The enormous black shadow behind Mozhu took shape at last.
The Evil Breath Construct stood more than ten meters tall. It opened its maw in a soundless roar.
The pressure it unleashed alone cracked the surrounding bluestone ground into a dense web of fractures.
Whole swaths of bamboo forest turned to ash in an instant.
"Die!"
Mozhu roared and slammed both hands downward.
The shadow behind him crashed toward Yixiu with world-ending force.
The air hissed as it corroded in its path. Even space seemed to warp.
Yixiu's expression grew grave.
He held nothing back.
Gripping the Black Iron Zen Spatula with both hands, he poured pure Breath Essence from his body.
A soft yet dazzling golden light spread across the spatula.
"Breath Essence: Dust Cleansing."
He spoke the four words softly.
Then he flicked the spatula upward.
There was no thunderous crash.
A crescent-shaped golden arc flew from the blade and struck the black shadow dead center.
The two forces collided.
Black Evil Breath and golden Breath Essence ate furiously into each other.
The hissing never stopped.
The ground around them shattered layer by layer beneath the pressure.
Yet Yixiu's strike still shielded the Zen Monastery's main hall below.
He forced every shockwave to remain within this stretch of the rear mountain.
Boom!
A muffled blast sounded.
The golden arc split the black shadow in two.
It dissolved into smoke and vanished.
Mozhu grunted and stumbled back three steps. A trickle of black blood escaped his lips.
But a crazed smile spread across his face.
"Good! That's some Dust Cleansing!"
"No wonder you're the Zen Monastery's once-in-a-century genius!"
"But do you think that means you've won?"
He stamped his foot.
All his remaining Evil Breath gathered in his palms.
His skin began to shrivel, and his hair whitened before