Mowenging gaped at the dazzling artifact before him, being purified. His companions, Ding Qingyao, Huang Linger, Jiang Yurou, Xiao Yawen, Ding Yan, Tuoba Yingying, Qin Xiaodie, Cao Chunling and Jin Canxianzi and Ling Xue et al., all showed astonishment.
Especially Mo Wengjie, whose shock was almost indescribable. Because the artifact being purified was none other than the legendary Dharma Tower held by one of the Four Great Kings of the Western Paradise—Majesty Guangmu, the King of the West! This Dharma Tower was renowned for its immense mystical power and sacred aura.
Everyone was immersed in awe for a moment, unable to believe that such a precious and powerful treasure would appear before them, and in such a manner. Everyone's gaze was fixed on the Dharma Tower, as if they wanted to see the hidden ancient secrets and legendary stories through it.
Just as the crowd was immersed in wonder, suddenly the sky darkened. A shadow like lightning rushed towards the Dharma Tower, it was a raven that had been cultivating for a thousand years. This raven had longed for the power of the Dharma Tower and intended to seize it at this opportunity.
Mo Wengjie was the first to react. He shouted loudly, "Don't be rash!" His form flashed in front of the Dharma Tower. The other women also consecrated their treasure, protecting the Dharma Tower in the center. The raven screeched sharply and swept its wings, releasing a torrent of black magic.
Mo Wengjie mobilized his spiritual energy, and his entire body was enveloped in a golden glow to counter the attack. Ding Qingyao wielded her long sword, directing a series of blade spirits towards the raven. The others also used various techniques, and for a moment, spiritual light flickered and magical mist surged around.
However, the raven was very cunning. It pretended to be unable to withstand it, and when everyone relaxed their guard, it suddenly spat out a black bead in one motion. The bead expanded rapidly towards the crowd in an instant. Just as they were about to react, Mo Wengjie bit his tongue and spat out a drop of blood in his palm. He quickly formed an incantation with his hands and struck out with a huge magical character towards the black bead. The collision between the two produced a powerful shockwave, causing everyone to step back several feet. The raven, however, took advantage of this opportunity to rush towards the Dharma Tower once again.
Mo Wengjie watched in panic as the raven rushed towards the Dharma Tower again. At this moment, the Golden Silkworm Fairy, who had not yet joined the fight, exclaimed and a golden thread emerged from her forehead. The golden thread was as fast as a comet, entangling the raven's claws in an instant. The raven struggled with all its might to break free, only to find it futile. Ling Xue took advantage of this opportunity to throw out Bianpo Lin, which wrapped around the raven's other wing like a spirit snake.
Seeing this, Mo Wengjie quickly manipulated the incantations with his hands, reciting spells as he did so. A flame burst from his palm and shot towards the raven. Sensing the approaching danger, the raven's body abruptly swelled in an attempt to break free from its bindings. The women, united in their efforts, strengthened their magic even further.
Just as the raven was about to explode, a melodious bell echoed from afar. Upon hearing the bell, the raven shook violently and revealed a look of fear in its eyes. Then, a beam of Buddhist light appeared, and an image of a vast Buddha slowly emerged. It turned out that this place wasn't far from the Western Paradise, and the movement of the Dharma Tower had attracted strong disciples from the Paradise. The Buddha gently raised his hand, and the raven was imprisoned by an invisible force before being taken away by the Buddha's robe and disappearing without a trace. Under the light of Buddhist grace, the Dharma Tower underwent purification and shone even more brilliantly.
Mo Wengjie and Ding Qingyao, Huang Ling'er, Jiang Yurou, Xiao Yawen, Ding Yan, Tuoba Yingying, Qin Xiaodie, Cao Chunling, Jin Canxianzi and Ling Xue all were shocked beyond words. They discovered that the Western Paradise's domain of Majesty Guangmu was actually a Buddhist sacred land!
Mo Wengjie took a step forward and respectfully bowed to the Buddha's illusion, saying, "Thank you for your assistance, Buddha." The Buddha nodded slightly: "This was a stroke of luck. Since the Dharma Tower has been purified, it is destined for those who are fated to possess it." The crowd exchanged glances in surprise, not expecting such an opportunity. After pondering for a moment, Mo Wengjie said, "We have no intention of contending for the Dharma Tower. We merely stumbled upon it by chance and protected it until now. I beg the Buddha to reclaim this object." The Buddha smiled lightly: "Your hearts are kind and virtuous, indeed rare. However, keeping this tower here serves no purpose. It would be better to give it to you. In the future, if you encounter any evil deeds, you may use it to subdue demons and vanquish evils."
Mo Wengjie wanted to decline further, but Ding Qingyao pulled at his sleeve and whispered, "This might be the will of heaven." So Mo Wengjie thanked the Buddha and accepted the Dharma Tower. After obtaining the Dharma Tower, everyone felt that their spiritual energy seemed to have been nourished and had increased.
Just as they were about to leave the area, the surrounding space suddenly distorted, and a vortex appeared. A mysterious voice emerged from the vortex: "The appearance of the Dharma Tower has attracted attention from all sides. Although you have gained Buddha's favor, your journey ahead remains perilous. Quickly enter this teleportation array and head to a safe place." Mo Wengjie and the others exchanged glances and without hesitation, they stepped into the vortex. As it disappeared along with their presence, only silence remained in the Western Paradise's domain of Majesty Guangmu.
Mo Wengjie and the others felt a whirling dizziness, and when they opened their eyes again, they were in a valley enveloped in mist. The air in the valley was so thick with spiritual energy that it seemed almost tangible. Mo Wengjie had just taken his footing when he sensed a subtle sense of being watched around him.
"Be careful, although it seems peaceful here, there is hidden danger." Mo Wengjie cautioned in a low voice. The others immediately became alert and protected the Dharma Tower more tightly.
Suddenly, several demonic beasts, resembling foxes but emitting flames all over their bodies, burst out from the grass. Their eyes were scarlet, fixated on the group. Mo Wengjie launched the first assault, converting a surge of spiritual energy into an arrow and shooting it towards the lead fire fox. The fire fox agilely sidestepped the attack, then spat out a ball of flames. Ding Qingyao swung her longsword to cleave through the flames, while Huang Ling'er summoned vines in an attempt to entangle the fire fox. However, these fire foxes were incredibly swift and darted through the crowd with ease, catching everyone off guard.
In this critical moment, Mo Wengjie's mind sparked with an idea, suddenly recalling the mysterious and powerful Dharma Tower. He took a deep breath, concentrating his spirit, and tried to harness the immense power contained within the legendary Dharma Tower.
The Dharma Tower was seen to quiver slightly, as if it had just emerged from a deep slumber. Then, it slowly emitted a gentle glow. This glow rapidly coalesced into a transparent dome, enveloping all of them thoroughly.
At the same time, the ferocious fire fox came hurtling towards them like a burning meteor. However, as it collided with the light dome, it was like hitting an unbreakable wall. With a resounding "boom," it was forcefully flung back into the air. The fire fox rolled over and over in the sky, emitting a series of agonized cries from its mouth.
Seeing this, the other fire foxes immediately sensed that their situation was disadvantageous to them. After a glance at each other, they turned around without hesitation and ran for cover in the grassy depths.
Watching the retreating figures of the fire foxes, Mo Wengjie finally let out a sigh of relief, but he was well aware that this was just the beginning. From now on, they would need to race against time to find a truly safe place. If they didn't, and those fire foxes ever came back or if they encountered even stronger adversaries in the future, the consequences could be dire. Without any delay, he took the lead and continued cautiously venturing deeper into the grasslands with his companions...
As they continued on their journey, they came across an ancient pagoda. The pagoda's door was tightly shut, with complex characters engraved on it. Mo Wengjie could sense a faint and indistinct spiritual energy coming from within, which had no malevolent intent. He decided to investigate further.
The group arrived at the pagoda entrance, and Mo Wengjie tried to touch the runes with his spiritual energy. Suddenly, the door began to open slowly. Inside, it was aglow with gold, revealing a floor covered with spiritual crystals and various rare herbs. The group was overjoyed and about to approach when a ghostly image of an old man with a white beard appeared. "Destined ones, these treasures were intended for those who are destined to possess them in order to enhance their strength and prepare for great calamities."
Mo Wengjie asked, "Venerable, what is the great calamity?" The old man sighed, "The dark forces in this world are stirring restlessly, and the emergence of the Dharma Tower has disrupted the balance. A great battle is about to ensue. You should take these and find a place to enhance your strength quickly."
Mo Wengjie and the others thanked the old man and retrieved the treasures. With these resources, they sought out a secluded cave and began intensive cultivation. After a while, everyone's strength increased significantly. As they emerged from the cave, they found that outside, chaos had erupted. Many evil cultivators were looting and pillaging everywhere.
Mo Wengjie stood silently, unmoving, like a statue. His gaze was locked firmly on the towering Dharma Tower that pierced the clouds and exuded a mysterious glow. His eyes were deep and resolute, as if he could pierce through the layers of mist surrounding the tower, seeing the hidden secrets and power within.
After a moment, Mo Wengjie took a deep breath and slowly spoke: "Brothers and sisters, the Dharma Tower before us is a symbol of justice and peace in the world. It carries the hopes and requests of countless ancestors and bears the responsibility of protecting the tranquility of this land. Today, evil forces attempt to disrupt this tranquility, and we cannot let them succeed!" As he spoke, he vigorously waved his arm, raising his voice passionately: "Let us all stand up together to guard this tower with our courage and strength, defending peace in the world!"
Without waiting for his voice to fade, Mo Wengjie charged forward, leading the way. His figure moved like lightning, appearing at the heart of the chaotic battlefield in a blink of an eye. The others behind him were inspired by his action and without hesitation, they followed suit, joining the fierce battle to restore peace.
As Mo Wengjie charged into the center of the battlefield, he quickly formed hand signs, and the Dharma Tower emerged from its pedestal, emitting a powerful spiritual energy. This energy took the form of light curtains that pushed back the nearby evil cultivators. Ding Qingyao and others did not hesitate either, each displaying their own formidable techniques. Huang Ling'er summoned an endless network of vines to bind a portion of the evil cultivators; while Jiang Yuruo unleashed a rain of spiritual energy to weaken the magic powers of the evil cultivators.
However, there were numerous evil cultivators, and several powerful leaders among them. One black-robed evil cultivator sneered coldly and gathered dark energy in his hands, striking at Mo Wengjie. Mo Wengjie couldn't dodge in time, and it seemed as though he was about to be hit. At this moment, the Dharma Tower suddenly began to spin autonomously, blocking the deadly blow.
As the battle raged on, the group grew weary, but their courage did not wane. At the critical moment, a group of cranes flew in from the horizon, with several cultivators of noble bearing and cultivation standing on their backs. They were members of various sects of the righteous path who had come for support upon hearing the news. With their arrival, the situation turned around instantly. The evil cultivators, seeing that they were in a dire situation, scattered and fled.
Mo Wengjie and the others successfully held onto the Dharma Tower, temporarily restoring peace to this land. They smiled at each other, knowing that they still needed to continue working hard to uphold peace in the world.
