Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 215 War Demon

Just as Gu Guanqi silently uttered "receive,"

A thunderous roar resounded in his mind, as if an ancient Buddha sat in the void, chanting mantras.

From the first move, "Buddha's Light Appears," to the tenth move, "Tao's Nirvana," all the palm techniques, mental methods, and mantras of the Tathagata Palm poured out like golden sand, completely merging into his martial arts origin.

Without any bottlenecks or stagnation, in the blink of an eye, this supreme Buddhist skill had been perfected within him, thoroughly understood, and without any omissions.

Immediately afterwards, from the depths of his dantian, a surge of pure and powerful Buddhist energy arose.

At first, it was just a glittering golden light, but in the next moment it transformed into a mighty torrent, surging and sweeping along the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians.

The true energy was solemn and clear, carrying the warmth and righteousness of the sun. Wherever it passed, the meridians were tempered and made more resilient. At this moment, both the original extreme yin and extreme yang true energy in his dantian were very gentle, as if they had been influenced by Buddhism and become quiet and peaceful.

Gu Guanqi's cross-legged posture trembled slightly, and a layer of pale golden Buddhist light slowly emerged from his body, illuminating the entire room in a bright yellow light.

His aura rose steadily, transcending the shackles of martial arts and breaking free from its confines. His soul and body gradually merged, subtly resonating with the laws of heaven and earth—truly the state of merging with Buddhahood.

At that moment, he suddenly understood and finally realized what Xu Zhiwei meant when he said that the realm above the Dao was mysterious and infinitely profound.

The Tathagata Palm technique, which merges the body with the Buddha, allows his will to reach the origin of heaven and earth, and to understand the laws governing the world.

Simply reaching a higher realm will not increase combat power, but it will allow cultivators to see the laws governing the world and understand the principles that exist in the world.

However, different martial arts styles and different people can comprehend different laws governing the operation of heaven and earth.

At this moment, he used the Tathagata Palm to attain enlightenment, and the laws of heaven and earth that he comprehended were the means of salvation.

This power is neither bloodthirsty nor violent, but rather like the bright sun and the cool, clear dew, capable of seeing through the evil nature of the world and transforming all kinds of obsessions and demonic hearts.

This is the Tathagata Nirvana of the Tathagata Palm, the transcendent state of merging with the Buddha!

At the same moment that Gu Guanqi merged with the Tathagata Palm, in a small courtyard of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Su Qingzi, who was sitting cross-legged in her room, suddenly opened her eyes.

The jade hairpin in his hair emitted wisps of black mist.

-

"Are you crazy!" Su Qingzi said in a low voice, "This is the Heavenly Dao Sect. If you come and go as you please, I'm not sure I can leave alive if I'm discovered."

The wisp of black mist slowly condensed into a ball in the air, then fluctuated slightly and emitted a faint sound: "Don't worry, if Zhang Daoji could detect me, he would have noticed when you were face to face with him today."

"Hmph," Su Qingzi snorted, "You're not going to die, so of course you don't care. But the Heavenly Dao Sect still has the Lotus Pond Saint Monk, Gu Guanqi, Li Wentian, and Leng Lingxi. If they find out I'm colluding with you, I won't survive."

The black mist said, "I wanted to remind you that there was a disturbance of Buddhist power just now. If I'm not mistaken, it should be that old monk Lianchi has made a breakthrough. I didn't expect that old fellow would still have such good fortune at his age."

Su Qingzi said in surprise, "The Holy Monk Lianchi's realm is unfathomable, yet he has made further progress. That is truly remarkable. However, you don't need to worry. He follows the Buddhist path of Dharma of Heaven and Earth, which cannot restrain you. Unless he ascends to Buddhahood, he will be helpless against you."

Black Mist said in a deep voice, "Oh, so he's taken this path? Then I'm relieved." Black Mist paused for a moment, then said, "By the way, has anyone in the Heavenly Dao Sect taken the path of ascension?"

"No, I don't think so," Su Qingzi said. "At present, the only people with high cultivation levels in the Heavenly Dao Sect are Zhang Daoji and Xu Zhiwei. Zhang Daoji follows the path of following the will of Heaven, while Xu Zhiwei has only been practicing for a few years and has not yet found his own path."

"That's really strange," the black mist said. "This morning I sensed that someone in the Heavenly Dao Sect had broken through. The aura was clearly on the path to ascension, capable of resonating with heaven and earth. They've already gone very far down this path."

Su Qingzi said calmly, "That should be Gu Guanqi. I heard people talking about it today. Gu Guanqi went into seclusion for a while this morning. This person created a path of passion, which is very unique. As long as he comes into contact with a woman and falls in love, he can improve his cultivation. He is currently in contact with Xu Zhiwei."

The black mist exclaimed in surprise, "It's him! One of my demonic seed clones was defeated by this person. His cultivation is indeed very high. However, he relies too much on comprehension. Otherwise, I would be much stronger than Xu Zhiwei in possessing his body."

Su Qingzi said, "Does whether someone is strong or not mean anything to you?"

"That's true," the black mist said. "Xu Zhiwei is still the most suitable for me. She has a natural Dao body and is a woman. If I possess her, I can directly switch Yin and Yang, and then rebuild my physical body to become a true Corpse-Dissolving Immortal."

Su Qingzi said, "Don't forget what you promised me."

"Don't worry," the black mist said. "Not only do I need your help to possess Xu Zhiwei, but I also need your help with the subsequent corpse dissolution. How could I dare not do things for you? Rest assured, after tomorrow, the two of us will be one body. Whether it is Zhang Daoji or Xu Zhiwei, they will both be defeated by you. At that time, with the blessing of the Daoist sect, your Golden Core Dao will surely be achieved."

Su Qingzi continued, "After we arrive at the Demon-Suppressing Well tomorrow, keep a close eye on Gu Guanqi. This boy likes to meddle in other people's business, and now he's having an affair with Xu Zhiwei. If he finds out when you try to possess Xu Zhiwei, he'll definitely cause trouble. We need to strike first, so you need to figure out how to control him."

The black mist said, "You can rest assured that the path to ascension is the easiest way to become an immortal, but it is also the easiest way to kill. It is very dependent on the physical body. Once the physical body is killed, the person dies."

"This kid is bloodthirsty. When the time comes, I'll possess Xu Zhiwei's body and approach him as Xu Zhiwei. No matter how wary someone is, they won't be very vigilant when it comes to sex. At that time, killing him will be a piece of cake."

"Hmm—" Su Qingzi asked in surprise, "Don't you feel uncomfortable having sex with him?"

The black mist said, "Forty years ago, I had already separated from my physical body and no longer distinguished between male and female. If I borrow a male body, then I am a male; if I borrow a female body, then I am naturally a female."

Su Qingzi pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, let's do it this way. Tomorrow, when we arrive at the Demon-Suppressing Well, you will suddenly unleash your power and force them to use my method to trap you inside my Golden Core."

Afterwards, I'll put on another show, making everyone believe I've won, that I've successfully erased you from my golden core. Then, we'll lie low for a few more years, and great things will be on our side.

"Um."

The black mist responded, then slowly separated into wisps of black smoke that drifted into the jade hairpin.

The next day, early in the morning.

Gu Guanqi got up early to wash up and eat.

Just as they were finishing their meal, Xu Zhiwei arrived outside the courtyard. Leaning against the doorframe, she took a sip of wine and said, "Senior Brother Headmaster said that preparations are complete at the Demon-Suppressing Well. All the magic arrays have been tested and are ready to be used at any time."

"We're opening a channel. Right now, we're inviting you all to discuss the specific details!"

While eating, Gu Guanqi asked, "Aren't you in a hurry?"

"Of course there's no rush." ​​Xu Zhiwei slowly walked in, sat down opposite Gu Guanqi, and said, "You still need to eat your fill."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "Then we'll go over after we finish eating."

Xu Zhiwei said, "I originally planned to cook for you this morning, but my senior brother called me over early this morning to help set up the magic array, so I was delayed and couldn't cook for you."

Gu Guanqi said, "There's plenty of time in the future, one more meal won't make a difference."

"Um."

Xu Zhiwei nodded slightly.

Before long, Gu Guanqi finished his meal, and the two young Taoist boys in the courtyard hurriedly came over to clear away the dishes.

Gu Guanqi and Xu Zhiwei then left the courtyard.

Just as they walked through a small alley, they saw the Holy Monk Lianchi, Li Wentian, and Leng Lingxi walking towards them.

Li Wentian greeted them warmly: "Alliance Leader Gu, Daoist Xu!"

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond also clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, Daoist Xu, you two have arrived early!"

Leng Lingxi bowed slightly without speaking. However, as she bowed, she subconsciously glanced at Gu Guanqi before quickly looking away.

Good morning, all three of you!

Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand, and Xu Zhiwei also bowed to the three of them.

The five of them then traveled together.

As they walked, the Holy Monk of Lotus Pond tilted his head with great interest to examine Gu Guanqi, saying, "Everyone says that Alliance Leader Gu is a genius, cultivating both Buddhism and Taoism. Before, I only thought that Alliance Leader Gu had a high level of Buddhist nature, but today I realize that Alliance Leader Gu not only has a high level of Buddhist nature, but already has the appearance of a Buddha!"

Li Wentian, Xu Zhiwei, and Leng Lingxi all looked at Gu Guanqi with suspicion.

Gu Guanqi knew that although his Buddhist and Taoist cultivation had returned to its original simplicity and ordinary people could not see anything about it, in front of a master like the Lotus Pond Saint Monk who had deeply cultivated Buddhism and Taoism, he would definitely be able to perceive the great progress he had made in his Buddhist and Taoist realm today.

"Holy Monk, you flatter me," Gu Guanqi said. "I only had a sudden insight yesterday and made a minor breakthrough."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond and Li Wentian were shocked.

Xu Zhiwei's eyes were full of joy, tinged with a slight shyness. Then, she sighed inwardly, "If only I had met him sooner. But if he hadn't cultivated the path of love, would we have even recognized each other?"

On the other side, Leng Lingxi's eyes first showed shock, then became somewhat complicated and hesitant. She thought to herself, "Is it because of my breakthrough? It's a pity. If I were younger, or you were older, with your talent, we could really have a deeper relationship. Now—I can only help you cultivate!"

"Amitabha,"

At this moment, the Holy Monk of Lotus Pond said, "Yesterday, I was just mentioning that Sword Master Junzi You once broke through two realms in one day. I didn't expect that Alliance Leader Gu could also achieve such an accomplishment so easily."

Li Wentian also said, "We are already considered to have cultivation talent, but when facing Alliance Leader Gu and Jun Ziyou, our Dao hearts would be shattered."

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly and said, "There are three thousand great paths, all leading to the same destination. Speed ​​is merely a process; as long as you reach the other shore, that's enough. In this world, how many latecomers surpass those who came before! The Way is under your feet, and also in your heart!"

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond chuckled and said, "Alliance Leader Gu's words are truly insightful."

Xu Zhiwei suddenly tugged at Gu Guanqi's sleeve and said, "You wouldn't be thinking of becoming a nun, would you?"

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and said, "Why do you say that?"

Xu Zhiwei said, "You have such a talent for cultivating Buddhist martial arts, your level is so high that even the Holy Monk of Lotus Pond commented that you have the appearance of Buddha. Don't get too obsessed with Buddhist ideals and end up becoming a monk!"

Li Wentian, standing nearby, joked, "Master Xu, are you worried about the precepts and rules of Buddhism? After all, while both are monks, Buddhism doesn't allow marriage and children, whereas many sects within Taoism don't restrict marriage!"

Xu Zhi smiled and said, "That's right. If you really want to become a monk, don't go to a Buddhist temple. Come to my Tianyi Sect instead."

The Venerable Monk Lianchi chuckled and said, "The Great Bright Temple also has monks who practice with their hair intact—"

Xu Zhiwei teased, "Holy Monk, please stop talking. If Gu Guanqi really becomes a monk at your Great Bright Temple, do you believe the Vice Leader of the Qingyun Hongsanzhou Martial Arts Alliance will storm the mountain and burn your Great Bright Temple down!"

"Amitabha Buddha, excellent, excellent!"

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond murmured softly and then fell silent.

Xu Zhiwei joked, "It seems even the holy monk is afraid."

The group chatted as they walked, and soon arrived at a grand hall.

At this moment, Zhang Daoji was already waiting inside, and Su Qingzi had also arrived early.

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Daoji explained to everyone the precautions to take when entering the Demon-Suppressing Well.

Afterwards, everyone followed Zhang Daoji and Xu Zhiwei towards the back of the mountain.

After traveling for about half an hour, a solitary peak rose abruptly from the ground ahead.

Upon reaching the summit, one sees an ancient magic array spread out across the mountaintop, with dozens of giant stone pillars, each three or four zhang tall, standing in a circle. The pillars are covered with mottled Taoist runes, and Taoist priests sit cross-legged in various places within the array, each with a deep and concentrated aura, perfectly integrated with the magic array.

The entire array was permeated with a majestic and profound Daoist aura. In the mid-air at the summit, an array plate formed by primordial Qi appeared and disappeared, shimmering with a faint glow.

"Everyone, this way."

Zhang Daoji gave a speech and then led everyone into the center of the great formation.

On the ground is a yin-yang symbol formed by two giant rocks joined together.

As Zhang Daoji made hand seals and chanted incantations, the yin-yang fish slowly began to rotate, and circles of warm energy rippled outwards like water.

Immediately afterwards, the ground trembled slightly. The two boulders gradually separated in the middle, and soon a dark hole was revealed, from which a chilling aura surged upwards.

"The Demon-Suppressing Well is below, please proceed!"

"Celestial Master, lead the way!" Li Wentian said.

Without saying anything more, Zhang Daoji went in first.

The others remained silent and followed them inside.

Soon, the view opened up before them, revealing a vast, enormous cavern. Jagged rocks and stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the rock walls and stalagmites were covered with yellowed talismans, intricately carved with array patterns.

Along the way, there were layers upon layers of small protective barriers, their energy subtly fluctuating. Further in, the cave widened, and in the center stood an ancient well, quietly unobstructed.

The well was not made of ordinary bricks and stones, but was built with special stone that gleamed with a dark luster, and the well body was engraved with all kinds of runes.

Eight iron chains, each as thick as an adult's arm, extended from the rock walls of the cave and were tightly wrapped around the well. The runes on the chains glowed faintly, and a faint energy ripple would occasionally pass through them.

"This is the Demon-Suppressing Well," Zhang Daoji said. "Back then, after my master returned the robe that contained the main will of the Crimson Heaven Demon King, I personally suppressed it in this well. Over the years, that demon has appeared and disappeared intermittently, and the closer one gets to the Demon-Suppressing Well, the more one can feel its demonic aura."

The crowd moved forward.

The further you go, the more you can feel the chilling spiritual power emanating from the wellhead.

Immediately, everyone began to use their own methods to intercept the spiritual power and then try to eliminate it.

But as expected.

They tried everything they could, but none of them could eliminate that force.

Gu Guanqi also seized a wisp of spiritual energy and then tried to erase it with his internal energy.

Soon, he understood why there was such a thing as immortality. This spiritual energy was not pure spiritual power, but rather spiritual power with another special kind of energy attached to it.

It was the corpse energy of the Corpse-Dissolving Immortal mentioned in the documents provided by Zhang Daoji.

What truly cannot be erased with true qi is that layer of corpse qi. The fusion of physical qi and spiritual power has transformed that energy into an extremely special entity, making it directly immune to true qi.

This special energy is called Corpse Immortal Qi by the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Gu Guanqi's body contains the Qi of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, and he cultivates Buddhism, Demonism and Taoism. He also possesses unorthodox Qi such as Heavenly Silkworm Qi and Five Poisons Qi. It can be said that there are few people in the world who can compare with him in terms of the variety of Qi. However, he tried all kinds of Qi one by one, but he could not eliminate the corpse Qi.

Gu Guanqi looked at the wisp of corpse immortal energy in his hand and began to circulate his power once again.

At this moment, he used the principles of salvation he had comprehended after entering the state of merging with Buddhahood through the Tathagata Palm last night.

"If even this can't eliminate the corpse aura, then we'll just have to leave each other alone!"

Gu Guanqi wasn't afraid of the Crimson Heaven Demon King. With his martial arts skills, although he might not be able to kill the Crimson Heaven Demon King, the Crimson Heaven Demon King wouldn't be able to do anything to him if they really fought. If the Crimson Heaven Demon King used mental attacks, Gu Guanqi could resist them, and he could even break through pure mental attacks. If the Crimson Heaven Demon King activated his demonic seed to possess the puppet, then he would be even less of a match for Gu Guanqi.

If they were to fight face-to-face, Gu Guanqi was absolutely confident that he could defeat the Crimson Sky Demon King.

However, given the characteristics of the Crimson Demon King, defeating him and killing him are two different things.

Immediately, Gu Guanqi's palm emitted wisps of special energy that did not belong to true qi, spiritual power, or innate nature; this was the transformative principle he had comprehended through the Tathagata Nirvana technique.

In an instant, those strands of the transformative laws attached themselves to the corpse immortal energy, slowly seeping in and dissolving it.

However, after a while, Gu Guanqi was disappointed to find that the Tathagata Palm was not the true Buddhist teaching of the Tathagata Buddha. After all, it was still a martial art and could not reach the level of purifying the filth of the world, nor could it restrain the immortal energy.

However, he thought it made sense. The Great Bright Temple was a sacred Buddhist site in the world, and it must have martial arts that were no weaker than the Tathagata Palm. However, even the Lotus Pond Saint Monk, who was the number one master of the Great Bright Temple, was helpless against the Crimson Heaven Demon King, which showed that Buddhist and Taoist methods had no effect on Hu Xian Qi.

"How is it?" Xu Zhiwei leaned close to Gu Guanqi and whispered.

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly and said, "I don't have any solutions for now, but I have basically figured out the nature of this Corpse Immortal Qi, so perhaps I can come up with a solution in the future."

Xu Zhiwei said in a low voice, "If it were a pure corpse-dissolving immortal, that would be fine. Our Heavenly Dao Sect has records of this and knows how to counter it. But this Crimson Heaven Demon King is following his own unique spiritual corpse-dissolving path, which is completely different from the traditional corpse-dissolving immortal."

Gu Guanqi said, "The most profound in this regard are your Tianyi Sect and Daguangming Temple. Tianyi Sect has no choice but to look to the Lotus Pond Saint Monk."

As they spoke, the two looked at the Holy Monk Lianchi, only to see that he had a furrowed brow.

Gu Guanqi began, "Saint—"

"Boom!"

Just then, a loud bang suddenly erupted in the cave, and the entire cave shook for a moment.

The eight iron chains wrapped around the Demon-Suppressing Well snapped in unison, shooting out in all directions with a sharp whooshing sound. Each chain was accompanied by a powerful gale and evil energy, moving with the force of thunder, aiming to kill.

In that instant, Gu Guanqi reached out and grabbed Xu Zhiwei's waist, pulling her into his arms. He took two steps back, and at the same time, he stretched out his other hand, his palm surging with true energy, which condensed into a semi-transparent wall of energy in mid-air to block the attack.

Xu Zhiwei was held in Gu Guanqi's arms, her back pressed against his chest, and she could clearly feel his heartbeat.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on Gu Guanqi's profile, and she suddenly felt her ears burning.

Then, she quietly withdrew the true energy she had gathered in her hand. In fact, she had already prepared a countermeasure the moment the iron chains shot towards her.

But at this moment, she only felt that leaning against Gu Guanqi's arm was just right, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved slightly. She thought to herself, "I just didn't realize it!"

"boom"

The iron chain slammed into the air wall in front of Gu Guanqi's palm with a muffled "boom." The two forces collided violently, creating a visible shockwave.

The iron chain remained suspended in mid-air, still impacting Gu Guanqi's aura barrier with terrifying energy.

The other seven iron chains flew towards Zhang Daoji, the Lotus Pond Monk, and the others.

Li Wentian let out a low shout and pushed forward with both palms. A thick wall of energy, as heavy as a mountain, stretched out in front of him. Several iron chains crashed against it, producing a deafening sound of metal clashing and sparks flying everywhere.

Leng Lingxi drew her longsword, its light cascading like an icy river, drawing a perfect arc in front of her. The chains that touched the sword light were deflected the moment they touched the light and pierced the stone wall.

The three monks, Lianchi, Zhang Daoji, and Su Qingzi, stayed behind and didn't need to intervene.

At that very moment, "Roar!"

A deep roar came from the Demon-Suppressing Well, as if a thunderclap had exploded from the depths of the earth, causing the entire cavern to resonate.

Immediately afterwards, thick, inky black fog surged out like a burst dam, instantly filling half of the cave.

The black mist swirled and churned in the air, and wherever it passed, the runes on the magic array pillars extinguished one by one, as if they were being extinguished by an invisible hand.

Zhang Daoji's expression changed drastically.

He flashed forward and arrived in front of the well, raising both palms simultaneously.

In an instant, countless talismans flew out from Zhang Daoji's sleeve, transforming into a flowing array in mid-air. The patterns spun rapidly, causing the runes throughout the cave to emanate energy, pressing down on the surging black mist.

"Please help me, everyone!" Zhang Daoji said urgently.

Li Wentian, Leng Lingxi, the Lotus Pond Saint Monk, Gu Guanqi, Su Qingzi, and Xu Zhiwei simultaneously activated their true energy. Six powerful streams of internal energy, together with Zhang Daoji's array plate, pressed heavily down towards the mouth of the Demon-Suppressing Well.

However, in the next instant, the magic arrays inscribed with runes on the four walls of the cave shattered at the same time. The light of the runes on the array plate that Zhang Daoji activated quickly dimmed, and then the array on the Demon Suppression Well completely failed in that instant.

The black mist suddenly surged, instantly dispersing the powerful true energy. The wellhead exploded, and rubble flew in all directions.

The black mist shot into the sky, forming a blurry human figure in mid-air, with two dark red lights in its eyes, like flames burning.

He slowly raised his arms, looked down at his palms, and let out a hearty laugh: "Hahahaha—I'm finally free!"

"Crimson Sky Demon King!"

Zhang Daoji's expression turned grim. Looking at the figure formed from the black mist, he said in a deep voice, "So you had already broken free!"

The Crimson Demon King slowly raised his head, his dark red eyes looking down at Zhang Daoji, and said, "That's right, I've been free for a long time, but unfortunately I can't break the great formation outside, so I'm waiting here for the day you will open the formation on your own!"

Zhang Daoji said coldly, "No wonder you manipulated Feng Xiwan to infiltrate my Daoist sect's forbidden area; you wanted him to break through the Great Luo Formation outside."

The Crimson Demon King waved his hand and said, "Alright, that's enough. I'm in a good mood today, so I won't go on a killing spree. I'm leaving now. Does anyone object?"

Zhang Daoji said coldly, "You may not have the chance to leave. We have come here today to slay the demon."

"Hmph," the Crimson Heaven Demon King chuckled, "I am immortal and indestructible. I'll stand here and let you kill me, and there's nothing you can do about it. Now that the Great Luo Formation outside has opened a gap, I'm leaving. Who among you can stop me?"

Zhang Daoji said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, today's disaster is due to my miscalculation. I will have to trouble you all to help me clean up this mess!"

The Holy Monk Lianchi calmly said, "Amitabha, Master Zhang is too kind. We came here today to understand the Crimson Heaven Demon King. It would be good to fight here, perhaps we can understand him better."

The Crimson Demon King looked at the Holy Monk Lianchi and said, "Lianchi, you old codger, you must be over a hundred years old! You should be content to stay in your Great Bright Temple, eating and waiting to die, instead of meddling in other people's business!"

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond smiled slightly and said, "To subdue demons and eliminate evil is my great aspiration."

"What a grand ambition," the Crimson Heaven Demon King said, glancing around lightly. "Decades have passed, and the martial world has indeed seen a new generation replace the old. I don't recognize any of these young people."

Zhang Daoji said, "There's no need for you to know them; they're all here to kill you."

The Crimson Demon King stretched his arms slightly, his gaze falling on Gu Guanqi, and slowly said, "Gu Guanqi, we meet again."

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "Every time I see you, you're always in a sorry state."

The Crimson Heaven Demon King said, "Today, I, the Demon King, rule the world. How could I be in a sorry state? What you saw that day was merely a wisp of my divine soul. A little embarrassment is nothing to speak of, but—"

He remained floating in the air, slowly extending his hand, his demonic energy surging. He looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "However, my promise from that day still stands. As long as you are willing to submit to me, I will make you emperor, and you can choose any beauty in the world. I will also impart to you supreme secret techniques to help you become an immortal!"

Gu Guanqi chuckled, "If you could become an immortal, why would you need to play these tricks here? What, do you enjoy being sealed away?"

"You're really asking for it!"

Before he finished speaking, the Crimson Demon King transformed into a torrent of black mist, carrying an overwhelming pressure as it rushed towards Gu Guanqi. The air was filled with piercing screams, as if thousands of vengeful ghosts were howling at the same time.

"Suppress the Demon!"

In that instant, Zhang Daoji suddenly flicked his right hand, and a golden talisman flew out of his hand, suddenly exploding in mid-air and transforming into a flowing array plate that spun rapidly, rippling outwards like innate energy.

"Gentlemen, help me!" Zhang Daoji shouted.

The Holy Monk Lianchi and the others immediately understood and began to channel their true energy into the array plate.

The array plate suddenly hummed under the infusion of multiple forces, emitting a series of mechanical sounds. Then, its light surged and pressed down on the surging black mist.

"Boom!"

The array plate collided with the black mist, producing a muffled explosion. The cavern trembled, and rubble fell in a flurry. The two forces collided violently within the cavern, bursting forth with dazzling light and surging air currents.

However, in the next instant, an extremely terrifying mental shock suddenly erupted from the depths of the black mist, like an invisible giant hammer, directly crashing into the sea of ​​consciousness of everyone present.

Immediately, the Holy Monk Lianchi and others were shocked and lost their composure.

Zhang Daoji was the first to be hit. The mental shock pierced his brow like a sharp blade, his face turned pale, and his hand seals faltered slightly.

In that instant, the light of the golden array plate suddenly dimmed, and cracks spread across the surface of the light screen like a spider web.

"boom"

The array plate shattered with a deafening roar.

The black mist, no longer suppressed, suddenly surged, like a flood bursting its banks, rushing towards Gu Guanqi. Wherever the black mist passed, the talismans on the stone walls burned to ashes.

Xu Zhiwei made a hand seal and whispered, "Gu Guanqi, step back!"

"Need not!"

Gu Guanqi snorted coldly and took a step forward.

At that instant, he also made a hand seal.

In an instant, solemn and majestic chants suddenly rang out around Gu Guanqi. The voices were deep and resonant, as if they came from ancient times, carrying an inviolable and majestic aura.

Immediately afterwards, a Buddha statue formed of golden light appeared behind him. The Buddha's face was compassionate, and its eyes were slightly lowered, yet it exuded supreme majesty.

Countless tiny golden Buddhist seals flowed between Gu Guanqi's arms, each "5" slowly rotating, radiating a warm yet intense Buddhist light, which then instantly spread throughout his entire body.

"Om Mani Padme Hum————"

As chanting Buddhist hymns resounded, Gu Guanqi struck out with his palm.

The moment that palm struck, the golden Buddhist seals lit up simultaneously, their light surging like a blazing sun rising from his palm. The chanting suddenly intensified, and the Buddhist seals surged forward like a tidal wave, colliding head-on with the surging black mist.

The two forces collided, instantly producing a buzzing sound.

The next moment, the thick, ink-like black mist invaded the Buddha's light, causing it to rapidly thin and disintegrate layer by layer, disappearing into the air in the blink of an eye.

"what?"

However, although the palm strike failed, Gu Guanqi's heart stirred, because he sensed that while the Tathagata Palm had failed to dispel the Crimson Heaven Demon King's Corpse Immortal Qi, the Crimson Heaven Demon King's will within this Corpse Immortal Qi had escaped.

Sure enough, in the next moment, a wisp of black mist re-condensed from the mouth of the Demon-Suppressing Well, and the figure of the Crimson Heaven Demon King appeared and disappeared. He said in a deep voice, "It seems that the Buddhist and Taoist master who broke through last night was you! Hmph, I'm not playing with you anymore, Gu Guanqi, you don't have a third chance!"

Before he finished speaking, the Crimson Demon King's figure suddenly vanished, turning into dense black mist that dispersed in all directions. Then it became transparent and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself, "This guy seems to be trying to cover something up!"

At the same time, as the corpse immortal energy dissipated, Su Qingzi's expression turned solemn. He hurriedly circulated his inner power, and a surge of immense golden core power erupted, instantly enveloping the cavern. He shouted, "Senior brother, help me! Subdue the demons and eliminate evil!"

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