At this moment, Great Abyss Zen Master had almost transformed into a dazzling golden sun.
Every person in the entire province, every corner, was illuminated by his lamp flame Buddha Light.
Now, even a fool could understand.
This previously inconspicuous Great Abyss Zen Master was in fact the true heavyweight presence in this contest.
Regrettably, this heavyweight had arrived in haste and was now departing just as quickly.
Was he really about to die?
The Great Abyss Zen Master looked directly at the Three Arhats and said,
"In this life, this humble monk has no fame, and it was the same in my previous life—a Nameless Monk, merely a commoner of the secular world."
"My reincarnation was meant to experience various tribulations."
"If the Daoists from Demon Buddha Temple have gone out of their way to trouble my Reincarnation Body, isn't that exactly what I wanted? I should thank the three of you."
After uttering these words, the Zen Master then turned his gaze toward Shipi Arhat in the middle,
and advised him,
"Daoist friend, your Buddhist Law is profound, and the Dao Path you cultivate is good."
"You have only strayed a little; I hope you wake up in time, turn back from your path, for there will be a time for enlightenment."
"Otherwise, even if you should overcome the Daoist Transformation Tribulation, I fear you will perish in the Karmic Fire Tribulation, never to escape."
If it were someone else, like Shenxiu Monk, admonishing Shipi like this, he would most certainly have been mocked by the Arhat, and could have even been slapped to death on the spot.
Great Abyss Zen Master was different, though; his past life's Dharma Cakra Arhat Cultivation was already above Shipi's.
After undergoing his recent refining tribulation, his realm had grown much stronger than Shipi's.
When he gave advice, even if Shipi felt dissatisfied at heart, he did not openly retort; instead, he took it seriously and contemplated.
It was at this moment!
Cheng Arhat's debt repayment came to an end; his body, blood, flesh, organs, marrow, and even his Divine Soul self-immolated, leaving behind a mottled relic that shattered in the skies above his hometown's Lingxing Temple in Dongan County, turning into rain and wind, returning to the heavens and earth, vanishing without form.
However, some remnants of his True Soul likely persisted, arranged by Great Abyss Zen Master to be reincarnated.
Of course, it was probably in the realm of beasts.
The chanting that echoed throughout the province also suddenly ceased at this time, and the second heads on everyone's necks disappeared along with it.
The golden sun began to slowly extinguish.
The shocking presence from the elder expert thus became nothing, not a single superfluous word left behind.
"Amitabha Buddha!"
"The master is merciful!"
Those from Free Temple, as well as the million commoners below, all chanted the Buddha's name to see him off.
The other haughty warlords held disdain in their hearts, though no one dared to express it openly.
As for Tao Qian, who had gained a great benefit, he started to secretly grumble about his master in his heart:
"Look at this, such enlightenment is truly the demeanor of a high monk."
"My master, on the other hand, prepared Buddha's verses like scripts for his entrance and exit; a pity that I have not yet managed to learn them."
Tao Qian knew that it was still not the time for him to act, which is why he had the leisure to grumble.
And at the center of the arena, as Great Abyss Zen Master assumed his seated position, he passed away.
This also signaled that the third contest had been decided.
According to the prior "agreement," now Qiantang Province, this Earthly Buddha Country, should be relinquished by the Demon Buddha Temple.
The group of warlords inside Little Leiyin Temple could scarcely contain themselves, salivating excessively over Yuann Mingzhen.
But reflecting on this suspense, they all held back.
Along with Shenxiu Monk and over a hundred Vajra Monks, they all turned their gaze to the Three Demon Buddhas.
Leading with a bow, Master Shenxiu asked respectfully,
"Three Arhats!"
"Now that three rounds of scriptural debate and spell casting are over, our Free Temple has two victories to one defeat, and the winner is clear."
"Following the agreement, are you willing to hand over Qiantang and withdraw on your own accord?"
"Here are numerous Daoists from Seventy-two provinces as witnesses; I trust the three will not break the pledge."
While Shenxiu spoke in such a manner, in his heart he did not expect the three would keep their promise.
Thus, even as he spoke, he was secretly ready to mobilize people.
He already had a contingency plan: as soon as his master Long Meng Arhat, his uncle Auspicious Arhat, and his granduncle Shanjian Arhat arrived, and with the previous agreement as an advantage, they could easily drive out the monks of Demon Buddha Temple.
He had imagined such an ending, yet who would have expected the next word that entered his ears to be a single "agreed."
At this word, everyone was astonished.
Not just Free Temple, the group of warlords, spectators from Seventy-two provinces, the million citizens— even the Demon Buddha Temple monks, the disciples and elders, the city's monk officials, the Jialan Gati, and other Divine Spirits, all looked at Shipi Arhat with disbelief.
Was it to be conceded just like that?
The most bustling province in the Northern Land, a nascent Earthly Buddha Country, was to be handed over so easily?
And to the Great Freedom Temple, the mortal enemy of the Demon Buddha Temple?
Shipi Arhat wouldn't bother explaining to anyone. After agreeing with Master Shenxiu, he simply waved his sleeve, and all the magnificent Floating Buddha Cities within the province, including the palaces and grand temples and even the Little Leiyin Temple, were swept away.
He then took out a bowl-shaped Exotic Treasure and had countless Monk Officials, Disciples, Elders, Dharma-protecting Divine Spirits, Demon Buddha Beasts, and the like all enter it.
Such an act made Tao Qian nod in approval as well, muttering to himself:
"Shipi sure knows how to play his part well, a smooth handover that makes one doubt its authenticity."
"But with these added gestures, others will naturally speculate that the Demon Buddha Temple doesn't want to ruin their reputation by breaking the pact; they're just stalling to cause trouble for Great Freedom Temple, with plans to later use magic to snatch the Buddha Country back."
"Who would have thought? These three baldies have grand schemes in mind, willing to temporarily offer up an entire Qiantang Province as bait."
"Once Yuann Mingzhen makes a move..."
Tao Qian hadn't finished murmuring.
When in the midst, Master Shenxiu had already taken the province from Shipi Arhat's hands with a host of Vajra Monks, following the momentum.
Even though the city was now "empty," apart from a million residents, there wasn't a single person left to maintain the operations of the province, nor a single building; the sight was one of devastation.
However, everyone understood that for Great Freedom Temple, these were not significant troubles.
At Tao Qian's side, some warlords and Evil Cultivators openly murmured:
"What are these, really?"
"All the Demon Buddha Temple's methods are but imitations learned from Great Freedom Temple and Dharma Cakra Temple."
"In a few months, Great Freedom Temple could easily transform the Demon Buddha Kingdom into a supreme True Buddha Shakyamuni Kingdom, even better than before."
"They are first-class temples; it's understandable that they don't want to lose and break their promise, creating some trouble is understandable."
"Compared to great interests, what are promises but things made to be broken?"
"It was unexpected, though. One would think these three Arhats not to be trifled with, but now it seems they are indeed easy to bully."
The Three Arhats could, of course, hear all this idle chatter, but they seemed to care not a whit.
Especially Shipi, who still had the leisure to whittle away at his own flesh and blood.
Simultaneously, he loudly addressed Yuann Mingzhen above:
"Yuann Daoist, we monks have kept our vow, and today we shall return to our own temple."
"But before going back, you must resolve the promised sacred dance."
"No more delays, present it swiftly."
With these few words from Shipi,
The crowd, and the onlookers on the other end of the Spirit Mirror Crystal Balls, all erupted in excitement.
Master Shenxiu's party couldn't even manage a word of objection before being drowned out by the surging waves of clamor.
"Shipi Elder is right, Devil Concubine must not dally, present the dance swiftly."
"Enchanting dance, enchanting dance, the world's most beautiful woman, Tian Chao's number one Empress, is going to perform an enchanting dance."
"According to the previous pact, the Devil Concubine must reveal her true form, adorned in nothing, and fly from Han Mountain Temple."
"Hahaha, the real show is here, I want to see for myself, the Devil Concubine who, so the story goes, the Emperor of Zhu Dynasty couldn't last a single night with, to see how bewitching, how wonderful her unadorned body truly is."
...
After all, they were allies, and Master Shenxiu and the host of Vajra Monks intended to intervene.
But they were momentarily distracted by the sudden uproar, and just as they were about to forcefully stop it,
They suddenly heard Yuann Mingzhen also give an affirmative "Good."
This Devil Concubine!
This Empress!
She remained lofty, standing atop the Spring and Autumn Chariot, looking down upon everyone from high above.
As though she still saw herself as the Human Emperor, her eyes teeming with disdain.
This attitude, paired with her flawless, sultry, and regal appearance, caused many a sordid warlord to lose composure on the spot.
Even more thrilling was what she said next:
"You all came here, for the sole reason of fighting over me, over the Fortune and Life Chart within me, and over this Spring and Autumn Chariot."
"No need for pretense, let's cut to the chase."
"Winners rule; losers yield, I submit."
"This place is not suitable for your battles, and conveniently, at the Top of Han Mountain, there's an ancient Alien Species Biwu Divine Tree."
"Within ten breaths, I shall manifest the Heavenly Phoenix Dharma Form and fly to that tree, and whoever among you can climb the mountain, whoever sees me, I will follow and marry your masters behind you."
As Yuann Mingzhen made this promise, the faces of the warlords, the several million members of the Extraordinary Army outside the city, and the spectators from the Seventy-two provinces, all showed exhilarated expressions.
It was clear to all that the contest between the Demon Buddha Temple and Great Freedom Temple.
Was barely a preview worth watching, and what was to unfold next, would be the truly exhilarating main event.