Chapter 446: Ang Xiao: Shameless!
Chapter 446: Ang Xiao—Despicable!
"Boom!"
With a thunderous explosion, Lü Yang and the True Lord of Bearing Heaven's True Virtue vanished from the mortal realm simultaneously, replaced by two radiant stars in the celestial dome.
[Wall Soil]!
[Overturned Lamp Flame]!
In an instant, corresponding manifestations erupted across the four directions of the world. Countless buildings and palaces were suddenly ignited by flames bursting from their own lanterns.
Some fires were extinguished by people.
Others raged uncontrollably.
Scenes like these emerged one after another without end, each conflagration's outcome triggering collisions and fluctuations between the auras of these two heavenly fruit positions.
Beyond this, all cultivators practicing [Wall Soil] and [Overturned Lamp Flame] had their eyes turn bloodshot. The clashing auras of these True Lords directly affected them, driving them into frenzied battles. Only Foundation Establishment True Persons could maintain clarity under such influence.
Yet these were merely surface phenomena.
Neither Lü Yang nor the True Lord of Bearing Heaven's True Virtue had intentionally caused this—the mere collision of their fruit position manifestations had plunged the world into chaos.
"Clang! Clang!"
The True Lord's sword light descended without any sharpness, instead carrying an indescribable, mountain-like oppressive weight.
In that instant, Lü Yang's movements froze abruptly.
[Wall Soil]—its qi resides in occlusion, its substance embraces concealment, shielding forms and veiling bodies, with no exchange between internal and external. The fruit position itself represented the pinnacle of sealing techniques!
The True Lord's sword intent, cultivated through sensing this fruit position, embodied this same principle—a blade without edge, lacking sharpness yet bearing the weight of Mount Tai. As it crashed down upon Lü Yang, his physical form seemed burdened by mountains, his magic power bearing rivers, rendering him momentarily immobile!
'Got him!'
In that same instant, the True Lord's other hand completed a seal, transforming into a golden light point at Lü Yang's brow like the tip of a sword.
'[Heavenly Cloud Sun-Bearing Mystical Formula]!'
Clouds represent the earth element Wu—falling to become mountains, the qi passing through floating, insubstantial soil. As this force blasted into Lü Yang's crown, it sought to suppress his consciousness entirely!
Once that happened, he'd be completely at the True Lord's mercy.
Lü Yang's situation had become perilous in the extreme—standing virtually defenseless before the True Lord with no means to retaliate.
Yet at this critical juncture, a black dot suddenly appeared between Lü Yang's brows, rapidly expanding into a majestic palace hall that solidly blocked the True Lord's sword tip, intercepting the mystical light of the [Heavenly Cloud Sun-Bearing Mystical Formula].
[Yama Palace]!
In this moment, radiant light flowed across Lü Yang's entire body, dazzling and resplendent, making him appear like a deity descended to earth as it cleansed away all restraints upon him.
"Crack!"
With a crisp shattering sound, Lü Yang staggered back a step, and the seals placed upon him by the True Lord shattered simultaneously.
Almost immediately, he formed his own seal.
"Whoosh!"
Lü Yang opened his mouth, and a tongue of flame erupted from between his lips, swelling violently with the wind to instantly transform into a sea of fire blazing with extreme intensity.
Within this fiery sea, waves surged layer upon layer, infinite phantom colors superimposing and accumulating until condensing into a single point of sky-blue flame. Giving the True Lord no chance to retreat or evade, it illuminated his form the moment the thought arose.
'[Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light]!'
Though the blue flame appeared insignificant, it carried an indomitable conceptual sharpness, exploding across the True Lord's physical form in a dazzling display.
"Boom!"
As their battle intensified, neither restrained their magic power any longer. The shockwaves disturbed thirty-six layers of heavenly clouds, even shattering scattered meteors and asteroids beyond the sky into fragments.
For a time, stars fell like rain as heavenly fires streaked across the firmament.
Yet the instigators—the True Lord of Bearing Heaven's True Virtue and Lü Yang—had long since withdrawn their divine abilities, standing firm on opposite sides of a celestial river.
In the next instant, both simultaneously formed seals. Across the four directions of the world, cultivators practicing [Wall Soil] suddenly found their magic power spontaneously combusting, their physical forms wounded, while those cultivating [Overturned Lamp Flame] were inexplicably immobilized, unable to move—instantly creating countless new killings.
This too was a True Lord's means.
Just moments before, both had utilized Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators under their respective lineages to share the damage from their clashing fruit position manifestations.
Naturally, this damage-sharing method only applied to fruit position manifestations.
Such as [Wall Soil]'s sealing or [Overturned Lamp Flame]'s burning—actual inflicted damage couldn't be transferred.
Witnessing this, the True Lord's expression grew increasingly gloomy.
'To be so familiar with True Lord combat methods—is this really Hong Yun? No, beyond that, he seems equally knowledgeable about my techniques...'
This puzzled the True Lord profoundly. His sword intent complemented [Wall Soil] perfectly—when unleashed suddenly, it often caught opponents off guard, allowing him to seize advantage. Yet Lü Yang had clearly been prepared, not only evading his killing move but counterattacking effectively.
'Fortunately, my cultivation is superior.'
Being accustomed to setbacks, the True Lord wasn't discouraged by his failed sword strike: 'A borrowed position can never match a true Golden Core!'
In this moment, radiant light erupted from his form toward the heavens.
A familiar sensation immediately flooded Lü Yang's mind—similar to [Knowledge-Perception Obstruction]... not identical, but operating at the same profound level.
The unique wonder of [Wall Soil]:
[Rising Palace Chambers]!
Suddenly, rolling clouds behind the True Lord parted, revealing a resplendent, majestic palace complex of golden splendor and jade radiance.
Lü Yang's eyes beheld vermilion gates standing wide open, studded with golden nails shining like stars. Within lay profound depths—multi-layered corridors and winding paths, towering corner towers, pillars requiring multiple people to embrace, wrapped in vermilion lacquer and gilded with gold powder. Jet-black jade tiles paved floors so polished they reflected like mirrors, layer upon layer ascending to a towering imperial throne.
The True Lord of Bearing Heaven's True Virtue sat solemnly upon this throne.
Surrounding pavilions, terraces, and jade palaces shielded him at the center, repelling all external forces beyond the palace walls.
"Boom!"
Two streaks of escaping light crossed paths—this time Lü Yang's flesh and blood flew wildly as the True Lord's sword sheared away most of his physical form, leaving him staggering through cloud seas.
Conversely, the True Lord—who hadn't dodged at all and should have taken Lü Yang's strike head-on—emerged completely unscathed. Lü Yang's magic power, upon reaching him, was drawn into the layered palace chambers surrounding his form—great becoming small, small becoming nothing—simply vanishing!
'Similar to [Knowledge-Perception Obstruction]!'
Lü Yang realized this was the fundamental conceptual wonder of heavenly fruit positions—of supremely elevated status, only summonable through a dongtian.
'[Overturned Lamp Flame] has one too, but I can't use it...'
This was the limitation of borrowing a golden seat—without truly condensing a dongtian, one couldn't manifest a fruit position's full profundity.
Lü Yang circulated his magic power to reconstitute his physical form.
Pursing his lips, he unleashed another [Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light], yet the result remained the same—dissipating into nothingness within the layered palace manifestations.
"Useless. Having forced me to this point, none of your divine abilities can affect me. Your only path is defeat!" The True Lord sneered.
"Boom!"
Another thunderous explosion as Lü Yang was struck again by the True Lord's sword. Not only could the latter externally resist all invasive forces, but internally he could seal his qi, concealing his form in stillness—making it difficult for Lü Yang to sense him. By the time Lü Yang reacted, the blade had already landed.
"Crack!"
Another sword stroke sent one of Lü Yang's arms soaring skyward, instantly exploding into bloody flames that covered his true form's retreat as he reconstituted his physical body.
Yet the True Lord pressed forward relentlessly, allowing no respite.
"Clang!"
Another sword strike drew forth fresh blood.
Facing this, Lü Yang's reaction wasn't alarm but delight—the corners of his mouth quirking up before he suddenly shouted: "Ang Xiao! Hurry over and assist me!"
True Lord of Bearing Heaven's True Virtue: "???"
Ang Xiao: "..."
In that instant, Ang Xiao—within the Netherworld—cursed aloud, because Lü Yang wasn't just calling for help—he was simultaneously reversing [Chen Earth]!
This was forcing his hand!
"Despicable!"
Curses aside, Ang Xiao didn't dare delay.
In the next moment, the True Lord—who had held complete advantage and been poised to press his victory—froze in place, left with only one question in his mind:
'What was I just about to do?'