Now, the Jiuying that reappeared in the Small Thunderclap Temple was no longer as weak as it had been when it broke out of its seal. Instead, its essence, energy, and spirit had recovered to its peak, even surpassing the limits of the God Realm.
This was far from its limit. In the Immemorial Era, the Jiuying was a terrifying monster that had fought against the four Divine Beasts.
To the necromancers who pursued the power of the Netherworld Seed, this perfect form was their ideal ultimate life. It was known as the Divine Son of the Netherworld Cult.
Nine incomparably sharp scarlet horns stood proudly on the heads of the Jiuying's nine heads. As a fantasy species that had taken the final step, just like the King Of The Plumed Serpents of the Abyss Realm, the Jiuying had once looked down on all other fantasy species. It was an anomaly that surpassed its own fate.
Facing the mountain-shaking attack of the vajra, the Jiuying only raised three heads before smashing into it.
An earth-shattering explosion sounded like countless bolts of lightning exploding at the same time. Yuan Zhen, who cultivated the Invincible Vajra Magic Power, was sent flying, crashing headfirst into the pagoda of the Small Thunderclap Temple.
"Rumble!" Amidst the loud noise, the seven-story pagoda was smashed in the middle and turned into ruins.
Blood gushed out, and the Jiuying's aura continued to rise. Everything it had lost had returned. It was only a matter of time before the Jiuying recovered enough strength to fight against the four Divine Beasts of the Myriad Seas and Mountain Range.
Its nine vertical scarlet eyes stared at all the monks and masters of the Small Thunderclap Temple mercilessly, emitting an unparalleled might.
Circles of black ripples were being emitted from Jiu Ying's huge body. That was a sign that the world was about to change.
"Amitabha!"
"Quick, take Yuan Zhen away!"
"The Small Thunderclap Temple is destined to face this calamity."
The few masters of the Small Thunderclap Temple, who had sensed the impending calamity, revealed resolute expressions as they made a difficult decision.
The Heavenly Demon that had leaped out of the Carefree Heavenly Demon Dance had countered the Buddhist sect's Pure Glass Light.
The Jiuying, who had been accumulating power, had defeated the Buddhist sect's Invincible Vajra Magic Power with one strike, the future hope of the Buddhist sect, Yuan Zhen.
The situation was already over.
Right now, it wasn't a matter of winning or losing. It was a matter of how many seeds the Buddhist sect could preserve in this great calamity.
Even if the Small Thunder Temple and this mystical mountain were completely destroyed, as long as the inheritance of Buddhism was still there, the Diamond Unbreakable, Subduing Dragon and Crouching Tiger, the Unmovable Wisdom King Sword, and "that thing" were still there, Buddhism would have the foundation to revive.
The Buddhists of the Myriad Seas Mountain Range were originally revived from the ruins of the Primordial Desolate Era. This was just another great calamity for the Buddhists.
After surviving this tribulation, the young disciples who had improved their temperament and cultivation might even be able to create a new flourishing age of Buddhism.
And they, this group of High Scholars, needed to face the tribulation.
"What joy is there in life? What pain is there in death?"
"Buddha is merciful, I beg for death."
"Namo Mystic Dharma Lotus Sutra, Great Mercy and Great Mercy."
With full awareness, the Buddhist gurus lined up in a row.
Xuan Zhen, Xuan Bei, Xuan Ku, and Xuan Hai — the current generation's four gurus of the Small Thunder Temple, who had returned from the Abyss realm and secluded themselves in the temple to comprehend the final opportunity, chanted the name of Buddha in unison.
Countless white lotuses bloomed. It was the final radiance of the four gurus, a sign that they were seeking death — the Formation of Lotus Platforms, the last line of defense for Buddhism.
Sadly, this line of defense was not meant to repel the enemy, but merely to cover the escape of the few Kindling who were carrying an important mission.
The outcome of this battle had been decided, and the Small Thunder Temple's destruction had entered the countdown phase.
"Hmph, so you're really going to fight to the end. I actually have no grudge against you, but you must pay the price for offending the wrong person."
"Let it snow, Jiu Ying."
A cruel yet innocent smile appeared in the Sky Demon's eyes. It was the power of allure that would cause one to fall into endless darkness.
Billions of black particles spread, and the scene that had appeared in Green Hill reappeared in the sky above the Small Thunder Temple.
Countless minuscule black particles split infinitely.
One became two, two became four, and four became eight. In the blink of an eye, the sky had lost all light and turned into endless darkness.
Apart from the Formation of Lotus Platforms of the Small Thunder Temple's four gurus, there was no other source of light between heaven and earth.
Dozens of black rings extended from the surface of the ocean with the Jiu Ying at the center, each ring containing hundreds and thousands of black runes.
Just by looking at these runes, the monks who didn't have a strong enough temperament felt as if their souls were being sucked away.
Reddish-black cold radiance shot up from the surface of the ocean, piercing through the firmament and hovering in the air before beginning to dance.
With a rhythm that shook the world, the mysterious runes spun and danced.
A distant and ancient river pierced through space and time, responding to the summoning of the red-black runes.
A song that shook the world resounded across heaven and earth. It was the Song of the Jiu Ying, the song that caused black snowflakes to fall and the world to change color.
It was the rune that represented "truth", the song that represented life, and the miraculous power that was born from the union of the Heavenly Demon and the Jiu Ying.
The Buddhist light that had always protected the Small Thunder Temple began to shatter, and even the power of the spirit mountain range could do nothing about it.
The power of the Jiu Ying and the Heavenly Demon had completely surpassed the entire mountain range.
It was both powerful and beautiful, the path that the Heavenly Demon of the Nine Underworlds had found for itself.
Streaks of lightning began to appear in the sky, a sign that the Heavenly Punishment was coming.
However, a Heavenly Punishment of this degree could do nothing to the Heavenly Demon. When the Jiu Ying broke out of the seal in Green Hill, the Heavenly Punishment, reinforced by the power of the Lotus of Dao on the Immortal Platform, could not even stop the Jiu Ying, let alone the weakened version of the Heavenly Punishment.
The Various Seas Mountain Range had now entered an era of demons rampaging.
The Jiu Ying was not the only vicious creature that had broken out of the ancient seal, but a whole group. The Four Sacred Soul-Sealing Formation, which used the power of the four symbols as its main means of suppression, was on the verge of losing its effectiveness after the Various Seas Mountain Range's sealing laws began to crumble.
Coupled with the opening of the entrance to the Nine Underworlds Ocean and the invasion of a large number of lower Nine Underworlds species, the entire Various Seas Mountain Range had entered a new era of war.
This was an era filled with endless danger, and the long period of peace had finally come to an end.
Just like the era when the hundred schools of swordsmanship contended, one reclusive sect after another appeared, and dazzling geniuses emerged one after another.
Avatar and Divine Will were no longer the end. Heaven Domain was the true starting point for geniuses. With the support of the vast Qi of the world, countless ancient divine arts and bloodlines were revived overnight.
Immortal arts and divine arts ushered in an era where they were on par with one another.
This was the worst era, and also the best era. All the immortal sects were about to undergo a great reshuffle.
At the same time, countless ancient sects were also facing a great tribulation.