Black snow fell on White Mountain.

The plaque hanging in the small pavilion shook off splatters of snow.

This is indeed the Zhanjiao Mountain built by the ancient people, but it was built by the cultivators of Li Kingdom. The entire small mountain had been desolate for a long time, but this solitary small pavilion was preserved.

Over the years, not only Great Chu but also Da Li moved south to exterminate demons.

The Buddhist monks of Fan Yin Temple in Li Kingdom viewed "demon extermination" as a form of cultivation because their cultivation methods differed from those of ordinary cultivators. Almost all the monks in Fan Yin Temple were Body Refiners. Crossing the miasma-filled South Border was an opportunity to temper their bodies. Those young monks who sought to condense their Golden Bodies and cultivate Divine Embryos would attempt to enter the South Border.

So, in this desolate mountain realm, over seventy percent of the Zhanjiao Mountain structures were built by Buddhists.

This one before them was no exception.

The word "Li" was in Sanskrit.

As the strong wind howled, the ancient script on the plaque began to shine again. The entire Zhanjiao Mountain started to tremble, with golden divine light cascading down from the Heavenly Peak. Jing San intentionally left an opening in the barrier not only to better withstand the deployment of the Annihilation Dao Realm but also to harness the power of the array patterns inscribed in the isolated pavilion.

The golden divine light cascading down was a beautiful sight.

If one ignored the brief moment of "stagnation" when the array patterns were activated, this grandly magnificent divine light would appear just like the burst of Sword Qi fireworks that had just been launched.

Thousands of slender golden rays, like willow leaves, shrouded the mountain peak.

Xie Xuanyi merely glanced up and then withdrew his gaze.

He took a step forward, and his figure vanished from his original spot. In the next instant, he was right in front of Jing San.

With the Paperman Sect's style, Jing San meeting him now was probably just to ensure the array patterns could activate. This guy hadn't planned to engage in combat at all...

But Xie Xuanyi didn't think so.

These Venerables come with innate divine abilities. The Xuanming Mirror could even reflect and deflect the Annihilation Dao Realm.

The great battle was imminent.

The opportunity to gather intelligence couldn't be missed.

"Boom!"

Xie Xuanyi punched straight at Jing San's head without any embellishment.

Having seen his Sword Qi deflected just now, he decided to forgo using his sword. Lu Yuzhen was familiar with all his attack methods. To probe out Jing San's hidden cards, he had to employ unconventional means.

But the punch missed.

Jing San's reaction speed was swifter than Xie Xuanyi anticipated. Facing this unpredictable punch, he tilted his head at an odd angle, narrowly dodging it.

The punch wind roared past Jing San's cheek, exploding with a thunderous sonic boom in mid-air!

"Little Xie Mountain Master... truly an unconventional Sword Cultivator..."

Jing San retreated a few steps, hissing softly.

He reached up to wipe his cheek.

Although he had dodged the direct punch, his skin was still grazed and wounded.

The area grazed by the punch wind felt like it was seared, igniting an inextinguishable burning sensation.

Xie Xuanyi was a Sword Cultivator, and even his punches contained the Annihilation Dao Realm.

"Tsk, tsk, that really hurts..."

Jing San chuckled lightly, staring at the fresh blood staining his fingertips. He couldn't help but express his astonishment.

He hadn't expected this move to be so fierce.

Rubbing the blood between his fingers.

Jing San's eyes took on a slightly more serious look.

The Annihilation Dao Realm's destructive power was indeed formidable.

He couldn't help but think, if he hadn't had the innate divine ability of the Xuanming Mirror... what would have happened if that Sword Dao Realm had hit him just now?

Would he and the mountain be obliterated together?

...

...

"Very strong."

"Stronger than I expected."

After a brief exchange, Xie Xuanyi reached a rough conclusion. He seriously appraised the distant Jing San.

The Xuanming Mirror was indeed very strong, far beyond comparison with a Treasure like the Wind Cutting Flute... Dao Jiu had just joined the Pure White Mountain and hadn't cultivated for long enough, so he couldn't compete with Jing San. The man before him was nearly perfect in their current realm, possessing the innate divine abilities of a top-tier Treasure, and also had close combat abilities comparable to a Great Demon.

However...

There were no perfect things in this world.

"A treasure transforming into a human form gains the advantages of being human, but also its flaws."

If Dao Jiu had merely resided in the Tao Furnace.

Then Xie Xuanyi would never have had a chance to kill him.

The same applied to Jing San.

When Jing San chose to transform into a human and start "living," he also became capable of being "killed."

Unlike Xiao Qi.

Jing San was extremely confident in his abilities. Given his realm, he could indeed roam unhindered within the Pure White Mountain Realm... The battle images that spread across the seven Zhanjiao Mountains were produced by him. He instantly killed the newly advanced Yin God Venerable of Yin Mountain, tearing them apart with his bare hands. Such a prideful person would never use the "White Paper Avatar" to reveal his power shamefully.

Therefore, he bled at this moment.

Xie Xuanyi instantly moved in again, this time Jing San was fully prepared.

He threw a punch.

Jing San didn't dodge but similarly threw a punch. The force transferred from his upper arm, and the two punches clashed, creating a burst of snowflakes in mid-air.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal colliding exploded.

This was the first time since Xie Xuanyi had advanced to the Yin God Realm that he encountered an opponent with equal physical strength! With the addition of the Martial Arts Divine Embryo, this punch could shatter the body of an Initial Stage of Yin God directly! However, when clashing with Jing San, it felt like hitting a copper wall or an iron bastion, not gaining any advantage at all!

And this was merely a contest of raw power between the two!

In the next moment, the Dao Realm operated.

Something even more bizarre occurred—

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The Annihilation Dao Realm condensed and erupted, all blocked and reflected by the Xuanming Mirror!

Xie Xuanyi groaned, retreating dozens of meters, his feet plowing a deep trench in the snow-covered ground.

He shook his numbed arm.

This was his first taste of the Annihilation Dao Realm's power. His entire lower arm was eroded by the Dao Realm's force, as if countless venomous snakes were biting at each other inside his body. Fortunately, he was the master of this Dao Realm, and the Power of Destruction quickly dissipated, the discomfort swiftly subsiding.

Xie Xuanyi looked gravely at Jing San.

He had been blocked yet again... The innate divine ability of the Xuanming Mirror was excessively formidable, wasn't it?

All these years.

This was the first time he had met such an opponent.

"The major of the Dao Furnace said we'd inevitably have a fight tonight. He said I wouldn't gain any advantage... I initially didn't believe it."

Jing San also shook his hand, though the movement was concealed as he tucked the hand that had punched into his sleeve.

Jing San looked up at the heavenly peak, worrying aloud, "Now I believe it. You're indeed a formidable fighter... But what about the distinguished guest coming next? If they suffer any losses, will Pure White Mountain still be able to close the deal?"

Xie Xuanyi frowned and looked up as well.

Under the golden divine light.

The entire small mountain seemed wrapped in a cocoon.

The "Li" inscription plaque emitted a faint golden glow, resonating with the divine light overhead.

"Years ago, monks from Li Kingdom traveled the world building Buddhist temples, and the South Border was no exception."

Jing San looked at the dazzling light above. Within a radius of ten miles, the pitch-black night was illuminated by this golden glow, creating a "sun" in the moonless dark sky. However, the myriad rays of light that fell brought no warmth. The paper snow on the small mountain continued to fall and pile up.

"The so-called 'Zhanjiao Mountain' was first created by these monks. At that time, Buddhism was flourishing, and many traveling monks spread the teachings and propagated the Buddhist Law. To temper their bodies and spirits, these individuals journeyed to harsh lands, thus heading to the South Border... Unfortunately, flesh and blood are ultimately weak, and most traveling monks never returned from the South Border."

"Do you think these people were foolish?"

After a slight pause, Jing San asked, with a touch of irony, "The world was finally at peace for a while, and they insisted on becoming monks, seeking hardship for its own sake... Because too many traveling monks ventured into the South Border, including several high monks who attained states of enlightenment, the leader of Fan Yin Temple finally couldn't sit idly by. Can you guess what that leader of Fan Yin Temple saw when they entered the South Border?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi didn't initially want to respond to Jing San.

But hearing this, one couldn't help but think of the Hehuan Sect.

In the past, Xie Xuanyi had killed many Hehuan Sect cultivators.

A significant part of their cultivation techniques was written in Sanskrit...

Back then, he didn't quite understand. Sanskrit was a secret Buddhist language. How could it be mastered by the Hehuan Sect's evil cultivators? Later, when he returned to Lotus Peak, he asked the sect leader in person but only received the answer "karmic fate."

Buddhist disciples advocated abstinence.

While the Hehuan Sect's "Joyful Zen" was the exact opposite.

The two had no similarities.

What Jing San was saying now vaguely verified this past, submerged under the tides of history.

"Haha, it's just as you think."

Jing San said with a gentle smile, "The person who most hates Yin Mountain is probably your master, and the one who most hates the Hehuan Sect must be Fan Yin Temple... Can you guess who the Buddhist leader that advocated for the destruction of the Hehuan Sect was back then?"

Xie Xuanyi's pupils slightly contracted.

"Zen Master."

Jing San uttered the two words.

It was unexpected, yet logically fitting.

This event occurred a long time ago.

And the Zen Master had lived a long time.

Jing San lazily but earnestly said, "That's why most of the Zhanjiao Mountains in the South Border have become the desolate state they are now... Three hundred years ago, the Zen Master personally swept through these mountains, though these abandoned pavilions still carry the 'Buddha's Light Spirit.' Just activate it, and the 'Buddha's Light Spirit' can turn into precise void anchors. Whenever desired, the Buddhists can return to the South Border anytime. No one can erase the Buddha's Light Spirit left in these Zhanjiao Mountains. Yet, the Zen Master's body is old and frail. Even if he comes back to the South Border, what good will it do? He is the most compassionate man in the world and wouldn't contend with demons struggling to survive."

Jing San wasn't wrong.

The past was like smoke.

Those demons of the past had all been slain.

Buddhism emphasized karmic roots and going with the flow... The Zen Master hadn't cared about the South Border for many years, but the "Buddha's Light Spirit" he left behind had created new karma.

"Rumble, rumble, rumble."

Golden divine light burned from the heavenly peak. These rays of light fell and converged, gathering in the pavilion.

A golden door slowly formed.

At that moment, Xie Xuanyi understood the entire plan of the Paperman Sect. Once the Wind Cutting Realm took him away from the Round Turtle Mountain, everything that followed would be inevitable. Jing San would immediately receive a message and depart from the Pure White Mountain to meet the Wind Cutting Realm. It didn't matter where Xiao Qi died. Jing San's job was to ignite the remnants of the "Buddha's Light Spirit" in the nearby abandoned Zhanjiao Mountains, so the Buddha's light anchors from three hundred years ago would spread from the South Border to the Li Kingdom, opening a precisely located door. The only people capable of mastering this divine Buddhist art, other than the rightful successors of Fan Yin Temple, were members of the Li Kingdom's Imperial Family... Clearly, the person wishing to meet him wouldn't belong to the former.

The thundering roar echoed across the world.

Eight Dragon Horses pulled a chariot out of the golden door, dyeing the entire desolate mountain peak in golden light.

"You have arrived."

Jing San slightly sidestepped, speaking in a gentle and respectful tone, "As you wished... this is Xie Zhen."

...

...

(PS: Sorry for the long wait, everyone. This chapter took a while to write. The next update will be around noon tomorrow.)

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