Breaking the Buddha Formation and Capturing the Preceptor on the Shallows, Slaying Huang Mi and Destroying the Shaman Venerable at the Lake's Heart

In fact, at this point, whether the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall would be defeated or not has never been a question worth discussing.

Although Preceptor Huang Mi was indeed proficient in Esoteric Buddhism in the eyes of the Sect Leader Kang Da, his disciples had mostly perished and scattered. Even though he could use the terrain to his advantage to cause a minor setback for the Ying Mountain Army in Ink Cloud Marsh, he could not withstand the overwhelming power before him for long.

It is true that the methods that the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall had painstakingly cultivated over generations caused the Ying Mountain Army to suffer heavy losses, but Fei Nanying was a skilled commander and showed no mercy at this time, showing no compassion for the Fei Household members, regardless of whether they were legitimate or illegitimate, no matter how many were killed or wounded.

Ying Mountain Army advanced relentlessly, and Preceptor Huang Mi was no match for the combined forces of Fei Donggu, one of the most prominent elders of the Fei Household. After suffering several defeats, Preceptor Huang Mi became even more cautious.

Strangely enough, even though countless messages were sent from Ink Cloud Marsh to various places every day, the two Golden Core of the Fei Household never intercepted them. However, the reinforcements that Preceptor Huang Mi was waiting for were nowhere to be seen. No one knew what had happened in between.

Given the current state of the war, anyone would see the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall as being on the verge of collapse. Yet, the Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove, forces that even Fei Nanying might be wary of, remain stationed in Si Prefecture without making a move.

This attitude may foreshadow the future fate of Preceptor Huang Mi and the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall that ran rampant in Huangpi Circuit.

"In perilous and isolated"—these eight words sound casual, but for the remaining disciples of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, the feeling was almost as strong as if more than ten Golden Core had been added to the Ying Mountain Army.

With the situation looking so favorable, the Fei Household members have gradually abandoned any thoughts of self-preservation and are now only hoping to achieve merit on the battlefield and bring glory to their respective branches.

With the ebb and flow of power, the situation that Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall could barely maintain suddenly deteriorated. Even though Preceptor Huang Mi used all his methods and even rewarded his personal concubines one by one, he still did not feel that the morale of his disciples was boosted.

In this perilous situation, when Kang Dabao led his newly reorganized group of cultivators to Ink Cloud Marsh, he immediately tolled another death knell for the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall.

At this crucial moment, before setting off, Sect Leader Kang Da received a handwritten letter from Gada of Original Response Temple while at Yangming Mountain. It recorded many flaws in Huang Mi's Mahamudra practice. The accumulated knowledge of Original Response Temple, the ancestral home of Esoteric Buddhism, should not be underestimated. The shortcomings mentioned in Gada's letter were perhaps even clearer than Huang Mi himself.

Having already incurred a personal debt of gratitude, Kang Dabao naturally wouldn't keep anything to himself. He immediately explained the letter to Fei Donggu and Fei Nanying. The two Feis then challenged Huang Mi to a duel, but in the end, Huang Mi suffered a crushing defeat, and the battle formation of the monks collapsed without a fight.

Just as the Fei Household's Ying Mountain Army had entered the central lake and stood in front of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall's grand formation, and it was almost certain that the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall's thousand-year-old tradition was about to be severed, the Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove families, who were originally stationed in Si Prefecture, also began to move under the leadership of their respective leaders.

Something unusual must be going on, but Kang Dabao wasn't surprised for long after hearing the news. He soon learned from Fei Nanyi why the two families had turned from friends to enemies.

"The Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion fought against the two True Person, Jiangxue and Yueyin, in Phoenix Forest. In this battle, Jiangxue spread mist containing needles, Yueyin drew energy into blades, and they attacked together. The Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion took out Law Treasure from his sleeve, a silver chain that suddenly unfolded, breaking through the mist and swirling in the wind; he threw a star core pearl, and the pearl's light burst forth."

Before a cup of tea could be brewed, True Person Crimson Snow's Movement Method was torn to pieces, barely saving his life; True Person Moon Hidden was also startled and fled in a disheveled state, while only the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion remained untouched by dust and with a calm expression.

After this battle, the disciples of the Hehuan Five Matriarchs sects had not even fought, and the disciples of the Star-Picking Tower had only just emerged, yet the Immortal Dynasty's morale had already been completely shattered.

"In that case, it seems that Martial Uncle Lian the True Person Crimson Snow,' whom my martial uncle mentioned, who felt ashamed and then worked hard, and went into seclusion to cultivate, hasn't achieved anything remarkable."

Kang Dabao had never imagined that his two True Person were so incompetent, but he dared not voice his grievances to outsiders and had to keep them to himself.

Regardless of the circumstances, Sect Leader Kang Da now understands why the Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove Forest have made their moves.

The dignified Nascent True Person Nascent Soul was indeed extraordinary. Although Bai Canhong rarely appeared, his mere presence was enough to render the Sect Leader Kang Da and the Second Fei futile.

Once the news of the crushing defeat of the two True Person, Jiangxue and Yueyin, was released, the morale of the Double Brightness Alliance and Ying Mountain Army, which had been severely damaged by the killings of the remnants of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, was suddenly restored by more than half.

Correspondingly, the Double Brightness Alliance and Ying Mountain Army experienced slight disarray in their formations.

The spirit boats on the lake had already formed an attack formation, with the Ying Mountain Army at the bow gripping their spears, the tips still imbued with lingering spiritual energy. However, upon hearing about the movements of the Rouge Temple and the Thousand Buddha Grove, many of them instinctively tightened their grip on their spear shafts.

Everyone knows that although these two sects are not Nascent Soul sects, they can still extract blood and sweat from cultivators in several states, which means they each have their own trump cards.

The "Bewitching Emotion Mist" of the Rouge Temple can confuse people's minds, and the "Immovable Buddha Formation" of the Thousand Buddha Grove can even make cultivators avoid its sharp edge.

Now, thanks to Bai Canhong's extraordinary intervention in saving Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, it is tantamount to extending the life of Preceptor Huang Mi was already barely clinging to life.

Kang Dabao stood on a Fei Household warship. Under normal circumstances, he might have been in the mood to calculate when Chongming Sect would produce a talent who could also refine a warship that could rival False Core.

But at this moment, he rarely had such thoughts. His ten short, thick fingers were caressing the handle of the Jade Palace Impurity Breaker Halberd. The chill of the halberd spread through his palm, but he could not suppress the depression in his heart.

"Just when things were finally about to reach a conclusion, another problem arose!"

He looked up into the depths of Ink Cloud Marsh, where the miasma was thicker than usual, and the spire of the pagoda could be faintly seen in the miasma. It seemed that Preceptor Huang Mi had also received the news and was still fighting like a cornered beast, making a desperate last stand.

"Master, Elder Fei requests your presence for a meeting." Jin Shilun strode out of the cabin, his armor still damp with the mist from the central lake. "Fei Household Fei's expression is not good; he seems angry about the two factions turning against him."

"It's not just two mere Golden Core sects rebelling; what happened to Joyful Sight Mountain behind them that's so deadly?"

Kang Dabao nodded and followed Jin Shilun into the cabin. Inside, the spiritual lamps were always on, illuminating the cabin as if it were daytime.

Fei Nanying was deep in thought, staring at the map, a rare look of anxiety showing between his brows; Fei Donggu did not show the grim expression Jin Shilun had described, but simply sat to the side, eyes closed and silent.

"You're too slow, sit down." Fei Nanying raised his eyes, gestured with his hand towards the high seat, and then pointed to the locations of Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove on the map:

Fei Nanying pointed to the dense humus forest markings on the southwest bank of the map, his fingertip pressing a shallow mark into the silk cloth:

"The southwest bank is mostly silted up, and a row of golden reeds can hide the fog. If the Bewitching Emotion Mist of the Rouge Temple were to spread out inside, our army would hardly be able to see clearly, or we might be ambushed."

A certain contingent of the Ying Mountain Army was sent to defend the area, carrying Pure Spirit Stone to form Spirit-Purifying Formation. The Sound-Shooting Battalion also instructed to prepare "Mist-Breaking Arrow," ensuring their mist array would be rendered ineffective.

He then pointed to the shallows on the northeast bank, where several horizontal lines were drawn, indicating the terrain where the Thousand Buddha Grove Buddhist formations were most likely to take root:

"Elder Donggu led another group to the northeast bank. The Immovable Buddha Formation of Thousand Buddha Grove Forest needs to rely on the power of the earth veins. The earth veins in the shallows are scattered. Elder Lao needs to have his men wield golden hoes to sever the earth energy and cut off their earth vein connections."

Then, using the 'Nirvana Thunder Sound Vajra' borrowed from Gada, they smashed their Buddhist banners, and the great formation collapsed on its own.

Despite being an elder Fei Donggu showed no dissatisfaction with Fei Nanying's assignment; in fact, he responded quite easily.

"Don't worry, there's no need for such trouble. If that Shexin from Thousand Buddha Grove dares to come, I'll send his withered bones to the Great Snow Mountain Pagoda to receive some incense offerings. That would fulfill those Buddhist monks' so-called wishful thinking about karma."

As Fei Donggu finished speaking, he rose from his seat. His black brocade robe swept across the spiritual lamp on the table, causing the lamp flame to splash half an inch, but it was steadily supported by the spiritual power around him.

"I'm mustering my troops now," he said with a wave of his hand, his voice firm and resolute. "And bring along the Nirvana Thunder Sound Vajra given to Gada by the monk Gadana. This time, I'll show those bald thieves of Thousand Buddha Grove what it means to kill a Buddha if they stand in my way!"

Upon hearing this, Kang Dabao, not knowing what Er Fei had instructed him to do, immediately stood up and said, "Rest assured, Elders, the Double Brightness Alliance will definitely fortify its defenses and will not give the Shaman Venerable Hall any chance to breathe."

Fei Nanying nodded upon hearing this, his fingertip landing on a corner of the map. "If things aren't going well on Elder Donggu's side, send three Crimson Flame Talismans as a signal, and I'll send someone to assist him; Da Bao, if you see Huang Mi making any unusual moves, you can also send a message. The enemy we face is nothing more than a clown, and that doesn't change the fact that we already have the upper hand."

At this point, Fei Nanying turned his gaze to Sect Leader Kang Da, and when he spoke again, his tone was slightly heavier, with a hint of earnest advice. "We cannot control the outcome of a battle between True Person, but we cannot be careless in the slightest when it comes to things we can do."

The latter's expression immediately hardened, and he hurriedly bowed, replying, "I understand!"

After discussing military matters further, the three did not immediately part ways, as each had important matters to attend to and could not linger.

Under Fei Nanying's leadership, the preparations took only ten days. During this time, the attacks Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall continued unabated, causing the great formation to teeter on the brink of collapse. It was only through Preceptor Huang Mi's full efforts that outsiders were able to be delayed in coming to the rescue.

Once Kang Dabao Divine Sense that the Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove were attacking together, the Double Brightness Alliance cultivators immediately took over the Ying Mountain Army's positions, while the Fei Household disciples had already split into two groups.

On the shallows, Fei Enwen rode atop a Second Tier spirit steed, its thick hooves pounding through the wet mud, splashing up black mud mixed with seeds of voodoo grass left behind by the Shaman Venerable Hall, emitting a foul stench.

"Go!" he shouted the order, and the cultivators holding golden hoes immediately lined up in rows and bent down to dig into the shallows. This specially made magical Law Artifact was tempered with Spirit-Purifying Sand, which was considered a Higher Vehicle material that could restrain Buddhist cultivators. In no time, it had forcefully severed the crisscrossing veins of the earth beneath the shallows.

The Thousand Buddha Grove team arrived earlier than the Fei Household had anticipated, and they made no attempt to conceal themselves. However, they were quickly detected by Fei Donggu, who was hiding in the clouds, using his Divine Sense.

"Boom!" A muffled sound came from afar, indicating that the Thousand Buddha Grove's team had arrived.

Unlike Preceptor Huang Mi, who received the Esoteric Buddhism lineage, Thousand Buddha Grove inherited the relatively prosperous Exoteric Buddhism tradition of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and its ancestral temple was also the Original Buddha Sect in the capital region.

Therefore, although Preceptor Shexin and Preceptor Huang Mi of Thousand Buddha Grove worshipped the same Buddha, they were originally at odds.

In terms of their relationship, the two Buddhist sects located on Huangpi Circuit are probably closer to the unorthodox sect Rouge Temple.

The monks from the Thousand Buddha Grove Forest who fell into Fei Donggu's Divine Sense were dressed in ochre robes. A thousand elite warriors at the front carried a ten-foot-tall golden Buddhist banner, engraved with the image of Immovable Wisdom King, whose eyes were wide open and exuded an imposing aura.

As they drew closer, golden Buddhist light spilled from the top of the pillar, spreading along the unbroken veins of the earth towards the shallows.

Preceptor Shexin walked at the front, turning his prayer beads as he chanted, "It seems that Benefactor Fei has come prepared; is he intending to be an enemy of Buddhism?"

Fei Donggu reined in his horse and sneered, "To be an enemy of Buddhism? You mere Shexin dare to utter such words?! I'll use you as an example to tell those ascetic monks of the Central Prefecture Original Buddha Sect what happened today, and see if they'll keep your Esoteric Buddhism monk's ordination certificate, and see if you, Shexin, can still protect your family's wild and unorthodox Zen lineage!! Enough with these pleasantries, I Fei Donggu, hold a noble title, and I have no need to exchange a single word with you lowly tyrants!"

After Fei Donggu finished speaking, disregarding the Preceptor Shexin's face, he simply waved his hand, and a ten-foot-tall Nirvana Thunder Sound Vajra of Annihilation appeared. The golden body of the pestle gleamed with a cold light, and it was wrapped with the "Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman" exquisitely crafted by the Fei Household's talisman masters.

The Ying Prefecture Fei Household has been established for thousands of years and has produced many notable figures who have served two dynasties.

These Third Tier talisman inheritances were originally developed by a Golden Core talisman master of the Fei Household a thousand years ago and were kept by the Ying Prefecture Fei Household. However, because they were quite ingenious and really useful, they were later even collected into the archives of the Kuang Household clan.

The "Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman" are divided into seven parts: First, the Order to Burn the Image, which burns away the golden body of those who cultivate merit; second, the Order to Reveal the Truth, which locks away the words spoken by those who cultivate the truth; third, the Blade of No Form, which breaks through the empty state of mind of those who cultivate the Zen mind;

The fourth is the Sea of Suffering, which makes it difficult for Buddhist practitioners to save themselves; the fifth is the Rebellion of Weituo, which destroys the supernatural powers of Buddhist practitioners who protect the Divine Ability; the sixth is the Seal of the End of Life, which transforms Buddhist practitioners' understanding of the Buddha's voice; and the seventh is the Karmic Fire Slip, which summons the demons in Buddhist practitioners' hearts to damage their path.

The combination of the seven elements is indeed infinitely wondrous. The talisman paper fluttered in the wind, and the Golden Light it emitted subtly repelled the Buddhist light emanating from the Thousand Buddha Grove Forest's Buddhist banners.

Preceptor Shexin came from a humble background and was used to ruling the countryside of Huangpi Circuit, it did not mean that he was unaware of the infamous broken Buddhist talisman.

He assumed that with the Fei Household facing internal and external troubles over the years, and many of them not yet producing Third Tier talisman masters, they would not possess such a spiritual talisman. Unexpectedly Fei Donggu immediately unleashed the Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman upon meeting him, clearly showing that he was confident in his abilities.

As a result, Preceptor Shexin's expression suddenly turned ugly.

The fingers of the Preceptor Shexin, gripping the prayer beads, turned white, and his knuckles cracked from the force.

The warrior monks behind him also sensed something was wrong. The Golden Light on the Buddhist banner gradually dimmed, and many of them broke out in a cold sweat. The Golden Light of the Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman pierced their Zen hearts like needles, and even the mantras they uttered became hesitant.

"Form the 'Immovable Buddha Formation'!" Preceptor Shexin commanded forcefully, his voice devoid of any composure. "Use your golden body of merit to withstand it!"

The warrior monks of Thousand Buddha Grove sat cross-legged, their hands forming a mudra in front of their chests. Golden Light emanating from their brows converged into a ten-foot-wide Buddhist shield, upon which the phantom of "Immovable Wisdom King" appeared, attempting to block the suppression of the Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman.

Within the Golden Light emanating from the talisman, a dark red flame suddenly shot out—it was the "Burning Image Order"—that flame did not burn clothes or flesh, but specifically devoured the golden body of the Buddhist monks. The illusory image of the Vidyaraja on the Buddha shield was instantly burned and distorted, and the warrior monks let out a painful groan, with blood spilling from the corners of many people's mouths.

"Fei Donggu! How dare you use such a treacherous and evil talisman!" Preceptor Shexin was both anxious and furious. He suddenly threw out his prayer beads, and more than a dozen beads turned into golden bullets that shot towards Fei Donggu.

These prayer beads are the condensation of his merits from thirty years of arduous cultivation; even ordinary Golden Core cultivators would not dare to accept them directly.

However Fei Donggu was prepared. He raised his hand and created a spiritual energy barrier. The barrier was also imprinted with the patterns of the Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman. When the Buddhist beads hit the barrier, they were instantly dissolved by the "Endless Seal" without leaving a sound.

"A sinister talisman?" Fei Donggu sneered, and with a wave of his hand, the soldiers of the Ying Mountain Army stepped forward carrying the Nirvana Thunder Sound Vajra. The spiritual patterns on the pestles suddenly lit up:

"This is nothing compared to the methods of the Fei Household, but it's perfect for dealing with you, you thieving monk who aids the Esoteric Buddhism! Unleash your power!"

The Thunderclap Pestle, imbued with the Golden Light of the Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman, slammed into the Buddhist formation. With a deafening crash, the Buddhist shield instantly cracked with spiderweb-like fissures, and the phantom of the "Formless Blade" shot out from the talisman, piercing straight into the Zen minds of the warrior monks.

The dozen or so monks from the Thousand Buddha Grove in the front row groaned, their meditation broken, their spiritual energy instantly disrupted, and they collapsed to the ground from their cross-legged positions, the blood flowing from their mouths tinged with a faint gold.

"How could the Golden Body of Merit of the Foundation Establishment Realm possibly withstand this?!"

Seeing the situation was dire, Preceptor Shexin knew that continuing would only lead to total annihilation. But the order to kill had already been given by the one from Joyful Sight Mountain, and he couldn't change it or retreat even a step! He suddenly pulled out a wooden fish from his robes and smashed it hard on the ground.

The moment the wooden fish shattered, a golden Buddhist light shot into the sky. Preceptor Shexin felt his body go limp, and even his cultivation, which had just Late-Stage Golden Core, almost collapsed.

Although the Preceptor Shexin surged like the blazing sun, it could not conceal the fragility of his aura. His lifespan of half a century was being depleted like silk being pulled from a cocoon. His spiritual power, Late-Stage Golden Core, surged under the impetus of the "Body-Sacrificing Incantation," but it was like a rootless duckweed, with each activation accompanied by excruciating pain as if his internal organs were being ruptured.

He reached out and grabbed two fallen warrior monks, enveloping them in a halo of Buddhist light as they charged towards the outer edge of the shallows. His roar was filled with a desperate madness, "Follow me! If we can't break through and save that lecherous monk Huang Mi, our Thousand Buddha Grove will still be doomed!"

Swept up by this momentum, the warrior monks scrambled to their feet and followed behind, wielding the broken pieces of the Buddhist banner as weapons. Golden fragments of Buddhist light scattered on the wet mud were instantly stained black and gray by the voodoo seeds scattered all over the ground.

Fei Donggu stood at the front of the formation, coldly watching this desperate struggle, and pointed vaguely. "Sound-Shooting Battalion, aim at the point where the Buddha's light is strongest, that's his weak point!"

The crossbowmen of the Sound-Shooting Battalion immediately adjusted their angles, and the Spirit-Purifying Sand on the Mist-Breaking Arrow gleamed with a bluish light.

"Fire!" With a command from Fei Enwen, dozens of crossbow bolts shot through the air, carrying the Karmic Fire Slip that were about to ignite in the wind. The dark red flames followed the Buddha's light and wrapped around the robe of the Preceptor Shexin.

With a "poof," the flames pierced through the Buddha's light and licked his chest.

The "Karmic Fire Slip" specifically summons inner demons. The Preceptor Shexin was already mentally disturbed by the Body-Sacrificing Incantation. Now, when the Karmic Fire was ignited, a vision appeared before his eyes of the Thousand Buddha Grove being held accountable by the Original Buddha Sect and its incense being cut off.

"Buddha Enemy!" Preceptor Shexin cried out in agony, his spiritual power instantly becoming chaotic, and the Buddhist light around him dimming abruptly. Fei Donggu seized the opportunity, his long sword Law Treasure sweeping across, aiming straight for his neck.

Preceptor Shexin instinctively raised his arm to block, but the golden robe was cleaved open by the blade, and a deep, bone-revealing wound instantly appeared on his arm, spurting out golden blood.

"Fei Donggu Wo." He wanted to say something more, but was struck in the chest by the Nirvana Thunder Sound Vajra that followed. With a "crack," the sound of his ribs breaking was clearly audible. He fell into the wet mud like a kite with a broken string, and the Buddha's light completely dissipated.

But among the seasoned monks, how many are Preceptor Shexin were momentarily caught off guard and suffered a great loss, his life would still be safe. Moreover, the other monks at Thousand Buddha Grove, though even more terrified upon seeing this, how could they not offer their help?!

Preceptor Shexin crashed into the mud, the other four monks from Thousand Buddha Grove rushed up with red eyes.

These four individuals were all at the Golden Core Early Stage, each Law Artifact, and their robes were embroidered with different Buddhist patterns.

The leading Preceptor Chijie held a nine-ringed staff, its shaft wrapped with dark red scripture cords;

The second-ranking Preceptor Huineng, carried a black pottery poison bowl, with a pale green poisonous mist floating around its rim.

The third Preceptor Fakong, held eighteen bone prayer beads, each engraved with a hideous demon face.

The last Preceptor Yuantong, held up a bronze Dharma wheel with seven sharp iron teeth embedded in its rim.

"You wicked cultivator who injured my abbot, take his life!" Preceptor Chijie roared, slamming his nine-ringed staff into the wet mud. With a crisp clang, three golden rays of Buddhist light shot out from the staff rings, rushing straight towards the elite Ying Mountain Army.

The Buddha's light struck the shield wall, slicing off a layer of lives.

Standing at the front of the formation, Fei Enwen his horse without retreating. He had risked his life for his future, and even with the master in front of him, there was not a trace of fear on his face.

He summoned only four Spirit Artifact behind him—a sword, a hammer, a mace, and a spear—closing them wide in front of him as he roared, "You four Golden Core Early Stage monks dare to be so insolent before my Ying Mountain Army!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another Fei Household cultivator hidden in the earth's veins began to move.

The Spirit-Purifying Sand spread along the muddy ground, and the blue light it emitted completely severed the Spiritual Qi of the earth veins beneath the feet of the four monks. Although the earth veins had been severed before, they were not completely sealed off. Now, with this final blow, the Buddhist light surrounding the four monks dimmed slightly.

Seeing this, Preceptor Huineng tilted the black pottery poison bowl forward, and a pale green poisonous mist surged forth like a tide. Wherever it passed, the seeds of voodoo grass in the wet mud grew wildly and wrapped around the Ying Mountain Army's ankles.

Although Thousand Buddha Grove is a branch of the Exoteric Buddhism Sect, its disciples, living in a place like Huangpi Circuit, have a number of unorthodox practices.

"This is 'Heart-Corroding Mist,' most dangerous for wicked people to cultivate themselves; one must be careful."

No sooner had Fei Donggu's warning fallen than over a hundred more soldiers in the Ying Mountain Army lost their lives.

At the same time, the cultivators of the Sound-Shooting Battalion flicked their fingers, and the Mist-Breaking Arrow, carrying the Spirit-Purifying Sand, shot through the air. The green sand collided with the poisonous mist, making a "sizzling" sound. The poisonous mist was instantly diluted into light smoke and dispersed in the wind.

But Preceptor Huineng had a backup plan. Countless poison needles suddenly flew out of the poison bowl, their bodies shrouded in green mist, and pierced straight at the monks of the Sound-Shooting Battalion.

"Shield formation!" Fei Enwen shouted, and the front-line Ying Mountain Army cultivators immediately raised their shields to protect each other. The poison needles struck the shields, but "poof," they pierced through the shields.

These poison needles were actually made by mixing spirit gold with witchcraft poison, and ordinary Spirit Artifact could not stop them at all. The entire battalion of the Ying Mountain Army cultivators was unable to dodge in time, and half of the soldiers, including the False Core general, were instantly killed by the poison needles.

"How dare you!" Fei Donggu roared, spurring his horse forward. His longsword flashed with a silver light, aiming straight at Preceptor Huineng's poison bowl.

Preceptor Huineng, hurriedly raised his alms bowl to defend himself. With a clang, the poisoned bowl was chipped open, and a pale green poisonous mist leaked out, splashing onto his own monk's robe and even corroding the fabric with small holes.

He was so frightened that he quickly stepped back, making room for others to come to his rescue.

Seeing Huineng in danger, Preceptor Fakong threw his bone prayer beads into the air. The eighteen beads transformed into eighteen black shadows, which then coalesced into eighteen petite Buddha figures. Each Buddha figure held a small knife and pounced on the Ying Mountain Army cultivators behind Fei Donggu.

"It's the 'Ghost-Shadow Prayer Beads,' which devours living souls!" Fei Donggu recognized the evil technique and sneered. The high-ranking cultivators of Thousand Buddha Grove hated Preceptor Huang Mi to the bone, yet they themselves were also wielding their own Esoteric Buddhism evil techniques—truly laughable!

He swung his sword backhand, a silver light sweeping across, shattering half of the Buddha images. But the remaining Buddha images had already pounced on a False Core from the Ying Mountain Army, instantly burrowing into his brow.

Ordinary Pill Master could not withstand such a technique; they would die on the spot without a sound.

The Buddha's shadow remained arrogant, and just as another Pill Master was about to perish, Fei Donggu reached out to save him. A flash of blade easily sliced the Buddha's shadow away. The Pill Master, terrified, broke out in a cold sweat and was about to kneel in gratitude when Fei Donggu shouted, "Go fight! I'll have plenty of time to be the one kowtowing to you in the future!"

Seeing his three companions suffer setbacks one after another, Preceptor Yuantong's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint. He threw the bronze Dharma wheel into the air, and the Dharma wheel spun rapidly, shooting out seven golden light blades that pierced straight at Fei Donggu's vital points.

This is the "Seven Calamities Dharma Wheel" of the Thousand Buddha Grove, extremely powerful, enough to contend with some Middle Stage of Golden Core cultivators.

Fei Donggu neither dodged nor evaded, but instead wielded his longsword in a circular motion, deflecting all seven light blades. However, the impact of the exploding light blades still caused his Qi and Blood to surge.

"The cultivators from the capital are different," Preceptor Yuantong was startled. Just as he was about to withdraw his Dharma wheel, he saw Fei Donggu leap up and slash his long sword straight at the top of his head.

Preceptor Yuantong hurriedly raised his Dharma wheel to defend himself. With a "crack," the bronze Dharma wheel was split in two. The force of the blade did not diminish, and it actually cleaved a deep wound on his shoulder, exposing the bone, from which golden blood spurted out.

"Join forces to set up the 'Four Symbols Buddha Formation'!" Seeing the situation was not good, Preceptor Chijie Preceptor Shexin back to his side before giving the order in a stern voice.

The four monks, each having suffered a defeat and bearing injuries, moved with remarkable speed, each taking their designated positions. Having supported each other for centuries, they possessed an unspoken understanding, and in a short time, their formation was complete.

Seeing that Chijie was in the east, Huineng in the south, Fakong in the west, and Yuantong in the north, their bodies were surrounded by intertwined Buddhist light, which actually formed a square Buddhist array.

"These petty tricks from a small place are laughable!" Fei Donggu sneered, taking out another complete "Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman" from his Storage Bag. When he injected spiritual power into it, the talisman emitted a seven-colored light.

As soon as the four monks took their positions, the spiritual light emanating from the Buddhist formation ceased to be chaotic and instead exuded the solemnity of Exoteric Buddhism.

The nine-ringed staff in the hands of the Preceptor Chijie trembled slightly, and a phantom of the Medicine Buddha, about a foot tall, materialized at the top of the staff. The Buddha's body glowed with pale gold, and its palm held a glass pearl. The Golden Light emanating from the pearl seemed to dispel the Spirit-Purifying Sand in front of the Ying Mountain Army's formation.

The black pottery poison bowl of Preceptor Huineng also changed its appearance. The poisonous mist receded from the edge of the bowl, revealing the "Amitabha Buddha" sutra pattern engraved inside. A golden lotus platform rose from the mouth of the bowl, with tiny Buddhist characters adorning the petals, as if to attract the minds of the Ying Mountain Army cultivators.

The bone rosary of Preceptor Fakong no longer revealed a demonic face, but instead transformed into miniature Manjushri Wisdom Sword, with the "Prajnaparamita" mantra engraved on their blades, hanging before the formation and gleaming with a cold light;

Preceptor Yuantong's bronze Dharma wheel split into six petals, each reflecting the phantom image of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's six-tusked elephant. The Golden Light emanating from the elephant's trunk seemed to attempt to reconnect the severed earth veins.

"It's actually the 'Four Sages Buddha Formation' of the Exoteric Buddhism Sect! Interesting." A hint of surprise flashed in Fei Donggu's eyes. This formation requires the merits of four monks as a guide, and borrows the power of the four great Bodhisattvas: Bhaisajyaguru, Amitabha, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra.

Even though the four monks' cultivation was meager, making it difficult for ordinary Golden Core cultivators to break through, these four monks from Thousand Buddha Grove actually used unorthodox methods such as witchcraft and bone prayer beads to activate it, having long lost the true essence of the Exoteric Buddhism sect, and the spiritual light of the Buddhist array was mixed with darkness and turbidity.

"Recite the mantra, urge the procession on!" the Preceptor Chijie roared, taking the lead in reciting the mantra of the Medicine Buddha Sutra. The other three monks followed closely behind, and the sounds of the Amitabha Sutra, the Manjushri Root Ritual, and the Chapter on Samantabhadra's Conduct and Vows mingled together.

The four phantom images of the four saints in the Buddhist formation instantly grew to a height of ten feet. The Medicine Buddha's glazed pearl shot out rays of golden light, which smashed directly into the shield wall of the Ying Mountain Army. The Amitabha lotus platform floated towards the Sound-Shooting Battalion. When the lotus petals fell, they turned into tiny golden Sanskrit characters, which stuck to the crossbowmen's clothes, as if to disturb their minds.

"Spread the Spirit-Purifying Sand into the formation!" Fei Donggu shouted the order. Fei Enwen immediately led the Golden Hoe Hands to crush the remaining Pure Spirit Stone. The green sand drifted towards the Buddhist formation like mist, and when it touched the phantoms of the Four Saints, the golden light immediately dimmed.

The Spirit-Purifying Sand was inherently effective against the methods of the cultivators. When the illusory image of the Medicine Buddha was enveloped by the Qingling Sand, it cracked with a "crack" sound. The Sanskrit characters on the Amitabha lotus petals were also dissolved by the Qingling Sand. The crossbowmen shook their heads, and their minds instantly became clear.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Preceptor Fakong activated the Manjushri Wisdom Sword, and dozens of small swords transformed into a rain of swords, which pierced straight at Fei Donggu.

Fei Donggu parried with his sword, shattering most of the rain of swords, but a few still grazed the hem of his robe, leaving shallow scratches on his armor.

Fei Donggu threw the complete "Seven Absolutes Law-Breaking Talisman" in his hand toward the core of the formation. The "Karmic Fire Slip" in the talisman was the first to ignite, and dark red flames followed the spiritual light of the Buddhist formation and wrapped around the four monks.

The Exoteric Buddhism Buddhist formation is driven by merit, and the karmic fire devours merit. The four monks immediately turned pale, and the phantom images of Medicine Buddha and Amitabha began to become transparent.

"Sever your true words!" Fei Donggu shouted again, and the golden sound resounded in the Ying Mountain Army formation, causing the four monks' true words to pause slightly. The blue light from the exploding talisman paper was like a lock, which actually cut off the sound of the four monks' scriptures.

As soon as the mantra stopped, the spiritual light of the Buddhist array dimmed abruptly, the Manjushri Wisdom Sword shattered completely, and the phantom of Samantabhadra Six-Tusked Elephant also fell to the ground, turning into specks of Golden Light and dissipating.

"Impossible!" The Preceptor Chijie's eyes widened in fury. He wanted to urge on the merits again, but he felt a sharp pain in his Dantian. This was because the karmic fire had spread through the Buddhist formation and burned his Golden Core.

Fei Donggu seized the opportunity and slashed his long sword Law Treasure weapon straight at the Preceptor Chijie's staff. With a "clang", the staff magic Law Treasure, which had smashed countless cultivators' heads, was split in two, and the phantom of the Medicine Buddha completely dissipated.

Preceptor Huineng, tried to raise his alms bowl to defend himself, but was struck on the wrist by the golden hoe thrown by Fei Enwen. The poisoned bowl fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

When Preceptor Fakong and Preceptor Yuantong saw the formation break, they turned to run, but were blocked by the high-level crossbow bolts surging from the Sound-Shooting Battalion, and fell to their knees in the wet mud with a "plop".

Golden blood seeped down his trouser leg into the mud, only to bubble up with black foam.

While the four gatha masters were trapped, the warrior monks of Thousand Buddha Grove had long lost their former ferocity.

Several loyal followers, still clutching the broken remnants of the Buddhist banner, tried to rush forward to save Master Jia, but after taking only two steps, they were struck by the azure light of the Spirit-Purifying Sand, their Buddhist aura instantly dissipated, and their legs gave way, causing them to fall into the mud.

Many disciples stared at the corpses of their companions on the ground, the broken prayer beads and the Buddhist banner, their hands clasped together as they murmured "Amitabha Buddha," but they no longer had the strength to lift the Law Artifact.

One young novice monk even threw down his staff, covered his head, and huddled behind the reeds, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably. They were originally disciples of the Exoteric Buddhism school, who started their cultivation through merit. Now, seeing the monks use unorthodox methods that were not usually seen in public, yet suffer such a humiliating defeat, they had long lost their will to fight.

When Fei Enwen and Fei Zhongyun led their men to surround and block them, most of these warrior monks gave up resistance.

Some knelt down and surrendered immediately, while others stared blankly in the direction of Thousand Buddha Grove, as if they could not believe that their sect had come to such a state.

When the Ying Mountain Army cultivators used the spirit-binding ropes to bind them, many of them subconsciously pulled their monk robes tighter, as if trying to cover up the mud and bloodstains on their clothes.

At this moment, they began to feign the sorrowful appearance befitting disciples of the Exoteric Buddhism, as if they had suddenly forgotten the ferocity they displayed during their earlier charge.

The four monks were bound by the spirit-binding ropes of the Ying Mountain Army cultivators. As they struggled, the Buddhist light gradually weakened, and Preceptor Shexin also fell into the hands of the Fei Household disciples.

Fei Donggu stepped forward, kicked the fragments of the Preceptor Chijie's staff, and sneered, "I thought your Buddhist formation was so powerful, but it's still just a wild fox's art. If my ancestor Tianqin were here, he could probably take your lives with a single breath!"

He sheathed his sword, gazed at the gradually calming embers of the Buddhist formation in the distance, and called out loudly:

"Don't chase after those worthless thieves. Come with me to see what kind of people those wild monks at the Rouge Temple are. If I had known that the Thousand Buddha Grove was so weak, why would Nanying have specifically asked me to be careful?"

But as soon as he finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted from Fei Nanying.

However, just as the old cultivator was both surprised and delighted, he heard shouts coming from the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall sect, which was surrounded by the Double Brightness Alliance, at the bottom of the central lake.

Not long after this call, Duan Anle arrived riding Golden-Feathered Owl to report, "Reporting to Senior, the great formation of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall has been broken, and my master has slain Huang Mi. We urgently need Elder Zong to go and take charge of the overall situation."

"Slay Huang Mi." Having fought Preceptor Huang Mi several times, Fei Donggu knew how vast the difference was between the two, both being Late-Stage Golden Core Preceptor Shexin.

Even though Huang Mi had fought several battles with Erfei and was seriously injured, it was still quite shocking that he was killed on the spot by Kang Dabao's early-stage upper-level cultivation. Fei Donggu couldn't help but be secretly alarmed.

Fei Donggu, who had just become arrogant, immediately calmed down. He couldn't tell whether he was surprised or happy. Without saying anything to Duan Anle, he gathered the five gaiters and headed towards the bottom of the central lake.