Great Demon Sun Wukong

As the light on Yang Jian's forehead illuminated, the large oil flame resembling a rain of fire across the sky was suddenly fixed in mid-air by that light, looking more like stars filling the sky, beautiful yet dangerous. Sun Wukong looked at the countless imprisoned fire hands and clicked his tongue, "You hid this quite deeply, didn't you? If the Jade Emperor knew you possessed such cultivation, do you think he might ask you to return?"

Sun Wukong stood by, entirely enjoying the spectacle, as Yang Jian glanced at him and unexpectedly turned to leave. Sun Wukong hurriedly exclaimed, "Hey, hey, don't leave, I won't say anymore, go ahead and fight." Only then did Yang Jian glance back at Sun Wukong once more, before shaking the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Sword in his hand, gradually extinguishing the countless suspended flames.

Jiu Ying seemed to realize something unusual with Erlang God's situation at that moment, watching the great oil flame extinguish, yet its nine dragon heads did not launch an attack but cautiously coiled together, nine pairs of eyes staring intently at Yang Jian. "Damn it, that bastard Sakyamuni dared to deceive me. Saying that at most he was just at the Quasi-Saint level, but this clearly surpasses the Sect Hierarch level, damn it, damn it."

Jiu Ying roared, staring at Yang Jian, pondering something, for truly, Jiu Ying was no fool. As a divine beast from Ancient Times who escaped Hou Yi's pursuit, Jiu Ying was certainly not one to act without strategy. This time, he joined forces with Tathagata, arriving at this sacrificial contest nation. On one hand, he couldn't resist the temptation of the Buddha's Relics, which after absorbing countless souls, could greatly enhance his realm.

On the other hand, it was due to Tathagata repeatedly assuring that Sun Wukong was merely of Quasi-Saint cultivation, and Jiu Ying was already at the Quasi-Saint realm since Ancient Times. After being defeated by Hou Yi, he fled overseas, endured millennia of painstaking cultivation, plus some fortuitous encounters, only then reached the Sect Hierarch realm. Dealing with a mere Quasi-Saint realm entity should be easy, right? Although Sun Wukong was also from the Demon Clan, they were no longer united since the Demon Emperor Di Jun disappeared and Nuwa achieved Unity Dao, leading to infighting. If killing Sun Wukong could greatly enhance his power, Jiu Ying was inclined to do so.

But now, Sun Wukong had indeed brought a helper, even one beyond his Primordial Chaos realm, forcing Jiu Ying to reconsider; should they continue fighting, the risks and his eventual gains had to be weighed. Thus, he refrained from making rash moves, contemplating for a while, and finally deciding to withdraw.

Though he still had backup plans, facing a Primordial Chaos realm Yang Jian left him unconvinced, and besides, he also heard Sun Wukong's words. Regardless of their truth, with someone seemingly of Primordial Chaos realm eying nearby, Jiu Ying couldn't continue battling. Just as retreat crossed his mind, the Buddha Relics within him once again burst with golden light, and then, Jiu Ying felt as though his body lost control within that light.

Soon, Jiu Ying's massive dragon form was engulfed entirely by the Buddha Light of the Buddha Relics, leaving Jiu Ying completely powerless over his body. At that moment, Jiu Ying suddenly realized that his cooperation with Sakyamuni was akin to conspiring with a tiger for its skin. Although he had known this deep down, greed still clouded his mind, leading him to make grave mistakes despite his cautious efforts.

Jiu Ying did not anticipate the Buddha's Relics, after thorough inspection showed no issues, would ultimately fail him. As a divine beast from Ancient Times, naturally wise, Jiu Ying examined it thoroughly using many methods when Tathagata handed over the Buddha's Relics to him, only accepting once assured of no issues; else, why would he have consumed the Buddha's Relics to merge with the great oil flame and control the devouring Buddha Light?

Now, Jiu Ying felt infinite regret but it was too late. Helplessly, he watched his body under control of that Buddha Light launching an aggressive attack on Yang Jian and Sun Wukong. Initially, the changes in Jiu Ying went unnoticed by Sun Wukong and Yang Jian until the nine heads began attacking, revealing something amiss. At this moment, Jiu Ying's body exhibited none of the Demon Qi, but instead exuded overwhelming Buddha's power.

Such a circumstance could only be explained by Jiu Ying having previously pledged allegiance to the Buddha lineage, achieving supreme Buddha's power via cultivation, or simply that the assassin Jiu Ying had become a combat puppet used frequently and favored by Tathagata. Sun Wukong shook his head, sighed, and said, "You were a mighty figure among Demon Clan, yet you chose to ally with Tathagata, thus courting your own doom. Jiu Ying, if you are slain today, it's merely self-inflicted."

With those words, Sun Wukong's entire aura erupted, showcasing his Sect Hierarch realm prowess without reserve, yet withholding some strength for future challenges. Despite such concealment, Jiu Ying was no match for Sun Wukong and Erlang God. As the two intensified their attacks, wounds began appearing on Jiu Ying's body.

However, at this moment, the nine dragon heads of Jiu Ying suddenly sang a prolonged tune skyward, and Sun Wukong saw countless light points rising across the sacrificial contest nation. These light points, the size of fists, numbered in the tens of thousands densely packed, and smaller ones continued to ascend. "This is bad, these are souls of this nation's people. Truly damnable, using such vile tactics, Tathagata, how is that different from evil spirits?"

As these light points ascended, they all gathered towards Jiu Ying's body, despite Sun Wukong and Yang Jian intercepting many, seven out of ten still entered Jiu Ying's body. Soon, the soul light points disappeared, yet Jiu Ying's body began emitting waves of powerful energy. After devouring tens of thousands of souls, a new soul emerged within Jiu Ying's body.

The most common method Buddhism used to fashion combat puppets was manipulating bodies, employing them in battle. However, an soulless body suffered greatly reduced combat power, so Buddhism started trying to insert souls of various demons or beasts into combat puppets, producing puppets with souls but driven by killing intent. Now, Jiu Ying had become such an entity, but with tens of thousands of souls within, the combined soul formed was millions of times stronger than those demons and beasts.

"Hahaha, this body isn't half bad, who would have thought my Yin Buddha Ghost could become a dragon someday, haha." When countless souls fused into the body of Jiu Ying, its central dragon head suddenly erupted with an unfamiliar voice. Upon hearing it, both Sun Wukong and Yang Jian's expressions changed.

It was indeed the Yin Buddha Ghost! Tathagata truly invested heavily, not only using Buddha's Relics to lure Jiu Ying into action, but also sacrificing the souls of tens of thousands from this nation to reform a new soul within Jiu Ying, ultimately summoning the Yin Buddha Ghost's spirit. Thus, Jiu Ying became a flesh body empowered by a condensed soul, carrying a malevolent spirit.

So, who was the Yin Buddha Ghost? The Yin Buddha Ghost was an extremely potent evil Buddha. In this world, yin and yang coexist, light and dark intertwine, justice meets evil. Buddha symbolizes light, justice, kindness, and goodness, yet goodness and evil arise together, where there is benevolent Buddha seeking universal salvation, there is wretched Buddha specializing in malevolence. Yin Buddha Ghost stood as one of the most formidable amongst malicious Buddhas.

Legend has it that from the shadowy shore came the Buddha who turned ghost, grotesque in appearance, massive in stature, leaning upon the Six Paths with extinct lotuses, backed by four arms wielding the extinguishing divine pestle, murder wheel, destroyer sword, and ruinous saint eye, boastful and sinister in temperament, full of malevolence. Years ago, at Hangu Pass transforming Hu into Buddha, the one transformed was Sakyamuni, and during Sakyamuni's enlightenment, Yin Buddha Ghost emerged, battling the newly enlightened Sakyamuni, resulting in Sakyamuni's defeat.

Were it not for one of the ancient Buddhas, the Corpse Buddha, intervening, there would've been no Tathagata in this world. That instance revealed to gods, Buddha, and monsters that an evil Buddha lineage also existed. Though they were natural enemies with the Buddhism, looking now, it wasn't absolute; otherwise, how could the Yin Buddha Ghost come through the Buddha's Relics into Jiu Ying's body via Tathagata?