These Buddha images had originally been only faintly visible, but within a short while they burst forth with brilliant golden light, transforming into solid statues. Each one shone with a resplendent glow, as though forged entirely of pure gold. "Form and golden body!" the young man in crimson robes exclaimed, momentarily stunned. Yet upon carefully scanning the eighteen Buddha statues with his consciousness, he scoffed with disdain. "Even if these are merely simplified replicas, eighteen such golden bodies are more than sufficient to subdue demons and drive away spirits." The elder monk replied calmly, suddenly pressing his palms together in a series of gestures, and instantly a seven-colored halo of several zhang in diameter appeared behind his head. As the eighteen golden Buddha statues came into contact with this seven-colored glow, their eyes opened one by one, and they began to move—raising arms and legs, coming to life. Seeing this, the blood-bodied form grew serious, fell silent, and reached one hand to his own back. A sharp, piercing cry rang out, and suddenly, a massive, vividly red skeletal figure, seemingly composed entirely of blood, emerged mysteriously. This creature was nearly five or six zhang in size, its entire body composed of luminous, fresh-red bones, with countless strands of gray-white energy swirling around it. As soon as it appeared, it roared violently, spewing out beams of blood-colored light, and a fierce aura surged skyward. As for the five silver rings, at the very moment they were thrown, they transformed into five massive, side-by-side rings, as if five silver full moons had appeared in the sky, emitting a low, resonant hum and then descending steadily downward. Master Jin Yue's speed of action was no slower than that of the silver-haired elder; with a continuous stream of incantations, the eighteen golden Buddha statues surrounding him suddenly vanished in an eerie flash. In the next instant, the golden glow brightened around the blood-robed youth, and a dozen Buddha statues materialized silently, though his hands and feet remained still—steady, invisible forces pressed down upon the center with immense pressure. Though his blood-bodied form grew gloomy, after a sharp exhalation, blood-colored magical clouds surged from his skin. With a simple sweep of his sleeves, countless blood-lit orbs shot out in all directions, while at the same time, the blood-colored skeletons behind him blurred and dissolved, directly transforming into a translucent silhouette facing the seven-colored fire bird. At that moment, the area around the blood cloud erupted with thunderous roars, as the two silver-haired elders, relying on their treasures, arrayed defenses, and arrayed spells, engaged the Saint Ancestral Form in fierce combat. "Boom!" A deep, thunderous crash! Han Li felt a sudden warmth in his hands, as two mountain-sized peaks—each over fifteen zhang high—detached themselves and shot skyward. His body trembled, and he recoiled backward several zhang before rolling over to regain balance, hovering motionless in the air. A faint, unusual shade of deep crimson briefly flashed across his face. As for the magian warrior on the opposite side, his form shook violently and he stepped back several zhang, releasing the pair of dark green, massive maces he had previously conjured. On the other side, the three-headed, six-armed golden-bodied figure fought with a creature resembling a mountain spirit, entirely black as ink, in lively, spirited combat. With each exchange of blows, the golden figure flashed with brilliant light and burst into continuous splinters of radiance, while the black monster's dark aura surged, sending sharp, blinding streaks of black light forth, accompanied by piercing, Yet regardless of whether it was the holy golden form of the Buddhist saint or the humanoid monster across from him, whenever their powerful blows struck the opponent, they seemed utterly indifferent—no more than if they were tapping a fly on the wall. At most, the opponent would sway slightly before launching another flurry of attacks, as though invulnerable. "Indeed, indeed. Just now, you've managed to hold your own solely with your physical strength—this is truly the first time I've seen such a feat. But if that's all you've got, then I suspect you have no intention of continuing." The magical race warrior shook his slightly burning wrist, his earlier fiery expression now replaced by a calm, composed demeanor. "Don't you find my words excessive?" replied Han Li, expressionless, as a surge of powerful spiritual energy flowed through his body, instantly restoring his earlier discomfort. "Hmph. I've rarely been so generous as to extend my mercy. I've even wished to give you a little more time. If you're not grateful, then I shall send you on your way!" The magical warrior roared with laughter, and behind him, the ever-present shadow gradually solidified into a massive, three-headed magical lion. As the lion's form became fully visible, a powerful aura radiating far stronger than before surged outward from his body. At the same time, a layer of crimson light flame burst forth from the warrior's blood-armored suit, instantly enveloping him completely. After a fierce snarl, the warrior slowly raised both hands, spread his fingers toward where Han Li stood, and then closed his eyes. The six eyes of the lion's three heads, which had been tightly shut, slowly opened, fixed steadily on the giant ape, their emerald-green pupils reflecting calm and emotionless. Han Li, witnessing this, instantly felt a deep sense of dread spread through his body, his heart racing as he gasped in alarm. With a single hand gesture, he summoned the golden-bodied saint who had been battling the black monster at a distance—now vanishing into thin air—and as his own form expanded, he transformed into a colossal golden-furred ape, towering over a dozen zhang in height. A flash of golden light behind the giant ape revealed a three-armed, six-limbed golden form, which then surged forward to merge completely with the giant ape. The golden ape's aura surged significantly, and with a simple separation of his hands, two mountain peaks—one green and one black—materialized spontaneously within his palms. At that moment, the large Han man across from them flashed a bloodlight from both palms, launching two thick, almost solid blood columns that seemed tangible. Simultaneously, the magical lion behind him opened its three mouths, emitting three distinct beams of light—green, white, and black. In a single instant, these five beams converged and fused into one broader, four-colored beam. Though silent, this beam carried an immense and terrifying power, causing even the newly transformed Han Li to shiver with a sudden cold draft. Without hesitation, he radiated a soft, misty glow from both palms, channeling a continuous surge of inner magical energy into the two mountain peaks. A thunderous roar, and the two dark mountain peaks merely flickered, rising into towering flashes hundreds of zhang high, shielding the giant ape thoroughly. As the four-hued light pillars surged and struck the mountains, a colossal sound like the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting erupted. Instantly, a spectrum of luminous halos appeared before the peaks, and the surging waves of light, rolling forward, condensed into a towering column over a thousand zhang high, completely engulfing both mountains and the giant ape behind them. Amidst the flickering light, the surfaces of the two peaks twisted and trembled, rapidly shrinking and reverting, vanishing completely within mere breaths. Without the obstruction of the two peaks, the overwhelming power surged directly toward the giant ape. The golden-mantled giant ape roared in fury, and the black magical armor on its body surged with black mist, from which countless black runes surged forth, forming a vast luminous shield that successfully repelled the seemingly invincible waves of light. Under the impact and interweaving of radiant flames and black runes, a thunderous roar echoed, sending shivers through the listeners. The luminous screen formed by the black runes warped and blurred, emitting a sharp, strained creaking sound, as though it were on the verge of collapsing. The golden-mantled giant ape roared in astonishment and fury; as golden light rippled across its body, it surged in size more than tenfold. Simultaneously, brilliant radiance flared up on either side of its head and beneath its form, and two additional heads and four golden arms materialized, transforming it into a three-headed, six-armed celestial giant. Immediately upon completing the transformation, all six arms reached skyward, and six brilliant golden beams rose, converging before it to form a golden vortex that instantly expanded to the size of an acre. With only a slight rotation, the vortex generated a tremendous force, which then collided powerfully with the various streams of light and flame. After another deafening roar, waves of golden wind surged outward like a hurricane, distorting the surrounding void and emitting sharp, piercing cries—as if tearing the very space apart. At a distance, the magian warrior watched in astonishment, his face pale. With a swift thought, he closed his palms together, and the golden beam he had been projecting instantly vanished. Yet the warrior now bore a faint look of weariness, as though his earlier attack had drained a significant portion of his true energy. Simultaneously, his three magical lions behind him closed their mouths, halting their assault, and their six eyes dimmed noticeably. However, when the extraordinary spectacle finally settled and the true scene revealed itself, the warrior's expression changed—his mouth twitched, and for the first time, genuine astonishment spread across his face. There, the golden giant ape stood motionless at a distance, yet his six arms continuously formed intricate gestures. The golden vortex that had originally spanned an acre in size not only remained intact but had now expanded by more than tenfold. It pulsed and swelled with a steady hum, and from its center, waves of pale gold radiated outward, appearing profoundly mysterious. "My strike just now, in terms of power, was no less than a casual blow from a late-stage cultivator. Yet you remained unharmed—so I must admit, I truly underestimated you." The magian man said, his eyes flashing with surprise. "It would have been impolite of me to speak thus after you've received my attack. You may say it now." The giant ape, with six cold, piercing eyes, spoke in crisp, human tones. Then, he shook his six arms simultaneously and reached forward with a forceful grasp into the void. "Pfft!" The massive vortex spun rapidly and was then compressed by an invisible, powerful force into a golden orb no larger than a human head. Then, the giant ape suddenly stepped forward with a powerful stride, and as his massive body and the luminous sphere in front of him blurred, they vanished simultaneously—without a trace—right where they had been. At that instant, the magical warrior's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly lifted his head. Now, the sky was ablaze with golden light, and the giant ape had silently ascended to a lofty height, hurling the golden orb in his hands downward with great force. --- Next chapter to be updated tomorrow afternoon!