Chapter 527: Chapter 297: Ascension! (Part 2)

Therefore, they counted everyone, determined to root out this force.

They descended to this world, first arriving at the Buddhist temple here.

When they saw the Buddhist temple in ruins and the statues destroyed, they found the nearby residents and used telepathy to learn of Li Xuanji’s deeds.

Thus, they went to the Capital City, found Li Xuanji, utilized telepathy, and instructed Li Xuanji to build Buddhist temples widely in this world to propagate the Buddhist Dao.

The Fourteen Arhats also learned from Li Xuanji’s memory about the "mysterious expert" living in the Capital City.

They then used telepathy on every resident in the Capital City.

But they found nothing.

Because Su Jing had left the Capital City to the Southern Domain to find Su Que, she was not subjected to the Arhats’ telepathy. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

...

Su Que was on the deserted island, cultivating with the Demon Saber.

He held a blood-red single saber, once the Temple Guardian Buddha Soldier "Breaking the Red Dust" from the Great Buddha Temple.

This Buddha Soldier was actually a magical artifact from Spirit Mountain, bestowed upon the Great Buddha Temple’s Abbot Kong Wo by the Subduing Tiger Arhat.

With a wave of "Breaking the Red Dust", the Demon Blade Techniques flowed like clouds and water.

The fierce sword intent, along with the sword techniques, swirled like a whirlwind around him.

In a one-mile radius, the trees were slashed down by the sword intent, leaving brutal scars on the trunks and the ground.

Wood shavings and stone dust were lifted by the whirlwind-like sword intent, scattering across the deserted island.

He checked his attributes and found the Demon Saber was at the brink of breakthrough.

Demon Saber (12th Realm Unparalleled 99%)[Top Grade Mortal Technique]

Bursts of demonic qi surged around him.

The fish in the nearby sea were intimidated by this demonic qi, not daring to approach the deserted island, swimming away instead.

Suddenly, Su Que’s eyes shot out divine light, and he gripped the saber with both hands, swinging it forward with force!

Instantly, nine massive sword qi erupted from the air, rushing towards the vast sea ahead!

’It’s a breakthrough.’

He looked at his attributes.

Demon Saber (13 Realms Dominating the Universe 1%)

Looking at the sea ahead, the nine massive sword qi split the sea apart.

Above the sea, nine dry paths appeared, revealing the seabed’s rocks and corals.

On either side of the dry paths, the seawater was pushed high into the sky.

Upon breakthrough, Su Que immediately stopped his Demon Saber technique.

With a thought, "Breaking the Red Dust" in his hand transformed into a blood-colored liquid and flowed into his dantian.

Estimating the time, he thought it was time to ascend and leave this realm.

Thus, he activated his essence, qi, and spirit, his body soaring straight up into the sky.

Soon, he encountered the barrier of this Small World.

Having passed the Tribulation Seed Realm, he was capable of unity of spirit and body.

Merging his spirit with his body, he effortlessly passed through the barrier.

As he crossed the barrier, dark clouds suddenly covered the sea of the deserted island where he cultivated, and thunder flashed abruptly.

After penetrating the barrier of the Small World, Su Que saw the barrier set by Spirit Mountain.

The barrier emitted golden light with flowing Sanskrit, resembling chains.

With a thought, a stream of blood from his dantian condensed into the blood-colored Demon Saber "Breaking the Red Dust" held in his hand.

Surrounded by demonic qi, he wielded the Demon Saber Technique and slashed at the barrier!

A massive pitch-black sword qi, like a black cloth, struck the barrier.

Immediately, the barrier showed a long gap.

...

At this moment, the Fourteen Arhats searching for Su Que suddenly sensed something.

In Spirit Mountain, Arhats are responsible for receiving potential cultivators from the lower world.

Whenever the barrier of the Small World is breached, they sense it.

"Someone is breaking through to ascend!"

One Arhat proclaimed, and the Fourteen Arhats simultaneously transformed into golden light, shooting straight up into the sky.

...

Su Que ascended through the gap.

Entering a profound, vast space.

Looking upward, he saw a dusty cloud layer stretching far beyond sight.

There was a gap in the clouds through which one could see bright light, blue skies, and a lush floating island.

From the memory of Upper Realm cultivators, he knew above the clouds lay the Upper Realm.

Then, he looked around.

All around were stars twinkling with light.

From the memory of Upper Realm cultivators, he knew these stars were other Small Worlds.

He began moving his body, flying towards the Upper Realm, pondering when the Divine Buddha from Spirit Mountain would descend.

From the Arhats’ memory, he knew that after breaking through the Small World’s barrier, only the Eighteen Arhats would perceive it.

Thus, those coming to besiege him should be Arhats and Bhikkhus.

Just as the thought formed, he felt fourteen fairly strong presences shoot up from below.

These presences made him feel they were Buddha-level Arhats.

Sure enough, in the next moment, fourteen streaks of golden light shot up from the golden light-emitting barrier.

Since the barrier was set by Spirit Mountain, as long as the Arhats wrapped themselves in Buddha Power, they could pass through unhindered.

The Fourteen Arhats ascended, their golden light solidifying and revealing their forms.

They saw Su Que ascending to the Upper Realm.

They saw Su Que in black martial attire, wearing a fierce ghost mask, with flowing long hair, just like the "Mr." seen in Li Xuanji’s memory.

The Fourteen Arhats saw Su Que about to ascend to the Upper Realm and, without speaking further, each pressed their palms together, channeling Buddha Power, silently chanting Buddha Spells.

Instantly, fourteen giant light rings formed around Su Que.

The light rings had intricate patterns and Sanskrit designs, with each light ring displaying different motifs.

The light rings slowly rotated, emitting Buddhist Golden Light imbued with Buddha Power, aiming to lock down Su Que’s every move.

Su Que ascended while swinging "Breaking the Red Dust", surrounded by swirling demonic qi, sword qi slicing through space and clashing against the fourteen giant light rings.

Earlier, Su Que had used his spirit to probe the strength of these Fourteen Arhats.

He estimated that if he used his full abilities, he could kill all fourteen Arhats.

Killing these Arhats would allow him to absorb their essence, qi, and spirit, greatly enhancing his power.

However, if he killed all fourteen Arhats, none would return to Spirit Mountain to report.

The Divine Buddha would then be unaware that he had ascended to the Upper Realm.

He also considered killing some Arhats to absorb their essence, qi, and spirit, leaving others to return with news.

He confidently believed he could kill the Fourteen Arhats because they were unaware of his abilities like "Time Pause" and "Forceful Power".

Because Li Xuanji was only in the Late Stage of Gang Condensation Realm, even his naked eye struggled to capture his form.

Although Li Xuanji witnessed his battle, he could only see the power of his moves, but was unaware of his time-stopping and power-forcing techniques.

Thus, even after the Fourteen Arhats read Li Xuanji’s memory, they remained ignorant of his abilities.

However, these Arhats were in the Merging Realm, capable of capturing his form.

If he used techniques like "Time Pause" and then let the Arhats go.

The released Arhats, upon reaching the Upper Realm, would inform Spirit Mountain about his abilities.

In future encounters with Upper Realm cultivators, they would be cautious of his techniques.

Thus, he would lose the advantage of "surprise attack".

For these reasons, Su Que decided not to engage the Arhats, choosing to directly ascend.

Su Que swung "Breaking the Red Dust" creating a trail of afterimages.

Pitch-black sword qi interlaced around him, slashing out and shattering the surrounding fourteen light rings.

While the Fourteen Arhats pursued, they regrouped light rings to imprison Su Que.

Su Que continued to ascend and slash.

Each newly formed light ring was shattered by "Breaking the Red Dust" into countless scattered light points.

Before long, after shattering another light wheel attempting to encircle him, Su Que plunged into the cloud layer.