Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [Unknown]
Chapter Title: Unyielding Determination
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Until this moment, Lu Yang had not given up.
Facing Wu Cang, who stepped out from the rift and reached out to grab him, Lu Yang's thoughts instead became utterly calm in an instant.
'Not a True Lord!'
'A True Lord killing me would never let me escape like this—but it's related to a True Lord, yet not Hongyun. Is it the heavenly murder qi that birthed something to kill me?'
'What is its origin?'
As he pondered, the Banner of Myriad Spirits appeared before Lu Yang. Su Nu, Chen Xin'an, and even all the other banner spirits emerged at this moment.
"Explode!"
The next second, under Lu Yang's control, all the banner spirits—including the two at Foundation Establishment—detonated in a thunderous blast! The shockwaves from their shattered Dao foundations even shook the Foundation Establishment cultivators, causing Wu Cang's figure to flicker slightly as his movements came to an abrupt halt, buying Lu Yang precious time to survive.
Almost simultaneously, the Rosy Cloud Perching Robe on his body erupted with radiant light.
This spiritual treasure bestowed upon him by Perfected Being Chongguang now served as the final barrier, blocking Wu Cang's probing fingertip.
Rip!
The next instant, Lu Yang vanished from the spot for the third time, while Wu Cang held a tattered, shredded remnant of the Rosy Cloud Perching Robe in his hand.
Yet at this moment, surprise was written all over Wu Cang's face.
".It's the Banner of Myriad Spirits?"
His brows furrowed as he reached out to pluck a lingering wisp of smoke from a banner spirit's self-detonation, sensing it carefully. Then, an expression of puzzled confusion appeared.
"It's definitely the Banner of Myriad Spirits, but it doesn't seem to be the innate one. No innate causality... What's going on? Did the innate one pass on the refining method for the Banner of Myriad Spirits? Impossible—that guy always thought the Banner of Myriad Spirits was too vicious. How could he let it spread?"
In that instant, Wu Cang's curiosity surged.
"Slippery little brat. Let me see how many more times you can escape!"
With that thought, Wu Cang immediately cast another spell, drawing on the causal thread from Guang Ming's body to chase after him via the karmic connection between him and Lu Yang.
At this moment, Wu Cang focused all his attention on Lu Yang.
Thus, he failed to notice that Guang Ming in his hand had quietly opened his eyes at some point, revealing a pair of eyes overflowing with Buddhist light and filled with boundless compassion.
"Ancestor Master, what is that thing?"
After fleeing far away once more, Lu Yang activated the Banner of Myriad Spirits and summoned the only banner spirit he hadn't detonated—the long-dormant Ancestor Tingyou.
Though Ancestor Tingyou's current strength was less than a fraction of his former power, not even at Foundation Establishment, his past cultivation at peak Foundation Establishment still carried weight. His knowledge far surpassed Lu Yang's. Lu Yang couldn't discern Wu Cang's depths, but Ancestor Tingyou might.
And indeed, he did.
"That's a Dao Fiend."
Ancestor Tingyou spoke without the slightest hesitation. "When a cultivator fails to form their Golden Core and can't withstand the Dao transformation, they turn into a Dao Fiend body after death."
At these words, Lu Yang suddenly understood.
'Dao Fiend... from an innate True Being!'
Lu Yang instantly recalled the jade slip given to him earlier by the great cultivator Lin Lao during the Dao fusion.
[Seek the Golden Core and die without regret; body becomes Dao Fiend, blessing posterity; hold my banner, enter my Golden Core grounds, refine it, and attain first-grade Great Vehicle true qi!]
'So, the current Wu Cang has been possessed by the Dao Fiend born from an innate True Being's failed Golden Core attempt?'
'But why does it want to kill me?'
'Unfortunately, heavenly murder qi has no cause or effect. I can't divine anything. But this must be Hongyun's doing. Worst case, I'll investigate in the next life.'
Yes, Lu Yang was already thinking about his next life.
There was no choice—Wu Cang's power was completely beyond his ability to handle. Probably only a peak Foundation Establishment great Perfected Being could fight it.
Such a gap couldn't be bridged by mortal effort.
So Lu Yang's current mindset had shifted from escaping alive to probing Wu Cang's origins and motives as much as possible, preparing for the next life.
The next second, the void cracked open.
Wu Cang stepped out from it. This time, Lu Yang had no more defensive measures and could only watch helplessly as he approached, extending a finger.
'Hundred Lives.'
Lu Yang silently intoned in his heart, about to self-detonate and restart.
But at that moment, in a flash of lightning and fire, the gears of time seemed to grind to a halt. Heaven and earth turned into a still portrait.
All sounds ceased.
Then, a melodious chant of Zen broke the silence. Vast, solemn Buddhist light flowed from Guang Ming in Wu Cang's hand.
Within the Buddhist light, temples rose one after another, Zen groves materialized, ultimately outlining a boundless, ineffable vast Pure Land. At the forefront of the Pure Land stood the Dragon-Subduing Temple, and before the temple was a white-robed woman holding a jade vase.
"Benefactor Lu, it's been a while."
The crisp, pleasing voice was like clear spring water cascading down a mountain, cleansing his entire body and clearing his mind. Yet Lu Yang's expression grew even more grave.
".So it's the Bodhisattva in person."
Lu Yang bowed deeply, for the white-robed woman before him was none other than the Pure Land True Lord who had appeared during the Dao-Seizing Battle—the Treasure Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva!
'Guang Ming really had an issue!'
While bowing, Lu Yang couldn't help cursing inwardly.
First a Dao Fiend, now a True Lord—a bunch of shameless old monsters ganging up on a young guy like me. Where are the Primal Saint Sect's True Lords? Where are my allies? Come save me!
"You misunderstand, Benefactor."
Before the Dragon-Subduing Temple, the white-robed woman smiled faintly, her expression compassionate. "This is merely an emanation of my true body, temporarily manifesting through Guang Ming's form."
"My true reporting body remains in the Pure Land and has not moved, lest the Demon Sect's various True Lords sense it. Thus, I can only delay slightly for you, Benefactor, but lack the power to truly save you. Under this heavenly murder qi, Benefactor, your only path to survival is to save yourself."
Lu Yang frowned at her words. "Save myself?"
"Indeed." The white-robed woman's expression grew even more sincere. "The Demon Sect is lawless, but my Pure Land is willing to open the gates of convenience wide, offering Benefactor a path to survival."
"The Dragon-Subduing Temple is right here."
"As long as Benefactor is willing to merge your Dao foundation into the Dragon-Subduing Temple, you can immediately replace Guang Ming. I will personally tonsure you and grant you an Arhat dharma name."
Inviting me to join the Pure Land!?
In that instant, Lu Yang finally understood the karmic link between him and Guang Ming—it was the Pure Land's scheme to pull him into their camp!
No, not just that.
'If I'm not mistaken, this Dao Fiend found me so easily because the Pure Land helped... all to force me into a desperate situation first.'
'Only then could they coerce me into joining the Pure Land.'
This was an open scheme!
Refuse the Pure Land, and die!
At this moment, Lu Yang fell silent. If it were the Celestial Court or Sword Pavilion recruiting him, he'd accept and probe their depths along the way.
But the Pure Land was different.
Their cultivation method was "Buddha-Self Unity," transforming oneself into one of the Pure Land World Honored One's "selves." This was a change at the level of consciousness.
And Lu Yang wasn't sure if the Book of a Hundred Lives could erase such a conscious alteration! If not, carrying that influence to the next life would be utter ruin. Even a one-in-ten-thousand risk was too much—he'd never gamble on joining the Pure Land.
"Hah."
With that thought, Lu Yang exhaled a breath of turbid qi. He activated a minor divine ability he hadn't used in ages. His lips parted slightly, and he uttered a single word.
Life-Taking Incantation!
Self-detonate!
The next second, under the white-robed woman's astonished and puzzled gaze, Lu Yang's dharma body shattered completely, leaving only a wisp of thought drifting in the void haze.
"Book of a Hundred Lives!"
In an instant, the Book of a Hundred Lives activated. All scenes blurred—white clouds, blue skies, vast seas, even Wu Cang's figure faded one by one.
Until this erasing power fell upon the white-robed woman.
But what happened next completely exceeded Lu Yang's expectations, stirring colossal waves in his previously calm mind.
The white-robed woman, who had begun to dim, suddenly raised her head.
Her eyes blazed with Buddhist light, yet they conveyed thoughts utterly unlike her prior compassion—a domineering supremacy of "sole sovereign under heaven, unique and unmatched."
".Hm?"
A soft murmur echoed in what should have been the exclusive domain of the Book of a Hundred Lives—faint, yet crystal clear, resounding ethereally.
Lu Yang froze in place.
Then he heard a fragmented, astonished voice:
"What... are... you... doing?"
Before the words finished, the Book of a Hundred Lives had turned to a brand-new page.
The white-robed woman's voice cut off. Her figure, and even those eyes overflowing with Buddhist light—clearly not her own—were thoroughly erased from existence.
Heaven and earth plunged into silence.
Everything restarted anew.
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