NOVEL NEXT Chapter 224
Unlike the ordinary spectators, they could sense the true danger of the Samadhi True Fire. The moment it spread across the sky, their bodies, true energy, and even martial wills felt a sharp sting, as if warning them of imminent destruction.
It was as if this fire could incinerate everything it touched.
Dugu Jian, who had come to observe, found himself growing increasingly wary of Ning Changge. Though he had never met the Little Immortal, his respect for him continued to rise.
"Just how many tricks does this Little Immortal have up his sleeve?" he wondered, his gaze fixed on the black flames.
But those most affected were the Buddhas within the Myriad Buddha Formation.
The moment the Samadhi True Fire poured from the furnace, they felt an overwhelming sense of dread and danger.
Their Buddha Bodies trembled uncontrollably. Even the usually composed elder monks couldn't hide their alarm. The black flames seemed to be their natural nemesis.
Before the fire even reached them, it began melting away the golden Buddhist visions surrounding them.
Realizing the threat, the Buddhas immediately channeled their full power into reinforcing the Myriad Buddha Formation.
Golden light surged from their bodies, rising to meet the black flames. But as soon as it made contact, it was instantly consumed and extinguished. Horrified, they quickly withdrew their light and focused on defense.
In the sky above…
The golden light of Buddhism clashed with the black sea of fire, creating a stark contrast that left everyone in awe.
Even without any action from the Daoist Realms, the Samadhi True Fire alone had forced Buddhism's strongest formation into a defensive position.
Song Yuanqiao laughed heartily:
"This is my junior brother's divine technique—the Samadhi True Fire! Today, you baldies will experience its wrath firsthand!"
Though he didn't fully understand the Spirit Furnace, he knew enough about the Samadhi True Fire to speak with confidence. Ning Changge had mentioned it before, and Song Yuanqiao trusted his junior brother completely.
Hearing its name only deepened everyone's reverence for the fire. Even the Buddhas couldn't refute its power—its oppressive presence left them no room for argument.
As Song Yuanqiao finished speaking, the Spirit Furnace began to move.
It trembled slightly, and then…
Roar!
A deafening roar echoed across the battlefield as a massive dragon made entirely of black flames emerged from the fire.
Then came a second dragon…
And a third…
Until nine flame dragons spiraled into existence!
Each dragon was unique in appearance but equally majestic and terrifying. Their combined presence exuded an aura of absolute dominance.
Without hesitation, the nine dragons charged toward the Myriad Buddha Formation. Their passage left faint scorch marks in the air as if even space itself was being burned away.
The dragons roared as they tore through Buddhist visions of Arhats and Bodhisattvas, reducing them to ash. The oncedominant Buddhist chants fell silent as true energy dissipated into nothingness.
The Buddhas finally understood just how fearsome this fire was. Gritting their teeth, they poured all their strength into maintaining the formation.
"Hold steady!" they shouted in unison.
A massive golden palm reappeared within the formation, holding up a miniature Buddhist kingdom. But unlike before, there was no radiant light—everything was concentrated into defense against the nine dragons.
Even so, cracks began to appear in their defenses. With each passing moment, more visions within the Buddhist kingdom crumbled into ash.
Crack!
The sound of something breaking echoed through the air as pieces of the Buddhist kingdom began to collapse. Several Buddhas coughed up blood as their connection to the formation faltered.
Boom!
Finally, with a resounding explosion, the Buddhist kingdom shattered completely. The oncemighty visions of Arhats and Bodhisattvas vanished into nothingness.
The Buddhas staggered back, blood dripping from their mouths. Though none had suffered fatal injuries yet, their pale faces showed just how much damage they had taken.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
"Is this… really happening?" someone whispered.
"Has Buddhism reached its breaking point?"
Even Dugu Jian felt his hand tremble slightly as he gripped his sword. If twenty Buddhas were to fall in a single day, it would be an event that shook history itself—a calamity unlike any other.
The nine flame dragons roared once more as they prepared for another assault. The Buddhas hastily erected golden barriers to hold them back while crying out in desperation:
"World Honored One! Will you truly do nothing?!"
"Will you stand by and watch as Buddhism falls into ruin?!"
Their cries were filled with sorrow and anger—a plea for salvation from their most revered figure: Shakyamuni Buddha.
Hearing this name sent shockwaves through everyone present.
"Shakyamuni?!"
The Daoist Realms exchanged uneasy glances. Even Zhang Sanfeng's expression darkened as he realized what this might mean.
Shakyamuni Buddha was said to have founded Buddhism thousands—if not tens of thousands—of years ago. How could such a figure still exist?
"Impossible!" someone muttered. "No one can live that long—not even with lifeextending techniques!"
But before anyone could process this further…
A soft sigh echoed across the battlefield.
It was faint yet unmistakable—a sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Amitabha… Why must it come to this?"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and saw an elderly monk walking slowly toward them. His appearance was unremarkable—barefoot and clad in gray robes—but his eyes held an indescribable depth, as if they had witnessed countless lifetimes.
With each step he took, he seemed to traverse impossible distances until he stood before them all.
Raising his hand gently, he touched the Myriad Buddha Formation with a faint golden light. Instantly, its defenses were restored, halting even the Samadhi True Fire in its tracks.
"Perhaps we should stop here," he said softly to the Spirit Furnace and Spirit Swords.
The Spirit Furnace trembled slightly before withdrawing its flames. The five Spirit Swords hovered protectively around it, their light dimming as if in contemplation.
Behind him, cries of joy erupted from the Buddhas:
"World Honored One! You've finally intervened!"
The crowd stood frozen in disbelief as they watched this scene unfold. Could this monk truly be Shakyamuni?
The monk shook his head gently:
"I am not Shakyamuni," he said calmly. "My name is Bodhidharma."
His words sent another wave of shock through everyone present—Bodhidharma was none other than the founder of Shaolin!
For centuries, he had been thought dead—another legend lost to time. Yet here he stood, alive and well—and seemingly tied to Shakyamuni Buddha himself!
As understanding dawned on them all, Zhang Sanfeng's mind raced:
"So that's why Shaolin has been so aggressive lately," he thought grimly. "Bodhidharma isn't just Shaolin's founder—he's Shakyamuni's reincarnation!"