Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme - Chapter 563

Chapter 563: Chapter 341: The Duel_2

“Heaven and earth evolve the cosmos, the Five Elements unite yin and yang!”

Pure Jun Sword Lord chuckled softly, “Kasaya-bearer Arhat, your Qiankun Cloth Bag is indeed formidable, ordinary Mahayana cannot withstand it. However, Zhen Yuan is deeply versed in the Dao of the Five Elements and understands the principles of heaven and earth. With the Five Elements Prohibit Void, even though the Qiankun Cloth Bag is extraordinary, it is ultimately ineffective against him.”

The Peony Fairy also agreed, “Eldest brother’s understanding of the Dao of the Five Elements is truly incomparable to ordinary people!”

“Hmm!?”

While the others were praising, high above in the sky within the battlefield, upon seeing that his opponent remained unmoved, Cloth Sack Arhat frowned and immediately intensified his Buddha Power, seeking to overpower his opponent with his cultivation and dissolve the enemy’s body.

Within the Mahayana Realm, there are indeed distinctions such as the early, middle, and late stages, as well as the great perfection, but to be honest, the differences between these milestones are not huge. This is because in Mahayana cultivation, there is only one aspect, and that is to transform one’s Mana into immortal power.

Thus, the difference between the early, middle, and late stages is merely the amount of immortal power. Coupled with the depletion of power in Mahayana battles, the consumption of immortal power leading to the reduction of cultivation, some Mahayana cultivators often hop back and forth between the stages, making the gap between these stages even less apparent.

Therefore, excluding the muddled and weak foundational offshoots, in Mahayana battles, to achieve victory, one generally has to gain an advantage in the realm of Divine Power or Mana Points.

Xu Yang, with his Immortal Path Mana, is pure to the extreme and immensely powerful, undeniably the epitome of Taoist Righteous Sect. To surpass him in foundational strength is absolutely impossible.

When it comes to Magical Treasures and Divine Power, with the Qiankun Cloth Bag already employed yet still unable to prevail, he is restrained by the opponent’s Five Colors Divine Light.

Thus, Cloth Sack Arhat had no choice but to use a brute force method to achieve victory in this battle.

That is—attrition!

Even though the qualitative difference between the early, middle, and late stages of the Mahayana Realm is not significant, the quantitative difference is very distinct.

As an elder Mahayana, Cloth Sack Arhat’s Buddha Power is profound. He could entirely engage in a war of attrition, exhausting Xu Yang’s newly acquired Mahayana immortal power.

Once the immortal power is depleted, victory and defeat will naturally be decided!

Yet such a tactic has the semblance of the strong picking on the weak, which is indeed despicable.

But at this point, Cloth Sack Arhat had no other choice. Even if it was shameful, he had to proceed.

Cloth Sack Arhat further intensified his Buddha Power, causing the Qiankun to absorb more forcefully, compelling Xu Yang to resist with equal effort.

Seeing this, Xu Yang merely smiled. With a wave of his horsetail whisk, a burst of Five Colors Light shone forth, shooting out like swords, sweeping across as if brushing away, heading straight for the Qiankun Cloth Bag.

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, the Cloth Bag rustled, the cosmos trembled, and under the scouring of the Five Colors Divine Light, even this middle-grade Buddha Treasure could not bear the strain. The bag bulged and teetered on the brink of collapse.

In the end…

“Take!”

With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, Xu Yang’s Five Colors Divine Light spun like a wheel, removing the last resistance of his opponent, and with a turn, the Qiankun Cloth Bag vanished into the light.

“This…!”

Witnessing this scene, let alone the onlookers, even Cloth Sack Arhat himself was dumbfounded, in disbelief.

His own Buddha Treasure, known for its capacity to envelop with the power of cosmos—the Qiankun Cloth Bag—had been seized by someone else?

This…

Cloth Sack Arhat found it hard to believe.

The onlookers down below also showed astonishment in their gaze.

“Zhen Yuan’s Five Colors Divine Light has been cultivated to such an extent. Coupled with the Immortal Spiritual Power of Mahayana, it might be comparable to a Superior Immortal Implement, right?”

“Cloth Sack Arhat’s Qiankun Cloth Bag is merely a middle-grade Buddha Treasure, strong merely in its dominion over the void. But this is of no use against Zhen Yuan; facing the even more formidable Five Colors Divine Light, it naturally couldn’t contend.”

“Using his opponent’s technique against him—Cloth Sack Arhat probably never imagined he’d one day face someone seizing his Magical Treasure, huh?”

“If the Magical Treasure is not a match for Divine Power, this first battle has been won by the eldest brother!”

“Ha!”

True Person Ziyang and others transmitted their thoughts secretly, eyes brimming with mirth, while Pagoda-carrying Arhat beside them furrowed his brows, unable to relax.

Looking back to the center of the battlefield…

“Amitabha!”

Cloth Sack Arhat brought his hands together and chanted the Buddha’s name, saying, “Zhen Yuan, your Divine Power is immense; I am no match, I admit defeat in this battle.”

“It’s merely a trick, a fluke victory. Venerable, there’s no need to take it to heart!”

Xu Yang smiled, swiped his horsetail whisk, and the Five Colors Divine Light reappeared, spinning out the Qiankun Cloth Bag and returning it to its owner.

“Amitabha!”

Cloth Sack Arhat took back his Magical Treasure, sighed, and returned to the temple.

Although the prior agreement for the battle was three moves per person, winning one to claim victory, the Qiankun Cloth Bag was his life-bound Magical Treasure, also his strongest move. Since even this had been broken by his opponent, continuing the fight for two more rounds would only result in self-humiliation.

There was no point in continuing; it was better to simply admit defeat and preserve some dignity.

The Cloth Sack Arhat returned to the temple, and the Pagoda-carrying Arhat ascended to the sky, arriving at the scene to face Xu Yang.

Seeing this, Xu Yang did not say much, holding a horsetail whisk he invited combat, “Please!”

Just now, he told the Cloth Sack Arhat that he had won by using tricks and luck, which was not a humble statement, but the truth.

Although he had not used the “Eternal Wuji Evergreen Array” of the Wuzhuang Temple, he had used another powerful artifact.

White Jade Capital!

With the Mid-Grade Immortal Spirit, the Five Elements of ten thousand artifacts, combined with the Immortal Spirit Mech Armor and his own Mahayana power, the potency of his Five Colors Divine Light was comparable to a Superior Immortal Implement. Subduing the Mid-Grade Qiankun Cloth Bag was effortless and without suspense.

But the Cloth Sack Arhat was the Cloth Sack Arhat, and the Pagoda-carrying Arhat was the Pagoda-carrying Arhat.

This Arhat Venerable was tall and imposing without anger, with Buddha light shining above his head like a halo, revealing his profound cultivation.

“Pagoda-carrying Arhat—Honored Sufenda!”

“He is the last of the Eighteen Arhats, the close disciple of the Great Sun Mahavairocana.”

“Although he was the last to enter the order and is ranked the last, he possesses extraordinary cultivation and profound Taoist achievements, mastering five of the six Great Divine Powers of Buddhist meditation: the Heavenly Eye, Heavenly Ear, Others’ Minds, Past Lives, and Divine Feet, only lacking the End-of-Karmic-Ties to achieve the body without outflows and attain the fruit of Buddhahood as a Tathagata.”

“Furthermore, he has a life-bound Magical Treasure named the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, bestowed by the Great Sun Mahavairocana, a Superior Grade with unrivaled might!”

As the Pagoda-carrying Arhat entered the fray, the expression in True Person Ziyang’s eyes also turned solemn.

In terms of strength, this Honored Sufenda, among the Eighteen Arhats, is probably second only to the Subduing Dragon and Tiger Venerables.

He is not to be underestimated!

The Venerable stood in mid-air, his Heavenly Eye surveyed all directions, his Heavenly Ear listened everywhere, already in a state of combat readiness.

Facing the invitation to battle from Xu Yang, he, too, spoke little. With a step of his bare foot, he shrank the ground to an inch and activated the “Divine Feet” power, instantly arriving in front of the Five-colored Auspicious Cloud. With one hand forming hand seals, he launched an attack directly at the person above the cloud.

Mahavairocana Seal!

Xu Yang remained unfazed, sweeping the horsetail whisk like a whip, dispelling the incoming Buddha Seal.

The Buddha Seal shattered, but the Arhat who had formed the seal was not seen; looking up, only the dignified presence of the Venerable returned to its place.

Seeing this, Xu Yang did not speak further, calmly waiting for the second move.

The Pagoda-carrying Arhat was equally silent; observing, listening, perceiving with the heart, checking fate—four of the six Great Divine Powers of Buddhist meditation—to glimpse the opponent’s foundation and seek a weak point to break through.

However, the opponent sat upon the cloud, surrounded by dazzling and brilliant five-colored lights that blinded the eyes.

The Heavenly Eye could not see, the Heavenly Ear could not hear, the heart could not ache, and even the “Past Lives” power, which involved Heavenly Secrets and the principles of reincarnation, was mired in chaos and emptiness, showing no clue.

Unfathomable!

In this case, how to make the second move?

Could it be necessary to use the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda?

The Pagoda-carrying Arhat frowned deeply, remaining motionless and silent for a long time.

Until…

“Amitabha!”

A Buddhist chant arose, filled with helpless sighs.

The Cloth Sack Arhat stepped into the void, returning once again to the midst of battle, and said to Xu Yang, “Zhen Yuan, your Divine Power is vast, and neither my brother nor I can match it; we are willing to concede this battle!”

“Amitabha!”

Hearing this, the Pagoda-carrying Arhat also said little, chanting a Buddhist prayer and retracting his stance, obviously agreeing with the Cloth Sack Arhat’s decision.

“What a pity…”

Xu Yang sighed upon witnessing this, “I did not have the chance to see the brilliance of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.”

Your Divine Powers are so great that even if the pagoda were released, it could not compete.”

The Cloth Sack Arhat shook his head, “Regarding the matter of the Purple-Gold Bell, let’s follow what you suggested. It shall stay temporarily at the Wuzhuang Temple. After my brother and I report back, we will then have the Bodhisattva make a final judgment.”

Having said this, he bowed to Xu Yang, turned around, and left with the Pagoda-carrying Arhat, heading west.

“Indeed insightful,”

Xu Yang smiled, not stopping them, and descended with the Five-colored Auspicious Cloud back to the Wuzhuang Temple.

The Mahayana battle came to an end thus, somewhat anticlimactically, which left the crowd shocked and disappointed.

But this was within reason.

After all, no one is foolish!