Monk Jile hailed from the Joyful Zen Temple.

The Joyful Zen Temple, if one traced its origins, was actually a branch of the Joyful Union Sect.

The lineage of their tradition was ancient and complex.

If one were to trace it back far enough, its roots could be found in both the Twin Longevity Buddha of Esoteric Buddhism and the Inner Alchemy Skill of the Xuanmen Orthodox Sect.

In Esoteric Buddhism, the Twin Longevity Buddha’s male form represented method and the female form represented wisdom. Their union signified the fusion of method and wisdom.

Within the Daoist Sect, this was known as "Taking Kan and Filling Li," or the "Kan and Li Union," a method to achieve both the Dual Cultivation of Life and Spirit and Life and Death as One.

However, this Technique was no ordinary matter. The slightest carelessness could lead to a misinterpretation of its true meaning.

This, in turn, could lead one down the wrong path, transforming them into a malevolent Demon.

Within Esoteric Buddhism, there was a group of such people. Lacking sufficient self-control and a deep understanding of Buddhist Teachings, they attempted to comprehend this path but ultimately fell into a debased state and were expelled from their sect.

There were also those in the Daoist Sect who twisted the meaning of "Taking Kan and Filling Li," becoming the kind of people who would force themselves upon others, disregarding both their will and their lives.

Both groups were rejected by the righteous path of the Jianghu. They eventually banded together, forming the original Joyful Union Sect.

With "breaking down barriers and liberating one’s nature" as their creed, they acted wantonly, wreaking havoc upon the Jianghu and harming countless men and women.

The righteous factions of the Jianghu had risen up to attack them on numerous occasions and had managed to scatter them more than once.

But this sect was rooted in the basest aspects of human nature, allowing it to rise from the ashes every time it was broken apart.

To this day, it remains active throughout the Jianghu.

However, different philosophies existed within the sect, creating a hierarchy, and none of the factions submitted to the others.

The Joyful Zen Temple was a branch that had split off during one of these internal struggles.

The main Martial Arts they cultivated was called the Celestial Desire Divine Technique. It completely abandoned the principle of fusing method and wisdom, instead using desire as its driving force and bliss as its ultimate truth. It pursued the extremes of pleasure and rapid advancement in Inner Strength, having long ago become a through-and-through Demon Dao.

But this Martial Art still retained various Secret Techniques from Esoteric Buddhism.

The Paradise Dharma Body that Monk Jile was now using was a variation of one of the Body-Protecting Divine Techniques from Esoteric Buddhism.

As he channeled his Inner Strength, a golden light rose from the surface of his body. As his True Qi circulated, a decadent, enchanting music even began to emanate through the air, capable of unsettling one’s mind and stirring up desires.

Legend had it that if this technique was fully mastered, the Paradise Dharma Body could transform into the Celestial Desire Dharma Aspect. Within the golden light, it could even conjure all sorts of illusions. Anyone who saw it, man or woman, would be hopelessly lost in a mire of desire. The protection of the Dharma Aspect was, furthermore, Vajra Indestructible and Indestructible.

However, Monk Jile’s current level of Cultivation was nowhere near that stage.

But even so, the defensive power of this Technique was not inferior to the various Body-Protecting Divine Techniques of the Buddhist Sect.

It all happened in a flash!

The Qi Force from Fang Shuwen’s punch had already reached Monk Jile.

A deafening CLANG resounded, like the tolling of a great bell. The massive sonic impact actually kicked up a fierce gale throughout the entire front hall of the mountain.

BANG BANG BANG, BANG BANG BANG!

The series of sounds came from all directions; it was all the doors and windows in the hall being swept open by the strong winds from the impact of the punch.

Meanwhile, Monk Jile’s figure was thrown backward, forcing Feng Mantian, Guan Tianyue, and the others behind him to retreat along with him.

After being pushed back a good thirteen feet, Monk Jile finally snapped his head up, a savage look filling his narrow eyes.

"Is that all you’ve got?!"

As the words fell, a trickle of blood slid from the corner of his mouth.

Fang Shuwen looked at his own fist, somewhat surprised.

’This monk is tougher than I thought,’ he had to admit.

These people, in terms of both status and Martial Arts, were on a completely different level from those he had encountered before. For that reason, Fang Shuwen had struck with considerably more force than usual.

This punch was no exception... but he hadn’t expected that it would fail to completely shatter his opponent’s Body-Protecting Divine Technique!

He immediately nodded.

"Great Monk, not bad."

This praise was, for all intents and purposes, from the bottom of his heart.

But upon hearing it, the corner of Monk Jile’s mouth twitched...

’What is my status, and how old is Fang Shuwen?’

As a master who had been famous in the Jianghu for a long time, his fighting Fang Shuwen was a case of a senior bullying a junior.

Yet after taking a single punch, even though his Body-Protecting Divine Technique wasn’t completely broken, he was still injured.

His earlier words had been nothing more than a bluff to keep up appearances.

And in return, he received Fang Shuwen’s sincere praise...

’Sincerity really is a lethal weapon; it really knows how to hit where it hurts.’

’Does this kid have any concept of respecting his elders?’

He snorted coldly.

"Patron, your killing intent is too strong. Do you not fear falling into Avici Hell after you die?!"

This was meant to be a psychological blow, but Fang Shuwen seemed to turn a deaf ear, simply taking a step forward and leaping toward him.

"Try taking another palm from me."

The palm strike started as gently as mist and rain, but it made Monk Jile’s pupils shrink abruptly.

It was none other than the Knocking the Mountain and Suppressing Demon technique—the same palm strike Fang Shuwen had used to snap the Evil-Slaying Sword when he killed Li Nanchen!

Monk Jile had witnessed the power of this palm strike with his own eyes. He immediately roared.

"Everyone, lend me your strength!!!"

Feng Mantian and the others didn’t hesitate, immediately placing their hands on his back.

The golden light surged once more, just as Fang Shuwen’s Palm Technique arrived.

But when the Palm Technique and the golden light touched, the terrifying momentum from before was gone.

The moment Fang Shuwen’s palm touched the golden light, the light simply vanished without a sound.

And so the final palm strike landed, light as a feather, on Monk Jile’s chest and abdomen.

It was truly light...

To an outsider, at least, it looked as if Fang Shuwen had just given him a gentle push on the chest.

Or perhaps a light pat.

Like a playful joke between friends, nothing to be concerned about at all.

But Monk Jile felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He looked at Fang Shuwen, wanting to speak, but the moment his lips moved, a crack spread from the corner of his mouth.

Immediately after, the cracks began to rapidly cover Monk Jile’s entire body.

The sound of CRACKING and SNAPPING was incessant.

"Not good!!"

The black-robed figure, whose face had remained hidden, suddenly flung his sleeve and was the first to leap back in retreat.

Feng Mantian and Guan Tianyue also jumped back to get out of the way.

Xu Chongshan and Zuo Qingshuang hurriedly shouted:

"Fall back!!!"

WHOOSH.

The Zhuji Pavilion disciples inside the hall retreated like a receding tide to the sides of the hall.

With a light tap of his foot, Fang Shuwen was also retreating.

And in the very next instant, a thunderous BOOM erupted from within Monk Jile’s body, and a great cloud of blood mist exploded outward.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH, WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH. The fragmented pieces of his corpse, imbued with tremendous force, swept out in all directions.

In an instant, blood splattered across half of the front hall. When everyone came to their senses, Monk Jile was gone.

All that remained in his place was a pair of feet...

Blood rained down like a fine drizzle, every drop... telling the tale of Monk Jile’s tragic fate.

Fang Shuwen lightly brushed his sleeves, then stepped forward with a frown.

"As I thought, I still can’t use too much force.

"As for the remaining three... why don’t we skip the one-on-one and you all just attack me together?"