Chapter 569 1: Black Giant Buddha, Spiritual Mechanism Beauty

In the center of the gloomy sky, several dark and sinister cracks suddenly appeared.

Afterward, a radiant golden wheel emerged. As it slowly rotated, the surrounding space shattered and collapsed, and a tall, handsome figure strode out from within the golden light.

This man wore wide robes with large sleeves. His features were spirited and handsome, his expression tinged with world-weariness. It was none other than Fang Cheng, returning to the Red Profound Realm from Qianyu Heaven.

He stood poised in the void, sensing the familiar Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism of the Red Profound Realm. A comforting sense of homecoming washed over him.

As far as the eye could see, the sky was blanketed in dense, dark clouds, blotting out the sun and covering a thousand li.

Below was a boundless ocean with treacherous winds and waves. The seawater was an inky black, chillingly deep.

The distance was shrouded in a baleful mist that seemed to linger year-round.

'Where am I…?'

Fang Cheng was puzzled. To his recollection, neither the Mingxiao Domain nor the East Cyan Domain had a sea like this.

It was more like the legendary Profound Nether Domain, one of the seven great domains of the Red Profound Realm.

This domain, like the East Cyan Domain, was a New Domain. The number of sects and families was far less than in the Old Five Domains, such as the Mingxiao Domain.

'That's right. When I went to Extreme Jade Heaven, I didn't use the Ten Thousand Worlds Compass. Now that I've returned by teleporting with it, the destination is random…'

As the thought crossed his mind, he quickly pieced it all together. He immediately released his Divine Sense to probe his surroundings.

The Profound Nether Domain was known as the "Abyssal Sea where Nether Waves Devour the Moon." The sea was filled with natural dangers, and many Great Demons lay dormant within it. Human Race Cultivators did not prosper in this place.

The sea held many strange sights.

With great interest, Fang Cheng watched a large patch of dark clouds in the distance. It suddenly expanded, forming a long, thick, and dense strip, like a black dragon, with one end reaching straight down to the sea's surface.

The roars of lions and tigers suddenly echoed from within the dark clouds before they transformed into countless five-colored layers. From time to time, myriad golden and red threads could be seen darting about like lightning flashes within the dense clouds—a truly bizarre sight.

Then, the wind began to howl, and the tides roared like a charging army of thousands.

The sea's surface heaved, and waves as tall as thousand-zhang mountains surged forward with immense power.

Fang Cheng stood motionless in the void, gazing into the distance and sensing the shifts in the world's natural energies.

'It seems an underwater volcano has erupted… Could a treasure be about to appear?'

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a colossal pillar of fire erupted from the distant sea, shooting toward the heavens like a fiery tower.

The seawater below grew hot, and soon it was like a boiling cauldron, churning with the corpses of countless aquatic creatures.

After a moment's contemplation, Fang Cheng flew toward the fiery light.

A pillar of fire several thousand zhang high stood between the sea and sky, like a sudden mountain peak reaching up to illuminate the heavens.

Below, massive waves spread out in concentric circles.

The whistling wind, roaring waves, and explosive thunder merged into a deafening, tumultuous cacophony.

The spectacular scene piqued Fang Cheng's interest.

Suddenly, from within the mountainous pillar of fire, a plume of green smoke shot into the air. Like a firework, it burst into countless brilliant emerald sparks. Then, the sound of a tsunami rose above the wind and waves, growing ever more thunderous.

'There's definitely a treasure inside that fire!'

Fang Cheng activated his Escape Light and arrived beside the Fire Peak in an instant. These terrifying flames that could burn the heavens and boil the seas were, to him, as harmless as a small flame, allowing him to pass through as he pleased.

But an ordinary Dharma Cultivator would likely perish if they came here.

Within the flames, the void itself writhed. A thick, inky blackness flowed out, coalescing into a great Black Buddha with an expression of worldly compassion. A black halo hovered behind it.

This Buddha was over a hundred zhang tall. It sat cross-legged upon a Dark Gold Lotus Platform, bathed in the raging flames. Its left half was flesh and blood, while its right half was cast from black bronze, like an exquisitely crafted prosthesis engraved with scriptures.

Its chest was a hollowed-out cavity of countless gears, and deep within, a throbbing Bronze Relic could be faintly seen.

Embedded in the Black Buddha's brow was a swastika-shaped symbol that radiated golden Buddha Light as it spun in reverse. Within the black halo behind its head floated a wheel of light made of three layers of rusted gears. Purple karmic fire sputtered where the gears interlocked.

Fang Cheng casually arrived before the Black Buddha's head, and a mechanical chanting sound immediately reached his ears.

He sensed a trio of contradictions emanating from this Black Buddha: flesh and machine, the sacred and the fallen, compassion and cruelty.

The Black Buddha felt like a person who had lost their soul, yet also like a cold Magical Artifact puppet.

But the fluctuations of its energy had impressively reached the Tribulation Realm, comparable to a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact…

'There's more to this Profound Nether Domain than meets the eye.'

Fang Cheng struck out with his palm. Demonic Light surged in the void, forming a giant hand that moved to refine the Black Buddha.

The gears behind the Black Buddha's head spun, and a jet-black Buddha Light brimming with a corrupt aura surged forth, blocking the Demon Light Hand.

Fang Cheng sneered. With a flick of his finger, a beam of sword light shot out. It danced like a shooting star, instantly circling the Black Buddha with a slash.

KRRRRACK!

The sword light was fast as lightning, and the curtain of black Buddha Light shattered on impact.

The Demon Light Hand descended easily. Vast, sea-like Magical Power surged in, refining the Black Buddha in an instant.

'Hmm, it can house a soul, yet it's infinitely more refined than an ordinary puppet. It's almost like an external avatar…'

As Fang Cheng examined the profundities of the Black Buddha and was about to store it away, he suddenly sensed something and looked into the distance.

A beam of sword light tore through the air between the gloomy sea and sky, crossing a hundred li in an instant with astonishing power.

"That Black Buddha has a master! Fellow Daoist, do not take what is not yours!"

A crisp, pleasant voice followed.

The sword light flashed, and a tall, slender figure appeared.

Fang Cheng's gaze sharpened, and he couldn't help but size her up. The newcomer had flowing silver hair, a youthful, beautiful face, and a stunningly cold and aloof aura.

But her body was forged almost entirely from Profound Gold Spiritual Mechanism. Her skin resembled a jade shell, beneath which Spirit Patterns flowed like liquid light. A nebula-like swirl on her chest emitted an orange-red glow.

The energy this woman emitted was peculiar. It was close to the Peak of Dharma Form, yet vastly different from that of an ordinary cultivator.

Fang Cheng gave a leisurely smile and said, "This Black Buddha was clearly ownerless, brought forth by the eruption of an underwater volcano. First come, first served, so it is rightfully mine."

A look of displeasure crossed the silver-haired woman's face. She said coldly, "This is a Spiritual Mechanism Body forged by my master, named Black Buddha. It has always been placed in an Underground Fire Vein to be nurtured. Today, it sensed the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism and emerged ahead of schedule. I have come to retrieve it on my master's orders. If you continue to spout nonsense, don't blame my sword for being merciless."

Fang Cheng said lightly, "I have already claimed this treasure, so I have no reason to hand it over. Your claims are baseless. Why should I believe you?"

The silver-haired woman laughed in fury. "This Black Buddha and I, Thousand Machines Reflecting Snow, are of the same origin, both forged by my master. Can you not tell?" she demanded.

Fang Cheng chuckled dryly. "They are clearly nothing alike, yet you claim they are from the same origin. Do not press the issue. If you anger me, I will refine you as well."

With that, he waved his sleeve, and the hundred-zhang-tall Black Buddha vanished, stored away.

'His cultivation is comparable to mine, yet he's so arrogant! I'll teach him a lesson today!'

As the thought crossed her mind, killing intent flared from the silver-haired woman. Her body erupted in silver light as she shot a razor-sharp beam of sword light straight at Fang Cheng's brow.

"Is that all?"

Fang Cheng sneered. He raised his hand and, with just his index and middle fingers, caught the incoming sword light.

His physical body had been endlessly tempered and refined. Even in Qianyu Heaven, a place teeming with geniuses, he was invincible.

Let alone a beam of sword light from a mere Tier Four Flying Sword…

The Flying Sword trembled, trying to twist free and sever his fingers. But a dark gold light emerged from between his fingers, locking the blade in place. Then, with a gentle flick, the Flying Sword shattered into seven pieces.

The silver-haired woman was stunned. She then saw her opponent point a finger, and a beam of Demonic Light shot down, sealing and suppressing her.

The sheer vastness and power of her opponent's Magical Power filled her with unprecedented despair.

She had never felt this way, not even when facing her master.

The moment she made contact with his Magical Power, she knew with terrifying clarity that he could annihilate her soul and her Spiritual Mechanism Body in an instant, with just a flick of his finger.

'Is he really a Dharma Realm cultivator?!'

Before the silver-haired woman could react, a powerful Divine Sense invaded her soul and began the Soul Search.

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