The Asura Dharma Image's head split in two from the middle, the fissure extending all the way to the neck.
As the Dharma Image was not a physical entity but a materialization of power, the severed head, having lost its wholeness, swayed in the wind like tattered cloth.
Everyone stared intently, wanting to see if Yan Shouyi could inflict damage on the Asura Dharma Image.
Then, Shi Kui's unrestrained, arrogant laughter boomed out, "The Asura Dharma Image is an incorporeal form. It can harm you, but you cannot harm it!!"
As his words fell, the split head trembled and swayed wildly, eventually rejoining as one, indistinguishable from before!
In other words, Yan Shouyi's earlier strike had not caused Shi Kui any harm at all.
Everyone's hearts sank to the bottom.
Yet, some still held hope for Yan Shouyi.
"I believe in Yan Shouyi! Several times before, we thought Yan Shouyi was no match for Shi Kui, but Yan Shouyi always surprised us. It will be the same this time!"
"This time... it's probably different. Shi Kui is an Asura reincarnation, and all his seals are now broken. His strength is probably equivalent to half an Asura. No matter how capable Yan Shouyi is, he's still a mortal. How can a mortal defeat gods and Buddhas?"
"This..."
Everyone felt a stifling sensation in their chests.
Compared to Shi Kui's arrogance, the host, Yan Shouyi, had barely spoken from beginning to end.
His brow furrowed, and he showed no intention of retreating, seemingly contemplating a strategy.
"Uncle Miaoji."
Lin Zhitong asked the monk Miaoji, "Shi Kui is an Asura reincarnation. From your perspective, is there any chance for that big傻子 (fool) to win?"
Monk Miaoji's expression was grave as he slowly shook his head, "Based on my understanding, Shouyi is not yet capable of defeating Shi Kui. But looking at the boy's current state, he doesn't seem to be planning to give up."
Lin Zhitong knew Yan Shouyi best. From Yan Shouyi's current reaction, he had even conceived a method to deal with the situation, and was merely repeatedly verifying the method's feasibility.
Suddenly, Lin Zhitong thought of the Ancestral Dragon Sword.
Back in the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Huo Ban had been an equally insurmountable opponent for Yan Shouyi. However, Yan Shouyi had borrowed the Ancestral Dragon Sword, expending his True Dragon Purple Qi, and with a single strike, severed Huo Ban's karma, thereby defeating him.
Was it possible to slay Shi Kui using the same method?
The moment this thought surfaced, Lin Zhitong dismissed it.
The battle in the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor had exhausted all of Yan Shouyi's True Dragon Purple Qi; all the good deeds he had performed over a decade had been rendered in vain.
And now, Yan Shouyi's True Dragon Purple Qi was insufficient to wield the Ancestral Dragon Sword again, let alone sever karma and kill the demonic monk.
"What exactly are you planning..."
Lin Zhitong gazed at Yan Shouyi, undisguised worry in her eyes.
...
"I've almost finished my calculations."
Amidst the ruins, Yan Shouyi's lips curved slightly upward, and he spoke in a voice only he and Sanyuan could hear,
"Although Shi Kui is powerful, he is not invincible. It all depends on our coordination."
Sanyuan's bean-sized eyes stared at Yan Shouyi, as if conveying: "I will follow your arrangements."
"First, we must destroy the Asura Dharma Image at all costs."
After speaking, Yan Shouyi produced three Dao talismans and ignited them with blood from his tongue.
The three Dao talismans burned to ashes, transforming into golden light that penetrated Sanyuan's body.
"Palace of the Northern Emperor, hasten the clouds. Divine soldiers and envoys, arrive swiftly at the altar.
Command the urgent summons, thunder roars and lightning bolts, sky darkens and earth blackens, sun and moon dim.
All demons bow their hands, obey the talisman's arrival. Devour demons and swallow ghosts, cut down evil and slay the fierce.
Dare to defy the dark decree, be dragged to Sangtong. Confined in the black prison, eternal suffering without end.
Deep, dark night, sword blades and sharpened edges, I now release this seal, ten thousand ghosts submit!"
The golden light entered Sanyuan, and Sanyuan's form instantly swelled immensely, transforming into a giant bird that flapped its wings and took flight!
Upon its back, it carried Yan Shouyi, holding his blade erect!
"It's the Wood Puppet's Dharma Heaven, and also a supreme skill of a Lu Ban successor! Today truly opened my eyes!"
"Did Yan Shouyi's sudden move mean he has a countermeasure?"
"It's fortunate it's Yan Shouyi. If it were me, I probably would have died countless times at Shi Kui's hands already!"
Seeing Sanyuan's gigantic form and carrying Yan Shouyi into the sky, the crowd became excited once more.
"Overestimating yourself!"
Shi Kui's eyes were fixed on Yan Shouyi. He leaped up, clasped his six palms together, intending to swat Yan Shouyi and Sanyuan like flies.
As the Asura Dharma Image's palms drew closer, Yan Shouyi patted Sanyuan's head. Sanyuan's body flashed with golden light, and it surprisingly vanished into thin air. In the next instant, it dodged the Asura Dharma Image's palms and reappeared elsewhere.
"The Earth-Soaring Golden Light, a skill of Lu Ban's successors, that wooden bird can also do it!" the crowd gasped in shock.
Long Feichen laughed, "Sanyuan can do more than just Earth-Soaring Golden Light!"
With that, everyone saw silver lightning snakes writhing around Sanyuan's body.
Boom!
A palm strike of lightning suddenly descended, hitting the Asura Dharma Image squarely, forcing Shi Kui to bow his head!
"Scoundrel!"
Shi Kui roared in anger. He forcibly dispersed the palm strike and controlled the Asura phantom to pursue Yan Shouyi and Sanyuan.
Yan Shouyi advanced instead of retreating, having Sanyuan carry him as he weaved through the air, occasionally unleashing palm strikes of lightning and the Five Thunder Rectification Method to disrupt.
Shi Kui failed to notice, but the spectators saw clearly that between their evasive maneuvers, Yan Shouyi and Sanyuan were getting closer and closer to Shi Kui's true body!
Could it be that Yan Shouyi intended to directly harm Shi Kui's true body, thereby dispersing the Asura Dharma Image!?
The moment the spectators realized this, Shi Kui also sensed something was amiss.
He suddenly felt a chill and quickly switched from offense to defense.
But at this very moment, Sanyuan suddenly turned.
As it turned its back to Shi Kui, Shi Kui was shocked to discover that Yan Shouyi was no longer on Sanyuan's back!
Where had he gone?!
Shi Kui was greatly alarmed.
"With blood as the guide, and qi as the medium, the heavens are vast, bear witness to my sword heart!
All things in heaven and earth are divine swords, heed my command, subdue demons and destroy evil!"
Just as he was in a panic, Yan Shouyi's clear voice rang out.
Shi Kui turned abruptly and saw Yan Shouyi behind him, holding his Zanpakuto high!
The Zanpakuto condensed a terrifying sword intent!
All things in heaven and earth are divine swords, heed my command, subdue demons and destroy evil!
What he would destroy was precisely this demon, Shi Kui!
Shi Kui's eyes widened, his gaze bursting with killing intent. His six hands quickly clasped together!
Before Yan Shouyi could bring his sword down, the phantom of the Asura Dharma Image attacked!
Bang!
First, two clasped hands sandwiched Yan Shouyi. Then, with two muffled thuds, the other four hands followed suit, and the six hands tightly grasped Yan Shouyi in their palms!
Just like the Buddha sealing the Monkey King, Yan Shouyi, caught in Shi Kui's palms, had nowhere to go, heaven or earth!
Seeing that he had captured Yan Shouyi, Shi Kui rejoiced.
But before his joy lasted long, he suddenly felt that the sensation in his palms was not quite right.
Yan Shouyi had a physical form. Even if he were crushed into pulp at this moment, the sensation should not be like this. The current sensation was as if he were clutching nothing but a piece of thin paper...
Shi Kui numbly released his hands and saw a mass of humanoid waste paper slowly drifting from the phantom palms of the Asura Dharma Image.
At this instant, the entire audience erupted in an uproar.
This was a supreme skill of folk sects, the paper figurine technique, "Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell"!
Yan Shouyi had once again toyed with the demonic monk Shi Kui!