A Formidable Physical Body, Eastern Sovereign's Final Arrangement

Chen Yang could not worry about that much. Controlling the World in the Palm, he condensed ten great suns and formed an array. "Golden Crow Formation, burn for me! Six-Eared Macaque, let's see how you escape..."

Indeed, Chen Yang's World in the Palm had transformed from the previous Five-Elements Grand Formation into the Golden Crow Formation. Ten great suns intertwined, forming searing Great Sun True Fire that incinerated the Six-Eared Macaque within.

At that moment, it was clear to see the Six-Eared Macaque inside the formation, gripping the As-You-Will Iron Staff and roaring, "Golden Crow bastard! Once I break out, I'll skin you alive and tear out your tendons..."

The Six-Eared Macaque roared, wielding the iron staff in his hand as he firmly protected the palace within the herb garden. Then he swept the staff out, intending to destroy the great suns.

No one knew how much time had passed. Perhaps three years, perhaps ten.

Chen Yang simply maintained the Golden Crow Formation and the World in the Palm, burning the Six-Eared Macaque within.

However, the Six-Eared Macaque was too powerful. Even now, he had not been refined. Instead, tempered by the Great Sun True Fire, he grew fiercer with every battle, smashing apart the Golden Crows formed from the flames.

"What cultivation does this Six-Eared Macaque actually possess? I've been burning and refining him with the Golden Crow Formation for so long, yet he still hasn't died. This is..."

Chen Yang was exhausted, and a trace of gravity appeared in his expression. He truly found this monkey terrifying.

What level of cultivation could withstand the Golden Crow Formation's burning for so many years? Although the Golden Crow Formation Chen Yang had condensed was somewhat lacking in power, the Great Sun True Fire was unquestionably flame from the Solar Star...

Despite his shock, Chen Yang could only give everything he had to refine this monkey.

However, a terrifying aura emerged from the formation.

The Six-Eared Macaque stood amid the flames, suddenly turning berserk. His body expanded, radiating an aura like that of ancient savagery.

"Roar... Heavenly Dharma Form..." The Six-Eared Macaque howled, his aura surging.

The Six-Eared Macaque unleashed the Heavenly Dharma Form. His body grew enormous, as did the As-You-Will Iron Staff in his hand.

At once, the Six-Eared Macaque roared furiously and swung his iron staff at the blazing great sun before him.

With a boom, one of the great suns Chen Yang had manifested was shattered. A single strike had destroyed a great sun, and the force of it sent Chen Yang's World in the Palm into collapse.

"What? Pfft..." Chen Yang spat blood, astonishment filling his face before he growled, "How does this monkey still have strength left..."

"Of course he has strength left. This Six-Eared Macaque's cultivation is higher than even your master's. How could he not have any strength left?" A deep voice sounded as a plump Daoist appeared.

Chen Yang looked toward the Daoist, delight appearing on his face. "Master, you finally came."

"Hmph. Brat, if I hadn't come, you would have lost your life." As Duobao spoke, he flicked his horsetail whisk, enveloping Chen Yang.

Chen Yang immediately felt relieved. The searing heat burning within him and all his previous exhaustion were completely restored. "Thank you, Master. This monkey..."

"That's enough. Take Yunxiao and the others to rest. Leave this Six-Eared Macaque to me. Still, you are quite bold, attacking a Quasi-Saint. It is already a blessing that you survived." Duobao spoke with a grave expression.

Chen Yang withdrew the World in the Palm. Hearing Duobao's words, he fell silent at once.

The Three Xiao were the same. They exchanged glances, all finding it unbelievable.

Chen Yang had wanted to ask, but Duobao had already charged out.

Duobao descended into the herb garden and swept his horsetail whisk, dispersing the lingering Great Sun True Fire. He looked toward the Six-Eared Macaque, who had returned to his ordinary form. "Six-Eared Macaque, it has been a long time."

"Duobao? It is you. What do you want..." The Six-Eared Macaque growled, his voice full of warning.

"I do not want anything. Coming here was merely a coincidence of fate. Still, I never expected the once-renowned Six-Eared Macaque to fall into such a state. The world is unpredictable. How tragic, how lamentable..." Duobao said with emotion.

"Duobao, I do not need your pity. I do not care what you intend to do. Leave this place at once, or I will fight you to the death." The Six-Eared Macaque issued a threat.

"Six-Eared Macaque... In your current state, how much longer can you persist? When Penglai was destroyed many years ago, you had already died." Duobao said thoughtfully.

"Bastard... Penglai was not destroyed. Penglai still exists. Duobao, you insult Penglai. I'll fight you to the death..." Upon hearing this, the Six-Eared Macaque raised his iron staff and attacked.

Duobao merely shook his head. With a flick of his horsetail whisk, he struck back with a Void Hand Seal. "Six-Eared Macaque... When Penglai was destroyed, your vitality was cut off as well. You are now merely a lingering obsession attached to the As-You-Will Iron Staff. Disperse..."

As he spoke, he manifested the Void Hand Seal and suppressed the Six-Eared Macaque before him.

The current Six-Eared Macaque had no ability to resist Duobao and was instantly suppressed.

Even so, the Six-Eared Macaque's fighting spirit remained. He roared, "Duobao, Penglai will never be destroyed. Never..."

"Alas... He is a pitiful one..." Duobao sighed, then used a mystical art to erase the final lingering obsession.

Buzz, buzz, buzz...

After the Six-Eared Macaque's lingering obsession vanished, a mournful cry came from the remaining As-You-Will Iron Staff.

It was the cry of the artifact spirit, mourning for its master. Shortly afterward, the artifact spirit's soaring battle intent faded away.

Spiritual treasures possessed spirits. Having followed the Six-Eared Macaque for so long, it had long since merged with his will.

Now that the Six-Eared Macaque had perished, the artifact spirit was unwilling to live on alone and thus extinguished its own consciousness.

Duobao shook his head slightly. "A loyal weapon indeed."

With that, Duobao shook his head and flicked his sleeve, tossing the weapon to the approaching Chen Yang.

Chen Yang caught the As-You-Will Iron Staff. Sensing that its artifact spirit had vanished and that it would take a long time for a new one to be born, he asked, "Master, what exactly is going on? Why was the Six-Eared Macaque a Quasi-Saint? And what was his connection to Penglai?"

"Disciple... These matters are now taboos of the Primordial World. The Six-Eared Macaque was one of the incarnations of the Chaos Demon Ape. In terms of aptitude, he far surpassed your master. Furthermore, the Six-Eared Macaque possessed an innate divine ability. Even without high cultivation or ever setting foot in Zixiao Palace, he could secretly listen to the teachings.

"That was why Dao Ancestor Hongjun once said, 'The Dharma shall not be passed to six ears.' Perhaps it was because of those words that the Zixiao Guests and many great powers of the Primordial World dared not teach the Six-Eared Macaque, leaving him unable to cultivate. Yet there was one person who did not care about this.

"That person was Eastern Sovereign..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang's expression changed. "So the Six-Eared Macaque had such a connection with Eastern Sovereign..."

Yunxiao was the same, her face filled with lingering fear and guilt. "Senior Brother Duobao... This was my fault. I brought my martial nephew into such danger. I..."

Duobao smiled as he stroked his beard. "Junior Sister Yunxiao, there is no need to be so polite. You had good intentions, and the appearance of the Six-Eared Macaque was an accident. Besides, Chen Yang has had things go too smoothly all the way until now. It is good for him to learn a lesson. More importantly, this place contains a great opportunity."

Hearing this, Yunxiao still looked guilty, but she felt much better.

Duobao flicked his horsetail whisk and looked at the palace before them. "Enough. Do not overthink it. Let us explore this opportunity first..."

Chen Yang nodded and looked toward the palace. "Master... The Six-Eared Macaque risked his life to protect this palace. It must conceal a great opportunity."

The Three Xiao thought so as well.

Duobao led the way, avoiding any traps. Yet after entering, they found no traps at all, only a battle intent and baleful aura rushing at them.

Within the baleful aura, Duobao produced a treasure that isolated the aura and illuminated the palace. The palace was vast and crisscrossed with passageways, looking like a beautiful garden.

However, at its core lay a body.

"Six-Eared Macaque..." Chen Yang could not help saying when he saw the body.

The body before them belonged to the Six-Eared Macaque.

The Six-Eared Macaque before them wore shattered armor, stained with essence blood that seemed as though it had only just been spilled. That blood radiated a formidable aura and clearly did not belong to any cultivator.

Beyond that, the Six-Eared Macaque's body was badly damaged, pierced through by countless weapons. Most terrifying of all, a longsword had pierced straight through his forehead.

Looking at this body, one could see how brutal the battle he endured before his death must have been.

Chen Yang knew that this was what the Six-Eared Macaque had experienced when Penglai was destroyed.

Even now, despite being so damaged, the Six-Eared Macaque's body still radiated an extremely terrifying battlefield baleful aura and majesty.

Seeing the body, Duobao was filled with emotion. "Alas... The Six-Eared Macaque once possessed peerless battle intent and was truly worthy of admiration. Even in death, he remained so unyielding."

Chen Yang stared at the Six-Eared Macaque's body, sensing the aura it emitted. "Master... This Six-Eared Macaque's body is so powerful. The aura released by his body alone is terrifying."

"The Six-Eared Macaque was also a body cultivator. Moreover, the body-refining art he cultivated was personally created for him by Eastern Sovereign and was no weaker than the Nine-Turn Profound Art of our Three Teachings. Through that body-refining art, his physical cultivation had approached Half-Step Primordial Unity. Yet in that final battle, he was ultimately defeated." Duobao sighed.

Yunxiao was also moved. "Senior Brother Duobao, is it not said that the Four Chaos Monkeys born from the Chaos Demon Ape are indestructible and immortal?"

"This indestructibility and immortality merely means rebirth through reincarnation. Whenever any one of the Four Chaos Monkeys is erased, the origin essence they carry gradually gathers again over time, merging into a newborn monkey or some innate spiritual object, where a new Four Chaos Monkey is nurtured. His lingering obsession has just dissipated, which means he has completely died, and his origin essence has scattered with it. After countless years, that origin essence will gather again and form a new generation of Six-Eared Macaque. The cycle repeats endlessly, reincarnation without end, indestructible and immortal." Duobao explained slowly.

"Master... Has the Six-Eared Macaque reincarnated many times?" Chen Yang asked.

"Yes. Since the birth of the Primordial World, countless eras have passed. According to what I have heard, during the ancient era, a Fighting Sage Ape once dominated for a time. Later, for various reasons, he fell and was reborn anew. Some once wished to use the Four Chaos Monkeys to uncover the past of the Primordial World. Unfortunately, the Four Chaos Monkeys' reincarnation is absolute. Every rebirth completely severs their ties to the previous generation. They have no memories and inherit nothing. They are entirely new beings." Duobao said seriously.

"So that is how it is. A new life... Then, Master, can the birth of the Six-Eared Macaque be controlled?" Chen Yang asked as he looked at the body.

Duobao looked at Chen Yang and stroked his beard. "What, do you wish to subdue the next generation of Six-Eared Macaque?"

Chen Yang smiled slightly. "After fighting the Six-Eared Macaque's lingering obsession just now, I understand how powerful he is. It would naturally be excellent if I could subdue a being of such aptitude."

"Good, good. That is what you think, and it is also what I think. Take away the Six-Eared Macaque's body and temper it with Great Sun True Fire. In the end, refine the Six-Eared Macaque's essence blood from it. Then use that essence blood to gradually gather the Six-Eared Macaque's origin essence. I estimate that after waiting several tens of thousands of years, you will see a new generation of Six-Eared Macaque born." Duobao said slowly.

Hearing this, Chen Yang said, "All right, then I will put away the Six-Eared Macaque's body first."

As he spoke, Chen Yang was about to use the Firmament Diagram to store the Six-Eared Macaque's body. Yet just as he prepared to do so, a faint aura emerged from within it.

That aura was vast and majestic, filled with tolerance and greatness.

At that moment, Duobao's expression turned grave. "Wait, this aura..."

Chen Yang's expression also became solemn as he sensed how terrifying it was. Looking closely, he discovered a strand of golden aura inside the Six-Eared Macaque's body.

That strand of aura was perfectly protected by the Six-Eared Macaque's body and nurtured by its origin aura.

Chen Yang stared at it and could not help guessing, "Master... Could this strand of aura belong to Eastern Sovereign..."