirror light and then saw Zhen Yuanzi step forward to protect him. A hint of clarity and struggle flashed in his eyes, but it was soon suppressed by the golden Buddha light deep within his eyes, leaving him somewhat dazed.

The hall descended into chaos. The Chaos Formation Flags trapped the enemies, Tongtian focused his attack on Maitreya, Zhen Yuanzi held the formation with the Earth Book, while Guangchengzi and the other Chan Teachings immortals, along with the remaining disciples of the Western Teachings, were struggling to cope with the Chaos Chains and the shifting formation.

It seemed Tongtian's side had the upper hand!

But Tongtian felt no relief. He knew that the real threat had never been the people in the hall! It was the Saint's Will, hanging high in the nine heavens, coldly "watching" this place!

The reason he struck first and trapped Maitreya was to force the Saint behind him to intervene! Only when the Saint made a move could he use the power of the Chaos Bead and the Earth Book to execute the "Substitute Peach for Plum" plan!

"Maitreya! Is this all you've got? The Western Teachings are nothing more than this!" Tongtian deliberately taunted, his attacks intensifying. The Chaos Bead sometimes transformed into a sword, sometimes into a seal, and sometimes it drew upon the power of the formation, forcing Maitreya into a desperate situation. His golden lotuses dimmed, and his monk's robe was torn in several places.

"Tongtian! Do not be so arrogant!" Maitreya was so enraged that his three corpses were about to explode. He could no longer maintain his smile and frantically called out to his master in his heart.

Just as Maitreya was about to be struck by a bolt of Chaos lightning! Boom! An indescribably vast and majestic Saintly Might descended fiercely! It was not a true body, but a condensed Saint's Will, yet it was like the heavens collapsing, carrying the supreme power of the Heavenly Dao's laws, and it pressed down heavily on Tongtian's Chaos Array!

The first to bear the brunt were the twelve Chaos Formation Flags!

Crack! Crack! The formation flags trembled violently, emitting groans of unbearable strain, and cracks instantly appeared! The entire Chaos Array shook violently, the mist churning, as if it would collapse at any moment!

Saint Zhunti had intervened!

Tongtian grunted, feeling the terrifying pressure of the Saintly Might, but his eyes erupted with astonishing brilliance!

This was the moment! Without hesitation, he unleashed the "Substitute Puppet" he had prepared long ago! At the same time, he fully activated the Chaos Bead and the Earth Book!

"Chaos Infinite, Stars Shifting and Constellations Changing!"

Buzz! The Chaos Bead shone brightly, instantly connecting with the majestic power of the earth veins drawn by the Earth Book, and also mobilizing all the residual energy of the Chaos Array that was on the verge of shattering!

A blinding pillar of Chaos light shot up into the sky, instantly tearing through the collapsing array and even briefly interfering with the Saint's Will's lock!

Under the cover of that dazzling light, the substitute puppet, infused with most of Tongtian's aura, transformed into a stream of light and madly fled towards the outside of Wuzhuang Temple! Its aura, its appearance, were no different from Tongtian's, and it carried a sense of "panicked escape"!

"Trying to run?!" From high above, Saint Zhunti's icy snort echoed. That Saint's Will instantly locked onto the "escaping" substitute puppet, transforming into an invisible giant hand of law, crossing space, and grabbing fiercely!

Meanwhile, the real Tongtian, seizing this fleeting opportunity, perfectly concealed all his aura with the Chaos Bead. Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, he quietly hid within the deepest layer of defense constructed by the Earth Book and the Longevity Mountain's earth veins, disappearing completely!

All of this happened in the blink of an eye!

The immortals in the hall only saw the Chaos Great Formation suddenly explode, then a figure of "Tongtian" fleeing in panic outside the temple. Immediately after, Saintly Might descended, and a terrifying giant hand reached for that figure!

"Master has made his move!" Maitreya rejoiced.

"Tongtian, don't you dare run!" Guangchengzi also shouted fiercely.

However, the next moment, the giant hand of law firmly grasped "Tongtian," but the instant it made contact, Saint Zhunti sensed something was wrong!

"A fake?!" Bang! The substitute puppet exploded, scattering into pure Chaos energy. Although it didn't harm the Saint's Will, it had thoroughly tricked a Saint!

"Scoundrel!" From beyond the nine heavens, Saint Zhunti's enraged voice could be faintly heard. He had been deceived by a Quasi-Saint using a trick!

Everyone in the hall was stunned!

Maitreya's smile froze on his face, and Guangchengzi's expression solidified.

He escaped? Right under a Saint's nose, in such an unbelievable manner?!

And in this brief moment when Saint Zhunti's Will was diverted—Lu Ya Daojun, who had been sitting quietly in a corner as if he had no stake in the matter, had his eyes flash with sharp light!

What an opportunity!

His target had never been Tongtian, nor any grievances. It was that—Ginseng Fruit Tree!

He moved like a phantom, ignoring the residual chaotic energy in the hall, and instantly appeared in the backyard. He raised his hand and grabbed for the most plump and crystalline fruit on the Ginseng Fruit Tree!

At the same time, he produced the Immortal Slaying Flying Knife with his other hand. It wasn't meant to kill, but to sever the trace of origin energy connecting the fruit tree to the earth's spiritual脉! He intended to forcibly take the fruit and seize a trace of innate wood spirit origin!

"Lu Ya! How dare you!" Zhen Yuanzi was both shocked and furious. Most of his attention was focused on controlling the Earth Book to resist the Saintly Might from earlier. He never expected Lu Ya to suddenly attack, and his target was directly aimed at his lifeblood!

The Earth Book glowed with intense yellow light, attempting to intervene.

But Lu Ya had planned for a long time, and his speed was too great! Just as the Immortal Slaying Flying Knife was about to sever the connection to the spiritual脉!

At this moment, another change occurred! Deep beneath Wuzhuang Temple, where Tongtian's true body was located, he clearly perceived Lu Ya's actions and his true objective through the Chaos Bead!

"So it was you, you feathered beast, causing trouble!" Tongtian's eyes flashed with cold light.

Although he shouldn't reveal himself now, how could he allow Lu Ya to succeed? Moreover, it was the perfect time to owe Zhen Yuanzi a favor!

Without hesitation, he activated the Chaos Bead, drawing out a trace of the pure demonic energy he had previously absorbed from that One-Eyed Demon God. Mixed with a bolt of Chaos lightning, it struck Lu Ya fiercely through the earth's layers!

This strike was not intended to harm the enemy, but to obstruct!

Boom crack! A strange bolt of Chaos lightning, mixed with dark purple demonic energy, struck the Immortal Slaying Flying Knife without warning, hitting it precisely!

Clang! The Immortal Slaying Flying Knife was knocked askew, failing to strike the vital point of the spiritual meridian! Lu Ya Daojun was caught off guard, his movements faltered, and a trace of shock and disbelief flashed in his eyes! This aura was Chaos mixed with demonic energy? What was going on?!

With this delay, Zhen Yuanzi's Earth Book power had already completely enveloped the Ginseng Fruit Tree, protecting it firmly!

"Lu Ya! Get out of here, Daoist!" Zhen Yuanzi was enraged. The Earth Book unfurled, and the surging power of the earth veins pressed down on Lu Ya like a landslide and tsunami!

Seeing that his plan had failed, Lu Ya's face turned ashen. He cast a hateful glance at the ground below, then a wary glance at the sky above. With a cold snort, he transformed into a rainbow and instantly fled, without any hesitation.

At this time, Saint Zhunti's enraged Will descended again, only to find that Tongtian had already vanished without a trace. All that remained was the devastated hall, the stunned immortals, and Zhen Yuanzi with a grim expression.

His Saint's Will swept across Longevity Mountain, but due to the Earth Book's obstruction, he could no longer find any trace of Tongtian.

"Zhen Yuanzi! You—" Saint Zhunti's voice carried suppressed rage.

"Saint!" Zhen Yuanzi interrupted unceremoniously, holding the Earth Book with a cold expression. "Today is my Daoist's fruit gathering. Your disciples came uninvited, disrupted the feast, and even attempted to forcibly seize the spiritual root. Do you truly think Longevity Mountain can be bullied? If you wish to fight, this Daoist will see it through to the end!"

He had directly torn off the pretense and pointed the spearhead at the Western Teachings and Chan Teachings! With the Earth Book in hand and relying on Longevity Mountain's earth veins, he had the confidence to briefly confront a Saint!

Saint Zhunti fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, that Saint's Will slowly retreated, leaving behind only a cold parting remark: "You'd best take care of yourselves!"

The Saintly Might dissipated, and silence fell upon the hall.

Maitreya, Guangchengzi, and the others had extremely grim expressions. After planning for so long, mobilizing such a large force, and even drawing a Saint's intervention, they had ended up like this! Tongtian had escaped, Lu Ya had disrupted the plan, Zhen Yuanzi had turned hostile, and they had gained nothing, only to make a great enemy!

A meticulously planned "Hongmen Banquet" had ended in such a disastrous and unexpected manner.

And at this moment, the true protagonist, Tongtian, was hidden deep underground, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Step one, accomplished."

His gaze had already shifted towards the turbulent Heavenly River.

Next, it was time to collect some interest.