Credit!

"You're asking for death?"

A question, so calm it was almost indifferent, suddenly poured out into this boiling, chaotic, and collapsing world.

In an instant -

The wind has stopped.

The shattered spatial turbulence solidified.

The Dragon King's massive, agonizing body froze.

The Divine Ability of the clash between the True Lord and the Bodhisattva lingered in mid-air, flickering uncertainly.

That illusory figure standing with a sword was aloof and ethereal, as if it might vanish with the wind at any moment.

But it was this seemingly fragile figure.

At this moment, however, it exudes a terrifying sense of oppression that is purer, more essential, and more frightening than the figure of the World-Honored One sitting on a golden lotus, pointing to the sky and touching the earth!

Under this figure's questioning, the World-Honored One's figure, which had been shrouded in a soft halo and whose features were blurred, showed a noticeable change for the first time.

Those eyes, which were originally like something set in a painting, displaying only constant compassion and majesty, suddenly gained a "spirit."

It was an extremely subtle, yet incredibly clear, "rotation".

Like a stone statue that has been sleeping for eternity, it was infused with its first breath of life at this moment.

His gaze slowly shifted, landing on the illusory figure holding a sword just inches away.

There were no sparks, no roar.

Then, the World-Honored One's figure shifted slightly, and he spoke extremely slowly, "I—"

However, only half of the syllable was pronounced.

The illusory figure wielding the sword seemed to have no interest in even listening to the whole story.

His right hand, loosely clenched, didn't even show any obvious movement in his wrist; his fingertips just pressed down very slightly.

The three-foot-long green sword in his hand, composed entirely of light and shadow, suddenly shone brightly!

The next moment.

The green blade fell.

The movements are simple, direct, without any frills, and free and easy.

Like a woodcutter splitting a dry branch, or a painter erasing a flawed stroke.

The sword's edge traced an unremarkable arc before falling toward the World-Honored One's figure.

Time, at this moment, is both infinitely stretched and infinitely compressed.

All living beings, regardless of their cultivation level or whether they were at the heart of the battlefield or on the periphery, "saw" the trajectory of that sword strike.

They also "saw" what happened where the sword's edge touched.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

There was no earth-shattering energy impact.

There is only one kind—a silent "collapse".

Like a sandcastle collapsing, like a bubble bursting.

The figure of the World-Honored One Honored One, seated on a golden lotus and radiating supreme power, was erased like a pencil drawing wiped clean the moment the sword touched him.

From head to toe, it transforms from solid to void, from void to nothingness, dissipating inch by inch.

It didn't even make a sound.

Along with the twelve-petaled golden lotus phantom beneath it, it melted and vaporized silently, like ice and snow under the scorching sun, and finally disappeared without a trace.

Next came the scroll containing the secrets of "above the True Lord," which triggered this cataclysmic calamity—the [World-Honored One's Handwritten Scripture].

The ancient scripture scroll trembled violently under the lingering influence of the Sword Intent!

immediately-

"Crack----Boom!!!"

A shattering sound, both incredibly crisp and incredibly terrifying, resounded deep within the Divine Soul of all living beings!

This scroll, containing profound mysteries of the [True Lord] realm, cracked inch by inch under the gaze of countless shocked and almost stunned eyes.

In an instant, it transformed into forty-nine exquisitely condensed and dazzling golden Flowing Light!

These forty-nine golden rays, like forty-nine golden dragons freed from their restraints, shot out into the chaotic void in all directions, with a sharp whooshing sound, as soon as they took shape!

Rob!

The most primal fire of desire instantly ignited all the True Lord and Bodhisattvas.

What about righteousness and demonic paths, what about the deep-seated grudges within Buddhism, what about the majesty of the Dragon Clan?

At this moment, all of these opportunities to reach the level of "above the True Lord" were completely forgotten in the face of this readily available fragment of fortuitous opportunity!

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Almost at the same instant the golden light scattered, a terrifyingly dense sound of air being torn apart filled the heavens and earth!

Those were the True Lord and Bodhisattvas who abandoned their enemies, abandoned all restraint and calculation, and pushed their speed and control over space to the limit, transforming into terrifying streaks of light of different colors, yet all carrying the same power to tear the sky apart, and fiercely rushing towards those fleeing golden lights!

The scene instantly transformed from utter stillness to utter chaos and utter madness!

The sword light stretched for ten thousand miles, all to intercept a fleeting golden ray;

The Buddha's palm covered the sky, its five fingers as clenched like mountains, attempting to capture all three or four beams of golden light in one fell swoop;

The demonic energy transformed into countless tentacles, like a swarm of snakes dancing wildly, swirling madly towards the nearest Flowing Light;

The dragon's tail swept across, shattering a large area of space, all to force a golden light into a corner;

Talismans rained down, blocking all paths in all directions;

Starlight forms a net, covering a vast expanse of the sky;

The Yellow Springs transformed into a vortex, attempting to devour—

Hell opens its gates, intending to pull—

All thirty-two peak experts were enraged!

The streaking light and the golden light chased, collided, and intertwined wildly in the air!

The great Dao's Divine Ability are wielded without regard to cost.

All for the sake of hindering others and seizing personal gain!

The entire sky above Spirit Mountain was transformed into a chaotic hunting ground and meat grinder, driven by the purest desires and violence, beyond description!

The already scarred Spirit Mountain and its surrounding land were now stained with a mottled and discolored hue.

And at this chaotic moment when heaven and earth were collapsing, all beings were going mad, and all self-awareness and perception were being irresistibly drawn to those forty-nine alluring golden rays, a "Buzz!!!!!"

A deep, resounding tremor, seemingly emanating from the very end of time, erupted without warning from the bottomless, enormous fissure of Spirit Mountain!

The next moment!

A dazzling, noble, and overwhelming golden light, beyond description, burst forth from the deepest part of the fissure, like a volcano that had been suppressed for millions of years finally finding its outlet, shooting straight into the heavens!

The golden light was so intense that it instantly overshadowed all the other lights in the sky that were chasing and fighting.

A tree.

An ancient, divine tree of unimaginable size, supporting the entire sky!

The entire divine tree exudes a serene, stable, all-encompassing, and supremely majestic aura that measures the heavens and earth.

The trunk is as thick as a mountain dragon vein, straight upwards, disappearing into the top of the still-dissipating golden light, as if it truly connects heaven and earth.

The bark is unlike the texture of ordinary trees; instead, it has deep cracks that flow with a blazing, molten gold-like luster, with naturally formed ancient seal script, like inscriptions on the Great Dao, appearing and disappearing within it.

Those seal characters are still faintly discernible.

These are eight ancient and profound characters, carrying supreme authority and prayers!

[May the Kaiyuan Tongbao coin prosper forever]

The Imperial Army of the Tang Dynasty - [God of Wealth]!

Deep in the Spirit Mountain, a place bathed in the light of Buddha.

It is completely different from the magnificent and solemn atmosphere of the "sacred realm" on the surface of the mountain.

The deeper one goes into the mountains, the more solidified the surrounding scenery becomes, as if it has been "suppressed" and "sealed off."

Qi Yun's figure transformed into a streak of Flowing Light, following the increasingly clear and urgent guidance of Cai Shen's true spirit within the Purple Mansion.

We passed through ancient passageways and stone chambers, eroded beyond recognition by time and Buddhist power, yet still bearing the strong marks of powerful restrictions.

This place appears to have been a forbidden area secretly built by the Southern Yin royal family; faded royal crests and long-extinct emblems can occasionally be seen on the walls.

The warning Formation Art.

But now, these traces of the past are covered by a thick, even layer of golden "Buddha's resin" that exudes a soft sandalwood scent.

After passing through a giant bronze door completely sealed off by Buddha's fat, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before us.

This is an extremely vast underground vault, its ceiling suspended high, hidden in a dense cloud of golden Buddhist light.

The ground is flat, engraved with the long-faded geographical map of the Southern Yin Mountains.

And at the very center of the dome.

A towering octagonal pagoda, hundreds of feet tall and entirely cast in "Demon-Sealing Buddha Gold," stands majestically. The pagoda has nine stories, with huge golden prayer wheels hanging from the eaves of each story.

The surface of the pagoda is densely covered with carvings depicting countless scenes of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhat preaching and suppressing Outer Dao.

Furthermore, there are thick golden chains, each as thick as a child's arm, formed from pure willpower, which coil around the tower like giant pythons. The other end of the chains is deeply embedded in the surrounding rock walls and the ground, closely connected to the earth veins and willpower network of the entire Spirit Mountain.

Qi Yun's gaze pierced through the layers of Buddhist light and seals, locking onto the very bottom of the pagoda.

"This is it! That's right! These bald monks used an entire Great Wheel Wisdom King Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, along with the power of the Spirit Mountain's veins, to seal me away! What a grand scheme!"

Cai Shen's voice echoed in Qi Yun's mind.

"The source of this tower's power is connected to the primordial Buddha power of at least three Bodhisattvas!"

"Trying to force your way in would be noticed instantly."

Qi Yun remained silent, quietly observing the structure of the pagoda and the energy flow of the chains of vows.

[Great Luo Heaven] silently deduces, searching for that almost impossible "gap".

After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the deathly still sealed space. "Is there a way to contact your true form without disturbing the seal?"

Cai Shen remained silent for a moment, then a golden phantom appeared on Qi Yun's shoulder. His small face, unusually devoid of playfulness, was filled with solemnity.

He scrutinized the pagoda that had suppressed his true form, his eyes flashing rapidly as if he were weighing and calculating something.

Suddenly, he turned his head, looked at Qi Yun, and a smile slowly spread across his chubby face, "Kid—want to make a big bet?"

Qi Yun's eyes flickered slightly. "What do you mean?"

Cai Kun floated up to Qi Yun, his small eyes shining brightly. "I am the Imperial Weapon of Dao of Wealth, wielding the power over the circulation of wealth in the world!"

It can be sold, and it can be bought.

Of course, it can also be done!

"On credit?" Qi Yun raised an eyebrow.

"Not bad!" Cai Shen rubbed his hands together, his tone carrying a merchant's air.

"As long as you offer enough collateral, I can temporarily lend you" the full power of Imperial Weapon!

"But afterwards, you will need to repay this 'debt' five times over, including the principal and interest!"

"Five times the repayment?" Qi Yun's eyes deepened. "Senior, that interest rate is really outrageous. But—"

"But I am currently penniless and probably have nothing to offer as collateral that would be acceptable to the Imperial Weapon."

"Of course I have it. Putting aside everything else, just your Dharma Body alone is enough," Cai Shen said confidently.

"If it were an ordinary Foundation Establishment True Person's Dharma Body, it would naturally be unable to withstand the full power of a complete Imperial Weapon."

But you are different!

You are walking a new path that has never been seen before, with almost limitless potential!

"With this new Dharma Body stepping onto the new path as collateral, my true self will approve this deal!"

"But rules are rules. With this Dharma Body as collateral, I can unleash my full power to activate my true form once."

After that, you have a hundred years to live.

Within a century, you must repay with an amount equivalent to five times the value of the "Imperial Weapon's Power" that you have borrowed on credit.

If by the end of the hundred-year period, you have not yet repaid your debt—

Cai Kun looked into Qi Yun's eyes and said, word by word, "Then, this [Great Radiance Mahasthamaprapta Dharma Body] used as collateral will be directly taken away by my main body, without any room for negotiation."

A deathly silence fell over the underground vault.

Only that majestic pagoda still radiates a constant, suppressing Buddhist light, with golden chains of vow power flowing silently.

Qi Yun stood quietly, the hem of his dark blue robe fluttering slightly.

A hundred years, five times the repayment.

Time passed slowly, like golden Buddha fat dripping gently from the top of a dome, heavy and viscous.

Cai Shen did not urge him, but waited quietly.

He knew that this decision was not one to be made lightly.

finally.

Qi Yun slowly raised his head.

In the depths of those usually clear and peaceful eyes, it seemed as if chaos was beginning to open and sparks were igniting.

He looked at Cai Kun, a faint yet sharp smile curving his lips like the gleam of a drawn Sword-Ray.

"Good!"