The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS

"Lii—"

The white bird let out a clear chirp, gliding downwards and slowly decreasing in altitude.

In the distance, a towering city wall could be seen. That was Qing Yu's destination—Feiyun Pass.

Feiyun Pass's city circumference was eight li (about 2.6 miles), and the walls were connected to the Dayun and Mingwu mountains, making it a major stronghold of Northern Zhou's border.

It and Kuocang Pass were both critical points in preventing the invasion from the Northern Grasslands. However, due to Feiyun Pass's advantageous position and the many barriers beyond it, the grassland people's primary target for attacks had always been Kuocang Pass.

After Feng Jiwu's ascension to the throne, Feiyun Pass gained an additional function besides defending against the invasion of Lang Man. It began to accept all the exiled criminals from Northern Zhou as their place of imprisonment.

Turning this strategic location into a prison for criminals was met with opposition from many officials when the edict was issued. Nevertheless, Feng Jiwu forcefully ordered a swift implementation of this policy.

Moreover, all criminals sentenced to death were also transferred to Feiyun Pass.

Those transferred to Feiyun Pass were never heard from again, not even by the stationed soldiers who never saw those people again. As time passed, Feiyun Pass became regarded as a demonic land. Anyone who entered it would never leave behind more than their bones.

"Oh? Interesting!"

Standing on the White Phoenix's back, Qing Yu turned his head to the right and chuckled lightly, "I didn't expect to encounter an old acquaintance here."

"Master, it's been some time since we've seen each other. This Daoist has missed you dearly!"

A towering figure emerged from behind a distant mound, his eyes burning with the fire of hatred as he glared at the white-haired Daoist atop the white bird, his voice filled with gritted resentment, "Qingyu Demon Path!"

"Master Xin Hui, your presence seems even more regrettable now!"

Qing Yu jumped off the back of the White Phoenix and allowed it to depart.

However, Xin Hui's appearance had drastically changed. At the corners of his eyes were bloodied cuts, the result of his eyes splitting open from extreme rage during his bout of Deviation.

With the control over his body that the True Pill Realm offered, Xin Hui could have easily healed these wounds. He intentionally left them as a reminder of his hatred at that time.

Dark patterns crawled up his neck, sinister yet with an air of sanctity, extending to the side of his face, giving Xin Hui an eerily charismatic quality.

His stature had grown larger and slightly taller than before, more robust and more explosive.

With such an appearance, it was no wonder Xin Hui avoided public view. This look hardly matched a Buddhist monk and instead resembled a demon of the Demonic Path in every aspect.

Changes in appearance were secondary; what truly interested Qing Yu was Xin Hui's current True Qi.

His True Qi no longer shimmered with golden light but was a deep and explosive black. Observing with the Heavenly Son's Qi Observation Skill, this black True Qi seemed like it was made of pure rage, constantly fueling anger.

"An interesting True Qi. This reminds this Daoist of the 'karma' spoken of in Buddhism," Qing Yu said with keen interest.

Actions without good or evil, performed without attachment or record, create karma. At this moment, Xin Hui's every negative emotion, his hatred and anger towards Qing Yu, was all fused into his True Qi, forming a kind of Karmic Fire True Qi.

His actions were aimed solely at one goal—to kill Qing Yu.

"That's right, you are the obstruction of my karma. By killing you, I shall achieve liberation," Xin Hui said calmly.

Despite the burning rage within, the calmer Xin Hui appeared. The more intense his rage, the more he seemed at peace because he was about to eliminate this karmic obstacle and achieve true liberation.

"Oh? It seems you've taken this Daoist as a stepping stone," Qing Yu said with a slight arch of his brow.

He too was well-versed in the essence of Buddhism and understood what Xin Hui meant by a karmic obstacle. Xin Hui had transferred all his negative emotions onto Qing Yu, and by killing Qing Yu, he aimed to eradicate his own karma and seek a benevolent liberation.

Though this method bordered on the ways of the Demon Path and might lead to hidden dangers, if it could help one Ascend to Divine Communication, those potential risks were completely negligible.

"This method is akin to the Demon Path and is shunned by those of us on the Righteous Path. Xin Hui, today I, this Daoist, shall eradicate you, a bane to the Buddhist sect."

With an aura of righteousness, Qing Yu rebuked Xin Hui's actions. Golden radiance emanated from his body, accompanied by the faint sounds of Brahma chanting, making him seem like a Buddha descended to earth.

For a moment, it seemed as if the place was divided into two worlds: on one side, Buddha Light shone in waves with Pure Saint's Energy swirling around, as if a Pure Land had descended. On the other side, Xin Hui, provoked, erupted in angry flames of Black True Qi, akin to a Demon King's descent.

One golden, one black, the demarcation was clear as day, a situation akin to water and fire, utterly incompatible.

"Demon Path!"

Seething with hatred toward this name, Xin Hui stomped fiercely on the ground, and his towering figure shot out like a cannonball.

Arhat Fist.

Although Xin Hui practiced the "Great Karma Ming King Scripture," he still confronted the enemy with the Martial Arts he was most familiar with. A punch was thrown, and an unstoppable force roared forth.

At this moment, Xin Hui's eyebrows slanted downward in anger, his eyes fiery with the appearance of a Vajra, and shapes of arhats suppressing demons flickered around him. Although enveloped by Black True Qi, giving him the appearance of a Demonic Dao Demon, he still exuded a sacred and imposing aura.

His fist, imbued with a demon-suppressing intent, reached Qing Yu in an instant.

Unperturbed, Qing Yu guided with his right hand, deftly dissipating the distance of the Arhat Fist with an invisible vortex. Qing Yu countered with his own palm force, forcing Xin Hui back.

Arhat Unloading.

A robust, gentle power, using just a tiny force to redirect a much larger one, completely neutralizing the enemy's momentum.

This defensive move from the "Six God Technique" showcased the height of defensive power.

Then, like lightning, Qing Yu's movements became a blur, with bright flashes of electric light shimmering on his legs before he vanished from in front of Xin Hui.

Thunder God Illness.

And then, it was Vajra Release.

An overpowering fist power assaulted from behind Xin Hui, one punch landing on the palm that Xin Hui turned to defend with, another striking his shoulder.

The fist power was domineering, yet sharp as a spike, tearing muscles and breaking flesh, relentlessly vicious.

"Roar!"

Xin Hui, at a disadvantage, roared explosively. His Arhat Golden Body burst forth at full strength, disregarding his torn muscles, his fists thundered with continuous strikes, his figure shifting rapidly, unleashing eighteen punches in a blink.

"Your anger from embarrassment is futile."

Qing Yu chuckled as he moved, syncing his actions with Xin Hui, matching him punch for punch. Every Arhat Fist that struck Qing Yu was stopped by a burst of golden light, and a powerful recoil injured Xin Hui.

The defense of the Golden Bell Shield, having broken through to the eleventh barrier, had reached the peak of the True Pill Realm. The next, the twelfth barrier, would exceed the realms of the True Pill Realm.

Moreover, Qing Yu's strength was no longer what it had been outside Pushan Temple. With his Golden Core Sixth Transition and the Earth Dominating Technique that could now amplify his Power eightfold, his True Qi was as robust as Xin Hui's, who had further advanced his strength.

"Monk, your obsessions run deep. Let this Daoist administer a Head Strike to awaken you, you foolish monk."

Palm shadows whirled as a form of Guanyin appeared behind Qing Yu, a thousand hands and arms swiftly unleashing a flurry of chaotic palm strikes.

Guanyin Chaos.