Chapter 1017

Rukong’s face darkened as he watched the situation spiral out of control. The entire city’s ghosts exuded such dense resentment that they were clearly enraged to the extreme. Beneath him, a lotus of light appeared, activating his protection mode. In his heart, Rukong realized the truth: Ye Yu had never come to help him propagate the Dharma! All of Ye Yu’s bizarre antics, combined with his smug expression now, proved he was here only to cause chaos—stirring up the city’s wrath for some inscrutable purpose. Was it to deepen the enmity between the Buddha Realm and the Underworld? That made no sense—their hatred needed no external provocation. Rukong could not fathom what Ye Yu truly intended.

Ye Yu clasped his hands behind his head and, with a mocking grin, said, “I’m a madman, after all—what are you going to do about it?”

“Arrogant!” Li Anfeng roared. His sleeves swept the air as dark clouds churned, and waves of black ghost qi rolled outward. A colossal spectral claw descended from the sky like the hand of a wrathful god, sealing off every route of escape for Ye Yu and Rukong.

But that wasn’t all. The ground beneath the ghost and the monk erupted in brilliant light, transforming the hard Underworld soil into shifting quicksand. Countless shapes crawled forth—millennia-old drowned ghosts heavy with resentment, experts in binding their prey. They reached for Ye Yu and Rukong’s legs.

Though Rukong’s lotus could sear their souls, there were too many. Its glow soon began to fade, and it was only a matter of time before they were overpowered.

By contrast, Ye Yu remained at ease. Black flames danced around him, keeping the thousand-year drowned ghosts at bay. As the giant claw hovered over them, Rukong instinctively tried to flee under the cover of Buddhist light.

At that critical moment, Ye Yu seized Rukong’s arm. “Master, don’t panic. I’ll get you out of this.”

No sooner had he spoken than an unstoppable force hurled Rukong like a cannonball—straight into the massive claw. The talon snapped shut, inflicting both crushing force and potent ghost qi on Rukong. Were it not for his kasaya robe, a treasure of the Buddha Gate, the blow alone would have grievously wounded him. Even so, life saved brought maiming; two long, burning gashes seared across Rukong’s ethereal countenance, leaving him utterly ruined. He flung his prayer beads and shattered the claw, crashing back to the ground.

Ye Yu charged forward. Bolstered by the

Molintian

technique, Ye Yu’s soul-body assault forced Rukong to spit golden blood. He felt as though every bone in his body was splintering. The monk’s diamond-hard Buddhist physique was like paper before Ye Yu’s onslaught.

“Master, are you all right? Answer me!” Ye Yu shook Rukong’s shoulders violently, nearly rattling his soul free—let alone prompting any reply.

But Li Anfeng would not grant them time. He flickered forward, forming hand seals. A vast ghostly array began to materialize around them. Seeing this, Ye Yu flung Rukong aside once more.

Li Anfeng frowned—he was only one seal away from completion of the formation. Yet as Rukong hurtled toward him, Li Anfeng feared the monk might use the moment to counterattack. Desperate, he unleashed his

Suiri Hammer

, smashing it toward Rukong and sending him flying back.

“Nice shot!” Ye Yu roared, vaulting into the air. He executed an inverted staff kick, striking Rukong squarely on the head.

What followed was a surreal spectacle: in Shaoyin Ghost City, a golden-aura monk was being kicked back and forth like a football between Ye Yu and Li Anfeng. If not for Rukong’s Buddha-body resilience, he would have been shattered to dust.

Li Anfeng grew bewildered by Ye Yu’s actions. If these two were truly cooperating, why treat one’s partner so brutally? It defied all logic. Perhaps Ye Yu really was a reckless madman. He said nothing further and simply swung his hammer again—strike number eighty—producing a sickening crack of bone.

Ye Yu’s expression shifted. # Nоvеlight # “Wait—he’s a great scoring partner. I can’t kill him off in one round; I’ll need him next time.”

This time, instead of catching Rukong with his foot, Ye Yu wove a great net of ghost qi, ensnaring him midair. Only when he confirmed Rukong was gravely wounded and unconscious did he exhale. “Phew, lucky he’s not dead.”

Ye Yu seized Rukong by the collar and said coolly, “That’s enough for today. No more games. I’ll promote the Dharma again another day—await my next visit.”

Hearing this, Li Anfeng refused to let him go. “Ye Yu, you really don’t take me seriously, do you? Shaoyin Ghost City is not some place you can enter and leave at will!”

With that, Li Anfeng lunged to seize Ye Yu, but Ye Yu caught the

Suiri Hammer

mid-swipe with one hand and tossed it aside. Before Li Anfeng could react, a black flame enveloped them. Ye Yu pressed a hand to his chest and said, his voice ice-cold, “I have no intention of killing you, so don’t tempt death.”

In that moment, Li Anfeng felt as though he were an ant before a mighty ghost deity—one thought from Ye Yu could consign him to eternal ruin.