Chapter 308: The Divine Monkey's Bold Display and the Exposure of Elder Li

Chapter 308: The Divine Monkey's Bold Display and the Exposure of Elder Li

The mountain peach trees and almond blossoms hinted at the arrival of spring.

In the midst of Flower Fruit Mountain, spring was in full bloom, with vibrant colors and a lively atmosphere.

Chattering and noisy sounds filled the air, echoing through the mountain ranges without end.

On the green trees, among the branches, monkeys of various colors—golden, brown, gray, white, and more—leaped and frolicked with agility.

Their eyes twinkled with a lively glow, observing the figures below on the mountain's foot and the climbing path.

Scratching their ears and chins, they seemed curious about what these people were doing.

But everyone knew that these monkeys were not real; everything was an illusion.

This world, or rather, this Flower Fruit Mountain, was a false image constructed by the divine nature of a temple deity.

The powerful cultivators present were no weaklings; they were all Martial Saints and Divine Embryo Realm experts, transcending the mundane and successfully shedding their mortal forms.

They could naturally perceive the uniqueness of Flower Fruit Mountain.

However, no one dared to break this illusion. They lifted their heads, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation, gazing at the monk Wu Gang from Xiaolingyin Temple, who was climbing the stone path.

Wu Gang's dust-free cloth shoes stepped onto the three-hundredth step, his palms pressed together, and a spring breeze carrying the sounds of birds and flowers blew by, causing Wu Gang's gray monk robe to flutter.

The evergreen pines were robust, their needles dense and hanging low, growing on both sides of the stone path, like mirror images.

"Amitabha."

Wu Gang gazed at Li Che, seated cross-legged on two green stones.

They looked almost identical, making it impossible to tell them apart.

However, Wu Gang didn't mind. With his palms still pressed together, he looked at the two Li Che seated on the green stones, his three opponents, each guarding a different pass. This Li Che should be the weakest and the easiest to pass.

After all, although Li Che was a Divine Falcon Demi-Saint, he relied on the powerful innate talent of the Divine Falcon to forcefully break through to that realm.

According to Wu Gang's understanding, Li Che's martial cultivation was merely at the Divine Wind Grandmaster level, and his divine nature had barely reached the Divine Essence stage.

Compared to Wu Gang, the Vajra Martial Saint of Xiaolingyin Temple, the difference was vast.

It was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Therefore, Wu Gang was confident that with such a significant gap, how could Li Che possibly pretend in front of him?

Moreover, Wu Gang trusted his heaven-human resonance ability, which allowed him to easily discern the authenticity of Li Che's body. The weaker the cultivation, the more flaws would be exposed.

"Li Half-Saint, I apologize for any offense."

Wu Gang bowed.

The next moment, as he straightened his body, his spine seemed to transform into a golden heavenly dragon, coiling and roaring around him. The dazzling and cool dragon scales reflected countless rays of light.

"Great Vajra Dragon!"

"Buddha's Empty Eye!"

Wu Gang's tall and robust body seemed to emit the sound of bones rubbing against each other and muscles vibrating like a deep bell. His body emanated a faint golden hue.

An incredibly powerful martial will surged forth, like an angry Buddha's roar, a Vajra's wrath!

Rip!

His gray monk's robe instantly tore open, revealing Wu Gang's steel-like physique. On his body, bulging muscles flowed with strong visual impact.

It was as if a golden dragon shadow was roaming above him!

After Wu Gang tore open his clothes, his chest seemed to split open.

The flesh and blood parted to the sides, revealing a blood-colored eye that slowly opened!

Boom, boom, boom!

A terrifying pressure, like a flood, shook the entire Flower Fruit Mountain's path.

It had begun!

At the foot of the mountain, on the large plaza.

Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and other powerful cultivators still present looked on with focused gazes.

They wanted to see what this so-called discernment of true and false bodies was all about.

"Hmph! Xiaolingyin Temple's top-tier divine seed has cultivated the Great Vajra Dragon martial art!"

On the plaza, the dragon clan member Ao Lie, wearing a star constellation mask, snorted in anger.

Cultivating the Great Vajra Dragon required killing a dragon, extracting its bones, tendons, marrow, and soul, refining them into the Dragon Phoenix Pill, and then consuming it to suppress the dragon's soul within the body. Finally, by taming the soul with Buddha's secret techniques, one could transform into the Great Vajra Dragon!

For the dragon clan, it was an extremely sinister secret technique!

Hateful to the extreme!

"That's Buddha's Empty Eye!"

"A top-tier Buddha's eye technique. This martial monk has specifically cultivated Buddha's Empty Eye. It seems he came to the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect to target the Two-Hearted Great Saint's Odd Temple."

Ning He, the Martial Saint from the Seven Treasures Sect, who had seen and experienced much, exclaimed in surprise.

"Buddha's eye techniques are indeed powerful. This Li Che's true and false bodies will likely be exposed soon."

Guchuan from the Heavenly Core Sect also nodded.

However, he wasn't in a hurry. If it were that easy, everyone would have rushed to be the first.

In fact, the main challenge was likely to discern the authenticity of that precious staff.

The staff's authenticity should be more difficult to determine than that of the opponent's true and false bodies.

In their understanding, the test set by the temple deity was more like a process to help them adapt to discerning true and false bodies. At least, when facing the true and false tests of the Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff, they wouldn't be at a loss.

In this sense, the Two-Hearted Great Saint's temple deity was indeed considerate...

Xuan Yin from the Mysterious Talisman Sect, Guchuan from the Heavenly Core Sect, and Ning He from the Seven Treasures Sect, all powerful cultivators, had a hint of anticipation in their hearts.

Especially Ning He, whose goal was directly aimed at that Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff.

Suddenly, Yue Wei Zheng, the young Path Master who had been observing closely, exclaimed in surprise.

"What's happening?"

"What's happening to Master Wu Gang?"

His exclamation interrupted the thoughts of the three powerful cultivators from other sects.

They looked up, only to be stunned.

Because...

On the stone steps, Wu Gang, who had unleashed the Great Vajra Dragon and activated Buddha's Empty Eye, was trembling violently. The frequency of his golden, steel-like body's tremors even exceeded their imagination.

It was as if they were facing some great terror.

"What's happening?"

Due to the distance of three hundred steps from Huaguo Mountain, in the world constructed by the Temple Deity's divine nature, they couldn't use Heaven-Human Resonance or Heaven-Earth Soul to investigate.

Instantly, they were shrouded in confusion.

...

...

Wu Gang's body trembled like chaff, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, and his bald head, with only nine scar marks, was covered in fine beads of sweat.

The Buddha's eye in his chest, which tore through flesh and blood, was also bloodshot, and the eyeball was spinning at an incredibly fast speed, as if... it had short-circuited.

"Why?! Why can't I see through it?! Why can't I see the truth?!"

"Why... can't I see through it? Can't I see the truth?!"

"Why? I, Buddha... can't see the truth!"

Wu Gang's body shook.

This Buddha's Empty Eye wasn't something he had cultivated himself; it was specifically given to him by the Yellow Eyebrow Grand Mage for this journey. A Martial Saint who had crossed the Sea of Qi and ascended the Mountain Path had gouged out his own cultivated Buddha's Empty Eye!

This Empty Eye was transplanted into Wu Gang's body so that he could, during this test of the Temple Deity, see through illusions, find the true opportunity, and obtain the Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff, thereby bringing the Two-Minded Great Sage back to the Buddha's realm!

Although it wasn't his own cultivated Buddha's Empty Eye...

It was, after all, the Buddha's Empty Eye cultivated by a powerful Martial Saint who had crossed the Sea of Qi and ascended the Mountain Path! In Wu Gang's body, it was just a Divine Seed, but in reality... it was the transformation of that Martial Saint!

Therefore, this Buddha's eye possessed the power of True Martial!

However...

He still couldn't see through it!

The Buddha's gaze fell upon the two Li Che sitting beneath the ancient pine and green stone.

The feedback he received was...

He still couldn't see through it!

It was as if both were real, and yet, at the same time... both were fake! This situation made Wu Gang even suspect that the Buddha's eye, due to the transplantation, was incompatible, jeopardizing this crucial task!

Wu Gang stared intently at the Li Che sitting cross-legged beneath the ancient pine, his black robe fluttering gently in the breeze, and his face adorned with a golden lotus.

Li Che smiled gently, appearing honest and straightforward.

Wu Gang had no doubts about Li Che's actions; after all, how could a straightforward and honest Divine Falcon Demi-Saint play tricks on him? Even if Wu Gang suspected the Buddha's eye was faulty, he didn't suspect Li Che.

Wu Gang's towering body, like a treasure tower, almost lost its balance, swaying as if about to tumble down the mountain path.

But he took a firm step, bracing himself against the shaking.

His five fingers pressed against his chest, gripping tightly the Buddha's eye that kept rolling and revealing its whites.

He forced his eyelids shut!

Since he couldn't see through it, he'd close the Buddha's eye for him!

Wu Gang roared, the veins on his forehead throbbing as if about to burst, his pupils shrinking to the size of sesame seeds. His body swelled, and heat rose from his skin as if he had entered a state of frenzy!

This was Wu Gang, the martial monk of Xiaolingyin Temple, usually calm and taciturn.

But once he entered a combat state, he would go into a frenzy, even to the point of madness!

He called himself... Buddha!

"Damn it! If I can't see the truth, I'll close the Buddha's eye myself!"

Wu Gang's body was covered in steel-like muscles, and the Great Vajra Dragon coiled around him. He stared at the two Li Che sitting calmly on the green stone.

They both seemed to be full of flaws, neither resembling their true forms, more like false bodies!

But Wu Gang knew that the Temple Deity of the Odd Temple would never allow two false bodies to sit before it; this meant that one of them was undoubtedly real!

It was just that Buddha was too foolish to see through it!

But it didn't matter; Buddha would rely on his own intuition!

Buddha closed his eyes, then opened them wide, clenching his fist tightly. The air on the mountain path surged as Wu Gang, with a ferocious expression, extended his index finger.

"Recruiting soldiers and generals, from the highest to the lowest, Buddha will choose whoever he points at!"

Finally, his finger hovered over the Li Che on the left, sitting on the green stone with a look of disbelief.

"It's you!"

"Buddha... has chosen you!"

Wu Gang's temples throbbed, and he broke into a wide grin.

Humm—!!!

"Li Demi-Sage!"

Wu Gang clenched his fist and took a heavy step forward, like a mountain river bursting its banks. He was incredibly excited, his heart pounding in his chest.

The martial monk's Buddha intuition told him he had made the right choice!

This Li Che was undoubtedly the real one!

Even without the Buddha's Empty Eye, the martial monk's Buddha intuition alone could break through this situation!

Swoosh—

A gentle spring breeze blew, causing the pine needles on the ancient pine, like an umbrella canopy, to rustle and rub against each other, creating a soft rustling sound.

On the green stone, facing Wu Gang, who was excited, frenzied, and ferocious, Li Che smiled gently, his honest and straightforward face showing a hint of apology.

He spread his hands.

"Master Wu Gang, my apologies."

His gentle voice was like a steel needle, piercing Wu Gang's heart.

Swoosh—

In the gentle spring breeze, Li Che exploded into a cloud of black fog, dissipating without a trace.

"What?!"

"It was fake, truly fake?!"

How could it be fake?

His Buddha intuition had told him he had made the right choice, that he had dared to make the right decision!

But why? Wu Gang felt a bit lost, a sense of betrayal from the trust he had always held so firmly.

He turned his head sharply to look at the other Li Che in the distance.

"

"

L

"

Wu Gang staggered out of the deep pit, his face filled with confusion.

On the Buddha Chariot.

The usually calm Huang Tuo's expression changed slightly.

"Wu Gang?!"

"Wu Gang—!"

The spring thunder rumbled in his tongue, and the Buddhist chant seemed to explode in Wu Gang's ears, finally bringing him back to his senses.

His entire body trembled incessantly.

Tears streamed down Wu Gang's face as he looked at Huang Tuo, pressed his palms together, and knelt on the ground, his torn monk's robe hanging on him.

"Master, I... I can't tell, I really can't tell..."

"Who is real, who is fake, are they all fake, or are they all real..."

"My Buddha... I'm blind."

Huang Tuo was speechless, sensing that Wu Gang, at this moment, seemed to be on the verge of a demonic possession.

His heart trembled as he knew that Wu Gang had received a Buddha's Empty Eye...

How could he not tell with the Empty Eye?

Huang Tuo's figure suddenly floated out, stepping forward as if walking on lotus petals, until he reached Wu Gang. He raised his hand, and Buddhist light showered down upon Wu Gang.

Wu Gang's agitated spirit gradually calmed.

"Tell me, what happened inside the Enigmatic Tower?"

Huang Tuo asked gently, his eyes kind as he stroked Wu Gang's shaven head.

...

...

Wu Gang...

Had failed!

Xiaolingyin Temple's Martial Saint, a cultivator who had cultivated the Great Vajra Dragon and the Buddha's Empty Eye, two top-tier divine seeds, and was even able to ascend to the Spirit Transformation True Martial realm. Yet, he had failed!

The Martial Saint, known as Vajra in the Buddhist realm, had reached the same realm as other Martial Saints. The cultivation methods were essentially the same, just with different terminology in the Buddhist context.

The Martial Saint's fourth opening included the Opening Human Seed, Opening Sea of Qi, Opening Mountain Path, and Opening Heavenly Gate.

In the Buddhist context, these were referred to as Buddha Seed, Suffering Sea, Spirit Mountain, and Buddha Gate.

In reality, they were all the same martial cultivation methods.

However, it was undeniable that Wu Gang's cultivation of two top-tier divine seeds granted him immense strength.

Especially the Buddha's Empty Eye, which was terrifying!

Yet, he had still failed!

"How did I make the wrong judgment at the first stage?"

Everyone was stunned, even Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and others were at a loss.

The next moment, their faces changed slightly.

This test of divine armament was more challenging than they had imagined.

"I don't believe it, I'll give it a try!"

Ao Lie, the Dragon Prince, wearing a constellation mask, gave a cold smile.

His black robe fluttered as he climbed the three hundred steps of the mountain path.

Like Wu Gang, he saw two honest Li Che sitting cross-legged under the ancient pine.

Ao Lie's purple eyes flashed with the power of the Dragon God, as if communicating with the dragon's power to form a unique heaven-human connection, trying to discern the real Li Che.

In the depths of his purple eyes, it seemed as if the dragon's head tilted slightly to the left.

Without hesitation, Ao Lie made his move.

But before he could act, the honest Li Che spread his hands, and his body exploded into black mist.

"Fake?"

Confusion and bewilderment flashed in Ao Lie's eyes.

Boom! A giant palm of Buddhist light descended from above.

At the three hundredth step of the Fruit Mountain path.

Ao Lie also disappeared, expelled from the tower.

In the open square.

Silence prevailed, except for the sound of the spring breeze rustling the leaves and the constant cries of the monkeys on both sides.

"How could this be?!"

Xuan Yin, the Divine Embryo of the Mysterious Talisman Sect, furrowed her brows.

Her white skirt fluttered as she climbed the mountain path and took out a fifth-rank middle-tier Illusion-breaking Talisman, a divine talisman.

Her first opponent in discerning the real from the fake was also Li Che.

Before the talisman could burn out, a giant hand of condensed Buddhist light slammed down.

Bang, bang, bang! The Buddha's hand kept falling.

The entire Fruit Mountain shook incessantly.

One powerhouse after another was eliminated, expelled from the Enigmatic Tower in disbelief and bewilderment.

Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and Ding Zi were completely stunned by the situation.

It was truly unexpected.

"Is it... that Elder Li Che... is poisonous?"

"Why are those who choose Elder Li Che all expelled?"

Elder Ding Zi spoke up, his voice filled with doubt.

Li Che pressed the Divine Monkey mask on his face, and indeed, the situation was as he had imagined.

The real Li Che was a Painting Immortal's clone, and the fake Li Che was created by the Two-Hearted Great Sage.

Whether it was Wu Gang's Empty Eye, Ao Lie's Dragon God's purple eyes, or Xuan Yin's Illusion-breaking Talisman, they all discerned the real Li Che among the two.

However, their methods couldn't see through the power of the Painting Immortal's Dao Fruit.

According to Li Che's speculation, the power of the Dao Fruit might even involve the Dao Essence.

Therefore, at their level, they couldn't see through it!

As for breaking this stalemate...

"Perhaps, only those with unwavering faith in their choices, whose hearts won't waver due to external influences, can truly pass the first test."

Li Che smiled behind his Divine Monkey mask.

Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and Ding Zi were momentarily stunned.

They looked at the Netherworld Sacred Monkey.

The monkey dusted off his ink-colored robe and took a step, landing on the stone path.

"Now it's much quieter."

A faint voice drifted from the monkey's mouth.

The mountain path opened.

The monkey climbed the three hundred steps, reaching its first opponent.

Under the ancient pine, two martial monks sat in meditation.

Li Che's opponents were Wu Gang, Yue Wei Zheng, and the Constellation Killer, Ao Lie.

Watching the two monks chanting "Amitabha" in unison.

Li Che raised his hand and pointed at the Heaven-Crossing Face.

In an instant, the blood flesh between his eyebrows opened, revealing the Star-Plucking Eye...

Golden light swept over.

Instantly locking onto Wu Gang’s True Form.

Boom—!

The moment Wu Gang burst forth, Li Che detonated the Divine Seed, and the powerful Heaven-Human Induction descended, causing the mountain winds to howl and the air currents to rage!

At the bottom of the grand plaza.

Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and the others were stunned!

"Divine Monkey... broke through to Martial Saint?!"

They had seen the Netherworld Sacred Monkey before, and back then, he was definitely not a Martial Saint! Yet now, he had already broken through and achieved the rank of Martial Saint.

When did he break through?

How could the Saint Tribulation go completely unnoticed?

Could the Netherworld have some method to suppress Heavenly Tribulations, allowing him to transcend silently?!

On the stone path.

Because Wu Gang had been expelled from the Enigmatic Tower, after Li Che identified Wu Gang’s True Form, there was no need for Li Che to act; Wu Gang’s True Form immediately collapsed and vanished.

Whoosh—

The mountain wind blew past.

After three hundred steps, another three hundred steps, finally, someone stepped forward.

In the silent gazes of Gongshu Jingjun and the others.

They saw the Netherworld Sacred Monkey ascending step by step, unimpeded by the Second Gate’s Yue Wei Zheng and the Third Gate’s Constellation Killer Long Zi Ao Lie.

Under the Star-Plucking Eye, the true and false forms were easily discerned by Li Che.

In the blink of an eye.

The Divine Monkey appeared at the Summit of Fruit Mountain, beside the cascading waterfall.

The Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff was planted right in the center of the waterfall.

Dividing into three, then six, and finally nine!

Nine radiant gold Willful Golden Iron Divine Staffs were planted in the waterfall.

The Two-Minded Great Saint Temple Deity, floating in the air, opened and closed its eyes, the Buddha light radiating from behind.

As if curious...

Which choice the Divine Monkey would make.

Nine Willful Golden Iron Divine Staffs.

Too difficult to choose!

True and false, which one is real, which one is fake?!

On the grand plaza, Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and the others had already given up on choosing the Willful Golden Iron Divine Staffs. They looked at Huazhongxian’s Li Che with some regret.

"Senior Li, it’s really a pity..."

"You were able to carve the Two-Minded Great Saint Temple Deity statue... you actually had a great chance with this Sacred Pole."

Gongshu Jingjun said, somewhat unwillingly.

However, Li Che glanced at Gongshu Jingjun and Tang Xiejia, and gave a smile like a gentle breeze.

"It’s all the same."

How could it be the same...

Although the Netherworld Sacred Monkey had a good relationship with the Divine Sect, he was ultimately not a member of the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect.

"Leader Gongshu! Look quickly!"

Suddenly, Tang Xiejia’s hurried breathing echoed.

Gongshu Jingjun was taken aback, turned her head, and followed Tang Xiejia’s gaze to the summit of the Fruit Mountain waterfall.

They saw...

The Divine Monkey, dressed in black, sitting cross-legged, facing the nine Willful Golden Iron Divine Staffs, clenching his fingers...

A piece of ordinary wood appeared in his hand.

Then a Divine Armament Carving Knife appeared, and a flower of the knife bloomed at the tip of the Divine Monkey’s finger.

The knife landed on the wood.

He began to carve the Divine Crane with a steady hand, fully immersed in the familiar carving technique...

A temple deity statue, with every monkey hair carved with the pattern of the Two-Minded Great Saint, appeared in the Divine Monkey’s hand.

Buzz— Buzz— Buzz—

The Divine Monkey held the Two-Minded Great Saint Divine Crane statue in one hand, slowly stood up, and aimed it at the nine Willful Golden Iron Divine Staffs.

The other hand spread out its fingers.

The free-spirited Divine Monkey, the unrestrained Divine Monkey... didn’t care that this moment, carving a Demi-Saint Divine Crane would expose his identity.

The Divine Monkey... didn’t need to care about so much.

He even didn’t care about the exposure of his identity.

Facing the truth and the falsehood, perhaps, this was what the Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff expected.

Since that’s the case...

"Come."

The Fruit Mountain waterfall suddenly roared, the water exploded, reflecting the sunlight, sparkling!

Buzz— Buzz— Buzz—!

The nine Sacred Poles trembled violently, emitting a sound like the ringing of bells and drums.

In the next moment.

A brilliant hum!

The nine Sacred Poles converged into one!

Rising from the Fruit Mountain waterfall, countless streams of water instantly exploded, the waterfall surged into the sky, and then, like a torrential rain, poured down rapidly to the mortal world.

In the pouring rain, dense stick shadows appeared in the air, constantly swirling.

As if in the sky, dense stick shadows bloomed like flowers!

Finally, all the stick shadows merged into one.

Transforming into a beam of golden light, it landed in Li Che’s open hand.

A radiant golden needle...

Suspended in the palm.

The Willful Golden Iron Divine Staff!

Divine Armaments have spirits!

They choose their own masters!

On the grand plaza, Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and Ding Zi trembled uncontrollably.

Their eyes widened, all feeling disbelief.

Even if the Divine Armament chose its master... it didn’t shock them this much!

"This... this..."

Gongshu Jingjun’s body trembled slightly.

Rush— Rush— Rush—

The water from Fruit Mountain turned into a downpour, drenching him, but he seemed to have lost the awareness to use his power to dissipate the rain.

He turned his head to look at the still smiling Huazhongxian’s Li Che.

Then he looked at the Fruit Mountain waterfall.

The Divine Monkey who had just carved the Demi-Saint Divine Crane...

The Netherworld Sacred Monkey...

Was actually Senior Li?!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end