Chapter 248: Chapter 248: The Female Bald Donkey

Xu Yunfan’s expression was calm; he had no intention of responding. The so-called halo behind her head was merely a spiritual anomaly manifested from Jingming’s mental cultivation, one that only those with keen spiritual senses—like practitioners of the Linn Character Technique—could faintly perceive.

Seeing that the Thunderfire Qilin Hammer wasn’t very effective, Xu Yunfan simply tossed it aside and formed the Linn Character Seal.

"Lin."

The Dragon Scale Armor on Xu Yunfan’s body sensed the rapid transformation of his muscles. Its scales quivered, emitting a trembling hum.

The Blood Qi in his body erupted like molten lava. Power and Strength far beyond his normal state surged forth in an instant as he gripped the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace and charged forward.

’This nun from Mituo Temple has strange abilities and is in peak condition. I need to go all out.’

In the next instant, his Qi Force surged out.

The final move of the Nine Profound Dragon Whip, "Kanglong Wu Hui," transformed into a crimson meteor and smashed toward the halo. Suddenly, Xu Yunfan felt a subtle, sharp pain in his Triple Jiao Meridians. The wisp of Sword Qi left by Pei Yan had begun to stir under the stimulation of the Buddha Light, making his body go slightly numb.

But in just a moment, while in the Linn Character State, he quickly controlled his muscles, compressed his meridians, and unleashed his Qi Force, firmly trapping the wisp of sword energy so it couldn’t move.

In the Linn Character State, this all happened in an instant. Yet, in that same instant, Jingming saw it all.

Jingming seized the momentary opening. Her jade-like fingers formed the Fearless Seal as she pressed it toward Xu Yunfan’s Celestial Spirit. Her Buddhist Lion’s Roar shook the mountain, causing rocks to crumble away. "Suppress!"

Blood trickled from Xu Yunfan’s seven orifices, yet even at this life-or-death moment, his expression remained unchanged. Or rather, in his Linn Character State, he faced the terror of death with utter indifference.

’This nun before me may not be in the Blood Exchange Realm, but she’s used some Secret Technique to forcefully raise her strength to a level approaching it. Relying on her various Secret Techniques, Martial Arts, and that Eight-Treasure Bodhi Bead, she’s actually managed to fight me to a standstill.’

The scales of his Dragon Scale Armor suddenly curled backward, piercing his own flesh. His Pure Yang Blood Qi, mixed with the Jiao Dragon Evil Qi contained within the armor, surged to the heavens.

He had actually used the rampage of the Sword Energy Seed to forcefully merge his Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength with the Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique.

A crimson wave of energy tore through the curtain of Buddha Light. On the surface of the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace, a distorted, draconic phantom materialized.

"Your Buddha Light... can it truly suppress me?"

Xu Yunfan’s gaze burned like a torch. The words that left his lips were devoid of emotion, as if it were merely a casual remark.

As he spoke, the muscles in his right arm bulged as if being inflated, and the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace swept in from the left.

Jingming’s pupils shrank. The phantom Buddha formed the Demon-Subduing Seal with both hands and pressed down, but the resulting shockwave from the collision instantly shattered three of her Protective Golden Lotuses.

The nun’s plain white robes were torn in several places by the Qi Force, revealing the Golden Silk Armor underneath, which was covered in flowing Sanskrit script.

’More Divine Weapon Armor?’

Even for Xu Yunfan, who was in a state nearing Supreme Forgetting Emotions, a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes at the sight.

’These Sects are truly wealthy. A single disciple sent out into the world possesses such fine Treasure Armor and a Divine Weapon.’

The two figures clashed thirteen times in mid-air, the sound of metal on metal transforming into visible, circular waves of energy.

Jingming suddenly bit the tip of her tongue, her Strength spraying out along with her Blood Qi. Under the influence of the Eight-Treasure Bodhi Bead, the Earth Veins of the entire valley trembled violently. Eight golden chains shot out from the ground, wrapping around Xu Yunfan’s limbs. "Great Mighty Celestial Dragon, Demon Sealing!"

The veins on Xu Yunfan’s neck bulged as the Golden Flesh and Jade Bones anomaly of his Profound Steel Hundred-Forged Body manifested completely for the first time.

Golden Dragon Scale Patterns surfaced on his skin, and his bones emitted a grating sound that set one’s teeth on edge.

He allowed the chains to tighten until the scales of his Dragon Scale Armor groaned and creaked. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and let out a beast-like roar.

In that instant, the demonic impurities accumulated in his body from two months of consuming the blood and qi of Demon Fiends transformed into a column of black and red smoke, shattering the Buddhist Sect’s Seal to pieces.

"How is that possible..."

Jingming staggered back half a step, and fine cracks appeared on the halo behind her head.

Xu Yunfan seized the fleeting opportunity, pushing off the ground with both feet and breaking the sound barrier.

Pushed to its absolute limit by the Red Flood Dragon Force, the tip of the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace ignited with an eerie blue flame.

Jingming hastily summoned her Prayer Beads, a Magical Treasure, but they didn’t last even half a breath before exploding into a cloud of golden dust under the mace’s edge.

The nun’s face finally showed panic. Her hands formed the Great Vajra Wheel Seal as she tried to escape.

But Xu Yunfan’s Thunderfire Qilin Hammer was one step ahead, smashing into her back. The Sanskrit script on the surface of her Golden Silk Armor flickered like a candle in the wind.

The blood Jingming coughed up coalesced into a Blood Lotus in mid-air, only to be shredded into a bloody mist by the wind from the incoming mace.

"Can your Buddha save you now?"

Xu Yunfan appeared like a phantom in Jingming’s falling path, his Dragon Scale-covered right hand clamping around her throat.

The Heavy Mace rested on the nun’s smooth forehead, its searing-hot body making her flesh sizzle.

Jingming tried to circulate her Buddhist Heart Method, but found her Blood Qi had been sealed by the Evil Qi emanating from the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace.

Xu Yunfan raised his knee and slammed it hard into Jingming’s Dantian. Hearing her suppressed, pained grunt, his expression remained unchanged as he struck her brutally several more times, scattering her internal Qi Blood Strength until it could no longer gather. Only then did he stop.

He tore off the nun’s brocade sash and used it to tie her hands behind her back. Picking up the nearby Thunderfire Qilin Hammer, he used the Armor-Piercing Awl on the end of its handle to strike her graceful body. His movements were rough yet precise, sealing seven of her major acupoints and cutting off the circulation of her Strength.

The pain was so intense that even with Jingming’s resolute mind and flawless Buddha Heart, her face still twisted in agony.

When the blood-stained Thunderfire Qilin Hammer gently tapped Jingming’s cheek, this Heaven’s Chosen of the Buddhist Sect, who had always maintained such a solemn and dignified appearance, finally began to tremble violently.

Quickly exiting the Linn Character State, Xu Yunfan let out a long breath. He blinked, slowly reining in his emotions and pulling himself out of that rock-solid state of mind.

’It seems the white-robed woman from the Extreme Dao Relic Shell who appeared in my dreams was right.’

’If I use the Linn Character Technique too often, I might eventually become completely emotionless, achieving the state of Supreme Forgetting Emotions.’

’If that happens, how would I even fix it?’

"Do you know why I’m sparing your life?"

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Xu Yunfan grabbed Jingming by the collar and dragged her toward a fissure of Earth Fire, her body carving a deep trench in the ground. "I want you to watch with your own eyes... how your Buddhist Sect’s precious Enlightenment Technique gets smashed to bits by my fists."

Of course, that was just talk. What Xu Yunfan really wanted was to learn Mituo Temple’s two guardian Ultimate Skills from her: the Amitabha’s Golden Body Sutra and the Yijing Marrow Cleansing Skill.

Of these two Divine Skills, one was a Buddhist Sect Horizontal Training technique considered unparalleled in the world, while the other was a Washing Marrow technique in a class all its own—truly the best of its kind.

The nun struggled, trying to form a Seal, but Xu Yunfan grabbed her clean-shaven head and pressed it against the scorching rock wall.

The smell of burning flesh mixed with the stench of blood filled the air. Tiny Blood Beads bubbled up on Jingming’s scalp from the intense heat. She tried to struggle, but Xu Yunfan’s five fingers dug into her skull, grinding her head into a crevice in the rock.

Half of a Buddha’s Name escaped her throat, but with the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace pressed against her jaw, it came out as nothing more than a broken gasp.

Staring into Xu Yunfan’s unhesitating eyes, Jingming finally understood. He didn’t care one bit about Mituo Temple.