“These inferior spells will never hold up,” proclaimed the Buddha of Kind Benevolence. “Just as your identity as ghost beings is forever so dark and evil! You all should be completely transcended!”
The Buddha of Kind Benevolence’s words echoed through that realm. Layer upon layer of golden Buddhist light rippled outward, transforming the place into something bright and holy, scarcely resembling the Underworld. The twenty-seven golden-body Arhats, protected by the shimmering Buddhist script, were elated. As long as no vile sorcery interrupted them, they were confident they could fully transcend him within a hundred breaths, reducing him to ash.
In the next instant, all twenty-seven Arhats lunged forward, their blinding glow entirely enveloping Ye Yu’s silhouette. Death, they believed, would be his only refuge.
Buddha of Kind Benevolence turned to Ru Kong and said softly, “You have suffered much of late. Return with me to the Buddha Realm; your master misses you dearly.”
Ru Kong felt moved—and yet a pang of curiosity welled within him. If Master truly missed me, why did he send his three senior uncles instead of coming himself to offer aid?
At this question, Buddhas of Kind Benevolence, Kind Thought, and Kind Awareness all stiffened. How could they answer? They could hardly admit they had come only to assess Ru Kong’s condition—and, should they find him fallen, to execute him rather than to rescue him. That truth would wound his heart.
As they hesitated, a surge of oppressive ghostly energy exploded from behind. They whirled about and beheld an unbelievable sight: all twenty-seven golden Arhats lay slain, their bodies broken and lifeless. Ye Yu stood alone, motionless, at the center. His aura of ghostly qi pressed outward in an unstoppable tide.
Ru Kong’s eyes widened in shock. “G-Ghost Emperor Domain?” he stammered.
Indeed, at that moment Ye Yu had expended all his negative-emotion points and successfully ascended to the late stage of the Ghost Emperor Domain.
The three Buddhas’ faces turned ashen. Their earlier contempt had stemmed from Ye Yu’s merely semi-Ghost-Emperor strength—an opponent they could casually crush. But how had he suddenly ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ reached the late Ghost Emperor Domain? Had he concealed his cultivation level all along? The revelation made their expressions sour.
So the Underworld truly harbors such a young Ghost Emperor, and with such cunning. You truly went to great lengths to draw us down here!
As Buddha of Kind Benevolence spoke, he shifted his stance. Kind Awareness and Kind Thought mirrored him, stepping aside to form a triangular formation that encircled Ye Yu. Their monastic robes fluttered without breeze, and their Buddhist light grew even more refined.
Ye Yu remained unperturbed. He said coolly, “It’s come to this—why haven’t you fled yet? Stay here any longer, and you will die.”
At his words, the ghosts lying in ambush around them trembled in disbelief. What did Ye Yu mean? Had he seen through their concealment?
The hanging-corpse ghost Yan Ming exchanged a questioning glance with Old Songtou. The latter immediately transmitted his confident thought: Even if Ye Yu is a Ghost-Emperor-Domain powerhouse, he could never detect our presence. This is my Secret Ghost-Body Technique! I’m certain no one can see through it!
Despite that assurance, Yan Ming still felt uneasy. Was that statement really directed at us? Then who was he telling to leave?
In the next instant, Ye Yu answered for everyone with his action.
Streaming Waterfall, Plunge!
At his whispered command, the ghosts in ambush sprang up, writhing in sudden pain—pain so fierce they could not withstand it. None had expected that, even in soul-body form, they could be afflicted by abdominal spasms.
To prolong their negative-emotion points, Ye Yu mercifully refrained from killing them outright—and instead unleashed Blazing Nine-Underworld Flame upon them, roasting their rears.
The dual torments sent the ghosts fleeing at astonishing speed; in the blink of an eye, they vanished from sight. Were it not for the lingering, dense ghostly qi in the area, no one would have believed it was real.
Kind Thought, Kind Benevolence, and Kind Awareness all stared in wide-eyed astonishment. Their attention had been fixed on Ye Yu; they had not realized that over ten thousand ghosts lay hidden there. It was incredible—and Ye Yu’s compassion in warning them to flee to avoid being caught in the battle between a Ghost Emperor and Buddhas...such care was unimaginable for mere ghosts.
Buddha of Kind Benevolence swept out his sleeve. “If you protect your disciples, then I too will protect mine. Ru Kong, depart at once. This battle is beyond your realm.”
He awaited Ru Kong’s response—but none came. Turning, he saw that Ru Kong had already disappeared from sight. His expression soured. Goodness, how did my junior brother teach his disciple? Fleeing must truly be his specialty!
Little did he know that Ru Kong’s disappearance was entirely a misunderstanding. When Ye Yu had silently cast Streaming Waterfall, Plunge, Ru Kong—lacking the Buddha’s resistance—had been caught in the technique and struck. A tangle of shame, sorrow, and anger, compounded by unhealed injuries, had overwhelmed him, and in a surge of rage he had fainted. He had not fled intentionally!
But the Buddhas could not concern themselves with that now. Their immediate priority was to eliminate Ye Yu.
As the sutras streamed continuously from their lips, countless Buddha phantoms descended. Their radiance rivaled noonday light, suppressing even the crimson blood moon of the Underworld.
Ye Yu endured as rifts appeared across his soul body. From the scene, his soul’s destruction seemed only a matter of time. Yet no fear touched his expression; instead, a mocking smile curved his lips. After all, all this was tied to the path he had chosen upon entering the Emperor Domain: Negative-Emotion Supremacy.
