Chapter 961: Our Contest Will Cross Through Time and Space!The Dharma Body Dao was re-established. Although it was broken and could not be mentioned in the same breath as its peak period, its influence on the light sea remained unimaginably massive.
Lu Yang stood in the [Sea of Bitterness], his hands behind his back, facing the wind.
His gaze reached straight to [Paramita], paying absolutely no mind to the complex gazes of the Star Palace's Great Perfected Lords, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue, and Immortal Venerable Taiyin beside him.
Only at this moment did Lu Yang finally take out the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier he had previously obtained from the Star Palace, the [Realm Sovereign]. Emerging simultaneously was the [Divine Firmament Thunder]. However, after receiving the augmentation of the [Tribulation], the [Divine Firmament Thunder] had already undergone an earth-shaking transformation.
Supreme Dao Fruit!
'The profound wonder itself hasn't changed, but the level of the Dao Fruit has. The things I couldn't do in the past because the Dao Fruit's tier wasn't high enough, I can now do.'
For example, Dao Fruit simulation.
Previously, although he could simulate other Dao Fruits by modifying concepts, he couldn't completely simulate all the profound wonders of a Supreme Dao Fruit.
But things were different now.
Lu Yang gently flicked the [Divine Firmament Thunder]. The Dao Fruit, wrapped in brilliantly golden lightning light, suddenly changed its radiance, transforming into a cluster of supreme flaming light.
[Heavenly Fire].
The familiar profound wonder welled up in his heart, possessing absolutely no difference from the genuine [Inscribing Heavenly Chapters]; he commanded it as easily as moving his own arm, until Lu Yang reached out and gently brushed past it again.
A second later, the flaming light collapsed and vanished formlessly, replaced by a terrifyingly unparalleled sharp concept. Simultaneously, endless scenes flashed around it. It was exactly [Sword Edge Gold]! Lu Yang possessed the relevant Perfected Lord-level Dao comprehension for it, and his simulation was identical to the original!
Following that, Lu Yang changed his hand seals once more.
This time, the metal qi dissipated. Endless, dense iridescent light surfaced, layering upon each other like piled bricks and tiles, transforming into a towering Dao Fruit.
[City Rampart Earth]!
Whether it was its profound wonder, aura, or stature, it possessed absolutely no difference from the [Time-Shifting World-Changing Instrument]. Whatever the genuine [City Rampart Earth] could do, it could also do.
Including the Dao Fruit Secret Method!
Seeing this scene, a trace of a satisfied smile finally surfaced on Lu Yang's face, which then turned into regret: 'It's a pity I can't take it with me when I restart.'
The current Supreme [Divine Firmament Thunder] was completely built upon the augmentation of the [Tribulation]. And right now, he had merely obtained the favor of the [Tribulation]; he was not the Lord of the Great Dao, so the [Tribulation] didn't belong to him. Therefore, after restarting, even if he chose to carry over his cultivation base, he could only bring back the ordinary [Divine Firmament Thunder].
Aside from that, the same applied to the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier.
This thing was an external object specifically forged for him by the Star Palace in this lifetime, and it belonged to the category of consumables. Moreover, if he chose his cultivation base, it would be impossible to also choose this item.
'These are all things that can only be encountered by chance, not sought out.'
Lu Yang sighed inwardly but quickly regained his calm. He would deal with the matters of the next life in the next life. In this lifetime, the major event he was going to execute hadn't even begun yet!
At this thought, the Supreme [Divine Firmament Thunder] and the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier [Realm Sovereign] instantly merged. The three rings that formed the main body of the [Realm Sovereign] firmly buckled around the [Divine Firmament Thunder] just like that, slowly rotating, placing this Dao Fruit in the center, surrounded by countless formation patterns.
Dao Fruit Sublimation Ritual!
The effect of the [Realm Sovereign] was equivalent to exactly this. As the three rings operated, the [City Rampart Earth] simulated by the [Divine Firmament Thunder] also rapidly underwent an anomaly.
The original [City Rampart Earth] displayed a seven-colored light.
However, at this moment, the seven-colored light was restrained and merged into one, ultimately bursting forth with an astoundingly pure, flawless, blinding white light!
Once upon a time, this was the karmic Dharma light that only the World Honored One had displayed!
Iridescent light mixing together, transforming into blinding white.
'Back then, the World Honored One must have completed the Dao Fruit Sublimation Ritual for [City Rampart Earth], thereby achieving that largest-scale altering of causes and effects in history.'
Now, he had done it too!
Although he had taken a shortcut using an Overlord-Level Dao Soldier, facts spoke louder than words. As long as the result met his requirements, the process was merely a minor detail.
At the same time, the [Tribulation] seemed to sense the major event Lu Yang was about to execute, growing increasingly close to him as a steady stream of mighty power continuously surged over.
If the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation was a play directed by the Dao Lords.
Then at this very moment, Lu Yang stood undeniably at the center of the stage. In this great tribulation, in this play, he was the sole protagonist!
[Sky-shrouding] was merely a supporting character!
Not only that, but as his true body advanced to Great Perfected Lord, the sections regarding the Late Stage of the Golden Core in the [Precious Life Perfect Form Scripture] of the past were officially unsealed for him.
And what highly interested Lu Yang was that the [Precious Life Perfect Form Scripture] recorded Sisui's classification of the Late Stage of the Golden Core—the Great Perfected Lord level—from back when he had yet to become a Nascent Soul Dao Lord. On this point, he gave an entirely different answer from [Sky-shrouding]:
'The Late Stage of the Golden Core, in my eyes, is nothing more than four steps.'
'The first is named [Entering the Dao]. Wielding the Primordial Great Dao, one can borrow the Great Dao to execute profound wonders and hold stature to ascend to the high heavens. Cultivating to this point means one has officially entered the hall.'
'The second is named [Dao Integration]. The Dao merges with the body, forming its own cycle. One no longer borrows the Great Dao but truly transforms the Great Dao into one's own profound foundation.'
'The third is named [Immortal Bridge]. At this step, one has already caught a preliminary glimpse of a higher realm, only to see a surging great river before their eyes, difficult to cross; one can only build a bridge and attempt to cross.'
'The fourth is named [Heaven Treading]! Walking to this step is like treading on thin ice. One already stands on the threshold of detaching from the mortal dust, and this is likely the absolute peak of the present world...'
Lu Yang comprehended this briefly and immediately understood: '[Entering the Dao] is roughly equivalent to an ordinary Great Perfected Lord in Sky-shrouding's classification, [Dao Integration] is a high-tier Great Perfected Lord, [Immortal Bridge] is the pinnacle, and [Heaven Treading] is the absolute limit... Sisui's standards are truly high; he directly deleted the "newly entered" tier altogether!'
This was probably also Sisui's arrogance.
Perhaps in his view, a newly entered Late-Stage Golden Core level like Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao simply couldn't be called a Great Perfected Lord, so he didn't even mention it.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang didn't forget to inwardly mock [Sky-shrouding] a bit:
'Look at Sisui's classification.'
'Entering the Dao, Dao Integration, Immortal Bridge, Heaven Treading—they sound much better than [Sky-shrouding]'s set of "high-tier," "pinnacle," and whatever. The modern Immortal Nexus is still too utilitarian. The names they choose don't care if they sound good or not, only if the phrasing is intuitive. Saying them out loud loses face; how can they compare to the charm of the ancient flair.'
Only then did Lu Yang snap back to reality, reigning in his thoughts. He withdrew his gaze that was gazing out at [Paramita] and instead lowered his eyes, looking down upon the mortal dust of the present world.
"You—" Immortal Venerable Taiyin still wanted to speak.
However, this time, before her voice could fade, a heavenly chasm surfaced out of thin air beneath her feet, subsequently dividing the two realms and isolating her on the outside.
[Heaven-Sun Axis Dao Fruit]!
"Consider yourselves fortunate."
Only then did Lu Yang speak faintly: "For this upcoming grand play, Seniors, you get to sit in the best seats in the audience and watch to your heart's content..."
Before his voice faded, heaven and earth abruptly went dark!
Above the [Sea of Bitterness], the silhouette belonging to [Paramita] abruptly receded at this moment, vanishing completely, as if it had suffered some heavy blow.
However, correspondingly, the figure Lu Yang had glimpsed once before—the one situated above [Paramita], appearing incredibly minuscule because of its sheer power—moved. He drifted down from [Paramita] just like that, stepping into the [Sea of Bitterness]. His robes fluttered as he arrived before Lu Yang and then pointed a finger forward!
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect descended to the mortal realm!?
'No! It's too weak!'
'It is far from reaching the level of a Dao Lord. It can kill me, but I'm not to the point of being completely powerless to resist.'
Lu Yang's pupils contracted sharply, but he didn't panic: 'It's not descending to the mortal realm; it's merely a single thought stirring the spiritual qi, descending with the heavy pressure of a [Paramita] stature...'
Similar to the Heaven's Collapse technique Patriarch Nether Whisper had executed back then.
Lu Yang coldly stared at the figure before him. It had no face, no gender characteristics, only a finger that continuously enlarged and grew increasingly clear before his eyes.
Have I finally moved your killing intent now?
At this moment, Lu Yang's mood instead returned to tranquility. He even recalled the experience of being pointed to death by a single finger from the Heaven-Mending Peak Master back when he was still in Qi Refining.
The state of mind from that time surfaced once more.
Lu Yang suddenly grinned and chuckled lightly, which quickly turned into wild, unbridled laughter:
"...HAHAHAHA!"
On what grounds? On what grounds can you kill me with just a casual point of your finger? Am I destined to be a beast of burden, while you are destined to sit high above?
[Inevitable Fate]?
Bullshit!
The Dao Lords sat enthroned upon the mountain's summit, gazing down as all other peaks dwindled into insignificance. From that lofty height, they watched the cultivators below—mere mortals at the mountain's foot—slaughter one another without end.
Such days—should not continue any longer.
"Fellow Daoists, Seniors..."
Facing the increasingly close finger and the terrifying pressure that nearly brought his mind to a halt, Lu Yang slowly raised his right hand above his head, then clenched it into a fist tightly.
At this moment, through the Dharma Body Dao's light sea live broadcast, all living beings could see Lu Yang. They saw the fearless smile on his face even when facing a destined death. Following that, a voice filled with fighting spirit spread throughout the [Sea of Bitterness] via the Dharma Body Dao, reverberating across the entire light sea:
"LET US GO TO THE MOUNTAIN PEAK!!!"
Even if we cannot do it today, I invite you to walk with me. Someday in the future, we will cast off the oppression on our bodies and climb to the mountain peak!
If you cannot go up... then I will make him fall!
As his voice faded, Lu Yang finally shifted his gaze, looking head-on at the finger that had already landed between his eyebrows. His lips moved slightly, emitting a soft murmur:
"Let's play a game of karmic hide-and-seek."
This was the greatest boast in a hundred thousand years, yet the tone in which it was spoken was incredibly relaxed: "Let's see if you catch me first, or if I make you fall down first."
Our contest will cross through time and space!
A second later, under the watchful eyes of the masses, and in the split second before that single finger was about to point Lu Yang to death, his figure abruptly vanished from the spot.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 962: Five Thousand Years AgoIn the dim universe, Lu Yang quietly descended, riding a blinding white light. He looked down at the densely packed, chaotically intertwined great karmic net beneath his feet.
"Phew..."
Only at this moment did Lu Yang's soaring emotions begin to ease. The fear he had suppressed deep in his heart finally surfaced with hindsight.
'What the hell did I just do.'
'Provoking the Ancestor of the Saint Sect? I'm so fucking awesome... No, I'm going to die; I'm going to die. Isn't it better to keep quiet and make a fortune? Why do I have such a loose mouth...'
Lu Yang patted his chest, allowing his breathing to gradually calm down. He also let the immensely inflated mindset from just becoming a Great Perfected Lord return to cautious prudence: 'Calm down. Only calm people can achieve great things. Regardless, I'm still safe for now. The rest depends on how I operate.'
His self-awareness remained very clear.
Because there was one irrefutable point: although he spoke big words and made wild boasts, it couldn't change the fact that he was running away.
'This is a game of hide-and-seek.'
Lu Yang looked up at the dim universe around him and suddenly felt somewhat curious: 'Speaking of which, where exactly is this massive karmic net located?'
The Netherworld, the present world, the Foundation Establishment realm, the Sea of Bitterness, Paramita—Lu Yang had either been to or seen all these places. However, the existence of the great karmic net completely exceeded the scope of his knowledge. He was one hundred percent certain that the great karmic net wasn't some illusory concept, but a real existence.
But where did it exist?
'Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones can sense this place, and Golden Core Perfected Lords have further permissions. But only [City Rampart Earth] allows one to enter this place...'
Just as Lu Yang was pondering.
Boom!
In an instant, the originally tranquil great karmic net suddenly began to vibrate, as if an immeasurable weight was pressing down upon it.
'Not good.'
Lu Yang instantly realized something was wrong. Looking up at the sky, he felt as if a mighty power was descending from somewhere infinitely high and far away.
'The Ancestor of the Saint Sect is searching for karma!'
Lu Yang took a deep breath, not daring to hesitate any longer. He immediately formed hand seals, and the [City Rampart Earth] simulated by the [Divine Firmament Thunder] in his hand instantly bloomed with light.
And outside the [Divine Firmament Thunder], the three rings formed by the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier, the [Realm Sovereign], were rotating. At this moment, the light of one of the rings abruptly dimmed. In its place, an intense power of karmic anchoring erupted fiercely from the Dao Fruit.
'Time anchor, five thousand years ago!'
For this karmic trip, Lu Yang abandoned the [Time-Reversing World Divine Instrument] that he used to command as easily as his own arm. After all, that thing had been tampered with by the World Honored One.
'One cannot be without caution against others, let alone the World Honored One.'
Although using the [Time-Reversing World Divine Instrument] had almost no cost, this very fact made Lu Yang feel uneasy, fearing the World Honored One might screw him over big time.
So he would rather give up this supreme treasure and instead use his simulated [City Rampart Earth] to alter causes and shift effects. The latter was at least more worthy of his trust.
Of course, flaws also arose from this.
'Out of the three rings of the [Realm Sovereign], every time I travel, one ring will break. I can at most travel to three points in time on this trip.'
One of which must be used to return to the present world to prevent himself from getting lost in the karmic scenes.
In other words, he only had two chances.
'The first is used for five thousand years ago. The second is to go to the point in time that can cause the Netherworld to collapse. It's enough, just that there's no room for error...'
In the empty space above the great karmic net, streaks of iridescent light swirled and spilled from Lu Yang's palm, only to be gathered back bit by bit by his ten fingers. As if lighting a candle, he brought two fingers together and pointed, landing at the very top of the iridescent light, causing a speck of white light to abruptly surface within it.
[Time-Reversing World Dao Fruit]!
Using [Pine & Cypress Wood] as the wick, lighting the [Overturned Lamp Flame] to illuminate the era he was traveling to, and then using [City Rampart Earth] to anchor the corresponding karma—
"Go!"
Just before the gaze from that infinitely high and distant place broke through the blockade and landed on the great karmic net, Lu Yang's figure had already vanished, riding the white light.
A moment later, the gaze descended.
However, all that met its sight was boundless karmic history. It was like a super-massive maze, simply impossible to take in all at once.
To find a single person in this massive, countless karmic history was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Although he wasn't incapable of doing so, he would have to withdraw the mighty power projected onto the Netherworld and focus all his attention on the great karmic net. Otherwise, he could only search them one by one.
But the Netherworld...
Looking down at the great karmic net, the majestic gaze fell into a brief silence. Only after a long while did he seem to make a decision, and the gaze vanished from the spot.
Five thousand years ago, karmic scene.
Jiangbei, Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.
Accompanied by a sudden flash of white light, a tall, handsome young man in black robes stepped out. With one hand behind his back, he then looked up at the boundless sky.
"The person whose name is called, step up before me."
Familiar words drifted over from the platform, yet it was a voice he had never heard before. Lu Yang glanced over and found an unfamiliar Saint Sect disciple.
'That makes sense. Five thousand years ago, it couldn't have been Senior Brother Liu Xin.'
'I didn't expect to end up here.'
Lu Yang sighed with emotion. Five thousand years ago, his true body didn't exist, so he could only anchor the karma of a location. The result was naturally returning to the Saint Sect.
He was surrounded by a bustling crowd, yet no one noticed his existence. Lu Yang paced forward just like that and quickly left the Saint Sect. Mountains, rivers, sun, and moon revolved beneath his feet. With just a casual step, he traveled from Jiangnan to overseas, only stopping when he reached a lone island.
"This body of mine cannot move about freely."
"Fortunately, I came prepared."
Lu Yang found a cave abode on the island, settled inside, and sealed his aura and karma. Only then did he flick his sleeve, summoning Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
Formless, intangible Inner Demons that could transform at will.
This was Lu Yang's most reliable method within the karmic scenes. After all, in these karmic scenes symbolizing the past, strength wasn't the most important thing.
What was important were "traces."
'I am too strong right now.' Lu Yang sighed inwardly.
Every Late-Stage Golden Core Great Perfected Lord was a variable to the present world. Every action, every thought could influence the direction of the present world.
Therefore, before the Dao Lords open the Great Perfected Lord era, every Great Perfected Lord in the world had their own designated prison. Even Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao had one. This showed just how heavy the weight of a Great Perfected Lord was... And this weight was even more apparent within karmic scenes.
'The key is the Dharma Body Dao.'
'This body of mine is already a Dharma Body Dao Great Perfected Lord. If I use spiritual power exceeding the Foundation Establishment realm, it will inevitably be sensed by the Dharma Body Dao within the karmic scene.'
When that happened, everything would be over.
How could two Dharma Body Daos exist simultaneously in one era? This wasn't the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]... So, the only result would be the shattering of the karmic scene.
Therefore, in many cases, the stronger you were, the harder it was to alter karma.
It depended more on your methods, on whether you had tricks.
'Fortunately, I am different from orthodox Dharma Body Dao Great Perfected Lords. I'm not some brute who only knows how to throw punches and kicks. Not only do I have tricks, but my tricks are excellent.'
Besides Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon, Lu Yang also had the Righteous Dao Banner. Patriarch Nether Whisper, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, Suo Huan, and even Empress Xiao inside were all existences that had been whitewashed by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]. They had no cause and no effect. Therefore, their movements within this karmic scene were far less restricted than his.
So then—
'How should I go meet the World Honored One and hitch a ride?'
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 963: Feixue's OriginsAlthough initially smug and satisfied, itching to immediately do something big, after a field inspection, Lu Yang instantly discovered an awkward problem:
'Fuck me, where is the World Honored One?'
Five thousand years ago, right at the tail end of the thousand-year great tribulation, the Celestial Court had already been repelled. Even Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao was still at his peak state.
The entire Immortal Nexus could be described as a scene of peace and prosperity.
However, Lu Yang didn't know what to do. Where was the so-called greatest altering of causes and shifting of effects in history that the World Honored One had spoken of? I can't fucking see it.
'Right, in the official history, there is absolutely no altering of causes and shifting of effects. The current history has long been molded into the shape the World Honored One desires; it is the result after modification. It's normal that I can't see it... But in that case, how am I supposed to hitch a ride? Is the World Honored One tricking me?'
Lu Yang felt a bit of a headache.
In the official history, the World Honored One attained the Dao one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years ago. The karmic history had long been altered, so the World Honored One's Dao attainment naturally no longer existed here.
Under these circumstances, who should he look for?
Go directly to the Pure Land?
'No!'
Lu Yang instantly snuffed out the thought in his heart. Not because he worried the World Honored One would screw him over, but because the Ancestor of the Saint Sect was currently chasing right behind him.
'The Ancestorof the Saint Sect still has to keep an eye on the Netherworld right now, so he can't go all out to find me. But he can certainly focus his surveillance on a few key individuals... By altering causes and shifting effects, I am clearly colluding with the World Honored One. If I were the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, I would guard the Pure Land heavily.'
'If I go to the Pure Land, it's equivalent to walking right into a trap.'
Then where else could he go?
Suddenly, Lu Yang's eyes lit up: 'False history! That's right. The official history has already been completely modified, so I can't find it. But the false history is different.'
However, very quickly, he slumped down again:
'No good. The false history is also fucking inside the Saint Sect. Moreover, as far as I know, the false history was originally created by the Ancestorof the Saint Sect. Me running in there?'
What's the difference between that and suicide?
Thinking of this, Lu Yang couldn't help but scratch his head, grumbling inwardly: 'There are no flaws. No wonder this old immortal bastard could ultimately attain [Inevitable Fate]!'
He was overly cautious—too rigid, too absolute in his actions.
Every potential karmic flaw he could conceive of seemed fraught with danger. As a result, he found himself stalled within the web of cause and effect—unable to advance, yet equally unable to discern how the deadlock might be broken.
"How about... looking for a person?"
Lu Yang changed his perspective and continued thinking: "To enter the false history, I don't necessarily have to take the formal entrance. Smuggling in through karma is actually viable too."
After all, he now had the augmentation of a Dao Fruit Secret Method and an Overlord-Level Dao Soldier. His application of [City Rampart Earth] had practically reached the ceiling. As long as someone possessed the karma of both the official history and the false history, he could enter from their karmic thread in the official history and then exit from the false history karmic thread on the other end.
Then, who was there?
Someone who possessed both the karma of the official history and the karma of the false history, yet happened to have left the false history, ordinarily walking in the present world, allowing him to seize an opportunity...
At this thought, a name naturally popped out:
'Feixue!'
Lu Yang instantly grew excited. The current Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue... Oh wait, she hadn't sought the Golden Core yet. At this time, she should be Foundation Establishment Perfected One Xue Feihong.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately looked at Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon beside him, smiling: "I'll have to trouble you two. Go find Perfected Lord Feixue for me."
As his words fell, the Primordial Heavenly Demon and Chong Guang didn't hesitate in the slightest. They nodded immediately, already realizing the heaven-sent fortuitous encounter that had landed on them right now—after all, this karmic trip had the augmentation of the [Tribulation]. To them as Inner Demons, this was cultivation practically being delivered to their doorstep!
Moreover, they inherently had this intention.
The Primordial Heavenly Demon went without saying; he was more than happy to see the scene of Paramita collapsing. As for Chong Guang, he placed more value on what Lu Yang had said earlier:
[Let us go to the mountain peak!]
Paramita was hard to seek, and the mountain peak was hard to climb. Chong Guang was not a stupid person; how could he not understand that Lu Yang's actions were a good thing for all cultivators?
Soon, two gusts of sinister wind swept outwards.
Five thousand years ago, Inner Demons had yet to appear in the world. The methods of the Primordial Heavenly Demon and Chong Guang were completely unknown to anyone. Unless a Great Perfected Lord emerged, almost no one could detect them.
And at this time, the Great Perfected Lord era hadn't been opened yet.
Therefore, Lu Yang was very at ease with the two of them. He merely attached a strand of his divine sense to them, ensuring he could grasp the current situation at any time to avoid any unexpected incidents.
Before long, the sinister wind arrived at the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea and drifted inside. With Chong Guang, Perfected Lord Feixue's direct disciple present, they found the Foundation Establishment Perfected One Xue Feihong from five thousand years ago without expending much effort. However, when Lu Yang activated his divine sense and took a look, he was almost dumbfounded.
What met his eyes was a young girl.
Unlike the Perfected Lord Feixue of five thousand years later, the current Xue Feihong's hair hadn't reached her waist yet, nor did she possess the elegant temperament of a classical noblewoman.
Instead, she looked more like a lively servant girl.
When Lu Yang saw her, she was being besieged.
However, she wasn't afraid in the slightest. On the contrary, she placed her hands on her hips and laughed heartily. While stepping barefoot on the river, she casually unleashed divine abilities to suppress her attackers.
She was unbelievably heroic and unrestrained.
But this wasn't the reason Lu Yang was dumbfounded. After all, a Foundation Establishment Perfected One had long ceased to enter his eyes. What truly left him dumbfounded was the karma on Feixue's body.
'That is... [Inevitable Fate]!?'
That's right. Although it was very hazy and the specific contents were unclear, after receiving the augmentation of [City Rampart Earth], Lu Yang could vaguely see many things clearly.
'I'm absolutely not mistaken. There is an [Inevitable Fate] on Feixue's body!'
In an instant, Lu Yang gasped:
'How long has this [Inevitable Fate] been following Feixue? It couldn't have been following her all along, right? In that case, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect is even more terrifying than I imagined!'
Prior to this, Lu Yang had always thought that the [Inevitable Fate] in the Netherworld was the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's first intervention, and dealing with him was the second. But looking at it now, if Perfected Lord Feixue also had an [Inevitable Fate] on her, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect wasn't just fighting a two-front war; he was fighting a three-front war!
'However,... this makes sense.'
All along, Lu Yang had been very curious: given Perfected Lord Feixue's personality, how could she hack her way through thorns and thistles in a broken place like the Saint Sect, going all the way to become a Perfected Lord?
This was not just a matter of strength.
No matter how high your strength was, could a Foundation Establishment cultivator slay a Perfected Lord above their realm?
In the Saint Sect, having strength alone was not enough. After all, higher-level cultivators exerted layers upon layers of oppression. You had to know how to secure personal gain, understand conspiracies, and possess tricks to truly grow.
Yet Perfected Lord Feixue had managed to rise, emerging as a sudden new force. The moment she broke through, she even directly suppressed the Saint Sect's veteran Golden Core, Perfected Lord Hanguang Futian. It made one couldn't help but wonder—what was Perfected Lord Hanguang Futian doing before that? Why didn't he directly nip Feixue in the bud?
And what about factions outside the Saint Sect?
What about the Sword Pavilion? Were they just eating free meals? The Saint Sect produced a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator skilled in battle, yet they didn't hurry to kill her and send her into the Sword Pavilion to enjoy blessings?
But now, Lu Yang had achieved some realization:
'I misunderstood Perfected Lord Hanguang Futian. It's not that he didn't try. He might have even tried more than once, but he failed every single time...'
The same applied to other factions.
Because Perfected Lord Feixue's growth was an [Inevitable Fate]. No matter how winding the process was, the result was already destined... Was she truly the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's biological daughter?
'No, that's not right.'
Lu Yang slapped his forehead. His way of thinking was truly too lower-cultivator-like. With the Saint Sect's style, let alone a biological daughter, they wouldn't even take care of their biological mother like this.
'I should change my line of thought. Feixue... is probably an excellent talent for the Ancestor of the Saint Sect!'
'The kind that cannot be lost.'
'Rather than saying this [Inevitable Fate] is protecting Perfected Lord Feixue's growth, it's better to say he's fertilizing his own leeks... waiting for the day of the harvest.'
At this thought, Lu Yang was instantly horrified.
'This is troublesome now.'
With this Inevitable Fate present, he probably couldn't touch Perfected Lord Feixue's karma anymore. Once he triggered the Inevitable Fate, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's giant hand would arrive.
Lu Yang immediately ordered Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon to retreat.
'Besides Feixue, who else is there?'
'Someone possessing the karma of both the official history and the false history... That batch of Zou Yu descendants in the Saint Sect from the false history? No, that's the leverage the Ancestor of the Saint Sect uses to control the World Honored One. It's equally crucial, so it's impossible for the Ancestor of the Saint Sect not to pay attention to them. Looking for them is no different from looking for Feixue.'
Lu Yang once again realized the terror of [Inevitable Fate].
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect's [Inevitable Fate] was absolutely not just a simple Dao method profound wonder, but also a method of doing things, controlling everything without leaving the slightest flaw!
'...Calm down. The Ancestor of the Saint Sect is not omnipotent.'
'Variables are the underlying logic of the light sea. No matter how incredible the Ancestor of the Saint Sect is, it's impossible for him to control all variables. There must be a critical flaw!'
Lu Yang's gaze was cold, his thoughts spinning rapidly.
The flaw—where is it?
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 964: The Breaking Point,Hong Yun!Within the karmic scene from five thousand years ago.
Lu Yang furrowed his brows deeply. He firmly believed that a variable must exist. It was impossible for the Ancestor of the Saint Sect to erase all variables; otherwise, he would have done whatever he pleased long ago.
'A variable that even the Ancestor of the Saint Sect failed to discover must be hidden extremely deeply.'
Inside the island cave abode, Lu Yang fell into deep thought. Only after a long while did he find a train of thought, his eyes lighting up slightly: 'The only one capable of influencing a Dao Lord should be another Dao Lord!'
The World Honored One.
'Since he told me to come to five thousand years ago to hitch a ride, it means he definitely left a contingency plan five thousand years ago to ensure my plan would be viable.'
In other words, this variable to break the deadlock might be very closely related to the World Honored One.
'[Sky-shrouding]? That's right! It's him!'
Lu Yang remembered. In his memories, before killing Hong Yun back then, [Sky-shrouding] had once gone to the false history and conducted a rehearsal within it!
He also possessed dual karma!
For a moment, Lu Yang was ecstatic, but his brows quickly furrowed again: 'Now, [Sky-shrouding] is already faking his death. I can't find him.'
The [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] was simply too overbearing. At the very least, it was impossible for Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon to discover [Sky-shrouding] unless Lu Yang personally intervened to search. However, doing so would expose him, and the result would only be the shattering of the karmic scene, ruining the entire endeavor. This made Lu Yang feel quite frustrated.
'Has this loophole been plugged too?'
Lu Yang scratched his head but didn't give up: 'No rush. The point in time I arrived at is very early. Currently, Hong Yun is still Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light.'
[Sky-shrouding] would have to show himself sooner or later; otherwise, how could he kill Hong Yun?
'I don't need to find [Sky-shrouding]. I just need to keep an eye on Hong Yun. By following Hong Yun, [Sky-shrouding] will eventually appear, and then I can make my move.'
Thinking of this, Lu Yang calmed his emotions.
He began to patiently track Hong Yun, even directly letting the Primordial Heavenly Demon and Chong Guang move into his sea of consciousness. Inner Demons were treacherous and unpredictable; Hong Yun remained completely oblivious to this.
Soon, two and a half years passed.
Time flowed like water. Lu Yang simply watched as Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light roamed the Immortal Nexus, killed unorthodox cultivators, refined True Treasures, was abandoned by the Heavenly Lord, and then went into secluded cultivation—
Boom!
Suddenly one day, Hong Yun died.
Without any warning whatsoever, before the Primordial Heavenly Demon and Chong Guang hiding in his sea of consciousness could even react, Hong Yun suddenly exploded with a loud boom.
Even Hong Yun himself had a look of complete bewilderment on his face.
By the time he regained his senses, the [Eternal Brilliance Precious-Light Grotto-Heaven] had already shattered, tumbling out from the [Overturned Lamp Flame], and his Golden Nature soul drifted down into the Netherworld.
"What!?"
Such a sudden anomaly instantly startled Lu Yang. His first reaction was that [Sky-shrouding] had used the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] to have a "heart-to-heart" exchange with Hong Yun.
As for Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon being completely unaware, this was normal. After all, the [Sky-shrouding] of this time was highly likely already a Great Perfected Lord. Even if he wasn't, given the intensity of [Great Forest Wood] and [Sky-shrouding]'s mastery over it, Lu Yang would find it strange if they had discovered him.
However, Lu Yang's expression quickly changed.
Because he didn't discover him either.
Bright light surfaced in Lu Yang's eyes, shining brilliantly. The profound wonder of [Overturned Lamp Flame] had already been pushed to its absolute limit, yet he still couldn't see even half a shadow.
'Impossible!'
Lu Yang's expression instantly turned serious. Although [Sky-shrouding] was strong, him from five thousand years ago was not strong enough to make Lu Yang completely unable to see anything.
After all, he was also a Great Perfected Lord now.
'Something isn't right. Did [Sky-shrouding] not make a move?'
At this thought, radiant light abruptly coalesced in Lu Yang's eyes, transforming into a round mirror alternating between brightness and obscurity. Its bright side faced outward, shining in the direction of Hong Yun.
[Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit]!
This Dao Fruit Secret Method, primarily based on [Overturned Lamp Flame], was enough to push its profound wonder of piercing obscurity and perceiving clarity to the absolute limit, seeing through all hidden methods.
Finally, under Lu Yang's careful observation, a scene finally surfaced on the round mirror formed by the [Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit]. It was a blurry silken thread. One end of the thread sank into the void, while the other end connected to Hong Yun. It was precisely this thread that directly triggered Hong Yun's fall.
'Is this... karma?'
Lu Yang was completely stunned. Hong Yun's death wasn't because [Sky-shrouding] attacked, but because of karma? He was destined to die in that exact instant.
'How is that possible!'
Lu Yang shook his head. Hong Yun must have been killed by [Sky-shrouding]; this was something [Sky-shrouding] personally admitted. The method of killing couldn't have been karma either.
Because [Great Forest Wood] wasn't adept at this.
[City Rampart Earth] was the expert.
'That's right. For Hong Yun to die so strangely under the influence of karma, it could only be [City Rampart Earth]... The World Honored One? No, it should be the false history!'
In a flash, Lu Yang experienced a sudden realization:
'Hong Yun dies and reincarnates into the Netherworld—this is the [Effect].'
'But what about the [Cause]?'
This [Cause] was supposed to be [Sky-shrouding], but in reality, no one in the official history ever saw this happen, nor could anyone verify this event.
[Sky-shrouding] kills Hong Yun.
How did he kill him? Where did he kill him? In what manner?
No one knew!
But now, Lu Yang finally understood: 'Hong Yun's death... is itself a part of the [false history]!'
'He didn't die after the World Honored One attained the Dao and altered karma; he died before the World Honored One attained the Dao! His death and karma were masked by the World Honored One!'
This was the variable!
'The variable was never [Sky-shrouding] at all; it should be Hong Yun! He is the one hidden the deepest, possessing both the karma of the official history and the false history!'
Thinking about it carefully, [Sky-shrouding] and the World Honored One had a close relationship. Would the Ancestor of the Saint Sect not know this? If the World Honored One placed the key on [Sky-shrouding], what difference would there be from playing with an open hand? Hong Yun, on the other hand, had absolutely no relationship with the World Honored One, nor was he an important chess piece in the Saint Sect...
Why wasn't he important?
One only needed to look at his treatment. Both were favored by the Heavenly Lord, but what kind of treatment did Mu Changsheng receive? And what kind of treatment did Hong Yun receive? The latter was clearly not valued at all.
Of course, what was even more important was:
'Hong Yun's karma is likely extremely close to the karma of the World Honored One's Dao attainment. Only in this way could the World Honored One use his own karmic fluctuations to cover up Hong Yun.'
And only in this way could Hong Yun slip out of the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's line of sight.
To put it bluntly, the time of Hong Yun's death was very close to the time of the World Honored One's Dao attainment. It was even possible that right after [Sky-shrouding] killed Hong Yun, the World Honored One attained the Dao immediately after.
This variable—was likely meticulously crafted by the World Honored One, specifically meant for someone in the future tracking back to this time to use as a connection to him!
'The World Honored One... as expected, he had this planned for a long time!'
Lu Yang became increasingly certain that the World Honored One eighty percent likely had an idea similar to his [Project: Collapse Paramita], but simply never put it into action.
Of course, this was currently just a speculation.
He could also be guessing wrong. Perhaps Hong Yun wasn't the variable to break the deadlock, and perhaps the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had also kept an eye on him and wasn't completely ignorant.
However—this was the limit.
'With my current intelligence, I can only deduce up to here at most.' Lu Yang's expression was calm. 'If it isn't Hong Yun, the worst that happens is I lose this life.'
Doing big things inherently involved taking risks.
The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish!
"When it's time to gamble, one must decesive!"
Lu Yang took a deep breath, then walked out of his secluded cave abode. After performing some brief deductions, he quickly locked onto Hong Yun's reincarnated body and then took a step forward.
In the next second, he tore through the void and arrived before the recently reincarnated Hong Yun. With Chong Guang and the Primordial Heavenly Demon masking him, the current Hong Yun naturally sensed nothing. Lu Yang didn't waste time. Once again, he cupped [City Rampart Earth] in his hands, wielded a profound wonder, and transformed it into karmic light.
[Commanding Past and Present]!
Illuminated by the karmic light, every fine detail of Hong Yun's karma was revealed. In an instant, a distinctly divided, massive expanse of karma surfaced in Lu Yang's eyes.
Hong Yun's karma was extremely unique.
The vast majority of the area was colorful and brilliant, reflecting many scenes from Hong Yun's life. Yet, exactly at one specific node, a massive split occurred.
The split karma entirely transformed into a bottomless dark abyss...
Difficult to touch, impossible to observe.
'This is it!'
Lu Yang's gaze shifted. Without the slightest hesitation, and under the augmentation of [Commanding Past and Present], he leaped forward, jumping directly into that karmic abyss.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 965: Entering the False History, The World Honored One's Three Incarnations!At this moment, Lu Yang only felt that he was extending.
His physical body had vanished, and his formless consciousness, having lost its restraints, continuously expanded and stretched, encompassing the entire karmic scene.
Omniscience and omnipotence.
Although using these two words to describe it might be somewhat inappropriate, at this moment, Lu Yang truly developed a sense of omnipotence, as if he stood above all things.
Every life—whether human, demon, or plant, whether their lifespan was short or long—from the moment they were born, Lu Yang seemed to stand beside them. He accompanied them through their long lives, until finally watching them die and be buried, like a silent bystander.
He was a bystander to the life of every living being.
In this state of observation, Lu Yang's thoughts became increasingly indifferent. His eyes were icy cold, with only a sliver of rationality remaining deep within them:
'Something's not right...'
Before his rationality could finish its thought, a steady stream of more thoughts flooded into his mind. His consciousness was still expanding, and the lives he was observing were increasing in number.
He was the myriad, and he was the one.
He knew the thoughts, experiences, and emotions of every life like the back of his hand; there was nothing he didn't know—therefore, he was every life in the world.
[One Mind].
"Fuck your mother!"
Rumble!
An angry roar instantly shattered this indescribable bystander perspective. Like a beam of light tearing through a dark abyss, Lu Yang opened his eyes.
What met his sight was shockingly the boundless light sea. And in the very center of the light sea stood a golden-robed monk with a compassionate face, Buddhist light flowing over his entire body, and the sound of Zen chanting permeating the air around him. Right now, the other party was staring straight at Lu Yang, his eyes filled with irrepressible regret:
"Little Friend... your Dao heart cultivation is truly high."
Lu Yang: "..."
At this moment, he only felt fortunate—thank goodness my Dao heart is perfect. That strike just now was the most massive [One Mind] I've ever encountered!
I was almost enlightened!
'I knew the World Honored One harbored ill intention. So, he was waiting for me here!'
'If it was his incarnation that came here, then everything would be fine. But if not, he would try to enlighten them, turning them into his incarnation regardless!'
After a long silence, Lu Yang finally spoke faintly:
"How should I address you, Senior?"
He hadn't forgotten that the last time he met the World Honored One, he couldn't even say the words "World Honored One" aloud. Would it be the same this time?
At the same time, this sentence was also a hint.
"Oh?"
Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, a look of surprise instantly surfaced on the monk's face. Then he smiled, "It seems this isn't the first time I've met you."
"Not bad, not bad. Since that's the case, for you to be able to arrive here, it must have been with my consent. I must have a very high opinion of you, little friend."
"Senior is perceptive. It's just that your opinion is a bit too high... to the point that you gave this junior quite a big surprise just now," Lu Yang replied with cold eyes.
Hearing this, the monk blinked innocently.
Following that, he continued as if nothing had happened: "In this place, I have no other name. You may address me as [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light]."
'Hm?' Lu Yang's eyes flickered.
Such mental fluctuations couldn't be hidden from the monk at this distance. The other party immediately raised an eyebrow: "What, you has heard this name?"
Lu Yang paused, then nodded straightforwardly: "I have."
"Where have you heard it?" the monk pressed.
Lu Yang tilted his head innocently in response.
"...Haha!"
In the next second, the monk finally couldn't hold back his laughter: "A Saint Sect disciple. That makes sense. Only a Saint Sect disciple would dare to do such a thing."
Lu Yang didn't answer, but instead changed the subject: "Senior, my trip here..."
"Wait!"
Before he could finish, the monk suddenly interrupted him: "You don't need to tell me what you want to do. The more I know... the easier it is to be detected."
Lu Yang immediately understood:
'Detected by the Ancestor of the Saint Sect?'
Following that, the monk continued: "Just say it straight. Which era do you want to go to?"
Lu Yang spoke cleanly: "The era when the Netherworld was newly established. Preferably before the first-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak forged the [Yellow Springs Road]. Leave a little time buffer for me."
"Alright."
The monk's answer was very straightforward. Clearly, he didn't put any thought into the information contained within Lu Yang's words—thinking too much made it easy to guess the truth.
Seeing this, Lu Yang also felt somewhat curious. Although the World Honored One had previously said he could let him hitch a ride to trace back to ultra-ancient karma, he hadn't explicitly stated how. Now it was finally going to be revealed. This was his first time observing a Dao Lord's methods up close.
"Does you know what state I am currently in?" the monk chuckled lightly.
"Please enlighten me, Senior," Lu Yang cupped his hands.
The monk smiled upon hearing this, then spoke faintly: "Since one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years ago, I have traversed the mortal dust and possessed a total of three identities."
"In the past, I was the [First-generation Master of Myriad Treasures Peak]."
"In the present, I am [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light]."
"In the future, I will be the [Deep Bliss Pure Land World Honored One]!"
With every word spoken, Lu Yang felt an intense distortion appear around him. It was the anomaly born from Forbidden Knowledge!
"[Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light] is the foundation of my Dao attainment. From then on, my present incarnation severed its karma with the present world and plunged into the false history. It naturally operated along with the flow of time in the false history, ultimately being completely buried at this current point in time. Here, all karma is severed; in heaven and on earth, I alone am honored one."
The monk's voice grew increasingly resonant, echoing like thunder:
"The only ones capable of reaching this place are those who wield [City Rampart Earth]. If an incomer can defeat me here, they can make me fall from my supreme throne on Paramita."
He just said it outright!
Lu Yang was stunned. He completely hadn't expected the World Honored One to be so straightforward, revealing his biggest flaw during their very first meeting.
However, he quickly recovered:
'Wait, that's not right!'
'One has to kill him to make him fall from the position of Dao Lord. But this present incarnation of his has long been invincible below the Nascent Soul realm... Isn't this fucking bullshit?'
Lu Yang instantly understood why the World Honored One was so casual about revealing his flaw. The design of the World Honored One's Dao attainment was not the massive flaw he had imagined. In fact, it was quite the opposite: he had done it flawlessly. His present incarnation was sent outside of karma, reachable only by [City Rampart Earth], and possessed incredibly formidable strength itself.
Below the Dao Lord level, no one could make his realm fall!
Even if a Nascent Soul Dao Lord wielding [City Rampart Earth] came here, they would inevitably face interception from the World Honored One. Finding this place was harder than ascending to heaven.
'My ability to find this place is likely due to the World Honored One's tacit approval.'
'This is only because the Ancestor of the Saint Sect forcibly kept the [false history], creating a slight flaw for him. But it's only a slight flaw...'
Lu Yang finally achieved a sudden realization.
At the same time, he also detected intense karmic fluctuations, as if a door leading to a new world had opened, with rumbling Dao sounds coming from behind it.
Forbidden Knowledge wasn't just empty talk.
Undoubtedly, this was a Dharma Ritual.
By narrating the karmic relationship between the [First-generation Master of Myriad Treasures Peak], [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light], and the [World Honored One], he was clearing the karmic path connecting these three incarnations!
"Little Friend may set off now."
The monk smiled faintly: "I have already cleared the karmic thread related to the [First-generation Master of Myriad Treasures Peak]. You may follow the karmic thread and trace it back yourself."
"As for the karmic fluctuations caused by your tracing back through time, they will be masked by the karma of my Dao attainment and will not be detected by anyone."
"You are quite lucky. The era you are going to is roughly sixty thousand years away from the era of the [First-generation Master of Myriad Treasures Peak]. The Dao Lords have already ascended to Paramita."
"One final piece of advice for you, Little Friend."
Speaking up to this point, the monk's expression suddenly turned solemn: "Do not approach Beast Taming. Only he is constantly being watched; no one can alter his karma."
"This greatest variable in the history of the light sea has long been grasped in the hands of [Inevitable Fate]!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 966: The Giant Hand of the Ancestor of the Saint Sect!"Many thanks for Senior's advice."
Lu Yang nodded, then once again activated the [City Rampart Earth] simulated by the [Divine Firmament Thunder]. Another ring upon it cracked open.
The second chance!
The scattered iridescent light converged back into one after the ring shattered, once again blooming with blinding white light that enveloped Lu Yang's body within it.
"Go."
In the next second, Lu Yang's figure vanished into the karmic gateway opened by [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light], surging upstream against the massive karma.
And after sending Lu Yang off, [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light] lowered his head. The originally compassionate smile on his face gradually faded, his eyes turning indifferent: "The world truly produces talents in every generation... Primordial Saint, you stand too high. It's better you step down a bit; only then can everyone feel at ease."
But right at this moment, a sudden anomaly occurred!
"Hm!"
[Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light]'s expression abruptly changed. A gaze was descending out of thin air upon the karmic gateway he had just opened!
Enveloped in the blinding white light, Lu Yang stood with his hands behind his back. Right now, he was standing in an illusory place that resembled a river, the sound of rushing water echoing in his ears.
'This is a karmic thread.'
'The karmic thread of the World Honored One's Dao attainment. Back when the World Honored One attained the Dao five thousand years ago, it was exactly this karmic thread that reversed the history of the entire light sea.'
The largest-scale altering of causes and shifting of effects in history caused the corresponding history to be completely discarded, thrown out of the real history, and ultimately becoming this torrent of time. By hiding himself in this place, all anomalous fluctuations from tracing back karma would be masked by the torrent of time, not revealing the slightest trace.
Like a single spray of surf in a river.
Soon, Lu Yang saw his destination—roughly seventy thousand years before the present time, the time pointed out by [Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light].
However, right at this moment.
Rumble!
The originally surging, endless torrent of time abruptly fell into stagnation. This was solely because, upon that [Paramita], a calm gaze was looking over from afar!
Merely a gaze was enough to bring the torrent of time to a standstill, and it also caused Lu Yang's action of heading towards the karmic scene of seventy thousand years ago to abruptly halt... He couldn't move at this time! After all, the karma of the entire torrent of time was locked. If he moved, he would be exposing himself!
'Where is the World Honored One? World Honored One, save me!'
As if echoing Lu Yang's inner cry for help, in the next second, a vast, mighty power abruptly propagated from both the source and the end of the torrent of time.
The source was in the past—[First-generation Master of Myriad Treasures Peak]!
The end was in the future—[Deep Bliss Pure Land World Honored One]!
Both ends were absolute Nascent Soul Dao Lords. Together, they maintained the stability of this torrent of time, instantly breaking the gaze lock from [Paramita].
This was the foundation of the World Honored One's Dao attainment; naturally, he couldn't allow anyone to interfere. Not even the Ancestor of the Saint Sect. The torrent of time thus resumed its flow.
But almost simultaneously—
"Heh..."
Faint to the point of being almost inaudible, a light chuckle seemed to drift over from a very distant place. Following that, Lu Yang's vision was instantly cast in a layer of shadow.
It was a hand!
The palm wasn't clear; clearly, it wasn't the Dao Lord's true body, but more like a manifestation of a single thought. Yet its mighty power wasn't weak in the slightest as it brazenly slapped down toward the great karmic net!
In an instant, Lu Yang's expression drastically changed. The World Honored One's torrent of time was his home turf, and the Ancestor of the Saint Sect couldn't forcibly tamper with it. However, the great karmic net was different. Stirred by the giant hand of the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, the originally stable and orderly great karmic net suddenly plunged into chaos!
'Not good!'
What made Lu Yang pale wasn't just the Ancestor of the Saint Sect making a move. More importantly, the karmic scene the other party attacked and disrupted was exactly his destination!
Seventy thousand years ago!
'My goal of finding the [Yellow Springs Road] has been exposed!?'
How was it exposed?
Lu Yang had no time to overthink. He gritted his teeth, activated his karmic light, and rode the waves of the torrent of time to rapidly plummet toward the great karmic net below.
The situation left no room for hesitation. Because along with the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's disturbance, the great karmic net fell completely into chaos, forming a massive vortex. Many karmic threads from different eras were mixed in. If he plunged into the vortex early enough, he might still be able to get close to the karmic scene from seventy thousand years ago.
The later he was, the more likely he would be swept into other eras!
For example, he had locked onto seventy thousand years ago, but once the vortex formed, he might end up going to seven thousand years ago, or even seven hundred years ago.
That would be a waste of an opportunity.
Therefore, Lu Yang didn't dare to hesitate. Before the vortex could fully form, he dropped directly toward the karmic scene of seventy thousand years ago, and the torrent of time vibrated along with him.
And then he heard—
"Found you."
Clang—!
A melodious bell toll broke the silence of the early morning. The sound of sutra chanting for morning lessons echoed in the temple. Lu Yang opened his eyes, only feeling a chill on his head.
His expression was very devout, without the slightest change. His lips were pressed tightly shut, covering his slightly trembling teeth. All his panic was instantly suppressed deep into his heart, not revealing a single trace. He simply followed the people beside him in chanting sutras. Even so, the chill in his heart lingered, refusing to dissipate.
'Found me?'
'Impossible! Absolutely impossible!'
Lu Yang absolutely refused to believe that the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had already found him. After all, if he had truly been found, he would have already entered the restarting phase by now.
But the Ancestor of the Saint Sect must have discovered something.
'Was it a probe?'
Lu Yang reviewed the anomaly from just now, gaining some realization in his heart: 'The Ancestor of the Saint Sect probably hadn't confirmed my target was the Netherworld at the very beginning.'
'He shot the arrow first, then drew the bullseye!'
'Because I had been to the [Mark of Fulfilling Virtue], it's possible I obtained the blueprints for the Netherworld!'
Even though the karma was masked by the World Honored One, and the Ancestor of the Saint Sect might not know the exact truth, he simply assumed someone was going to strike at the Netherworld, so he intervened to stop it!
'This situation is not good.'
The chill in Lu Yang's heart grew deeper: 'Although I have the cover of the torrent of time, my arrival still caused an anomalous change in karmic fluctuations.'
The principle was very simple:
The original great karmic net was stable and orderly. The torrent of time was also a straight line. The two didn't intersect and had no connection.
So even if the Ancestor of the Saint Sect stirred the great karmic net, it wouldn't have any impact on the World Honored One's torrent of time. After all, the torrent of time was karma that had been severed from the real history and subsequently discarded. However, Lu Yang couldn't stay in the torrent of time forever; he had to go to the real history.
Therefore, the torrent of time had to interact with the great karmic net for a single instant.
Normally, no problem would be seen, because both the great karmic net and the torrent of time tended toward stability—but now, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had disrupted the karma.
So, to interact with the great karmic net, the torrent of time was also forced to fall into disorder for an instant.
This was wrong!
'The moment the Ancestor of the Saint Sect saw the originally constant torrent of time follow suit and become disordered; he probably already understood my target was seventy thousand years ago...'
A ripple of emotion flashed in Lu Yang's eyes.
Panic, fear, thought—finally returning to calmness.
This was not good news for him, because it meant the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had already locked onto the search scope. He was getting closer to being exposed.
Previously, if the Ancestor of the Saint Sect wanted to find him, he would have had to search the entire great karmic net and review all of history. Clearly, this was impossible to do. But now, to find him, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect only needed to search the history of seventy thousand years ago. It was more than just a few times easier!
'That old immortal bastard won't let this go easily.'
'He'll definitely make another move.'
All negative emotions were decisively severed by Lu Yang. At the juncture of life and death, his impassioned emotions instead overpowered his distracting thoughts, making his thinking even clearer.
'Altering causes and shifting effects is secondary.'
'First and foremost, I must blend in under the Ancestor of the Saint Sect's search and survive!'
(End of Chapter)