Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 932 Breaking Out of the Painting
It's not just the main characters who understand the importance of keeping promises; the old monk Master Longtan is also a principled person who adheres to his principles.

The karma he incurred back then has come to be repaid, and he will never back down even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire.

Then, with lowered eyes and uttering a solemn "Amitabha."

His withered hands gripped the Zen staff tightly, and his aura began to resonate with the entire mural. He was preparing to fight these three extraordinary people who looked extremely formidable!
Having cultivated for many years, with this miraculous treasure and his own cultivation level, he should...

If the old monk were to examine his own mind at this moment, he would see a wisp of gray mist descending upon the inner realm of the divine court, obscuring the Buddha's heart.

Unfortunately, being caught in a calamity, they were ultimately pushed forward.

drink!
It was a killing move right from the start!
The monk's staff slammed into the ground, causing the entire mural space to tremble violently, and the scenery of heaven and earth to change abruptly!

The once relatively stable environment collapsed instantly, replaced by a scene of apocalyptic devastation: dark clouds looming overhead, raging fires from the ground, and landslides and tsunamis!

Countless wailing ghostly phantoms appeared in the wind, and the terrifying might of heaven pressed down as if it were a tangible force!
The murals, as a foundational collection of secret teachings from the Pure Land School and the Illusion School, have long transcended the realm of ordinary illusions.

It is a wondrous object with incredible power, somewhere between a magical treasure and a supernatural power!

The reason why the demonic monk in the Pure Land Sect was able to compete with Xu Bailian, who was a combination of Buddha and demon, was because of this kind of foundation.

The monk Longtan had been lying low for many years, and he must have harbored some ambition to use this treasure to quell the calamity of the painted wall, or even to further achieve great things.

However, all he has gained today is profound despair.

The process is very simple, yet extremely stressful.

Because the budget for special effects started burning through like crazy!
At the very moment that Master Longtan triggered the calamity of heaven and earth, Zao student, by a hair's breadth, took the lead and made the first move!
The fact that the "Three Wonders" could go through life and death together and have such a strong bond must have a deep-seated reason.

That means being like-minded and compatible!
In other words, while Ji Rui was certainly unrestrained and eccentric, his other two companions were by no means law-abiding "good birds" either!
With a subtle sense of satisfaction at "successfully getting a head start," Zao picked up the ancient divine sword.

Since its creation, the Zhanlu Divine Sword seems to have had no earth-shattering achievements.

It is not that divine weapons are not sharp or noble.

The reason is that top-tier divine weapons and ancient treasures have appeared in Baoan Hall in large numbers.

It is indeed a benevolent and holy sword, transcending worldly affairs, but other divine weapons and demonic artifacts are by no means easy to match.

Moreover, in most situations, when facing enemies, Zao Tongxue relied solely on his powerful and righteous spirit, coupled with his unparalleled Confucian martial arts skills, which was enough to suppress most situations, naturally not giving Zhanlu many opportunities to draw its sword and make its appearance.

As a result, this peerless weapon has been around for almost a year, and the scabbard is almost polished to a patina, yet it has hardly ever been used in any real battles.

At this moment, Zao felt enlightened and thought it was time to let this old friend shine with its due brilliance.

He firmly grasped the ancient scabbard with his left hand, and slowly gripped the warm, jade-like hilt with his right.

Om-!
An indescribable, pure and refined energy, like a dormant torrent suddenly awakening, surged forth from the point where the hilt and scabbard met!

Its energy is extremely vast and powerful. If it is nourished by uprightness without causing harm, it will fill the space between heaven and earth!
Before it was fully drawn, a massive pillar of light, formed purely from pure and righteous energy, stood proudly amidst the turbulent world of the mural!
The cataclysmic scene unleashed by Master Longtan was abruptly halted by this overwhelming and unstoppable force of benevolence, amidst the raging winds, flames, thunder, and ghostly shadows...

No calamity could get even a fraction closer to the pillar of light, as if it had encountered its natural nemesis.

Clang——!
A clear and melodious sword cry, seemingly from ancient times, resounded throughout the entire space!
The Zhanlu sword was finally completely pulled out!
The longsword, entirely black and seamless, did not exude a menacing sharpness; instead, it conveyed an unparalleled sense of magnanimity and composure.

Boundless in its vastness, the benevolent are invincible!
The moment the sword was drawn, the world constructed from the painted walls began to tremble and wail violently!
Countless ripples spread across the edge of space, as if it were about to collapse at any moment!

This mural, which the monk Longtan regarded as his foundation, clearly could not bear the boundless power of benevolence and righteousness contained within this holy sword!
Just as the towering pillar of pure light stopped the calamity, a solemn and magnificent yet warm and gentle melody seemed to fall from the heavens or spring from the earth, suddenly resounding from all directions at the same time!
There are more than just one budget warriors here in the mural today, so how can we let our friend steal the show all by himself!

"The gentle south wind can soothe the anger of my people;
When the south wind blows, it will enrich our people…

This is actually the "South Wind" song composed by the ancient sage emperor Shun!
Legend has it that when Shun sang "South Wind," the world was at peace. "South Wind" is the sound of growth, containing the benevolence of a sage king, and its joy is in harmony with heaven and earth, winning the hearts of all nations, thus enabling the world to be at peace!
At this moment, the music, which embodies the grand ambition of pacifying the world and bringing blessings to all people, spreads gently yet irresistibly through the turbulent world of the murals, like a warm spring breeze.

Wherever the music of the zither passed, there was no trace of the apocalyptic scene of lightning, thunder, floods, and raging fires.

The raging winds transformed into gentle breezes, the flames died down and new green shoots emerged, the angry waves calmed and turned into sweet springs, and the vengeful spirits were soothed, their faces revealing a peaceful expression...

In the blink of an eye, a peaceful and prosperous scene of favorable weather and national peace replaced the previous disasters, and warm light shone on every corner.

With a hint of triumphant joy on his face, Ning Caichen gracefully plucked the invisible strings of the zither in the void.

He even took the time to give Zao a very smug look, as if to say:
"You think you've gotten a head start?"

"I'm a whole step ahead of you, I've already set out and made my plans!"

It turns out that the greatest sound is silent, and the greatest form is formless.

Since stepping into this mural area, he had been silently playing the music of the Holy Emperor in his heart, subtly spreading the musical intent in all directions and integrating it into the environment.

At this moment, the music reaches its climax. Once it begins, it will naturally be like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, silently nurturing all things, yet sweeping across the eight directions and six realms with a magnificent momentum!

As everyone has said, there's a reason why the "Three Wonders" can come together.

The character is ingrained in their very being!
And the last oddity...

Ji Rui gazed at the all-powerful and benevolent Zhanlu divine weapon, and felt the Southern Wind Sacred Melody that swept across the eight wastelands and six directions, cleansing away calamities...

He held it in for a long time before finally squeezing out an extremely vulgar curse through his teeth.

He really didn't expect that!
These two guys, one with thick eyebrows and big eyes, upright and incorruptible, and the other who looks gentle, thin and infatuated, are surprisingly decisive and "despicable" when they fight!
When it comes to something as important as showing off as a man, they didn't even include me?!

What's most infuriating is that I didn't even think of that! I was so excited that now I feel like a clown who can only laugh like an idiot!
It was too late to catch up with the formation at this point.

That "Self-Discipline" dagger is exquisitely designed and concealed. Without a pre-planned, earth-shattering ultimate move, it would be impossible for it to conjure up any dazzling visual effects out of thin air.

Even if he hastily summoned the pure white Confucian and Taoist spirit beast, the White Deer, from the void, it was holy enough, but in such a hurry, how could he immediately create a grand scene comparable to that of the two bastards next to him, one of whom drew upon the pure energy of heaven and earth, and the other of whom played the remnants of the Holy Emperor?

I...I...I...

Ji Rui was so angry he almost jumped up and down, but could only rage helplessly.

The surging blood and energy that had just broken through the restrictions in his chest now felt incredibly suffocating.

It can only be said that this is a manifestation of how color, once it takes over the brain, leads to a sense of "completeness" in the mind, but in doing so, it results in the loss of the "wisdom" that comes with extreme rationality.

If he were still in that special genius state, with flawless strategies, how could he have been so tacitly "stabbed in the back" by these two friends, and completely excluded from the spotlight at the crucial moment!

So, feeling frustrated, Ji Rui could only reluctantly follow behind his teammates, doing some support work that resulted in some chaotic kills.

And it was at this very moment that his inner monologue exploded.

Clang!
The Zhanlu Divine Sword in Zao's hand, which carried supreme benevolence and righteousness, was finally completely severed!
There were no earth-shattering explosions, only flashy light pollution.

The myriad illusions, like the most fragile glass, began to shatter silently, inch by inch, from the point where the sword's edge struck.

The world was once filled with countless rays of brilliant light and mesmerizing colors, but they were completely pierced and cleansed by a pure and powerful "white"!
That "white" light is not light in the physical sense, but "reason"!
It is the resolute determination to "do what is impossible"!

It is the supreme sword intent formed from the indomitable spirit of "I will go even if there are thousands of people against me"!

The surrounding illusion was once the most beautiful imaginary realm: cranes danced gracefully; golden lotuses bloomed everywhere, radiating light; jade palaces were adorned with stars, endlessly luxurious; and decadent music lingered, promising eternal bliss...

But this flawless, even unreal world is missing the most important piece—truth.

Lacking the trials and tribulations of human life, devoid of the warmth and humanity of the world, and devoid of the thorny path of moral choices, it is ultimately just the most exquisite yet most terrifying cage.

Where the dazzling sword intent passed, the entire illusionary realm emitted a mournful cry, unable to bear the weight.

The crane fell from the sky with a mournful cry, its body turning into a skeleton in mid-air; the golden lotus withered and died instantly, turning into filthy mud.

The magnificent jade palaces crumbled like sandcastles, revealing the cold, desolate void behind them; the seductive and decadent music was completely drowned out and crushed by the clear and loud reading voices that seemed to come from nowhere and the clanging of metal, symbolizing the righteous conquest!
The whole world seemed to have become a vibrant painting thoroughly soaked in clear water. All the bright, sweet, false, and extravagant colors were washed away by this powerful force and quickly faded away.

All that remains are the two basic colors of black and white that constitute the world, and that unparalleled, dazzling sword light that represents the ultimate "reason" and the ultimate "power"!
In the end, the mural that had contained countless illusions and desires was first split in two by the Zhanlu sword intent, creating a huge gap with black and white edges!
Immediately afterwards, Ning Caichen's "South Wind" melody blew in gently, and wherever it passed, the shattered fragments of the illusion melted and faded like ice and snow under the sun, returning to their most primitive and pure state of flowing light lines.

The complex and impure desires, resentments, and filth contained within were completely purified under the cleansing influence of the Holy Emperor's benevolent voice, leaving not a trace behind.

The group suddenly felt their feet sink into the ground, and the surrounding scenery rushed by like the receding tide.

Once I regained my footing, I was back in the ancient temple's backyard.

The courtyard walls were still gray and white, with entwined vines and scattered plum blossoms.

The wall that was once covered with intricate murals has now become dull and lifeless, with only some broken, colorful lines that have lost all their mystique, like a child's clumsy scribbles, no longer revealing any mystery.

With a "clang," Zao returned his sword to its sheath, the movement fluid, his face displaying a clear and refreshed expression.

Ning Caichen's fingertips twitched slightly, and the invisible strings of the zither quietly retracted into his sleeve. His expression was calm and composed, just as always.

Only Ji Rui looked up at the sky, shook his head, and sighed, seemingly unable to think straight.

The Fu family father and daughter were overjoyed.

With their eyesight and cultivation, they could only feel various incomprehensible special effects and sounds flashing wildly in front of their senses, vast and magnificent.

Before they could even figure out what had happened, they were suddenly out of danger and back in the safe outside world!
The two monks on the other side, however, were in a much worse situation.

The old monk Longtan's face was ashen, and he slumped to the ground, his breath as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, his eyes dim and lifeless, no longer possessing the demeanor of a highly accomplished monk.

His life-or-death mural, which he had cultivated for many years, was completely destroyed. His mind was affected, and most of his cultivation was immediately destroyed!

It truly is a case of cause and effect, and retribution is absolutely certain.

If a cultivator rashly uses supernatural means to imprison a court official who possesses the destiny of humanity, he is essentially inviting external calamity upon himself.

His spiritual cultivation was insufficient, and his thoughts were not pure and selfless, so naturally he could not overcome this calamity and it was inevitable that he would meet such a tragic end.

Humanity's rules for protecting the human race are so comprehensive and domineering.

Even a "cult leader" as powerful as Xu Xuan, whose methods, temperament, and cultivation were all top-notch, almost suffered a major setback because of this back then, let alone this old monk in the painting.

The young monk let go of his master's leg and stood up.

Despite trembling with fear, he still moved his feet shakily, spread his arms, and stood between the three "fierce and evil" villains and his master.

Her voice was choked with sobs, tears welling in her eyes, as she repeatedly bowed and pleaded with Ji Rui and the others: "Gentlemen... esteemed masters... please, spare my master... he... he lacks virtue, he really... he really can't refine a relic!"

Seemingly feeling his argument wasn't convincing enough, he quickly added, including himself: "Of course, I'm even less capable! Neither of us can do it! Really!"

"Heh," Ji Rui looked at the little monk's cowardly yet somewhat loyal appearance and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, "He's quite loyal, isn't he?"

(End of this chapter)