Chapter 490 491: The Number One True Lord in the World! (Fourth Update)
Chapter 491: The Greatest True Lord Under Heaven! (Fourth Update)
The situation changed so rapidly it left one dazzled.
Even Foundation Establishment True Persons were stunned, let alone Golden Core True Lords—the four regions of the world had long been stagnant, remaining placid for many years.
Yet suddenly, [Ang Xiao] emerged.
Without warning, he made a grand entrance, instantly churning this stagnant pool into towering waves, leaving no time for the True Lords to react.
'But... perhaps this was precisely his intention!'
In Jiangdong, Lü Yang inwardly marveled:
'Thinking back to the ninth lifetime, how grand was Chong Guang's pursuit of gold? Yet an unexpected failure led to doubts and speculations among the True Lords.'
'As a result, the moment [Ang Xiao] made his move, over a dozen True Lords immediately besieged him. Suo Huan's subsequent pursuit of gold was even worse—[Ang Xiao] became the target of public criticism. That was the consequence of his background being exposed and time being delayed. But this lifetime is different.'
[Ang Xiao] was waging a blitzkrieg!
Either remain hidden or emerge with such force that no one has time to react, stirring the situation into chaos and sowing doubts among the True Lords—only then could he fish in troubled waters.
And indeed, he succeeded—[Earth in Sand] was snatched away.
His next target was unmistakably [White Wax Gold]!
'Hmm? Wait, something's not right...'
The next moment, Lü Yang frowned, sensing something amiss. As someone who had once been a celestial spirit, no one understood the development of such spirits better than he did.
'That [White Wax Gold] celestial spirit... isn't perfected yet!'
Though it possessed all four innate divine abilities, the most crucial life essence divine ability had yet to coalesce—it was one step short and thus not ready to emerge.
'Ah, that makes sense... In the previous lifetime, [Ang Xiao] sought out the Evil-Banishing True Person from Sword Pavilion and even attempted to use him to draw out [White Wax Gold]. If this celestial spirit had already been perfected and usable, why would he waste time on the Evil-Banishing True Person?'
What Lü Yang could discern, the True Lords naturally noticed as well.
"Amitabha!"
From within Pure Land, another Bodhisattva strode forth—a woman even more captivating than [Precious Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva], her every glance brimming with allure.
Her name was [Bodhisattva of Coiling Dragon and Serpent Shadows].
A mid-stage Golden Core cultivator and the true authority of Pure Land, she gazed at [Ang Xiao] and spoke softly, "Benefactor, the sea of suffering has no bounds—turn back and you shall find the shore."
"This celestial spirit is not yet perfected. You cannot use it to draw forth the fruit position."
What [Ang Xiao] intended to do was clear to all the True Lords present—to pull the fruit position into the Netherworld. Though the reason remained unknown, it was undoubtedly a sinister act.
Thus, none wished to see him succeed.
Seeing that the celestial spirit was incomplete, many True Lords observing from the shadows secretly sighed in relief, believing [Ang Xiao] had reached his limit.
But Lü Yang thought otherwise.
Once again, he held faith in [Ang Xiao].
'As a True Lord of the Saint Sect, if there were truly no hope, he would have fled long ago. Since he remains, he must have a contingency plan.'
And indeed—he was proven right.
"Hahaha!"
[Ang Xiao] burst into laughter, casting a disdainful glance at [Bodhisattva of Coiling Dragon and Serpent Shadows]. "A frog at the bottom of a well—what could you know of the world's grandeur?"
"Watch closely!"
With those words, [Ang Xiao] formed a hand seal, and the immense power of [Earth in Sand], which he had just pulled into the Netherworld, surged forth.
Yet it was not directed at his enemies.
Instead, the vast force from [Earth in Sand] descended precisely upon the celestial spirit, merging entirely into it!
This sight stunned all the True Lords.
None understood what [Ang Xiao] was doing—only Qingcheng Feixue True Lord frowned slightly, seeming to grasp something.
The next moment—
"Clang! Clang!"
A crisp metallic clang shattered the silence as the celestial spirit in [Ang Xiao]'s hands abruptly opened its eyes, five divine abilities blooming above its head.
Instantly, over a dozen astonished gazes fell upon it:
"...Perfected???"
"How is this possible!"
"[Earth in Sand] lacks the imagery of nurturing all things. How could it catalyze the celestial spirit's growth? And the effect is far too potent..."
Only [Ang Xiao] sneered coldly at their bewilderment. "Mediocre fools—how dare you debate cultivation depth with me?"
Why could [Earth in Sand] catalyze the celestial spirit? The key lay not in [Earth in Sand] itself, but in the fruit position this celestial spirit represented—[White Wax Gold]!
White Wax Gold: fragments of jade from Mount Kun, bathed in the light of sun and moon, condensed with the qi of yin and yang.
Its form is bright and pure—the true essence of gold. Only when polished by earth can it become a vessel, bringing fortune—no other earth is useful. This was the imagery of [White Wax Gold].
In other words, [White Wax Gold] was only compatible with one type of earth.
But which earth? It was difficult to ascertain, referred to only as "polishing earth."
And what was "polishing earth"?
The profundity of this could only be grasped by those with profound cultivation depth. Fortunately, [Ang Xiao] had studied this path for countless years and knew: 'Polishing earth is [Earth in Sand]!'
Only when [White Wax Gold] was honed by [Earth in Sand] could it become a vessel!
In short, though [White Wax Gold] and [Earth in Sand] seemed unrelated at first glance, they were actually complementary. The power of [Earth in Sand] could, to some extent, stimulate [White Wax Gold]. Applied to the celestial spirit, it accelerated its development, allowing it to perfect and emerge swiftly!
At this thought, [Ang Xiao] felt another pang of regret.
Had everything gone according to plan:
First seize [Overturned Lamp Flame], then obtain [Flowing Water], and finally capture [Earth in Sand] and [White Wax Gold]—he could have broken through to Golden Core Perfection within the Netherworld.
Then, Nascent Soul would have been within reach!
But now, both [Overturned Lamp Flame] and [Flowing Water] had slipped from his grasp, and a shadowy hand seemed to be orchestrating schemes against him, forcing him to act prematurely.
"Boom!"
The next moment, as the celestial spirit emerged and the [White Wax Gold] fruit position manifested, [Ang Xiao] repeated his earlier tactic—immediately attempting to pull it into the Netherworld.
This time, the other True Lords could no longer remain idle.
From the moment [Ang Xiao] emerged until now, less than an incense stick's worth of time had passed—hardly enough for True Lords to weigh their options.
Yet it was already too late.
Gazing at the stars lighting up across the heavens and the swarm of True Lords rushing to stop him, [Ang Xiao] merely smiled calmly.
Then, his hand seals abruptly shifted.
"Bang!"
He self-destructed!
Without hesitation, [Ang Xiao] detonated his [World-Reporting External Body], the explosion severing the sky and blocking all approaching True Lords.
Seizing this opportunity, [Ang Xiao] grasped [White Wax Gold]—
"Clang!"
A sword cry erupted!
Deep within Sword Pavilion in Jiangnan, as [Ang Xiao] seized [White Wax Gold], a sword light finally shed all concealment and slashed forth with unparalleled ferocity!
This sword light had once slain Qingcheng Feixue True Lord, leaving wounds even reincarnation could not erase. Now unleashed again, its might was even greater—the moment its cry echoed, the light already pierced [Ang Xiao]'s heart, aiming to sever the hand holding [White Wax Gold].
Yet [Ang Xiao] remained utterly composed, even smiling:
"I've been waiting for you!"
Before his words faded, [Ang Xiao]'s other hand intercepted the sword light—a single finger met the unstoppable blade with a gentle touch.
Upon contact, a misty gray haze emerged.
The haze enveloped the sword light, instantly obscuring it... and when the mist dispersed, the sword light was gone—as if it had never existed.
'[Knowledge-Perception Obstruction]!'
In that instant, every True Lord who had witnessed that sword light—every Foundation Establishment cultivator, even [True Lord of Rigid Form Preaching the Dao] himself, who had unleashed it—
All lost their memory of that sword light.
What did it look like? What color was it? How strong was its aura? What was its effect? All recollection was veiled, leaving only blankness in its place.
And when no one remembered that sword light, with its witnesses erased, the sword light itself vanished from the mortal realm.
Suddenly, all sounds ceased.
Sword Pavilion, which had just unleashed that heaven-shaking slash, fell deathly silent—[True Lord of Rigid Form Preaching the Dao]'s aura vanished completely, not a trace remaining.
"...Worthless trash."
[Ang Xiao] sneered, simultaneously withdrawing the hand that held [White Wax Gold]. The second fruit position descended into the Netherworld—now firmly under his control!
In Jiangdong, Lü Yang closed his eyes and sighed inwardly:
'The greatest True Lord under heaven...'
At this moment, no other description came to mind.
A single man, standing against all the True Lords of the world—among them were unparalleled geniuses, yet all were overshadowed by [Ang Xiao], like stars paling before the sun and moon!
The next moment, Lü Yang opened his eyes, his gaze blazing with fierce ambition and fervor:
'...I shall be the same!'