Chapter 145: Victory

"This alms bowl is truly extraordinary; it contains the power of a Buddha. If I can obtain it, I might be able to uncover some of the hidden secrets of the Buddhist sect."

Lin Fan’s face remained expressionless, his depths unfathomable. He channeled his vital energy, intending to forcibly seize the bowl.

"How dare you!"

Yi Batian roared, spewing a mouthful of blood. He never imagined Lin Fan would be so arrogant. Consumed by rage, he took flight, charging straight at Lin Fan.

"Get lost!"

Lin Fan gave a cold snort and flicked his finger. The void shattered into dust, and a single finger manifested in the air, descending like a collapsing pillar of heaven.

Yi Batian’s shout was cut short. His body was sent flying backward, his physical form nearly disintegrating as cracks spread across his skin.

Having borrowed the mysterious entity's power, Lin Fan was now capable of defeating a late-stage practitioner of the Fourth Decay of the Heaven-Man Realm. Yi Batian, temporarily deprived of his purple alms bowl, was no match for him.

Lin Fan did not even glance at Yi Batian. He unleashed his full strength, pushing the Fist of Creation to its peak.

"Hum!"

The purple-gold bowl trembled, struggling desperately to break free from Lin Fan’s restraint. It erupted with a power far exceeding what Yi Batian had been able to command, taking Lin Fan by surprise.

"Truly remarkable. It has actually split the webbing of my hand. This bowl shall be mine!"

Lin Fan glanced at his bleeding hand, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. Finally, he simulated a trace of the aura belonging to the Ancient Azure Lotus Buddha.

The rampaging purple-gold bowl froze for a fleeting moment, but Lin Fan seized the opportunity perfectly. The aura of the Ancient Azure Lotus Buddha grew more intense around him; an outsider would surely have mistaken him for a true successor of the Buddhist path.

At last, the purple-gold bowl ceased its resistance, rapidly shrinking until it appeared in Lin Fan's palm.

Yi Batian let out a miserable shriek and vomited more blood. His life force was bound to the bowl; they were as one. The bowl’s betrayal felt as though he had been flayed alive—the agony was unbearable.

"You... what have you done?!"

Yi Batian was utterly terrified. He had never expected Lin Fan to be so formidable. He was clearly no mere practitioner of the Second Decay of the Heaven-Man Realm; perhaps only one at the Fifth Decay could suppress him.

Mo Liuxing, meanwhile, had ceased his assault. He stood in the distance, his face twisted in wariness and shock, seemingly debating whether to continue the fight. He realized that the odds of victory were slim.

It was not that Mo Liuxing feared death, but the Mo family required strong protectors. As a rising power, the Mo family lacked the vast arsenal of forbidden artifacts that the Yi family possessed. Their only true foundation lay in their masters of the Heaven-Man Realm. With two having already perished, they could not afford further losses.

The previous conflict between the Mo and Yi families had been nothing more than a charade, with no real casualties. Yet today, two masters had been killed—both of them second only to Mo Liuxing himself. This forced him to take the situation seriously, and he could not help but harbor doubts about the orders given by Mo Liuguang.

"The purple-gold bowl is fated to be with me, so naturally, I have taken it. This is the law of karma that the Buddhist sect prizes above all else. What? Do you have an objection?"

Lin Fan looked down at Yi Batian from on high, treating him with utter disdain.

Yi Batian was silenced. He dared not attack again. Despite the opponent's low cultivation realm, his combat prowess was extraordinary. Having used some unknown method to reach this level, Lin Fan was beyond his reach; only a master at the Fifth Decay of the Heaven-Man Realm or the Void-Breaking Realm could suppress him.

The energy left behind by the mysterious entity was at the peak of the Void-Breaking Realm—a level Lin Fan could not fully withstand. If he were to force the usage of all of it, he would be destroyed by the power before he could even harm his enemies. Yet, even one-tenth of that power was enough to easily handle someone who had just stepped into the Void-Breaking Realm.

A phoenix manifested, striking across the three thousand worlds. Its immense power, like a volcanic eruption, swept outward in an instant.

The phoenix collided with a blade of light, triggering a terrifying shockwave. In the end, neither could overcome the other, and both dissipated into nothingness.

"The two of you have watched for long enough. It is time to show yourselves. I believe I am now qualified to speak with you as equals."

Lin Fan spoke coldly, looking toward the void where Yi Ming and Mo Liuguang were hiding.

"Hmph."

A cold voice replied as Yi Ming appeared, his long blade still in hand, making no attempt to hide that he had been the one to launch the attack.

"So, the head of the Yi family has also reached the Void-Breaking Realm. A truly joyous occasion."

Lin Fan’s face remained devoid of emotion, his cunning deep and unfathomable.

"A stroke of luck."

Yi Ming stood with his hands behind his back, a hint of pride hidden on his face. Indeed, stepping into the Void-Breaking Realm was something to celebrate. Among a hundred masters of the Heaven-Man Realm, perhaps not even one could reach the Fifth Decay—like Mo Liuxing. And among a hundred masters of the Fifth Decay, it was rare for even one to transcend into the Void-Breaking Realm. Yi Ming was one of the few, hence his pride.

"I assume the head of the Yi family has come to see me for an important matter."

Lin Fan appeared completely relaxed. He no longer feared Yi Ming, nor even a joint effort between him and the Mo family ancestor. While he might not win, escaping safely would not be a problem. And if he were truly desperate and unleashed all the mysterious entity's power, he might even be able to slay them both.

"Indeed, there are matters to discuss."

The voice of the Mo family ancestor echoed as he descended slowly from the horizon.

"Senior Brother, long time no see."

Lin Fan looked at the Mo family ancestor with a wry smile, his face tinged with contempt.

"Junior Brother is truly extraordinary. To think you could unleash power at the Void-Breaking Realm—this has greatly exceeded my expectations."

The Mo family ancestor was a seasoned fox with a hideously thick skin; he acted as if the Mo family’s previous attempts on Lin Fan’s life had nothing to do with him.

"If I hadn't possessed a few tricks, I would have died at Wangwu Mountain long ago. Enough, the two of you. I trust you didn't go through all this trouble for nothing, and I believe I am now qualified to speak with you as equals."

Lin Fan spoke unhurriedly. He sensed that the Mo family ancestor and Yi Ming were no longer intent on killing him.

"I have no desire for meaningless actions. Originally, we did intend to slay you," Yi Ming said, looking at Lin Fan. "But now, we have had a change of heart."