Mo Qi felt baffled. If it were anyone else, they would have been instantly rebuffed.
But this woman, with the magic she exuded so subtly, made it impossible not to indulge her.
"Yes, it's me. And you are..." Mo Qi looked at her, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"I am from the world beyond the heavens. My name is Qin Xiao," the woman said, looking at Mo Qi as if he were an ant. "Normally, I wouldn't deign to speak with the likes of you. But I heard you in the heavens say you wished to go to the world beyond the heavens, and I found it rather audacious. So I came down to see who this person was. After all, it has been many tens of thousands of years since anyone from your world has ventured out."
Mo Qi's lips twitched. This woman was too arrogant!
But on what grounds was she so arrogant?
Was she truly from beyond the heavens?
"Which world beyond the heavens?" Mo Qi pressed.
"It would be like playing the lute to a cow if I told you," the woman continued, her face full of disdain. "Let me put it this way: one leaf, one world; one tree, one Bodhi. If you are in that world of a leaf, then I am outside the Bodhi tree."
Mo Qi was stunned!
If what she said was true, then to reach her world from here would require breaking through several layers of space.
The vastness of space and the worlds she had witnessed were beyond imagination!
"Then how high must your cultivation be?" Mo Qi asked, half-believing.
Xue Ying also looked incredulous. "Perhaps she could destroy us with a single finger."
Qin Xiao nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, exactly!"
"Then are you here to show off your skills?" Mo Qi chuckled.
"I just came to see if you are a worthy candidate, if you truly possess the potential to break free from this world," Qin Xiao said calmly.
Mo Qi thought to himself, *Fine, I don't care.*
"However, after coming down, you have slightly disappointed me," Qin Xiao continued.
Mo Qi laughed. "I am more disappointed in you, except for your appearance."
Qin Xiao stared at Mo Qi, a terrifying aura silently enveloping him, the power of Mount Tai pressing down.
Mo Qi's joints creaked. He offered only slight resistance before his entire body collapsed to the ground.
The force, like an entire mountain range, bore down on him without reservation.
Mo Qi felt as though he were about to be crushed into a meat patty.
The wise know when to yield. Losing one's life over a few words of argument was not worth it. Mo Qi immediately said, "Alright, I admit you are very powerful."
All pressure vanished instantly, and Mo Qi, feeling light, stood up.
Though it sounded slow, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
Xue Ying hadn't even had time to be shocked before it was over.
At this moment, a colorful auspicious cloud churned in the sky, heading towards Kong Xuan's camp.
Mo Qi inwardly trembled. His intuition told him that the enemy who had arrived this time was extremely powerful, beyond Kong Xuan's ability to handle.
He himself would not be able to deal with them either, but as a brother, he could not stand idly by.
He unfurled his form and rushed towards Kong Xuan's camp.
"You're leaving before I've finished speaking?" Qin Xiao said, slightly angered.
"I have an urgent matter. I'll continue speaking after I've dealt with it," Mo Qi hastily replied, then sped away.
At this time, Kong Xuan had captured several major generals from the Zhou camp and was preparing to escort them to the capital to claim rewards.
But he had no idea that Jiang Xia was constantly requesting reinforcements from various places.
Not long after returning to his mountain gate, Randeng Daoren received another rescue message from Jiang Xia. He had no choice but to head towards Jinji Ridge again.
At this moment, Kong Xuan was provocatively challenging the enemy lines with extreme arrogance.
Randeng Daoren emerged from the formation and said, "Today, King Yin is foolish and perverse, acting against the natural order. The entire world belongs to Lord Zhou. Why do you defy heaven and fight so fiercely?"
Kong Xuan angrily retorted, "This world has always belonged to the people. Since when did it become a plaything in the hands of your Three Teachings? You decide who it belongs to and give it to them?"
Randeng Daoren uttered, "Unreasonable," and unleashed his twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls towards Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan formed a hand seal, and the five-colored divine light surged from behind him, expanding forward.
The five-colored divine light seemed to be the nemesis of the Dinghai Pearls. The divine light surged, and as it spread, it absorbed the Dinghai Pearls one by one. Out of the twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls, more than ten were instantly swallowed.
Moreover, the five-colored divine light swept towards Randeng Daoren.
Randeng Daoren turned pale with fright and escaped as a golden light.
The remaining Dinghai Pearls all fell into the five-colored divine light and were collected by Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan became even more elated, "The Deputy Sect Leader of Yuqing is nothing more than this. Are there any others in the Yuqing Sect? If not, call your Sect Leader over."
A moment later, a Daoist emerged from the camp gate.
The Daoist had a ruddy complexion, very short hair, and piercing eyes. He wore a checkered Daoist robe, different from the others, suggesting he came from another continent.
"Who are you? Are you representing the Zhou camp?" Kong Xuan asked dismissively.
The Daoist chuckled, "This humble one is Zhunti, from the Western Teachings. I have a connection with you and have come specifically to guide you, to share in the bliss of the Western Pure Land, expound the great Dharma of the Three Vehicles, be free from all attachments, achieve enlightenment, and complete this indestructible vajra body."
"Nonsense! If you have a connection with me, why don't you stay and help me create great achievements, jointly attack the rebel Xiqi, and establish world-shattering merits?" Kong Xuan said.
Zhunti laughed heartily, "It is the will of fate, not merely a connection. If you refuse enlightenment and disregard worldly customs, but receive the guidance of the true Way, you will surely achieve enlightenment in the future, forming a bond with my Western Teachings, which is truly your fortune."
"What kind of demonic Daoist are you, spouting such arrogant words here? You infuriate me!" Kong Xuan was so angry his lungs felt like they would explode. He swung his golden whip towards Zhunti.
Zhunti casually waved his Daoist robe, and a fierce wind materialized out of thin air, roaring and raging in the air.
The surrounding area was immediately engulfed in a strong wind. The golden whip, caught in the chaos, was tossed about and fell into the dust.
Kong Xuan became slightly flustered. He formed a hand seal, and the five-colored divine light surged out again, sweeping towards Zhunti.
The five-colored divine light instantly engulfed Zhunti's body.
Jiang Xia, Randeng, and the others in the distance were greatly alarmed, thinking Zhunti was finished.
Kong Xuan, on the other hand, was greatly invigorated. He had never expected this Zhunti, who boasted so much, to be so easily defeated.
A smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
However, a moment later, he could no longer smile.
The five-colored divine light lingered for a long time, and he couldn't dispel it.
Simultaneously, he felt something invading his body from the inside out, his body constantly expanding.
His eyes widened in terror as he watched his body change uncontrollably.
First, his crown fell off, then his robes and hat shattered. His skin and flesh split open, turning outward, and the contents within seemed to break free from a cocoon. A red crown, a long neck, and five-colored feathers—it was a peacock.
Meanwhile, Zhunti manifested his treasure form: eighteen arms, twenty-four heads, holding璎珞 (yingluo - jeweled pendants), umbrellas, parasols, vajras, golden bows, golden bells, silver halberds, banners, treasure vases, and so on. The entire sacred and majestic treasure form sat on the peacock's back, enveloped in auspicious divine light, solemn and reverent.
Zhunti bound the peacock's neck with a rope and laughed heartily, "Fellow Daoist, please come with me to the Western Teachings."
The peacock carried Zhunti and descended towards Jinji Ridge.
At this moment, a figure blocked their path. The peacock stopped, and a few tears were squeezed from its eyes.
"Is this how you ride your fellow Daoist? You hypocrite," Mo Qi said to Zhunti.
Zhunti used his ten fingers to divine Mo Qi's origins, but he could not discern anything, which filled him with surprise.
However, he could still handle the cultivation of the person before him, so he merely adjusted his tone slightly and was no longer nervous.
"Esteemed Daoist, please clear a path. I wish to go to the Western Pure Land with Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan to jointly study the supreme and subtle great Dharma," Zhunti said, looking at Mo Qi with sharp eyes, full of majesty and unapproachability.
"Please release the fellow Daoist beneath you. He is an adult with his own will and dignity. If you release him, he will tell you that he does not wish to study any of your damned great Dharma," Mo Qi said, each word ringing out forcefully.
"Between heaven and earth, there is a law that guides me to come and ferry this fellow Daoist. If I do not ferry him, he will surely fall into depravity and succumb to the demonic path," Zhunti said.
Mo Qi still argued, refusing to yield, "There is another law in heaven and earth that tells me to inform you that you have the wrong person; he is not the one you are looking for."
Zhunti glanced at Mo Qi, thinking, *This person is truly troublesome. Reasoning with him is futile.*
Moreover, what right did he have to argue with me?
"I will ask the Daoist again to clear a convenient path," Zhunti said, feigning nonchalance, as if he considered anger itself a form of self-profanity.
"I will ask the Daoist again to release the fellow Daoist beneath you," Mo Qi said in a deep voice.
Zhunti became enraged. He had never encountered such a unreasonable person. If he didn't deal with him, he wouldn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.
Mo Qi watched him gather his energy, anticipating a fight.
He knew he had no chance of winning against him, so he had to strike first and see if any opportunity arose.
Mo Qi patted his storage bag, and the Eastern Emperor Bell boomed forth, expanding infinitely in mid-air. Divine light then shot out from the bell's opening, striking Zhunti.
Zhunti shook his treasure form, and a figure surged out, blocking the divine light. It then plunged into the divine light and, like tearing cloth, ripped the divine light apart, shredding it into fragments that dissipated in the air.
The treasure form figure continued forward and, with a hum, collided with the Eastern Emperor Bell, knocking it to the ground.
The treasure form figure did not advance further. After a pause in the air, it returned to the treasure form and merged with it.
"Fellow Daoist, you are no match for me. Leave quickly, I do not wish to break my precepts of non-killing today," Zhunti said.
"Hmph," Mo Qi snorted coldly. "You do not kill, but you attack the heart. Arbitrarily trampling on others' dignity is a more profound sin than killing."
Zhunti was furious. "This is outrageous!"
He unleashed his treasure file, arrows, and silver halberds towards Mo Qi.
Mo Qi placed his left hand forward and his right hand behind, and a phantom image of a bow and arrow appeared on his chest. The resonant twang and flashing lightning sent a chill down one's spine.
However, Zhunti remained unfazed, looking disdainful. "Is this your skill?"
The next moment, a light arrow shot out, automatically exploding in mid-air, forming a divine light body that continuously spread.
The treasure file, arrows, and silver halberds pierced into the divine light, making squeaking sounds as if subjected to intense torment.
Mo Qi's arrow was originally intended for defense, to neutralize the treasure file and silver halberds one by one in mid-air.
However, he still underestimated the power of those treasure files and silver halberds. They only suffered minor setbacks in the divine light before continuing to whistle towards Mo Qi.
Mo Qi was greatly alarmed and shot another arrow. It exploded again in mid-air, divine light filling the air, but the treasure file and silver halberds still stubbornly struck towards Mo Qi.
Mo Qi had no choice but to retreat while continuing to shoot light arrows.
After countless attempts, the other attacks were repelled, but the treasure file and silver halberds still came like a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, piercing through Mo Qi's body.
Mo Qi collapsed to the ground.
Zhunti clasped his hands together and cried out, "Sin!"