The Last Piece of the Great Sage's Armor

Indeed, Li Mo had long been prepared.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t use the Doppelganger technique normally—it was just that ever since he had employed it, turning a one-sided beatdown into a double-sided beatdown, he had completely abandoned the conventional way of using this divine ability.

So, earlier, he had left a strand of hair on the ground, ready at any moment.

The slightest opening, the briefest chance to catch his breath, and he would activate it!

Strike when least expected—launch a sneak attack!

The golden essence of the "King of Fights" doctrine was still rising!

But before that, he had to find a way to withstand this earth-shattering strike of the staff.

Gritting his teeth, Li Mo channeled his sword intent while simultaneously replicating that one strike from that day.

His body, enhanced by the Eight-Nine Mysteries, groaned under the strain of its limits. All distractions were suppressed by the Moonlit Soul, as the Divine Moon Intent manifested behind him, shining alongside the Great Sage’s Divine Intent.

The hammer treasure, borrowing the sword intent drawn forth by the Celestial Sword, brewed the killing intent of the Divine Thunder Demon-Slaying Sword Art into a tide of blades.

The killing intent of man arose.

The staff’s shadow, stirring the winds and clouds, faltered for an instant.

The Unyielding Star-Shattering Hammer now carried an indescribable, terrifying force. The will within the sword intent became the fuel for the hammer treasure.

It was a hammer wielded as a sword, and a sword wielded as a hammer.

The two divine techniques were simultaneously unleashed at their most exquisite—yet not with the weapons they were meant for.

Hammer and sword intertwined like the sun and moon in pursuit.

"Hahahaha..."

Laughter echoed from the turbulent winds and clouds, as if He, too, found this bizarre technique somewhat amusing.

The staff in His hands suddenly expanded.

This staff technique was never just about overturning rivers and seas.

It could reach the heavens above or pierce the depths below.

Like a slumbering dragon breaking free from the abyss of dark mist, ascending to the skies—or like something descending from beyond the heavens, untraceable yet carrying an overwhelming presence.

The minor world trembled violently, cracks splitting open in places, revealing unfathomable, endless phantasmagoria, lightning dancing wildly.

Hammer and sword clashed against it.

And were struck down to the ground.

Li Mo once again saw those burning golden eyes, their fuel seemingly joy and defiance.

Whoosh—

The staff never landed on him.

All its force was swallowed by the minor world, causing fissures to spread across it.

Li Mo had an instinctive realization.

If that strike had truly landed, it wouldn’t have been like before—where he lost the fight but remained unharmed as the master of this minor world.

No, he and the minor world would have been utterly annihilated.

"Fifty-one."

He calmly stated the reason for stopping.

And also the reason for using this strike—to make Li Mo see clearly.

The heavens unleash their killing intent; the hammer follows the path of man.

These two martial arts—you’ve only cleverly used them together, not truly mastered their fusion.

This is how they should be used.

The surging flames of battle intent silently extinguished. Li Mo understood His meaning.

But just as He withdrew, the golden flames of battle intent fading, a figure appeared behind Him—crouched, reaching out with a sinful hand...

"?"

"...Just passing by."

Li Mo nonchalantly picked up the half-eaten peach and took a bite.

When embarrassed, people tend to find something to do.

The Great Sage’s projection ignored his excuse, instead turning to gaze at the gaping hole torn in the minor world.

The hole was growing larger.

Like a terrifying vortex, devouring everything around it.

Endless abyssal darkness, surreal and shifting lights, blurred the surroundings.

The minor world shook even more violently, the stars hanging in the sky flickering unsteadily. As its master, Li Mo sensed it instinctively.

The minor world seemed to be...

Collapsing.

"I was hoping to use this minor world as my inner realm."

Li Mo sighed, his emotions complicated.

"Alright, alright, I admit I tried to steal your peach. You also accidentally wrecked my Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect. Let’s call it even..."

As he spoke, he prepared to exit the minor world.

Suddenly, a bolt of thunder flashed.

Li Mo saw Him hurl His weapon—the staff inscribed with the words "Ruyi Jingu Bang"—straight into the rift.

He vanished on the spot, gone to who-knows-where.

Only the staff remained, standing tall.

But unlike its radiant brilliance in His hands, it now appeared pitch-black, stone-like, as ordinary as a simple pillar in the now-calm minor world.

Li Mo fell silent for a moment before stepping forward to touch it.

The texture was rough—good for nothing but a fire poker.

"This isn’t just a divine weapon..."

"But I don’t know any staff techniques... Though using a hammer as a staff isn’t impossible."

"So, what He means is... the peach-stealing incident isn’t over?"

Li Mo never would have guessed.

The final piece of the Great Sage’s regalia would appear in such a way.

...

With mixed emotions, Li Mo awoke.

Morning sunlight spilled into the room.

Blinking groggily, he sensed his minor world had grown more stable than before, as if the entire world now had a pillar supporting it.

Not only that.

The Battle Intent of the Heaven-Defying Sage had also smoothly broken through to the next realm.

Hum—

Divine intent radiated, rippling space.

Ying Bing stirred awake, her eyes immediately landing on the golden-armored figure standing behind the youth.

Now, the face of the golden-armored divine intent was no longer blurred—every detail was vivid, lifelike.

Ying Bing froze, quickly realizing.

"He’s breaking through?"