Inside the cave, Senju Yukika finally let out a breath of relief. He could feel the visions before him fading, vanishing entirely from his sight.
In the end, the seven ancient Buddhas had completely suppressed the Ancient Demon Ape.
However, what Yukika never expected was that just as the illusion was about to dissolve and reality began to return—suddenly, from deep beneath the earth, a roar of fury erupted, cracking through the starlit void of space above!
It was a roar brimming with defiance, shaking the heavens—it carried with it a will so powerful, so unrelenting, that anyone who heard it would be stunned on the spot!
Even with Yukika's current level of focus, the instant he heard that roar, his mind almost unraveled. He staggered a little, caught off guard.
"What... what was that sound? That kind of intent… it's terrifying..."
He couldn't help but feel a wave of unease. He hadn't anticipated hearing something so dreadful!
And then, the fragmented scenes that had been vanishing into the air suddenly reassembled before his eyes, as if time itself had reversed.
Once again, the starry sea of the vast universe appeared. The golden radiance trembled, violently shaken by some unseen force!
At that moment, the Ancient Demon Ape rose once more from the depths of the earth, returning to the sky—but its form had subtly changed.
Its massive body, once towering and bestial, had transformed into a humanoid shape—resembling a golden-furred monkey. And on its forehead, a mark of ominous intent had appeared!
Gripped in its hand was a long metal staff, brimming with power.
This transformation stunned everyone. The seven ancient Buddhas were shaken to the core. They had believed the Ancient Demon Ape had been sealed completely, yet in the final moment—just before the sacred seal took hold—the ape had broken through its limits, entering an entirely new realm of power!
This newly awakened Demon Ape was no longer confined by the natural laws of heaven and earth. It now possessed the talent, the physique, and the potential for cultivation—just like a human!
And what happens… when a being that once ruled by raw primal force begins to evolve into something indistinguishable from a human?
"Hahahahaha! You bald fools! What cure do you have for me now?!"
The demon monkey roared with arrogance, his figure surging skyward like a comet of golden light, rushing into the starry void above!
Then, with a thunderous crash, his staff plummeted from the heavens. In the eyes of the seven ancient Buddhas, it grew impossibly large—like a towering column piercing through the skies!
Boom!
In that instant, the entire planet was pierced straight through by the staff.
If one were to look from the far reaches of space, they'd see a monkey roughly the size of a human floating among the stars—wielding a massive, gleaming staff.
And strung along the end of that staff… were entire planets.
The monkey spun the staff, tossing planets across the void like toys. It was as if the universe itself had become his playground.
This scene—witnessed by several other passing alien races—sent them fleeing in terror. None dared to linger.
In their hearts, they were utterly shaken. My god… that was a whole planet!
And this being—this incomprehensible creature—was playing with it like a child with a ball?
How powerful must he be? How deep did his cultivation run?
True, any deity beyond the True God realm could destroy a planet. But destroying something and playing with it are two entirely different concepts.
Destruction requires brute force. It's reckless, wild, uncaring of consequence.
But casually wielding such force with childlike ease—like a monkey spinning a planet on a stick—that kind of power was simply unfathomable!
Then, the seven ancient Buddhas unleashed their divine might. Seven golden sariras radiated an overwhelming light, rippling across the cosmos.
The monkey let out a bizarre screech. In the next instant, he pulled his staff back with a violent motion and began clashing against the seven golden rays of Buddhist power.
Time seemed to freeze. Nothing else filtered through.
Yukika knew that what he was witnessing wasn't happening now—it was a recorded memory of the planet's past. The real battle was still raging in the far reaches of space, beyond his current perception.
He recalled something from when he first arrived on this planet—he'd discovered a massive crater at a certain location.
Even with his spiritual pressure, he couldn't sense what lay at the bottom of that pit.
Now he understood. That crater… had been created by the monkey's staff.
That terrifying monkey. That terrifying staff…
Yukika's heart wouldn't calm.
At that moment, the illusion finally faded completely. The real world returned. He looked around the cave and saw bones scattered across the ground. In the distance, some strange statues stood tall.
After a brief shimmer, those statues reformed—each one becoming a solemn Buddha figure.
Along the walls of the cave were strange murals, depicting monks in bizarre, almost otherworldly poses.
Yukika knew well that the power of Buddhism held immense sway across the universe.
But still… why were there so many traces of Buddhist power on such a small, remote planet?
Could they really carry out such profound operations on a minor celestial body?
At that moment, Yukika spread his spiritual pressure across the cave. He sensed that Tanaka Kuma's aura had stabilized—he'd broken through to the realm of a high-ranking martial warrior.
As expected, the Third Prince hadn't dared to linger inside. He was already gone.
Yukika had learned too many secrets today. He couldn't afford to dig any deeper—not now. Any further, and something inexplicable might happen.
It was a strange feeling—but Yukika trusted it. This wasn't just paranoia.
Ancient secrets like these moved according to fixed cosmic laws. The fact that he had even been allowed a glimpse was a rare stroke of fate.
But if he tried to pry further, he could very well draw the attention of a force that transcended time itself.
With his True God-level strength, Yukika wasn't worried about his own safety. But if that mysterious force affected Tanaka Kuma… that was something Yukika couldn't allow.
Just as he withdrew his spiritual pressure and prepared to leave the cave—
Suddenly, an ancient sigh echoed in his ear, growing louder as if drawing near from a great distance!
Yukika's heart skipped a beat. A cold voice followed, sharp as a blade:
"Who's pretending to be a ghost?"
The entire cave was under his spiritual perception. There was no one else inside.
And yet… that voice had unmistakably come from someone.
Then, not far ahead, dim golden light began to emerge in the darkness—gradually forming the shape of an aged, weathered face…