The moment he took that step, everyone saw a phantom suddenly appear behind him.
It was a golden-bodied Buddha, a hundred zhang tall, its features seventy percent similar to Blood Chan Zi's.
There was a bloodstain between its brows and a faint smile on its lips. One hand formed the Fearless Seal, while the other hung at its side, gripping a Blood-Colored Ring Blade taller than Blood Chan Zi himself.
The Buddha phantom moved when Blood Chan Zi took his second step.
The hand forming the Fearless Seal lowered, and its fingers bent as it tapped its chest three times.
With each tap, a wheel of blood-red Buddha light unfurled behind the phantom.
Layer upon layer of Buddha light spread outward from behind the Buddha's head, shrouding the entire Arena in a heavy, dark crimson.
That blood-colored Buddha light was neither warm nor gentle. Every strand that fell upon the ground seemed to carry tangible weight, pressing the Gold-Patterned Restriction into emitting faint, fragmented hums.
Blood Slaughter stood within that blood-colored Buddha light, and the blood plasma covering his heavy armor began to stir restlessly.
The blood plasma that had originally flowed slowly abruptly accelerated, following the patterns of his armor as it gathered toward Blood Slaughter's right hand.
The blood plasma wound around the Double-Edged Great Axe in his hand, layer by layer wrapping the fine bloody lines across its surface. The axe blade, already gleaming with a cold light, turned a near-black dark red after being soaked in blood plasma.
"False compassion."
Blood Slaughter spoke, his voice filtered through his faceplate until it sounded dull as a drum.
"Every monk Laozi has seen either chants Buddha's name or kills people."
"You chant Buddha's name while killing people. You've put on quite a convincing act."
The instant his words