World’s End: My Keyword is One More Than Others

The moment the Buddha's likeness vanished, the air fell as silent as death.

The monks of Lan Ning Temple stood frozen in place, dumbfounded.

What had just happened?

How could such a grand Buddha simply cease to exist?

Was it all just for show?

The Demon Head had won!

It was all over.

The faith of Master Hui Xing was shattered as he gazed sorrowfully at Zuo Zhonghou, who was held captive by Du Ge. For a moment, he forgot to intervene and rescue him.

...

Zuo Zhonghou glanced at Wang Chong, who was holding his arm, and managed a strained smile, saying quickly, "I come from the planet Ziyin, and I surrender."

Ziyin?!

Lucky break, huh?

Too bad, you've made the wrong bet!

Du Ge smiled faintly and nodded, "Good!"

As he spoke, his hand reached for Zuo Zhonghou's neck. A Buddha's skill that could stop all combat, even affecting him, did not deserve to collaborate with him.

"Don't..."

Zuo Zhonghou's face was filled with panic as he hastily activated his skill.

The Buddha's likeness reappeared.

Du Ge's hand had already reached his neck, but the instant the Buddha's likeness emerged, his murderous intent vanished.

Feeling the large hand on his neck, Zuo Zhonghou quickly said, "Wang Chong, I possess Buddha's Salvation. You'll inevitably face opponents you can't defeat. When I use my skill, I can save your life. The moment the Buddha's likeness disappears, you can take the enemy by surprise and strike..."

"But right now, I have no desire to kill anyone," Du Ge said.

His current state was very peculiar. He knew that eliminating Zuo Zhonghou was the best choice, yet he couldn't muster the will to kill, so much so that his hand on Zuo Zhonghou's neck couldn't bring itself to sever his head.

"I'm just describing the effects of the skill," Zuo Zhonghou said with a dry laugh, "See Hui Xing over there? Weren't you unable to catch him just now? We could try to coordinate, it might have unexpected results! My skill is very useful..."

He knew the likelihood of his skill being used cooperatively was slim.

After all.

The skill did not differentiate between friend and foe; aside from himself being unaffected, no one else would trust him with it.

But if he could delay, even for a moment, Lanruo Temple had cultivators in the Mahayana Realm.

With such a commotion, if he could delay until the Mahayana Realm cultivators emerged, perhaps there was a chance for survival.

After all.

In this world, there were only Buddhist scriptures, not Buddhist teachings. The Buddha's phantom he displayed could captivate any Buddhist practitioner.

"Alright."

Du Ge's hand slid to his arm and swiftly departed, taking the arm with it.

The golden body was broken.

The Buddha's phantom disappeared again.

Just then.

A heavy pressure descended from the sky, weighing down on everyone from the supervisory institution.

Thud! Thud!

Above, the cultivators from the supervisory institution fell from the sky like dumplings.

"Demon Head, cease harming the Buddha's disciples."

A voice exploded beside everyone.

Then.

As if an invisible hand had taken hold, Du Ge was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

Seeing this, Zuo Zhonghou breathed a sigh of relief and stepped towards Du Ge, his eyes filled with triumph, "Wang Chong, you're too arrogant. It seems no one has told you how powerful the Mahayana Realm is! Your attributes are mine now..."

"Without hands, how will you kill me?" Du Ge looked at him with disdain, "Believe it or not, you couldn't break my defenses even with your legs."

"I admit your attributes are high, but once the Mahayana Realm beats you to near death, believe it or not, I could stomp you to death with my feet..." Zuo Zhonghou lowered his voice, "With your attributes and my Buddha's Salvation, no one could escape my grasp... Uh!"

His voice abruptly stopped.

Du Ge's hand was once again on his neck. Zuo Zhonghou's face turned pale as the Buddha's likeness reappeared, "Only those of the same realm can counter the Mahayana Realm. How could you possibly break free from its suppression?"

"Because my attributes are high!" The moment the Buddha's likeness appeared, the pressure on Du Ge vanished, and he smiled, "Now, we can truly cooperate."

"Release the Buddha's disciple." Two elderly monks appeared almost instantaneously in the courtyard of Lan Ning Temple, their eyes fervently fixated on Zuo Zhonghou, who was held by the neck by Du Ge, and the Buddha's likeness behind him.

"Master, if I let him go, he's likely to lose another limb," Du Ge said to the two Mahayana Realm cultivators with a smile, "Legend has it that when the Buddha saw an eagle chasing a pigeon, to save the pigeon's life without letting the eagle starve, he immediately cut his own flesh to feed the eagle, fulfilling the intention of saving all beings. How about you two come over and we exchange the Buddha's disciple, does that sound good?"

"Good."

Under the influence of the Buddha's likeness, there was no malice, no intent to fight, only devotion and a longing for the supernatural powers of Buddhism. The two Mahayana Realm cultivators from Lan Ning Temple agreed without hesitation.

"I will exchange for the Buddha's disciple."

Two voices spoke at once.

"Don't rush, one at a time," Du Ge said with a smile, first placing his hand on one of the Mahayana Realm Elders.

He harbored no malice or intent to kill towards these natives; Du Ge only wanted their spiritual power. If possible, cooperation was still the best option.

Thus.

The transaction went smoothly.

Watching the two saviors approach Du Ge, Zuo Zhonghou was desperately anxious.

He couldn't understand why Du Ge, while severing limbs, harbored no intent to kill?

And yet, he dared not dispel the Buddha's likeness. He had already revealed his intentions to Du Ge; once the likeness was gone, he would surely be the first to die.

He could only watch helplessly as Wang Chong's hand touched the shoulder of the Mahayana Realm cultivator, pondering a solution.

He didn't know that Wang Chong's skill could absorb power; he only knew that being touched by him meant losing limbs, so he was somewhat relieved that, under the Buddha's phantom, Wang Chong wouldn't immediately kill the two Mahayana Realm cultivators.

As long as the Mahayana Realm cultivators lived, perhaps there was a chance.

After all.

At such a close distance, the Mahayana Realm cultivators would act faster than Wang Chong.

...

A continuous stream of spiritual power flowed from the Mahayana Realm cultivator into Du Ge's meridians.

Du Ge's body was once again transformed, his soul gradually solidifying, and his cells and muscles seemed to take on a new form. What exactly it became, Du Ge couldn't say, as if every cell had become a dantian, storing more spiritual power within the same unit...

The Mahayana Realm cultivator allowed Du Ge to absorb his spiritual power, his expression as still as an ancient well, "Benefactor, can you release the Buddha's disciple now?"

"Not yet, wait a little longer," Du Ge said with a smile.

"Elder Hongren, Elder Hongjie, when the Buddha's likeness fades, please strike and slay the demon. If possible, let me deliver the final blow to enhance my power," Zuo Zhonghou, unaware of what was happening to them, still fantasized about taking Du Ge's attributes, "I can lead you elders to ascend to the Buddha's realm and cultivate the supernatural powers of the Buddha..."

"Good."

Under the influence of Buddha's Salvation, the two Mahayana Realm Elders had no intent to kill, but that didn't stop them from following Zuo Zhonghou's orders. At this moment, Zuo Zhonghou was the true reincarnation of the Buddha's disciple in their eyes, capable of leading them to the Buddha's realm.

For the Buddha's disciple, they would do anything.

Du Ge smiled and continued to absorb the power of the two Mahayana Realm cultivators without a word.

"I'll count to three, and you'll act. Wang Chong is too fast; it's best to save me first..." Zuo Zhonghou, instinctively unwilling to delay, pursed his lips and said.

"Good," the two Mahayana Realm Elders nodded again, never mentioning that Du Ge had drained their power.

"One, two, three!"

Zuo Zhonghou counted to three with a trembling voice, then closed his eyes and abruptly canceled the Buddha's likeness.

The next second.

His world went dark as he lost consciousness, with only a few words lingering in his mind: "Thief, how dare you!"

...

As they watched the Buddha's disciple's head being taken by Wang Chong, the Mahayana Realm cultivators were enraged, forcefully channeling their spiritual power and striking Du Ge between the heart and lungs.

But Du Ge had drained their spiritual power for half a day, and with one foot already in the Mahayana Realm, he was no longer the same. The strike did not inflict much damage; instead, it gave him the opportunity to swiftly remove the Mahayana Realm cultivator's clothes and limbs.

Then.

Holding his neck, Du Ge turned him around to block the other Mahayana Realm cultivator's attack.

But the Mahayana Realm's attack was relentless, not something that could be blocked by a mere shield, especially when the shield was also attacking him.

With the Buddha's disciple dead, their faith gone, and hope shattered, the two Mahayana Realm cultivators fought like madmen, unleashing their fury on Du Ge.

Fortunately, Du Ge had plundered the wealth of a nation, and his attributes were off the charts.

Had he attacked Lan Ning Temple a month earlier, this barrage would have shattered him to pieces.

Even so, the sound of his bones cracking continued to emanate from his body. Du Ge, with no other choice, mobilized all his spiritual power to protect his neck and head.

But his other hand clung to the Mahayana Realm cultivator in his grasp, desperately absorbing his power, while saying, "Master, he is the Buddha's disciple, naturally possessing a strong soul. Who says he can't live without a head? I am from the Medicine Immortal Sect, and there's still time to save him.

Even if he's dead, he can have a reincarnated body. You're hurting yourselves in your frenzy, and you'll lose the chance to become Buddha. Besides, the Buddha is formless; one thought can make a Buddha, one thought a demon. Why can't I be the Buddha's disciple? He could lead you to fly, and so can I!"

"Cease harming my Buddha's disciple."