Chapter 443: Hong Yun! The Greatest Schemer in Five Thousand Years!
Chapter 443: Hong Yun! The Greatest Mastermind of Five Millennia!
Beneath the vault of heaven, starlight blazed brilliantly.
The [Flowing Water] fruit position reappeared in the mortal world, its immense power intercepted like a waterfall by [Ang Xiao], then funneled entirely before Lü Yang.
Seeing this, Lü Yang still seemed dissatisfied: "Hurry up, Daoist friend. Did you skip breakfast?"
Ang Xiao: "..."
Damn beast!
Do you think stripping away such vast fruit position power is easy? Back then, the Innate True Person Mu Changsheng took five thousand years to accomplish it.
Now, with me personally intervening—and with [Flowing Water] connected to [Chen Earth]—I've compressed five millennia into five minutes, and you still have the gall to nitpick? Truly inhuman... Just wait! I'll endure this for now, but I refuse to believe you can maintain this True Lord state indefinitely!
Indeed, Ang Xiao had also discerned the truth.
'The False Golden Seat Method! A secret technique pioneered by the Witch Ghost Path's Ancestor Nether Whisper—who would've thought it was actually feasible? And Hong Yun got his hands on it and executed it.'
He even guessed some of Lü Yang's intentions.
'Hong Yun is squeezing the last drops of value from [Overturned Lamp Flame]. Having taken the external path now, does he intend to cultivate an external fruit position with [Flowing Water]?'
'A miscalculation!'
Ang Xiao sighed inwardly. Even he had heard of Ancestor Nether Whisper's reputation back then, yet he hadn't paid much attention to this so-called False Golden Seat Method.
The reason was simple.
The requirement of nine perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators was far too stringent—the entire world couldn't muster that number. So what was the point?
Utterly useless!
Never in his wildest dreams did Ang Xiao imagine that one day, he'd witness this False Golden Seat Method in action—and be the one suffering its consequences!
Soon, the fruit position power of [Flowing Water] coalesced before Lü Yang. Countless radiant lights shimmered like flowing water, eventually condensing into a dazzling pearl hovering silently in Lü Yang's palm before he stored it away in the Myriad Spirits Banner.
"Hummm..."
Lü Yang's actions stirred disturbances in heaven and earth, but times had changed. Under the False Golden Seat, such ripples were instantly suppressed.
"The deal is done."
Ang Xiao's voice carried traces of exhaustion. Without hesitation, he withdrew his consciousness, extinguishing the Yun Family Patriarch's vitality.
Only a faint echo lingered:
"I'll help you just this once. If you renege, reverse [Chen Earth], and ruin my Dao path—I'll descend at any cost. And when I do, you die first!"
Ang Xiao had his own plans.
Though Lü Yang held the upper hand, forcing his compliance through [Chen Earth], that didn't mean he'd resign himself to extortion.
He knew full well the Saint Sect True Lord's predatory nature—weakness would only invite further exploitation. Thus, after granting one concession, he immediately adopted a stance of mutual destruction. Any rational person would take the win and walk away.
But Lü Yang wasn't rational.
'With the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], I'm already planning to restart. You threaten me with mutual destruction? What a joke!'
Still, Lü Yang temporarily restrained himself from immediate confrontation—he had other matters to attend to.
And "just this once"?
Dream on!
A cold smirk twisted Lü Yang's thoughts: 'Having finally grasped your weakness, you think once is enough? I'll milk this leverage for a hundred lifetimes!'
With that, Lü Yang dismissed Ang Xiao from his mind.
Simultaneously, his steps never faltered. His aura intensified as he strode into Jiangxi, looming over the Pure Land's Buddhist Kingdom.
In an instant—all sounds ceased.
Within the Pure Land, the [Victorious Life Name Tuoluo Heavenly Manifestation] trembled violently, its foundation shaken as if an invisible mountain now weighed upon it.
'This one... is truly a True Lord!'
At this moment, the manifestation was filled with resignation. What was meant to be a glorious [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth] had devolved into this.
'How are there still stronger players!'
First, the Dangmo True Person was shockingly formidable—yet now an even fiercer opponent had appeared!
Wasn't this supposed to be a low-stakes game?
World-Honored One, you've misled me!
Meanwhile, Lü Yang paid no heed to others' reactions. His gaze settled on the [No Killing Sword] left behind by Dangmo True Person.
'Shifu...'
Lü Yang sighed inwardly. Dangmo True Person had indeed arranged everything meticulously—even preparing an escape route for this sword Dao avatar.
'If I don't intervene, letting Pure Land and Sword Pavilion fight it out... Should Pure Land win and uproot the [Sword Dao], to avoid further provoking Sword Pavilion, they'd never harm my sword avatar. Instead, they'd treat me hospitably, sending me back safely with the [No Killing Sword].'
'If Sword Pavilion wins, all the better.'
'As Dangmo True Person's disciple, playing it smart would at least secure me some legacy benefits. Though the golden seat might be out of reach, my life wouldn't be endangered.'
Dangmo True Person was, without doubt, a good man.
'What a pity.'
Lü Yang withdrew his thoughts. He admired such people but couldn't emulate them.
In this ruthless world, keeping one's footing was struggle enough. To rise above others? Harder than ascending to heaven. He was far from qualified to be a good man.
The next instant, Lü Yang raised his brow.
His calm gaze fell upon Evil-Banishing True Person and Prince Wu Tai'an of the South, igniting their bodies like candle flames.
Without any suspense—like a breeze parting eyelids—the fire seeped into their organs, becoming sparks that burned outward through their life essence and innate divine abilities. Their third-grade Dao foundations were rendered utterly useless.
Boom!
A deafening explosion—two figures detonated simultaneously. Their radiant spiritual light flooded the heavens, splashing across the vast Pure Land Buddhist Kingdom.
Only then did Lü Yang retract his gaze.
Meanwhile, Buddhist cultivators around the Great Heroic Treasure Hall stumbled and collapsed. Severed from their connection to the World-Honored One, how could they remain composed before a True Lord? Some weaker ones even fainted outright.
Only the [Victorious Life Name Tuoluo Heavenly Manifestation] retained some composure.
"Heaven's Fortune Bright Light True Lord, do you truly wish to make an enemy of Pure Land and incur the World-Honored One's wrath?"
A somber voice emerged from the manifestation, its gaze toward Lü Yang filled with complexity—as if certain of his true identity.
Heaven's Fortune Bright Light True Lord—Daoist Hong Yun!
Yes, it had to be him!
This man's schemes ran deeper than the sea. Five thousand years ago, while ostensibly ambushed by Ang Xiao and stripped of his True Lord status, he'd actually been advancing covertly while feigning retreat.
When Chong Guang achieved the [Heaven of Non-Existence], this man seemed involved.
Dangmo True Person's circle also bore his shadow.
Now, bypassing the constraints of [Heaven of Non-Existence], he'd reattained True Lord status to become the world's foremost expert!
Moreover, through some unknown means, he'd seized the Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang's body... meaning he could potentially usurp the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth]!
If he succeeded, he'd become the next Ang Xiao—more terrifyingly, since the Evil-Banishing True Person had been forcibly incorporated into the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth], Ang Xiao would lose [White Wax Gold]. Thus, Hong Yun would simultaneously avenge Ang Xiao's past betrayal!
At this realization, the [Victorious Life Name Tuoluo Heavenly Manifestation] shuddered.
'Hong Yun... This man is undoubtedly the greatest mastermind of the past five millennia!'