I Have A Sword

In the distance, the aura radiating from the black-robed man sitting cross-legged on the ground had reached a terrifying level. Just the pressure from his presence alone was enough to make both Ye Guan and the Great Daoist Brush Master feel like they couldn't breathe.

He was not someone they could face.

The Great Daoist Brush Master trembled and said, "Hey, you stubborn mule, stop being so hard-headed and listen to me. Nobody survives in this world completely on their own. Everyone leans on others at some point. Your aunt, your grandfather, and your father... they're all your people.

"Depending on your own people is perfectly normal... you get that, right?"

Ye Guan clenched his fists tightly. "If you rely on others too often, you'll grow dependent. You'll worship them like gods. I want to rely on myself."

The Great Daoist Brush Master stared at Ye Guan with a look like he'd just bitten into crap. Still, he swallowed his disgust and tried again, saying ,"You're not wrong. Relying too much on others can make you soft... but it depends on the situation!

"Look at that guy! His strength is ten times... hell, a hundred times, greater than yours! If you don't call for backup now, you're just being an idiot!"

Ye Guan's eyes stayed locked on the black-robed figure. "I can handle it. I'll do it myself."

"Handle it, my ass!"

The Great Daoist Brush Master snapped, furious now. He glared at Ye Guan and swore, "Fine, fine, don't call anyone. Then go tell your old man to restore my power! But let's be clear, this doesn't count as me losing. Once we deal with that guy, we're settling this between us."

Ye Guan said calmly, "You call him yourself."

The Great Daoist Brush Master raged, "Call who? You think your father's going to listen to me?"

Upon saying that, he realized that he'd gone too far.Damn it, this damn brat was driving him mad.

Ye Guan's gaze never left the black-robed man. At that moment, the golden "卍" beneath the man had dimmed to near transparency, ready to vanish completely.

His power, however, continued to skyrocket, and the massive stone Buddha behind him began to tremble.

The Great Daoist Brush Master's face turned ashen.Damn it... If this bastard regains his full strength, who knows what kind of humiliating crap he'll pull.

Just then, the mysterious figure let out a thunderous laugh. The sound boomed like rolling thunder, shaking the very heavens.

At that moment, the golden "卍" beneath him vanished completely.

The man's eyes snapped open, unleashing a soul-crushing pressure that swept across the land. He slowly stood up, but then, behind him, the stone Buddha opened its eyes. A boundless, ancient voice echoed across the world.

"Amitābha..."

The Buddha was awake.

Boom!

A surge of Buddhist energy erupted from the heavens, slamming down toward the black-robed man like a divine hammer.

The man cackled madly. "Mi Fo, do you really think that you can still hold me down?"

As he laughed, he threw a punch at the sky. The fist tore through space, sending waves of martial intent crashing outward like a raging river. It was vast and unstoppable.

The Buddhist energy couldn't withstand the blow and was forced back.

The black-robed man burst into crazed laughter. He was about to break free!

Just then, the stone Buddha raised its right hand and slowly pressed down. It began chanting in an ancient tongue. "Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namo Sanghaya... Om Vajrapadme Hum..."

As the chant echoed, golden 卍 reformed beneath the black-robed man. In an instant, a massive seal appeared again. This time, an even more powerful Buddhist energy surged from the earth, slamming into him and forcefully suppressing him.

"Another seal?! Mi Fo, you left behind another seal?! You're not even human!!"

He pounded the ground in a frenzy, unleashing waves of terrifying dharma energy. With the seal reinforced, however, his strength couldn't shake the Buddhist energy at all.

The stone Buddha's chant continued. "Om Padma Vajra Hum..."

Golden light blazed from the "卍", and the man's overwhelming rage and hatred were forcibly suppressed.

Beside Ye Guan, the Great Daoist Brush Master muttered, "The Ten Little Mantras..."

Ye Guan turned to him.

The Great Daoist Brush Master made a sidelong glance at him. "Don't get it, do you? You want to know? You want to know? Then—"

Ye Guan interrupted, "Are they stronger than my grandfather?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master was speechless.

In the distance, under the weight of the dharma energy, the black-robed man finally collapsed, pinned to the ground, motionless.

And in front of him, "Ji Zhan" was still struggling desperately, but it was no use.

The Great Daoist Brush Master pointed at "Ji Zhan" and burst out laughing. "Haha! What now? Stuck?Hahahaha!"

Ye Guan was speechless.

"Damned Great Daoist Dog!"

"Ji Zhan" turned and glared at him. "Quit barking like a dog, you!"

"Shut the hell up!"

The Great Daoist Brush Master pointed at him. "Come over here and say that to my face! Come on, hit me!"

"Ji Zhan" was shaking with rage, but with his true body now sealed, and only a weakened projection left, he couldn't do a thing at all.

The Great Daoist Brush Master only got cockier. "Tsk, tsk...Sealed by just one of the Ten Little Mantras? And here I thought you were something special. Turns out you're just a weak-ass nobody! Hahaha!"

Ye Guan said, "Great Daoist Brush Master, that's a bit much."

"Shut it, brat!" The Great Daoist Brush Master jabbed a finger at Ye Guan. "You're no better!"

Ye Guan was speechless.

Clearly still pissed, the Great Daoist Brush Master added, "Rely on yourself,huh?Yeah, right. Don't you feel any shame saying that? From the beginning till now, how many problems have you solved on your own? Every time, your family always bails you out. Even I am embarrassed for you."

Ye Guan stayed calm. "Oh."

The response made the Great Daoist Brush Master feel like he had punched a cotton. It just made him more frustrated. He decided to let the shameless brat off and turned his attention back to "Ji Zhan."

The man's expression was dark. His true body was now completely suppressed, and this new seal was even stronger than the last. He was utterly trapped, and he knew it.

Seeing that hopeless look on "Ji Zhan's" face, the Great Daoist Brush Master smirked again. "What's wrong, little punk? Weren't you acting all high and mighty? Scream now! Let's hear it!"

"Great Daoist dog!!"

"Ji Zhan" suddenly lunged at him.

Having been weakened, his attack had no effect. Instead, the Great Daoist Brush Master smacked him back, forcing him to retreat again and again.

Ye Guan kept his eyes on the Great Daoist Brush Master. He didn't make a move because he could tell, despite the Great Daoist Brush Master pretending to pick a fight with "Ji Zhan," he was on guard against Ye Guan the entire time.

There was no point in making a move now.

Ye Guan looked toward the black-robed man and the 卍 symbol. He was completely suppressed, lying flat on the ground.

His eyes shifted to the stone Buddha. It was gradually returning to a calm state, though its eyes remained open, glowing with holy light. Its presence was sacred and solemn.

Mi Fo?Ye Guan was intrigued. Clearly, this statue didn't come from this universe.

Just then, the Great Daoist Brush Master and "Ji Zhan" both paused, neither able to do anything to the other for now.

"Ji Zhan's" face was grim and cold.

The Great Daoist Brush Master didn't bother mocking him further. Instead, he turned to the stone Buddha nearby. The statue's eyes landed on him as well, and it asked, "Great Daoist Brush Master... how did you fall to this point?"

Expressionless, the Great Daoist Brush Master replied, "I sealed my own cultivation. Came here to train."

The Buddha said gently, "I see... but it appears your cultivation was sealed by someone else."

The Great Daoist Brush Master's face turned black. "Mi Fo, what are you doing here?"

This wasn't Mi Fo's real body, of course, but a statue imbued with a fraction of his immense dharma energy.

Mi Fo replied, "I left this form here... to keep thatonesealed."

"Mi Fo!"

"Ji Zhan" suddenly roared, voice hoarse with fury. "You've kept me sealed for eighty million years! Isn't that enough?!"

Mi Fo turned to him. "Your hatred still lingers. Your malice hasn't faded. If I were to release you now, you'll only bring ruin again."

"Ji Zhan" growled through clenched teeth, "You kept me sealed for eighty million years, and you expect me to feel no hatred, no rage...? What a joke!"

Mi Fo calmly said, "Gu Pan, the consequences you face today stem from choices you made long ago. Everything you suffer now, you brought upon yourself. You have no one else to blame."

Gu Pan locked eyes with Mi Fo, venomous hatred burning in his gaze. "If I ever see the light of day again, I'll slaughter every last one of your Mi Clan!"

However, Mi Fo ignored him, turning instead to the Great Daoist Brush Master. "You came here for the Ancient God Nation's ruins, didn't you?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master frowned slightly. "Ancient God Nation's ruins?"

Mi Fo looked a little surprised. "You don't know?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master shook his head.

Mi Fo appeared puzzled.

The Great Daoist Brush Master asked in return, "They're in this place?"

After a moment of silence, Mi Fo said, "Brother, how about this... I'll take you to the Ancient God Nation's ruins. In return, I ask that you retrieve a relic for me from within."

The Great Daoist Brush Master waved his hand quickly and said, "Just do it. I can't do anything with this dumbass next to me, anyway."