Chapter 971: The Method to Detonate the Foundation Establishment Realm! [Heavenly River Water]!
Lu Yang absolutely never expected that the positional shift between [Heavenly River Water] and [Vast Ocean Water] was actually related to the World Honored One. He truly never felt ashamed to ask and learn from his subordinates.
Furthermore, this also reminded him of his past life.
In his past life, Tian Qiu successfully attained [Heavenly River Water]. The old Dragon Lord, relying on their father-son connection, restored [Vast Ocean Water] to the Supreme position—the world at that time thought it was normal.
But looking back at it now.
'Was it really that easy for Tian Qiu to seek [Heavenly River Water]? Even with the old Dragon Lord's support, it's not like he hadn't failed in previous lifetimes!'
The lifetime involving Suo Huan went without saying; Tian Qiu was even slain by Suo Huan. And in the lifetime where he himself attained [Heavenly Fire], Tian Qiu didn't dare to attempt attaining [Heavenly River Water] until the very end, showing that his confidence was absolutely not high. How did it change in the past life, where Tian Qiu suddenly succeeded in seeking the Golden Core all at once?
Unless—
'Someone wanted Tian Qiu to succeed! Or rather, someone wanted the old Dragon Lord to restore [Vast Ocean Water] to the Supreme position, thereby resolving the hidden danger of the rift in the Foundation Establishment realm!'
Why?
Think back, under what circumstances did Tian Qiu succeed? [Sky-shrouding] fought a battle with him, ultimately falling short by a single move and being forced to leave the [Netherworld].
'Tian Qiu's success was built upon the premise of [Sky-shrouding] leaving the Netherworld. And at that time, [Sky-shrouding]'s attempt to attain the Netherworld had already entered a countdown. Therefore, Tian Qiu needed to succeed, [Vast Ocean Water] needed to return to its position, and the Foundation Establishment realm needed to be stabilized. Only then could the Dao Lords let go and fight for the Netherworld!'
Thinking of this, Lu Yang gasped.
'So in almost every lifetime, as long as the Buddhist Kingdom on Earth existed, the Pure Land always claimed that Tian Qiu had an affinity with Buddha. The World Honored One wanted to grasp this bargaining chip in his own hands!'
The experiences of his past life surfaced before his eyes.
'At that time, in a place I couldn't see, the World Honored One might have already played a game with the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, though the World Honored One probably failed in the end.'
Otherwise, [Vast Ocean Water] wouldn't have returned to its position.
However, this lifetime was different. This time, the old Dragon Lord seemed to have been frightened by the [Tribulation] and directly vanished from the face of the earth. The result unexpectedly helped the World Honored One.
For a moment, Lu Yang could only smile bitterly: 'To a certain extent, this can also be considered progress in my cultivation. In my past life, I couldn't even see the clashes between Dao Lords, let alone have the qualifications to participate... But in this lifetime, at the very least, I can catch a slight glimpse into the minds of the Dao Lords.'
'Even I myself am a chess piece used in the Dao Lords' clashes.'
Such a situation was absolutely not an isolated case.
[Sky-shrouding], Feixue, Taiyin... which of them wasn't like this?
Having reached the level of a Great Perfected Lord, one already possessed the qualifications to squeeze into the cracks of the Dao Lords' struggles. The higher one's cultivation, the more frequent this situation would undoubtedly become.
Whether one could stand out from the cracks or be ground to dust by the Dao Lords.
That would depend on their respective methods.
…
The first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak left.
Inside the monk's quarters, the World Honored One sat quietly on a meditation mat, his hands pressed together in prayer. Only when a sound came from outside the door and a young novice monk walked in did he finally snap out of it.
In the next second, a compassionate smile hung upon his face once more.
"Benefactor, you are fine now."
Before the words fully faded, Lu Yang decisively severed the connection of [One Mind]. Following that, he opened his mouth, wanting to curse the World Honored One's shameless act of taking advantage of his misfortune:
"Alas... I, I..."
Fuck your mother!
Before the words fully faded, Lu Yang ruthlessly slapped himself again. Only then did he stop speaking, subsequently circulating his Dao heart. It took a long while before he gradually recovered.
Seeing this, the World Honored One wasn't anxious, smiling as he observed Lu Yang. Just as Lu Yang predicted, he didn't intend to eat his fill in one bite and use brute force to directly enlighten Lu Yang. Instead, he planned to use the method of boiling a frog in warm water, slowly making Lu Yang give up resistance. Only this way could he prevent Lu Yang from fighting back desperately like a cornered dog.
Therefore, when Lu Yang caught his breath, he even asked cordially:
"Feeling better?"
"A bit better, thank..."
Smack! Another slap.
After another moment, Lu Yang panted heavily, temporarily shaking off the post-possesion syndrome, and said in a deep voice: "Time is limited, Senior. I need to leave this place."
"You cannot leave." The World Honored One shook his head.
"The karma of the five thousand years before and after seventy thousand years ago is already under surveillance. Any anomalous karma will be discovered, so it is impossible for you to leave."
"If you truly wish to leave, the only method is to spend true years within this karmic scene, flowing downstream. Only then will you be unaffected."
"...What?"
Lu Yang's expression instantly turned incredibly ugly. This was seventy thousand years ago! True years—did he have to stay in the karmic scene for seventy thousand years?
Traversing karma was different from shuttling through time. It wasn't that you could spend seventy thousand years in a karmic scene and wake up back in reality. Sinking into a karmic scene for seventy thousand years, one would be one hundred percent lost within it, ultimately only reincarnating continuously within those seventy thousand years. It was impossible to return to the present world through this!
"You misunderstand."
Seeing this, the World Honored One smiled: "It doesn't need to be as long as seventy thousand years. You only need to flow downstream for about five thousand years, jump out of the surveillance range, and then you can leave."
"I see..."
Only then did Lu Yang let out a sigh of relief. But soon, he frowned again: "Five thousand years is too long. I'm worried unexpected accidents might happen to the things I want to do."
Lu Yang didn't explicitly state his plan to destroy the Foundation Establishment realm, and the World Honored One didn't ask. The two of them had a tacit understanding. After all, "whatever is spoken must be known." Once such a thing was said out loud, it would touch upon karma. Given the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's vigilance, he might instantly sense it and discover something was wrong.
Anyway, he had actually already grasped the method to destroy the Foundation Establishment realm.
'The rift in the Foundation Establishment realm appeared because of the positional shift between [Heavenly River Water] and [Vast Ocean Water]. In that case, I just need to widen the rift.'
When the rift widened to a certain extent, the Foundation Establishment realm would naturally collapse.
Then how to widen it?
'Two methods. First, create another Supreme positional shift to increase the number of rifts. Second, make a Perfected Lord of the Supreme [Heavenly River Water] fall!'
The former went without saying; the principle was very simple.
As for the latter, it was relatively unique: 'When a Perfected Lord falls, their Grotto-Heaven shatters. The fragments will first plummet into the Foundation Establishment realm, and then enter the present world from the Foundation Establishment realm.'
'The rift in the Foundation Establishment realm was born because of [Heavenly River Water]. Therefore, the greater the impact from [Heavenly River Water], the easier it is to trigger a reaction from the rift. From this perspective, what has a greater impact than a Grotto-Heaven collapsing? Of course, the premise is that [Heavenly River Water] is still the Supreme Dao Fruit.'
Because the Supreme Dao Fruit [Heavenly River Water] was the very foundation for the rift's existence.
Once [Vast Ocean Water] returned to the Supreme position and the rift was repaired, no matter how many [Heavenly River Water] Perfected Lords died, it wouldn't be of any use; their deaths would be in vain.
Unfortunately, he had the method, but no opportunity.
"Who said so?"
Right at this moment, the World Honored One smiled: "The thing you want to do actually doesn't require you to leave. In these seventy thousand years ago, an opportunity just happens to exist."
"Hm?" Lu Yang's eyes flickered.
Following that, the World Honored One said faintly: "At this point in time, within the overseas Dragon Palace, the lifespan of the old Dragon Lord's twin brother is nearing its end, on the verge of falling."
"What he cultivates is [Heavenly River Water]."
"After his fall, a portion of his Grotto-Heaven fragments is collected by the old Dragon Lord, and the rest is taken by me, ensuring his fall will not trigger the collapse of the Foundation Establishment realm."
"And while I'm at it, I shatter his soul to avoid subsequent trouble."
"However, with Fellow Daoist's abilities, you can entirely help him extend his lifespan, letting him live on temporarily and die at a more appropriate time... Is that not so?"
For example, seventy thousand years later, when [Sky-shrouding] attempts to attain the Netherworld.
Hearing this, Lu Yang paused, then shook his head: "I cannot travel overseas. Otherwise, if anomalous karmic fluctuations appear, I will be discovered immediately."
"Benefactor can put your mind at ease." The World Honored One smiled:
"The young novice monk you are right now is precisely the incarnation I dispatch overseas to collect Grotto-Heaven fragments in the predetermined history. If you borrow his identity, there will be no anomalies."
Lu Yang: "..."
This old bald donkey truly had this planned for a long time!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 972: The Butterfly on the Spider's WebPeach blossoms fell as shadows, the jade sea surged with tides.
Right now, Lu Yang wore the skin of a young novice monk, treading the waves and splitting the surf as he headed all the way towards the Dragon Palace. Yet, the World Honored One's previous words flashed through his mind.
'The old Dragon Lord's twin brother. I seem to have an impression of him...'
There was a past life where the Perfected Lords hid from the world. He had borrowed the power of the Seven Luminaries Heaven to achieve Foundation Establishment Perfection, slew Tian Qiu, and then took the opportunity to ransack the Dragon Palace.
And within the old Dragon Lord's treasure trove, not only did he obtain the cultivation method for [Heavenly Fire], but he also obtained a Grotto-Heaven fragment of immense value. At the time, his Banner Spirit Tian Qiu had explained to him that it was left behind by a Dragon Lord of the same generation as the old Dragon Lord, and the corresponding Dao Fruit was exactly [Heavenly River Water].
'[Heaven-Covering Mystic-Cleansing Grotto-Heaven]...'
The intelligence matched.
There truly had been such a Dragon Lord, and his Grotto-Heaven fragment had never been used by anyone, indicating he was indeed the last Golden Core Perfected Lord of [Heavenly River Water].
So the question was: would the World Honored One be that kindhearted?
'The World Honored One might be a good person, but it's highly unlikely that the World Honored One is a good person.'
Lu Yang was no fool. He didn't have the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak's "senior brother" filter, much less foolishly believe the World Honored One was truly some kindhearted soul.
'Perhaps the World Honored One did have principles in the past. But since he managed to clear this wretched place in one life and become a Dao Lord, it's absolutely impossible for him to still have a bottom line left. What does being senior brothers matter? When the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak was rammed to death by [Sky-shrouding] in my past life, I didn't see him come out to save him.'
There was definitely a scheme behind this!
The more Lu Yang thought about it, the gloomier his expression became: 'The World Honored One's idea is nothing more than having me use the Dharma Body Dao to extend the life of that brother of the old Dragon Lord.'
'At first glance, it seems like nothing.'
'But if I use the Dharma Body Dao, will it trigger other variables? Would the World Honored One not covet the Dharma Body Dao? Impossible, he definitely wants it very much.'
After all, Sisui's remnant thoughts were enlightened by him!
After the Dharma Body Dao shattered, only the Pure Land possessed the Golden Body method, which shared some similarities with the Dharma Body Dao. It was evident that the World Honored One had snatched quite a few benefits from the Dharma Body Dao back then.
Since that was the case, how could he refuse a complete Dharma Body Dao?
'On the surface, this is helping me.'
'But in reality, this is also harming me... It's just that my current perspective is too low, and my intelligence is insufficient. I don't know exactly what the World Honored One has prepared...'
Thinking of this, Lu Yang's headache intensified.
The unknown was the most terrifying.
In a daze, he felt as if he were a frail butterfly that had fallen into a spider's web, able only to watch helplessly as the World Honored One approached to feast upon him.
Pure Land, Great Thunderclap Temple.
Watching Lu Yang depart, the young novice monk possessed by the World Honored One didn't stop walking. He arrived inside the precious hall, then looked up at the sky, a look of mockery surfacing on his face.
What met his eyes was still that infinitely high and distant place, its silhouette faintly visible. Upon the silhouette, a minuscule figure resembling a black dot stood tall. A weighty gaze descended, continuously searching through this segment of karmic history from [seventy thousand years ago], the gaze filled with tranquility and indifference.
Unparalleled mighty power.
Searching through karma was simply like flipping through a novel—swiping past page after page, reading word by word, sentence by sentence, and then gradually narrowing down the search scope.
'Soon, there is not much time left.'
'Although I temporarily deceived him just now, as time passes, he will ultimately lock onto this point in time and drag that Master of Tribulations out.'
In his eyes, that Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma was already a dead man.
Admittedly, the other party's methods were highly profound, his plans were excellent, and he was also very heroic. If placed one hundred thousand years ago, he might have been a great cultivator capable of roaming freely across the light sea.
Unfortunately, he was born at the wrong time.
'Rather than dying without any value, it's better to be used by me. Beast Taming, handing your obsession body of revenge over to your senior brother is the only way it can exert greater value.'
At this thought, the World Honored One immediately shifted his gaze.
His gaze swept overseas, quickly spotting Lu Yang's figure. The wariness deep in the other party's eyes and the hesitation in his actions could not be hidden from his sight.
'It seems he has guessed there's a problem.'
'This is normal too. He is from the Saint Sect after all. Moreover, having suffered such a massive loss back then, it couldn't be more normal for his current obsession body of revenge to be vigilant.'
The World Honored One was very calm.
All emotions had been stripped from his body. He was completely like a different person from the Senior Brother Myriad Treasures who had been chatting and laughing merrily with the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak just moments ago.
What remained was only indifference.
'It's useless.'
'The schemes of a Dao Lord can only be seen clearly and resisted by another Dao Lord. You still don't understand this principle, which is why you have ended up in your current state.'
What trap had he laid?
The answer was very simple—the old Dragon Lord's twin brother, the Dragon Lord of [Heavenly River Water], was actually his person right from the start. He was an enlightened incarnation!
'Back when I sought the Nascent Soul realm, [Heavenly River Water] was one of my five-element combinations. And using [One Mind], I assimilated all the cultivators affiliated with me. That Dragon Lord was one of them... It's just that after I achieved the Nascent Soul realm, this segment of history was completely extracted, ultimately turning into the false history.'
Therefore, no one knew.
From beginning to end, that Dragon Lord had been executing his will. Out of fear of being discovered by the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, he even deliberately let his soul shatter.
This was his hidden piece.
It had never been activated, all for the sake of this very day!
Thinking of this, the World Honored One couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile. In fact, Lu Yang's appearance was even better than he had anticipated, truly adding brilliance to his present splendor.
In his original plan, it should have been his own incarnation traversing karma to arrive at this era. And since the lifespan issue of the Grotto-Heaven Method couldn't be resolved, he planned to use a secret method to seal the other party's Grotto-Heaven within [Heavenly River Water], only letting it plummet down when needed.
But now, he didn't have to.
'Having that Master of Tribulations extend my incarnation's life—with this massive karma concerning life and death, I can inject the final [One Mind] into his sea of consciousness.'
Subsequently completely crushing the other party's perfected Dao heart!
In other words:
'As long as he does as I instructed, he cannot escape the fate of being reduced to my incarnation... At the same time, my method is also the only available method right now!'
'He can either choose mutual destruction or choose to take a gamble.'
'He has no other choices. Mutual destruction is completely meaningless, while taking a gamble at least holds some hope—of course, it's only hope from his perspective.'
At this thought, light resembling a starry river flashed through the World Honored One's eyes.
These were all karma.
Under the combination of all the [Causes] upon Lu Yang, what kind of [Effect] would ultimately form—all corresponding changes could not escape the World Honored One's line of sight.
This was the gap between a Dao Lord and those below Dao Lords.
Standing high, seeing far.
The Dao Lords stood high enough. This point alone was something lower-level cultivators couldn't understand. Often, a mere information gap was enough to set up an inescapable death trap.
Just like Lu Yang right now.
The World Honored One was already certain in his heart: unless another Dao Lord intervened, Lu Yang's ending would inevitably be completely enlightened by him and reduced to his incarnation.
And not only could he use this opportunity to obtain the Dharma Body Dao, but he could also take the opportunity to trigger the collapse of the Foundation Establishment realm. While causing other Dao Lords to fall in stature, it would prompt them to stop targeting the Netherworld, allowing [Sky-shrouding] to successfully attain the Dao and adding a Dao Lord helper for himself. He would simply rake in the profits!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 973: There is Also a Chance of Survival in a Desperate Situation!Just as the World Honored One predicted.
Lu Yang was ultimately not a Dao Lord. Missing crucial intelligence, although he knew very well there was definitely a problem, he simply couldn't find a single clue no matter what.
What to do?
Lu Yang quietly slipped into the Dragon Palace. With the young novice monk skin given by the World Honored One, he displayed absolutely no anomalies even when using the mighty power of a Great Perfected Lord's stature.
After all, the identity of the young novice monk was an "incarnation of the World Honored One." As an "incarnation of the World Honored One," possessing the stature of a Great Perfected Lord was simply too normal. Moreover, since the Pure Land's Golden Body method was also somewhat related to the Dharma Body Dao, it could even perfectly mask the anomalous Dharma Body Dao fluctuations on his body.
'Simply too considerate...'
Lu Yang felt a chill in his heart. The more the World Honored One took care of him, the more afraid he became. Being overly courteous usually meant asking for a favor—this was fucking trying to screw him over big time!
Four Seas Sect, Dragon Palace.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Inside the towering palace, an old dragon manifested its true form, lying wretchedly on the ground like this. Even breathing had become somewhat difficult for it.
And beside the old dragon was another relatively young true dragon. However, within dragon eyes as massive as mountains, there was currently a look filled with grief: "Yu Zhao... after the Heavenly Change, only you and I are left to depend on each other. If you just die like this, what am I supposed to do in the future?"
The one speaking was precisely the old Dragon Lord.
But compared to seventy thousand years later, the current old Dragon Lord was much younger. And looking at him like this, a look of envy surfaced in the eyes of the dying dragon:
"How nice."
"Middle Stage Golden Core, you don't have to worry about lifespan issues. But I can't hold on anymore... After I die, the great figures in the sky won't let my soul go either."
"..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the old Dragon Lord instantly clenched his teeth tightly. Ordinary true dragons were one thing, but they, the Five Dragon Lords of Rivers, Lakes, Rains, and Seas, were different. Their souls were not allowed to reincarnate. Someone like him at the Middle Stage of the Golden Core, deeply bound to a Dao Fruit, might still have a sliver of a chance to survive.
However, the old dragon was different. He was only at the Early Stage of the Golden Core.
Therefore, this death was a permanent farewell.
Meanwhile, the dying dragon was still sighing: "It's a pity you and I are brothers, and your bloodline isn't higher than mine. Otherwise, you could make [Vast Ocean Water] return to its position."
"Forget it, just raise a few more sons in the future."
"With good luck, have your sons attain [Heavenly River Water], perhaps there's still hope... cough, cough, cough." The dying dragon coughed while earnestly instructing.
Seeing this, the old Dragon Lord hurriedly nodded.
It was just that, immersed in sorrow, he didn't notice that deep within the golden dragon eyes of the dying dragon right before him—was a wisp of Buddhist light.
'Very good.'
'Give birth to many new offspring, let them all cultivate [Heavenly River Water]. The more they cultivate, the more unstable the Foundation Establishment realm becomes, and the more likely it is to usher in a collapse.'
Thoughts such as these flashed fleetingly in the dying dragon's mind like a phantom dream, then vanished formlessly along with the Buddhist light deep in its eyes.
Up until this moment, everything was normal historical karma.
If nothing unexpected happened, Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, who commanded [Heavenly River Water], would die on this day as his lifespan ended. His soul would shatter, and his Grotto-Heaven fragment would be plucked away by someone.
However—the unexpected arrived.
Creak...
The sound of the Dragon Palace's main doors being pushed open abruptly drifted over, instantly drawing the young old Dragon Lord's attention. Then, his dragon eyes abruptly froze in place.
In the next second, he saw a travel-worn young novice monk walk in. He took off his monk robes, appearing very casual. Yet, it was exactly this ordinary-looking novice monk who instantly stripped away all consciousness of the two Dragon Lords present, as if enveloped by an endless darkness.
Thump!
The two true dragons plummeted down and fainted together just like that. To Lu Yang, who was currently a Great Perfected Lord, handling them was already as easy as lifting a finger.
Without any hesitation.
Lu Yang focused his mind and calmed his breath. Activating the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide], he directly began to inspect Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, whose lifespan was about to end. And then he saw—
[Large Trap! Please handle with caution.]
'Hm?'
Seeing this line of prompt, Lu Yang's originally sunken mood suddenly lifted again: 'Large Trap? Not a Massive Trap? Merely asking me to handle it with caution?'
Having used the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide] so many times, Lu Yang asked himself if he already understood this talent quite well. The prompts it gave basically only fell into four categories: [No Trap], [Small Trap], [Large Trap], and [Massive Trap]. And for these four types of trap, his coping methods were also different.
[No Trap] went without saying; everything was worry-free.
[Small Trap] meant there was no need to care too much. It might cause a bit of trouble, but not much. With his own strength, he could completely level the trap brainlessly.
[Large Trap], this one was different.
Although a trap of this level required cautious handling, it wasn't unsolvable. At least in the talent's judgment, he possessed the ability to resolve it.
As for [Massive Trap], that was just two words.
Certain death, run fast.
Therefore, when he saw [Large Trap], Lu Yang wasn't afraid. Instead, he felt somewhat pleasantly surprised, because this meant he had hope of resolving it!
In all things and all matters, there is also a chance of survival in a desperate situation!
At this thought, Lu Yang's expression grew increasingly serious. He switched to using the [Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit] and meticulously inspected the dying dragon from head to toe.
Unsurprisingly, he found absolutely nothing.
'The large trap laid out by the World Honored One, I have the ability to resolve it?'
Lu Yang fell into deep thought.
First, he needed to doubt one point: the method meticulously laid out by the World Honored One for him—was it truly something he could resolve? Would a Dao Lord make such a mistake?
Impossible.
'At least in the World Honored One's eyes, I have no way of breaking the deadlock... But in that case, it conflicts with the judgment of the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide].'
'...I understand now.'
A look of sudden realization gradually surfaced deep in Lu Yang's eyes: 'Looking at all the profound methods I have grasped, there is only one thing capable of jumping out of a Dao Lord's schemes.'
'That is the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]!'
'To be exact, it is the talents brought to me by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]!'
Just like right now.
The [Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit] was his strongest decryption method, yet it couldn't discover Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's problem, while the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide] discovered it.
'My method to break the deadlock lies in nothing else but the talents the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] gave me... Which of my talents can help me break this inescapable death trap?'
After pondering for a moment, Lu Yang raised his eyes and smiled.
He guessed the answer.
Although he couldn't be one hundred percent certain, he had reached this point anyway; trying it out wouldn't result in a loss... From this point of view, the World Honored One's calculations were very accurate.
Compared to mutual destruction and directly restarting, Lu Yang indeed chose to take a gamble.
It was just a pity he hadn't calculated one thing—Lu Yang used cheat.
Inside the towering Dragon Palace, Lu Yang walked to Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's side and slowly reached out his hand. Golden light visible only to him surfaced in his palm.
[Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest]!
The golden talent obtained from Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde could completely replace a person's existence from the level of karma and origin. No matter who it was, they wouldn't be able to discover it!
This was like putting on a piece of clothing.
It could be taken off at any time, nor would it affect his true body. But as long as Lu Yang wore this piece of clothing, everyone would only recognize him as Dragon Lord Yu Zhao!
"Boom!!!"
Inside the Pure Land, only a thunderous sound was heard. The World Honored One abruptly stood up, no longer able to maintain his previous calm demeanor that seemed as if everything was under his control.
"...Gone?"
In his perception, the karma belonging to Lu Yang had actually vanished without warning right under his nose, like an illusion.
In the massive Dragon Palace, only the old Dragon Lord and the soon-to-fall [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] remained.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 974: The Style of [Inevitable Fate][Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest].
The characteristics of this golden talent were almost exactly the same as its origin, Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde. Even its effects and restrictions matched perfectly.
In short, although it could perfectly seize another person's karma and fate, replacing a person from their origin, it could only be used when a massive gap in stature existed between the two parties. For example, Foundation Establishment against Qi Refining, Golden Core against Foundation Establishment, Great Perfected Lord against Perfected Lord—highlighting the ability to challenge those below one's level.
At the same time, Lu Yang felt a subtle sensation.
'It actually succeeded...'
To be honest, he wasn't very confident at first. Because the great karmic net was different from reality, and karmic scenes weren't the true past.
The so-called karmic scenes were closer to illusions.
All the people and objects within them were essentially the materialization of past karma. And since they were illusions, in theory, it should naturally be impossible to seize them.
But there is an exception to everything!
'As expected of the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes].'
The effect of [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest] was inherently to seize karma, not to invade a sea of consciousness and seize a physical shell in the broad sense. Therefore, it actually worked.
As the talent activated, Lu Yang immediately felt himself shedding the skin of the young novice monk. He then merged into one with Dragon Lord Yu Zhao before his eyes, completely hiding himself within the other party's karma. Just in case, he immediately curled up, fully retracting himself within.
In the next second, the World Honored One descended.
Buddhist light abruptly surfaced deep within Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's eyes. The World Honored One's gaze emerged from the Buddhist light, scanning his surroundings, ultimately revealing a look of confusion.
'How could this be?'
Inside the Great Thunderclap Temple, the World Honored One's expression was solemn. He meticulously inspected the Dragon Palace from head to toe, and then had to admit a fact that made him frown:
"He ran away?"
Vanishing right under his nose just like that... Did the Primordial Saint make a move? Or another Dao Lord? The Sword Lord? Cang Hao? The World Honored One was somewhat uncertain.
Or perhaps... Beast Taming, did you leave behind some contingency plan?
Regardless of which it was, the result remained the same: the cooked duck had flown away, and the plan to use his hands to cause the collapse of the Foundation Establishment realm had gone bankrupt.
Thinking of this, the World Honored One's expression grew increasingly gloomy. He pondered for a long while before finally relaxing his brows: 'No, it might not necessarily be a true failure. No matter who rescued him, they most likely did so because they were unwilling to let him fall under my control. However, my plan itself has no flaws.'
There were still many opportunities.
Besides Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, the old Dragon Lord's subsequent eldest son Bai Chi, and even his second son Tian Qiu, both had hope of attaining [Heavenly River Water] and could alter causes and shift effects.
'He should just be hiding.'
'The time period of seventy thousand years ago is already under the surveillance of the Primordial Saint. Even with heaven-defying abilities, it is impossible for him to jump out of this point in time without being discovered by him.'
Thinking of this, the World Honored One calmed down. After all, as long as the plan continued, he wouldn't consider it a loss. At most, it was just "killing three birds with one stone" turning into "killing two birds with one stone." Although somewhat unexpected, it only proved that the Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma had good methods and was indeed quite slippery.
'...Forget it, I'll give you credit for having some tricks.'
At this thought, admiration actually arose in the World Honored One's heart. He immediately smoothed over the karma and withdrew his gaze. The Buddhist light deep within Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's eyes dissipated along with it.
As for the karmic scene? It didn't matter anymore.
Although Lu Yang's disappearance meant that the young novice monk originally destined to travel to the Dragon Palace and collect the fragments of Dragon Lord Yu Zhao after his fall had likewise vanished—thus altering the course of history…
—It was harmless.
It was still the same phrase: karmic scenes were essentially just a type of illusion.
They were like the reflection of history in the long river of time. No matter how much they were altered, it was like scooping the moon from the water; they couldn't cause any actual impact on the present world.
Except for [City Rampart Earth].
Only the profound wonder of the Supreme Dao Fruit [Commanding Past and Present] could, by modifying the [Cause] of the past, subsequently give birth to the corresponding [Effect] in the present world.
Therefore, in the World Honored One's view, if he sent another novice monk over, it would instead be like plugging one's ears while stealing a bell, only making the matter more conspicuous. The resulting anomalous karmic fluctuations could easily draw the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's attention, subsequently causing the hidden card that was Dragon Lord Yu Zhao to be exposed. So it was better to simply do nothing.
And right after the World Honored One left.
Dragon Lord Yu Zhao and the old Dragon Lord finally sobered up. Completely unaware of everything that had just happened, they resumed their tear-jerking entrustment of an orphan.
Meanwhile—
'Gone?'
Within Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's body, the curled-up Lu Yang was also pondering. At this moment, he had completely severed his perception of the outside world, not even daring to take a single glance outside.
Because a gaze itself was often a clue. Reaching the level of the World Honored One, he was even more sensitive to gazes. In a place where clearly only two people were present, if the gaze of a third person appeared, wouldn't it be plainly obvious that there was a problem? Therefore, Lu Yang went all in, directly sealing himself.
Then, he left everything to [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao].
In short, he let this "clothing" move on its own while he refrained from interfering. At the same time, he was constantly ready to open the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] and transfer to the next lifetime.
Fortunately, his luck was good.
'I got through!'
Wild joy abruptly surfaced in Lu Yang's heart. He then looked at the [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] clothing: 'I knew it! So this guy was actually the World Honored One all along!'
After seizing him with [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest], everything about [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] naturally couldn't be hidden from Lu Yang, including the extremely dense World Honored One infection on his body. If he had rashly used the Dharma Body Dao to extend his life, these infections might have been injected directly into his sea of consciousness.
'When that happened, my only option would have been to immediately restart. Even a single step too slow would result in an inescapable death trap.'
Thinking of this, Lu Yang couldn't help but grit his teeth: 'As expected of the most shameless one. Just how many pieces has this bald donkey left scattered across the world?'
How utterly wicked he was!
'Forget it, forget it.'
'Regardless, I got through this time. The days ahead are still long.'
Lu Yang sighed inwardly, preparing for a protracted war. After all, to jump out of the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's surveillance, he had to wait for a full five thousand years.
'I must hold on. I can't get lost in the karma...'
Fortunately, five thousand years was different from seventy thousand years. Lu Yang was confident he could endure it. He could just use this period of time to study the World Honored One's [Method of Planar Creation].
However, in the next second, Lu Yang suddenly felt something:
"Hm?"
The great karmic net.
The World Honored One's consciousness had just detached from the karmic scene. His previously somewhat relaxed mood instantly stiffened, his gaze fixing upon the scene before him.
It was a silhouette.
Lofty, untouchable, difficult to reach... And upon that silhouette stood a minuscule figure, seemingly looking toward him with a smile.
Primordial Saint.
The World Honored One's emotions instantly surged to their highest point, a strong sense of warning sweeping across his entire body. However, before he could even speak, the silhouette before him vanished. Only a vast, boundless, indescribable shadow descended from that infinite height, brazenly bombarding the great karmic net below!
In an instant, the World Honored One's expression drastically changed.
He instantly saw the target of this terrifying shadow—it was no longer to stir up the great karmic net. What descended this time was pure destruction!
He was flipping the table!
Although he had one hundred percent confirmed that Lu Yang was hiding in these seventy thousand years ago, under the World Honored One's cover, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect couldn't find a single clue.
Since that was the case, he simply stopped looking.
As long as I know you are hiding in the karmic scene of seventy thousand years ago, that's enough. If I can't find you, then I'll simply destroy all the karmic scenes here!
Leaving no room to maneuver, pulling up the grass by its roots!
This was the style of [Inevitable Fate]!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 975: Surviving a DisasterAt first, there were only some sounds.
Even though Lu Yang had severed all perception of the outside world, this sound still transmitted over, simply because it wasn't coming from a specific place.
Rather, everywhere.
Under these circumstances, Lu Yang's perception of the outside world was almost forcibly opened, and a scene he would never forget in his entire life shockingly imprinted itself into his eyes.
It was a light.
A light descending from [Paramita], pure and flawless, making one almost unable to resist becoming intoxicated by it, as if endless supreme principles of the Great Dao circulated within it.
When he first looked at it, it was merely an extremely minuscule white dot. However, as it continuously descended from [Paramita], the white dot actually grew larger and larger, shockingly manifesting an expansive light that filled the sky and reached the extreme ends of the earth. It transformed the great karmic net into an ocean of light, leaving nothing else behind.
The radiant light was vast and mighty.
Wherever it passed, colors, sounds, sensations—the myriad things of the world were all completely stripped away. Even time and space seemed to lose their meaning within this light.
Only the radiant light flowed.
And within the great karmic net, all karmic scenes within seventy thousand years also fell into stagnation at this moment, as if congealed within the amber of time.
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect had made a move!
The mighty power of this strike even exceeded the finger that had descended upon the present world earlier, which had used a wisp of thought to stir spiritual qi and almost pointed Lu Yang to death on the spot.
At that time, it was merely a wisp of thought.
But this time, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had, in the truest sense, extracted a streak of spiritual power from his true body situated at the extreme heights of [Paramita] and sent it down.
Wherever it passed, the entire great karmic net seemed to melt like ice and snow. The karmic scenes were completely swept clean, plunging the World Honored One into a long silence.
Karma itself would not be destroyed, but karmic scenes were different. Since the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had made a move, he wouldn't leave the slightest flaw. Although the karma wouldn't be destroyed, as long as an anomaly existed within the karmic scene, the result would inevitably be getting ground into dust, without any suspense.
'The purest power...'
The World Honored One sighed inwardly. This was the advantage of the Primordial Saint. He had exhausted his mind and schemed for eons, yet in the end, it couldn't compare to a single full-force attack from the other party.
'Regardless, He has finally lowered His head.'
His true body casting down a streak of spiritual power from [Paramita]—this level of interference was actually equivalent to voluntarily lowering his stature for the Ancestor of the Saint Sect.
Although it wouldn't cause a qualitative drop, it could already be considered a rare success. It was just a pity for that Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma, who was hiding heaven knew where. Although he had escaped his own search, he ultimately failed to escape with his life. Right now, his body and soul were likely already completely destroyed.
The World Honored One took one last look at the great karmic net.
There, the grid symbolizing seventy thousand years ago had been completely shattered. Only wandering karma remained drifting about. It would probably take a lengthy period of time to recover.
In the next second, all the Dao Lord's mighty power dissipated.
The great karmic net returned to tranquility once more. The dim universe held not the slightest sound. It wasn't until a long while passed like this—that a mighty power abruptly descended.
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect!
This wielder of [Inevitable Fate] had actually lowered his gaze once more, investigating the damaged great karmic net a few more times. Only after confirming there were no mistakes did he withdraw his sight.
Another moment passed.
A Dao Lord's mighty power descended again!
This time it was the World Honored One. He, too, like the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, meticulously searched through the great karmic net, before finally withdrawing his consciousness somewhat disappointed.
Similar situations occurred back and forth three more times.
Only after the third time did all anomalies completely fall silent. The great karmic net returned to plainness from then on, leaving only the damaged karma to re-establish connections.
In the dimness, Lu Yang's consciousness gradually recovered from the earth-shattering, destructive waves. He faintly woke up, yet still felt as if he were unable to extricate himself from a dream.
'Fuck me...'
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect doesn't care about martial virtues!
If he couldn't find him, he just fucking nuked everything... How was this any different from playing a game of chess halfway, realizing you can't win, and just smashing the chessboard over your opponent's head?
Is this even human?
In that instant just now, Lu Yang was almost ready to restart and transfer to the next life. It wasn't until the light descended that one of his talents unexpectedly lit up.
[A Few Tricks Up Your Sleeve]!
To be honest, Lu Yang was terrified at the time. Because a streak of spiritual power descending from the Ancestor of the Saint Sect on [Paramita] clearly exceeded his limits.
Let alone one Great Perfected Lord, even if there were ten, a hundred, or a thousand Great Perfected Lords, when that streak of spiritual power swept past, they would be obliterated. There would be no suspense in the result... Under these circumstances, [A Few Tricks Up Your Sleeve] actually lit up? Lu Yang briefly suspected his talent was broken.
But ultimately, he chose to trust it.
Then he saw that after the talent activated, he began to operate, completely unfurling the karma of [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] and sealing himself completely within it.
Then, a miracle happened.
The karmic scenes were entirely wiped out, with only the karma remaining. And hiding within [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao], using this layer of shell, he actually luckily survived!
'As expected of the talent I was born with!'
Evidently, even the Ancestor of the Saint Sect hadn't anticipated this move, simply because the effect of [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest] was replacing the target's karma from its very source!
As long as he wore this clothing, he was not an anomaly within the great karmic net!
And after escaping with his life, Lu Yang remained curled up within [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao]'s karma, not in a hurry to come out. He patiently waited.
The result was as he expected. Both the World Honored One and the Ancestor of the Saint Sect loved to pull a "killing and returning" trick. This made Lu Yang increasingly cautious. Even after the three times passed and the two Dao Lords seemed to have truly withdrawn their gazes, he didn't act rashly, but continued to wait for the karma to reshape.
He wasn't anxious about this at all.
Because there was no distinction of time and space within the great karmic net. No matter how long he stayed here, the point in time he returned to would only be the exact instant he left.
While waiting, Lu Yang simply began to study the World Honored One's [Method of Planar Creation].
Like this, heaven knew how long had passed before the scattered karma finally reconnected and the great net reshaped. And up to this moment, the mighty power of the Dao Lords still hadn't manifested.
Just in case, Lu Yang waited another two and a half years.
"No rush. Hastiness ruins things, deliberation rounds them out!"
Lu Yang just waited like this, until his Dao heart sounded a warning that if he stayed any longer, he would highly likely become lost. Only then did he stand up and step out of the karma he was hiding in.
"The time has arrived!"
Lu Yang looked around and let out a long whistle. Then, the [Divine Firmament Thunder] surfaced in his hand, and the three rings of the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier, the [Realm Sovereign], rotated along with it.
The final ring lit up with a boom.
"After [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest], Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, who was originally destined to die, actually obtained the favor of the Dharma Body Dao, and his lifespan issue was thus resolved."
"However, out of caution, he ultimately chose to fake his death. No one knew, not even the old Dragon Lord was clear about it. As for the World Honored One's [One Mind], it was isolated by [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao]'s perfected Dao heart and couldn't be sensed. He just quietly lived on like this until seventy thousand years later..."
Altering causes, shifting effects.
'[Commanding Past and Present]!'
The boiling iridescent light smelted into one at this moment, finally landing upon the body of [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao], ultimately erupting with a blinding white light.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 976: Then Let Me Fulfill Your WishesPresent world, Netherworld.
At this moment, Lu Yang's shout had yet to dissipate, its echoes still lingering in the air, though his figure had just vanished from the spot right before everyone's eyes a second ago.
'A variable has arrived...'
On the [Yellow Springs Road], [Sky-shrouding] stood with his hands behind his back. Sensing the subtle changes in heaven and earth, he keenly noticed the quiet shifts in the mighty power of the two Dao Lords.
'Anomalies have appeared in the [Inevitable Fate] and the World Honored One's time scroll. The [Inevitable Fate] has weakened by roughly a third, and the time scroll has weakened by about a fifth... As expected, it's [City Rampart Earth]. That fellow Master of Tribulations has escaped into the great karmic net, and the old immortal of the Saint Sect and the World Honored One have chased after him.'
'Since that's the case, I can't just stand idle either.'
In a flash of lightning, [Sky-shrouding] had already made a judgment. At least for this moment, he and that Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma were in the same boat.
He was drawing fire over there.
So it was time to make a move over here.
Thinking of this, [Sky-shrouding] immediately took another step forward. This time, he no longer held back in the slightest. With a single step, he crossed the [Yellow Springs Road].
Following that was the [Bridge of Helplessness].
The [Home-Viewing Terrace].
The [Three Lives Stone].
These Netherworld components passed by his eyes one by one, continuously bringing thoughts to [Sky-shrouding]'s mind, yet causing not the slightest hesitation in his steps.
'The [Three Lives Stone] can awaken the past and present lives of a soul. Even for a soul that has lived five lifetimes, whose original self has been washed clean by the Netherworld to birth a new consciousness, they would still recall their innate wisdom and memories before the [Three Lives Stone]... Is this trying to make me remember the past too?'
In a daze, scenes surfaced.
Then, [Sky-shrouding] discovered—he had no past life. At least, before the consciousness known as [Sky-shrouding] was born, his soul was a complete blank.
"...Heh!"
Looking at the scenes before him, [Sky-shrouding] chuckled: "What is the meaning of this? Trying to remind me that my birth, my soul, was arranged by someone else?"
This was the only explanation.
The light sea had existed until today, with souls continuously reincarnating. Countless years had long passed; theoretically, it was impossible for a soul with only "one lifetime" to exist.
Unless this soul wasn't born naturally, but deliberately created by someone for a specific purpose. Only under such circumstances would there be only one lifetime... Such a truth was equivalent to telling someone: your life, your achievements, your everything is a meticulously planned conspiracy.
This was enough to cause self-doubt, even a breakdown.
However, [Sky-shrouding]'s expression remained unchanged. The [Three Lives Stone] that was enough to make countless cultivators halt in their tracks—he didn't pause for a single moment, simply lifting his foot and stepping past it.
"What does a conspiracy matter?"
"A conspiracy can only scheme against my past, my soul, but it cannot scheme against my comprehension, my resolve... My Dao lies solely beneath my feet!"
[Sky-shrouding] strode forward with his head held high, completely unbothered by the truth revealed by the [Three Lives Stone]. The [Four Great Ghost Domains] dared even less to block his path.
His aura was still climbing!
The number one Perfected Lord in the world—this wasn't a self-proclaimed title by [Sky-shrouding], but a fact.
The threshold that was insurmountable for many Great Perfected Lords was like clay chickens and pottery dogs beneath [Sky-shrouding]'s feet, unable to stop him for even an instant.
Boom!
Finally, [Sky-shrouding] smashed through the obstacles and arrived at the core area of the Netherworld, right before the doors of its final component, the [Netherworld Lord's Palace].
Almost simultaneously, his aura finally broke through the critical point of the Late Stage of the Golden Core. His stature, which was already at the absolute limit of the mortal dust, climbed further, brazenly breaking into an incredibly profound and mysterious level. It seemed he hadn't reached the level of a Dao Lord, yet he had already transcended the mortal dust, no longer belonging to the secular world.
Golden Core Perfection!
A stature transcending above Perfected Lords, yet situated below Nascent Soul Dao Lords. Perhaps it could be called [Dao Sovereign]. This was a realm with no turning back.
Either ascend and step onto Paramita.
Or plummet, body dying and Dao vanishing!
Breaking through to this realm was like taking a leap off the edge of a cliff. Only a cultivator with immense courage, immense perseverance, and immense resolve could walk this path.
At this exact same moment.
The [Netherworld Lord's Palace] moved. The doors of the towering palace opened. Faintly, a silhouette of light seemed to surface, weak and withered to the extreme.
In an instant, the World Honored One, the Dao Lords of Spiritual Power and Dao Arts, the Dao Lord of the Sword Pavilion, the Dao Lord of the Dao Court, and even the lofty Ancestor of the Saint Sect, who were in the midst of fierce battle, all seemed to experience a subtle stagnation. For a moment, they set aside their respective opponents and unanimously cast their gazes toward the silhouette of light within the palace.
A variable had appeared.
In the past life, until [Sky-shrouding] rammed himself to death upon the [Netherworld Lord's Palace], the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak lying dormant within showed no signs of waking up.
He just perished together with [Sky-shrouding] in a state of hazy unconsciousness.
However, in this lifetime, the situation changed.
Because within [Responding to Emperors], Lu Yang had stimulated the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak beforehand, causing this true master of the Netherworld to regain a portion of his lucidity in advance!
Thus, at this moment, he woke up!
Undoubtedly, this exceeded the expectations of all the Dao Lords present. Instead, it was [Sky-shrouding] whose eyes revealed an "as I expected" expression.
'I knew it. Normally, the vast majority of the Netherworld's components are in a dormant state. Even the [Four Great Ghost Domains] are almost completely sealed off from the outside, isolated from the mortal dust. But now they are reviving one after another, and the [Three Lives Stone] even actively came out to block the way. It really is because the master of the Netherworld has woken up.'
At this thought, [Sky-shrouding] also felt a faint sense of urgency in his heart.
'Master of Tribulations, what exactly are you doing in the great karmic net? I have delayed taking the final step and retrieving [Overturned Lamp Flame]. You had better not disappoint me...'
[Sky-shrouding] hesitated inwardly. Right now, the [Inevitable Fate] still hung overhead, and with the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak blocking the way, even with two lives, it would be difficult for him to break through.
However, right at this moment.
The silhouette of light within the [Palace of the Netherworld Lord] suddenly moved. A weak voice carrying melancholy drifted out faintly: "Must you push things to this extent?"
"Master..."
A sorrowful voice drifted out. For a moment, [Sky-shrouding]'s vision changed.
This seemed to be a scene only he could see.
He saw that silhouette of light—which, although weak to the extreme, still possessed an unbelievably powerful essence—suddenly transform into a teary-eyed youth.
He was sighing.
In the next second, he glanced at [Sky-shrouding] again. First looking dazed, then seeming to understand something, he nodded slightly.
Following that, he shifted his gaze toward the time scroll coalesced by the World Honored One. The faint voice sounded once more, spreading throughout the inside and outside of the Netherworld:
"Senior Brother Myriad Treasures, are you involved in this too?"
A flash of sudden realization crossed the youth's hazy, tearful eyes. Subsequently, he transformed back into a silhouette of light, severing all connection with the outside world, leaving only one final sentence:
"Master wants to kill me, Senior Brother wants the Netherworld. Then, let this great tribulation be—
Let me fulfill your wishes."
Rumble!
At this moment, this variable—ignited by Lu Yang, and one that even Lu Yang himself hadn't anticipated—finally brought a crucial, dramatic shift to this grand situation.
Within the [Netherworld Lord's Palace], the silhouette of light violently fluctuated, then quietly shattered.
No soul, no divine sense.
Shattering, annihilating, leaving no remnants... All the Dao Lords had their gazes cast upon this place; there was no room for doubt regarding this outcome.
The first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak has committed suicide!
At the same time, due to the death of its master, the originally revived [Netherworld Lord's Palace] instantly lost its luster.
The Netherworld was left vacant!
In this instant, the time scroll, which hadn't wavered in the slightest regardless of what the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak had said previously, finally rippled slightly.
(End of Chapter)