All eyes were fixed on the now-quiet Mountain and River Spirit-Gathering Furnace.
Speculation filled the air.
Boom!
A sudden, violent tremor erupted from the furnace, louder than before. The shockwave made everyone's hearts pound, their souls quivering. The unexpected noise left them uneasy, as if their very beings were shaken.
A radiant beam of Buddha light shot into the sky. The remaining Buddhist monks cried out in grief:
"World Honored One!"
Faintly, they heard a long sigh emanating from the Buddha light:
"From now on, no one in Buddhism shall practice martial arts. Take care."
After this final sigh, there was silence.
Thunder roared across the heavens, rain poured endlessly, and the sound echoed for miles.
The Mountain and River Spirit-Gathering Furnace stood tall amidst the heavens and earth.
A dazzling golden light slowly rose from within.
In the stunned gazes of the crowd, a brilliant golden relic emerged and fell into Ning Changge's hand.
At that moment, everyone understood.
The World Honored One, Shakyamuni Buddha, had truly been refined by the Little Immortal!
For a moment…
The world was filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath. Shock and disbelief gripped the hearts of martial artists and even Land Immortals alike.
"This… Did I see that right? Shakyamuni… is really gone?"
"The World Honored One, reincarnated from tens of thousands of years ago to pursue martial perfection… has fallen to the Little Immortal?"
"How strong is this Little Immortal?"
"Inconceivable. Truly inconceivable!"
"Is there anyone left in the Nine Provinces who can stand against him?"
"Perhaps only a few—maybe Wang Xianzhi of Martial Emperor City? Or the legendary Laughing Immortal in Zhongtu? Perhaps even Emperor Qin Shi Huang himself…"
### Reverence for Ning Changge
Countless eyes filled with awe turned toward Ning Changge.
Though many speculated silently, none dared speak aloud. At this moment, Ning Changge's prestige had reached its peak!
Zhu Yuyan and Wanwan exchanged glances, their eyes carrying a hint of infatuation.
Nie Feng and Bu Jingyun stood frozen, witnessing what true martial supremacy looked like.
Once, Xiongba had seemed like an insurmountable peak to them. But after seeing Ning Changge's methods today, Xiongba seemed insignificant in comparison.
Even Dugu Jian looked at Ning Changge with newfound reverence.
Before coming here, he had entertained thoughts of challenging Ning Changge. Now he realized how laughable that idea had been. The gap between them wasn't just vast—it was insurmountable. For the first time, he understood why the Sword Demon had uttered "I am not your equal" before his death.
As a peerless figure himself…
Even Shakyamuni must have admitted defeat in his heart.
Otherwise, why would his final words forbid Buddhists from practicing martial arts? It was both a plea and a concession—a hope that Ning Changge would not completely annihilate Buddhism.
The Daoist Realms watched in awe.
For countless years, Daoism and Buddhism had clashed.
Sometimes Daoism held the upper hand; other times Buddhism prevailed. But never before had either side faced the threat of extinction.
And yet, in this era, a victor had finally emerged.
All thanks to the young Daoist standing in the void.
Gazing at Ning Changge—so elegant and otherworldly—the Daoist Realms felt nothing but admiration. From this day forward, Ning Changge would be revered by all Daoists!
Even the Old Celestial Master, a senior figure in Daoism, looked at him with respect.
This wasn't about age—it was about merit. Ning Changge had earned their respect through his actions.
Zhang Sanfeng felt a wave of emotion.
At this moment, he understood something profound.
Perhaps it had been fate that led him to take Ning Changge under his wing at the foot of Mount Hua all those years ago.
At this moment…
Ning Changge became the center of attention.
Yet his expression remained calm. Only when he examined the golden relic in his hand did a hint of satisfaction appear. This relic was far superior to any he had obtained before. Combined with spiritual fruits like Zhu Guo or Five Elements Spirit Peaches, it could produce a pill far stronger than the Bodhi Pill!
This relic was a treasure for cultivation.
After all, it contained Bodhidharma's thousand years of cultivation fused with the power of over twenty Buddhas' relics—a distillation of Buddhism's essence.
If used wisely…
It could eliminate concerns about mana accumulation for advancing to late Foundation Establishment or even Foundation Completion stages. All that would remain was to solidify his foundation and proceed step by step toward breakthroughs.
Ning Changge recalled what had transpired within the Mountain and River Spirit-Gathering Furnace.
In truth…