The Monkey was completely immobilized by Lin Feng's Two Elements Origins-Returning Mystic World Spell, unable to move a single muscle. He could not conjure any avatars from his hair, and his infamous Ten Thousand Mantra Abhijina has been entirely sealed. As the world before his eyes continued pressing down on him, his demonic energy was drained again and again.
"Good job! Good job, Celestial Sect Master!" The Monkey clenched his teeth and blinked his eyes, which burst with dazzling light. Streams of light surged around him as his body, originally no bigger than that of a regular human, suddenly grew gargantuan. Horrifying yet bountiful levels of physical energy instantly inundated the void.
With a menacingly ferocious face, he belted the most primal and savage scream, flaunting his razor-sharp fangs as his demonic energy shot up into the sky! The formidable physical energy and demonic energy blended together and shattered the heavens!
This was the strongest outburst of physical energy that Lin Feng has witnessed personally ever since he arrived in the Grand Celestial World, encompa.s.sing an incorruptible and indestructible quality.
He had seen other Abhijina with similar levels of power, but had never seen one that gave off such intensity like the Monkey's.
Lin Feng only came across such unbendable power at the Immortal Dragon City, a destiny magic treasure in itself. But compared to the majesty and grandeur of the Immortal Dragon City, the Monkey exuded a blatant aggressiveness and oppressiveness with his overbearing, savage, and unyielding strength.
This was the Ten Thousand Mantra Ape's other innate Abhijina aside from his Ten Thousand Transformations Mantra, and it was because of the existence of this Abhijina that the Golden Cicada Master had to use the Golden Hoop Incantation to restrain the Monkey, since exterminating him was so difficult.
It may pale in comparison to the Dragons, Elephants, Xuanwu, and Ants' Abhijina in terms of physical strength alone, but it surpa.s.sed them in terms of st.u.r.diness, endurance, and defence capabilities. However, the Ten Thousand Mantra Ape would have to reveal his true form in order to summon this Abhijina.
The Monkey seemed to have the ability to shred the heavens, albeit not to the extent when he actually tore apart the Greater Worlds during the Primordial Age. With a maniacal roar, he forcefully broke through the world created from Lin Feng's Two Elements Origins-Returning Mystic World Spell and leapt out of his prison.
Lin Feng did not continue his a.s.sault, instead examining the Monkey's true form in fascination. He nodded, "Hm, this is indeed extraordinary. If the Ten Thousand Transformations Mantra is the Monkey's most reliable and limitless Abhijina, then this Unyielding Body would be his rooted foundation."
The Monkey did not launch an immediate counterattack either. After bouncing out from the Two Elements Origins-Returning Mystic World Spell, he withdrew his true form and reverted back to his original size and look. Unhappiness was evidently scribbled all over his hairy face.
He sized up Lin Feng with his eyes reflecting both admiration and the refusal to concede. He burned with the will to fight, but eventually shook his head, "I used my true form first, so I've lost this match. Celestial Sect Master, you truly are incredible. Please don't harm my Junior's life."
With a wave of his hand, the upright holy metal bar seemingly supporting the heavens lifted into the air and adjusted its size with ease, shrinking down to a little black dot which landed on the Monkey's palm. The Monkey then kept it back into his ear.
He then flipped backwards, landing beside the helpless Fengxi Grand Sage. He gently patted the fire boar's head, "Let's go, idiot."
The Fengxi Grand Sage could not believe what had happened and glanced at Lin Feng in horror. He gulped, not daring to make a single sound, and left quietly with the Monkey.
Lin Feng placed his hands behind his back and watched calmly as the Monkey took his leave. w.a.n.g Lin and the others looked at Lin Feng in confusion. "Master ..."
Lin Feng skimmed the horizon with his mana and said, as gently as a breeze, "Have you all seen enough?"
His mana shook the void. The s.p.a.ce surrounding him in all directions simultaneously ripped apart, and everyone who had not entered the void could no longer conceal themselves. The Monkey and the Fengxi Grand Sage departed to the East, while the void towards the South, North, and West all revealed hidden figures.
Amidst the dark void towards the North, stood a giant silhouette. It was a Great Roc, with its feathers s.h.i.+mmering with a golden l.u.s.ter, and with three black feathers on its forehead. It was an avatar projected from the Golden Roc Grand Sage's demonic energy. This avatar was connected to the Golden Roc Grand Sage through their consciousness - the Golden Roc Grand Sage could incinerate this avatar and descend upon the avatar's location with a mere flick of his mind.
But the Golden Roc Grand Sage clearly had no intentions to do so at this moment. Having been unwillingly exposed by Lin Feng, he remained mute and s.h.i.+fted his gaze back and forth between Lin Feng and the far East where the Monkey headed towards. His cloudy golden irises flickered with a strange cold glow, reflecting his unease.
Meanwhile, in the South opposite the Golden Roc Grand Sage, similarly stood an obscure shadow seemingly condensed into a human figure, but his features could not be seen clearly due to a mysterious thick fog shrouding his figure. However, Lin Feng's mana pulses already identified its ident.i.ty as the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage's avatar projected using her demonic energy. It bore the same characteristics as the Golden Roc Grand Sage - the real person could replace the avatar whenever she felt like it.
However, she did not intend to do so either. If Lin Feng summoned Mount Yujing or his magic treasures like the Heaven-Destroying Sword while the Monkey activated his true form and that holy metal bar, both sides would break out into a deathmatch, and maybe then would she consider coming down personally.
However, while both Lin Feng and the Monkey ran amuck through the heavens flaunting their respective Abhijina, they still reserved some tricks for emergency situations. Both had a rich pool of techniques, and the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage naturally had no plans to interfere.
The Monkey had a resilient fighting spirit but he was not dim-witted. Or else, how could he endure his intense hatred for the Golden Cicada Master and stand being lured in by the Fengxi and Nine Infants Grand Sages to be used as cannon fodder?
The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage looked at Lin Feng and laughed casually with a hoa.r.s.e voice. "Celestial Sect Master, if you're feeling impatient, the Earth Dragon King has already forsaken Mount Taihua to rush over. I'm sure you'll meet him very soon. If you can't wait for him, isn't the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage right in front of you?"
Unlike the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage and the Golden Roc Great Sage's demonic energy avatars, a gigantic figure stood amidst the Western skies, and it was an actual great demon!
It was a ma.s.sive black ape with a pair of blood-red eyes. Its magnificent demonic energy could seemingly slice through the heavens and lands without even firing an attack. It was a Heavenly Demon Ape at the Vipralopa Stage! The current Tribe Leader of the Immemorial Ape Demons, the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage!
Even the Crimson Gorilla Grand Sage looked at him strangely. For the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage to rush back so quickly, he had obviously gotten wind of the Golden Cicada Master's news even earlier than the Crimson Gorilla Grand Sage and the other Heavenly Demon Apes. He flew over as fast as he could, arriving earlier than the Earth Dragon King.
Not counting that solitary and lawless Monkey, this demon was the strongest among all the Immemorial Ape Demons and hence one of the most formidable demons in all of the Barren Expanses. Especially since everyone was in the Lingyuan Mountains, the ancestral grounds of the Apes, he could fully manipulate and unleash the immense power of the area, and to a greater degree than the Crimson Gorilla Grand Sage.
Although Lin Feng was not certain, he could vaguely sense that the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage alone would be unable to match the Monkey, but if he fully exploited Mount Lingyuan's powers, even the Monkey might have to seriously consider a viable escape route.
After all, the Immemorial Ape Demon Tribe is one of the strongest tribes in the Barren Expanses, surpa.s.sing even the supposedly unparalleled Emperor of Extremity. Even though they have not regained their former glory, they can attain powers exceeding the Vipralopa Stage with a boost from their ancestral ground.
If each of the strongest cultivators from all the demon tribes across the Barren Expanses challenge the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage to an individual match on Mount Lingyuan, the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage would be virtually undefeatable. His geographical advantage would be too overpowering.
He seemed composed without any signs of leaning to violence. He gazed quietly at Lin Feng and said, "I heard that you have a way of locating the Golden Cicada Master."
Lin Feng calmly replied, "He has the ability to exploit the energy from your Apes' ancestral ground. That's why he chose to duel me here. But with the Crimson Gorilla Grand Sage presiding over Mount Lingyuan's main peak, and now with you here, I'm afraid he won't be loitering around this region any longer judging by his personality. I'll draw him out, and please feel free to do whatever you wish while I do that."
Beyond the ranges of Mount Lingyuan, the Heavenly Grandmaster Grand Sage's strength would naturally see a drastic decrease.
He cracked a grin without a care and exposed his sharp fangs. "I rushed back solely for the Golden Cicada Master."
Lin Feng nodded and turned his gaze towards the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage and the Golden Roc Grand Sage. "It's the Earth Dragon King's business whether he wants to come or not. I welcome him anytime. What about you two?"
The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage humored him with a deep laugh. "We'll always have a chance to meet again, but the Great Void Sect must thank you for this occasion."
Her avatar's glow gradually faded, while the Golden Roc Grand Sage did so too without saying a word.
Across the endless Barren Expanses, in an unknown faraway place, the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage stood peacefully over a hill with Long Ye standing diagonally behind her.
"Long Ye, did you imagine that the Celestial Sect Master whom you only met once would be such a revolutionary figure?" The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage asked smilingly
Long Ye blinked. "Master, you keep using the same thing to tease me."
The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage smiled without replying. Long Ye pondered for a while and asked, "Master, if you relied on Mount Lingyuan's power, could the combined strength of you, the Golden Roc and the Heavenly Grandmaster have ..."
"It's possible but there's no guarantee that we'll succeed, unless someone wants a early funeral." The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage explained calmly, "So, whether it's me or the Golden Roc or the Heavenly Grandmaster, no one would choose to do so. It's just like how we know that as long as someone challenges s.h.i.+ Tianjing outright, we can inflict a greater degree of damage and slow down his recovery process, but no one would voluntarily step forward to be the sacrificial lamb. It's the same logic as why no one would be the first person to battle the Golden Roc even though his item can only be used once."
The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage sighed, "With the current strength displayed by the Celestial Sect's Leader, the price to pay for an ambush attack on him would be too great unless he enters the Death Sea by his own will, so great that no one is willing to bear the consequences, so great that the Great Void Sect and every other force in the Divine Lands cannot wait for us to give it a shot."