History's Strongest Senior Brother

“The bitter sea is boundless, but there exists a backwards shore. Benefactor, you should turn back and embrace our Buddha with due haste.”

Yan Zhaoge appraised this young monk all over.

Buddhism and Daoism were split into differing cultivation levels with the true essence and aura that emanated from their experts being different as well.

If they did not truly clash, just based on mere observation alone, it would be very difficult to judge the corresponding cultivation level of someone from the other camp using their own benchmark.

Still, comparing him to the other Buddhist martial practitioners present, this young monk was clearly unordinary as the skin outside of his monk robes emitted a bluish-green light which resembled Vajra.

Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “You must be joking, O wise one. This Yan still has no intention of shaving my hair off.”

That monk said, “You benefactors departed the World beyond Worlds and the Roving Jade Heavens, arriving at this place. While your hearts are filled with obstinacy and needless worldly desires, your talents are unquestionably top notch. It is just a pity that you are enamoured with an external dao.”

“These talents, geniuses of external daos-this humble monk has illuminated others like you before.”

“One need not shave their head in entering Buddhism’s door. So long as the Buddha exists in one’s heart, there is no place that is not a blessed land.”

Yan Zhaoge’s pupils abruptly dilated somewhat.

This was not the first time Yan Zhaoge had encountered the word ‘illumination’.

It had originally meant enlightening, assisting one in attaining nirvana.

The Buddha said that all lifeforms were equal. Having seen the clarity in one’s heart, everyone had the possibility of becoming Buddhas, illuminated as they achieved the Tathagata in their hearts.

Yet, after the Gautama Buddha had Transcended, the Future Buddha sitting over the central Whirling World, as time passed, this so-called ‘illumination’ had gradually changed in meaning.

While Yan Zhaoge had never personally witnessed this before, there had been a few simple records of this in the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace.

These mere few lines had been utterly shocking.

“Illumination, haha…” Yan Zhaoge stared at the other party, “You want to forcibly wrest control over my mind and will, bowing down in subservience to the Future Buddha?”

The young man shook his head, saying in a gentle tone, “Not forcibly.”

“All lifeforms have the potential for becoming Buddhas, being born on the right path. It is just that much suffering exists in this world with countless evil devils running rampant as well. As a result, a number of lifeforms stray from the right path, falling into the sinister external daos of the ignorant.”

“Our Buddha is merciful, enlightening the myriad lifeforms. While benefactor is from an external dao, this humble monk believes that benefactor has the heart to forsake evil and seek good. Listen to the meditations of our Buddha and benefactor’s original heart towards Buddhism will be restored. Hence shall you submit to our Buddha, returning to his embrace and that which is righteous.”

Yan Zhaoge laughed, “This Yan thanks you for your good intentions, O wise one. It is said that orchids bloom most fragrantly in the harshest or winters, treasured swords all coming from tempering. I still intend to remain in this bitter sea for a while. As for when I will leap out of it and how I will do so, I think that you, O wise one, have no need to worry about it.”

The young monk smiled, “Do not be stubborn and blinded, benefactor. Otherwise, you will remain bewitched by this world for all eternity, unable to extricate yourself.”

He said mildly, “Our Buddha is merciful, this disciple shall display his arts. Benefactor, I should still give you a hand. It can be considered as me accruing some good karma as well.”

Accompanied by his words, the white elephant which was huge as a mountain suddenly raised its forefoot before stomping down towards Yan Zhaoge!

Yan Zhaoge totally ignored this as another figure suddenly appeared before him.

It was still that same black and white frame. Still, his expression was no longer that silly and honest as well as cute.

A ferocious light lit up within those eyes, a low roar resounding which directly pressured over towards the sonorous, majestic chanting around them.

Pan-Pan suddenly appeared, standing upright there as he blocked before Yan Zhaoge.

His frame had expanded mightily as he grew alongside his emergence, instantly becoming so majestic that his head reached the heavens even as he stood upon the earth, now even more enormous than that white elephant!

While standing upright, Pan-Pan now struck out with a paw, sweeping at the white elephant’s upraised forefoot.

And with his other front paw, Pan-Pan directly struck towards the head of the white elephant!

A deafening, thunderous boom resounded as that massive white elephant which was like some endless mountain range was mightily sent back into retreat by Pan-Pan’s paw!

Everyone leapt up in fright.

Then, Pan-Pan roared, striding forward and grabbing that white elephant by one of its tusks, next grabbing ahold of its long trunk!

The white elephant howled in pain, a boundless force erupting from within its body.

Dragons and elephants had always been embodiments of strength.

Currently, the power of the white elephant would be able to easily overturn the heavens and earth.

Yet, grabbing its tusk with his front paw, Pan-Pan raised the white elephant overhead and slammed it into the ground!

As the massive frame of the white elephant now slammed into the ground, an intense earthquake seemed to rumble and quake throughout the entire Obscured Way World.

Where the two sides clashed, the great earth directly broke apart and collapsed, exterminating all lifeforms within.

The massive elephant struggled non-stop, crushing the broken earth and mud where it lay with a deep crevice that seemed as massive as an abyss thus being formed.

Yet, despite all its exertions, it was solidly pressed down on the floor by Pan-Pan, unable to get up.

The bluish-green light of Vajra flickered unceasingly. Yet, several black holes appeared on Pan-Pan’s body in succession, devouring all that Buddha light without end.

Pan-Pan roared, exerting force with his other paw that grabbed the elephant’s trunk as he actually now pulled it right off, snapping it permanently for good!

The white elephant emitted a heaven-shocking, earth-shaking roar as it felt pained to death. Its struggles abruptly grew increasingly intense.

Pan-Pan continued roaring wildly as he still pressed this massive elephant into the ground, not letting it go no matter what!

Everyone was wide-eyed and tongue-tied at this scene as though a Buddha’s head had been snapped out by a great demon.

Back when he had seen Pan-Pan beat his massive elephant into retreat, that young monk’s expression had changed slightly as he had wanted to move to assist it.

Yet, when that had happened, a massive palace had appeared above Yan Zhaoge’s head.

As the door of the palace opened, a figure flew out from within at lightning speed, with everyone unable to catch even a glimpse of it.

This figure seemed to completely ignore the boundaries of space and the flow of time as when he first visibly appeared, he had already arrived right in front of that young man.

There was only the young monk who had barely been able to catch a glimpse of his features. This was none other than Yan Zhaoge’s Northern Ocean Clone.

The Northern Ocean Clone’s acupoints pulsed with boundless majestic power erupting forth as he punched out towards the young monk.

The young monk was somewhat unable to keep up with his speed.

He could only meet all possible variations with an unchanging stance, bluish-green Buddha light instantly condensing about his entire body, resembling the essence of Vajra as it enveloped him completely.

Streaks of golden Buddha light shot out from beyond the Vajra surface, forming an impenetrable golden body which blocked the mighty fist of the Northern Ocean Clone’s at this crucial moment.

In virtually just a single instant, cracks appeared on the exterior of the bluish-green layer of Vajra.

“What a fierce and powerful punch. I did not even notice his presence before,” The young monk’s gaze sunk, “It was comparable to that of a Daoist Martial Saint at the peak of the sixth level of the Martial Saint realm, the late Seeing Divinity stage.”

Facing the Northern Ocean Clone, he was no longer able to assist the white elephant as he was only able to helplessly watch on as it was smashed right into the ground by Pan-Pan.

Over by the side, Gao Qing and the others were just as shocked.

This was because they were vaguely able to tell that Yan Zhaoge’s Northern Ocean Clone was really still just at the fifth level of the Martial Saint realm, the mid Seeing Divinity stage.

Also, he should only just have broken through into the fifth level of the Martial Saint realm recently.

His punch having been blocked, the Northern Ocean Clone did not retract his fist as he smiled coldly, “Big monk, I think that you’d best still let this Yan send you on your way.”

Now, he switched his fist to a claw, his other hand too piercing forth.

His ten fingers were like the sharp tips of spears as they forcibly penetrated into the bluish-green layer of Vajra. Next, he mightily ripped them apart to the sides.

A piercing, ripping noise resounded as broken fragments of Vajra scattered down like descending raindrops, plummeting onto the great earth down below!