Chapter 167: Melee

Crimson Sun Monk looked at Zuo Zhicheng and spoke calmly, as if the dead A Hai wasn’t his disciple, but just a passerby.

But as Styx and the others slowly stood up, they felt a sense of dread, because they knew their master; the more he seemed calm, the more enraged he was. He stored up boundless fury inside, like a volcano that would destroy everything once it erupted.

That Crimson Sun Monk guessed Ghost Fist was Zuo Zhicheng clearly was because Zuo Zhicheng didn’t hide his strength this time and showed his power recklessly, suddenly making him the most suspicious person.

Zuo Zhicheng just glanced at him slightly and said, “Crimson Sun Monk?” Previously, from the members and disciples of Dìyù Gate, he had naturally gathered information, especially on Blood Rakshasa’s master, the former Dharma King Crimson Sun, now Crimson Sun Monk.

Crimson Sun Monk’s eyelids moved faintly as he said expressionlessly, “Since you already know who I am, there’s no need for words. You killed my disciple, so naturally you expected this day.

Today, not just you, but everyone in this martial arts school must die.

Attack!”

With a furious shout and raising his hands, like a scorching sun rushing skyward, Crimson Sun Monk launched his attack. Decades of practice and tempering made his Power of Mind and Spirit clearly more abundant and robust than Zuo Zhicheng’s. This action became a large-scale indiscriminate attack.

A crimson sun appeared behind his head, a phenomenon only living beings could perceive. In their eyes, the crimson sun behind Crimson Sun Monk radied endless light and heat, shining toward them.

This was the Heartscape that only Human Phase Masters could achieve—a case of mind-to-mind transmission, an image conveyed through Power of Mind and Spirit.

Without changing the actual temperature of the environment, everyone inside the field suddenly felt like they were in a furnace. The previous feeling of dry mouth and throat instantly turned into dizziness, extreme body heat, and some even collapsed unconscious on the spot.

This was the Heartscape from the Formless Fire of White Day that Crimson Sun Monk practiced, specialized for large-scale attacks—Infinite Radiant Fire.

The so-called Heartscape was a special technique that only Human Phase Masters could use, often capable of sustained area-of-effect attacks.

In more detail, this was an attack method like an aura, one that aggressive Power of Mind and Spirit frequently used upon reaching the Human Aspect.

After initiating this attack, his Power of Mind and Spirit was continuously consumed, while everyone within a hundred meters of Crimson Sun Monk suffered indiscriminate mental heat attacks.

Ordinary people under such conditions would start dehydrating after about ten seconds, faint after thirty seconds, go into shock after a minute, and die completely after two minutes, ending up as dried corpses.

This was one reason why, after reaching Human Aspect level, ordinary people could no longer overwhelm masters with numbers. To fight them with common folk, one must rely on bows, crossbows, cannons, or poison.

If ordinary people swarmed them, before their Power of Mind and Spirit was exhausted, almost all would die.

Zuo Zhicheng still didn’t have a Heartscape, hence no corresponding attack method, precisely because his Human Aspect was self-realized and achieved by impact, lacking matching martial arts or techniques.

Just as everyone was still stunned by the exchange between Zuo Zhicheng and Crimson Sun Monk, as Crimson Sun Monk initiated his attack, Styx and his three disciples also struck almost simultaneously. The martial artists around immediately cried out in agony, and the entire courtyard instantly turned into a battlefield.

“You finish them off.”

After saying this, Zuo Zhicheng dashed forward, creating a shrieking sound through the air, charging toward Crimson Sun Monk on the wall.

And the one he spoke to was naturally Li Xunyi, hidden nearby.

The previous flying sword spun swiftly, appearing like a white flash before Yuwen Didi, slicing his neck and taking the head of this lowly character.

Compared to Zuo Zhicheng, Li Xunyi’s attack method using the flying sword had more advantage in dealing with ordinary martial artists unlike ghouls.

“Watch out for the flying sword!”

“Find him…”

Ignoring the sudden chaos in the martial arts school, with everyone fighting Styx and the others.

Zuo Zhicheng kicked off the ground, as if floating through the air, and in a blink flashed to the top of the wall. Then his dagger in hand hummed with a hissing sound, striking like a poisonous snake toward Crimson Sun Monk’s neck.

Crimson Sun Monk’s Physique Strength was roughly around orange 40%. Though this physique was already very strong, it was still far from matching Zuo Zhicheng’s current physique.

In fact, orange Physique Strength was a threshold for humans in this world; most top martial artists could at most train their physique to orange level, differing only in coverage areas.

Their primary method to further enhance their strength focused mainly on Power of Mind and Spirit.

So when Zuo Zhicheng instantly unleashed full force, flashing right before Crimson Sun Monk, accompanied by surging wind and a dark shadow covering his face, Crimson Sun Monk’s vision blurred; he basically couldn’t see Zuo Zhicheng’s exact figure.

A flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes, as he hadn’t expected Zuo Zhicheng’s physique to surpass his, especially in speed to such an extent.

But he didn’t panic; he just raised a finger, chanting finally: “Om!”

The next moment, infinite light appeared before Zuo Zhicheng, almost instantly filling his field of vision, and absolute brightness also brought absolute darkness.

Under Crimson Sun Monk’s Immeasurable Light technique, Zuo Zhicheng’s consciousness was oppressed by Power of Mind and Spirit; he temporarily lost his sight.

Suddenly encountering such a situation, Zuo Zhicheng’s face showed no trace of panic. He thrust his dagger toward Crimson Sun Monk’s remembered position.

On the roof tiles, the two fought swiftly; four hands left afterimages, the tactical knife’s edge occasionally gleaming. Finally, Crimson Sun Monk grunted and retreated toward the arena platform, while Zuo Zhicheng kicked off with both legs, shattering tiles beneath, and also charged over.

Clearly, Zuo Zhicheng, though blind, relied on hearing and positioning, actually suppressing Crimson Sun Monk with exceptional martial skill and physique.

But he hadn’t come out unscathed either; on the back of the hand holding the tactical dagger, there was a clear red mark covered in blisters as if from scalding.

The next instant, the two arrived at the arena platform one after another. Crimson Sun Monk’s hands continuously changed, forming countless hand seals in a short time, his palms blooming like a lotus, then gave a gentle shake, thrusting toward Zuo Zhicheng.

While making hand seals, he chanted: “Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ.”

The meaning of this phrase was profound and boundless, supreme and matchless.

As Crimson Sun Monk uttered the syllables, Zuo Zhicheng’s expression changed, a flash of pain crossing his face, and his entire body suddenly emitted wisps of grey smoke.

The various fluids inside his body were heating up at an extremely rapid rate, and the heated area spread quickly.