Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Zhang Yi naturally wouldn't hold back against an old geezer like the Grand Master of Shintoism. He directly gripped the command arrow formed from the ball of lightning and unleashed it fiercely towards the locked-on location.

The command arrow, once released, instantly transformed into a ball of light the size of a basketball, trailing a long, crimson-gold streak as it hurtled into the distance. During its flight, the ball of light emitted a sharp yet deep whistling sound that sent chills down one's spine.

Meanwhile, in the Japanese pirate camp, the Shinto priest had just escaped back to his tent and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when an extreme fear from the depths of his soul enveloped him.

He heard a strange sound. The sound was deep yet sharp, like a ghost playing a xun in an ancient wasteland, sending chills down his spine.

He quickly looked in the direction of the sound and, sure enough, saw a ball of light flying over through the window. The ball of light emitted a hazy golden flame, and its interior was as deep as an abyss.

In an instant, the ball of light pierced through the tent wall, leaving the thick wall completely undamaged.

Then it passed through the bodies of several guards standing behind the wall.

Unlike the walls, the guards who were pierced by the orbs of light instantly lost all their color and turned into gray-white stone sculptures, without a trace of life left.

The next instant, a gust of wind blew, and the "stone sculptures" collapsed with a crash, turning into a handful of fine ashes, like the ash left after sandalwood has burned out, falling to the ground in a soft rustling sound.

Without pausing for a moment, the ball of light flew straight toward him in the center.

Ookuji's heart skipped a beat. Although he didn't know the power of this thing, the feeling of panic in his heart was unmistakable. This thing was very dangerous and he must not touch it.

He immediately tried to escape. Not only him, but anyone with eyes could see how terrifying the ball of light was. The people in the command center scattered in panic.

However, a few fearless individuals attempted various methods against the ball lightning, but regardless of the method used, they were silently annihilated the moment they touched the ball lightning, while the ball lightning remained unharmed, with not even a slight fluctuation in the light mist on its surface.

"Although I don't understand what's going on, the energy inside is terrifying!"

Faced with such a tactic, let alone the fact that he couldn't use the Divine Descent Technique at the moment, even if he could, he would never dare to confront it head-on.

Of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best. With a thought, the Grand Master transformed his spiritual power into a giant hand, grabbed several soldiers, and threw them at the ball of lightning, while he himself quickly moved away.

However, this is futile. Ball lightning is not a pinpoint strike like a bolt of lightning; it is an attack over an extremely wide area.

Therefore, the ball lightning does not insist on hunting its target. It simply locks its energy onto the Grand Master and, after confirming that there is no possibility of escape, detonates itself with a bang.

In an instant, golden-red lightning spread wildly from the center of the ball lightning, sweeping over two hundred meters away before finally stopping. From the night sky, the place resembled a dazzling golden sun rising slowly from the ground.

Wherever the golden sun's radiance reached, everything was instantly annihilated, leaving not even ashes behind, turning directly into nothingness.

As the sun expands, it also generates a terrifying suction force, transforming into a rotating vortex that devours everything around it.

Omiyaji reacted extremely quickly, barely dodging the first burst of impact from the light sphere, but ultimately could not avoid the terrifying suction force that resembled a black hole.

He was suspended in mid-air, his face contorted in agony, letting out a heart-wrenching scream. The panic in his heart was boiling and surging. He had never felt such despair in his life. Even though he had used every means at his disposal, he still could not escape the pull and was forcibly thrown backward.

What terrified him even more was the chilling force behind him that kept closing in, so powerful that he couldn't muster the slightest thought of resistance.

"Amaterasu Omikami, save me!" In his desperate situation, the Grand Master instinctively cried out for help.

He had devoted his life to worshipping Amaterasu, and at this moment he instinctively called out Amaterasu's name. However, he forgot that the true spirit of Amaterasu had already been burned by Zhang Zhiwei with Samadhi Fire within the lineage.

"Long live the Emperor!!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

Army General Matsui and Navy Chief of Staff Prince Fushimi also let out desperate roars. They were not originally Zhang Yi's target, but because they were too close to the Grand Master, they were caught in the crossfire and instantly annihilated by the power of the ball lightning.

Not only them, but everything around the ball lightning—soldiers, guns, trenches, armored vehicles—was swept into the area and then rapidly dissolved and disappeared without a trace.

That golden sun was very stable. Although it was devouring everything, it made no sound. In its deathly silence, there was a sense of fleeting eternity, as if it were an eternal sun.

Soldiers fighting on the battlefield, civilians gazing into the distance, and even those further away who couldn't see the battle at all, all saw a golden sun slowly rising from the ground.

It was nighttime, the moon was hanging in the sky, but the sun was rising from the ground. This bizarre scene shocked everyone, and they couldn't understand what was happening.

After a while, the sun began to collapse inward, shrinking rapidly, and then disappeared.

This scene came and went quickly, lasting no more than ten seconds before returning to silence. Those in the distance only thought it was a strange phenomenon from the sky, but only those who had experienced the battlefield firsthand knew the horror and tragedy it entailed.

Because at the spot where the sun rose, nothing remained: officers, generals, tents, battlefields, command posts... everything had vanished, leaving only a smooth, mirror-like flat ground.

The cool moonlight shone on the mirror, making it exceptionally bright.

Because all the high-ranking commanders of the Japanese pirates were annihilated, the command system was completely paralyzed and disconnected, many battle plans could not be implemented, and the various armies fought independently, becoming a disorganized mess. Many troops that were originally besieged also took the opportunity to break out.

At this moment, on the altar in front of the Tiantong Church, Zhang Yi and his fellow disciples watched the sun slowly rise and then disappear in the distance.

"Good heavens, that kid Zhiwei is really ruthless, actually giving me such a vicious trick?"

Zhang Yi muttered to himself. When he unleashed the attack, he only knew it was a lightning technique, but he never expected it to be such a powerful one.

"To die from this move is a blessing from heaven, it's too good for you, you son of a bitch."

Zhang Yi spat into the distance, his tone full of relief and disdain.

"Dead? You mean... the Shinto Grand Master was blasted to death?" Yi Qian snapped out of his daze and quickly asked. Before Zhang Yi could speak, the usually composed Zhang Shoucheng couldn't help but chime in: "With this lightning spell, if that Shinto Grand Master still isn't dead, then there's no justice in the world."

“That’s right.” Zhang Yi nodded with a smile and added, “And it seems that it wasn’t just the Grand Master who died; the priests around him, as well as several high-ranking Japanese pirates, were also killed. In short, I’ve done a great service this time.”

"You old codger, stop patting yourself on the back." Yi Qian couldn't help but retort. "The power was brought down by that kid Zhiwei. You were just responsible for delivering it. What great achievement did you make? To put it bluntly, you were just a gofer."

"You old bastard, are you deliberately trying to provoke me?" Zhang Yi was about to argue with him to get back at him, but Zhang Shoucheng interrupted him.

"Now that the High Priest of Shintoism is dead and the duel is over, why hasn't Zhiwei returned? Where is he? What is he doing?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yi Qian and his fellow disciples turned around and their eyes all fell on Zhang Yi.

"You are the Dharma Master. When you summoned divine power, did it say anything?"

Zhang Yi was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "He gave it cleanly and decisively without saying a word. However, judging from the fact that he was able to unleash lightning from such a distance, he should still be in the inner space."

“He flew in through the passage that connects the Japanese pirates’ lineage to the outside world. Now that passage has long been closed. Could it be that he can’t find his way back?” a senior uncle asked with a worried expression.

Zhang Yi shook his head and said, "It's unlikely. He can send the power out from inside, so he certainly wouldn't be unable to find his way back. Besides, my altar hasn't been closed yet. He can clearly sense the energy here. If he wants to come back, it won't be difficult at all."

"You mean, he doesn't want to come back now?" Yi Qian asked, frowning.

“Perhaps he has his own things to do,” Zhang Yi said after a pause.

Yi Qian nodded slightly: "Zhiwei has his own reasons for doing things."

"So what should we do now?" a junior disciple asked.

"What to do? Naturally, to kick a dog when it's down." Yi Qian looked at Zhang Yi. "Quickly, modify the altar, reduce its power, and use it to deal with those Japanese pirates and strange people."

Zhang Yi waved his hand and said, "Why change it? Just use this one. Asking Zhiwei for divine power is much easier than asking the patriarch. Why bother changing the altar?"

"You're foolish!" Yi Qian glared and shouted angrily, "Zhiwei is lingering in the Dharma lineage and refusing to come out, clearly setting fire to the foundation of the Japanese pirates' Dharma lineage. At this time, it's one thing for you, as his senior uncle, not to provide support, but you also frequently ask him for power. Is this how a senior uncle should act? Change your ways immediately, or you'll get down here and let me become the Dharma Master!"

Although Yi Qian was not as skilled as Zhang Yi in setting up altars, he was still quite adept and more than capable of dealing with a group of ordinary Japanese pirates.

"You don't need to do this. You can just assist from the sidelines!" Zhang Yi waved his hand and refused on the spot. Although he was tough on the words, he had already started to move his hands, adjusting the rules of the altar and then casting a spell on the scattered Japanese pirate soldiers below.

However, Zhang Zhiwei's situation was not good at this moment in the interior space.

After the ball lightning that was sent to the outside world exploded, three more fireballs lurking deep in the passage suddenly descended. In an instant, Zhang Zhiwei had to face the terrifying pressure of five rounds of fireballs.

What's worse, the power of these last three rounds of fireballs was several times stronger than the previous rounds. Zhang Zhiwei felt the pressure increase exponentially. The five rounds of fireballs in front of him were like five real suns, radiating endless light and heat, distorting the entire interior space.

Faced with this desperate situation, Zhang Zhiwei immediately unleashed all his cultivation, using his strongest power at this stage. He released a sword that could cleave the world, Samadhi True Fire, and ball lightning as if they were free.

The thunder of ball lightning, the flames of Samadhi Fire, and the light and heat emanating from several fireballs made the entire interior space as bright as day, reaching an extreme heat, with surging golden and red light and shadow filling the world.

Under extreme heat, the five fireballs gradually merged into one, transforming into a larger, gigantic fireball, and Zhang Zhiwei's figure completely merged into this fireball.

The "Imperial Advisor" stood far away, trembling as he looked at the sun-like fireball. The fireball was so intense and dazzling that he couldn't see what was inside. He could only see a towering figure wielding a long sword inside the fireball. Each of his strikes was enough to shatter the sky, as if he were about to create a new world for the entire realm.

That resolute spirit of putting aside life and death for the sake of the path ahead, and forging ahead without hesitation, left the "National Preceptor" stunned in place.

In a daze, the Imperial Advisor even felt that if that long sword were replaced by a giant axe, that figure would be no different from Pangu, the creator of the world in mythology.

Pangu... Is this big-faced thief trying to create the world?

In mythology, although Pangu created heaven and earth, he eventually died from exhaustion. Pangu's Dao was the creation of heaven and earth, and he was willing to die for his Dao.

Immediately afterwards, the words Zhang Zhiwei had once said to him echoed in his mind like a tide, each word crystal clear.

"Monkey! If you wish to attain the true understanding, do not be misled by others. Kill whatever you encounter, whether inside or outside. Kill the Buddha, kill the patriarch, kill the god, kill the heavenly tribulation, kill me..."

"Monkey, once you've chosen the path ahead, you should walk it firmly, no matter what stands in your way, whether it's a calamity or an obstacle, it's all just wishful thinking."

“What’s truly rare about a monkey is that it’s a rational person who, after seeing through everything, still chooses to make that seemingly irrational choice, and that choice is often its path.”

Are you saying this to me?

The "Imperial Advisor" murmured to himself, savoring his words again. Past memories flashed through his mind like a fleeting glimpse.

He thought of Zhang Zhiwei asking him to be the "national advisor" in his human body microcosm, and of Zhang Zhiwei inviting him to be the vice leader of the Tiantong Church.

His true self never regarded him as a sinister and treacherous inner demon, but what about himself?
In his last moment of enlightenment, he had let go of his obsession and was no longer fixated on turning his inner demons against his true self, usurping his authority, and becoming another "Zhang Zhiwei".

He set his own goal: to surpass his teacher, yet be different. Even though he and Zhang Zhiwei were one, he was still unique. He was no longer a demon in his heart; he was simply himself.

He succeeded. He was born from Zhang Zhiwei's life, yet possessed his own unique subjective consciousness. This is what it means to surpass one's teacher and be different from one's teacher.

But that's not enough. (End of Chapter)