"Benson Chu, though you possess the power to reach the heavens, as your master, I naturally wield the shield of the earth."
As Brother Owen spoke, he materialized, the fiery humanoid still lingering, not yet dissipated. Instantly, it lunged at Brother Owen, its raging flames radiating searing heat—waves of blistering air surged forward, distorting the space between them.
Meanwhile, the vestment behind Vincent Swallow unfurled, its reach expanding until it enveloped the seven radiant vortexes swirling in the sky above.
A low, persistent buzzing filled the air. Suddenly, from Brother Owen’s vestment, a swarm of seven-spotted ladybugs erupted, their backs gleaming with iridescent colors as they surged toward the fiery humanoid.
A sharp crackling echoed. In a heartbeat, the fiery humanoid was consumed by the ladybugs—its form left ragged and incomplete—before dissolving into drifting wisps of flame and fading away.
"The Celestial Monk’s Vestment possesses three distinct powers, each painstakingly developed by me. Yet as a ghost, I am unable to wield them myself. Surely you understand this, Benson Chu."
"Lucian, after all these years, the Celestial Monk’s Vestment is no longer the creation you once knew."
*Buddha sits upon the lotus...*
With a whoosh, Vincent Swallow sprang into the air, legs folded beneath him. A golden lotus bloomed below, supporting him as he settled atop it and ascended steadily into the sky.
By then, the Celestial Monk’s Vestment had blanketed the sky, its intricate patterns shimmering with golden light.
Suddenly, a rush of wind echoed through the air. From every compartment of the Celestial Kasaya, golden-glowing Sanctified Prayer Beads rained down from above. The Ghost Insect Monk tensed, and in an instant, the beads fell like a torrential downpour, riddling his body with countless holes.
In moments, the Ghost Insect Monk was reduced to floating shreds of flesh in midair. Whenever the meat tried to reassemble, the prayer beads would immediately scatter it again.
"Need my help, Ghost Insect? Your disciple is quite a handful."
Mr. Oblivion spoke again. I glanced over—though the kasaya separated us, I could still see him rising to his feet, fists clenched, eager for action.
"No need for your concern, Mr. Oblivion."
The Ghost Insect Monk's voice seemed to drift in from the hollow depths below.
With a thunderous crash, the ground before Swallowing Wine split open, and a giant black centipede burst forth. At the same time, the golden glow on the surface of the Celestial Kasaya began to fade.
The massive centipede slammed into Swallowing Wine, sending him flying backward atop his golden lotus platform.
"Instability—this is the flaw of the Celestial Kasaya. The caster must devote their full attention..."
In that instant, I saw Swallowing Wine's form begin to blur. I remembered this move—whoosh! He split into two, and the newly formed Swallowing Wine stood bare-chested, wearing only a pair of pants.