Chapter 313 - 274: Mahasthamaprapta of Courageous and Diligent Progress
Behold, as the forces of Buddhism and Daoism once again arrayed themselves on Mount Meru, ready for a minor skirmish. Out stepped the Pure Yang True Man, Lu Dongbin, leading the Complete Truth disciples to unfold the Seven Stars Sword Array.
From the Buddhist Sect came Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, who, instead of uttering much, directly leaped into the sword formation. But the moment he entered, he couldn’t help but be taken aback.
What did this sword formation look like? One could see:
A mass of murderous aura, positioned like squads of armored cavalry; colors swirling chaotically, a thousand spears with banners, brilliant and red. Halberds lined up neatly, fluttering leopard tails trimmed in golden threads; the chilling edge of weapons, upright Pure Snow Blades ready to slay tigers and dragons. The closely packed steel points, like a sea of large and small crystal bowls; the poised long spears, akin to thousands of slender icy tails. The distant call of the painted horn, as if echoing from prisons beneath the Eastern Sea; the jingling bells, reminiscent of iron-steeds panting under the eaves. The longbow releasing arrows, as the crossbow darts fly like teal ducks.
Inside this sword array was a world unto itself, a battlefield akin to one of iron and steel: The war drums sounded as if fierce rain hammered the earth; the cries of killing shook the heavens, turning seas turbulent, and even ghosts and deities despaired; an ominous aura prevailed, as a patch of blood-red cloud obscured the sun.
Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva whispered in awe, "What an astonishing sword array! Truly remarkable! Lu Dongbin, indeed a reincarnation of the Great Emperor Donghua, has used the power of a Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal First Layer to create such a formidable sword formation! Within this formation, the murderous aura and sword Qi are endless, evolving into an ancient battlefield, daunting to the heart. Seven figures hidden among thousands of troops, striking suddenly, they could claim the head of a general in the blink of an eye. Truly formidable, formidable indeed!"
Being one of the most esteemed among the Bodhisattvas Ru Yun, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva had seen innumerable grand spectacles and yet, the sword array before him still elicited a sense of trepidation in his heart.
To onlookers, it appeared as if the seven disciples of the Complete Truth Sect, wielding Divine Edges, formed the Big Dipper constellation, each one gripping a sword technique, aligning themselves like the stars Alkaid, Polaris, and Mizar. Trapped at the center was Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, with the seven constantly moving about. Using Lu Chunyang as the pivotal center of the formation, they brandished their swords, unleashing sword Qi, murderous aura, and sharpness. The swords pounded the ground now and then, emitting the sounds of armored cavalry and shaking the spirit.
"Although the Great Emperor Donghua has reincarnated and begun cultivation anew, his innate talent has not diminished in the slightest! With this sword array in place, it captures experts at the Law Realm without any effort. However, the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva is indeed at the perfect level of the Ten Grounds, his spirit almost achieving the Buddha’s fruit position. The battle between them could go either way." The Great Emperor Zhenwu watched intently, his cultivation penetrating the heavens, naturally perceiving the profound intricacies of the sword array with just a glance.
The seven from the Complete Truth Sect were concealed within an evolved ancient battlefield, beneath waving banners and amidst an arsenal of weapons, their battle cries thundering through the Nine Heavens, but Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva was utterly unable to discern their concealed locations.
True Person Zhang Boduan suddenly burst forth from the battle array, thrusting with his sword at Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, who turned in defense, already aware of the threat. With a mighty shout, the Buddhist Lion’s Roar vibrated forth, conjuring Divine Skills. His fists, like Divine Dragons leaving their cave and Subduing Dragons and Tigers, acted in a mere instant.