Chapter 418: Forced Purchase

...

Outside the Burning Purity Holy Land, spiritual energy churned like a raging sea.

Two Great Ascension Stage figures clashed at a staggering speed.

"Patriarch of the Sword Pavilion! I must say I'm surprised you managed to break through to the Great Ascension Stage!"

"But an early-stage Great Ascension cultivator who hasn't even survived a minor heavenly tribulation stands no chance against This Venerable One!"

Monk Burning Karma sneered, his attacks coming down like a violent storm.

He no longer maintained his previously refined demeanor - his body had swollen to bear-like proportions, his skin glowing crimson like flames covered in golden burning patterns. Four additional arms sprouted from his back, each wielding either a Spiritual Treasure or a top-tier Spiritual Artifact, while his iron fists rained down relentless blows upon Chen Huaian ahead.

His punches came with terrifying speed, each strike shattering space itself and leaving golden palm imprints hanging in the air.

Faced with this onslaught, Chen Huaian could only desperately defend.

Against such overwhelming power disparity, he couldn't even find an opening to unleash his more powerful sword techniques.

Whenever he tried to create distance, Monk Burning Karma would cling to him like a persistent shadow.

His minor sword techniques were shattered the moment they formed, posing no threat whatsoever.

"Is this all you've got?" Monk Burning Karma sent Chen Huaian flying with one punch, then retracted his arm like a spring coiling for another strike, his muscles ballooning in preparation for another Vajra Iron Fist: "If this is truly your limit... This Venerable One will kill you now, then slaughter every last member of your Sword Pavilion!"

A fierce glint flashed in Chen Huaian's eyes upon hearing this. With a sharp cry, he channeled spiritual energy throughout his body.

As Monk Burning Karma's fist came crashing down, Chen Huaian didn't dodge - he took the blow squarely on his left shoulder while his right hand gripped his sword hilt, gathering power.

Boom—!

The moment the fist connected, Chen Huaian's entire body shook violently as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet the ferocity in his eyes peaked at precisely this instant.

The sword flashed out, summoning a river of stars.

Boundless sword light formed a galactic sword intent.

"Flying water cascades three thousand feet, like the Milky Way descending from the heavens!"

Sword Form Eleven - Falling Stars River.

Clang—!

Monk Burning Karma was instantly engulfed in sword light.

He found himself floating in the cosmos, watching as a galactic river roared toward him like tidal waves.

"Impressive swordsmanship!"

Instead of evading, Monk Burning Karma met the attack head-on with a mountain-shattering punch. The colossal fist shadow collided with the starry river.

Boom—!

Time seemed to freeze for an instant.

The next moment, the galactic river was shattered by the punch, causing upheaval throughout the Sumeru Realm.

Several nearby minor worlds were instantly pulverized by the shockwaves.

The remaining force continued traveling through the shattered sword energy and slammed into Chen Huaian.

The impact left him seeing stars, his throat bitter as he coughed up another mouthful of blood. He was sent flying thousands of feet before barely managing to stop, his hand gripping the Black Scales Sword trembling slightly.

"Old Zhang, this damned bald monk is too tough! Any ideas?"

Chen Huaian pressed his lips together, clutching his aching chest. Though outwardly silent, he was already discussing countermeasures with Zhang Yibai.

"Little brother, just retreat. You might stand a chance if you were at the peak of First Tribulation Great Ascension, but you've just entered Great Ascension. Even with three heads and six arms you wouldn't be his match."

Chen Huaian glanced at the titanic Monk Burning Karma in the distance and felt bitter.

Three heads and six arms? The monk already had six arms (just missing the extra heads).

And each arm wielded a Spiritual Artifact, with even more equipment covering his body.

Maximum defense, maximum offense, gear advantage, cultivation advantage - how was this even a fight?

Seeing Chen Huaian injured, Monk Burning Karma grew less urgent. Having expended considerable energy, he too needed to recover as a precaution.

They say one shouldn't use a butcher's cleaver to kill a chicken.

But even if Chen Huaian were merely at Void Treading ninth stage, Monk Burning Karma would still proceed with full caution and power.

[Your faction has killed a Burning Purity Unity Stage expert. Obtained: Righteous Cultivator Shards x278, 67 Spirit Crystals, assorted pills]

[Your faction has killed a Burning Purity Spirit Transformation expert. Obtained: Righteous Cultivator Shards x109, 23 Spirit Crystals, assorted pills]

Several game notifications suddenly popped up.

Chen Huaian blinked. He could receive Righteous Cultivator Shards even for kills not made by him personally?

Was it because of his status as Realm Lord?

Though even with more shards, they wouldn't provide immediate power boosts against Monk Burning Karma.

Wait...

The mention of Righteous Cultivator Shards naturally reminded him of the Righteous Cultivator Store.

Narrowing his eyes, he observed Monk Burning Karma meditating at a distance to recover, focusing particularly on the monk's artifacts.

That Vajra Pestle had seemed familiar earlier.

Now he realized why - it was the Great Sun Subduing Demons Vajra Pestle from the store!

A mid-grade Spiritual Treasure priced at 15,000 Righteous Cultivator Shards.

And the top-grade Spiritual Artifact Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl priced at 6,000 shards - that matched the bowl in one of the monk's hands.

The mid-grade Spiritual Treasure Dragon-Patterned Kasaya priced at 10,000 shards - that matched the robes Monk Burning Karma wore.

Though the store also had an even better Twelve-Colored Brocade Kasaya - perhaps the monk's hidden trump card?

In short, every weapon Monk Burning Karma wielded was available in his Righteous Cultivator Store.

As Chen Huaian pondered this, Zhang Yibai spoke up.

"Little brother, I have a risky plan, but you're out of options."

Seeing Chen Huaian's silence, he continued:

"You haven't undergone your first minor heavenly tribulation yet, correct? Why not trigger it now?

"If Monk Burning Karma fights you during the tribulation, he'd be interfering with the heavens' trial and become a target himself!

"Moreover, when a tribution locks onto two people, its power increases dramatically!

"We might use the minor tribulation to turn the tables! Though if you can't withstand it... your fate might resemble mine."

Chen Huaian considered this seriously.

But he had more pressing matters first.

Checking his Righteous Cultivator Shards balance, Chen Huaian selected the Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl and clicked purchase.

[Due to special circumstances, this item cannot be purchased immediately.]

The notification darkened Chen Huaian's expression.

Why list an item that can't be bought?

What kind of nonsense is this?

But then another prompt appeared:

[Would you like to pay an additional 1,000,000¥ for forced purchase?]

"Aha! I get it now!" Chen Huaian's eyes lit up. "The purchase is blocked because the Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl is currently equipped by Monk Burning Karma... The same applies to his other artifacts."

He deduced that artifacts not currently on Monk Burning Karma could be bought normally.

Those currently equipped required game system intervention - paying extra for forced acquisition.

"Forced purchase!"

One million? He could spare that.

[Forced purchase successful! Congratulations on obtaining top-grade Spiritual Artifact - Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl!]

[The Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl is bound to another owner. Spend 1,000,000¥ to erase the ownership mark?]

[After erasure, you may bind it with a blood drop.]

"Yes!"

The corners of Chen Huaian's mouth curled upward, his smile growing brighter.

Even... slightly twisted.

...

...