Chapter 287
Chapter 287
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Translator: Ace
Chapter:
Chapter Title: The Netherworld's Fury
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At this moment, not to mention Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord.
The other True Lords all revealed expressions of astonishment, clearly caught completely off guard. Only Painted Silk Variegated Gauze True Lord from the Primal Saint Sect remained calm.
But how could True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow give him a chance to explain?
Unmatched might slammed into the Netherworld, the power of the present world shaking reincarnation in that instant. It immediately provoked the rejection of the entire Netherworld.
Boom!
The next second, True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow let out a muffled grunt, evidently suffering backlash from the Netherworld. The light of her fruit position dimmed instantly.
Yet on the other side, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord's condition was even worse. As the Netherworld went berserk, his aura plummeted to rock bottom. Blood flowers suddenly burst from his entire body—not ordinary blood, but the essence of a True Lord's dharma body. Losing even a drop was a tremendous loss.
And now, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord was bleeding all over!
"Hahaha!"
Seeing this, True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow laughed wildly once more.
"I knew it! I knew you hadn't mastered the Netherworld—you're just hiding inside it!"
Exploiting the cognitive obstruction!
The Netherworld did not interfere with the present world. If Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord truly controlled it, he shouldn't have been able to tamper with the present world's Chen Tu.
His earlier words to Dragon Lord about letting Tian Qiu enter the Netherworld, and to Lu Yang and Suo Huan about reserving a spot in the Netherworld, were all empty promises to exploit information asymmetry. After all, even he himself had only "smuggled" in, far from mastering it!
And now, the Netherworld had gone berserk.
True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow's strike had enraged the Netherworld, triggering a full-scale purge of "foreign intruders." Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord had been singled out!
His current injuries were inflicted by the Netherworld itself!
"So that's how it is. No wonder it felt off—even as Long Flowing Water was falling, barely any Foundation Establishment True Lords cultivating Long Flowing Water died."
"The announced seclusion was just a ruse?"
Even Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord showed a look of admiration.
"But disguising Ravine-Bottom Water as Long Flowing Water... how did you pull that off?"
"How? Ridiculous!"
True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow sneered.
"What cultivation do you have? A cultivator of Great Forest Wood—on what basis do you think your understanding of water fruit positions surpasses mine?"
"Water is formless by nature, shaped only by its vessel."
"Ravine-Bottom Water, Long Flowing Water, ocean water, heavenly river water—they're all mere variations of water. With sufficient attainment, disguising one is no great feat."
"What? You get to scheme in secret, but I'm not allowed to have some fun?"
"You really think you're the Dao Lord?"
As her words fell, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord could only shake his head helplessly with a wry smile.
"True heroes of the world are as numerous as carp crossing the river. I underestimated you, you shrew."
True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow made it sound simple.
But Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord was no fool. For it to fool even his eyes, her own attainment must be unimaginably profound!
"Have you cultivated a second-grade true merit?"
"Stripped a fruit position from some world-heaven and filled it into Ravine-Bottom Water?"
Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord stroked his chin with interest.
"Otherwise, how could a mere Ravine-Bottom Water advance so swiftly?"
"And how did you learn of my plan?"
This was another point of puzzlement for Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord. He thought his arrangements on Suo Huan were undetectable, yet True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow struck at his vital points every time.
Without prior knowledge of his intent to use Suo Huan to seek metal and drag Long Flowing Water into the Netherworld, she couldn't have schemed so precisely.
"Want to know? Come take a punch from me, and I'll tell you."
True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow laughed heartily. Ravine-Bottom Water rose back into the sky, her graceful figure manifesting once more—though her fist-winding motion was rather crude.
This was the trap she had meticulously laid.
She was never one to let insults slide; she wasn't magnanimous. After Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord ruined Heavy Light and blocked her path, how could she simply seclude herself?
Of course she would retaliate!
As for Suo Huan's plan, she actually knew nothing of it. She set this trap simply because she was certain Long Flowing Water was Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord's target.
The other True Lords dared not make such a judgment because they weren't sure of Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord's true identity. That's why they tried to stop him when he feigned a move on Heavenly River Water. But True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow was different. From the start, she was convinced:
That beast is definitely Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord!
I knew the Primal Saint Sect couldn't have any good Samaritans—if they did, it had to be a disguise! True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow had judged based on this.
And she believed it unwaveringly.
The outcome proved her right. No matter how Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord schemed, he ultimately chose Long Flowing Water and fell into her prepared trap.
"Get out of the Netherworld!"
"You blocked my path—now yours ends in despair too!"
True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow laughed maniacally while unleashing fierce blows on the Netherworld gates. The other True Lords from various sides naturally had no qualms about kicking him while he was down.
But just then.
"What a pity."
From within the Dragon Palace, Heavy Light Dao Fiend—refined into an avatar by Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord—suddenly stepped forward. With a sigh, he produced a thick scripture of talismans.
The moment this book appeared, a layer of illusion shattered.
"Shared Fate and Exchanged Luck Register Scripture!"
This fruit position treasure, once taken from Covered Lamp Fire, had been seized by Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord along with Heavy Light Dao Fiend, concealed by cognitive obstruction!
The next instant, the scripture flipped open, revealing the text within:
[Lu Yang is treated as a discarded pawn by the Primal Saint Sect, trapped in a deadly bind. I aid him in reversing the situation, granting new life.]
Boom!
Almost simultaneously, Lu Yang—who had been spectating—felt a strand of karma descend upon him. It was the sensation of attracting a fruit position's gaze during a ritual!
High in the firmament, a fruit position star blazed brightly.
Covered Lamp Fire!
"As Primal Saint Sect members, we never put all our eggs in one basket. If Long Flowing Water fails, Covered Lamp Fire will substitute just fine."
Even so, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord sighed inwardly.
In his ideal plan, he would simultaneously draw in Long Flowing Water and Covered Lamp Fire, pulling them both into the Netherworld.
At worst, he'd take one; at best, both—a windfall. But after True Lord Pure Clarity Flying Snow's scheme, not only was he gravely wounded and Long Flowing Water lost, even Covered Lamp Fire was a hasty measure without full assurance.
'Fortunately, I have a backup.'
Even as the Netherworld purged him, his dharma body damaged, under pressure from double-digit True Lords, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord's expression remained composed.
'That shrew directly assaulted the Netherworld and should have suffered backlash too.'
'But hers was far lighter than mine. One reason is my position inside, making it worse for me. The other is Suo Huan!'
'My earlier layout had Suo Huan sacrifice himself to Long Flowing Water, but it backfired—he was used instead, sacrificed to that shrew's Ravine-Bottom Water as a shield. Part of the Netherworld's backlash was borne by Suo Huan, falling on that Spirit Ruins Blessed Land.'
'To break this deadlock...'
With that thought, Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord finally shifted his gaze downward.
There, amid the True Lords' clash, a lone figure stood trembling, lips quivering. As if sensing something, he looked up as well.
Suo Huan.
This great cultivator from beyond the heavens, toyed with his entire life, suddenly smiled.
"Will Master use me again? What value do I have left?"
"Of course."
Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord's tone was flat, his eyes regarding an ant.
"Your life!"
Clang!
The next second, a brilliant sword light cleaved the heavens, piercing straight through Suo Huan. Choking on blood, he turned to see an expected figure.
Then, with a miserable laugh:
"Fellow Daoist, we're kindred spirits in misfortune."
The sword's name—Calamity Wave!
The killer—Lu Yang!