Chapter 799: I Am the Bloody Buddha

TL: FoodieMonster007

Light emanated from the Demonic Buddha, pushing back the darkness.

SWOOOOOSH!

The darkness receded before his golden radiance in a spectacular sight.

When the light shone on the Dark Elder, his shadow became visible.

"No!" he cried out urgently.

SLITHER!

The shadow rose like a person and seized the Dark Elder's body from behind, as if embracing him. However, he did not resist, as if he knew there was no escape.

The Demonic Buddha recalled what the man had said earlier.

"This is a place where shadows should not exist. It's a place where shadows devour their masters."

"So you're really being devoured too."

The Dark Elder glared at him with blazing eyes. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

"You seem to have many scars on your heart as well. What will happen to you if your scars are magnified a hundredfold?"

"Did you really think I'd fall for the Soul-Shattering Destruction Art? Once the Evil Shadow emerges, even I can't handle it! Because you summoned the Evil Shadow, neither of us can leave this place unless one of us dies."

The Dark Elder was not worried about falling for the Soul-Shattering Destruction Art himself, but he called his own shadow the Evil Shadow. Now, he could no longer dispel the space by his own will.

SHWAAAAAK!

The shadow holding him immobile now covered his body, as if swallowing him whole.

"Aaaaaargh!"

A scream erupted from him as the darkness infiltrated his body. He felt the pain of his living flesh being torn apart as something foreign entered him.

The moment the Evil Shadow began to merge with the Dark Elder, the Demonic Buddha prepared to attack immediately. It would be foolish to simply watch this unusual situation unfold.

However, a gust of dark energy swirled around the Dark Elder's body like a whirlwind before he could complete the hand seal.

WHOOOOSH!

The Demonic Buddha released the hand seal. He sensed an attack would be useless right now.

A moment later, the whirlwind dissipated, revealing the Dark Elder's changed form. A shadow covered his entire body like armor. Half of his face was also covered by the shadow, which writhed as it tried to invade the rest of his face.

"Demonic Buddha, you've done something you shouldn't have."

"I just wanted to let you see the scars on your own heart. Who knew this would happen?"

Having been devoured by the Evil Shadow, the Dark Elder radiated killing intent. He looked like darkness and darkness had merged into one.

"Besides, weren't you planning to transform into this form in the end anyway? If I had to see it, it's better to see it while I'm still full of energy."

He was right. If all else failed, the Dark Elder would have summoned the Evil Shadow to fight. The problem was the time limit.

I must hurry.

Merging with the Evil Shadow made him much more powerful, but if too much time passed, he would be truly devoured. Once consumed, he would become an insane madman who had lost all reason. He would not remember anything afterward, so that moment would be his death.

The Demonic Buddha brought his palms together with a cold gaze. "For your life full of sin, I shall help you attain nirvana."

The Dark Elder rushed toward him. "Shut up, you damn monk!"

He leaped into the air and threw a series of punches. He had mastered more than just demonic arts that used shadows. Unleashing his technique, the Darkness Rapid Flurry, a hailstorm of powerful fists crashed down upon the Demonic Buddha.

The Demonic Buddha did not evade, countering with a palm technique.

KRA-KRA-KRA-KOOM!

A sound like a collapsing mountain echoed as fist and palm collided.

He tensed inwardly, confirming his opponent's qi was stronger than he had imagined. At the same time, a fighting spirit surged in his heart. Separate from his political efforts, he was also a man who enjoyed fighting and loved to win.

This time, the Demonic Buddha rushed at the Dark Elder and unleashed a palm technique. Prayer beads wrapped tightly around his palms like gauntlets, emanating a golden radiance.

KABOOM!

The force of the powerful palm technique sent the Dark Elder sliding backward.

"Isn't a fight where you just smash everything more fun?"

Before he had even finished speaking, his hand seal was already formed. Golden enhanced qi swirled from his twin palms and shot forward as he unleashed the Great Golden Mara Art's Slaughter Scripture Regret Stamp.

SWOOOOOSH!

Facing the wave-like surge of enhanced qi, the Dark Elder also unleashed his unique demonic art, the Dark Shadow Wave. Shadows surged up from the ground like a crashing wave.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The collision of their enhanced qi shook the very foundations of the earth.

Although he had suffered severe internal injuries when the Soul-Shattering Destruction Art was broken, the Dark Elder was not pushed back by the Demonic Buddha. He ran wild, combining the effects of the Greedy Annihilation Art with the evil spirit.

SWOOOOOSH!

He unleashed his unique demonic art, the Dark Sky Death Rain. A single pitch-black spear plunged down, aiming for the crown of the Demonic Buddha's head.

THUD!

He twisted his body to dodge, and the spear of enhanced qi pierced the ground in front of him.

"You're trying to kill me with just this?"

"Do you think the rain will fall in a single drop?"

The next moment, countless dots appeared above the Demonic Buddha's head.

SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SH!

As if the first spear had been a single preliminary raindrop, dozens of dark spears rained down on him. It was not an attack he could simply dodge, so he quickly formed a hand seal.

PAPAPAPAPAK!

A golden radiance extended, and lotus flowers bloomed around his body as he used the Great Golden Mara Art, Blossoming Lotus Flowers. The incoming enhanced qi failed to pierce the lotus flowers and vanished.

"Lotus flowers blooming on a rainy day are always more elegant."

The two men stared at each other.

The Demonic Buddha read the urgency in the Dark Elder's eyes. Even now, the shadow was gradually encroaching upon the remaining half of his face. "What happens to you if you're completely devoured?"

"You should be asking what will happen to you, not me."

The result would be terrible for himself and for the Demonic Buddha. Every breath he took, the evil spirit's energy possessed him even more rapidly.

I have to kill the Demonic Buddha, no matter what.

The moment the Demonic Buddha died, the evil spirit would absorb the malicious energy in his corpse. At that point, he could appease the sated spirit and separate it from himself.

However, the Demonic Buddha was not someone who would die easily. The more urgent his attacks became, the further the Demonic Buddha moved from death.

Damn it! If only I hadn't been internally injured!

As the evil spirit consumed him, the Dark Elder grew more violent.

"No! Please!" As the evil spirit covered the last part of his face, his eyes looked at the Demonic Buddha. His gaze mixed hatred and pleading. "You moronic monk, you'll die too."

With those last words, the Evil Shadow took complete control of him.

Now, no reason remained in the Dark Elder. Only madness and the will to kill dominated him.

The Demonic Buddha did not miss this moment when the master changed. Forming the Great Golden Mara Art, Heavenly Promise Seal, a streak of enhanced qi struck down on the Dark Elder like a bolt of lightning.

THWACK!

Struck squarely, he was thrown backward, but he soon got back up.

A black shadow filled the spot where he was hit. Having been completely devoured by the Evil Shadow, he had grown stronger, and the energy of the Greedy Annihilation Art was reaching its peak.

The Demonic Buddha grit his teeth.

I have to end this in one blow.

To kill his enemy, he had to use the Demonic Palm Destruction Stamp, but this space was too narrow. It was a place where the technique's only weakness applied.

WOOOOOOO!

From all directions, shadows summoned by the Evil Shadow rose up. They each held different weapons, their dark, cold energy feeling like that of massacred martial artists.

The Dark Shadow Army. The Dark Elder's final, ultimate technique… no, it was the Evil Shadow's final, ultimate technique.

The Demonic Buddha threw a palm strike at a shadow rushing toward him.

THWACK!

The shadow exploded in one hit, but another one charged in.

Facing the shadows rushing from all sides, he was cornered. With his back to a wall, he fought the swarming, endlessly resummoned shadows.

If this continues, my inner arts will be depleted and I'll die.

He had to make a move.

Suddenly, a thought came to his mind.

Will that work?

There was a move he had been thinking about for a long time, a solution to compensate for the greatest weakness of the Great Golden Mara Art. He had pondered the thought while carving stone statues and mulled it over while searching for poisonous herbs. However, it was a technique he had only organized in his head, never having seriously trained or unleashed it.

He did not know if it was possible, but right now, it was his best option.

He unleashed the Blossoming Lotus Flowers to push the shadows back. Then, inside the lotus of enhanced qi, he guided his true qi through a new meridian pathway.

May the Bloody Buddha have mercy.

A new hand seal formed in his hands. His last thought at that moment was this.

The Bloody Buddha is me, and I am the Bloody Buddha.

FWOOSH!

A golden radiance burst from his hands. A palm-shaped mass of enhanced qi began to grow larger and larger until it filled the entire space.

WHOOOOOOOOSH!

Along with a golden wave, the palm flew straight forward.

It was not the Demonic Palm Destruction Stamp struck down by a giant Buddha statue, but a new Demonic Palm Destruction Stamp. It was not the palm of a golden Buddha, but the palm of the Demonic Buddha himself.

KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA!

The shadows blocking his path were swept away by the palm.

Still, the palm continued forward, pushing back even the Dark Elder who stood behind them.

KABOOOOOM!

An enormous roar followed.

When the rising dust settled, the Dark Elder was embedded deep in the wall. A palm print was carved deeply around his body. It was small, but its power was no less than the Demonic Palm Destruction Stamp.

I did it.

Even after succeeding, the Demonic Buddha was surprised. Perhaps the thought to use this technique had come to him because he was already prepared to succeed with it.

He named this new technique.

"The Small Demonic Palm."

He acknowledged that he himself was a small person.

The success of the technique was not due to the mercy of the Bloody Buddha. It was because of his mind, which had broken the Soul-Shattering Destruction Art. It was also because of his heart, which overcame not only his past trauma, but also his short stature and even his small-mindedness.

Small people created small things, but his was a smallness more vast and powerful than anything else.

"Ugh…" A low groan escaped from the mouth of the Dark Elder, who was deeply embedded in the center of the palm print. The evil spirit that had dominated his body was gone. Life faded from his eyes, which were filled with disbelief.

The Demonic Buddha put his palms together and spoke politely. "Consider yourself fortunate to die as a human, and go with a peaceful heart."

In this moment, he had the appearance of an enlightened high monk.

The Dark Elder, who had been staring blankly at him, drooped his head.

As his breath stopped, the space where they had fought began to disappear.

The Saintess Ga Ye ran down the corridor. She had rushed out of that place while the fight was in full swing.

The moment she left the room, she made eye contact with the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman. The woman watched her leave without a word.

When she sensed the emotion in those eyes was not hatred, a negative feeling overshadowed any gratitude for having her life saved.

How annoying. Is it pity? Or is she showing mercy because she's the one who received the prophecy?

Even in the middle of a fight, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme surely knew she was escaping. However, she did not stop her. She must have granted the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman's request to spare her.

I don't believe it. Receiving a prophecy at this exact moment, while I'm here, and inside this greedy Ship of Fortune filled with the energy of darkness? Don't make me laugh.

There was no way the will of the heavens would descend at a moment like this.

She also did not believe that the Darkness Palace Lord had abandoned her. Perhaps that old man spouted nonsense because he was not confident he could protect her. She would go and confirm it with him directly.

She continued to run toward the room where the Darkness Palace Lord was. The broken debris scattered along the way did not even register in her eyes.

THUD!

Just as she rounded the last corner, she collided with someone's back.

"Whoa, you scared me!" Geom Mugeuk exclaimed, turning around with a start. "Well, who is this? Isn't it our dear Saintess?"

Ga Ye was startled. She never dreamed she would meet him in front of the Darkness Palace Lord's room.

"Our Darkness Palace Lord is so cowardly, he's locked the door and won't open it."

The dark mist of the Greedy Annihilation Art enveloped not only the door but the entire room, making it impossible to enter unless the Darkness Palace Lord opened it. While he could probably blow the whole thing away with the Heavenly Demon Destroys the World, opening that door seemed difficult.

Ga Ye shook her head. "Even I can't open that door."

He stared at her for a moment, then asked abruptly. "Did the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman save you?"

Ga Ye flinched for a moment. Her reaction was an answer in itself, but she asked him with a slightly angry face. "Why do you think that?"

"If you came running in such a hurry, it means your situation isn't good, and our Demon Supremes don't think of you as anything special." Geom Mugeuk assessed the situation as accurately as if he had been there himself.

"Your Demon Supremes are all dead."

Geom Mugeuk laughed. "So they're all fine. Ah, I miss our Demon Supremes!"

Ga Ye was once again astounded. To be so relaxed even in this situation, Geom Mugeuk was certainly an incredible person. Then again, it was because he was such a person that the Darkness Palace Lord had been driven into this corner.

Her gaze went past Geom Mugeuk to the door. The Darkness Palace Lord on the other side was surely watching this situation and listening to their entire conversation.

Geom Mugeuk also looked at the door. "It seems the Darkness Palace Lord thinks even less of you than our Demon Supremes do. At least if my person were outside with an enemy, I would have opened that door."

"Don't try to drive a wedge between us with pointless words." As if she did not want to hear any more, Ga Ye sat down and closed her eyes. "Do whatever you want, kill me or spare me."

Geom Mugeuk shouted at the door. "If you don't open this door, I'll kill the Saintess!"

He raised his hand high, about to strike Ga Ye's crown. However, there was no reaction from beyond the door.

Lowering his hand, he said to her, "Is there even a relationship left to drive a wedge into?"

Ga Ye still kept her eyes squeezed shut, saying nothing.

To her surprise, he continued, "Hey, you ugly old man. I know full well you use your subordinates as tools and then discard them. You can do that to others, but you can't do this to the Saintess, can you? The Saintess Palace is the most important reason for your existence, isn't it? It's your justification! If you lose your justification, you become worse than some back-alley degenerate."

Beneath her closed eyelids, Ga Ye's eyes trembled slightly.

"I can ignore the Saintess, but you can't."

The words she had wanted to say to the Darkness Palace Lord at least once came from Geom Mugeuk's mouth.

"If the Saintess became unable to receive prophecies, isn't that your problem, not her responsibility? Isn't it because the things you've done have strayed too far from the will of the heavens? Why are you shifting that responsibility onto the Saintess? For someone in your position, you're truly pathetic."

Still, the Darkness Palace Lord beyond the door remained silent.

The one who spoke was Ga Ye.

"What do you know about me?" she snapped, but her voice was less defiant than before.

Geom Mugeuk went and sat down next to her. "Feeling a bit better? If you want, I can curse him out some more for you."