Ye Yunfei then began refining pills once more, injecting all the finished elixirs into the body of the old monk.
The old monk's flesh repeatedly swelled and contracted as his blood and Qi grew more and more vigorous. The skin on the surface of his body began to gain a luster and elasticity.
Moreover, his breathing started to become deep and steady.
He now appeared no different from a living person.
However, the duration of his slumber had been too long. Even though his body had regained vitality, he would require an adaptation period before he could fully awaken.
Not long after, the second batch of medicinal herbs was nearly used up.
'This old monk should awaken before too much longer,' Ye Yunfei thought to himself, eyeing the figure in the pool.
Boom…
At that precise moment, the space above the courtyard suddenly split open. An enormous black hand extended outwards, growing continuously larger as it reached down towards the old monk below.
Rumble…
All the Buddhist formations within the courtyard activated, unleashing rolling waves of energy to obstruct that inky black hand.
Yet, the energy contained within that black hand was terrifyingly formidable. With a fierce tremor, it repelled all the formation energy and accelerated its descent towards the old monk.
Ye Yunfei stamped his foot.
Over a thousand Earth Dragons erupted from beneath the earth, forming a large-scale battle formation that surged toward the colossal black hand.
"Kid, you'd best not interfere in matters that don't concern you, lest you invite endless future trouble!" an angry roar emanated from within the black hand, which then violently shook and repelled the battle formation of a thousand Earth Dragons.
That enormous black hand undoubtedly belonged to a peerless expert — its power was too fearsome!
Boom…
The black hand changed direction, now grabbing toward Ye Yunfei.
Instantly, Ye Yunfei felt the space surrounding him being clenched by a terrifyingly immense force. His body couldn't move a single inch.
Boom…
Ye Yunfei's will immediately connected with the earth energy. The earth within a radius of tens of thousands of li began to tremble violently as vast, endless streams of earth-primal energy gathered into a mighty torrent toward Ye Yunfei's location, empowering his body.
Only then did Ye Yunfei discover he could move again.
"Be gone!"
Ye Yunfei grasped the Dragon-Subduing Whip and lashed out at the enormous black hand.
This strike mobilized the terrestrial energy of the surrounding tens of thousands of li, making the whip unprecedentedly heavy in an instant. With a thundering crack, it lashed against the black hand, actually forcing it to recoil half an inch.
"The methods of an Earth Master are truly remarkable! Brat, given time to grow, you might one day step into the realm of a Sage Master. But sadly, since you've provoked me, you are fated not to live long."
A voice filled with icy, bone-piercing chilliness transmitted from within the black hand.
"With us of the Heavenly Dragon Temple present, you will not harm Young Master Su."
Suddenly, a kindly voice rang out.
A tall, thin monk whose whole body emitted golden light strode into the courtyard.
This lofty monk formed seals with his hands, created a golden Buddhist imprint, gave a great shout, and hurled it toward the gigantic black hand.
Rumble…
The golden Buddhist seal continuously enlarged like a mountain-sized golden deity peak and smashed violently into the black hand.
Poof!
That black hand shattered instantly at the impact, disintegrating into a sky full of black specks that then scattered with the wind.
"Hmph, bald donkey Zhimo, to think you'd personally intervene."
A voice brimming with unwillingness issued from the distant space.
Then…
The sounds of battle from around the courtyard abruptly ceased.
"Zen Master Zhimo, they have withdrawn."
Soon after, the three old monks from the Heavenly Dragon Temple and Heavenly Thunder Chan Master entered the courtyard and addressed the tall monk.
'This monk's strength surpasses even Heavenly Thunder Chan Master's. He is surely a high-ranking figure within the Heavenly Dragon Temple,' Ye Yunfei thought, glancing at Zen Master Zhimo.
"Young Master Su, I thank you for all you have done on behalf of our Heavenly Dragon Temple," Zen Master Zhimo said, pressing his palms together and bowing slightly to Ye Yunfei.
"It was a trifling effort. Think nothing of it," Ye Yunfei replied.
"Venerables, let us join our efforts and awaken our Honored Master," Zen Master Zhimo said to the other monks.
Zen Master Zhimo then led the three Heavenly Dragon Temple elders, Heavenly Thunder Chan Master, and over twenty other monks in sitting cross-legged in the courtyard's center. Together, they chanted an ancient Buddhist scripture.
Majestic waves of Buddhist chanting echoed through the heavens and earth of this area.
Streams of brilliant Buddhist Dao symbols continuously infused themselves into the body of the old monk lying in the pool.
Roughly an hour later.
The body of the old monk in the pool suddenly gave a faint shudder.
*Sigh…*
An ancient, vicissitudinous sigh rang out, causing the entire stretch of heavens and earth to tremble fiercely.
"Our Honored Master has finally awakened!"
All the monks were incredibly excited.
The old monk in the pool belonged to ancient times and had been sealed within clay and stone for immeasurably long ages. Never did they imagine he would successfully revive now!
"I never imagined I could still return to this world."
The old monk's eyelids slowly opened. Two terrifying rays of intense radiance shot forth from his eyes, actually tearing through the space before him and leaving behind two gaping black spatial rifts.
"We pay our respects to the Honored Master!"
Zen Master Zhimo led the other monks in bowing formally toward the old monk in the pool.
"Since the heavens won't take me back, I suppose I shall keep on living," the old monk muttered to himself, raising his head to look at the sky.
Boom…
Suddenly, the old monk opened his mouth and inhaled. Boundless heaven and earth essence-energy surged madly toward this location, filling the sky and covering the earth as it converged upon his form, submerging him before being sucked into his stomach.
Rumble…
From the highest altitudes, a river of brilliant white starlight cascaded down. It resembled a vast stellar river, dazzlingly radiant.
'Impressive technique. He actually managed to draw upon and command the power of foreign stars, plucking down this full sky of stellar energy,' Ye Yunfei inwardly praised.
Such a method, though it couldn't compare to that of a Heavenly Emperor, was nevertheless considered first-rate brilliance within the world.
"What is happening?"
Because an immense volume of heaven and earth essence gathered and rumbled toward this spot, it shook the entirety of Lantai City. Countless martial artists directed their gazes in this direction.
In fact, not long ago, when the masters from the Corpse World surrounded the compound and fought fiercely with the monks of the Great Thunderclap Monastery, the whole of Lantai City had already been disturbed. Everyone had been paying attention to the situation here ever since.
"The old monk unearthed by the Heavenly Dragon Temple is using heaven and earth essence to resurrect himself!"
"He has completely awakened. There's no stopping him now."
"Starting from today, the Eastern Barrens has gained another peerless expert. From this point onward, one must take even greater care not to provoke the Heavenly Dragon Temple."
Several powerful, perceptive older-generation top experts with keen senses looked toward the courtyard and sighed as they spoke.
What?!
That old monk unearthed within the Four Directions Trading House had actually revived!
The surrounding people who heard such exclamations were all utterly shocked.
When that old monk had been unearthed within the Four Directions Trading House's stone gambling field, many people had witnessed the entire process. Who could have imagined that such a corpse could actually come back to life?
Over an hour later.
Inside the courtyard, the old monk in the pool suddenly stood up.
"Amitabha. Fellow friends, you hide in the shadows to spy on me, and your hearts harbor killing intent. Why inflict such bitterness upon yourselves?"
The old monk cast his gaze toward the distant sky. The two bolts of cold lightning from his eyes tore through the void, soul-stirring and commanding.
Boom…
The old monk abruptly extended one large hand. It continuously grew in size, traversed the vast sky with terrifying speed, grasped fiercely, and then retracted with lightning swiftness.
Within his palm, he now held three black-robed elders, their bodies shrouded completely in black fog.