Chapter Forty-Seven: The Eighteen Arhats

“Dragon Subduer?” Upon hearing this name, Zhou Yi’s heart stirred. He recalled fragments of information he had gathered before—Arhat Hall, Bodhi Institute, and so forth. These seemed intimately connected to a great power he’d known in his previous life.

Shaolin.

Yet, there were differences. In this world, Arhat Hall and Bodhi Institute appeared to be independent forces, whereas in the other world, they were all under the unified governance of Shaolin Temple.

Moreover, the monk before him called himself Dragon Subduer, echoing memories of the Eighteen Arhats, Dragon Subduer, Tiger Tamer...

“Is there some link between this world and the one I came from?” Zhou Yi mused.

“It seems you have no intention of surrendering quietly,” Dragon Subduer suddenly declared, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. Without hesitation, he struck out, palm aimed at Zhou Yi, seeking to end the battle in an instant.

Bang!

As his palm bore down, imbued with tremendous force capable of shattering stone and metal, it closed in to within half a palm’s breadth of Zhou Yi’s face. Suddenly, a hand appeared, horizontal, intercepting it effortlessly.

“A sneak attack!”

“Despicable! Shameless!” The move was so sudden, so swift, that only when Zhou Yi blocked it did Huang Yue and Autumn Wind react. Both frowned, glaring at Dragon Subduer and shouting.

Bang!

Facing the sudden assault, Zhou Yi’s expression remained cold, devoid of anger. His hand turned, struck, and sent Dragon Subduer reeling.

Bang!

Dragon Subduer’s composure was shaken; he had no power to resist, landing lightly, shocked, casting a glance at Zhou Yi, ignoring the words of Huang Yue and Autumn Wind.

“Form the Eighteen Arhat Formation!” As soon as he landed, Dragon Subduer shook off his shock, steadied himself, shouted, and slapped the ground. Using the momentum, he sprang up, joining the other seventeen Arhats who instantly arranged themselves into a triangular formation.

Buzz!

A sudden humming sound spread through the air. Golden light radiated from the bodies of the Eighteen Arhats, shining outward like little lanterns, their robes fluttering, trembling the surroundings.

Sensing something, Zhou Yi’s expression shifted. In a flash, he vanished.

Swish!

A sudden sound of a blade being drawn echoed through the surroundings. Then, Zhou Yi reappeared above the Eighteen Arhats, both hands gripping his sword, the blade gleaming coldly. He pressed downward, slashing fiercely toward them.

Facing Zhou Yi’s strike, the Eighteen Arhats’ faces remained impassive; not one looked up. Heads bowed, they chanted scriptures, indistinct and murmured, yet carrying an invisible power. Their internal energy transformed into sonic waves through the chanting. Linked together in formation, they became as one, their power multiplying.

The sonic waves overlapped, intangible energy becoming tangible, instantly forming a semicircular shield enveloping them all.

Boom!

Zhou Yi’s blade struck the shield. His expression changed; his arm trembled, a tremendous force reverberated through the blade into his body.

The force not only blocked Zhou Yi’s strike, but also amplified his own power and sent it rebounding back at him.

Whoosh!

Caught off guard, Zhou Yi’s body was flung through the air, his internal energy thrown into chaos, uncontrollable. The immense force kept him airborne for a long time, unable to descend.

Tap!

At that moment, the previously closed eyes of the Eighteen Arhats snapped open. In unison, they stepped forward, the semicircular shield contracting into a sphere, suspended above their heads like a mountain, emanating boundless might.

The Arhats chanted continuously, internal energy flowing out like water, transforming into scriptures, then into sonic waves, converging into the golden light above them. The sphere’s power grew ever more formidable.

Boom!

“Shout!” Suddenly, all the Arhats cried out, fixing their gaze on Zhou Yi.

The golden light moved with their intent, vanishing from its original spot and instantly appearing before Zhou Yi, who was still tumbling through the air. The light flashed, transformed, elongated, becoming a massive golden staff that struck down upon him.

At this moment, Zhou Yi hung suspended, unable to find footing, his internal energy still in disarray, his body spinning uncontrollably. With no energy to shield him, how could he defend against this blow, which gathered all the power of the Eighteen Arhats?

It seemed certain that he was doomed.

The events unfolded so rapidly—Dragon Subduer’s attack, Zhou Yi’s counter, Zhou Yi being flung away, the Arhats forming their array, the shield transforming into a golden staff to strike at Zhou Yi—all within a heartbeat.

“What do we do?” Daoist Autumn Wind cried out in distress, wishing to help but finding no time.

“We’re finished!” Huang Yue stamped her foot in frustration. Moments ago, Zhou Yi had seemed formidable; how had he now become so vulnerable?

Even with her agility, she could not hope to intervene in time. No one could have foreseen things would escalate so quickly.

Originally, she had believed that with Zhou Yi and his companion’s strength, these eighteen bald monks were no match for them. Even if something unexpected happened, their power should have given Huang Yue and Autumn Wind time to assist.

Who could have predicted the battle would unfold so swiftly? First, Dragon Subduer acted shamelessly, launching a sneak attack; when that failed, he immediately joined with the other seventeen Arhats, forming the Eighteen Arhat Formation—a deadly trap!

It caught everyone off guard.

Yet, in contrast to the anxieties of Huang Yue and Autumn Wind, Song Hai, standing nearby, felt entirely differently. Watching Zhou Yi seemingly trapped in a deadly situation, his face showed no urgency, nor any intention to help. Instead, he watched with a serene smile.

“Huh?” Huang Yue happened to notice Song Hai’s demeanor and was puzzled. What did it mean?

Her comrade was about to be killed, yet he remained so calm. Could it be discord between brothers?

Impossible. That thought was immediately dismissed. If there truly were discord, when Cold Edge had nearly killed Zhou Yi before, Song Hai would not have been so furious, so agitated, even disregarding the vast gulf between them to act.

But now, his face showed no reaction. What did it signify?

Perhaps this situation was not as dire as it seemed.

Perhaps, this was not a dead end.

Previously, when Cold Edge tried to kill Zhou Yi, Song Hai had intervened. Now, he did not. Did that mean this strike could not kill Zhou Yi? Judging by Song Hai’s calm demeanor, perhaps it wouldn’t even injure him.

With this thought, Huang Yue felt inexplicably reassured and turned her gaze to Zhou Yi.

“What hidden card do you possess that allows you to break free from such a deadly trap?”

Just as Huang Yue’s gaze shifted, a sudden flash of resolve appeared in Zhou Yi’s eyes, hidden beneath his hair. His mind moved.

Boom!

A gigantic phantom wave suddenly appeared behind him, manifesting and vanishing in an instant. Then, an endless, boundless blue ocean alternated into view, shimmering briefly before transforming into a towering, majestic mountain, enveloping Zhou Yi.