Within that endless storm of soul power, shrouded in pitch-black darkness, a blinding golden light suddenly burst forth—
a single ray piercing through the oppressive gloom, bringing a glimmer of brilliance back to the world drowned in shadow.
"What's happening?"
The sudden golden radiance, though faint at first, was dazzling in this sea of darkness. Everyone froze, eyes wide in astonishment.
In the next instant, more golden beams erupted one after another from within the dark shroud. The surrounding darkness was completely dispelled in a heartbeat.
As the golden light intensified, an enormous Buddha, nearly a hundred zhang tall, manifested in the skies.
The golden Buddha sat cross-legged in the air, suspended behind Chen Mo.
An ancient and boundless aura surged outward from it—pure, sacred, powerful enough to cleanse the world of all evil.
Above its head blazed a radiant golden sun, exuding overwhelming might and grandeur.
Chen Mo hovered in midair before the Buddha, seated cross-legged.
His right hand was clenched tightly, as if crushing something unseen.
Behind him, the Buddha's colossal golden palm was clenched in perfect sync.
Blue blood trickled from Chen Mo's lips, eyes, ears, and nose. His face twitched with pain, and within his crimson eyes burned pure rage.
In his mind flashed images—
Queen Medusa coughing blood,
Die's tearful face crying out in despair,
and Yun Yun standing before him, pale but resolute, whispering "I'm sorry."
Each image burned into his soul like a brand.
Gritting his teeth, Chen Mo poured every last ounce of Dou Qi into the golden Buddha. His face contorted with madness.
"You're right," he growled. "It ends here! Die—Great Sun Indestructible Body!"
Chen Mo's clenched fist opened and straightened, then descended sharply toward Protector Xuan from midair.
Behind him, the golden Buddha mirrored his motion—its vast palm opened, fingers joining together, pressing downward with unstoppable, annihilating force.
Protector Xuan's pupils contracted in horror. His very soul trembled.
The moment that first golden ray had appeared, the terrifying soul energy he'd unleashed had been forcibly crushed by that Buddha's hand!
As the golden Buddha descended upon him, Protector Xuan's first instinct was to flee—
but the Buddha's movement, though seemingly slow, carried impossible speed.
Before he could even finish his thought, the giant palm was already above his head.
Pffft!
When the colossal palm struck, there was almost no sound—like swatting a mosquito.
Only when it slammed into the ground below did a deafening roar erupt.
Rumble!
The earth trembled violently, shaking the entire battlefield. Countless people jumped in fright.
When they looked again, they saw the ground torn open by countless deep fissures—bottomless chasms spreading outward from the impact site.
But it wasn't over.
Chen Mo raised his right hand again and clenched it into a fist.
With a roar, he slammed his fist toward the massive crater below.
The golden Buddha mirrored him, raining down strikes from the heavens.
"This punch is for Queen Medusa."
Another blow crashed down.
"This punch is for Die."
And again.
"This one is for Yun Yun."
And finally—his bloodied knuckles tightened, voice hoarse with fury:
"And this one… is for myself!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each strike split the earth apart, opening bottomless cracks like the mouths of abyssal beasts.
Protector Xuan was obliterated with the very first punch—body and soul annihilated without even the chance to scream.
The watching armies gasped sharply. The battlefield fell into utter silence, broken only by the thunder of Chen Mo's blows.
He struck again and again, venting every last drop of wrath within him.
When at last his rage subsided, Chen Mo turned his blazing eyes toward the Gold and Silver Elders.
Seeing Die's bloodstained figure nearby, his fury reignited—he swung once more.
The two elders tried to flee in opposite directions, but the golden Buddha's speed far surpassed theirs.
In the blink of an eye, twin fists fell—two crimson explosions burst in the sky, their blood scattering like mist.
Next was Fang Yan, who stood closest.
Then Chen Mo's gaze locked onto Han Feng—and his fist rose once more.
Han Feng had already turned to flee the moment the two elders perished, streaking toward the horizon.
But he was merely a Dou Huang—far too slow to escape the Buddha's pursuit.
The giant golden fist descended upon him.
Yet just as it was about to strike—
Chen Mo's Dou Qi finally ran dry.
The recovery from the Flame Prison Demon God Armor and the Yin-Yang Twin Jade simply couldn't keep up with the consumption of the Buddha's form.
As the fist neared Han Feng, the golden Buddha flickered—and dissolved into motes of light.
Han Feng vanished into the distant sky, escaping by a hair's breadth.
At the same time, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over Chen Mo.
His vision dimmed rapidly; his limbs went numb. Moments later, his eyes rolled back, and his body went limp, plummeting straight toward the ground.
Whoosh!
Just as he was about to crash, a massive purple shadow flashed across the heavens.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King swooped in, catching Chen Mo delicately in its jaws before tossing him onto its broad back.
Queen Medusa immediately moved forward, catching him in her arms.
Her slender hands caressed his pale face as a choked sob escaped her lips.
Looking at the dried tears on his cheeks, her always-cold eyes softened for the first time in years.
"You must live," she whispered. "If you wake up… then this queen will forgive you—and my sister."
Perhaps it was too hard for her to continue; her voice faltered before she could finish.
She used her remaining strength to cradle Chen Mo's head against her chest, then looked down upon the battlefield.
Below, the Snake-People Tribe, including Yue Mei, stared in shock.
Never before had they seen their proud, unshakable queen reveal such sorrow.
Even the dullest among them understood now.
Yue Mei, in particular, was stunned.
She knew full well about Chen Mo's past entanglements with Her Highness… and now, seeing the Queen herself like this—
Heavens!
Die flew over, landing on the Lion King's back. Her tear-filled eyes trembled as she gazed at the unconscious man in her sister's embrace.
She broke down crying, sobbing that it was all her fault, that she was useless.
On the other side, among the Jia Ma Empire and Yun Lan Sect camps, everyone swallowed nervously.
Nearly all of their high-ranking experts had fallen.
Now… it was time for the Snake-People to settle accounts.
As the serpentine army closed in, Queen Medusa's eyes, once soft, turned icy once more.
Her jade-like hand brushed across Chen Mo's cheek. After a long silence, she closed her eyes and spoke coldly:
"Surrender, and you will be spared.
Three days from now, the Imperial Family will submit to the Snake-People Tribe, and the Yun Lan Sect will be dissolved.
Otherwise—none shall be left alive."
The sky fell silent. Her chilling decree echoed across the battlefield.
Faces among the Yun Lan Sect and Empire forces turned pale with despair.
And then—
From within the Empire's ranks, an armored old man—Mu Chen—raised his sword high and roared:
"Even if I fall in battle, I will never surrender!
Soldiers of the Empire—charge with me!"
****
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