Chapter 1076: The Unbroken Past Forty-Five

The scene momentarily stunned Sun Yiqiu. The next instant, he frantically rushed out, desperate to chase She Ji, as if something incredibly important had been torn from him. He could only make guttural sounds, unable to utter a complete sentence, yet he couldn't move an inch, held fast by Hu Yun's instinctive grip.

If She Ji's actions drove Sun Yiqiu to madness, for Hu Yun, they brought intense shock. With one hand, he held Sun Yiqiu, while his other hand, previously pressed to his chest wound, relaxed, catching the single tear that floated from She Ji's eye.

For a demon cultivator, such a tear was incredibly rare and precious. It represented not only a realm of cultivation but, more profoundly, pure, genuine emotion. In his thousand years of demonic life, Hu Yun had only witnessed it this once.

The shock in Mi Huang's heart was equally profound, so much so that he, too, remained motionless for a moment. He merely stared blankly as She Ji threw herself into the karma fire, then charged towards him with a death-defying resolve. He also saw a realm of being that made him view She Ji in a new light. Though it wasn't enough to instill fear, it was sufficient to inspire a sliver of awe.

As if sensing She Ji's resolve, the karma fire instantly spread across a vast area above the Yellow Springs. Mi Huang stomped heavily on the waters, then unleashed a water barrier towards She Ji.

The water surged!

Wielding water with force, the Yellow Springs water transformed into a massive wave, crashing towards the raging karma fire. It contained Mi Huang's immensely powerful demonic energy. Water and fire collided, generating a powerful impact, like an explosion of opposing forces. Not only was the karma fire not extinguished, but it instantly surged, forming an overwhelming sea of flames in the explosion.

Despite his severe injuries, Hu Yun rapidly retreated, dragging Sun Yiqiu. He then flung him behind him, sending Sun Yiqiu sliding uncontrollably backward.

"She Ji sacrificed herself for you," he said. "Don't do anything foolish and betray her deep devotion."

After saying this, Hu Yun briefly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then slowly opened them. This was truly the essence of separation by life and death. She Ji had fought with all her might, but he could only lament her unfortunate fate.

A younger demon cultivator, who held pure hope for her heart's desire, possessed the courage to overcome all obstacles and give everything for love. Yet he, Hu Yun, a dignified fox immortal who had learned the Dao from Master Ji, studied literature from the lineage of the Saint of Literature, and cultivated techniques under revered demon gods, having lived for over a thousand years, now felt that he was actually inferior to her.

"I'm regressing with age!"

Hu Yun murmured to himself. A realization began to dawn within him, like divine light transforming into mist. In the chamber of his mind, a clear mirror reflected the true nature a fox immortal should embody.

He slowly exhaled a breath of immortal energy. Hu Yun stepped forward, and a gentle breeze rose with him. This wind originated by his side, yet in an instant, it carried distant auras. A stream of pure energy also emerged from the ruins of Netherworld City, following the breeze to Hu Yun and encircling him.

At this moment, life and death were no longer a barrier of fear for Hu Yun, but a boundary, a line that could be crossed for a certain reason.

"Since I awakened my spiritual essence," he declared, "I have studied literature from the Saint of Literature, learned the Dao from the Dao Ancestor, and my fortune has surpassed that of ordinary people by tens of millions of times. Yet, I am inferior to a mere female demon cultivator in clarity of mind. It's no wonder I'm looked down upon. However, I, Hu Yun, am not one without spirit. The vitality of all things is the Dao, the decay of all things is the Dao. To find joy in life is the Dao, to die in its rightful place is also the Dao!"

At this moment, boundless sword intent converged. The starlight that had faded from the sky reappeared, as if endless starlight was falling into Hu Yun's hand, transforming into a sword. The turbulent Yellow Springs water also calmed, and even the surging karma fire retreated before it.

At this moment, even Mi Huang's expression changed dramatically. Due to the karma fire, he had already retreated to the opposite bank of the Yellow Springs. Looking at Hu Yun from across the water, his heart was greatly shaken. This incredible sword intent, this seemingly not-so-strong yet sharp and exposed oppressive feeling, felt like a sharp immortal sword pressed against his chest even before he saw the opponent draw his sword. Goosebumps had already erupted all over his body.

"Mi Huang," Hu Yun said, "let me show you this sword strike born of my enlightenment. I wonder how much of Master's style it can embody..."

Hu Yun's words were light and airy. The first half was spoken calmly, while the second half was a murmur, sounding somewhat uncertain. Yet, his aura abruptly surged thousands, even tens of thousands of times over.

Sword intent born of pure energy, a raised hand capable of shifting winds and clouds.

Hu Yun disregarded life and death. The moment he formed his sword-fingers, the dim ruins of the Netherworld Ghost City seemed to burst with infinite light.

There was no time to prepare at all, or rather, no amount of preparation would have mattered. With a single sword thrust, Hu Yun himself shattered like an illusion, appearing before Mi Huang as a stream of light transforming into a dragon.

"Sword, emerge, wandering, dragon."

The previously fierce, swift, and terrifying demonic creature now appeared utterly exposed in Hu Yun's sword-wielding eyes. His sword-fingers thrust out, piercing through the oncoming golden fists, puncturing a pair of demonic arms, and then passing through the left shoulder, emerging from the back. Hu Yun's body moved like a roaming dragon, his sword like a roaming dragon. As his fingers moved upward with the sword's momentum, sword light split upward from the demon's left shoulder.

Slash!

The sky was split in two, mirroring the gash above Mi Huang's shoulder. A fierce demonic head flew through the air.

Hu Yun now passed by the fierce ape demon's body, his steps faltering. He looked back towards the Yellow Springs; amidst the raging karma fire, he could no longer see She Ji or hear Sun Yiqiu on the opposite bank. His body softened, and he sank to his knees, blood gushing wildly from his chest, staining the ground beneath his knees crimson.

The gloom of the old Netherworld City still lingered, yet not far away, the sky had brightened considerably. This was not a sight that belonged in the underworld; the power of that single sword strike had split open the boundary between Yin and Yang.

"Hoo... hoo... hoo..."

Amidst his gasps, Hu Yun's consciousness had already grown blurry.

"What a formidable sword strike!"

A familiar yet terrifying voice spoke. Hu Yun's pupils dilated as he struggled to look up, gazing in disbelief at the man in a purple-gold robe hovering in mid-air. Although his appearance was slightly different, his eyes and aura were identical to Mi Huang's, only stronger.

The Mi Huang in the sky waved a hand. The headless fierce ape and its head floated upward together, transforming into several beads that flew from below and settled into his hand. He then glanced at Sun Yiqiu, extended a hand, and remotely pulled him over.

"You..."

Hu Yun no longer had the strength to struggle. In his heart, there was both unwillingness and a sense of relief. He had done his best; now, it was just a matter of waiting for his primordial spirit to disperse and for him to perish, his Dao fading away.

"Blessings, blessings! Merciful Buddha!"

A bright yellow light ascended, and a Buddhist hand reached out, intercepting Sun Yiqiu first. The one who appeared was an old monk in a worn yellow kasaya.

"This old monk has arrived just in time!"

With a flick of his sleeve, a Buddhist light arose, sealing Hu Yun's body and preventing his primordial spirit from dispersing further. Another Buddhist light struck the Yellow Springs, sealing the raging karma fire on the water's surface.

But the next moment, a pair of fists had already struck the monk's face.

Boom!

The monk absorbed the full force of the punch, sinking three feet into the ground and sliding back three zhang. Everything around him was like turf ripped up by a gale, with sand, gravel, and ash forming a fan-shaped sweep backward.

Without any wasted words, punch after punch, palm after palm, Mi Huang's assault was like a raging storm, forcing the monk to retreat step by step.

"Ksitigarbha," Mi Huang scoffed, "you cannot stop me. Buddhist law has decayed, which is why the netherworld is full of evil karma, giving rise to this raging karma fire. Your own sins are monstrous; you cannot even save the ghosts of the netherworld, so you cannot control me!"

"If karma is endless, I will go to save," Ksitigarbha replied. "If fire is unquenchable, I will go to rescue. The suffering of sentient beings has an end, but Buddhist law is endless."

As Ksitigarbha spoke, chanting and various mantras continuously echoed in the air.

Mi Huang, however, showed a crazed expression, and then burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha!" Mi Huang roared. "I am Mi Huang, the Great Sage! I inherently bear the essence of the universe, with the will to transcend and become a sage. You've used Buddhist law for thousands of years to save evil spirits. Show me whatever abilities you still possess, or you'll die for nothing!"

With Sun Yiqiu so close, Mi Huang increasingly felt a mysterious opportunity. His usual restrained arrogance now fully bloomed. His body slightly expanded, muscles bulged, and fur extended.

Five spirit beads of various colors emerged from Mi Huang's body, then merged into his physique. At this moment, Mi Huang's transformation was complete: he was a golden fierce ape. Yet, his form was the size of a regular person, and even his boundless demonic energy was contained within him.

This was an aura far surpassing the ordinary. No demonic energy or spiritual light was apparent, yet the light of the sky itself seemed to twist behind the fierce ape.

Ksitigarbha, who had slightly lowered his gaze, suddenly opened his eyes wide. He looked at the ape in the sky, a slight astonishment showing on his face. Such a fierce creature had actually been born again between heaven and earth.

"What joy is there in life, what sorrow in death!"

After a Buddhist chant, the Dharma Form of Ksitigarbha, unseen for a thousand years, emerged. Its brilliant golden radiance rivaled the morning sun, its arms pressed together in prayer, and its eyes blazed open.

"Now this is interesting, now this is exhilarating! Hahahahaha!"

The fierce ape, laughing wildly, charged towards the Dharma Form of Ksitigarbha. It swung a palm, striking the huge Dharma Form with its own palm.

Thump-boom!

Buddhist light and demonic light collided, completely tearing apart the Yin-Yang boundary that had been split open by the sword.

Amidst the terrifying impact, Hu Yun was horrified to discover that the Dharma Form of Ksitigarbha was continuously sliding backward, as if the massive Ksitigarbha statue and the tiny fierce ape had reversed their roles.

At this moment, Hu Yun couldn't help but think:

'Can Lu Shanjun deal with this monster...?'

Hu Yun had seen many so-called 'Heavenly Demons', but this Mi Huang had completely transcended that concept. Perhaps he had reached another realm. It was no wonder he dared to call himself a Great Sage; he truly had the arrogance to back it up.