A peerless, world-toppling beauty, with skin as pure as driven snow!

Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, shimmering with a glossy sheen. Her eyes, like pools of water, held a charm that could mesmerize the world.

Her nose was delicate and straight, her crimson lips were lightly pursed, and her neck was long and elegant, accentuating her enchanting figure.

She could be described in a single word: perfect!

But that wasn’t the main reason for Jiang Jichen’s shock. It was because... this woman had appeared in his dreams countless times.

How could she possibly be here, with the Starry World between them?

’A fateful bond from a past life... why have we met again in this one?’

"Snow..."

Jiang Jichen nearly blurted it out, calling out the name sealed within the runes of his memory—a name he could never forget!

"Don’t you worry, kid. Just stand right there. As long as I’m here, this old bald ass won’t lay a single finger on you. Hmph!"

The voice jolted Jiang Jichen, and he snapped back to reality.

He took another deep look at the perfect woman inside the Buddha Hall.

Only then did he realize that while they looked remarkably similar, they weren’t the same person.

Setting aside the fact that they were separated by the Starry World, her way of speaking was completely different.

’Damn, for a woman this perfect to be cussing out an old monk with such swagger!’

’This... was just too wild.’

Looking at this perfect woman... when quiet, she was as enchanting as a Fairy in a painting, deeply intoxicating. But when she spoke, her brash and straightforward manner had a flavor all its own—a bewitching charm that stirred the soul.

Snowplum. That was her name.

A distant sight that is not snow, yet from it comes a subtle fragrance. Just hearing her name evoked a boundless poetic charm.

Still, Jiang Jichen couldn’t figure it out. What were the origins of the two terrifying figures inside?

At that moment, blood streamed from the old monk’s eyes. His guise of an Enlightened Monk was gone, and his voice was a demonic shriek. "Snowplum! You dare injure my Eyes of Truth? You’re dead!"

Snowplum laughed. "A monk shouldn’t lose his temper. Besides, didn’t you say this was the Illusion Realm, where all injuries heal in an instant? So tell me, are your eyes feeling any better?"

Though she spoke with a laugh, her words were laced with a bone-chilling iciness.

Hearing Snowplum’s words, the old monk had a sudden realization. "Wait... this sword..."

"That’s right, you old bald ass! It’s this very sword—the Wandering Dragon Holy Sword, one of the Seven Ancient Holy Swords! It can manifest the intent of a True Dragon. Have you ever heard the saying, ’A True Dragon Slashes Through Illusion’? Doesn’t matter if you haven’t. I’m about to test it out today and see if it’s true!"

After speaking, Snowplum brandished the Holy Sword. Her entire body moved like a Wandering Dragon, soaring between heaven and earth.

From Jiang Jichen’s viewpoint, it was as if he were watching through a faint Barrier as two terrifying, peerless figures waged war.

In Snowplum’s hands, the Wandering Dragon Sword could finally unleash its true power!

At that moment, she and the Holy Sword merged, achieving true Man and Sword Unity. Her entire form transformed into the shadow of a True Dragon. The Sword Shadow, carrying the phantom of the True Dragon, slashed toward the old monk.

Blood streamed from the old monk’s eyes as he glared and cackled. "The True Dragon Sword slashes through illusion? I’d like to see you try! Sword, come! Help me kill this Anti-Buddhist woman!"

With his roar, an ancient sword shimmering with Buddha Light tore through the air and appeared in his hand.

It was the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword, one of the seven great True Buddha Sacred Artifacts of the Buddhist Family.

The blade was ancient, etched with the patterns of the Buddhist Dao and flowing with a golden Buddha Light. It was the length of an ordinary Treasure Sword, but its might was likely no less than that of the Wandering Dragon Holy Sword.

CLANG!

The two swords clashed, and the very world trembled. If not for the Barrier containing their power, this entire space would have been instantly annihilated.

Snowplum’s sword was imbued with boundless True Dragon Power—unmatched in might, capable of severing all illusions.

But the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword radiated a sky-filling Buddha Light, meant to suppress any and all Anti-Buddhists.

The Buddha said: All is illusion!

In the distant past, Snowplum could have attained the status of a Female Bodhisattva. But instead of ascending, she destroyed her Bodhisattva Platform and took a step into the Demon Dao.

From then on, she was but a single thought from buddhahood, a single thought from demonhood—a half-buddha, half-demon who laughed at the mortal world.

Ultimately, she was sealed within an ancient temple. The Buddhists declared this place an Illusion Realm. If Snowplum wished to escape this illusion and reclaim her true self, she would have to destroy everything within the Illusion Realm—for instance... the old monk before her!

Within the Buddha Hall, which formed its own Illusion Realm, the two fought until the heavens and earth shook and the stars fell. The phenomena of destruction were terrifying to behold.

Snowplum wielded the Wandering Dragon Holy Sword. At one moment, she was like an ethereal, holy Female Bodhisattva; the next, a gorgeous and bewitching Blood Demon. Behind her, the phantom of a True Dragon flickered in and out of sight, its massive form stretching across the sky.

The old monk brandished the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword, his body glowing with golden light. He was like a holy buddha incarnate, slaying all the world’s demons and purging all traitors and Anti-Buddhists.

"So, you found the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword after all. You really planned to destroy me this time, huh... Heh... You bald asses are as treacherous as ever. If you hadn’t used such insidious tricks back then, you never would have been able to seal me away! But this time, I’m lucky someone delivered a Holy Sword to me. Otherwise, I would’ve fallen into your hands once again!"

Snowplum’s voice, clear as a silver bell, echoed through the Illusion World of the Buddha Hall.

Although the Power of Destruction from within could not escape, Jiang Jichen could see and hear everything clearly.

’This is clearly an ancient grudge, a secret history that’s even tied to the secrets of the Ancient Ruined City!’

Jiang Jichen, without a doubt, hoped Snowplum would win. If the old monk were victorious, it would be his death sentence.

Besides, he genuinely liked the true-to-herself Snowplum. What did it matter if she was a demon or a buddha?

’Of course, he also liked her because Snowplum was so perfect, and because she looked so much like *her*... Perhaps that was the main reason after all.’

"Vajra’s Furious Gaze, Subduing Ten Thousand Demons!"

The old monk roared. The Sword Light spun like a miniature Taiyang, and a flood of Buddha Light completely submerged Snowplum.

This was a signature Sword Technique of the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword. It was incredibly powerful, and in the old monk’s hands, its true might was finally unleashed.

Seeing this, Jiang Jichen couldn’t help but worry for Snowplum.

But then, a sharp, clear cry cut through the air: "Dragon Roaming the World, Illusion Annihilation!"

As her cry faded, streams of golden True Dragons erupted from Snowplum and her Wandering Dragon Holy Sword. They shot out in all directions, shattering the myriad illusions and restoring a world of the true self and the Great Dao.

However, their attacks were evenly matched. It was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.

Worryingly, the Buddha Hall was the Illusion Realm—the old monk’s home turf.

Sure enough, the monk’s low shout was heard again. "A Bodhisattva lowers her gaze, showing Compassion for the Six Paths. But you, Snowplum, are an Anti-Buddhist! You are unworthy of being a Bodhisattva. Therefore, it is time to send you to your Rebirth into Reincarnation!"

This was the signature ultimate kill technique of the Demon Suppressing Vajra Sword!

Vajra’s Furious Gaze exists to subdue the four demons; a Bodhisattva’s lowered gaze exists to show Compassion for the Six Paths.

This technique embodied the principles of a True Buddha. It was nearly impossible to break!

Snowplum was instantly plunged into a crisis!

Jiang Jichen gritted his teeth and shouted from outside the Barrier, "Wandering Dragon Under Heaven, Illusion Annihilation! True Dragon Incarnation, true self’s fierce might!"

As he spoke, he raised his Red Copper Rust Sword and began to perform the movements.

Inside the Barrier, Snowplum’s beautiful eyes lit up with astonishing brilliance when she saw this. Then, wielding her sword with one hand, she began to follow Jiang Jichen’s movements...