At the same time.

From the direction of Black Mountain, a solemn gaze was cast towards that part of the sky.

No.

To be precise.

It should be said that from the Imperial City, Jinshan Temple, Lingyin Temple, Changbai Mountain, and even Shushan, at the same time, came looks of shock and doubt.

Some forces were overjoyed by this.

While others were filled with unease.

...

Above the firmament, Fa Hai's gaze was indifferent. He did not look at the Ghost Tree, nor did he pay attention to the monks of Lingyin Temple; he merely stared expressionlessly at the Leifeng Pagoda, from which the aura of the Immortal Soldier had been scattered.

There was a trace of confusion in Fa Hai's eyes.

He wasn't puzzled by why the Leifeng Pagoda was damaged, but rather why it was there at all.

The next moment.

His gaze shifted to a remote corner away from the battlefield.

Bai Suzhen's heart trembled, and she slightly clenched her fist.

She took a deep breath, forcibly calming her inner turmoil, and stubbornly met that gaze without any trace of fear.

Fa Hai's eyes no longer showed confusion, but remained cold. After glancing at Bai Suzhen, he also briefly swept his gaze over Lin Heng and the Black Bear Spirit before retracting his gaze. Then, his majestic face gradually became illusory above the sky, and finally faded away.

Fa Hai's appearance was sudden, and his disappearance was equally abrupt.

From beginning to end, Fa Hai, who looked down upon the human world, did not utter a single word.

Yet, all cultivators in the human world felt a suffocating pressure.

The oppressiveness was so terrifying, as if heaven and earth were pressing down, leaving one unable to breathe.

"Is that Fa Hai?"

"Truly... too terrifying."

Yan Tong had cold sweat on her forehead, exclaiming with lingering fear, and then she was filled with doubt.

"Master, why did Fa Hai not act to suppress that Ghost Tree?"

Fa Hai was known throughout the land for slaying demons without mercy.

Even Bai Suzhen, once famed as a Fairy, could not escape his suppression simply because she was born a demon.

With that Ghost Tree causing such massive sins, and even now attacking people from the Buddhist Sect, Yan Tong was truly perplexed as to why Fa Hai turned a blind eye.

Until her master slowly explained, "He has long ascended. Even with the power of an Immortal Body, he can at most look down upon the human world, but interfering is impossible."

"I see."

Yan Tong nodded, her gaze complicated as she sighed, "So this is the awe of an immortal? Even though they can't interfere with the human world, just the appearance of a face can instill such fear, it's truly terrifying..."

Meng Zhenshan hesitated to speak.

His expression was complex, his heart full of emotion. What was truly terrifying wasn't the pressure of an immortal, but Fa Hai...

"The world truly seems to be heading towards turbulence."

"But if he could descend, it would be great news for the present human world."

"However, for Bai Suzhen, who had narrowly escaped, she might have to face the fate of suppression again."

Meng Zhenshan murmured in his heart.

...

At this moment on the battlefield, after Fa Hai had observed the human world, the Tree Demon Granny's mind was in disarray.

It dared not strike at the people of the Buddhist Sect anymore, and after a glance at the battlefield, it directly sank into the ground, vanishing without a trace.

The departure of the Tree Demon Granny brought Dust Concealment to tears of joy for surviving a calamity.

"Abbot, how are you?"

A group of monks gathered around, their eyes full of concern.

"It's nothing, not a fatal wound."

Dust Concealment, who narrowly escaped death, was no longer concerned about his injuries. He looked at the place where the Leifeng Pagoda had fallen and directly addressed the Eighteen Copper Arhats:

"Go and retrieve the tower."

The Eighteen Copper Arhats hesitated not, and with a flash, they reappeared with the palm-sized Leifeng Pagoda.

Dust Concealment then glanced toward the direction where the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle had fallen, and said, "Retrieve the temple's treasured artifact, and return swiftly to Lingyin Temple!"

"As you command!"

A group of monks assisted Dust Concealment and quickly made their way to where the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle had fallen, only to be collectively stunned upon arrival.

"Where, where's the Immortal Soldier?"

Dust Concealment was utterly perplexed. He clearly remembered the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle falling here, yet now only devastation remained, with no trace of the Immortal Soldier.

Dust Concealment's expression changed slightly, a sense of intense unease rising within him, and he urgently commanded:

"Quickly, search the surrounding area at once!"

The Eighteen Copper Arhats and all the monks of Lingyin Temple dared not delay, immediately searching the surrounding areas.

However, even after searching a hundred miles around, they still could not find any trace of the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle.

Dust Concealment's face grew increasingly dark, and finally, it contorted as if he had eaten a dead rat.

"It was definitely stolen in the chaos, definitely stolen!"

He was no fool, and by this point, he fully understood that the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle had been stolen.

Thinking back to the attack today, not only had they not reclaimed Fa Hai's Golden Body, but they had also lost their top disciple, Dust Spirit.

With the Leifeng Pagoda damaged, and now even the temple's treasured artifact missing.

This wasn't just losing both manors and soldiers.

It was as if they'd been stripped bare, even down to their undergarments...

"Who could it be? Who could it possibly be?"

"Ahhh!!!"

Dust Concealment roared to the sky, so angry he spat blood.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Heng and the others had long since escaped with the Great Sun Subduing Dragon Pestle.

On the way, the Black Bear Spirit couldn't hide his excitement.

"Haha, now Lingyin Temple is losing its mind!"

Lin Heng's lips also curled into a smile.

Last time, Dust Spirit had attacked and stolen the Leifeng Pagoda, so this was sweet revenge.

Of course, what pleased him most was the great increase in his cultivation today.

The earlier battles with the Corpse Demon and the Hundred-Eyed Demon Monarch allowed him to break through to the Middle Stage of Great Power, and later the three major fierce demons helped him reach the Eighth Realm of Great Power.

Now, he was fully capable of crafting Immortal Pills!

Although today's escape was rewarding, the appearance of Fa Hai also brought Lin Heng a sense of urgency.

He must quickly enhance his strength!

...

...

Elsewhere.

At Jinshan Temple.

The entire temple had already learned of Ancestor Fa Hai's overlooking of the human world.

Ku Shen, temporarily in charge of all temple affairs, went to the ancestral land with a heart prepared to die.

"The Leifeng Pagoda is shattered, Ancestor Fa Hai wishes to descend to the lower realm."

"I, a disciple, will gather the strength of the entire temple to set up a worship altar to aid Ancestor Fa Hai's rebirth in the mortal world!"

"But… Ancestor Fa Hai's Golden Body has fallen into the hands of the Black Mountain Demon Fiend."

"I beg the ancestors to have mercy, and come forth to retrieve the Golden Body!"

Ku Shen kowtowed to the ground, shouting loudly.

The ancestral land was shrouded in mist, giving no reply.

Ku Shen did not give up, continuing to call out loudly.

"I beg the ancestors to have mercy, come forth to retrieve the Golden Body!"

"I beg the ancestors to have mercy, come forth to retrieve the Golden Body!"

"I beg the ancestors, have mercy!"

The voice of supplication echoed through the ancestral land, from day until night.

By dawn of the second day.

Finally, a gentle sigh echoed in the misty ancestral land.

After a helpless sigh came a detached response.

"Prepare for the grand ceremony of worship."

"In three days, I shall personally go to Black Mountain to retrieve Fa Hai's Golden Body."

Upon hearing this voice, Ku Shen was instantly so moved that he cried tears of joy.

"I, a disciple, heed your command. In three days, I shall welcome the ancestor out of retreat!!"

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