Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Of course, it wasn't just the Six-Eared Macaque; there was also that boy in white from the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Tribe. Ran Deng Buddha could see that the reason behind the Six-Eared Macaque's substantial power increase was mainly because Leng Xuan's formation had channeled the power of Jiao Demon King and others into the Six-Eared Macaque.

Otherwise, with the Six-Eared Macaque's cultivation at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level, no matter how defying or explosive he became, it wouldn't have been possible to shake the Sarcophagus Lamp activated by him!

"Could this be the reincarnation that precedes the calamity of the Immeasurable Great Catastrophe? After every Immeasurable Catastrophe, it's a time of changing heavens and earth. Could it be that this time it's the Demon Clan's turn to rise?"

A trace of gloom flashed through the heart of Ran Deng Buddha, his gaze suddenly turned ferocious, "No, I absolutely will not allow it, not at all!"

That year, he had joined the Western Cult with the honored identity of Vice Sect Hierarch of the Chan Sect, eyeing the rise of the Western Cult after the second Immeasurable Great Catastrophe, which could bring him more opportunities. Indeed, the Western Cult turned into Buddhism and gained immense merit.

Guiding Daoist ascended to become the highest ruler of the Buddhist Sect, Amitabha Buddha, only for the good times to not last long. Soon, Amitabha Buddha faced a calamity and passed away in Nirvana. The originally second-ranking hierarch of the Western Cult, Zhun Ti Daoist, went missing.

Daoist Multi-Treasure transformed into Sakyamuni, Multi-Treasure Tathagata Buddha who then took over as the new Buddha Lord, Tathagata Buddha, and most of the Buddhism's destiny and merit converged upon Tathagata Buddha.

In that upheaval, Ran Deng Buddha only acquired the position of a past Buddha Lord of the Buddhist Sect, gaining a portion of the destiny and merit, which merely pushed him to the realm of a Half-Step Saint, still crucially short of reaching the Heavenly Dao Saint level!

Now, with the third Immeasurable Great Catastrophe about to begin, Ran Deng Buddha originally thought that Buddhism would rise once more during this third Immeasurable Great Catastrophe, gaining a large amount of merit and destiny.

As a past Buddha Lord of the Buddhist Sect, he should also receive a significant share of the merit and destiny, which could eventually help him make a complete breakthrough to the Heavenly Dao Saint Realm.

However, the emergence of the powerful Demon Clan force from Flower-Fruit Mountain, along with talent-laden demons like the Six-Eared Macaque and Leng Xuan, made Ran Deng Buddha feel a deep threat. If the Demon Clan were to fully rise during this third Immeasurable Great Catastrophe, the Buddhist Sect's destiny would definitely be diluted and even robbed.

Then there would be nothing left for Ran Deng Buddha!

"Sarcophagus Lamp, endless gloom, ghost flames engulfing the heavens, burning all things to ashes!"

His hands continuously moved, drawing one Buddha Seal after another toward the Sarcophagus Lamp. A magnificent aura rose from Ran Deng Buddha's body. The ghostly fire within the Sarcophagus Lamp suddenly surged, blocking the strikes of the Seventy-Two Heaven-Shocking Staff wielded by the Six-Eared Macaque.

The staff hit against the wall of ghost flames, creating explosive sounds like thunder splitting the heavens, echoing through the entire sky, yet it did not break open the wall of flames as Leng Xuan and other demons had hoped.

Although the entire wall of flames continuously shook, it remained undamaged. Bits of ghostly fire were shaken from it but were immediately replenished by more, causing the wall to not only maintain its strength but also become denser and gradually move toward the Six-Eared Macaque and his companions under the barrage of the Seventy-Two Heaven-Shocking Strokes.

"How can this be?"

A look of despair flashed in the eyes of the Six-Eared Macaque. He had already exerted himself to the fullest, even gaining a power boost from Leng Xuan and others, but he still couldn't overcome Ran Deng Buddha, not even breaking through the ghost fire wall created by his magical treasure, the Sarcophagus Lamp.

This huge gap in strength brought about a profound heaviness of despair weighing on the Six-Eared Macaque's heart, nearly suffocating him.

"I can't believe it! Absolutely not!"

"Heaven-Shocking, Thirty-Six Strokes!"

Clenching his teeth fiercely, the fur all over the Six-Eared Macaque's body puffed up, his skin underneath bulging with green veins, and the sound of his blood flow reverberating like rivers and seas shaking the universe. Suddenly, he bellowed out an advanced move of the Heaven-Shocking Staff Technique. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire

The myriad shadows of the staff abruptly paused, then condensed into even thicker and more solid shadows, faintly displaying the Great Dao Runes upon them. Although the shadows were halved, their power increased by several times!

With a single strike, the universe was inverted, and the advantage of the ghost fire wall was immediately overtaken. The entire wall shook violently under the strike of the staff shadow, beginning to crack, and eventually, it collapsed with a loud crash.

"Crack!"

A slight crack appeared on the Sarcophagus Lamp, its brilliance dimming as it flew back into Ran Deng Buddha's hands.

"My treasure lamp! You wretched thing!"

Ran Deng Buddha raged. The Sarcophagus Lamp was his lifebound divine lamp, fundamental to his attainment of enlightenment; it had never been damaged since his debut, and it was unimaginable that it would be damaged under the Six-Eared Macaque!

Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!

"Lowly Demon Clan, how dare you damage my supreme treasure! Today, I shall tear you to pieces to quench the hatred in my heart!"

The Sarcophagus Lamp was collected by Ran Deng Buddha. Although there was only a very slight crack, it felt to Ran Deng Buddha as if his heart had been severely gouged.

As the divine lamp foundational to his enlightenment, any irreversible damage would have a significant impact on Ran Deng Buddha's future cultivation, and might even completely sever his hopes of Proving the Tao and Becoming a Saint. How could Ran Deng Buddha not be furious?

A roar of Buddha's chant resounded, and with a flip of his palm, Ran Deng Buddha produced a dark brown long ruler—the Qiankun Ruler!

The Qiankun Ruler, a Divine Weapon of Ran Deng Buddha, was known to be an extremely formidable Magical Treasure, ranked as a Superior Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. With a single swing, it could reverse the cosmos, and even a Daluo Golden Immortal struck by it would tumble from the clouds.

With the appearance of the Qiankun Ruler, a chilling murderous aura suddenly surged from Ran Deng Buddha, starkly different from the aura of the Buddhist Sect, which appeared extremely sinister and ruthless. He swung the ruler towards the Six-Eared Macaque's head.

The intense wind pressure bore down on the Six-Eared Macaque, and even before it reached him, he felt as if his body would split. If this strike were to land, even refined pure gold would be turned into dust!

After unleashing the Seventy-Two Heaven-Shocking Staff, blood sprayed from major acupoints all over the body of the Six-Eared Macaque. He had already exceeded his limits and could be said to have squeezed out his vitality, leaving him completely drained after the strike, barely able to maintain his levitation, with no way to dodge the incoming ruler.

"Bang!"

A black shadow shot out from within Flower-Fruit Mountain and collided with the Qiankun Ruler, knocking it off course, followed immediately by a loud roar, "Stop harming my brother!"

"It's Bull Second Brother!"

The figure of the Bull Demon King, following the roar, burst out from the barrier of Flower-Fruit Mountain, grabbing the black shadow, which was his weapon, the Iron Staff.

"Bull Second Brother, thank you!"

The Six-Eared Macaque expressed his gratitude with a nod to the Bull Demon King. If it hadn't been for the Bull Demon King's timely rescue, he likely would have perished under the Qiankun Ruler.

"We're all brothers here, no need for such courtesy. You're seriously injured; step back and rest. I'll handle this fellow," said the Bull Demon King, nodding slightly as a majestic aura abruptly surged around him. He fixed his gaze on Ran Deng Buddha, his nostrils exhaling two long streams of white breath before he charged toward Ran Deng Buddha.

"Bald donkey, take this stick from me, Old Bull!"

The Bull Demon King's strike was full of momentum and power. Ran Deng Buddha had to treat it with caution. He swung the Qiankun Ruler at the Iron Staff, and the two fiercely collided in midair, creating shockwaves that spread in all directions.

The Jiao Demon King and others hastily supported the body of the Six-Eared Macaque, retreating back into Flower-Fruit Mountain. The force of the clash between the Bull Demon King and Ran Deng Buddha was too great; given their current condition, they would be of no help by staying close and risked being inadvertently hurt.

Especially the Six-Eared Macaque, whose previous extreme exertion to break through the spectral fire wall caused him severe backlash. Any further impact by the forces exchanged between the Bull Demon King and Ran Deng Buddha would surely intensify his injuries.

"This old Bull seems much stronger than before; has he used some forbidden technique?"

Erlang God Yang Jian, who had been observing the battle with keen interest, saw everything clearly. He had been quite surprised when the Six-Eared Macaque unleashed the Seventy-Two Heaven-Shocking Staff strikes, a destructive force that matched his own power with his Heavenly Eye fully open.

The Six-Eared Macaque was but a Taiyi Golden Immortal, and even with the power infused by Leng Xuan and others, to produce such a strike was astonishing. Now, the strength of the Bull Demon King seemed to have improved as well!

A gleam flickered through the vertical eye on Erlang God Yang Jian's forehead. There was something unusual about the aura of the Bull Demon King, seeming like he had employed a secret technique to boost his strength. Such techniques were extremely rare, but usually did not last long. Once the technique wore off, the user would typically fall into a state of weakness.

It seems the Bull Demon King is also fighting desperately! What virtues and abilities does Sun Wukong possess, to make such exceptionally talented individuals go to such lengths to protect his Flower-Fruit Mountain? It is indeed puzzling.

"What powerful beings, the Six-Eared Macaque and the Bull Demon King! There really are hidden dragons and crouching tigers within Flower-Fruit Mountain; no wonder the Heavenly Court has been unable to breach its gates for so long!"

Although Guanyin Bodhisattva was battling Nezha, her attention remained focused on the battlefield of Ran Deng Buddha. She merely restrained Nezha, not going all out, watching the Bull Demon King enter the fray and block Ran Deng Buddha, secretly praising him while feeling a hint of unease. Could her ominous premonition be about this?

It's unlikely. Though the Bull Demon King and Ran Deng Buddha seemed evenly matched, she could tell that the Bull Demon King's condition would not last. Once it faded, victory would surely belong to Ran Deng Buddha!

"Right, where is the Beautiful Monkey King, Sun Wukong? Where has he gone? With his home facing such a great crisis, how can he still not have shown himself?"