Ling Yi, Li Yanshen, and Zhou Luochen exchanged glances and nodded slightly.
"Fellow Daoist Gu," Ling Yi said gravely, "the three of us will test this demon's capabilities for you first."
Gu Yuanqing actually wanted to say there was no need for such trouble, but all three looked prepared to face death without flinching. In the end, he merely nodded.
Very well, he thought. The safety of the entire Nine Domains Divine Continent is at stake, after all. Besides, this demon has treasures on him. I might as well be cautious, lest I actually let him escape. Not only would I lose face, but my good intentions would lead to disaster, and I'd earn a reputation for arrogance.
Ling Yi, Li Yanshen, and Zhou Luochen wore deeply solemn expressions.
The Immaculate Zen Forest naturally knew the most about this demon's origins, but they had also learned something from ancient records. Back then, he had unleashed countless storms of blood and slaughter. So many sects had perished at his hands. Only by gathering almost every expert in the Cultivation World and drawing upon their respective sects' reserves had they managed to seal him away.
The demon might have been imprisoned within a Buddhist formation, his body pinned by the Nine-Ring Monk’s Staff.
But clearly, these formations and Dharma Treasures could no longer suppress him fully, allowing his power to seep out.
He might have looked utterly wretched beneath the Buddha light, but the damage it actually inflicted was limited.
Although Buddha light countered demonic qi, the two powers were ultimately an entire tier apart. It could hardly harm the demon at his core.
His power, meanwhile, had long since seeped into these Buddhist Formations.
Ling Yi struck first. The Nine Heavens Sword rang as it left its sheath, carrying incomparably fierce