Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 297 Look, the benefactor is in a hurry again!
The pure white relic, suspended in the Buddha's palm, suddenly emitted a soft halo.

As the light swirled, wisps of golden energy could be faintly seen flowing within the relic. A warm and gentle aura permeated the air, causing many martial artists in the hall, who were suffering from hidden injuries, to instinctively straighten their backs, feeling their meridians ease somewhat.

They had initially thought that Xuan Kong might just be using a fake to incite a fight, but now no one had any doubts.

"It really is a relic of Buddha's essence!"

"The rumors are true; this aura can indeed bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded!"

"I'm afraid there are more than that. It's said that there are old monsters at the Innate Realm waiting for this thing to break through the barrier."

Low gasps of amazement echoed in the hall, and naked greed flashed in the eyes of many, their breathing becoming heavy.

However, members of the major sects still maintained basic rationality.

Chen Zhan and Han Tiange mingled in the crowd. Han Tiange was somewhat tempted, but Chen Zhan stopped her, glanced ahead, and said, "If you make a move now, you'll die a horrible death."

Just then, a dark figure darted out from the crowd at the corner of the hall like a ghost!
The man was thin and moved so fast that he was just a blur. He was holding a claw cane.

"It is Ji Wuyan, the fifth-ranked evil cultivator, known as the 'Shadowless Ghost Claw'."

"Ji Wuyan is most skilled in lightness skills and sneak attacks. His famous technique, 'Shadow Follows,' allows him to get close to any target within three zhang in an instant. Many famous masters in the martial arts world have fallen victim to his lightness skills and claws."

Master Taixu of Wudang frowned slightly and said calmly.

"The relics are mine!"

Ji Wuyan let out a strange laugh, threw his claw staff, and the claw on the staff detached from his body, heading straight for the Buddha's relic in the Buddha's palm.

"You are too hasty, benefactor."

Xuan Kong smiled kindly, and at the same time as Xuan He and Fa Yuan, he raised his hand, three fingers together, with a faint golden internal energy emanating from the fingertips.

Bodhidharma's ultimate technique, "Doro Leaf Finger," was pushed to its limit. The sound of his finger force cutting through the air was sharp and piercing. Three golden finger beams shot out like shooting stars, targeting Ji Wuyan's three vital points: his brow, his heart, and his dantian.

Ji Wuyan's pupils shrank sharply, not expecting the three monks to attack so quickly and ruthlessly.

He hurriedly twisted his body and changed direction, trying to dodge with his lightness skill, but the "Doro Leaf Finger" was known for its speed and sharpness, and the finger force followed him like a shadow, making it impossible to avoid.

"Puff puff!"

Three soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously, and three finger beams instantly pierced through Ji Wuyan's body.

He paused, suspended in mid-air, the claw wind abruptly stopped, the greed in his eyes solidified into horror, and then slowly lost its luster.

The body fell straight down, crashing heavily onto the gold-brick floor, blood gushing out and instantly staining a patch of tiles red.

But it's not over yet.

As soon as Ji Wuyan's body hit the ground, two more figures sprang up from the crowd on the right!

One was Li Qianhun, the master of Broken Soul Valley, who held a curved hook and was surrounded by black energy. The other was Ma Batian, a lone ranger, who held a short axe in each hand and had a fierce aura.

The two were clearly taking advantage of the chaos to launch an attack and try to gain an advantage.

"Look, you're in a hurry again, benefactor!"

Xuanhe snorted coldly, and the three monks changed their finger techniques again. This time, each monk used three fingers, and nine golden finger beams intertwined to form an invisible net that enveloped the two of them.

The finger strikes were faster and more urgent, carrying the righteous spirit of Buddhism, yet revealing a chilling killing intent.

Just as Li Qianhun's hook was about to touch the halo of the relic, a finger beam pierced his wrist, and the hook flew out of his hand.

Another beam of light struck his forehead, and he only had time to let out a scream before collapsing to the ground and dying.

Ma Batian's short axe cleaved through two finger beams, but he couldn't avoid the remaining seven. He was instantly pierced through all the major acupoints in his body, and his corpse crashed to the ground, lying next to Li Qianhun's corpse. The scene was too gruesome to bear.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, three experts at the Innate Realm died one after another, and the smell of blood in the Great Hall of the Buddha overpowered the aroma of incense.

There was dead silence in the hall.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden killing.

No one expected that the Buddhist monk would be so decisive, killing without hesitation at the slightest disagreement, showing no mercy whatsoever.

The three major sects of Buddhism have been known in the martial arts world for a long time, but they haven't shown their true strength for a long time.

Many people have forgotten.

A century ago, the three Buddhist sects contributed significantly to the suppression of the demonic cult; otherwise, Blackwood Cliff would have been much more difficult to attack.

Two of the three sect leaders died in that great battle, leaving only Master Fangzheng alive.

The disciples of Guangyuan Temple and Huayan Sect were almost all killed or wounded; otherwise, Shaolin would not have needed to send Fang Sheng to Guangyuan Temple to take charge of the situation.

Of course, the Buddhist community's assistance was out of necessity.

This demonic sect is alright towards other sects, but it specifically targets Buddhism. If they don't cooperate with the imperial court to wipe them out, the disciples of the three sects will be slaughtered by the demonic sect.

Xuan Kong slowly withdrew his finger, his expression calm and undisturbed, as if he had merely crushed three ants.

His gaze swept over the crowd in the hall, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:
"Gentlemen, the relic is here, and there are rules to follow. Before I could explain the rules, some people were eager to make a move, and this is their consequence." Xuan Kong's gaze slowly swept across the hall. Seeing that no one dared to act rashly, he slowly spoke: "Gentlemen are eager to take the relic, but they may not know the true origin of this object."

He raised his hand and pointed to the luminous white relic in the Buddha's palm. As the light swirled, he said, "Five hundred years ago, a Xuan Yang Demon Lord appeared in the martial world. This man was extremely skilled in martial arts and ruthless. He used Buddhist monks as furnaces to refine their power and essence, sealing them in rare treasures to create the Buddha's relic."

"A single relic represents at least the life and lifelong cultivation of a high-ranking monk at the Tongxuan realm!"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp filled the hall.

A highly accomplished monk at the Tongxuan realm!
Not to mention eminent monks, even experts at the Tongxuan Realm haven't appeared for many years.

The last known master of profound knowledge was the previous leader of Wudang, who had lived in seclusion for many years, and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive.

Many disciples from smaller sects looked horrified. They only knew that relics had many benefits, but they were unaware of the bloody nature of them.

The masters from top sects like Wudang and Hengshan remained calm, clearly already aware of this secret, but had not yet revealed it to the outside world.

Amidst the shock of the crowd, Xuan Kong spoke again: "The Demon Lord Xuan Yang killed too many Buddhist masters back then, which angered all Buddhist sects in the world. They gathered hundreds of masters to besiege him, but he still managed to escape."

Xuanhe took over the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of sternness: "Later, the Xuan Yang Demon Lord established the Huangting Demon Sect, passing down martial arts. The Buddha Yuan Relic also circulated within the Demon Sect. After the Demon Lord disappeared, the Huangting Demon Sect was wiped out several times and changed its name many times. When it came to the Ming Dynasty, it called itself the Sun Moon Divine Sect!"

"As for the Sun Moon Cult, we don't need to say more, you should all be aware of it."

The Sun Moon Cult is also known as the Demonic Cult.

It has only been less than a century since they were wiped out, and those in the martial arts world who know a little about them know the reason why.

"In that case, the Demonic Sect must also be coveting the relics!" someone exclaimed in a low voice.

The mere mention of the "demonic cult" caused an uproar.

Shen Tong and Pei Qian also became nervous. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had just suffered heavy losses along the coast, including one commander of a thousand and several commanders of a hundred. A commander of a thousand was a sixth-rank official.

The two scanned the area but could not find any trace of the demonic sect members.

Han Tiange's hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched slightly, a hint of nervousness in her expression. If she were recognized beforehand, she would likely be killed in an attack.

But seeing Chen Zhan beside her calm and composed, seemingly unconcerned, she calmed down as well.

"Master, just say what you have to say." An impatient voice rang out. It was the leader of the Western Regions Ten Thousand Poisons Sect who spoke.

It sounds like a heretical and unorthodox sect, but it is a sect officially recognized by the Ming Dynasty.

He then said, "Master Xuan Kong, we have come here today for the relics, not to listen to your ancient tales. Please explain in detail how to obtain the relics!"

Upon hearing this, many people echoed, "Yes! Stop beating around the bush, let's get straight to the point about the competition and the rules."

Xuan Kong remained expressionless, raised his hand to quell the noise, and the hall fell silent once more.

Do you all think that this relic is a valuable item that can be taken away at will?

"The relic appears to be a sacred medicine with multiple effects such as healing injuries, enhancing skills, and prolonging life. However, over the years, how many martial arts practitioners have lost their lives because of it, and how many sects have been destroyed because of it? This relic is no longer a sacred object, but a source of disaster!"

As Xuan Kong spoke, a hint of pity lingered in his voice, whether he was telling the truth or not: "I have tried to destroy it several times, but without success. This bead cannot be cut or chiseled, nor can it be damaged by water or fire. However, it is effective when infused with internal energy. It accepts all internal energy without discrimination, leaving no trace."

"After extensive inquiries, we learned that this item is for single use only and becomes 'waste' after use, therefore..."

"I have invited you all here today to ask heroes from all over the world to bear witness. If any wise person is willing to step forward and 'enjoy' this item, that would be a good thing."

"how?"

These words stunned everyone in the hall for a moment.

"What do you mean by that, Master? What do you mean by 'use it'?" someone immediately asked.

Without saying much, Xuan Kong waved his hand, and the luminous white bead was taken from the Buddha's hand and fell into his own.

"Once this relic is activated, it is irreversible. This old monk is powerless to do so. If any of you present can activate this relic, please enjoy it. The three schools of Buddhism are willing to protect you."

"Monk, do you mean anyone can try this? The capable will take it? And you'll even be kind enough to protect it?" A man not far from Chen Zhan asked.

"That's right!"

The three abbots, Xuan Kong, Xuan He, and Fa Yuan, responded simultaneously.

The people in the hall looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

Just moments ago, Xuan Kong and his two companions had killed their enemies with a flick of their fingers, displaying decisive and ruthless killing skills. Yet now they were saying they wanted to hand over the Buddhist treasure to someone else and even offered to protect it. Anyone who heard this would find it hard to believe.

Where in the world is there such a cheap deal?

The "Buddha's Relics" can restore life and flesh to bones, and are also a shortcut to breaking through realms. How could the three major Buddhist sects be willing to let outsiders touch them?

"Master, isn't that a bit too much of an exaggeration?" someone couldn't help but ask, their tone tinged with skepticism. "Just now, the three of you were ruthless enough to kill, but now you're going to give away the relic. It's hard to say there might be a trap involved."

Questions arose one after another, and the atmosphere inside the hall became delicate once again.

Xuan Kong remained calm, as if he had anticipated everyone's reaction, and slowly said, "It is only natural that you all have doubts. Everything I have said is true. The relic is indeed the root of all evil, and it must be destroyed today. Since you do not believe me, how about we ask a few officials from the imperial court to test it first?"

(End of this chapter)