167: Chapter 167 A Rare Opponent: Venerable Miaodi, a Master of Creation Realm!

"Greetings, Benefactor Xia."

Standing behind Venerable Miaodi, Head Monk Liansheng hurriedly performed a religious salute upon seeing Xia Jin appear, his expression filled with respect.

After all, the moment the other party appeared, he could clearly feel that his cultivation was seemingly not inferior to Venerable Miaodi's.

Xia Jin nodded slightly in return, but then his gaze fell back onto Venerable Miaodi, sizing him up as a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

"I didn't expect that you would actually reach this step as well," Xia Jin spoke slowly. "It seems I underestimated you before."

Hearing Xia Jin's praise, Venerable Miaodi pressed his palms together, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow. "Amitabha. This old monk owes it to Benefactor Xia. Had you not intervened during the Divine Temple's trial, I likely would not have had this opportunity."

"Enough, excessive modesty is just hypocrisy." Xia Jin raised an eyebrow with his hands behind his back. "Your own accumulation was deep enough. Nine cycles of Reincarnation—anyone else would have found it impossible to succeed. This was your own skill; it has little to do with me."

Venerable Miaodi smiled slightly and did not continue to argue.

"Right!" Xia Jin suddenly took a step forward, a hint of eager Battle Intent flashing in his eyes. "Miaodi, since we have both stepped into the Creation Realm, I would like to exchange pointers with you."

Since his Breakthrough, Xia Jin had not yet encountered another expert of the Creation Realm; he himself wasn't entirely sure how strong he currently was.

"This..." Hearing Xia Jin's words, Venerable Miaodi couldn't help but frown, yet a flicker of interest also crossed his eyes.

Having now unified the cultivation of nine lifetimes and used it to break through to the Creation Realm in one fell swoop, he was naturally extremely confident deep down, despite his calm exterior.

Now that an expert of the same realm had proactively proposed a spar, he also wanted to test what level his nine lifetimes of bitter cultivation placed him at within the same realm.

"Since Benefactor Xia has such an interest, I shall naturally accompany you." Venerable Miaodi nodded slightly, then turned and pointed to the stone tower behind him. "Benefactor Xia, let us battle inside."

"In there?" Xia Jin squinted his eyes as he looked at the stone tower, which was only a few dozen feet high.

Seeing this, Venerable Miaodi immediately understood Xia Jin's thoughts. "Rest assured, this stone tower can withstand a battle between us. Follow me, Benefactor Xia, and you will understand."

After saying this, he turned and walked directly toward the stone tower.

"This old bald donkey, still being mysterious." Xia Jin raised an eyebrow and followed without hesitation.

The two of them, one after the other, stepped through the gates of the stone tower.

"Venerable Miaodi is going to fight Benefactor Xia!?"

Head Monk Liansheng watched their disappearing backs with some envy, but he did not follow, choosing instead to stand outside the stone tower.

After all, a clash of this level was not something he was capable of observing.

After entering the stone tower, Venerable Miaodi did not stop, walking straight to the altar in the center of the tower.

On the altar sat a palm-sized golden lotus flower.

The lotus had nine petals; it was crystal clear and emitted a faint golden glow.

"Hmm!? This is..." Xia Jin's gaze landed on the nine-grade golden lotus, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

Venerable Miaodi reached out, and the golden lotus flew directly into his palm. "A world in a flower, a Bodhi in a leaf. This is the Kasyapa Temple's supreme treasure, the nine-grade golden lotus. Within this lotus, a small world of its own exists, sufficient to withstand the clash of Creation Realm experts. Benefactor Xia, are you satisfied with this location?"

Xia Jin stared at the nine-grade golden lotus with glowing eyes. "Wonderful, Miaodi. I didn't expect your Kasyapa Temple to be hiding so many good things. I've always thought this Western Region Buddhist sect was a barren place."

Venerable Miaodi couldn't help but give a bitter smile upon hearing this.

Soon, his expression became serious, and two beams of golden Buddha light shot from his eyes, landing directly on the nine-grade golden lotus in his palm.

In an instant, the nine-grade golden lotus shone brilliantly, completely enveloping the figures of Xia Jin and Venerable Miaodi.

Following that, a mysterious ripple flashed, and the two figures vanished from the spot simultaneously.

Silence returned to the stone tower, leaving only the nine-grade golden lotus, which had flown back onto the altar, emitting a soft glow.

...

Outside the stone tower.

Head Monk Liansheng stood in place, staring blankly at the stone tower, unable to look away for a long time.

Even after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed since Xia Jin and the other entered, his heart could not settle.

Creation Realm. That was actually the Creation Realm!

In a single day, he had actually witnessed two Creation Realm experts with his own eyes!

However, he wondered who would be stronger between Venerable Miaodi and Benefactor Xia.

While Head Monk Liansheng was still guessing the outcome of the great battle between Xia Jin and Venerable Miaodi,

Suddenly, a streak of sword light flew out from a cloud bank above Kasyapa Temple, falling straight down toward the temple!

"What? How can there be such powerful Sword Qi!?" After snapping out of it, Head Monk Liansheng's expression changed instantly. Buddha light surged around him as he subconsciously took a defensive stance.

The power of this Sword Qi far exceeded his own!

It was even highly likely that it was approaching Venerable Miaodi's level!

However, the moment Head Monk Liansheng was prepared to strike, a look of doubt flashed across his face. He did not sense any threat from this sword light.

Indeed, although the sword light was incomparably sharp, it carried not a hint of killing intent.

The sword light came extremely fast.

In the blink of an eye, it landed three zhang away from Head Monk Liansheng.

The light dissipated.

A slender figure stepped slowly out of the sword light.

It was a Grey-robed Swordsman wearing a bamboo hat.

The brim of the hat was pressed very low, obscuring most of his face and leaving only a faint outline visible. Even the long sword on his back lacked the magnificence of a precious blade; instead, one could faintly see rust on the hilt.

The Grey-robed Swordsman lifted his head slightly. From beneath the bamboo hat, his eyes bypassed Head Monk Liansheng and looked directly at the stone tower behind him.