Chapter 118: Charge Back With Me

At the gathering place of the Saint Sect disciples.

After briefly meeting with the group of true disciples, Lü Yang naturally didn't hold back, directly sharing the intelligence he had obtained from Guang Ming.

Chongming's expression turned grave after listening: "So we're surrounded..."

On the other side, Xu Xin showed no surprise, instead revealing an expression that said this was expected: "I knew those Pure Land pigs and Dao Court dogs would join forces again."

Chongming remained puzzled: "But how could Father not have anticipated this?"

"Perhaps he didn't expect something so obvious would escape your notice, Young Master."

"You—!"

Xu Xin and Chongming glared at each other again, the two clearly representing the two major factions among the Saint Sect's true disciples, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠each looking down on the other.

"The answer is simple—True Person Chongguang never cared to begin with. From the start, the decisive factor in this Dao-Seizing War wasn't in our hands." At this point, Xu Xin turned to Lü Yang respectfully: "The Fruit Position Treasure of the True Lord must also be in your possession, Senior?"

"It is indeed with me."

Lü Yang nodded, then solemnly added: "But there's one point I must emphasize... I'm truly not at Foundation Establishment. Though close, I'm still not there."

Even with Su Nu's assistance, Lü Yang still lagged behind a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator.

After all, this wasn't Skeleton Mountain—Su Nu couldn't draw power from the spiritual veins here, leaving her far from peak condition. That minute difference often translated to a vast disparity.

If a true Foundation Establishment True Person were here, there'd be no need for lengthy discussions. They'd simply locate the enemy and charge forward with basic attacks. Numbers and formations would mean nothing—a single slap could annihilate them all... But Lü Yang was different.

If the Dao Court and Pure Land truly threw lives into the fray, deploying thousands of Qi Refining cultivators to trap him in formations, his chances of victory would plummet instantly.

Probably from 100% down to 95%.

In other words, there was a half-percent chance of failure... Though the risk was negligible, Lü Yang wouldn't take even that chance.

This was where the Saint Sect's "outstanding talents" came into play.

With that in mind, Lü Yang cut straight to the point: "I need you all to initiate a breakout, drawing the enemy's attention for me."

There were two victory conditions in the Dao-Seizing War.

First: Destroy the opposing side's Fruit Position Treasure, typically held by their strongest member.

Second: Kill the Chosen One among the indigenous beings of the realm, seize their Heavenly Fate, and fuse it into the Fruit Position Treasure—victory without further battle.

Lü Yang's plan was simple—while other Saint Sect disciples drew enemy fire, he would remain hidden, waiting to assassinate the strongest opponent and destroy their Fruit Position Treasure. After breaking through the encirclement and recuperating, he'd return to eliminate the remaining side.

A flawless plan.

The only issue was convincing these Saint Sect "talents" to charge to their deaths—no, to break out and create an opening for his decapitation strike.

Yet to Lü Yang's surprise, after hearing his plan, none of the gathered Saint Sect true disciples resisted. Instead, they nodded in approval.

"A brilliant strategy, Senior. Truly the plan with the highest chance of success."

"Far better than leaving it to us."

"Then it's settled!"

No further persuasion was needed—the plan was finalized instantly.

Only then did Lü Yang realize: Saint Sect disciples were long accustomed to being treated as expendable. As long as the outcome favored them, they cared little for the means.

If anything, this was the Saint Sect disciples' way of survival.

Starting as expendable Qi Refining disciples, they learned to be good expendables, then transformed from expendables into true talents, and finally into genuine powerhouses.

With the plan set, only the decapitation target remained to be chosen.

Here, the group reached swift consensus—the Pure Land. After all, Lü Yang had already annihilated the Dragon Division among the Eight Divisions of Buddhist Hosts.

Their chances were higher, and as expendables, survival was more likely.

Meanwhile, at the Pure Land's gathering place.

"What did you say? Guang Hui is dead?"

Staring at the disheveled Guang Ming, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Guang Hai's expression darkened unprecedentedly. The prayer beads in his hand creaked ominously, nearly crushed by his grip.

"Guang Hui... my dearest friend, my most trusted junior brother!"

"Moreover, the Dragon Division was painstakingly assembled through my careful selection. Every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single one was an outstanding disciple of our Fulong Temple!"

His gaze then turned eerily toward Guang Ming:

"If they're all dead... why are you still alive?"

Faced with Guang Hai's interrogation, Guang Ming showed not a trace of shame. Chest puffed out, he declared loudly and unapologetically: "Because I ran away!"

The sheer audacity left Guang Hai momentarily stunned.

Whether in the Saint Sect or Dao Court, such an admission would be a death sentence—the offender made an example of and executed on the spot.

Suppressing his fury, Guang Hai lowered his eyelids and said quietly:

"By deserting the battlefield, did you spare no thought for your fellow disciples?"

Catching the killing intent in Guang Hai's tone, Guang Ming hastily clarified: "Senior Brother, don't misunderstand! I preserved my life not for myself, but for us!"

"...Us?"

Guang Hai's eyebrows shot up. Guang Ming's phrasing was masterful—"for us" differed critically from "for the Pure Land." The latter encompassed all Buddhist cultivators, while the former referred solely to their Fulong Temple brethren under their master's tutelage. Instantly, Guang Hai's boiling murderous intent cooled, his stern tone softening:

"Explain. In detail."

"Among those who killed Senior Brother Guang Hui and the entire Dragon Division was someone cultivating the Nine Transforming Dragon Art left by our master before his Nirvana!"

"...What!?"

Guang Hai sprang to his feet, his face cycling through shock ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠before settling on rapturous delight: "To think such a thing..."

As Fulong Arhat's most trusted disciple, Guang Hai was intimately familiar with the Nine Transforming Dragon Art. He knew it was a technique left behind when Fulong Arhat was still True Person Panlong, intrinsically linked to the Pure Land's destiny—meant to lure a Guardian Vajra to Fulong Temple in the future.

"If I can subdue him and deliver him to Fulong Temple..."

Guang Hai's eyes gleamed brighter. For monks like him serving under an Arhat's temple, advancement required climbing the temple's hierarchy.

And what greater merit than procuring a Guardian Vajra for Fulong Arhat?

Success would undoubtedly make him Fulong Arhat's most valued disciple, securing the second seat of Fulong Temple and vastly increasing his power.

Should Fulong Arhat ever meet with misfortune...

That might just become his opportunity to ascend to Arhatship!

Heart aflame with ambition, Guang Hai regarded Guang Ming with newfound warmth: "Junior Brother, your wisdom serves us well. You've done excellently."

Only then did Guang Ming exhale in relief: "Thank you for your magnanimity, Senior Brother!"

Wiping sweat from his brow, he knew he'd survived yet again. His gaze then turned inward to the restriction Lü Yang had planted in his sea of consciousness.

Bound by this seal, he dared not reveal Lü Yang's true strength. But evidently, techniques fell outside its constraints.

That demon had calculated everything, yet never anticipated he'd recognize the Nine Transforming Dragon Art!

"By my count, Guang Ming should have informed his senior brother about the technique by now."

Opening his eyes, Lü Yang performed some quick calculations before smiling: "Which means when I attack, they'll fight me to the death."

Rising to his feet, he turned to survey the Saint Sect's "talents" behind him.

Of seven true disciples, two had perished. Among eleven perfected Qi Refining cultivators, four were gone. The hundred-plus late-stage Qi Refining disciples numbered only seventy or eighty now, all bearing injuries.

"Everyone... being hunted down earlier didn't feel great, did it?"

He wasn't skilled at motivational speeches. Besides, since they were meant to draw enemy fire, lofty rhetoric might only breed resentment.

In the end, Lü Yang simply raised his hand and said plainly:

"Charge back with me."