Starting with the divine power of the Great Vajra, he traversed the heavens.

Chapter 287 Two against one, isn't that unfair?

Within the underground palace.

Follow Ren Shaoyang's footsteps.

As the eight sword lights flashed and flew in, they swirled and drifted about in countless ways.

The remaining three of the four secret masters of Qinghai-Tibet were all torn apart, their limbs flying everywhere, like mud dolls that had been smashed. Their bodies were shattered, leaving only three bald heads rolling around on the ground with their eyes wide open in death.

"Ah~!"

Fang Yeyu was caught in the aftershocks and was struck by four or five swords. Blood flowed freely, his face turned pale, and he winced in pain as his whole body convulsed.

But this man was still quite tough. He first thrust his halberd at Ren Shaoyang's chest, then suddenly feinted and thrust it at his throat.

Ren Shaoyang didn't even look up, and with a casual flick of his wrist, he struck the tips of the two halberds.

"Boom!"

The halberd suddenly trembled, flew out of his hand, and landed on the top of the passageway with a thud.

On the other side, Fang Yeyu leaned back, his hands twisted abnormally, blood gushing from his mouth, his eyes glazed over, and he flew backward.

"Whoosh~!"

With a flash of sword light, eight sword blades suddenly thrust forward, surrounded by blue flames, dazzlingly beautiful.

Just as Fang Yeyu was about to be dismembered...

Ren Shaoyang's heart skipped a beat, and an image flashed in his mind: a young monk sitting on a large rock by the stream, leisurely brewing tea.

A pair of curious, clear eyes, like those of a baby, looked over with curiosity.

The monk smiled slightly and said, "Be careful~" His voice was clear and resonant, like the sound of bells and chimes, startling and awe-inspiring.

Ren Shaoyang suddenly woke up and saw a white jade-like finger gently touching his brow.

"Old ghost Pang Ban, are you teaming up with someone?"

Ren Shaoyang let out a long, sharp, and terrifying roar. His sword blade retracted and shot outwards.

With a whoosh, the blade suddenly transformed into countless sword threads that burst forth wildly, omnipresent and omnipotent, with sword beams reaching thousands and hundreds of times.

He seemed to have become a great blue sun, radiating endless blue light.

Pang Ban's domineering yet gentle laughter rang out: "Congratulations to Sword God Ren for reaching this extreme realm."

When he said "Congratulations," the phantom in green robes was omnipresent in all directions, clanging and clattering as it blocked the sword's attack.

As soon as the words "Extreme Realm" were uttered, the sword light grew stronger and brighter, engulfing him completely.

Pang Ban, carrying the unconscious Fang Yeyu in one hand and his twin halberds in the other, smiled and said, "That's enough for today. I'll see you on the fifteenth of August." With a flick of his sleeve, the clouds and smoke gathered and dispersed, and he vanished without a trace.

Seeing him come and go so suddenly, appearing and disappearing like a ghost, Ren Shaoyang retracted his sword threads and stared into the dark tunnel, as if he had just woken from a dream.

"Two against one, this is really bullying!" Ren Shaoyang took a breath, sorted out his thoughts, recalled the monk's illusion just now, and pondered, "That was, the Great Monk Yingyuan?"

"This great lama actually joined forces with Pang Ban to attack me! If Pang Ban hadn't held back for some reason, I'm afraid I would have suffered a great loss this time!"

Ren Shaoyang was unwilling: "Damn it, was he inviting me just now?" He sensed it and confirmed where Yingyuan was.

Without pausing, his figure transformed into a streak of white light and darted out of the cave. With a flick of his sleeve, the stone door slammed shut, and two piles of sand covered it up, instantly restoring the cave to its original state.

Ren Shaoyang turned and flew away, the power of the Great Vajra Wind flowing through his entire body, his sleeves billowing and his long hair dancing wildly.

Its speed was so fast that even the wind and lightning could not describe it.

At this moment, the moon is big and round, and the capital city is right below us.

Ren Shaoyang flicked the Divine Spider Sword out with his left hand, extending it thirty or forty feet. His entire figure resembled a large bird, gracefully soaring over rooftops and high walls.

When he arrived at Panlong Mountain, it took him only a dozen breaths to stand atop the mountain and take in the magnificent view of the capital city.

The most striking feature is the city wall that stretches far into the distance, encircling the capital, reaching the height of a five-story building.

Secondly, there are the Ghost King's Palace, Stone City, and the Qingliang Ancient Temple at the highest point of Qingliang Mountain in the northwest.

Ren Shaoyang looked toward a mountain path on Panlong Mountain, and after a few flashes, he arrived at the outside of a square pavilion.

But above it, written horizontally, are eight characters: “Purify the mind and cleanse thoughts, leave a trace of the past.”

Ren Shaoyang nodded: "So this is where the Shadow Eunuch lives in seclusion." He was no longer in a hurry and walked slowly up the mountain.

After turning a corner, a mottled archway appeared. In the darkness, Ren Shaoyang could clearly see the four large characters "滴尘洗念" (meaning "to wash away the dust and cleanse the mind").

Ren Shaoyang knew that these eunuchs and monks took turns guarding Zhu Yuanzhang, and when they were not on duty, they would return here to cultivate in seclusion.

These monks and eunuchs were detached from worldly affairs, yet remained unconventional and righteous in their thoughts. They possessed profound spiritual cultivation, and although their bodies were incomplete, their spirits were extremely refined.

This truly represents another peak for Jingnian Temple since the Sui and Tang dynasties.

No wonder Lang Fanyun almost had a mishap when he tried to talk to Zhu Yuanzhang back then and entered the palace.

As Ren Shaoyang pondered this, he slowly walked into the small village. To his left, the road suddenly opened up, revealing a pool of clear water stretching across the road. Behind it, small houses could be seen hidden among the trees, with a stream flowing gently from it.

After walking for a long time, I was surprised to find that I could walk without any obstacles. Not only did no one come out to stop me, but I didn't see a single person either.

Suddenly, a clear voice came from the left.

"Sword God Ren, you've come at just the right time! This pot of tea is ready!"

Ren Shaoyang stopped and slowly turned around to look.

There, by a cluster of flowering trees, stood a monk who was grinning at him. His white robe was as white as snow, and his skin was as smooth as jade, making him look like a bright moon slowly shining.

Ren Shaoyang put his hands on his hips and complained, "Living Buddha, you're not being fair!"

The monk, whose face was as bright as the moon, also known as Yingyuan, smiled and said, "That's why I invited you here for tea."

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "If it doesn't taste good, I'll throw a tantrum."

Ying Yuan laughed loudly, "If it doesn't taste good, then Sword God Ren can kill me!"

Ren Shaoyang curled his lip: "You've been trying to find someone to kill you every day for so many years and it still hasn't worked." Ying Yuan said with distress: "It's too difficult to kill me without having any thoughts."

"Hmm?" A searching glint flashed in Ren Shaoyang's eyes. "You have someone in mind now?"

“I have three candidates.” Ying Yuan held up three jade-like fingers and said smugly, “Sword God Ren, Brother Li, and the Grand Master of the Eastern Sea Moon Sect.”

Ren Shaoyang smiled and said, "You have good taste."

"Always good."

Ren and Ying, one a monk and the other a layman, were both dressed in white and were top-notch handsome men. They walked side by side, laughing and joking, their elegance and charm unmatched in the world.

Unfortunately, apart from the bright moon in the sky and the flowers, grass and trees on the ground, no one could witness its splendor.

After walking for a while, the two emerged from the woods and came to a small stone chamber.

Here, a stream meanders, flanked by lush forests and bamboo groves, creating a serene and secluded scene. In front of the house stands a towering hemlock tree.

There are stone tables and chairs under the tree, with a rustic and childlike appearance, and teapots and teacups on them, steaming hot.

Yingyuan poured him a cup of tea and said softly, "Is Sword God Ren still angry with the monk?"

Ren Shaoyang raised his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and said with feigned anger, "I expected Pang Ban to come, but I didn't expect that you, Living Buddha, would also make a move."

Ying Yuan smiled slightly and said, "Sword God Ren, let me explain."

"Fine!" Ren Shaoyang smiled, looking directly at him. "I'll listen to your excuses!"

Ying Yuan laughed loudly, "Alright, monk, I'll try to argue!" He pondered for a moment and said, "Sword God Ren, are you wondering why Pang Ban didn't use his full strength?"

“That’s right!” Ren Shaoyang nodded. “That’s not like him.”

“Indeed, it doesn’t fit,” Yingyuan said, “simply because he, like the monk, has some concerns.”

Ren Shaoyang asked in surprise, "What's there to worry about with an inherently evil old ghost like Pang Ban?"

"He's worried that going all out against you will cause the void to open prematurely, ultimately causing his grand plan to collapse to fail," Yingyuan explained. "For him, the time of destiny is only the fifteenth of August!"

"I see!" Ren Shaoyang exclaimed in realization. "No wonder that old guy made a feint and then ran away."

The white-robed monk paused, looked at the monk, and asked, "And you, Living Buddha? With your cultivation, you should be free from worldly concerns, like the vast sky and the boundless ocean. What could possibly worry you now?"

“Monks are not immortals or Buddhas, so naturally they will have attachments.”

Yingyuan laughed and said, "For example, since I live here, I naturally owe Zhu Yuanzhang a debt of gratitude, and I can't let him die in front of me."

"Are you afraid that Pang Ban will lose control and kill him?"

Ying Yuan gave him a deep look and said, "If you really kill Fang Yeyu, Pang Ban will fight you to the death no matter what. If the two of you lose control and the underground palace's oil and gunpowder explode, the entire city of Jinling will probably be destroyed."

Ren Shaoyang chuckled and said, "Is it really that ruthless?"

Ying Yuan glanced at him and laughed, "Sword God Ren, although I have lost my martial arts, I still have some supernatural abilities, so I can naturally see it."

"Oh?" Ren Shaoyang asked in surprise, "Can a Living Buddha foresee the present and the future?"

Yingyuan glanced at him, his expression remaining indifferent: "For example, the monk knows that you are not from this world."

Ren Shaoyang was stunned for a moment, then said, "You figured it out?"

Yingyuan shook his head and said, "The monk didn't look, but sensed the aura?"

Ren Shaoyang asked curiously, "Sense... aura?"

Ying Yuan's expression was somewhat strange, as if he were both nostalgic and fearful, as he said, "Does the Sword God Ren know that I was once shattered and then retreated?"

“I know,” Ren Shaoyang said. “The Living Buddha’s actions are truly unprecedented.”

The Eagle's Edge shattered and then shrank back, thus denying it the chance to attain enlightenment. This is because the world only gives each person one chance to depart.

Therefore, Eagle Edge has been "seeking death" all these years.

Because he cannot commit suicide, he cannot kill himself. If he did, he would truly be "dead".

That's why he needs to find someone of the same level, or someone who "has no murderous intent" to kill him, so that he can transcend again.

“Heh.” Yingyuan smiled bitterly and said, “The reason the monk is acting like a coward is because he’s scared.”

"Huh?" Ren Shaoyang was even more surprised and quickly asked, "Who scared you?"

“The entire world!” Ying Yuan exclaimed. “I saw the entire world crumbling!”

The world is shattered?!

Ren Shaoyang stood frozen, completely stunned.

Yingyuan gave him a deep look and continued, "The monk saw a scene of the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart, with everything in chaos. He immediately withdrew the foot he had stepped out. But every time I dream of this scene at midnight, it still keeps me awake and I am deeply troubled."

"Therefore, I sealed this memory away, and forgot all my martial arts skills as well."

Ren Shaoyang frowned deeply and asked, "Then, what did the Living Buddha sense in me?"

Ying Yuan stared at him, then suddenly laughed and said, "Sword God Ren, I did indeed sense the aura of that destroyed world on you." He paused, then continued, "It was incredibly clear, allowing me to recall it instantly."

Upon hearing this, Ren Shaoyang looked up and saw his expression, and couldn't help but wonder: "What this great monk said about me having the aura of that shattered world on me? Could it be my own world? Or..." He glanced around and saw Ying Yuan with a deep and mysterious expression, staring straight ahead, as if he was thinking about something.

Ren Shaoyang was somewhat unsure, and thought, "I've experienced so many worlds, even dungeon worlds, who knows which one it is!"

The more he thought about it, the more puzzled he became. He stepped forward, bowed to Yingyuan, and said, "Living Buddha, could you please enlighten me?"

Ying Yuan smiled and said, "Sword God Ren, if you want to understand this matter, please open your mind and look me straight in the eye."

Ren Shaoyang raised an eyebrow and looked into the eyes of the handsome monk.

Yingyuan smiled slightly, revealing her beautiful white teeth, and her eyes swept over.

Both of them shuddered simultaneously.

(End of this chapter)