What exactly was wrong?
Su Yi focused his mind and extended his spiritual power, sweeping inch by inch through the grand hall of the first floor of the pagoda.
The hall was vast, capable of accommodating thousands of monks chanting and meditating. Thirty-six stone pillars stood tall, each inscribed with obscure and profound Sanskrit.
Hmm?
When Su Yi's spiritual power reached a depth of about twenty zhang, a sense of stagnation suddenly arose, and the image of a grand formation appeared in his mind.
"So, it's a hidden formation..."
Suddenly, Su Yi realized the reason behind the unease.
"Be careful, there is a large formation here. If I'm not mistaken, it should be set up by the Buddhist cultivators from the Shanglin Monastery."
Su Yi warned in a low voice.
Using his spiritual power, he calmly sensed the intricacies of the hidden formation.
Ning Xi and Mu Xi, as well as Lan Suo, all became serious and unsheathed their respective weapons.
Ning Xi held the Crescent Moon Halberd in her rear hand, while her left palm floated a slender and translucent flying sword as agile as a fish.
Mu Xi wielded a golden war spear, his aura gathering power.
Lan Suo was the most extravagant. She took out a jade pendant with a secret charm hanging from her chest, slanted a spiritually abundant golden flying knife by her waist, and placed a purple, ethereal jade sword engraved with intricate runes between her hair. She also took out a pair of wrist guards engraved with dense cloud patterns...
After some thought, she seemed to be still worried. She held a thick stack of Yuan Dao jade symbols in both hands, seemingly satisfied, and let out a breath of air, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
This scene nearly blinded Mu Xi's eyes!
He had seen people fully armed before, but he had never seen someone covered from head to toe in spiritual treasures!
Ning Xi couldn't help but show surprise. If this were a fighting style, should it be called... the "money-smashing" style?
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable under the gaze of the two, Lan Suo blushed and said, "When I left home, the elders insisted on giving these to me, saying that as a girl, I must protect myself outside... Well, there's no need to be so surprised..."
Ning Xi and Mu Xi shifted their gazes away, sighing inwardly. Humans, they're all born different!
Clang!
At this moment, Su Yi suddenly swung the Profound Wuzhen Sword in his hand, unleashing a sword strike.
A green sword qi cut through the air, carrying a profound and unfathomable aura, slashing into the void twenty zhang away.
Boom!
A shower of light burst forth, countless symbols emerged, and a grand formation permeated with golden Buddha light appeared before their eyes.
As Su Yi's sword strike descended, it struck the crucial point like hitting a snake's weakest spot. The majestic golden formation shattered like paper, dissipating with a loud boom.
"This..."
"Who dares to disrupt our important matters like this?"
A clamor of astonished and angry voices erupted.
In the depths of the hall, a group of monks stood, their faces filled with anger as they looked at Su Yi and the others.
"It's quite unexpected that all of you managed to arrive here alive. It surpasses this humble monk's expectations."
Suddenly, a deep and solemn voice sounded.
The speaker was none other than Jue Heng.
Standing beside him were seventeen other monks, each exuding the aura fluctuations of an innate Martial Ancestor.
Especially the white-haired and white-bearded old monk at the forefront, his aura was the most obscure and far more terrifying than the other seventeen.
In the distant part of the grand hall, an intense battle was unfolding.
It was a handsome young monk, dressed in coarse monk robes, with a dignified appearance.
In one hand, he held a purple-golden alms bowl, while in the other, he brandished a bright white Buddhist knife. He emitted a radiant Buddha light, shining brightly and exuding an extremely formidable aura.
What surprised everyone was that the young monk's opponent was a golden true dragon, measuring several zhang in length, emanating a terrifying aura!
The roar of the dragon reverberated like thunder, and the terrifying dragon might spread from its several-zhang-long body.
Even from afar, it made it difficult for people to breathe.
"Are dragons really real in this world?"
Mu Xi exclaimed, feeling a chill running down his spine.
Ning Xi and Lan Suo were equally shocked by the scene. The monks from the Shanglin Monastery were actually trying to subdue a dragon here!
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, who would believe it?
"There are indeed dragons in this world, but the one we see before us is not a real dragon. It is the power manifested by a drop of true dragon's essence blood."
Su Yi's deep eyes brightened.
True dragon!
One of the most ancient and powerful divine beasts, possessing immeasurable power, like a living deity in the world, with unimaginable abilities.
Even in the eyes of an Emperor Realm cultivator, the existence of a true dragon was considered an incredibly dangerous character, so powerful that it was beyond imagination.
Such creatures possessed innate talent and great luck, capable of stirring the starry sky or hiding in the mundane, soaring through clouds and dominating the heavens!
However, true dragons were extremely rare and mysterious, almost existing only in elusive legends.
Throughout the vast land of the Nine Provinces in the wilderness, in the endless ages from ancient times to the present, those who had truly seen such mystical creatures were few and far between!
Most of the time, all the information about true dragons was nothing but ethereal rumors.
Although Su Yi had been hailed as a supreme figure in the Nine Provinces of the wilderness in his previous life, he had only come across the remains of a true dragon's lair and picked up some shattered dragon scales.
He had never witnessed a living true dragon.
And now, in the ruins of this sacred mountain deep within the Baosha Yao Mountain, on the pinnacle of this dragon-shaped mountain range, there appeared a manifestation of a true dragon derived from a drop of true dragon's blood!
Even Su Yi couldn't help but be surprised and feel unexpected.
It must be noted that this was the mortal world!
As Su Yi pondered, the eighteen monks from the Shanglin Monastery had already surrounded them, each emanating a formidable aura.
"This place is dangerous and filled with great calamity. We kindly ask all of you to return the way you came and not risk your lives due to this."
The white-browed, white-bearded old monk at the forefront folded his hands together in a solemn and dignified manner as he spoke. His voice resonated like the morning bell and evening drum, carrying an unmistakable air of authority.
Su Yi smiled and said, "Monk, how about I help you subdue this great calamity?"
The white-browed old monk remained expressionless and said, "If you all have managed to arrive here, you must be extraordinary individuals. However, if you refuse to heed advice and persist in your delusion, you will meet a tragic end."
At this moment, Lan Suo looked towards the young monk in the distance and spoke suddenly, "Elder Jinghe, I am Lan Suo, a disciple of the Donghua Sword Sect. My master is 'Master Yunlang.' If we engage in battle, it won't be good for either side. In my opinion, why don't we join forces and suppress that dragon-shaped creature together, then evenly divide this opportunity? What do you think?"
The faces of the white-browed old monk and the others subtly changed.
Master Yunlang!
He was the top Elder of the Donghua Sword Sect, the number one combatant! One of the three Great Sword Venerables of Da Qin, a figure that shook the Eight Wilderness and Four Seas!
And now, the direct disciple of Master Yunlang had appeared. Who would dare to disregard him?
Seeing the expressions of the monks, Mu Xi knew that Lan Suo's master's reputation had quite an intimidating effect.
However, unexpectedly, Jinghe, the young monk who was engaged in a fierce battle in the distance, coldly snorted and said, "Even if you were just a disciple of Master Yunlang, even if Master Yunlang himself were here today, you won't be able to snatch away this opportunity from the Shanglin Monastery!"
His words were resolute and decisive.
Lan Suo's expression froze, a hint of embarrassment appeared between her delicate eyebrows. It seemed she didn't expect Elder Jinghe, the chief of the Dragon Subduing Hall of the Shanglin Monastery, to be so disrespectful.
The faces of the white-browed old monk and the others turned cold and stern.
"Please leave, everyone!"
The white-browed old monk spoke in a deep voice, his eyes sharp, emanating an intimidating aura.
The other monks had unfriendly expressions.
"As Buddhist cultivators, your bloodlust and greed are no different from those demonic and evil beings."
Su Yi shook his head inwardly.
In his previous life, he had once had a discussion on Buddhist principles with a powerful figure from the "Xiao Xi Heaven," the first sacred place of Buddhism. The breadth of mind, magnanimity, and wisdom of that individual had left Su Yi amazed and admiring.
In comparison, the monks before him appeared pitiful and unworthy of being called Buddhist cultivators.
"You wicked evildoer! How dare you spout such arrogant words! You deserve to go to hell and suffer the punishment of having your tongue pulled out!"
Jueheng shouted angrily. He had fought against Su Yi before and held a grudge. Seeing Su Yi disparaging them, he became furious.
Su Yi couldn't be bothered with pointless arguments. He raised his Xuanwu Sword and slashed out with a sword strike in mid-air.
Swish!
The sword energy was brilliant, like a streak of green rainbow, carrying an unparalleled and fierce aura as it slashed towards Jueheng.
The white-browed old monk frowned and slapped his palm in mid-air.
Buzz!
A palm imprint with golden radiance condensed, about the size of a grinding disc, emitting a brilliant light and an immensely powerful aura.
But as soon as Su Yi's sword energy collided with it, the golden palm imprint was instantly split in half, causing a deafening explosion.
And Su Yi's sword energy showed no signs of weakening as it directly slashed towards Jueheng.
Jueheng instinctively evaded it.
Boom!!!
The sword energy narrowly missed Jueheng's original position, creating a dazzling sword radiance. When it spread and wreaked havoc, it caused a tingling pain on Jueheng's skin, making his face involuntarily change.
With just one sword strike, its power was so immense that it made the white-browed old monk and others reveal a solemn expression, realizing Su Yi's strength.
"Creating one's own misfortune, unable to live. Fellow disciples, join me in attacking and exterminating these evildoers, eliminating harm from the world!"
The white-browed old monk spoke with a deep voice.
"Well said!"
The other seventeen monks simultaneously chanted Buddhist mantras.
Then, these monks from the Shanglin Monastery in Da Qin, all possessing the cultivation of a congenital Martial Ancestor, launched a fierce attack.
Boom!
Their imposing aura surged, their robes billowed, and they each wielded spiritual weapons such as rings, staffs, rulers, long rods, Dharma swords, alms bowls, and more.
Afterwards, their figures flickered, and in an instant, they transformed into a formidable battle formation, emanating a terrifying aura.
Lan Suo's pretty face slightly changed, and she quickly transmitted her voice, "This is the 'Subduing Tiger Arhat Array' of the Luo Han Hall in the Shanglin Monastery. It is jointly displayed by eighteen congenital Martial Ancestors, with their auras interconnected. Its power is enough to trap even the land immortals!"
This was not an exaggeration. Many years ago, a land immortal in Da Qin was trapped by the "Subduing Tiger Arhat Array" of the Shanglin Monastery. Although he eventually escaped, he was left severely injured and on the verge of death!
Boom!
While speaking, the white-browed old monk and the others attacked with the power of the battle formation. Each of them radiated a brilliant light, displaying majestic appearances and terrifying might.
Although there were eighteen individuals, they coordinated seamlessly, appearing flawless and giving the impression of an impeccable defense.
In that instant, Ning Xihe and Mu Xi's pupils constricted simultaneously.
Su Yi, however, showed a trace of disdain.
"They dare to talk about a battle formation? It's nothing more than a crude and unworthy combined attack. It can be easily broken with a single sword."
Just as his indifferent voice sounded, Su Yi had already leaped forward.