Xuanyuan Hao nodded, took a few steps forward to the front of the wooden platform, hesitated for a moment, and slowly reached into the golden light to take out the jade box.
Xuan Yuanhao held the jade box in his hand but did not open it immediately. He glanced around at everyone in the hall and saw that everyone's eyes were fixed on the jade box in his hand. Those gazes were so intense that they made Xuan Yuanhao feel inexplicably uneasy. His gaze then turned to Liang Yihan's face, and Liang Yihan nodded slightly.
Xuan Yuanhao made up his mind. He gently lifted the lid of the jade box, and with a soft, crisp sound, the box opened. Inside was a jade seal the size of an adult's fist. The seal was bluish-green, translucent, and faintly shimmered with seven-colored light. The upper part of the seal was carved with nine coiled dragons. It was unclear which skilled craftsman had created this seal, but the nine dragons were carved with lifelike detail, even the individual whiskers were clearly discernible. Judging from its appearance, if one didn't know it was made of divine stone, it would truly look like jade.
The moment the jade box was opened, Liang Yihan's face lit up with joy. The four monks, including Shi Chan, did not react at all. Li Molin and Liu Li couldn't help but take a step forward. Ji Jue was about to snatch it, but when Monk Xinming turned his head and glanced at them indifferently, they all stopped in their tracks.
However, Liuli still couldn't help but stand on tiptoe to look into Xuanyuan Hao's hands, her face full of curiosity.
Xinming let out a heartfelt laugh, a laugh that sounded exceptionally joyful, without the slightest hindrance or sorrow. He chanted a Buddhist prayer, clasped his hands together, and said, "Now that the Imperial Seal has chosen its master, this old monk has fulfilled his final promise. This old monk can finally ascend without any worries!"
The golden light emanating from Xinming grew increasingly dazzling, and gradually his entire body turned golden, as if it were cast in gold.
A beam of golden light, about ten feet wide, descended from the sky and shone directly into Lingxiao Peak. The golden light passed through the entire mountain and shone down from the high dome of the underground palace, enveloping Xinming completely. The golden light faintly emitted the fragrance of Buddha and the sound of chanting, which made people feel peaceful.
Xinming stood with his palms together in the golden light. He looked around at everyone and said with a smile, "This old monk is about to leave here, so I would like to give you all a word of advice. The Imperial Seal is the supreme treasure of the Human Emperor, protected by the power left behind by the Yellow Emperor. If any cultivator insists on seizing it, they may face great calamity. Remember this well. Namo Amitabha!"
Having said that, the golden light suddenly vanished as it converged towards the center, along with Xinming's figure, which also disappeared in an instant.
Liuli's small mouth opened slightly as she looked up at the golden specks of light floating in the hall, exclaiming in astonishment, "Is this the Buddha's ascension? Indeed, indeed..."
The moment Xinming's figure disappeared, Liang Yihan quickly walked a few steps to Xuanyuan Hao's side and said urgently, "Haozi, put away the jade seal, let's go quickly!"
Xuan Yuanhao quickly closed the lid of the jade box. The two turned to leave when they heard Li Molin shout, "Yu Ke, Ji Jue, Lang Yuan, stop them!"
Yuanjue and Shi Ning exchanged a glance, hesitated for a moment, and then Yuanjue nodded. Shi Ning then turned to Shi Chan and whispered, "Stop the demons."
Shi Chan nodded and followed Shi Ning forward. Yuan Jue and Hui Yan whispered something to each other, and the four monks walked up to Liang Yihan and Xuan Yuanhao one after another, blocking their way. Yuan Jue said in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist Liang, please go with peace of mind. The four of us monks will hold off the demons for you."
Liang Yihan was taken aback for a moment, then bowed and said, "Then I, Liang Yihan, thank you, four junior masters!"
After saying that, Liang Yihan grabbed Xuan Yuanhao's arm and was about to leave.
Li Molin's face darkened, and he coldly shouted, "Stop them! Don't let a single one of them leave!"
Yu Ke and Ji Jue responded, and with two streaks of black light, they blocked Liang Yihan and Xuan Yuanhao's path, while Li Molin and Lang Yuan faced the four monks, including Shi Chan.
Upon seeing that a major battle was about to break out among the people in the hall, Liuli quickly grabbed Ahua and retreated.
Liang Yihan turned to look at Li Molin, who was engaged in a fierce battle with Lang Yuan and four monks. Li Molin's cultivation appeared to have reached the peak of the mid-stage of Demonic Thought, just one step away from the late-stage. Lang Yuan, being a demon, had already formed an inner core, and judging by his fierce attacks, he was still handling the combined assault of Shi Chan and Shi Ning with ease. His cultivation was likely equivalent to that of a Taoist cultivator at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm or higher. Therefore, the two of them were easily fighting the four monks without any apparent pressure, and it seemed the four monks wouldn't be able to come to their aid anytime soon.
Helpless, Liang Yihan could only push Xuan Yuanhao away and face Yu Ke and Ji Jue.
Liuli watched the fight in the hall with dazzled eyes, and finally fixed her gaze on Shi Chan, Shi Ning and Lang Yuan.
Wolf Yuan wielded a weapon shaped like a wolf's fang. The fang was about a foot long and as thick as a child's arm at its thickest point. The fang was deathly white, with an extremely sharp tip that gleamed with a cold, eerie light.
This wolf fang weapon was forged by Lang Yuan using his own wolf fangs after he survived the demon calamity. Since the wolf fangs were originally part of his body, he could wield them as freely as if he were swinging his arm.
At that moment, the wolf fangs, which were over a foot long, flew back and forth in the air, and Lang Yuan's hands transformed into two furry wolf claws. As the claws swung, they drew sharp streaks of light, making Liu Li feel a little frightened and worried that the claws would scratch Shi Chan's body.
Fortunately, Shi Chan and Shi Ning joined forces, which was enough to stop Lang Yuan's attack.
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