145: The founder of Buddhism and Taoism, reshaping Lingshan

The bonfire blazed, illuminating faces filled with excitement and fanaticism.

Amidst the revelry of wine and warmth, Xiao Huohuo's eyes suddenly turned cold.

He slowly stood up.

"Brothers."

"Today's great victory is worth celebrating."

"But!"

A chilling killing intent spread out.

"My Burning Heaven, since its establishment, has laid down rules—"

"Do not harm the innocent, do not disturb the common people!"

"But recently, I heard that among us, a few degenerates have emerged!"

"They are using the name of my Burning Heaven to commit rape, plunder, and all sorts of evil deeds outside! They have ruined the reputation of my Burning Heaven!"

As soon as these words were uttered, many people present changed their expressions.

Sand Heaven Reaching even stood up abruptly, his face, covered in scars, filled with rage.

"Big Boss! Is this true?!"

Xiao Huohuo did not answer, only nodded to Ling Ke'er, who was beside him.

Ling Ke'er understood, and with light steps, she escorted more than a dozen bandits, who were already tightly bound and gagged, from outside the large tent.

Those people, one by one, had ashen faces and trembled like sieves.

"The evidence is here."

Xiao Huohuo's voice was bone-chilling.

He listed the crimes committed by those people, one by one.

Every single one of them was too numerous to count!

Hearing this, all the bandits present, every single one of them, fell silent.

Those faces, which had still carried a hint of banditry, were now filled only with anger and shame!

"We, originally, were forced to become bandits because of the oppression of the Buddhist Sect!"

"But we have never laid a hand on those unarmed common people!"

"These beasts! They are simply blackening our names!"

"Kill them! Kill them!"

The crowd was agitated.

Xiao Huohuo looked at this scene before him, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

This was the effect he wanted.

What he wanted to establish was not a disorganized rabble.

But an iron army with true faith and discipline!

"Drag them out and chop them down."

Those dozen or so degenerates were dragged away by the enraged bandits before they could even let out a scream.

After doing all this, Xiao Huohuo once again scanned everyone present.

"Brothers, why are we resisting the Buddhist Sect?"

"It's not for burning, killing, plundering, or for glory and wealth!"

"It's for this clear and bright world, for the common people of this world to have justice!"

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it!"

"The will of the people is the foundation of our standing!"

"I hope that what happened today will not happen again!"

"Otherwise, I, Xiao Huohuo, will personally take action to clean house!"

"Yes! Big Boss!"

All the bandits present knelt on one knee, their voices like a great bell.

At this moment, their reverence for this young Big Boss was accompanied by an even deeper, heartfelt conviction.

...

After dealing with the Sect... oh no, the Gang's internal affairs.

Xiao Huohuo could no longer suppress the already boiling magical power within his body.

He entrusted all subsequent matters to A'cao and Sand Heaven Reaching, and he himself left the oasis with Ling Ke'er.

Several hours later, they had reached a desolate and uninhabited sandy sea a thousand miles away.

"Senior Sister, please step back and protect me."

Xiao Huohuo's voice carried a hint of unprecedented solemnity.

"Mhm!"

Xiao Huohuo took a deep breath and sat cross-legged.

Rumble—!

Above the Nine Heavens, the wind and clouds changed color!

Large swathes of tribulation clouds gathered from all directions, a dense black mass, as if the sky was about to collapse!

Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation!

It descended!

"Crack—!"

A thick Lightning Dragon, as wide as a bucket, flashing with terrifying purple light, tore through the dark night sky and struck directly at Xiao Huohuo with destructive power!

"Good timing!"

Xiao Huohuo let out a long roar.

Behind him, the sea of abnormal phenomena, composed of endless flames, appeared!

"Sea of Flames, descend!"

With a roar, towering waves of fire bravely met the destructive Lightning Dragon!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lightning and the sea of flames collided fiercely!

Nine consecutive Lightning Tribulations, each more terrifying than the last!

Xiao Huohuo used all his trump cards: abnormal flames, the Xuan Heavy Ruler, the Buddha's Angry Flame Lotus... he unleashed all sorts of methods to their fullest.

Even so, he was still struck until his skin was torn and flesh was split, his whole body charred and extremely disheveled.

"This is the last one!"

When that Lightning Dragon, several times thicker than any previous one, extended its ferocious head from the depths of the tribulation clouds.

Xiao Huohuo's face revealed a grim smile.

He actually directly withdrew all his defenses.

He allowed the destructive Lightning Dragon to strike fiercely upon his already battered Physical Body!

He wanted to temper himself with the Lightning Tribulation!

No breaking, no standing!

"Ah—!"

The heart-wrenching pain made Xiao Huohuo let out a roar that was not human-like.

But his consciousness could clearly feel that his Physical Body, his magical power, and his Divine Soul were all undergoing earth-shattering changes under the tempering of this Lightning Tribulation.

After an unknown period of time.

The boundless tribulation clouds finally dispersed slowly and unwillingly.

The night sky returned to clarity.

Xiao Huohuo's figure slowly walked out of the deep pit.

His injuries had already fully recovered under the majestic vitality.

Within his Dantian Qi Sea, a Golden Core, entirely crimson and seemingly condensed from the purest flames, was slowly rotating.

Upon it, there was even a vivid imprint of a flame lotus flower!

Special Golden Core—Flame Core!

...

Almost at the same time!

On the distant peak of Spirit Mountain, within the ruins of the "Great Thunderclap Temple."

[Ding! Detected that the host's Personal Disciple, Xiao Huohuo, has successfully overcome the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation and condensed the special Golden Core 'Flame Core'!]

[Triggering a hundredfold critical return!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: massive Cultivation! Successfully Breaking Through to Nascent Soul third stage!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: special Golden Core 'Yang Golden Core'! It contains a trace of the Law of Yang!]

Boom!

Lu Yuchen's already round Golden Core actually gained a wisp of profound Qi that was utterly firm and masculine!

"This kid is really f***ing powerful!"

Lu Yuchen nodded in satisfaction.

The system prompt sounded again.

[Ding! Detected that the host's Buddhist Sect alias Disciple, Xuanzang, has successfully used the "Tai Xuan Gathering Qi Technique" as a guide, combined his own Buddhist affinity and supreme Comprehension Ability, and independently comprehended and created the Buddhist Dao Cultivation method—"Great Sun Tathagata Sutra"!]

[Ding! Detected that the host's seventh Disciple, Xuanzang, during an Epiphany, self-created the supreme Buddhist Divine Ability—"Great Majestic Heavenly Dragon Law"!]

Lu Yuchen: "..."