Chapter 341: Chong Guang’s Scheme
As Chongguang's voice faded, the aura around him abruptly transformed.
Originally, he had cultivated his divine abilities to perfection, attaining 【Ageless Camphor】, 【Shaded Dragon Water】, 【Fear of Felling】, and 【Rigid Flame Furnace】, aiming directly for the 【Overturned Lamp Flame】 position.
Yet now, his divine abilities had changed.
The radiant light symbolizing 【Overturned Lamp Flame】 dissipated like a flame extinguished by wind, replaced by hazy, illusory hues of divine power.
"【Essence of All Flowers】, 【Sea of Sorrow Infusion】, 【Ferry Across the Lost Ford】, 【Song of Eternal Regret】!"
Four supreme divine abilities emerged, even startling 【Ang Xiao】: "Each one is of the highest grade. Aren't you afraid Mu Changsheng might directly seize your body?"
"That depends on you, my lord." Chongguang smiled faintly.
"Hahaha!"
【Ang Xiao】 couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh heartily.
Chongguang's choice was ingenious!
Because 【Heaven of Non-Existence】, like 【Ang Xiao】 himself, was something feared and forbidden by True Lords across the land—Mu Changsheng would never be allowed to achieve empty attainment through it.
Under such circumstances, no one should have been willing to assist him. Moreover, diverging from 【Overturned Lamp Flame】 meant even True Lord Qingcheng Feixue, who had previously supported him most fervently, wouldn't intervene. Only someone like 【Ang Xiao】, equally opposed to the world's True Lords, had both motive and capability to act.
After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
By seeking 【Heaven of Non-Existence】 at this moment, Chongguang wouldn't even face obstruction from other True Lords—compared to him, 【Ang Xiao】 was undoubtedly the greater priority.
'He's using me as a shield.'
Yet instead of anger, 【Ang Xiao】 chuckled lightly: "I do have a method to help you resist Mu Changsheng's consciousness seizure."
Mu Changsheng was indeed remarkable.
But in 【Ang Xiao】's eyes, he was far from incomprehensible. How many dazzling prodigies had he witnessed over the millennia?
All gone with the wind!
'Only by ascending to the position of True Lord can one truly stand firm in this world. The last was Feixue—this man is cut from the same cloth.'
'Will he be the next?'
【Ang Xiao】 pondered silently, his expression betraying nothing as he continued calmly: "I can assist you. But young friend, what will you offer in return?"
"What you lack is merely time."
Chongguang cut straight to the heart of 【Ang Xiao】's dilemma. He wasn't afraid of Hong Yun seeking gold—the problem was that before Hong Yun's pursuit, part of his consciousness had been trapped within the 【Southern Heavenly Gate】, severing his observation of the mortal realm and costing him the optimal window to intervene.
By the time he realized, it was too late.
Hong Yun had already passed the initial phase, drawing the attention of fruit positions. At this stage, there was no time left for 【Ang Xiao】 to scheme.
This was precisely True Lord Qingcheng Feixue's calculation.
But conversely—
"If I can restore that lost time for you, my lord, I believe you won't need others' help to break the deadlock yourself."
With those words, Chongguang revealed his bargaining chip.
Brilliant light surged across his body, and 【Ang Xiao】 immediately sensed its origin: "【Overturned Lamp Flame】... the corresponding ritual?"
"I took the essence of 【Overturned Lamp Flame】, calling it 【Reversal】."
Chongguang's voice deepened: "Hong Yun is ensnared in your scheme, my lord. By aiding him to escape certain death, I create the greatest 【Reversal】—enough to draw the gaze of fruit positions!"
Had Lü Yang been present, he would have understood instantly.
That transaction!
Before entering the 【Southern Heavenly Gate】, Chongguang had proactively proposed a deal with Lü Yang—to linger within the gate as bait for 【Ang Xiao】.
Undoubtedly, this transaction allowed Chongguang to participate directly in the scheme against 【Ang Xiao】, even serving as a pivotal counterweight. Without it, had Lü Yang rushed through, 【Ang Xiao】 might have detected anomalies earlier, triggering a chain reaction.
This was Chongguang's true purpose in dealing with Lü Yang!
On one hand, it was to lure 【Ang Xiao】 into the trap; on the other, it was to bolster his own value as a bargaining chip.
"Of course, this alone won't cause Hong Yun's golden pursuit to fail."
"But with this, I'm confident I can compete with Hong Yun for the fruit positions' attention, buying you at least half an hour—surely enough for you to act?"
Shrouded in radiant light, Chongguang's emotions were indiscernible.
His chip carried another crucial point: to maintain the ritual, he couldn't die. His death would mean no one left to restrain Hong Yun.
The unspoken implication: You'd best not try anything underhanded.
【Ang Xiao】 studied Chongguang, equally inscrutable, before suddenly remarking after a pause: "...Merely keeping you alive is simple. I have many methods."
Chongguang nodded. "You're welcome to gamble, my lord."
Gamble? Preposterous!
Should Hong Yun succeed in his golden pursuit, 【Ang Xiao】's millennia-long plans would collapse instantly, his cultivation regressing. With his Dao path at stake, how could he possibly take such a risk?
"...Remarkable."
Finally, 【Ang Xiao】 smiled at Chongguang, nodding slightly. "In all these years, you're the first to dare threaten me. Truly bold."
"There's no irreconcilable conflict between us, my lord."
Chongguang lowered his gaze. "Your aid enables my success, and my success can later aid you. A mutually beneficial arrangement—the choice rests with you."
As they spoke, Hong Yun's golden pursuit continued unabated. Time was limited, and 【Ang Xiao】 set aside further probing, withdrawing from his sleeve a candle lamp. Ignited with magic power, its dim flame illuminated the surroundings, radiating an aura that calmed the mind and clarified thoughts.
"This treasure is called 【Sun-Shielding Golden Lamp】."
"As the name suggests, it's the fruit position treasure of 【Great Forest Wood】. Before the flame extinguishes, it can temporarily lend you its 【Sun-Shielding】 property, concealing your consciousness."
"Thus, Mu Changsheng cannot seize you—for now."
"However, I'll only protect you temporarily, not indefinitely. By the time the lamp burns out, I'll likely have resolved the Hong Yun situation."
"At that point, I wouldn't mind claiming another 【Heaven of Non-Existence】."
Chongguang immediately clasped his hands: "My gratitude, my lord!"
As a seasoned Saint Sect True Person, Chongguang understood that 【Ang Xiao】's words represented extraordinary sincerity.
For Saint Sect True Persons, what was the most trustworthy form of transaction?
Not mutual credit, but mutual benefit—whether profit could be gained. On this point, both had judged impeccably.
The Dragon Lord of the previous lifetime clearly hadn't grasped this.
Though that was partly because the Dragon Lord hadn't understood 【Ang Xiao】's true objective, leading to miscalculation. Chongguang, however, wouldn't repeat such mistakes.
In fact, he was even more astute than the Dragon Lord in this regard.
Because 【Ang Xiao】's current need was essentially Chongguang's creation—without him, Hong Yun might never have advanced so smoothly toward golden attainment.
Hence 【Ang Xiao】 called it "extortion"!
For a Foundation Establishment cultivator to extort a late-stage Golden Core Great True Lord—though circumstances played a role, the ability to seize such an opportunity was itself a testament to skill.
The next instant, Chongguang closed his eyes.
A radiant light erupted from his body, shooting skyward to draw 【Overturned Lamp Flame】's gaze, while his consciousness vanished into 【Heaven of Non-Existence】!