Chief Monk Ben Guang summoned up his inner strength. Extending two fingers of his left hand, he sent forth an invisible stream of qi from their tips. Such a feat was truly beyond all common knowledge, unheard of and unseen by most men. Yet though Shaolin's supreme art, the Maha Finger Formula, possessed boundless force, it was no skill that could be wielded entirely at will. Only one with profound inner power and perfect command of mind could hope to master it.
The evil art of Bu Lao Tian Mo was indeed formidable. Backed by peerless martial skill, he was no foe to be underestimated. Small wonder he was so arrogant—he truly possessed a body of kung fu beyond the reach of ordinary men. His palms struck swiftly, and withdrew just as swiftly; his attacks and changes of move came in the space of a single instant, fierce and impossible to guard against.
At this moment, Ben Guang had nowhere left to retreat. The best fighters of Shaolin were already wounded, and now he fought as one staking his very life. Everything he had learned in a lifetime of cultivation he poured forth without reserve—fists, palms, fingers in succession. He sealed off three punches, three palms, and three finger-strikes from Bu Lao Tian Mo, yet his own body was driven backward six full steps.
By now the two had fought themselves into a true rage.
Bu Lao Tian Mo let out a cold laugh, his voice thick with contempt. "If the Master has no greater skill than this, then I shall no longer be courteous!"
Before the words had fully fallen, his right sleeve swept through the air and his right palm shot out in a direct thrust. Ben Guang lifted his left hand and barely managed to block it, but the force of the blow shook him so violently that he staggered back several paces, his face turning faintly pale.
The Undying Demonic Art possessed terrifying reserve power. Its strength never ran dry; the more it was used, the stronger it became. At this moment, Bu Lao Tian Mo launched eight consecutive palms in one seamless flow, giving Ben Guang not the slightest chance to catch his breath.
Seeing the monk in mortal peril, a figure suddenly flashed forth and struck a palm at Bu Lao Tian Mo.
Without even turning his head, the demon crossed his hands and struck out with both palms at once. Two sharp reports rang out—pa! pa!—and in an instant the three men sprang apart.
Bu Lao Tian Mo cast a cold glance at the newcomer and snorted with ridicule. "So this is the great personage who dares strike without courtesy? I truly never expected it would be the Great Dharma King A-Luo-Si of the Luminous Religion!"
A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King remained calm, his tone steady and grave. "Bu Lao Tian Mo, Master Ben Guang is respected by all men in the martial world. You must not harm his life."
Hot blood surged in Bu Lao Tian Mo's chest, and he shouted loudly, "I, Bu Lao Tian Mo, have no grudge against any of you. As for Master Ben Guang's character, I too have long held it in esteem. But today you force the Martial Demon without respite. All of us brothers of the greenwood share one hatred and one fury. For his sake, we would brave boiling water and blazing fire without hesitation!"
A-Luo-Si sighed, his voice touched with helplessness. "Why must you persist in speaking on behalf of the Martial Demon? What is it you truly seek?"
At once Bu Lao Tian Mo cupped his hands toward the gathered heroes and called out in a ringing voice, "I seek nothing else today! Like the brothers of the greenwood gathered here, I seek justice in the martial world. I seek a voice for men like us—not that our lives and deaths should be decided by you self-proclaimed lofty and righteous men! Today, brothers from the four seas and five lakes have come together for one thing alone—the word yi—righteous loyalty!"
When the greenwood brothers heard these words, all were moved to tears. Some cried out in excitement, "The Alliance of Justice!"
Then all together they roared, "The Alliance of Justice! The Alliance of Justice! The Alliance of Justice!"
The sound rolled like thunder, shaking the valley till it seemed even heaven and earth trembled with it.
Standing upon the high ground, Bu Lao Tian Mo swept his blazing gaze across the gathered multitude and declared firmly, "This battle today is not only to win justice for the Martial Demon, but to win one breath of dignity for us greenwood brothers who have long been ignored and oppressed by the so-called righteous sects! We seek neither fame nor profit. We ask only for fairness and justice! Whoever dares obstruct us shall become the enemy of Bu Lao Tian Mo and of all the greenwood brothers!"
The assembled outlaws and heroes alike burned with hot blood. Weapons were raised high in answer to his cry. At this moment, the struggle between righteousness and evil had risen to its peak. The winds and clouds of the martial world stirred once more, and no one could foresee how the future would unfold. Yet Bu Lao Tian Mo's words had already seared themselves deep into the hearts of every greenwood brother, becoming a creed and a source of strength.
A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King fixed him with a piercing gaze. His tone remained steady, though edged with solemn warning. "Bu Lao Tian Mo, why persist in defying Heaven and aiding evil? This is nothing but digging your own grave. You should seize this chance to cleanse your heart, turn over a new leaf, and begin life anew!"
A sharp murderous glint flashed in the depths of Bu Lao Tian Mo's eyes. A savage grin spread across his face as he barked, "Enough of your nonsense! Today the Undying Demonic Art shall turn Buddha into demon. If any of you refuse to accept it, then come and try me! Whoever stands in my way today dies!"
Thus he openly defied the great Buddhist masters and challenged both the Shaolin monks and A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King of the Luminous Religion, his voice dripping with scorn and provocation.
Master Ben Guang's eyes widened in fury. "Great Dharma King A-Luo-Si, this man has sunk too deep into the path of demons. Let us join hands today and subdue this monster!"
Their eyes met for but an instant. Then, with a shout, both men sprang forward like lightning and hurled themselves at Bu Lao Tian Mo.
The three clashed like a storm of wind and rain, their movements fierce beyond measure. Bu Lao Tian Mo's twin palms opened and closed in swift succession, his techniques rapid and unorthodox. Each gesture sent roaring gusts through the air, as if the very atmosphere were being ripped apart.
A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King, known in the martial world as the Heavenly Venerable's Envoy, now employed a supreme art of the Luminous Religion—the Void-Breaking Palm. Suddenly he used the move Wind Swift as Lightning, raising his right hand and chopping outward. The strike tore through the air, and a fierce blast of palm-force shot straight at Bu Lao Tian Mo.
The demon felt at once the surging pressure of the blow, like a mountain flood or rushing torrent. Instantly he straightened his whole body and leapt a full丈 into the air, barely evading the deadly attack.
Seeing that the chance could not be lost, Master Ben Guang swayed his form and at once used the move Knocking at Heaven's Gate. Extending two fingers, he sent forth another invisible stream of finger-force, the two fingers like a halberd, stabbing straight toward Bu Lao Tian Mo's back.
From the corner of his eye, Bu Lao Tian Mo caught sight of it and inwardly started. This is bad! His body suddenly twisted and dropped. The invisible finger-force grazed past his left chest. That evasive movement was perilous to the extreme—had his body sunk but a few inches more, he would have been struck full on. The moment was truly one of hairbreadth danger.
This exchange was astonishingly swift. A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King and Master Ben Guang had each unleashed a supreme technique, and the spectacle was wondrous beyond words. All around, cries of applause burst forth as one. None among the heroes failed to admire the superb skill of the two men.
But what kind of man was Bu Lao Tian Mo?
The instant his feet touched the ground, a cold radiance shot from his eyes like lightning. In a deep voice he snarled, "You bald和尚—if I do not show my might, you take me for a sick cat!"
As the words left his mouth, his body lunged forward. His two palms hacked out in unbroken succession. This fresh assault came in waves—palms whistling, one after another—eighteen strikes in a single breath, continuous as thunderbolts and lightning, fierce beyond compare.
Their struggle swiftly passed a hundred exchanges.
A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King and Master Ben Guang struck with palms and stabbed with fingers, their hands moving like wind and lightning. Yet by now their inner strength was no longer what it had been. Their opponent's power had exceeded all expectation, and the longer they fought, the more alarmed they became.
Again and again the two men leapt backward. By contrast, Bu Lao Tian Mo seemed filled with inexhaustible reserve force. With every raised hand and cleaving palm, roaring gusts of power burst forth. Streams of qi tore through the air in succession, their might terrifying to behold. The shrill scream of the rushing wind was like the sweep of a heavy, razor-sharp blade, hurtling toward the two men with incomparable speed.
Once more A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King and Master Ben Guang were thrust into mortal danger.
At that critical instant, another figure flashed forth and struck a palm at Bu Lao Tian Mo. Yet the demon did not even turn his head. Crossing his hands, he shifted position in a heartbeat, fighting one against three. His twin palms were like blades and halberds, sharp beyond measure. Suddenly his figure burst upward, and in the blink of an eye he struck out with twelve palms at once.
Pa!
Master Ben Guang, exhausted by long battle, was struck squarely in the lower abdomen. At once he was sent flying backward, blood spurting from his mouth. He had plainly suffered a grave injury.
At that very instant of life-and-death danger, A-Luo-Si Great Dharma King and Jia-De Great Dharma King suddenly gathered their strength and struck out to rescue him. Two sharp reports rang out—pa! pa!—as the three men met palm against palm. Then each side sprang backward and separated.
Though Bu Lao Tian Mo now faced three opponents alone, he showed not the slightest sign of weakness. On the contrary, the longer he fought, the braver he became, his power surging like a rainbow across the heavens.