Chapter 299: A Horrifying Scene, Encountering Ang Xiao Again!
Chapter 299: A Terrifying Sight, Reencountering Ang Xiao!
The Changyao Baoguang Dongtian!
This name occupied only the tiniest fragment in Lü Yang's memories of his past life. Had his cultivation not been sufficiently advanced, he might not have recalled it at all.
'Uncle Chongguang once mentioned this to me.'
'"Heaven's Fortune Bright Light True Lord established his palace and founded the Dongtian, where countless True Persons came to pay homage. Named the [Changyao Baoguang Dongtian], it hung like the rising sun, remaining suspended among the clouds for millennia without falling."'
'Daoist Hong Yun!'
The so-called [Heaven's Fortune Bright Light True Lord] was Daoist Hong Yun's True Lord title before his reincarnation, while the [Changyao Baoguang Dongtian] was his emblem.
'This fragment of a Dongtian actually belongs to Daoist Hong Yun!?'
At this realization, Lü Yang's mind immediately grew active. After all, Daoist Hong Yun was the most manageable figure among all those connected to True Lords.
Back then, even the Mending Heaven Peak Master dared to shout a few words at him!
The danger level of the Dongtian fragment he left behind naturally wouldn't be excessively high, and it was highly likely that some genuinely valuable treasures remained within!
Recalling the Daoist Hong Yun he had met in his past life—by then, the man had already restored his cultivation to Foundation Establishment Perfection and refined a [Precious Radiance Blessed Land]—Lü Yang now suspected that perhaps Daoist Hong Yun had found this very Dongtian fragment, refined it, and thereby regained his strength!
'A Blessed Land...'
Lü Yang's eyes gleamed with calculation. [Si Fire] was the flame of the furnace, the longevity of metal. As a Geng Metal Immortal Spirit in this life, nurturing himself within such a place...
The benefits would be immense!
Yet the next moment, Lü Yang regained his composure. "No need to rush. Slow and steady wins the race. Let True Person Xiaohai explore properly first..."
With this thought solidified, True Person Xiaohai—who had initially been intimidated by the terrifying sight of the Dongtian fragment and the fire serpent formed from Si Fire, secretly considering retreat—suddenly changed his mind. 'It wasn't easy for me to enter. If I can't bring something back for my clan, how can I face their years of support?'
Thinking this, a sense of opportunism arose in him:
'My Li Clan has toiled for ten generations. To receive such heavenly fortune now must mean we are blessed by fate. Perhaps there's no real danger...'
It was worth a gamble!
Resolved, True Person Xiaohai immediately mustered his magic power, simultaneously retrieving a miniature golden ship from his sleeve that emitted vast fluctuations of energy.
A top-grade spiritual treasure—the [Territory-Expanding Ship]!
This treasure's mystical ability was called [Territory Expansion], capable of breaking disasters and resolving difficulties. Empowered by its divine function, True Person Xiaohai felt even more confident.
Then, under the protection of the spiritual treasure, he strode boldly into the dilapidated palace at the serpent's head. There, his gaze instantly locked onto the center of the palace, where an ancient desk bore three jade slips, bathed in the glow of Si Fire. Far from being damaged, they shimmered brilliantly.
'A stroke of fortune!'
True Person Xiaohai grew increasingly excited. Ignoring the damage to his [Territory-Expanding Ship], he pressed forward against the radiance and scorching heat of Si Fire, step by step, until he stood before the desk.
A sweep of his divine sense, and the contents of the three jade slips immediately imprinted themselves in his mind.
Through True Person Xiaohai's perspective, Lü Yang naturally saw everything as well. He observed that the three jade slips differed in nature and domain.
'[Void-Piercing Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth True Explanation], [Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light], [Bright Light Daily Records].'
Lü Yang's eyes instantly brightened!
Given his current cultivation depth, he could immediately discern the immense value of these jade slips. Without exaggeration, any one of them would be considered priceless treasures in the outside world!
'[Void-Piercing Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth True Explanation]—this is a secret method for constructing Blessed Lands and establishing Dongtians!'
This wasn't meant for ordinary True Persons!
At the very least, only those at Foundation Establishment Perfection—Grand True Persons—could make use of it. And only at the True Lord level could its divine mysteries be fully unleashed!
'Such a secret method was likely deduced by Daoist Hong Yun during his time as the [Heaven's Fortune Bright Light True Lord], used to manage his own Dongtian. It might even pertain to True Lord cultivation... But how could such a marvelous technique, touching upon the very foundation of a True Lord's cultivation, be left here?'
Lü Yang tightened his spiritual focus, his expression growing increasingly tense.
The second jade slip, [Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light], was equally astonishing. It contained a secret method for sensing [Overturned Lamp Flame]—another cornerstone of True Lord cultivation!
'This is practically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!'
'It's equivalent to a True Lord deliberately creating a backdoor in their own Fruit Position and then recording the key to that backdoor...'
How is this not suicidal?
Why would anyone pass on something so fundamental, allowing others to compete for their position?
'No... This must have been left by Daoist Hong Yun for himself—likely a contingency plan for his reincarnation after his millennium-long lifespan ended, ensuring he could reclaim his position!'
At this thought, Lü Yang's face gradually revealed suspicion.
This didn't add up. Judging from this, Daoist Hong Yun had clearly prepared thoroughly for his reincarnation, with every aspect meticulously arranged.
Yet what was the outcome?
'According to Uncle Chongguang, Daoist Hong Yun perished during the great calamity five thousand years ago. In the intervening five millennia, he reincarnated repeatedly yet never reclaimed his position...'
'...He didn't even attempt it.'
'With the limited remaining Fruit Positions nowadays, this very circumstance drove Uncle Chongguang to seek [Overturned Lamp Flame], contending with Daoist Hong Yun for the position.'
At the time, this had seemed plausible. But now, looking back... it made no sense!
At least based on the first two jade slips, Daoist Hong Yun's preparations were exceedingly thorough. There was no way he would fail to even attempt reclaiming his position over five thousand years.
Soon, Lü Yang followed True Person Xiaohai's gaze to the third jade slip.
[Bright Light Daily Records].
This one was comparatively simpler—Daoist Hong Yun's diary, recording his insights and experiences while still holding the True Lord position.
Yet the next moment, Lü Yang's heart quaked violently.
Because on one page of the [Bright Light Daily Records], a single sentence stood out starkly:
"Recently discovered anomalies in [Chen Earth]. However, amid the millennium calamity, celestial mechanisms are obscured, making it difficult to deduce karma. Further investigation is warranted..."
[Chen Earth]!
Lü Yang had never imagined that Daoist Hong Yun had detected irregularities in [Chen Earth] as far back as five thousand years ago, during his tenure as a True Lord!
Yet this revelation suddenly made everything clear.
The reason Daoist Hong Yun perished during his time as a True Lord was undoubtedly due to Ang Xiao's covert machinations! Because he knew too much!
'Even these jade slips are wrong! These weren't left by Daoist Hong Yun! How could secret methods concerning one's own Dao path be written down? If it were me, I'd memorize them thoroughly. The fact that they exist as jade slips suggests they were forcibly extracted from Daoist Hong Yun's memories!'
[Knowledge-Perception Obstruction]!
Only this could explain Daoist Hong Yun's predicament.
Why couldn't he reclaim his position for five thousand years? Because the two contingency methods he had prepared in life—both related memories—had been stripped away and forgotten!
Without [Void-Piercing Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth True Explanation], reconstructing his Blessed Land and Dongtian became exceedingly difficult.
Without [Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light], he couldn't perfectly sense [Overturned Lamp Flame].
Lacking these two, how was this any different from starting from scratch? And if someone deliberately obstructed him, failing to reclaim his position for five thousand years was perfectly understandable!
'Wait...'
Suddenly, Lü Yang's expression shifted. In his past life, Daoist Hong Yun had successfully refined a Blessed Land, meaning he had ultimately found this Dongtian fragment.
But as the mastermind, would [Ang Xiao] simply stand by and allow this?
In his past life, Daoist Hong Yun was killed by True Lord Feixue. Why? Because of the Blood Demon Daoist—back then, Lü Yang hadn't pondered deeply before stumbling into his own trap...
'...Hiss!'
At that very moment, even though he was merely borrowing True Person Xiaohai's perspective, Lü Yang felt an indescribable, bone-chilling coldness.
Because at the edge of True Person Xiaohai's vision, within the flickering Si Fire, a figure abruptly appeared.
He stood there amidst the flames, examining True Person Xiaohai with amused interest, as though he had never left—only that True Person Xiaohai had failed to remember him.
In an instant, Lü Yang's thoughts nearly froze.
'[Ang Xiao]!!!'
Those pitch-black eyes, that smiling gaze—in this moment, they seemed to pierce through True Person Xiaohai's flesh, locking onto Lü Yang, who was concealed behind him.