Chapter 441: Reclaiming the Original Body, False Golden Seat!
Chapter 441: Reclaiming the Original Body, Holding the False Golden Seat!
Jiangxi, Pure Land.
Buddha light filled the sky as the towering [Manifestation of Victory and Clarity Dharmadhatu] rose from the ground, palms pressed together in prayer. The chanting of scriptures resounded across half of Jiangxi.
Behind this dharma form stood two disciples who had already taken their positions: Wu Tai'an, the King of the South Suppression from the Dao Court, and Evil-Banishing True Person. Both unleashed their auras—Evil-Banishing True Person aimed for the [White Wax Gold] Fruit Position, while Wu Tai'an sought the [Mountain-Top Fire] Fruit Position.
Stars shimmered in the heavens above.
Though it was said they sought these positions, the true goal wasn't for them to achieve Golden Core success. Merely manifesting the Fruit Positions would suffice.
'Once the Fruit Positions manifest, they can be drawn into the [Buddha Kingdom].'
'At that point, as long as I can attain the [City Wall Earth] Fruit Position, I will gain control over the [Buddha Kingdom], indirectly manipulating the other Fruit Positions drawn into it.'
But times had changed.
In the past, the [City Wall Earth] Fruit Position had been locked by the Pure Land through the [Unity of All Beings], ensuring only Buddhist cultivators could attain it. This prevented outsiders from seizing control of the [Buddha Kingdom].
Now, however, if the Pure Land failed to attain the [City Wall Earth] Fruit Position while forming the [Buddha Kingdom], and others succeeded in achieving Golden Core status for the remaining four Fruit Positions, those cultivators could immediately leverage their True Lord might to turn the tables. The Pure Land's [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth] would become nothing more than a bridal gift for others!
What was this?
Witnessing this scene through his sword dao avatar in Jiangxi, Lü Yang understood:
'This is an opportunity! A chance to ascend to the heavens in a single step! A [Buddha Kingdom] with all Five Elements perfected, plus a Supreme Fruit Position... This is a configuration only [Ang Xiao] possesses!'
In other words, whoever ultimately controlled the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth] would have the potential to become the next [Ang Xiao]!
Boom!
At that moment, a deafening roar erupted as two more auras surged into the sky, illuminating the heavens and revealing the visions of two Fruit Position stars.
[Pomegranate Wood]!
[Spring Water]!
In Jiangnan, the earth split open as surging earth vein qi heralded the emergence of a stone figure—none other than Lü Yang's former Immortal Spirit form!
Meanwhile, another figure stepped out from the Sword Pavilion.
[Xiang Ye].
This perfected Foundation Establishment Grand True Person, the last remaining pillar of the Saint Sect, had evidently reaped immense rewards within the Sword Pavilion. The manifestation of the [Spring Water] Fruit Position was directly linked to his presence.
Both were individuals with deep Buddhist karma. If Lü Yang could discern the opportunity within the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth], cultivators of their cultivation depth naturally wouldn't fail to deduce the full picture. Thus, they no longer resisted but actively stepped forward, seeking to facilitate the formation of the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth] and contend for that heaven-ascending opportunity!
At this moment, all parties were prepared.
Though the Pure Land had suffered heavy losses, they were not without trump cards. After all, having locked away the [City Wall Earth] Fruit Position for so long, they inevitably had countermeasures in place.
Xiang Ye, too, had his own plans.
As for Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang, needless to say, with the aid of Tian Gong and being favored by fortune, his aura surged faster than anyone else's.
"At a time like this... an Immortal Spirit actually appears!"
The world trembled with discussion.
A significant portion of Foundation Establishment True Persons turned their attention to Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang. After all, a perfected Immortal Spirit had previously existed only in legends.
True Persons from various factions, once they reached a certain status, were more or less aware of the taboos surrounding Immortal Spirits.
Originally, it should have been the four major factions' perfected Foundation Establishment experts competing for the True Lord position. Yet now, a naturally formed, fully rested and perfected Immortal Spirit had emerged.
Could it be that this outsider would pluck the ripest fruit?
At this moment, many Foundation Establishment True Persons harbored similar thoughts—even Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang himself couldn't help but entertain such notions.
After all, compared to him, what were the others but a bunch of worthless trash? The Pure Land's [Manifestation of Victory and Clarity Dharmadhatu] had lost Guangming as its anchor, greatly diminishing its power. Evil-Banishing True Person was already half-dead, Xiang Ye bore old wounds from prolonged battles, and Wu Tai'an hailed from the Dao Court...
"This battle... the advantage is mine!"
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang let out a triumphant cry, brimming with confidence as he prepared to ride his escape light toward the Pure Land. Yet in the next second, his vision abruptly darkened.
"...Huh?"
It was a hand.
A slender, well-proportioned palm abruptly severed his path, stretching across heaven and earth to cast a deep shadow over him.
"Who goes there!?"
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang instinctively unleashed his aura. Five divine abilities manifested in succession, instantly stirring a spiritual tide spanning tens of thousands of miles.
Yet despite the immense scale of this spiritual tide—the elemental clashes of earth, water, wind, and fire, the explosions of thunder—all were enveloped by that single slender hand. The boiling spiritual flames licking at its surface couldn't even scorch its skin, leaving it free to slowly close its fingers.
'Impossible... This can't be...!'
This wasn't Foundation Establishment!
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang had a clear understanding of his own strength. Under the heavens, no Foundation Establishment True Person could possibly handle his divine abilities in such a manner!
Not even Evil-Banishing True Person could—at the very least, he would need to draw his sword!
Yet this palm before him didn't channel any magic power. It simply manifested and reached out to grasp at him effortlessly.
Only one kind of existence could accomplish this...
'A True Lord? How!?'
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang looked up at the sky. The [Wall Soil] Fruit Position still radiated celestial light, growing increasingly dazzling—yet not enough to support the descent of a True Lord.
So where had this True Lord come from!?
'Tian Gong... Tian Gong, save me...'
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang called out desperately, yet the attentive care he had always felt from Tian Gong was now utterly severed.
In the next moment, the boundless ambitions and grand aspirations Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang had harbored upon his emergence shattered like a bubble. The hand descending from the heavens seized him, and as the world spun around him, he found himself face-to-face with a visage all too familiar.
"...You!?"
Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang froze. Lü Yang, no longer concealing himself, erupted with his aura, gazing calmly at the immortal spirit with a mocking smile.
"Has the day finally come?"
Decades ago, he had been nothing more than a plaything in Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang's grasp, unable even to end his own life. Now, the tables had turned—their positions completely reversed.
With a thought, a pitch-black palace materialized in Lü Yang's palm—a miniature version of the [Yama Palace], now saturated with thick incense offerings and a blazing golden essence that continuously elevated his status.
[Yama Palace]!
"How is this possible...?"
Elsewhere, [Ang Xiao], possessing the Yun Family Patriarch's body, lost his composure for the first time. Staring wide-eyed at Lü Yang's calm expression, he was utterly dumbfounded.
"Nothing is impossible."
Lü Yang smirked before casually tossing Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang into the [Yama Palace]. Simultaneously, a talent activated upon the immortal spirit.
[Nest Usurped by the Cuckoo]!
'What was once mine... shall be returned to me!'
The original body of the Immortal Spirit, its soul, and the divine abilities related to [Pomegranate Wood]—all were reclaimed by Lü Yang through [Nest Usurped by the Cuckoo]!
As this process unfolded, his aura grew increasingly violent.
Until finally, he shattered through an invisible barrier.
Boom!
Lü Yang opened his eyes.
Unbeknownst to him, his pupils had turned golden, as if two candle flames had ignited within them, revealing a world vastly different from before.
[Overturned Lamp Flame]—illuminating what the sun and moon could not, revealing times before heaven and earth were formed.
In the next moment, Lü Yang lowered his gaze to [Ang Xiao].
"Fellow Daoist, where do you intend to go?"
"..." [Ang Xiao] remained silent.
He seemed intent on hiding once more with [Knowledge-Perception Obstruction], yet this time, the hitherto infallible ability failed before Lü Yang's eyes.
This outcome seemed to proclaim an undeniable truth:
'With no True Lords manifesting in the world today... this man may well be unstoppable!'