The old monk waved his hands dismissively. "Your talent is peerless; how could I dare to squander such a supreme treasure on myself?"
"Be at ease, Master. My foundation is solid, and my cultivation has never been sluggish." Lin Yan's voice was gentle but brooked no refusal.
After several rounds of back-and-forth, the old monk finally accepted the pill, his eyes reddening slightly.
The old monk took the pill into the meditation room for a closed-door retreat. Lin Yan knew his master was going to charge at the Dharma Master realm—at the Peak of Awakening, he was only a hair's breadth away from seeing the true Buddha-light.
Once he left, Lin Yan stood alone in the courtyard, regulating his breath. His mind sank into the mnemonics of the Dragon Claw Hand.
"For the novice, the palm wind sweeps away filth and severs Yin energy. For the master, the fingers are like the dragon's spine, the claws strike like sudden thunder, and neither ghost nor god can escape! Channel the Buddhist power into the palms, visualize the Azure Dragon soaring through the clouds, its claws gripping the nine heavens—sink the Qi to the Dantian, and drive the strength through the ten fingers!"
He pressed his palms together and suddenly snapped them apart. His arms shook, making the void hum. Buddhist power flooded his hands; his ten fingers abruptly tightened and swelled, his veins coiling like knotted dragons, and a cold, cyan-gold light flickered at his fingertips.
Buzz— Buzz— Buzz—
His fingers vibrated in unison as a faint dragon's roar echoed. Between the movement of his palms, his blood-qi surged, and a crimson glow floated at the edges of his hands, burning as bright as flame.
"Dragon Claw Hand!" he roared. He hooked his fingers and clawed at the empty air.
CRACK!
The air exploded, and cracks spread out like a spiderweb. His arms moved in a blur, claw shadows crisscrossing the space. Muffled explosions followed in his wake as if a giant dragon were truly soaring past, tearing through clouds and silk.
Three days later, the Dragon Claw Hand reached initial mastery. Its might already surpassed the Subduing Demon Palm and Fist, possessing a nascent tearing force. Now, whenever he activated the technique, his palms vibrated with the low growl of a dragon soul; his blood-qi steamed, emitting a hazy, scorching crimson radiance.
Rrip! Lin Yan activated the technique and lunged with his right arm, his fingers clawing at the void. In an instant, his blood-qi erupted like molten lava, a blinding red light exploded from his fingertips, and the air let out a shriek like shattering glass!
He spun and leapt, slamming his palm downward onto a massive bluestone slab.
Sizzle! Tongues of flame danced and sparks flew like rain. The huge stone disintegrated instantly, shearing into five clean-cut fragments.
"The Buddhist Dragon Claw Hand is truly overbearing! This external art is peerless in its ferocity. If a petty ghost were to get close now, one clench of my fingers would grind its soul and bones into powder."
Lin Yan felt a rush of exhilaration. The Dragon Claw Hand hadn't just given him a trump card; it had unexpectedly tempered his physique. His body felt as solid as iron, and his Buddhist power swelled like a rising spring tide. Even though it was an external art, it "fed back" into his Buddhist essence, deepening his foundation.
"Right, one Bodhi Pill left!"
He swallowed the last pill. It dissolved instantly, and a warm, majestic medicinal force flooded his limbs. He focused on his cultivation, his meridians glowing faintly as his power climbed.
Three days later, the medicinal force was fully refined. His Buddhist essence was now as vast as an abyss. Though he was still technically in the early stage of the Dharma Master realm, his sheer volume of power already surpassed that of a mid-stage cultivator. A single month of cultivation had equaled decades of effort for others!
Suddenly, a mountain-shaking aura erupted from the depths of the Hanging Temple—
"Master broke through?!"
Indeed, the old monk had shattered his shackles and ascended to the Dharma Master realm!
"Hahaha! Fifty years of bitter toil, and today I finally see the light!" The old monk laughed heartily as he strode out like the wind. He stopped short when his gaze fell on Lin Yan. He felt his disciple's aura was as deep as an ancient well, yet hidden within were thunder and flames.
"Good disciple, your Buddhist power... it's terrifying! In a few years, I fear you alone will suppress the entire Spirit-Fantasy World!"
With his Master's breakthrough, Lin Yan's heart turned toward the world below. With the world in chaos and Jiangshi running rampant, he had the cultivation and the killing moves to face any threat. More importantly, to become a High Monk, one had to experience the "Red Dust," face life and death, and cross through tribulations.
"Master, I shall descend the mountain tomorrow to practice in the secular world."
The old monk nodded. "Go, child. The mortal world is treacherous and crawling with demons. Be extremely cautious."
"Your disciple understands."
The next morning, clad in simple white monk robes, Lin Yan quietly stepped out of the Hanging Temple. Three days later, he stood before a ruined temple. The pillars were rotten, and the headless, armless clay Buddha statue was half-buried in dust.
He silently gathered the fragments, mending them with gold lacquer, and swept away the cobwebs and fallen leaves.
"The world is crumbling, the Dharma-Ending Age is approaching, and spiritual energy is withered. Both the Buddhist and Taoist sects have declined to this point."
He sat cross-legged, palms together, his mind calm as Buddha-light pulsed faintly at his brow.
At midnight, a Yin wind howled through the window frames. Outside the temple, five graceful figures appeared—clothed in thin silk, hair elegantly styled, eyes enchanting, and lips as red as blood.
"Oh? A little monk is hiding in this ruined temple!" "Tsk tsk, he's quite handsome!" "He's mine! No one else is allowed to snatch him!" "Nonsense! I saw him first!"
The women smiled charmingly, but as their lips parted, sharp white fangs were revealed. They were not human, but mountain spirits using skins to take human form. They slinked inside, whispering around Lin Yan, their skirts fluttering as a dark fragrance filled the air.
"Little monk, are we beautiful?" "Sister is so gentle, has your heart stirred yet?" "Heh... what a stubborn little monk."
Lin Yan remained motionless, eyes closed, breathing like the steady tolling of an ancient bell. Only when they were within three feet did he open his lips. His voice was like a clear, cold chime: "Cultivation is not easy. Cherish the life you have."
Though slaying demons yielded treasures, he was in no rush to strike. Everything had its path—humans followed morality, and demons followed their own pacts. Those who could gain intelligence and breathe in the moonlight were favored by creation. He was willing to give them a chance to turn back.
But if they insisted on the path of evil, they could not blame the Buddha-light for turning into a blade.
"Little monk, your body... smells so sweet." "I've been hungry for a hundred years, just waiting for a bite of fresh meat like you."
In an instant, the Yin wind roared, and the candles died. The pale moonlight revealed their twisted, elongated shadows. Their faces cracked as their makeup peeled away, revealing grey flesh and white bone.
"Little monk, aren't you afraid of us?"
Lin Yan's eyelids slowly lifted, a flicker of faint golden light crossing his pupils. He activated the Heavenly Eye, piercing the illusion to see their true forms.
Underneath the silk-clad women were five grey-furred fox demons with red tails and green eyes.
"Mere fox spirits dare to play shadows before the Buddha?" Lin Yan shouted. His Buddhist power erupted like a temple bell, shaking the dust from the rafters.
The five women's ears rang as their vision went black. They stumbled back, their claws growing and fangs baring as animalistic patterns appeared on their faces.
"This monk isn't simple!" "Sisters, watch out! He has true Buddhist power!" "Heh... Buddhist flesh is the most nourishing! Eating him is better than swallowing a hundred inner dans! Remember Tang Sanzang from the Journey to the West? One bite and you ascend to heaven!"
Lin Yan stood up. "You five foxes were blessed by heaven and earth to gain intelligence. You could have sought the Great Dao, yet you chose to drink blood and eat souls. Today's karma is of your own making."
"You can see through my illusions? Interesting," the leader sneered. "But no matter how strong you are, you're just a green sapling of a monk. While the Buddhist and Taoist lineages wither, the world will soon become a hunting ground for demons!"
Lin Yan let out a short, mocking laugh. "A few foxes crawling out of a mountain ditch dare to talk about the world? If I don't wake you up today, it will seem like my Buddhist sect has grown soft."
"Haha! Buddhist sect?" another girl shrieked. "Those baldies nowadays just lie to get free meals! By the way, little monk, last month we chewed the bones of three old monks and even ate their cassocks!"
"Arrogance!" Lin Yan closed his eyes and chanted a mantra. "Source of all laws, light the heart's lamp; let true nature be revealed and all evil vanish—MANIFEST!"
A Buddhist seal shot from his palm, and the light spread like a tide. The five women twitched violently as their skin peeled back, revealing their true forms: human bodies with fox heads, exploding tails, and bulging red eyes.
"Little baldy, you're dead!" The lead fox lunged like a grey blur, her claws tearing the air toward Lin Yan's heart.
Lin Yan didn't flinch. As the cold light neared, his right palm charged with golden radiance.
"Subduing Demon Palm!"
A thunderous boom echoed. The fox demon was sent flying like a broken kite, her spine collapsing and blood spraying. She landed as a charred fox corpse, wisps of smoke rising from her body.
[Ding! Host has slain a Hundred-Year Fox Demon. Obtained: Gift Bag.]
"Fifth Sister!!" The remaining four shrieked in rage, their demonic aura skyrocketing. "Give us your life! We will tear out your heart and suck your blood!"
"Foolish." Lin Yan stepped forward, his Buddhist power surging like waves.
"Subduing Demon Palm!" He struck the chest of the girl on the left. She caved in and smashed through a mud wall, vomiting black blood.
"Subduing Demon Fist!" Before his shadow could land, another heavy blow struck. The second fox rolled into a woodpile, her ribs piercing through her skin.
"Dragon Claw Hand!"