Yun Chen Fózǐ's answer seemed to skirt the question. Yun Xi felt like she could imagine an entire short novel: a tale of past-life love between the ascetic Fózǐ and the cold, aloof female cultivator.
Perhaps Yun Xi's gaze was too intense, because Yun Chen Fózǐ lowered his eyes and recited a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha! Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, likewise."
Yun Xi felt he was being evasive. She smiled mischievously and said: "I understand this. All is illusory. But if it is illusory, why not resolve Han Lian Zhēnjūn's lingering obsession? It is a merit to do so."
Yun Chen Fózǐ shot her a glare, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation. Were it not for Yun Xi having just aided them, he might have been tempted to strike her.
Yun Xi pressed her lips into a small smile. Now she understood why Han Lian Zhēnjūn had been so attentive toward Yun Chen Fózǐ: calm, perceptive, and stable personalities naturally drew others in.
Before Yun Xi could hide her playful grin, she noticed Han Lian Zhēnjūn's icy, glass-like eyes fixed intently on her.
Clearing her throat, she composed herself and asked: "Han Lian Zhēnjūn, have you fully recovered?"
Han Lian nodded: "Let us move quickly."
The three of them rose and looked toward the Soul-Devouring Bamboo outside the array. Yun Xi grasped the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella once more, nodded to them, and flicked her sleeve to retract the formation into her storage ring.
Without the protection of the array, every bamboo leaf became razor-sharp, tearing toward them like a meat grinder. Corrupted roots sprouted continuously from the ground, quickly wrapping around the three of them.
Han Lian Zhēnjūn was clearly ready to vent her anger. She released her protective Ice Lotus, instantly freezing the surrounding leaves and roots.
Yun Xi immediately channeled wind spirit energy into the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella. The black dragon emblazoned on the canopy swung its tail and roared, charging into the frozen bamboo like a harvesting machine, tearing everything in its path and carving a path for the three of them.
This time Yun Chen Fózǐ took the lead. Several swift movements brought him before the massive Soul-Devouring Bamboo. He recited a Buddhist chant and flung the 108 prayer beads around his neck.
Each bead transformed into a disk-sized Dharma wheel, radiating a dense golden light that enveloped the entire bamboo.
The Soul-Devouring Bamboo shook violently, as if facing a natural predator, releasing waves of gray energy from the inside out. Listening closely, one could even hear faint wails.
To escape the golden wheel's light, the bamboo fought back. The entire forest shook madly, with sharp leaves, roots emerging unpredictably, and corpses buried beneath the ground.
Yun Xi recoiled at the sight of the crawling, decayed corpses, a wave of nausea rising. The enemy had truly fought to the end.
Han Lian Zhēnjūn's face grew colder, her icy eyes flashing with killing intent. She unleashed the ultimate move "Ice Seals Ten Thousand Miles," freezing the newly emerged threats. Then she lightly struck the ground, turning the frozen corpses to powder.
Yun Xi's eyes sparkled with admiration. This was the power of a Yuányīng Zhēnjūn, and she couldn't help but feel envious.
Holding a high-grade spirit stone to replenish her energy, Yun Xi knew the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella's ultimate move was exhausting. Hei Yao had warned her that it had only reached seventy percent of its potential. If fully unleashed, she might have been drained entirely.
Still, she could not falter. After Han Lian Zhēnjūn's attack, she spun the umbrella's handle and unleashed the black dragon again.
This time, with the spirit stone and silent support from Xiao Xian, the dragon had grown larger, its black scales glinting with faint light. Roaring, it carved through the bamboo like a sharp sickle and blocked the white skeletal remnants attempting to ambush Yun Chen Fózǐ.
Han Lian Zhēnjūn raised her heroic brows and waved her sleeve, causing a snowstorm to descend. The seemingly soft snow seemed to freeze the air itself, let alone the bamboo.
Yun Xi muttered in awe. This was what happened when one offended a Nascent Soul female cultivator. Han Lian Zhēnjūn was clearly taking revenge.
Xianling Grass whispered: "Master, there is a spirit vein beneath this bamboo forest. You handled the evil cultivators' last move. It is not unreasonable for me to claim the vein as my reward."
Yun Xi pinched her forehead: "Are you sure the realm spirit won't notice? We don't want to be trapped here."
"Master, focus on helping Yun Chen Fózǐ destroy the Soul-Devouring Bamboo. Then I will claim my reward without guilt." Xiao Xian urged immediately.
"Do you not fear I will exhaust my energy and die?" Yun Xi complained.
"Do not worry, Master. With me here, you will not be drained. Besides, by claiming the spirit vein, the bamboo's strength is weakened. You can act without restraint."
Yun Xi gritted her teeth, then sent out her spirit to assist Yun Chen Fózǐ, who was controlling the 108 golden Dharma wheels. She told Han Lian Zhēnjūn:
"Zhēnjūn, I will help Senior Yun Chen."
Without waiting for a response, she flashed beside the bamboo. The Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella hovered beside her, shielding against the skeletal remains crawling from the roots.
This time, Yun Xi drew on her internal thunder spirit power and cast the ultimate move "Mighty Thunder." Countless purple lightning strands crawled up the bamboo. Gold and purple light intertwined, finally cutting the bamboo in half.
A thunderous crash echoed. Half of the bamboo fell, crushing half the forest. The bamboo's attacks ceased.
Yun Xi's face paled from exhaustion. She quickly swallowed a replenishing pill.
Yun Chen Fózǐ retracted his beads and placed them back around his neck.
Han Lian Zhēnjūn moved beside them, examining the blackened cross-section of the bamboo:"Corrosion was worse than expected."
At that moment, a gray light orb, the size of a goose egg, shot from the rotten roots, splitting into three and flying toward their foreheads.
The event happened quickly, but all three were prepared. Han Lian Zhēnjūn's Ice Lotus appeared on her forehead, Yun Chen Fózǐ's golden lotus, and Yun Xi's red flower emblem.
"Ah! How is this possible?"
The gray orb's wails echoed around them, but all three crushed the fragments.
Han Lian froze a third of the orb and crushed it. Yun Chen Fózǐ's golden lotus pierced a third, evaporating it. Yun Xi's flower emblem pulverized the remaining third into dust.
Finally, they exchanged wary glances. Yun Chen Fózǐ joined his hands: "Amitabha! Thankfully, it was greedy enough to try to possess all three of us simultaneously."