Chapter 122: Four-Dimensional Projection

Xiao Kai-tian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the old monk. The aura emanating from this man was peculiar, carrying an indescribable quality.

"What kind of power is this? To think you could break through my techniques," the old monk said, his eyes flickering as he looked Xiao Kai-tian up and down. "This body is even better—surpassing even Mifune Fui. Excellent, truly excellent."

Xiao Kai-tian narrowed his eyes. The opponent was elderly, yet his aura was subtly mingled with something else—a distinct trace of fourth-dimensional power. This man could not be left alive.

With a swift shift of his feet, Xiao Kai-tian flashed to the old monk's side and struck out with his palm. The old monk, unfazed, spread his arms, and a red glow emerged around his body. Xiao Kai-tian’s strike was blocked, and as their forces collided, he retreated rapidly.

"Go." The old monk was not to be outdone; he drew a white paper figurine from his sleeve and tossed it into the air. Following a flash of red light, a samurai materialized before Xiao Kai-tian.

"A shikigami?" Xiao Kai-tian sneered. He rapidly condensed his divine source in his right fist. As the samurai swung his blade, Xiao Kai-tian met it with a punch. With a dull metallic "clang," the samurai's blade shattered.

"Dissipate!" Xiao Kai-tian’s divine source was far beyond what a shikigami could withstand. He leaped high and unleashed a lightning-fast right hook. A surge of divine source pierced the samurai’s body, causing it to disintegrate into shredded white paper that scattered in the wind.

The old monk’s expression turned grave. He pulled out a ritual awl and gestured repeatedly in front of him. Ripples of magical power spread outward as he shouted, "Bind!" The ripples formed a web-like structure, tightly constricting Xiao Kai-tian.

"A binding formation?" Xiao Kai-tian scoffed. Thinking he could be held by such a mediocre trap was pure fantasy. He stomped his foot hard. "Fracture!" A web of cracks exploded outward from him, shattering the old monk’s formation into pieces.

"Ugh!" Suffering from the backlash, the old monk stumbled back, a trickle of blood spilling from his lips. His strength was only slightly superior to Xiao Kai-tian’s, but because he relied on mystical arts that were proving ineffective against his opponent, this counterattack had left him wounded.

"Damn it," the old monk hissed, red light flaring in his eyes. He roared and pushed his hands forward, channeling every ounce of his strength into a massive ball of flame directed at Xiao Kai-tian.

His initial strategy had been flawed; he had intended to capture Xiao Kai-tian alive, but instead, he found himself suppressed and at a disadvantage.

Xiao Kai-tian showed no fear. Sensing with his divine source that the monk was at the end of his rope, he lunged toward the fireball and swung his hands, tearing it in two until it dissipated into the air.

With that, the old monk was locked firmly in the crosshairs of Xiao Kai-tian’s divine source. This man was too dangerous; Xiao Kai-tian had no intention of showing mercy.

"Die!" Condensing his divine source into a small sphere, Xiao Kai-tian threw a punch, launching it at the old monk.

"Heh-heh-heh—" The old monk suddenly erupted into laughter, the red light in his eyes intensifying. "A difficult opponent indeed, but... do you truly think this can kill me?"

The space around him began to twist violently, and clusters of red light manifested, deflecting Xiao Kai-tian's divine source.

Vaguely, a long-nosed, human-like face appeared behind him. Red light poured into the old monk’s body, and his gaunt, skeletal frame filled out as if infused with vitality, his muscles expanding at a visible rate.

"What?" Xiao Kai-tian was astonished. He leaped backward to distance himself. "This is a fourth-dimensional projection. Who exactly are you?"

The old monk’s eyes glowed crimson. He opened his mouth and exhaled a cloud of black mist. His entire appearance shifted; he was no longer a frail elder, but a man in his twenties. He cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing sharply. The surrounding trees swayed as if caught in a gale, buffeted by the spiritual energy radiating from him.

"To think I would need to manifest myself," the old monk said, his voice now entirely different. "This waste of a vessel—useless in every regard. Are you the one who killed Mifune Fui?"

"And who are you, to be able to project yourself into this dimensional space?" Xiao Kai-tian suppressed his racing heart. This was the first time he had encountered a high-dimensional being in this world. A small part of him felt relieved; it meant that reaching the higher dimensions was entirely possible.

"You may call me Tengu. The people of these islands worship me as a god," the old monk chuckled, as if explaining something simple. "With your intellect, I doubt you could understand."

Xiao Kai-tian shook his head. A mere fourth-dimensional entity, yet so arrogant as to call himself a god. He clenched his fists. "It seems this isn't your first time in this world. What is your goal?" High-dimensional beings rarely visited lower dimensions without a purpose.

"The way you speak... you seem to know of these things." Tengu paused, surprised. Given his perspective, he hadn't expected Xiao Kai-tian to be so insightful. Could he be a manifestation as well?

Both held secrets, and now that they were revealed, neither could allow the other to survive. A flicker of blue light flashed in Xiao Kai-tian’s eyes. This Tengu was formidable; even a fourth-dimensional projection was far beyond what he could currently handle.

With that realization, he slowly took a step forward.

"World analysis initiated."

His trump card, "Dimensional Reduction," was activated once more. A black sphere instantly expanded, trapping Tengu firmly within it.

"What power is this?" Tengu sensed something was wrong. His eyes widened as he struggled to break free, but Xiao Kai-tian would not allow it.

"Dimensional energy extraction."

Within the black sphere, countless strange characters and patterns swirled. Threads of light were ripped from Tengu’s body and pulled into Xiao Kai-tian’s.

As the light was extracted, the space where Tengu stood twisted and compressed, and his form became strangely distorted. "What are you doing? You are trying to materialize me in this world! This is impossible..."

"Dimensional support collapse."

"Crack, crack!" Radiating lightning erupted within the sphere, fueled by the collapse. Tengu let out a shrill scream. "Stop!"

"Pop!" The black sphere shattered. The space where Tengu stood stretched and then stabilized. He had been fully materialized into the three-dimensional world.

"This is impossible!" Tengu roared, realizing what had happened. He was stunned.

"Nothing is impossible," Xiao Kai-tian said. His figure blurred, and a hand-blade plunged into Tengu’s chest. Stripped of his high-dimensional power, he was, for the moment, no different from an ordinary human.

"Ugh." Tengu spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide. "Who... who are you?"

"Xiao Kai-tian." As he spoke, Xiao Kai-tian slowly withdrew his hand.

"If you kill me, the Twelve Absolutes will not let this go..." A cold sneer touched Tengu’s lips as he exhaled his final breath and slowly collapsed.