In the silence of the tomb chamber, Bai Hongtu’s voice, though not loud, still reached everyone’s ears. Just moments ago, everyone’s attention had been drawn to the massive bronze coffin, and in that distraction, no one had noticed the presence of an extra person. Now, everyone quickly raised their torches and began shining them around at those nearby, trying to figure out who exactly was the extra one. With that, all footsteps came to a halt. But in such a rush, no one could tell who didn’t belong, and that was deeply unsettling. These people were all cultivators from the martial and Daoist worlds, and most of them were already familiar with each other, especially the monks and Daoists gathered for this exorcism mission. In a group , any unfamiliar face should have stood out immediately. Yet now, no one could identify who the intruder was. Just then, Daoist Master Yuanyi’s eyes turned icy cold. He pulled a talisman from his robe and shouted sharply, “By command, reveal yourself!” The talisman burst into flames, and suddenly, everyone’s vision seemed to clear. A black shadow shot up from within the crowd, leaping into the air in an instant. The Daoist who had used the coin-sword earlier instantly reacted and stabbed upward, thereafter a streak of golden sword-light burst forth. But the shadowy figure merely swatted it aside, blocking the sword light with a single palm. The coin-sword, a commonly used Daoist artifact, was known for its power to repel evil and suppress spirits. The Daoist had reacted quickly, striking without hesitation. That sword light should have heavily wounded any malicious spirit, but to their shock, it was blocked effortlessly by the black shadow’s hand. “You’re not getting away!” Li Yanchu let out a thunderous roar, and his voice cracked like thunder in a clear sky. With a single motion, he slashed out with his saber. An unstoppable and overwhelming brilliant arc of saber qi exploded forth, hurtling straight at the shadow. The force of the strike extended out five, six, no, seven zhang in a single breath. The temperature around them instantly spiked, a wave of scorching heat rippling outward, forcing the surrounding cultivators to quickly retreat. In midair, the black shadow was struck by the saber light, and a deafening clang rang out. In an instant, the shadow was sent hurtling down. Li Yanchu raised his palm, and from his palm burst forth a surge of powerful qi. Divine Astral Hands! Crane Control Hand and Dragonbind Hand! The black shadow was instantly dragged toward him. It was completely out of control, as if pulled by an overwhelming force. Master Shenshan took out his gold alms bowl, casting it high into the air with a powerful toss. The gold alms bowl hummed in midair, releasing a dazzling light of golden Buddha's light. With that, the black shadow was instantly trapped and unable to move. Li Yanchu raised an eyebrow, a strange thought flashing through his mind. He couldn’t help but think of the scene where the Six-Eared Macaque[1] was trapped beneath the gold alms bowl by the Buddha himself. At this moment, the crowd could finally see the true form of the black shadow. It was a fierce and savage-looking black-furred old ape. Now that it was restrained beneath Master Shenshan’s gold alms bowl[2], streams of black qi began to seep from its body. This old ape had brushed off the Daoist’s coin-sword light with a mere wave, and even after being hit directly by Li Yanchu’s saber qi, it remained completely unscathed. Clearly, its body was as tough as iron and stone, with a hide tough as bronze; it was nearly indestructible. Everyone looked at each other in stunned silence. Who would have guessed that the one who had cast the illusion to confuse and deceive them all wasn’t a person, but an old ape! “Amitābha...” Master Shenshan’s eyes gleamed with surprise. “This old ape is steeped in demonic qi, and it’s clearly a spirit beast who has cultivated into a true monster.” Even someone like Master Shenshan hadn’t realized there was such a creature among them. Its illusion arts had clearly reached an extremely advanced level. “Demonic creature, spawn of evil, your end has come!” Daoist Master Yuanyi said coldly. After suffering continuous losses upon entering the tomb and now standing in the main burial chamber, the abbot of Yongxing Temple had acted decisively and ruthlessly. The long sword in his hand gleamed with a cold azure light as he slashed out in a single, swift strike. Seeing this, the ferocious black-furred old ape showed a flash of fear in its eyes, and it was strangely human in expression. It immediately spat out a stream of black light from its mouth, directly colliding with Daoist Master Yuanyi’s spiritual sword! The sound echoed like a massive bronze bell, and everyone felt the stairway beneath them tremble slightly. To everyone’s shock, the old ape actually broke free and launched itself straight at Daoist Master Yuanyi. In its hand, it wielded a weapon, a Demonslayer Pestle. Despite Yuanyi’s mastery in swordsmanship and the profound depth of his Daoist magic, the two were evenly matched. Just moments ago, the tomb guardian beast, a fearsome evil spirit, had been instantly slain by Yuanyi with a single sword strike. That had proven this Yongxing Temple abbot was a cultivator of true great Dao attainment. And yet now, this old ape wielding a Demonslayer Pestle was actually capable of fighting him head-on in combat. Its movements were astonishingly fast, and its strikes were fierce and precise. It was not at all like a beast, but more like a seasoned martial arts master from the jianghu skilled in combat techniques! “An old demon ape can wield a Buddhist Demonslayer Pestle?!” an elderly monk exclaimed in disbelief. Fresh chapters posted on n0velfire.net The Demonslayer Pestle was a Buddhist artifact. Its base had a three-pronged spike, while its top featured carvings of three Buddha faces: one smiling, one angry, and one scolding. It was typically used in Estoric Buddhist disciplines to subdue evil spirits, and it carried an immense aura of authority and force. In Esoteric Buddhism[3] tradition, even monks could only use it after being empowered by their masters, and only then could its true power be unleashed. And yet now, a demonic ape from a tomb could wield it, which was truly astonishing. In just moments, the old ape and Daoist Master Yuanyi had exchanged dozens of blows, and the sounds of their clash echoed throughout the tomb chamber. Waves of visible shockwaves spread outward from the impact, making it difficult for onlookers to even stay upright. And as the Demonslayer Pestle clashed with Yuanyi’s spiritual sword, it even gave off a faint sense of oppression. Master Shenshan took a bold step forward, his expression stern and commanding. “This demon ape is steeped in demonic sorcery. Everyone, join forces and subdue it, lest more chaos arise!” If Daoist Master Yuanyi continued to fight the old ape alone, it might stir up some deeper, hidden danger within the tomb. And besides, they had yet to meet the true master of this burial chamber. Wasting too much time on this ape was unwise. This highly respected monk, bearing a solemn and dignified presence, didn't hesitate after speaking. Immediately, he stepped forward and struck with a palm straight at the demon ape without any hesitation. This old monk is seriously fierce... Li Yanchu’s pupils narrowed slightly. And it wasn’t just about raw power, when Master Shenshan made his move, golden light erupted, revealing the profound depth of his Buddhist cultivation. Such decisiveness instilled a deep sense of trust. Seeing the high monk take action, the rest of the group surged forward as well, joining forces to attack the ape wielding the Demonslayer Pestle. In an instant, a mighty onslaught erupted, and everyone unleashed their abilities in unison. This was the power of numbers. No matter how fast or brutal the old ape was, it couldn't withstand an attack from so many seasoned cultivators. Within moments, it had been struck seven or eight times. Patches of fur were torn from its body, and faint traces of blood began to emerge beneath the hide. No doubt about it, the old ape could take a beating. Any ordinary monster caught in such a group assault would’ve been instantly annihilated. But this one? It had only suffered light injuries so far. Master Huizhen swung his massive and weighty monk staff with devastating force before smashing it into the ape’s back and causing it to stagger forward. The old ape bared its teeth in pain, snarling as it lashed out in return. Its strike was so fast, it looked like a flurry of phantom arms. By the time Master Huizhen reacted, the Demonslayer Pestle was already at his chest! Yan Chixiao swept in with a horizontal slash. His ghost-headed saber howled through the air with immense force and momentum. 1. The Six-Eared Macaque (Chinese: 六耳獼猴; pinyin: Liù'ěr míhóu) is a major antagonist and one of the most powerful characters in Wu Cheng'en's fantasy novel Journey to the West, best remembered for closely impersonating Sun Wukong (Monkey King). ☜ 2. The Gold Alms Bowl is an important artifact in Journey to the West. It was a gift personally bestowed by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty to his imperial brother, Master Tripitaka (Tang Sanzang), for use in collecting alms during his pilgrimage. ☜ 3. Esoteric Buddhism is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition that emphasizes esoteric practices and rituals aimed at rapid spiritual awakening. Emerging between the 5th and 7th centuries CE in medieval India. It incorporates a range of techniques, including the use of mantras (sacred sounds), dhāraṇīs (mnemonic codes), mudrās (symbolic hand gestures), mandalas (spiritual diagrams), and the visualization of deities and Buddhas. These practices are designed to transform ordinary experiences into paths toward enlightenment, often by engaging with aspects of desire and aversion in a ritualized context. ☜