541 The Other Arm Bone (1/2)

The invincible aura of the blow shone with the eternal brightness of the Grand Sun. The enlightening radiance of the Buddha dispelled darkness from the world.

Ji Shan felt the blinding light spill all over him. His entire self was being enveloped in a divine glaze. From the surface of his skin to the very insides of his body and the depths of his Vital Spirit, the illumination of the stroke penetrated and radiated every thought within him. No secrets remained unknown before the enemy's sight, allowing his foe to shape his designs around the revealed thoughts of his own.

The penetration of his enemy's blow came with a scorching sensation that ignited the air around him. It melted the Protective Upstanding Qi that shielded him from all fronts, dwarfing even the actual blows of the sword itself.

The Vairocana Swordplay!

Ji Shan believed, without a shadow of a doubt, that this sword art was capable of killing most enemies when cast to its extreme! Yet, standing before Vairocana Swordplay, he felt as weak as a shaved lamb. He felt like he was no more than a small, puny target of his opponent!

The thought barely crossed his mind when his heart seized, putting him on high alert. The Apertures around his body unsealed. In his mind was the image of the Vajra of Illumination, a sobriquet of the Vairocana Buddha, one of the many Dharmic Forms, that was cultivated by disciplines of the Jin Gang Temple.

The golden body chipped away to reveal the white flesh underneath, manifesting the 32 physical characteristics of Buddha. Ji Shan's soul instantly turned clear and bright when the body appeared.

Not only was there a blow from such divine a discipline of the blade from one's Vital Spirit and physical body, the strokes of the Vairocana Swordplay could also unleash undetectable attacks and damages imbued with scorching heat. This depicted the advent of the Vairocana Buddha himself!

”What a terrifying discipline of swordsmanship indeed!”

Ji Shan pursed his lips solemnly with a solemn expression, integrating his mind and body with his Buddhist Commandment Blade.

”So what if you can tell the reactions of my body and Vital Spirit?”

”I'll fight you head-on frankly and squarely!”

Ji Shan raised his blade, which was entwined with swirling Buddha light. There were not many changes in his blade and there was no sword light that attempted to ambush Meng Qi from other directions. His blade was courageous and aggressive as it hacked Meng Qi fearlessly.

The blade cut through the temptation of goddesses as well as the brilliant and varied desires between men and women!

The blade cut through the Evil Spirits that obstructed his path and hampered the road to paramita!

The blade cut through the demonizing of Buddha in the outside world and the distortion of the true teachings of Buddha!

The light of the Grand Sun that illuminated their surroundings split apart. It became hard for the light to come close to him. The sea of flames divided in half, sending waves rippling in opposing directions. Vajra-like wisdom cut through all things. With bold and powerful insight, Jin Shan used a useless 'siege' which blocked Meng Qi's strike and sent a crisp clang resounding in the air!

Meng Qi had once seen an exquisite change of the blade in the hands of Zhen Yong, the Shaolin traitor – the bladesmanship that cut through all three thousand threads of worries. However, it was completely different from Ji Shan's bladesmanship.

Ji Shan's skill with his blade was strong, firm, definite, daring, ferocious, and sharp!

The glimmer of his blade shone coldly, arcing in a swing. With an absolute clarity of mind, he severed the aura of the sword striking at him, shattering ”Wisdom”.

”Exterminate Exterior Devils; guard the Teachings of Buddhism!”

Ji Shan thrust his blade again and again with the ferocity and fearlessness of exterminating Exterior Devils. Body, soul, heart, desire, Qi, and Buddhist Commandment Blade became complete as if Vajra had manifested. The blade hacked Meng Qi, making it as if he could only attack as a means of defending himself.

Ji Shan exhaled and began opening his mouth to recite the Tantra mantra to complement Exterminating External Devil Bladesmanship. A faint golden glow surfaced, bouncing off the saber radiance and splitting the sword art!

”Cut through the Evil Spirits that throw minds into disorder!”

Ji Shan wielded his blade at an angle, resulting in a layer of golden yellow taking over the skies. Meng Qi's sword, Flowing Fire, swatted and blocked blows from left and right. Flickers of flames were sent flying all around like a sunset in the evening.

”Cut through the distorted teachings from the outside world!”

Ji Shan once again slashed with his blade without fanfare, relying purely on utter fearlessness and ferociousness as it tore apart all sorts of techniques. With sword light supporting him, Meng Qi wielded his sword to form a circle. The scorching Grand Sun fell upon them, bringing with it an endless series of explosive sounds that sent waves rolling. The force from the impact spread all over. Meng Qi had barely managed to block Ji Shan's attack.

”Cut through the Buddha and try to confuse 'me'!”

Ji Shan's voice was like Hong Zhong that shocked Meng Qi's Vital Spirit. The Buddhist Commandment Blade, like a Buddha Aura falling from the sky, extinguished the sea of flames and snuffing the sword light. All that was left the red jade.

Clank!

Meng Qi blocked the attack with his sword wielded parallel to his chest. Flames flared once again as he obstructed Ji Shan's blade with much difficulty.

Ji Shan quickly gained the upper hand without giving Meng Qi any chance to breathe. When he saw the latter continuing to 'retreat' and make only defensive moves, he almost unleashed his killing technique, Exterminating External Devil Bladesmanship. He was going to secure a victory in one fell swoop. Yet, suddenly, he realized his own Qi movement had become somewhat abnormal!

His physical body, Vital Spirit, mental, soul, blade, and Inner World were originally connected, inferring a bold and powerful fearlessness. They were the roots of his Exterminating External Devils Bladesmanship, harmonious inside and outside!

But in this very moment, he could no longer feel the connection between his body and blade. Flaws had emerged in his firmness, ferociousness, and fearlessness!

”What's going on?”

Qi movement tugged at him, pulling him forward. Ji Shan instantly discovered what had gone wrong. He did not know since when a nick the size of a rice grain had appeared on the edge of his blade.

”To think that a nick would appear on a Buddhist Commandment Blade on the level of a Precious Weapon!”

This was akin to a bad apple spoiling the whole bunch, or a speck of ink on a spotless white paper. It had lost all resemblance of harmony!

”This...!” Countless scenarios crossed Ji Shan's mind, all of them featuring him battling Meng Qi earlier. It seemed as if his opponent's soul had been shaken by his blade and was forced into retreating again and again but each time their weapons clashed, Meng Qi had repeatedly rammed his sword into the same spot. He did it over and over until he created a nick in the blade!

”He'd done it on purpose!”

Ji Shan felt ill at ease. There was a flaw in his fearlessness and his wielding of the blade became somewhat sluggish. Meng Qi laughed brightly. His sword, which he had suppressed to its extreme, finally erupted!

Boom!

With the ringing of the enormous explosion resonating through the air, flames erupted like waves with its heat melting a layer off the ground.

Meng Qi's sword morphed into the Grand Sun and charged straight at Ji Shan's chest.

Ji Shan brandished his blade with great difficulty in an attempt to block the sword but he had lost his immense firmness and fearlessness earlier. Those feelings were like a piece of glazed tile – once there was a flaw in them, it would be close to impossible to repair them!

Thud!

Ji Shan's blade collided with Meng Qi's sword but what resounded was not the sound of gold and iron colliding. Instead, a terrible explosion rang out as the red sunlight engulfed Ji Shan whole.

Ji Shan fell to the bottom of the sea of flames. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Meng Qi struck him from high above.

He transformed his left hand into a palm knife and wielded a sword in his right hand. The saber momentum was so heavy that it caused distortions in the void. His sword light was burning as it illuminated everything.

Detecting an inexplicable premonition of danger, Ji Shan brandished his blade with his movements alternating between a great speed and sluggishness. His blade trembled continuously, every shudder cutting off all kinds of worries. He counted with fingers on his left hand as it surfaced with a dark golden glow. Then, he pointed his finger with the will of conquering every obstacle before him.

Layers of misty golden yellow glow appeared all around them as if they were in the Womb Realm. This was admittedly Vajra!

Before the Vajra Realm, Meng Qi's palm knife and sword abruptly collided with each other!

Thud!