Chapter 532: The Moonlight Buddha

Xiao Nanfeng and the black lotus were dragged into the cursed pit by countless black chains. The interior of the pit was filled with black smoke imbued with curses. Xiao Nanfeng felt the chains tightening around his body.

"The Jade Emperor's Frame, Immortal bones shining, righteous energy rising, a thousand techniques resisting, a thousand tribulations defying, curses with holy light cleansing!" the black lotus chanted.

Xiao Nanfeng activated his own Immortal frame. Although it had only been recently forged, it was still an incredibly potent technique. The black smoke surrounding his body melted like ice.

The chains that bound him cracked one after another. Indeed, the Jade Emperor's Frame was able to cleanse the curses around his body. Before long, all that cursed energy had been forced out.

Even so, the curses didn't seem to be willing to let him go. They surrounded his body and blocked his way. At the same time, they spun around him rapidly, attempting to exhaust him of his cleansing ability and chaining him thereafter.

Of course, this sort of cleansing technique was particularly draining on Immortal qi, and Xiao Nanfeng couldn't keep it up for long.

By then, the black lotus had freed itself of all the curses that surrounded it and returned to Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape. Though the situation he faced was perilous, Xiao Nanfeng would be able to free himself easily.

He used his candleflame powers in the upward direction, against the force of gravity.

A portal appeared, and he darted in. He thought he would have been able to escape from the pit completely, but he found himself in a sinister limestone cave instead.

The limestone cave was particularly large, and there were stalactites in all directions. Somehow, it also felt like a small pocket space. Fog filled the air, suffusing it with divine light. The sound of chanting could be heard.

Xiao Nanfeng followed the voice and waved a hand to dispel large quantities of the fog. He immediately discovered that the chanting came from a huge pool that lay straight ahead. The pool shone with glowing light, and almost a thousand golden lotuses floated on it.

On each golden lotus platform was a white-robed monk or nun. All of them were chanting scripture with their eyes shut, a full moon to the back of each of their heads. They looked particularly holy and divine.

"These are golden lotus hood cursed effigies..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

Just then, the chanting of scripture stopped abruptly. The thousand monks and nuns all opened their eyes simultaneously, staring coldly at Xiao Nanfeng. Incredible pressure surged forth.

"Who are you? Who dares barge into the Moonlight Temple?" a white-robed monk demanded.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't respond. He asked the black lotus in his mindscape, "Senior, are you familiar with these golden lotus hood cursed effigies?"

"These are the subordinates of the Future Buddha, and they're all arhats. The fact that they can already manifest bodies with their cursed souls means that they've likely reached a dangerous level of strength. Their leader, the 'Moonlight Buddha', was once a peak Golden Immortal. Who knows how much of his strength he has recovered since? However, considering that they've been absorbing spiritual aether from a superior draconic vein, I have to imagine they're incredibly strong."

"Let me test their strength. If we can't fight them, we'll run. If we can, Senior, why don't you absorb them all?" Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"Very well."

The arhat shouted again, "Are you mute? I'm asking you a question! Who are you?"

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the largest golden lotus in the center of the pool, surrounded protectively by the gathered arhats. A man floated above the lotus platform, eyes shut in meditation, as though Xiao Nanfeng's arrival was all but meaningless to him. That must be the Moonlight Buddha.

"I come on Sage Yellowbrow's orders to ask why the superior draconic vein in the world at large has gone missing," Xiao Nanfeng said smoothly.

The arhats frowned as they extended their senses to the outside world. Many began to frown deeply.

"The superior draconic vein really has vanished..."

"How could this be? The cursed chain was manifested by the Buddha himself! How could it have broken?"

"Buddha, the superior draconic vein has vanished!"

The arhats all looked toward the Moonlight Buddha.

The Moonlight Buddha's eyes opened wide. He ignored the arhats' panic as he stared at Xiao Nanfeng. "You were the one who released the superior draconic vein, weren't you? You dare impersonate Yellowbrow's subordinates to trick us in his absence? You've really got guts."

"What? He was the one who did it?"

"Die, fool!"

The arhats were all in an uproar.

"You're mistaken, Buddha," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The Moonlight Buddha seemed to know everything. Without any hesitation, he commanded, "Take him down!"

"Understood!" An arhat strode forth.

The golden lotus to its feet vanished. The bright moon to the back of its head glimmered brightly as a tremendous aura emanated from its body. It moved quickly, instantly flashing behind Xiao Nanfeng and striking him with a fist.

The fist glimmered with silver light and boasted intense strength.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned, defending himself with a fist of his own.

The two fists met in a tremendous explosion, but the limestone cave appeared exceptionally stable and was entirely unharmed. The shockwaves of energy caused Xiao Nanfeng to stumble a few steps back.

The arhat was particularly strong.

"A late-stage Heaven Immortal? To think a Heaven Immortal would dare barge into the Moonlight Temple. You really are reckless!" The arhat shot forward and punched at Xiao Nanfeng again.

"Hegemon's Fist!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.

Countless fists met the arhat's own in a huge explosion that sent both parties reeling.

"How dare you! Moon, I summon your strength!" the arhat cried out.

The bright moon to the back of its head immediately released shining silver light, as though imbuing its body with endless strength. Its aura suddenly magnified in strength.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned, turning to run without any hesitation.

The arhat had been a peak Heaven Immortal even before activating the moon to the back of his head. At that point, he had grown almost as strong as a True Immortal. How was Xiao Nanfeng to fight them all? There were a thousand arhats in the vicinity—and the Moonlight Buddha, strongest of all!

He fled rapidly, heading to the sides of the limestone cave and intending to teleport out through the cave walls.

"Hold it!" the arhats shouted, giving chase.

Xiao Nanfeng waved a hand, causing red light to flash across the wall. He bypassed the arhats chasing after him and seemed poised to dart out.

The Moonlight Buddha blinked in surprise, not expecting that Xiao Nanfeng would really be able to do so, but he too reacted rapidly. "You intend to leave? What kind of place do you think this is?"

He slammed a palm into the ground, causing a silver palm strike to appear in the void and slam down from above Xiao Nanfeng's head.

Xiao Nanfeng was sent flying. He smashed into the ground, forming a huge crater. He was so badly injured that fresh blood sprayed out of his mouth; he wasn't able to escape in time. The portal he had created likewise vanished from sight.

"A Golden Immortal!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.

"That was an interesting trick you were using to free yourself—and you cultivate the Imposing Avatar of Rulai, don't you? I was lacking a physical body with which to roam the world, and here you are!" The Moonlight Buddha's eyes lit up.

He clawed at the void, causing another silver palm to strike at Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes, knowing that he wouldn't be able to escape. He retrieved the Divine Seal of Dazheng and hid in the internal space within.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The Moonlight Buddha's palm caught the Divine Seal of Dazheng.

Heavy though the seal was, the Moonlight Buddha was exceptionally strong. He picked it up and considered the relic carefully.

"You hid within this relic? Let's see how long you intend to hide, then," the Moonlight Buddha murmured.

He shut his eyes and sent his cursed soul into the Divine Seal of Dazheng before opening his eyes some time later. "Hmm? How unusual. What sort of relic is this? Even I can't figure it out."

Within the Divine Seal of Dazheng, Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "Senior, the Moonlight Buddha really is strong. Are you able to defend against him?"

"He hasn't recovered to his peak, but is already a Golden Immortal. I'm no match for him at the moment, and it was truly dangerous just now. I apologize for not helping you against him." The black lotus sighed.

"There's no need to worry, Senior. At the moment, he doesn't have a good sense of our abilities and has been attracted by my Divine Seal of Dazheng, so I doubt he will summon any others to split the treasure. We should be safe for the short term."

"That's useless. We can hardly stay in here forever, can we?"

"I can summon some reinforcements."

"Oh?"

"My subordinates told me that Yin Tianci once revealed that golden lotuses grew on Thousand-Spirit Island, which is why I petitioned the Heavenly Emperor to have me take on this mission. Now that the truth has been revealed, it's time to seek backup from the Heavenly Emperor," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The black lotus was silent for a moment. Eventually, it replied, "Very well."

"Hm? Something's wrong. Why has Ao Zhou returned?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"You can tell what's going on outside?" the black lotus asked curiously.

"There's a spectral guard hanging around Thousand-Spirit Island. He hasn't yet gone far, and he has an avatar in Yongding. He informed my avatar that Ao Zhou's superior draconic vein is being attacked by Ao Shuai's forces. The superior draconic vein has made its way back to Thousand-Spirit Island and darted into the cursed cave. It's somewhere around us by now."

"Once Ao Zhou returns to the cursed cave, the Moonlight Buddha will surely sense his presence and catch him. We'd be in danger then—but if Ao Zhou stops suppressing the superior draconic vein, it might be able to take on the Moonlight Buddha..." The black lotus frowned.

"Perhaps we can take the opportunity to escape," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Be careful," the black lotus warned.

Xiao Nanfeng suddenly cursed. "Sage Yellowbrow is back!"

"Oh?"

Xiao Nanfeng closed his eyes and fell deep into meditation, as though waiting for news from the outside world. After some time, he replied seriously, "Sage Yellowbrow killed off Ao Shuai's subordinates and has rushed in."

"It's a little difficult for us to leave in the chaos, then."

"Perhaps not. Since Sage Yellowbrow has returned, so will the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost. The situation may become even more chaotic than before," Xiao Nanfeng said expectantly.