Nightwatcher

Chapter 296: I will not Kneel

# 296. I will not Kneel

After the crack of thunder echoed through the sky, silence followed. The swirling clouds dispersed, and at the same time, the Buddhist radiance on Arhat Du'e's body retracted.

He opened his eyes, and a flash of wisdom shot from his gaze, only to be withdrawn in the next instant.

Arhat Du’e saw his Buddhist disciples, silent in thought, having entered a unique mental state. In Buddhism, this was the process of enlightenment.

Eyes see, ears hear, and the mind realises.

Of course, this was still a far far cry from Master Du’e’s own great enlightenment.

Arhat Du'e did not interrupt his disciples' comprehension. He clasped his hands together and said loudly, “The Sage once said, 'Learning knows no age; those who attain, achieve.' This is an ultimate truth.

"Although Benefactor Xu is not of the Buddhist sect, you possess great Buddhist roots, which have enlightened this poor monk, elevating my thoughts. This precisely validates the truth that all people have a Buddha-nature, and by seeing oneself, anyone can become a Buddha.

"Thank you, Benefactor Xu, for enlightening me on the Mahayana Dharma. Benefactor Xu, you are worthy of being my teacher. You have won this third trial."

Benefactor Xu is amazing, Benefactor Xu is my teacher, and Benefactor Xu has passed the third trial.

"Just now, did that high monk from the Buddhist sect say that Benefactor Xu is worthy of being his teacher?" A man in the front row, dressed like a scholar, stammered.

*My teacher?*

The Jianghu martial artists among the crowd became excited.

For a long time, martial artists had been looked down upon by other systems. Martial strength violated laws, and crude warriors were seen as nothing more than violent brutes who caused destruction and killed people.

Apart from being useful in war, they had no other purpose. In fact, they were seen as a destabilising force in society.

But now, a dignified high monk of the Buddhist sect, a second-rank Arhat, had actually said that a martial artist should be his teacher.

To the Jianghu folk, these words were immensely uplifting, making them want to shout to the heavens.

"The entire Jianghu of the Great Feng should remember the name Xu Qi'an. He is a true warrior."

"At last, the martial system has produced someone capable. I've roamed the Jianghu for many years, and I've never seen a martial artsit be respected as a teacher by the pinnacle of another system."

"When I return to my hometown, I'll make sure everyone knows. Coming to the capital this time wasn't in vain—I’ve seen something incredible."

"Indeed. When I return home and drink with my friends and family, I’ll be able to talk about this for three days and three nights... I'm suddenly eager to return."

In one corner, a still-elegant aging woman reluctantly withdrew her gaze from Xu Qi'an and turned to her prized disciple, the Soul-stealing hand Rongrong.

"Rongrong, I've made inquiries. This Sir Xu… is a frequent visitor to the Jiaofangsi."

Rongrong, with her heavily made-up yet not trashy features, bit her lip and looked back at her teacher. "Master, what are you implying?"

"We Jianghu folk don’t care about status," the woman said quietly. "Rongrong, with your beauty, it might be difficult to become Sir Xu's wife, but becoming his concubine wouldn't be a problem."

"I..."

Rongrong wanted to refuse, but that man was too dazzling—so dazzling that even someone like her, who prided herself on her beauty, couldn't help but feel a little moved.

...

Xu Qi'an ascended the steps, encountering no further obstacles along the way, until he reached the small square outside the temple at the top of the mountain.

It was a standalone temple with a single-ridged roof and upturned eaves. There were no side halls or annexes, only the main hall.

*The temple should hold the final trial. I remember Arhat Du'e saying that if I still refuse to convert to Buddhism after entering the temple, then the Buddhists will have lost...*

Instantly, Xu Qi'an recalled the 108 techniques taught by the Jiaofangsi courtesans, using them to pollute his thoughts, letting his mind become tinged with the exclusive desires of the royal family.

Satisfied with his transformation into a shameless degenerate, he nodded approvingly and pushed open the temple doors, stepping inside.

...

Seeing this, Arhat Du'e clasped his hands together and said, "Once inside this temple, even a stone can be enlightened and converted to Buddhism."

What did he mean by this?

The crowd frowned upon hearing this, then remembered the theme of this duel: conversion to Buddhism.

The Western Region's delegation not only wanted to win the Disc of heavenly secrets, but also to have the duelist convert to Buddhism, severely undermining the Great Feng’s prestige.

"Filthy monk, We demand to see what's happening inside the temple!" Biaobiao’s usually playful and coquettish eyes suddenly revealed a rare fierceness, as she and angrily declared, "Who knows what dirty tricks your Buddhist sect has set up inside to harm our Silver Gong!"

She didn't believe Xu Qi'an would just join the Buddhist sect, but the Buddhist methods were mysterious, and forceful conversion was possible. Unable to see what was happening inside, her mind kept conjuring worst-case scenarios of Xu Qi'an being coerced.

She could no longer restrain herself.

"Since this is a duel, it should be conducted openly and fairly. Arhat Du'e, please reveal the scene inside the temple for us to see," Huaiqing said coldly.

The nobles under the pavilion also began to voice their agreement.

"Indeed!"

With a smile, Arhat Du'e clasped his hands together and, with a wave of his wide sleeves, switched the Buddhist realm’s view. The crowd saw the flickering candlelight in the temple's grand hall.

Inside the hall, a sixty feet golden statue sat cross-legged, its head nearly touching the ceiling.

This Buddha statue had thick, drooping earlobes, a round face like a golden plate, and half-closed eyes. It wore a compassionate smile, yet exuded an indescribable majesty that reached into the soul.

Merely looking at it made one want to clasp their hands together and offer their prayers.

"There are two manifestations of Dharma in the temple. This one is the Vajra Dharma Aspect. Benefactor Xu, the secret of the Diamond Sutra lies within this golden body. If you can comprehend it, you can cultivate the Indestructible Vajra Body of Buddhism."

Du'e Master's voice transmitted into the hall.

*The Diamond Sutra is hidden within this Dharma aspect...* Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up. He had long coveted the divine Vajra body ability of Buddhism. If he could master this protective divine skill, he would be invincible in the sixth-rank warrior realm.

Moreover, with this skill, Xu Qi'an would overcome his last major weakness. After unleashing his mighty strike and becoming exhausted, he could toss aside his blade, lie on the ground, and tell his enemies: "Come at me, do it yourself."

*No wonder the Jianzheng insisted I represent the Sitianjian in this duel... Jianzheng, was this all part of your plan?*

Xu Qi'an was both excited and chilled at the same time. The Jianzheng was truly terrifying.

Outside, after hearing the words of Arhat Du'e, the gathered martial artists' eyes lit up with excitement. They raised their heads, gazing intently at the Buddha statue as though they wished they could glue their eyes to it.

Xu Qi'an sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, head raised, scrutinising the Vajra Statue.

Meanwhile, Arhat Du'e was watching him. The Vajra Body was only suitable for warrior monks, and Zen monks who had not reached the Arhat level could not master it.

Arhat Du'e was offering Xu Qi'an an enticing bait, laying the groundwork to draw him into the Buddhist order.

To Arhat Du'e, this was not just a matter of cherishing a rare talent, but also because Xu Qi'an was the originator of Mahayana Buddhism. Arhat Du'e wanted to be the one to establish and spread these teachings. To better promote the Mahayana doctrine, it was essential to have Xu Qi'an, the trailblazer of these ideas, join the Buddhist sect. This was crucial to legitimizing their "orthodoxy."

*The Diamond Sutra is supposedly hidden in the statue? What nonsense… there's nothing here at all..*. Xu Qi'an stared at the statue for a full fifteen minutes without blinking, until his eyes started to ache.

*I really am just a crude martial artist without a Buddha nature...* He mentally mocked himself.

Suddenly, a warm current surged in his abdomen, rising from his Dantian, passing through the middle Dantian, and entering the upper Dantian. His brow pulsed, as if a thin plastic film had been stretched and then broken.

The statue before him began to change…

Though the Buddha statue remained seated and motionless, a profound aura of Zen spread around it, becoming visible to Xu Qi'an.

Surprisingly, he understood this Zen energy, and he comprehended the Buddha's aura contained within the Dharma Statue.

*Is it… helping me?!*

The thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Qi'an unconsciously adjusted his posture, joining his hands in prayer, his eyes half-closed, mirroring the statue.

This process lasted for an unknown amount of time. Suddenly, a spot of golden light appeared at the center of his brow, rapidly spreading like an invisible brush sketching over his body.

In a matter of breaths, Xu Qi'an's entire body was covered in radiant gold, transforming him into a golden statue himself.

…

Arhat Du'e was utterly stunned.

"He—he's transformed into a golden body?!"

"Has he truly converted to Buddhism?"

Seeing this, the commoners nearly broke down, their faces instantly falling as if they'd been deflated. Their previous joy and pride evaporated, leaving them utterly dispirited.

This man had navigated the three trials, bringing great honor to the Great Feng and making the people of the capital proud. But now, it seemed he had been "converted" by the Buddhist sect.

This move by the Buddhists hit hard, and the blow was ruthless.

"The Unbreakable Vajra! He’s mastered the Unbreakable Vajra!" A sharp voice suddenly burst from the crowd.

The speaker was a man dressed as a Jianghu warrior. He pointed excitedly at Xu Qi'an, his lips trembling with excitement.

"What Unbreakable Vajra? Isn't he converting to Buddhism?"

The people around him hurriedly asked.

"Of course not! Not only has he not converted to Buddhism, but he’s also mastered one of the Buddhist sect's divine skills—Unbreakable Vajra!" The martial artist explained, his hands gesticulating wildly as he laughed hysterically:

“Stealing a chicken but losing the bait! Haha! Haha! The Buddhists tried to lure him, but failed! This Silver Gong is a peerless genius, an absolute prodigy.

"Given time, he may very well surpass the Zhenbei King and become the top martial artist of the Great Feng!"

The crowd erupted in a tidal wave of noise, the commoners, who did not understand cultivation, breathed a sigh of relief and began laughing again.

It turned out that their young Great Feng genius had not converted to Buddhism but had instead mastered the Buddhists’ invincible golden body.

*"Given time, he may very well surpass the Zhenbei King…"* In the same area, a woman standing next to Xu Xinnian's wife pricked up her ears, raising her head to gaze at Xu Qi'an with a complicated expression.

*Nonsense. How could anyone in the Great Feng surpass the Zhenbei King in martial arts?*

In the same region, the nine Gold Gongs all felt a bitter envy. Despite being as strong as Fourth-Rank martial artists, they too coveted the Unbreakable Vajra Technique. In a battle where strength was evenly matched, the one with the tougher body would prevail.

*Unbreakable Vajra…* Wei Yuan frowned, then smiled.

He didn’t care about the deeper meaning; as long as Xu Qi'an could continue advancing in martial arts, he was content with turning a blind eye.

The civil officials were less impressed, as martial arts wasn't their domain, though they marvelled at Xu Qi'an's terrifying natural ability. The military officials, however, stared wide-eyed, their envy directed not just at Xu Qi'an, but at Wei Yuan as well.

Such an outstanding martial talent, and Wei Yuan had claimed him.

"Father, after today, people may stop calling you unworthy." Xu Xinnian said softly.

A pleased Uncle Xu turned his head and asked, "Why?"

"Because you raised an elder brother who is a martial arts prodigy," Xu Xinnian smiled. "From now on, all martial artists will praise you."

"Hahaha!" Xu Ershu burst out laughing.

Xu Lingyue puffed out her developing chest, proud and radiant, sharing the glory—this was her elder brother.

"Hehe!" Lin'an giggled happily.

"Don’t celebrate too soon. There’s still one more Dharma aspect to go," Huaiqing said in a serious tone.

On the rooftop of the restaurant, Hengyuan sighed in admiration, "The divine Unbreakable Vajra…"

"It's settled," Chu Yuanzhen slapped Hengyuan's shiny head with a laugh. "Ask Xu Ningyan for the Unbreakable Vajra Technique when this is over. With it, your path as a warrior monk will go further, and reaching the third-rank Vajra level won't be impossible."

The conversation between the old monk and Xu Qi'an had been heard by everyone outside. With Chu Yuanzhen's wisdom, it wasn’t hard to deduce that the next rank for an eighth-rank warrior monk would be third-rank Vajra.

Amidst the cheering, Arhat Du'e chanted a Buddhist scripture. His voice, tinged with a smile, spread through the crowd:

"This trial is called *Asura's Heart."

_Asura's Heart_?

The commotion quieted down, and all eyes turned from the Buddhist scene back to Arhat Du'e, including Wei Yuan,Prime Minister Wang, and even Emperor Yuanjing from the top of the Stargazing Tower.

"This is a tale from our Buddhist sect…"

Arhat Du'e began to tell the story.

It was said that when the Buddha first founded his teachings in the Western Regions, the land was ruled by a barbarian tribe known as the Asura. They were a savage, bloodthirsty people, who ate raw meat and drank blood. They mercilessly slaughtered the Buddhist monks in their quest for territory.

After learning about the situation, the Buddha personally went to the Asura tribe's territory and meditated for three days and nights. During this time, he neither resisted nor retaliated, allowing the Asura tribe to attack him.

The savage Asura immediately assaulted him with weapons. With the first strike, his skin split, and blood gushed out, but from his flesh came a metallic sound. With the second strike, his flesh again tore apart, and golden light began to shine from within. After 3,600 strikes, the Buddha shed his mortal flesh and revealed his golden Dharma body.

The Asura, during these three days and nights of continuous assault, finally attained enlightenment. They let go of their savage nature, renounced violence, and converted to Buddhism.

The crowd of onlookers, common folk from the streets, listened intently to the tale. However, high-ranking officials like Prime Minister Wang and the hereditary nobles turned pale.

Though the Buddha wasn’t physically present in the temple, this trial, named "Asura's Heart," was bound to have a similar effect as the Buddha’s enlightenment of the Asura tribe.

If even the ferocious, bloodthirsty Asura could be enlightened, how could this not work on Xu Qi'an?

Inside the temple, the once closed eyes of the Vajra Dharma statue suddenly opened. In that instant, the might of Buddhism crashed down like a mountain, like a tidal wave, engulfing Xu Qi'an with an overwhelming force that was impossible to resist.

Xu Qi'an saw boundless Buddha light, but instead of bringing peace, this light felt tyrannical, oppressive. It instantly crushed his will and altered his heart.

*Life’s eight sufferings are meaningless. Joining Buddhism is the only true path…*

*I am the pioneer of Mahayana Buddhism. This is where I belong.*

*Why hesitate? Are you really content with being a crude martial artist?*

One thought after another flooded his mind, extolling the virtues of Buddhism, and the worst part was that Xu Qi'an found them convincing.

People’s thoughts can change, though it usually takes a long time. But in this moment, Xu Qi'an’s very core beliefs were altered in an instant. He began to long for Buddhism, to yearn for the Dharma.

Even the allure of the Oirans from the Jiaofangsi lost its appeal.

In full view of the crowd, Xu Qi'an slowly stood up. He unsheathed his black-gold long saber and reached with his other hand to touch the sable hat atop his head...

*Fuck! I can’t take this off! I can’t!*

A deep sense of humiliation helped him regain a sliver of "self."

Unsheathing the blade, reaching for the hat—this was him preparing to ordain himself as a monk. But he had no hair to shave. If he took off the sable hat, his bare scalp would be exposed to the thousands in the crowd.

…

"This trip to the Great Feng was truly the best decision this poor monk has ever made," said Arhat Du'e, his voice filled with satisfaction. "In a single moment, not only have I gained insight into Mahayana Buddhism, but I have also acquired a naturally gifted disciple with immense Buddha-nature. Amitabha, truly, Heaven blesses Buddhism."

The crowd seethed with anger.

Yet instead of curses, they all focused intently on Xu Qi'an, holding their breath. Everyone could see that Xu Qi'an was struggling, fighting against the effects of the Asura's Heart.

"Hold on, hold on…" Lin'an whispered to herself, her small hands tightly twisting her dress.

Huaiqing’s pupils slightly dilated. She had a single, clear thought. The thought took shape in two words: *Do not.*

Xu Pingzhi stood up, fists clenched as if he were lending his strength to his nephew.

"You don’t seem too concerned about him becoming a monk," said the plain-looking woman, noticing that whilst everyone else was either angry or anxious, this cousin kept staring intently at Arhat Du'e instead of Xu Qi'an.

"I am concerned," Xu Xinnian said.

"Then why are you staring at Arhat Du'e?"

"I’m thinking about which angle would be best to stab him from," Xu Xinnian replied.

At the top of the Stargazing Tower, Emperor Yuanjing suddenly turned and pointed toward Xu Qi'an in the mysterious secret realm, his voice urgent. "Jianzheng, We will not allow Xu Qi'an to enter the monastic order and become a Buddhist disciple. No matter what, you must stop this."

Jianzheng smiled. "Your Majesty, you are the sovereign of the land. Why worry about a mere Silver Gong?"

"No!" Emperor Yuanjing snapped, anger seething. "It has taken so long for the Great Feng to produce a prodigy of his calibre. How could we allow the Buddhists to take him away? Do whatever it takes to stop this, even if it means forfeiting the Disc of Heaven’s Secrets."

Jianzheng nodded. "Be calm, Your Majesty."

He grasped his wine cup, and the wine inside remained still, reflecting the mountains, rivers, and the lives of all common people.

Jianzheng’s elderly hand clenched the cup tightly, veins bulging as if he were gathering power.

The Diamond Sutra was in his hands; his goal was already achieved. As for the "Asura's Heart" test, only an external force could stop it. Xu Qi'an alone would never be able to resist the flood of Buddhist power overwhelming him.

But just as Jianzheng was about to act, he paused and glanced toward the distant Cloud Deer Academy…

…

"Aha! Running dog resisted it!" Lin'an squealed with excitement.

Inside the temple, Xu Qi'an let go of the sable hat. It remained on his head.

He had regained control of his will, resisting the urge to join Buddhism and rejecting the thoughts that had been forcibly planted in his mind.

*Phew…* This exhale came from countless people outside the temple.

Arhat Du'e furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "Only by entering Buddhism can one transcend suffering and achieve immortality. Only through immortality can one enlighten others. You possess immense Buddha-nature, so why are you so stubborn?"

Xu Qi'an’s resistance seemed to have angered the Buddha statue. The mist around the Buddha Mountain trembled violently as an enormous Dharma aspect, towering above the heavens, materialized.

It seemed to encompass all things, making everything else appear insignificant. Clouds swirled around its form, and its face was hidden from view, too high to see with the naked eye.

The temple beneath it was no larger than the palm of its hand.

The towering Dharma aspect slowly lowered its head, gazing down at the temple, and then, it gently extended a massive hand toward it.

With a slow press!

Inside the temple, Xu Qi'an's shoulders suddenly sank, as if a mountain had been placed on top of him.

The overwhelming pressure threatened to force him to his knees.

*Don’t kneel, don’t kneel…* Xu Qi'an’s instincts flared. He knew with certainty that if he knelt, there would be no turning back.

He would become a different person—one who revered the Buddha and practiced Buddhism.

Outside the temple, the Buddha’s towering hand pressed down once more.

_Crack, crack, crack…_ Xu Qi'an's bones began to pop like firecrackers, especially his spine, which seemed on the verge of breaking through his skin.

His head hung lower and lower, unable to lift.

But despite everything, his knees remained unbent.

*I won’t kneel, I won’t kneel! If I am to believe in Buddhism, it will be by my own choice! No one can suppress me.*

His head lowered, Xu Qi’an’s face flushed red, and sweat rolled down drop by drop. His eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with exertion as he struggled against the immense pressure descending from above.

He opened his mouth and stubbornly spat out, "I… will… not… kneel…"

...

Cloud Deer Academy.

In the Hall of the Lesser Sage, a dense wave of clear qi shot skyward, and the entire hall trembled once more.

Inside the academy, the scholars and professors either lifted their heads or stepped out of their rooms, looking toward the direction of the Lesser Sage Hall.

Inside the hall, flashes of light flickered repeatedly, and the Headmaster, Zhao Shou, along with three Grand Scholars, suddenly appeared.

"What’s happening? Why is the senior moving again?" Zhang Shen asked in bewilderment.

The redwood box suspended above the head of the Lesser Sage statue was violently shaking. This time, the vibrations were extremely intense, as if something inside the box was urgently trying to break free.

"Is someone calling upon the power of the masses again?" Li Mubai's eyes widened in disbelief.

Headmaster Zhao Shou frowned deeply and bowed, saying, "Senior, please be at peace."

But the redwood box vibrated even more intensely.

Seeing this, the three Grand Scholars immediately mustered their boundless righteous energy and, together with Headmaster Zhao Shou, attempted to suppress the box. They cupped their hands and said, "Senior, please be at peace."

The box quieted down once more, but in the next moment...

"Boom!"

The redwood box exploded, sending a wave of clear energy throughout the hall. Zhao Shou and the three Grand Scholars were struck in their chests, vomiting blood, and sent flying through the air.

A streak of clear light broke free from the box, pierced through the ceiling of the hall, and shot into the sky.

Headmaster Zhao Shou rushed out of the Hall of the Lesser Sage, his gaze following the streak of light as it swept across the mountains and disappeared into the horizon.

It was heading toward the capital...

...

"Amitabha. I did not expect Benefactor Xu’s determination to be so deep. I am sure that after joining the Buddhist order, his heart will become even purer," Arhat Du'e said, clasping his hands together.

Biaobiao glared fiercely at Arhat Du'e, then suddenly stepped out of the pavilion and shouted, "Don’t kneel to that bald donkey, you running dog, stand up!"

Inside the Buddha Realm, Xu Qi’an’s shoulders were bloodied, and his neck bent at an unnatural angle. His agony was painfully clear to everyone watching from outside.

What kind of conviction could allow someone to endure such overwhelming pressure and still keep their knees straight?

Was this the same Xu Qi’an?

Was this the same flirtatious and lecherous Xu Qi’an everyone knew?

Those familiar with him felt a shock deep within their hearts.

Suddenly, an elderly man in plain clothes stood up from the pavilion. His eyes were red, and with a trembling voice, he shouted:

"*A young man’s valour, brings heroes from five capitals old! With loyal heart, with just hand. With words of iron, life or death, A promise is worth a thousand tons of gold!...* A man who could write such verses will not kneel!"

It was Governor Zhang.

Xu Pingzhi shouted, "Ning Yan, stand up straight, don’t kneel!"

Xu Lingyin suddenly let out a wail, "Big bwother..."

Wei Yuan gently patted her head and finished her sentence, "Won't kneel."

Wang Shoufu stood up, his voice loud and clear, "A warrior of the Great Feng does not kneel."

Among the crowd, someone suddenly raised a fist and roared, "Do not kneel!"

This ignited a fuse, and the gathered citizens erupted.

"Do not kneel!"

"Do not kneel!"

"Do not kneel!"

One by one, two by two... More and more people began shouting, "Do not kneel." A father lifted his son onto his shoulders, and the child’s crisp voice rang out, "Don't kneel!"

A husband grasped his wife’s hand, and together they shouted, "The people of the Great Feng do not kneel!"

From the pavilion to the open grounds, from nobles to commoners, in that moment, all of the citizens of Great Feng shouted in unison:

"DO NOT KNEEL!"

...

*I can feel the power of the masses again...* In his hazy consciousness, a pure thought surged into Xu Qi’an’s mind, vast and chaotic.

It conveyed a single message: Do not kneel!

In an instant, Xu Qi’an’s eyes erupted with unprecedented brilliance, like a pilgrim lost in the darkness who had finally seen the dawn.

He still couldn’t straighten his spine, but as if moved by some unseen force, he raised his arm, as though to grasp something.

Something was coming.

At the same time, Xu Qi’an shouted out with the voice of the tens of thousands in the capital:

"I, Xu Qi’an, WILL. NOT. KNEEL!"

At that very moment, a streak of clear light shot through the sky, rumbling as it broke through the air, carrying an unmatched force as it crashed into the Buddha Realm.

Sensing this, the towering Buddha statue withdrew its palm and brought it down to strike the incoming light.

At the moment of impact, both the clear light and the golden light dimmed for a brief second. Then, an explosion of radiant blue and gold burst forth.

Only after that came the "boom" of the explosion, shaking the citizens of the capital, who covered their heads and fled in panic.

Outside the arena, fierce winds howled.

The towering Buddha statue shattered into pure golden light, dispersing back into the Buddha Realm. The clear light, having fulfilled its purpose, entered the temple and landed in Xu Qi’an’s hand.

It was a simple, black carving knife.

Slowly, Xu Qi’an stood up, gripping the knife tightly.

"All beings can become Buddhas, so why should I kneel to you?"

With that, he calmly thrust the knife forward.

Crack... A crack appeared on the Buddha statue’s forehead. The fissure spread instantly across its entire body before it shattered into pieces.

Boom!

As the statue collapsed, the Buddha Realm shook violently, mountains crumbling and the earth quaking.

Crack!

Arhat Du'e looked down in shock to see cracks spreading across his golden alms bowl before it shattered into dust.

The Buddha Realm dissolved into nothingness.

Two figures fell out—an unconscious Jing Si, and Xu Qi’an, standing tall, knife in hand.

Xu Qi’an glanced slowly around the arena, then his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

But before he lost consciousness, he pressed his hand to his sable hat.

It was a matter of pride.

The entire field fell silent.