Having now made up his mind, Lu Jiangxian gently tugged at the thin thread in the void, which reflected dazzling white light. He murmured, "Li Xuanling is at Mount Bianyan… Li Tongya is on his way north…"

He performed a hand seal, and Li Tongya, though far away, immediately sensed something. Without a word, he changed direction and flew swiftly toward Mount Bianyan. Lu Jiangxian watched the father and son silently, feeling inexplicably conflicted.

Li Xuanling is destined to die. Only by killing Li Xuanling and becoming a Master Monk can the Wrathful Maha begin to merge with Fahui's body. According to the plans of the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, Fahui is supposed to head north after Li Xuanling's death, with Li Tongya in pursuit…

However, the longer this drags on, the more Fahui and the Wrathful Maha will merge, and with his full strength, Li Tongya's chances of survival will decrease. The further north they go, the more they will slip out of my sight… It is best if Li Xuanling can hold out a bit longer. If Fahui breaks through before then, Li Tongya will have a better chance of confronting him at Mount Bianyan.

As he pondered deeply, the void suddenly flickered. Lu Jiangxian quickly raised his hand, staring intently into the void where he saw an intertwined web of threads. He gently touched one with his finger and said softly, "Remain calm and hold out for the duration of an incense stick."

With that, he fully activated his mana, focusing on the thin threads in the void, deducing silently.

Clang!

Li Xuanling drew his sword to block Fahui's iron fist, producing a screeching metallic sound. He retreated a few steps, the sword qi scattering and leaving the large pillar beside him riddled with holes. Drenched in sweat, Li Xuanling felt a searing pain in his internal organs and was unable to suppress a mouthful of blood that spilled from his lips.

Sss… sss…

The blood didn't even reach the ground before it turned into a cloud of golden mist, merging with the golden haze drifting in the courtyard. Fahui raised his muscular arm and unleashed a barrage of punches against Li Xuanling's mana shield.

With the cool stream enhancing his clarity, Li Xuanling's mind was no longer clouded by Fahui's spell. He immediately prepared to ride the wind, thinking to himself, Although I cannot escape, I can hold out longer from a higher position…

However, the golden mist clung to his shield like maggots to a bone, weighing him down. He felt as if his body was burdened with heavy iron, making him unable to rise more than a chi off the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Fahui leaped forward and struck him down with a single, powerful palm strike.

Boom!

Li Xuanling crashed into the temple wall, his body covered in dust. Fahui chuckled darkly as he stepped forward, sneering. "Once I've killed you, I will break through to become a Master Monk. Then I'll seek out your Deep Ocean Whale Dragon father and kill him to become a Merciful One… With that, I'll complete my path to Maha!"

"Path to Maha…"

Struck down and with his internal organs impacted, Li Xuanling felt his condensed mana scatter. Though exhausted, he gritted his teeth upon hearing Fahui's words, mustering newfound strength. He reached into his storage pouch at his waist and flicked out five talismans.

Thanks to Li Xuanxuan's tireless work on talismans, Li Xuanling had several at his disposal. Two were of the peak Embryonic Breathing Realm and three of the early-stage Qi Cultivation Realm. They transformed into flames, icy rain, lightning, and poisonous fog, all exploding onto Fahui's body.

Though his memories were awakening, Fahui only recalled fragments and had little experience in fighting cultivators. He raised a golden light shield hastily to block the incoming attack.

The two peak Embryonic Breathing Realm talismans were manageable, but the early-stage Qi Cultivation Realm talismans hit him squarely, exploding on his gold-patterned body and forcing him back a step.

Li Xuanling was also shaken by the residual energy. His face paled even more as he spat out a mouthful of blood again.

Fortunately, Fahui had been momentarily forced back. Seizing the opportunity, Li Xuanling rolled to his feet, pulling away and gaining a few precious seconds.

Fahui brushed off the dust from his body, staring straight at Li Xuanling with a smile. "You are much stronger than these Daoists. I guess this is the difference between Unrefined Qi Cultivators and true Qi Cultivators… Even among us Buddhist cultivators, such distinctions exist. A simple exchange of blows reveals whether one possesses the true path."

Li Xuanling paid no attention to the monk's rambling, his mind racing only with the thought of delaying the monk as long as possible. He shouted, "I do know something! The true path of Buddhist cultivators lies in the land of bliss… As for someone like you, who kills indiscriminately, you are not following the true path!"

As expected, these words stunned the monk for several seconds. He stared at Li Xuanling with a smirk, performing a hand seal as he replied coldly, "I see, you've already met Murong Xia!"

Without waiting for an answer, Fahui nodded to himself, the intricate golden patterns on his body now glowing with more intensity. With a single step, he crossed a big distance and grabbed Li Xuanling by the neck.

"Good! Let me ask you, why should everyone, regardless of age, sin, or virtue, enjoy his paradise? The wicked should suffer all kinds of punishments and die in agony… Only the virtuous deserve to be consumed by us. Do you agree or not?!" he roared.

His eyes glowed fiercely with golden light, and his skin emitted a bronze-yellow radiance. His hands, brimming with destructive mana and a hint of confinement, produced golden runes that bound Li Xuanling tightly.

Li Xuanling's face turned red, but as a Qi Cultivator, he would not suffocate immediately. He managed to open his mouth slightly and mock, "What a notion… only the virtuous deserve to be consumed by you?"

Fahui's rage intensified, finding Li Xuanling's answer unacceptable. He gritted his teeth and roared, "You ingrate!"

Fahui suddenly lifted his hand and threw Li Xuanling with all his might. Li Xuanling shot out like a cannonball, smashing into the roof of the great hall. The structure, already damaged from their fierce battle, gave way instantly, collapsing in on itself.

Boom—!

Gray-white dust rose abruptly, and broken tiles and wood fragments fell like torrential rain. The dimly-lit hall finally crumbled. Debris was scattered everywhere, and Li Xuanling lay on the steps leading to the hall, his bones shattered and his body limp like a noodle.

One of the two imposing statues at the entrance was shattered into pieces, while the other had its limbs broken, leaving only a solitary head. Rainwater dripped from the smooth stone face, mixing into the faintly blood-red puddles below.

The signboard, which had been precariously hanging from the roof covered by tattered cloth, finally fell with a clatter, landing before him. The cloth fluttered away in the wind, revealing gilded characters—Zhenhui Temple.

The golden characters blazed like the sun, glaring into his eyes. Li Xuanling's cheek split open, and his ragged mouth twisted into an ugly smile as he whispered weakly into nothingness.

"It's been… a stick of incense."