Watching as the last group of monks blocking his way was burned to ash, Nigel Wyrm, the Nine-Headed Wyrm, led his followers and tore open a gap in the lines.
Yet what unfolded before him was a scene of utter devastation.
Elder Stillwater’s form slowly plummeted downward.
Right-Dharma Radiance Tathāgata hovered in midair, his face expressionless as he gazed down, clutching the blood-soaked, lifeless body of Elder Gale.
As for the others, they had long since vanished. Of the eight brothers from Crescent Star Cave, not a single one remained!
A chill shot straight to his heart.
Nigel Wyrm had witnessed firsthand just how powerful the Nine Immortal Disciples truly were.
Only now did he realize how foolish it was to conspire with King Macaque to defend Blossom Mountain to the death. Before him, the Buddhist order that had flourished for tens of thousands of years across this vast land was a force they could never hope to challenge—utterly incomparable to the Heavenly Court’s armies.
“General, what do we do?” a demon officer asked.
Nigel Wyrm beat his wings, slowly withdrew, shifted into human form, and whispered, “Retreat!”
Turning around, Nigel Wyrm led his subordinate officers rushing toward the flagship—he didn’t even bother to assign anyone to cover the retreat.
Under Shortbeak’s command, the entire demon army swiftly disengaged from the battlefield, retreating over ten li until they reached the main formation in front of Blossom Mountain to regroup.
King Roc swallowed hard, trembling as he gazed at the swarming monks in the distance. “What do we do now? Can we hold them off?”
The flagship was silent; no one answered.
After a long while, Shortbeak quietly said, “We’ll keep defending, but… first have Qi Tian Palace order a full evacuation from Blossom Mountain. They won’t do any good staying here. What do you all think?”
At his words, every demon officer present couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of their eyes. The oppressive atmosphere only grew heavier.
……
A chubby Buddha wielding a longsword slowly approached Right-Dharma Radiance Tathāgata and asked softly, “Aren’t we going to pursue them?”
Right-Dharma Radiance Tathāgata closed his eyes, sensing something intently, then opened them to gaze toward South Heaven Gate. “No rush. Blossom Mountain is already in our grasp.”
On the other side, a Buddha holding a Jade Wish-Scepter looked up and smiled, “Has that demon monkey already broken through to Heavenly Dao-level cultivation?”
Right-Dharma Radiance Tathāgata nodded. “There’s no need to worry. First, that demon monkey still doesn’t know Blossom Mountain has changed hands. Second… the monkey walks the Traveler’s Path, not the Sage’s Path. Our Venerable has his own countermeasures.”
Gazing toward Blossom Mountain, the Buddha holding the Jade Wish-Scepter sighed, “Be careful, then. Just don’t let word reach the demon monkey now. If he’s at Heavenly Dao-level… we won’t be able to withstand him if he comes.”
At that moment, neither side on the battlefield noticed that the waters in the distant sea were gradually receding.
……
Netherworld.
Seawater poured from the sky, surging outward in all directions, devouring the land and forming a new ocean.
Amid the thunderous roar, countless souls screamed and darted about, the entire world resembling doomsday.
As the last surviving Yama-king, King Brightcourt could only stand atop a hill, wailing and slapping the ground at the ruined world before him. Ghost soldiers and officers gathered around, but no amount of persuasion could calm him.
To him, everything before his eyes was nothing but senseless calamity.
The Three Pure Ones have been defeated, and the Heavenly Court he had always depended on can no longer protect itself. As a mere Yama-king, what could he do but weep before such a scene?
Just then, a golden staff struck the ground, and a pair of bare feet stepped over shattered stones, slowly approaching King Brightcourt.
“Why not let this humble monk lend King Brightcourt a helping hand?”
Looking up, King Brightcourt saw a towering Buddha standing before him.
He wore black robes, a Buddha crown, was barefoot, and held a golden staff. With thick brows and large eyes, his entire body radiated golden light.
King Brightcourt trembled slightly and asked, “You… you can help me?”
“I can, but…” The Buddha rolled up his sleeves, reached out to the kneeling King Brightcourt, and said softly, “If I help you, from now on all major affairs of the Netherworld must heed this monk’s judgment.”
King Brightcourt paused, then quickly reached out and helped the Buddha to his feet, bowing deeply. “As long as you can stop this flood, all major affairs of the Netherworld from now on will be decided by you!”
“Then it’s settled.” The Buddha smiled faintly, turned, and soared into the air, flying toward the breach in the dome.
……
Meanwhile, inside South Heaven Gate, as the colossal Moon Tree that had stood for tens of thousands of years slowly toppled with a scream, countless immortals and Skyward Legionnaires scrambled to flee. Several floating islands and many palaces were crushed and shattered beneath the enormous crown.