Yao Ziyan hadn't forgotten.
The day she transcended tribulation, she had been ambushed.
The Phaseless Demon Monk had pursued her relentlessly, drawn by the disturbance in heavenly energy.
It was a reminder—
The Monster Royal Clan was far from the united front it appeared to be.
A soft light flickered in Yao Ziyan's eyes as she chuckled under her breath.
"Of course. I'll take you there when I have time."
"Really? That's great!" Yao Ziyue's face lit up with excitement.
Part of their conversation was conducted through voice transmission, ensuring only they could hear.
Though a few members of the Monster Royal Clan caught snippets of their exchange, they could make no sense of it.
Their confusion, however, was short-lived.
At that moment, the High Priest's aura surged.
A terrifying pressure filled the air.
The third eye on his forehead shone with boundless divine light, radiating an unfathomable power, as if gazing into the very fabric of time and space itself.
A vast sea of spiritual energy erupted from his body, pouring endlessly into the altar.
It was an overwhelming force—far beyond what even Yao Ziyan could wield.
Which meant only one thing—
The High Priest was not just powerful.
Among the Eminence-level beings, he was among the strongest.
"The High Priest's strength is as unfathomable as ever..."
"With the Demon Emperor in seclusion, it's been the High Priest who has led our clan..."
Low murmurs spread among the gathered monsters.
Yao Ziyue's violet pupils shimmered.
"Grandpa Xu's strength has grown again."
Yao Ziyan nodded, her tone carrying both admiration and ambition.
"He's at least an Intermediate Eminence now."
Yet despite acknowledging his strength, she felt no discouragement.
Only determination.
One day, she would surpass him.
That future was certain.
"Endless time and space… The exile's domain… The blood that guides the way home..."
The High Priest's voice wove an incantation, its tone carrying an ancient resonance.
From the void, a whisper seemed to answer.
High above, the phantom of the ancient ruins shimmered—
And then, it began to solidify.
Excitement surged through the gathered monsters.
Their time had come.
The glory of the Monster Royal Clan was about to be reborn.
Then—
"Amitabha."
A single Buddhist chant echoed across the canyon.
The air trembled.
The sound was like thunder, shaking both space and soul.
Many of the weaker monsters staggered, clutching their heads as if struck by an invisible hammer.
Their minds reeled.
Just the voice alone carried such terrifying force—
What about the one who spoke it?
The Buddhist chant shattered the High Priest's ritual.
The altar's glow faded, and the divine energy that had been gathering dispersed into nothingness.
Space itself was torn apart.
From within the rift, an old monk stepped forward.
He was clad in black robes, his presence as vast as the cosmos itself.
Power radiated from him in waves, like an unfathomable abyss.
In his hand, he carried a Zen staff, its surface gleaming with an eerie Buddha's light, pulsing with terrifying might.
He was Venerable Buddha.
A Buddhist warlord from Mount Sumeru, an existence that struck fear into even the mightiest of cultivators.
Originally, his path had been set toward Nine Stars City, deep within the Star Empire.
But when he sensed the appearance of these ruins, he had altered his course.
Something was different this time.
Something unusual lurked within these ancient ruins.
The High Priest's gaze hardened.
He recognized their uninvited guest immediately.
"Venerable Buddha," his voice was cold, "what is the meaning of this?"
Behind him, the Monster Royal Clan bristled with hostility, their eyes blazing with fury.
They knew of Venerable Buddha's reputation.
On the Azure Continent, he was infamous—
A Buddhist cultivator who embraced slaughter.
A monk who sought enlightenment through the battlefield, walking the path of Shura.
Yet despite his reputation—
Not a single monster showed fear.
Venerable Buddha's expression was impassive.
Unshaken.
With absolute confidence, he took a single step forward.
Alone.
Facing dozens of the most powerful monsters in the world.