Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1260 - 611: The Golden Buddha’s Illusion (Part 2)

The Grey Eagle retracted its neck, letting out a dry chuckle and nodding rapidly, his eyes glued to the screen without a moment's distraction.

Fang Cheng moved between the two men, offering no commentary.

The army boots he wore crunched on a piece of deadwood underfoot, producing a sharp 'crack' sound.

His gaze pierced through the dense grey mist, observing the distorted tree shadows that resembled monstrous figures.

An unnatural quiet enveloped the surroundings; even the chirping of insects had completely ceased.

Just then, Hou Peng, who was walking on the left, suddenly stopped.

After his ears twitched twice, he immediately lowered his stance, adopting a watchful posture.

"Hold on, I think I detect some movement."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng also paused, focusing his senses and listening intently.

The profound silence that had dominated the area was now punctuated only by the ragged breaths of the few individuals present.

However, after a few seconds, an incredibly faint hum permeated the thick fog, carried by the cold, damp air to their ears.

Initially, the sound was reminiscent of thousands of insects beating their wings in the distance.

But as the chill wind grew stronger, the sound became distinct and remarkably rhythmic.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

An ethereal, muffled striking noise seemed to emanate from afar.

It bore a resemblance to the unique resonance produced when a wooden mallet strikes a wooden fish within a temple.

Accompanying the steady striking sound, the indistinct hum gradually coalesced and unified, forming discernible syllables.

It was as if a multitude were chanting scriptures in unison.

Soon, Ma Donghe and Grey Eagle also became aware of the unsettling sound.

"In this desolate mountain wilderness... where might the monks be chanting?"

Ma Donghe's eyes widened, a prickling sensation running down his scalp.

Beep beep beep beep—

The device in Grey Eagle's hand suddenly emitted a piercing, continuous beep, and the fluctuating graph on its screen transformed into a solid red line.

"It’s directly ahead, the energy readings are through the roof!"

His entire body trembled as he raised his hand, pointing straight forward, his voice laced with excitement.

Instinctively, everyone hastened their steps, moving forward.

Whoosh—

A gust of cold wind swept close to the ground, dispersing a portion of the mist ahead.

As if a veil were being lifted, the vista abruptly clarified.

The dense forest, withered wood, and decaying leaves vanished instantly.

In their place lay a vast, limitless expanse of swirling clouds, churning ceaselessly.

At the very heart of this cloud sea, a magnificent temple appeared to be suspended in mid-air.

The sprawling structures were arranged in an organized fashion, their glazed tile roofs catching the light and refracting dazzling halos, painting half the sky in brilliant gold.

And crowning the temple's highest cloud platform sat an immense Golden Buddha, towering a hundred feet tall.

The Golden Buddha's eyes were cast downward, its majestic presence surveying all from above.

It was evident that this divine figure was the origin of the abnormal sounds.

At this moment, the grand sutra chanting resonated with the power of bells and drums, overwhelming the senses.

It possessed a captivating, soul-ensnaring energy that persistently drilled into one's mind.

"Is this... the Western Paradise?"

Ma Donghe remained frozen in place, the dagger in his hand drooping limply.

Fang Cheng's expression stayed impassive, his eyes narrowed slightly.

The brilliant Buddha light reflected in his pupils, yet it failed to evoke any emotional response.

The magnificent Buddhist chants, potent enough to compel ordinary individuals to prostrate in worship.

To his ears, they registered merely as the incessant buzzing of a swarm of flies, exceedingly bothersome.

Yet, not everyone could match Fang Cheng's unyielding disposition.

The Mountain Cat and Bald Rat trailing behind were the first to succumb.

These two assassins, already grievously wounded and relying on each other for support while walking, suddenly released their grips.

Their vacant, white eyes displayed an eerie zeal and placidity, their mouths murmuring scriptures incoherently.

Shortly after, their injured legs appeared to heal instantaneously, and the two began to walk with stiff yet firm strides.

Like soulless puppets, they advanced directly towards the golden radiance.

Next, Grey Eagle, who was at the forefront, also fell under its influence.

His gaze grew unfocused, and he uttered a few verses of scripture.

Suddenly, an intense, tearing sensation surged through his mind, akin to being struck by lightning.

"Ah—"

Grey Eagle clutched his head with both hands, collapsing to his knees in agony.

Concurrently, Mountain Cat and Bald Rat had already reached the threshold of the golden light.

They slowly lifted their hands, touching the golden halo before their faces with rapt fascination.

Their fingers dissolved silently, much like snow melting into boiling water.

Next followed their wrists, forearms, and torsos...

Without a sound, without a drop of blood.

The blinding golden radiance acted like the most potent corrosive agent imaginable, annihilating them instantly, leaving absolutely nothing behind.

Despite this terrifying spectacle, the others remained unaffected.

Ma Donghe's taut frame finally loosened, his features morphing into a vacant stare.

He staggered forward, drawn towards the perilous golden glow.

Hou Peng trudged along right behind him, his own mind adrift, uttering nonsensical words.

Fang Cheng, however, stood his ground, unmoving.

The resonant chanting grew increasingly distinct, an unending chorus.

It ultimately coalesced into a profound, celestial sound wave, which crashed over and over, battering everyone's consciousness.

Only Fang Cheng’s resolute stance, like an immovable boulder against a raging torrent, remained unscathed.

As if sensing this solitary anomaly.

The overwhelming chant abruptly ceased.

High above the swirling clouds, the colossal Golden Buddha, towering a hundred feet tall, slowly opened its eyes.

Two beams of intense golden light, sharp as blades, shot directly towards Fang Cheng.

A booming voice, reminiscent of heavenly thunder, exploded within Fang Cheng's mind:

"Why do you refuse to kneel before the World Honored One?"

Fang Cheng tilted his head back, confronting the colossal pressure capable of reshaping mountains and overturning seas, a sneer of disdain twisting his lips:

"Does a mere beast garbed as a Buddha warrant my reverence?"

Boom!

The sea of clouds convulsed, and the once benevolent Buddha light transmuted into a palpable, piercing killing intent.

The Golden Buddha’s gaze flared with fury, and a colossal golden hand, blotting out the sky, descended upon Fang Cheng with the crushing might to obliterate all existence.

Fang Cheng neither flinched nor retreated; his stance became ironclad, his military boots sinking half a foot into the muddy ground.

He then drew a deep, steadying breath.

Within his Dantian, a formidable True Qi surged like molten magma, coursing through every sinew and bone.

Buzz——

A golden flame, purer and more potent than that emanating from the Golden Buddha above, erupted from Fang Cheng’s form.

This energy was uncluttered by illusion, embodying only the purest essence of annihilation.

The golden radiance rapidly expanded, forming an absolute Domain that belonged entirely to Fang Cheng.

Within the surrounding gloom, his entire being appeared to transform into a blazing sun, forcefully countering the descending palm of the Buddha.

The immense pressure of the wind, coupled with the searing golden light, bore down, causing Fang Cheng’s bones to emit a cascade of sharp cracking sounds.

Fang Cheng’s throat constricted, his chest heaving.

His vital Qi and blood churned violently within, each surge pummeling his internal organs.

His spine vibrated erratically, akin to a coiling dragon, while his muscles, fascia, and bones underwent high-frequency oscillations, producing a series of deep, resonant rumblings.

Initially contained within his chest, the sound resembled the low growl of a tiger.

It rapidly permeated his entire body, escalating into the roar of thunder during a midsummer storm.

Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound!

"Roar——"

A ferocious sonic wave, evocative of a primeval beast, erupted from Fang Cheng's maw.

Visible, semi-transparent ripples of sound radiated outward, sweeping upwards like a tempest.

Crack!

The colossal golden hand suspended in the air was struck by the sonic wave, instantly fracturing into a network of spiderweb-like fissures.

These cracks swiftly propagated, reaching up into the very clouds.

Crash——

Like an immense pane of glass shattered by a monstrous hammer.

The magnificent temple, the awe-inspiring Golden Buddha, and the boundless Buddha light.

Under Fang Cheng’s triumphant roar, infused with his True Qi, they disintegrated piece by piece, dissolving into countless motes of light before vanishing completely.

The chilling, dark mist receded, flowing back into its original domain.

"Gasp… gasp…"

Ma Donghe and Hou Peng’s legs buckled, sending them collapsing into the mud, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Both men were slick with cold sweat, appearing as if they had just been pulled from the depths of the ocean.

Ma Donghe frantically wiped the cold sweat from his face, his eyes, wide as bronze bells, darting around the unfamiliar surroundings.

The Yunding Heavenly Palace had vanished, replaced by gnarled, eerie ancient trees and an impenetrable, thick fog that met his gaze.