Chapter 306: One Move Ahead
Lü Yang had never hesitated to harbor the utmost hostility toward [Ang Xiao].
Whatever [Ang Xiao] wished to accomplish, he would sabotage; whatever [Ang Xiao] sought to avoid, he would ensure—his actions were blatantly targeted.
Thus, he was deeply intrigued by Yu Suzhen's experiences.
Reaching Qi Refining Perfection in three years undoubtedly meant she had obtained significant opportunities under [Ang Xiao]'s influence. But how many of those had been tampered with by [Ang Xiao]?
With True Lord Qingcheng Feixue presiding above, this was the perfect chance to investigate!
Unable to perform a soul search and with [Puppet on Strings] unusable, Lü Yang couldn't be bothered to ask questions. It was simpler to let Yu Suzhen's body reveal the truth directly.
With that thought, Lü Yang immediately activated his superhuman state. Focusing intently, he deftly executed a secret technique and effortlessly penetrated Yu Suzhen's sea of consciousness, eliciting a piercing scream from her as if she had been violently impaled by an iron rod. Memories surged forth like rushing water.
'Her experiences over these three years!'
In no time, Lü Yang had complete control over Yu Suzhen's memories. Layer upon layer of murky scenes unfolded before him, culminating in a vivid reflection of past events.
Initially, Yu Suzhen's journey aligned with his deductions.
After enduring countless hardships, she finally achieved Qi Refining, joined Mending Heaven Peak, and miraculously turned the tables when targeted by Liu Xin—thereby obtaining the inheritance of the Innate True Person.
But it was at this point that things diverged.
Within Liu Xin's Myriad Spirits Banner, Yu Suzhen had encountered an entity she had never seen before. Her current cultivation level was entirely due to that being's guidance!
'Where... is this?'
In the memory, Lü Yang widened his eyes, but all he could see was a turbid river, its churning waves revealing glistening white bones.
The river stretched endlessly, its boundaries indiscernible.
Only at its center stood a colossal boulder, vast as a mountain, firmly anchoring the river's flow and dividing it into distinct regions.
'Something's not right...'
Lü Yang frowned deeply. The scene before him was what Yu Suzhen had witnessed inside the Myriad Spirits Banner. Yet, despite his far superior understanding of the banner compared to hers, he had never discovered such a place within it! This was undoubtedly [Ang Xiao]'s hidden contingency—had he tampered with the banner?
Suddenly, Lü Yang remembered.
'I've seen this place before.'
It was a memory that didn't belong to him, yet now he recalled every detail with startling clarity. In that memory, he stood right before this very scene.
However, in that recollection, there had been another person present.
That figure had stood atop the massive boulder at the river's center, staring directly at him.
'Hiss!'
In an instant, Lü Yang sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively turned his gaze toward the spot in the memory—only to find that a figure had indeed materialized there!
'No... He's an outsider!'
'A trap!?'
At this moment, Lü Yang was technically performing a "soul search." The scenes before him were fundamentally illusory. Yet, this figure was different—it was undeniably real!
It had stepped out from the memory itself!
In an indescribable realm.
Amidst layers of shadows and enveloping silence, a handsome Daoist sat cross-legged midair, his head raised as streams of starlight flowed from his eyes like rivers.
The next second, he smiled:
"Fellow Daoist, you are truly extraordinary. I placed my pieces within the Saint Sect, severed karma, and yet you managed to deduce it all—arriving here with such grand preparations to await me..."
[Ang Xiao]'s tone carried a long-absent exhilaration. To him, everything that had transpired thus far was merely a game of chess between himself and the hidden Daoist behind the scenes. He had used Yu Suzhen as a pawn, while the other party had summoned Hong Ju, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue, and others to intercept his moves.
This was no small feat!
'To pinpoint my true objective so precisely... It seems the matter of [Chen Earth] has been exposed. Not to mention, there's even a True Lord watching over this.'
Lü Yang's conjecture was correct.
At this very moment, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue was lurking nearby overseas, her dharma body merged with heaven and earth—invisible to anyone below the True Lord realm.
'Fellow Daoist, you've never personally intervened from start to finish.'
'Your use of proxies is masterful, remaining hidden in the shadows... But if you truly possessed the capability, with cultivation equal to mine, why bother hiding?'
The smile on [Ang Xiao]'s lips gradually widened. 'Could it be that your cultivation isn't as high as mine?'
'Mid-stage Golden Core? Early-stage Golden Core? Perhaps borrowing the power of a Fruit Position... Surely not Foundation Establishment? Let me see just how many tricks you have up your sleeve...'
By now, [Ang Xiao] was convinced of his impending victory. True, he had intended to use Yu Suzhen as bait to capture the Primordial Dao Calamity and refine it into an avatar. But he never put all his eggs in one basket—Yu Suzhen was both his pawn and a poisoned lure!
In his view, the hidden Daoist had overlooked one crucial detail.
'You likely never imagined I've already begun harnessing the power of the [Netherworld]. This [Nether Envoy] may not be my avatar, but it surpasses one.'
'If you ignore it, it will assist me in bringing the Primordial Dao Calamity back to the Netherworld—my scheme still succeeds.'
'But if you attempt to stop it and kill the envoy, you will inevitably suffer backlash from the entire [Netherworld]!'
The backlash of the [Netherworld] was incomparable to karma.
Karma was like a vast net, full of holes and gaps. But all beings undergo reincarnation—the influence of the [Netherworld] was truly inescapable!
'The backlash of the [Netherworld] strikes directly at the True Spirit. Even if you borrow another's body, you cannot evade it!'
At that point, residing within the [Netherworld], he could trace this connection to pinpoint the true form of the hidden Daoist and uncover their origins.
'No matter which path Fellow Daoist chooses, I remain undefeated. In this game, I am ultimately one move ahead!'
With this thought, [Ang Xiao] couldn't help but burst into laughter. For someone like him, the feeling of outmaneuvering a "Fellow Daoist" was a rare delight.
'Well? Will you surrender the Primordial Dao Calamity willingly, or shall I unveil your true face?'
[Ang Xiao] gazed expectantly toward the mortal realm.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang quickly realized he had fallen into [Ang Xiao]'s trap. Yet, he felt little panic.
'My true body is far away—no matter how dire the situation, it's only my avatar that suffers...'
Through [Puppet on Strings], Lü Yang studied the figure that had abruptly appeared. Emerging from the memory, it had directly entered his avatar's sea of consciousness.
Upon closer inspection, the figure appeared grotesque—half-black, half-white, tall and gaunt. In one hand, it held a mourning staff; in the other, a soul-hooking chain. Its mouth split into a grin, revealing rows of sharp teeth, while its narrowed eyes gleamed with cold light. Without preamble, it barked:
"Hah! What manner of fiend dares trespass here?"
Hearing this, Lü Yang smirked. "A fiend? It seems to me that you're the one resembling a fiend. Intruding into another's sea of consciousness hardly befits the righteous path."
"Impudence!"
The figure sneered. "Do you take me for some mortal fool? You possess spirit yet lack a soul, consciousness yet no essence—if not a fiend, then what?"
'From its tone... This isn't [Ang Xiao] himself?'
Lü Yang listened carefully, his mind racing with conjectures. 'What exactly is this thing? When it speaks of fiends... Could it mean the Dao Calamity?'
In this regard, [Ang Xiao]'s methods were strikingly similar to Lü Yang's own. While Lü Yang had crafted a [Second Avatar], [Ang Xiao] had fashioned a [Nether Envoy]. Both were oblivious to their true origins, knowing only to fulfill the tasks assigned by their hidden manipulators.
Thus, in the next moment, the creature shook its head dismissively. "Enough. I've no interest in wasting words."
"Regardless, a being like you—devoid of soul and essence—belongs in the cycle of reincarnation. Whether you are or aren't a fiend matters not. Today, I shall capture both you and the abomination outside!"