Feeling the lingering warmth in his hand, Chen Tong smiled gently at her. Then he looked up at the golden Buddha apparition and said calmly, "Tathagata! Make your move! Let me see what you're capable of."
"Impertinent!" Before Tathagata could speak, Anan and Ayou pressed their palms together. A golden Buddhist seal slammed down toward Chen Tong!
"Hmph!" Chen Tong focused his mind. He brought the index and middle fingers of his left hand together, forming a blue arrow of light that shot up to meet the descending seal.
Boom!! A massive shock wave shook the surroundings. The Buddhist seal and the blue arrow remained locked in a stalemate.
Chen Tong's eyes flashed with anger. "I can't beat Tathagata, but that doesn't mean I can't deal with you two!"
Blue flames flared in his eyes, and his aura surged. With a burst of force, the blue arrow shattered the Buddhist seal without warning and shot straight upward. Anan and Ayou kept their palms pressed together and braced themselves. Bang! A deafening crash sent them flying dozens of meters back. The blue arrow reached Tathagata's face in an instant, then dissolved into specks of light.
"Little friend, if you persist in your delusion, I'll have no choice but to act personally."
"Hmph!" Chen Tong scoffed. "Tathagata, I may not be able to beat you right now, but you won't have an easy time suppressing me."
"Is that so? Then let's find out!" Buddha's light surged, pressing down upon heaven and earth.
Chen Tong took a deep breath, then released Bing Lin's hand. He murmured, "Bing Lin, take that monkey and get out of here. Quickly."
"No!" Bing Lin shook her head anxiously and pleaded with Chen Tong. "If we leave, we leave together. If we stay, we stay together."
"That monkey