Taiyi Dao Fruit

Chapter 880 150: White Emperor Bai Zhaoju, the Schemes of Taibai

And just as Jiang Li detected the purpose of Taibai True Monarch, they were nearing the Mountain of Mind and Heart.

Taibai True Monarch's sword escape speed was swift; in the time Jiang Li was pondering, it was enough for him to cross half of the Buddha Country, enter its heart, and approach the Mountain of Mind and Heart.

The imposing sword momentum pressured the Buddha Country Sacred Land, and the tall tower of the Buddhist temple on the Mountain of Mind and Heart immediately emitted streams of Buddha's energy, forming a thousand-foot Buddha Light. Positioned around the Mountain of Mind and Heart, the four divine statues simultaneously turned their heads, their solemn stone forms seeming to come alive, gazing at this unexpected visitor.

King of Holding Country, Lord Zengzhang, King Guangmu, Heavenly King Duo Wen, the statues carved into forms of the Four Heavenly Kings contained the Dao Fruits of these kings, long revered and offered incense faith; now they awoke, as if resurrecting from ages past, vast Buddha's energy soared skywards.

"隆!"

The four statues moved in unison, their mountain-like forms advancing toward the descending Sword Light.

"Get out of the way."

A dazzling white light in the sky, akin to Taibai Golden Star falling into the mortal world, illuminating what was now the Sword Light.

"铮!"

The Sword Light was magnificent, thousands of sword shadows seemed to further divide the world into countless fragments, and the world seen by the eyes appeared disordered and chaotic, inducing a deep sense of bewilderment.

"Even their vision is sliced by Sword Intent." Primordial Lord Rain Master whispered.

She was also a practitioner of sword cultivation, seeing clearly the origin of such transformation.

It was not the world being divided, but their perception being sliced by Sword Intent, inducing the illusion of a fractured heaven and earth. The Sword Light showcased not earth-shattering power but fine and delicate profoundness.

The Four Heavenly Kings' statues were not living beings but were nourished by incense belief, almost like living Dao Artifacts, reminiscent of divine spirits sealed by incense before the End of Dharma.

Facing this Sword Intent that could slice even perception, the mighty divine statues showed signs of fragmentation. Incense was shredded by Sword Intent, and Sword Qi followed, leaving the Four Heavenly Kings unable to resist as the Sword Light pierced their bodies.

"轰隆——"

Several stone arms detached from the statues, crashing to the ground, followed by sword marks appearing on the statues, causing the Four Heavenly Kings to shake and falter.

In just a blink, the Four Heavenly Kings lost their combat power.

Yet the mighty sword momentum suddenly recoiled, transforming into a sky-supporting sword, slashing towards the peak of the Mountain of Mind and Heart with unmatched force.

If this sword landed, the Mountain of Mind and Heart would be split in two.

Jiang Li's palm lifted slightly, Sword Qi already appeared within his grasp, the Great Circle Sword was on the verge of forming to contend with the sky-supporting sword, yet as the sword was about to take shape, he lowered his hand.

Only because a golden light ascended from the Mountain of Mind and Heart, meeting the giant sword.

"当!"

The earth-shaking resonance shattered the Buddha Light, causing streams of Buddha's energy to stir, while the golden light stood tall, revealing a sky-supporting pillar within with large, dazzling characters upon it.

——"Ruyi Jingu Bang."

"Another master?"

From the star-like light body came a detached voice, numerous subtle sword lights leaping and surging, once more gathering into Sword Light that overshadowed the world.

The eager sword sound rang out, and in an instant, Sword Light condensed, transforming into thousands of sword wheels, arranged like stars in the sky, changing the color of the heavens.

Sword Light, Sword Qi, Sword Intent, Sword Momentum, everywhere above and below was sword, light shining upon the sky-supporting golden pillar as the sword approached!

Yet the opposing force was not to be underestimated.

The Jingu Bang soared like a dragon, a furry giant hand seemed to reach from the void, grasping the dragon, a hundred-yard-tall giant ape suddenly appeared, wielding the Jingu Bang, stirring the heavens.

Just as during the previous duel with Jiang Li, space was drawn by invisible gravity towards Jingu Bang, the overwhelming Sword Light naturally joined in the upheaval.

Once turning the world into a sea of Sword Light, now the sea stirred by Jingu Bang, the giant ape swung the stick, shaking the skies with a rumbling crash, all the Sword Light vanished like smoke.

"Taste my mighty stick."

The giant ape scattered the Sword Light with the Jingu Bang, taking advantage of its position relentlessly, wielding its thousand-pound stick to clear Qiongyu, pulling the skies downforcefully, pressure resembling heaven's fall pressed down heavily.

Thousands of sword wheels seemed twisted as they collided toward Jingu Bang, countless sword lights converging into one, then——

"铮!"

The sword sound reverberated, the platinum sword tip collected the sword wheel, the Sword Light became a rainbow, unified, slicing towards the pillar-like Jingu Bang.

"锵!"

Countless voices merged into one, clearly a Sword Rainbow, yet countless sword sounds, with one against ten thousand, the gathering Sword Light's rainbow instantly struck a thousand blows, colliding with heaven's overwhelming force, halting it forcibly.

Immediately, Sword Light turned like a whirlwind, spiraling around Jingu Bang, slicing towards the hand grasping the stick.

But the giant ape reacted swiftly, swinging Jingu Bang, letting the swirling Sword Light repeatedly collide with the stick's body, wearing down its force, while another giant hand extended horizontally, pushing towards the source of Sword Light with mountain-shaking force.

This palm carried boundless power, striking within that white light star, breaking Sword Qi wholly, extinguishing the white light, revealing the young Daoist within.

And that Daoist also lifted his palm, meeting the giant hand with his own.

"当!"

The collision of disproportionately sized palm prints rang out the sound of metal clashing; both hands appeared not as flesh but seemingly cast from metal.

Then, in a bell-like roar, the Daoist retreated through the air, and the giant hand gradually shrunk.

In the end, the giant ape returned to human height, the sky-supporting pillar transformed into a long stick landing in its hand.

"Sun Wukong, he has met the Awakened, and the two have likely reached a consensus······" Jiang Li watched this brief yet fierce clash, already knowing of Sun Wukong's encounter with the Awakened.

At this moment, this monkey indeed changed its appearance.

Wearing golden armor, a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, lotus silk cloud shoes, truly embodying the most classic image of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven. Yet in subtle details, faint pure light circulated, carrying an imperceptible Buddha Intent.

The monkey, having reached a consensus with the Awakened, should have already reclaimed the Dao Fruit of Victorious Battle Buddha and merged with it.

Judging by the Buddha Intent, it seems just recently merged, resembling someone newly advanced to third grade, lacking that seamless perfection.

Still, even so, Sun Wukong's strength surged another level; should he encounter Jiang Li again, he would confidently reclaim his position.

Yet even as his strength climbed further, Taibai True Monarch contending against him did not appear disadvantaged.

Sun Wukong lowered his head to inspect his palm, seeing faint sword marks within; during the prior palm clash, the opponent's Sword Qi left a mark on his current physique.

"Taibai True Monarch's Dao Fruit······ is more than that," Sun Wukong's eyes gleamed, probing the Qi Mechanism, "That's White Emperor's Gold Element Qi."

Taibai True Monarch Li Xuan, renowned across the land as a fourth-rank, known to the world by his Dao Fruit name crowned with the true monarch title, revered as "Taibai True Monarch," has kept that title ever since, with few knowing the name of his third-grade Dao Fruit.

Taibai True Monarch's third-grade Dao Fruit, and the Dao Fruit of Taibai Golden Star were arguably of the same origin. Taibai Golden Star also held the title "White Emperor's son," and Taibai True Monarch's third-grade Dao Fruit of advancement was indeed Bai Zhaoju.

"Unknown Dao Fruit,"

Taibai True Monarch wielded an eight-sided sword, similarly regarding this golden monkey with an inquisitive gaze, "Who are you?"

He had seen Wuzhiqi, but the current Sun Wukong's form and Wuzhiqi's appearance were not altogether unrelated, only likened to two different beings.

Wuzhiqi was a white-haired monkey, this one was golden-haired, Wuzhiqi's Jingu Bang hadn't fully manifested its power, with both ends in gold hoops, middle iron-colored, whereas Sun Wukong's Jingu Bang was entirely golden.

Additionally, there were differences in demeanor and Divine Intent, leaving Taibai True Monarch questioning where this master came from.

Even though third grades were all Sixth Brothers, considering Dao Fruit remodeling requires exhibition, typically, an unknown third grade is unlikely.

This monkey was evidently an exception.

"Oh?"

A certain Sixth Brother's eyes brightened upon hearing Taibai True Monarch's words.