Chapter 417: Holy Child

Yi Xuangong was not surprised by Feng's defeat.

After all, as the esteemed sect master of a Dao field, Old Man Guangji possessed numerous Spiritual Treasures, easily enough to bridge the gap between the Qi Nurturing Second Layer and the Qi Consumption Second Layer.

In fact, they bridged it with plenty to spare.

In comparison, his own Dao field was nowhere near as wealthy. When the Four Great Wisdom Kings defected, they hadn't just left; they had taken a massive portion of its wealth with them.

After the Dao field fell into the Star Grave Sand Sea, there had been no opportunity to forge new Spiritual Treasures. They could only make do with what they had. That Feng wielded the Eight Winds Bag—a treasure perfectly suited to him—was already the result of Yi Xuangong's painstaking arrangements. Hoping for more Spiritual Treasures was impossible.

Besides, Spiritual Treasures were needed just as badly elsewhere.

Thinking of this, Yi Xuangong glanced at the ongoing battles across the other Tomb Stars. Their defense was resolute, but they could spare no strength to reinforce others.

I will have to act myself.

Yi Xuangong took a deep breath. Old Man Guangji had already begun his pursuit of Feng. Given Feng's severe injuries, his life would be in danger if this continued.

He immediately took a step forward.

With that single step, his Qi Consumption Third Layer cultivation was displayed in full. A massive sun seemed to rise in deep space, its blazing majesty illuminating the Cosmos in radiant brilliance.

He then pointed a finger from afar.

"Swish!"

A golden light tore through the void—another Spiritual Treasure. Hidden within the mighty radiance of the sun, it was as fine as a strand of hair and as swift as lightning, arriving right before Old Man Guangji in the blink of an eye.

"The Sun-Dazzling Golden Needle!?"

Old Man Guangji let out a strange cry and hurriedly pulled his Daoist robe up to cover his face. Streams of starlight began to ignite across the pitch-black garment.

Arrayed Constellations Shedding Radiance Night-Illuminating Qi.

Heavenly Yin Fire!

This Floating Light Star-Adorned Robe was similarly a Spiritual Treasure, but its focus lay in bodily protection and disaster evasion. The starlight it now manifested clashed head-on with the sunlight.

In a flash, Old Man Guangji's figure vanished into the starlight.

This was a profound mystery known as "the bright fire extinguishes." Just as yang fire rose like the morning sun, yin fire hid its radiance like the arrayed stars. Though the lamp possessed a flame, it cast no light.

Thus, while wearing this precious robe and facing yang fire—especially the Heavenly Yang Fire that symbolized the rising sun, the Radiant Universal Illumination Six Harmonies Qi—his concealment abilities climbed to their absolute peak. It perfectly matched the imagery of "when the sun rises, the myriad stars hide." Relying on this, Old Man Guangji evaded Yi Xuangong's wrathful strike.

"Hmph..."

With his profound dao attainment, Yi Xuangong saw through the flaw in Old Man Guangji's technique at a glance. He sneered and immediately recited a passage of Daoist discourse:

"When the three yang gather, yang fire is born, and yin fire retreats. Though this possesses the mystery of evasion, it fears the relentless pressure of yang fire. If the starlight is destroyed, the yin fire will have nowhere to retreat and will extinguish itself."

Boom!

The Daoist voice resonated throughout the Cosmos. At the same time, the Sun-Dazzling Golden Needle continued to screech through the air. One split into a thousand, and a thousand split into ten thousand, transforming into a magnificent waterfall of golden light.

This time, Old Man Guangji's expression finally changed.

It was exactly as Yi Xuangong's Daoist discourse had claimed. Although his Floating Light Star-Adorned Robe could evade Heavenly Yang Fire, if the flames relentlessly pursued him, he would be in massive trouble.

"Clang!"

In an instant, Old Man Guangji's figure was engulfed by the golden waterfall. The starlight projected by his precious robe was immediately riddled with holes, completely losing its luster.

Seeing this, Old Man Guangji no longer dared to feign composure and shrieked:

"Bastards, what are you still waiting for!?"

Before his voice even faded, Yi Xuangong—who had intended to press his advantage and heavily injure Old Man Guangji—felt a slight ripple in his divine sense. He subconsciously lowered his head to look at his feet.

"This is..."

What met his eyes was a profound expanse of darkness.

It resembled an invisible pool of water stretching beneath his feet, spreading infinitely in all directions. It was divided into five paths, forming the shape of a hand.

Not good!

Yi Xuangong reacted in a split second. He immediately recalled the Sun-Dazzling Golden Needle, intending to ride a streak of escaping light out of the confines of this palm.

However, he was too late.

"Amitabha!"

In a flash, the darkness rolled back. The flat hand that had burst from the void suddenly clenched tight, trapping Yi Xuangong right in its palm!

For Yi Xuangong, his surroundings drastically changed. The darkness shrouding him paused for a brief moment before rapidly fading away like an ebbing tide. Meditation groves, temples, and magnificent pure lands emerged from the gloom. In the center of the pure land, a young monk was looking at him with a smile.

"This poor monk is Yongxiu."

The monk pressed his palms together and smiled. "Benefactor Yi, the Wisdom Kings have missed you for many years. Today, they specifically asked this little monk to bring you back so that you may reach the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss all the sooner."

"Brahma Nation..."

Yi Xuangong lowered his gaze. He seemed to recall the betrayal of the Four Great Wisdom Kings that had fractured his Dao field all those years ago. His heart had already reached the absolute peak of fury.

Yet, the expression he showed was infinitely cold and calm. He only let out a faint sigh. "I see. You are their trump card."

"To think all three Dao fields have surrendered to Brahma."

"Quite the capability. What is your relationship with the Master of Secret Traces?"

Hearing this, Yongxiu's smile did not waver. Instead, he performed a courteous bow before speaking, "This little monk is untalented, merely a Holy Child under the Bodhisattva's seat."

"Benefactor, you should stop struggling."

Yongxiu's voice echoed through the thousands of meditation groves and ancient temples. "There ought to be a place for the benefactor in this pure land. The title of the Fifth Wisdom King belongs to none other than you."

"With just you?"

Yi Xuangong's gaze was ice-cold. He could tell that, in terms of the Ascetic Monks' Chan Meditation, if compared against the Qi Refinement Third Layer, Yongxiu was likely just at the threshold of the Chan Meditation Second Layer.

The cultivation of the Brahma Nation's Ascetic Monks focuses primarily on the Four Marks and Six Meritorious Deeds. The Chan Meditation First Layer cultivates one mark and one meritorious deed. The Chan Meditation Second Layer cultivates two marks and three meritorious deeds. The Chan Meditation Third Layer cultivates three marks and five meritorious deeds. If one takes it a step further and completes the final mark and meritorious deed, they become an Awakened Emptiness arhat.

Out of his deep-seated hatred for the Brahma Nation, Yi Xuangong had secretly researched them extensively.

Thus, he was no stranger to Brahma techniques and quickly drew a conclusion.

Having just entered the Chan Meditation Second Layer, this Yongxiu most likely possesses two marks and three meritorious deeds. At this level, he still isn't my match. At best, he can only tie me down...

The conclusion was very clear.

Yi Xuangong was confident he hadn't made a mistake. However, the clearer the conclusion was, the more uneasy he felt: Did the three Dao fields merely want someone to stall him?

Impossible!

They must have a lethal move left!

Just as Yi Xuangong was on high alert, pondering what hidden methods Yongxiu possessed, he saw the young monk let out a soft chuckle before whispering:

"Suffering, accumulation, cessation, and path. These are the Four Noble Truths."

As his voice fell, thousands of golden rays abruptly flared from his body. Staring at that golden light, a visible change finally overtook Yi Xuangong's face.

Because that was no profound spell.

Instead, it was—

A meritorious deed!?

In a split second, Yi Xuangong could only defend himself with all his might. Yet, that ray of golden light completely bypassed his defenses, landing directly upon him.

Heart of the Noble Truths.

This was exactly the meritorious deed created back then when the Master of Secret Traces converted the Qi Consumption Third Layer practitioners who cultivated the Brocade River Smoke, the Sunken Valley Field, the Divination Staff Coin, and the Forest Bell Fullness. He had subsequently transformed them into the Four Great Wisdom Kings, replenishing the Brahma Nation's losses after their thirty-two marks were shattered by the Great Rebellion!

Based on that historic feat, this meritorious deed perfectly countered the cultivation lineage of the Wuwei Buyi Dao Field. Naturally, that included the Glimmering Embankment Willow, the core profound method practiced by Yi Xuangong!

"Boom!"

In the blink of an eye, the qi mechanisms across Yi Xuangong's body plummeted wildly. Under the influence of the Heart of the Noble Truths, a full seventy percent of his profound power was obliterated!

The miraculous qi phenomena that originally placed Yi Xuangong far above Yongxiu instantly plummeted, dropping until they were virtually neck and neck, perhaps even slightly inferior!