Chapter 519 520: Forbidden Knowledge, Impossible to Guard Against!
Chapter 520: Taboo Knowledge, Impossible to Guard Against!
Ever since Lü Yang implemented the false dynasty system and took control of Jiangdong, [Ang Xiao] had known that the time for the reversal of Chen Earth was drawing closer.
Yet he had also discovered the key to it.
'Though it's called reversing Chen Earth, there's a rigid condition—he must either seek the Golden Position first or immediately after reversing Chen Earth.'
Because once Chen Earth was reversed, Chong Guang would undoubtedly begin seeking verification for the Golden Position without delay.
In such a scenario, if Lü Yang also ascended to seek the Golden Position simultaneously, Chong Guang would become his staunchest ally, resulting in a mutually beneficial outcome.
But what if Lü Yang couldn't seek the Golden Position at that time?
If that happened, and Chong Guang became a True Lord while Lü Yang did not, the situation would be entirely different. Who knew if Chong Guang, as a True Lord, might turn hostile?
Unless Lü Yang was willing to trust the character of a Saint Sect True Person.
Otherwise, he absolutely could not allow Chong Guang to seek the Golden Position first. Ideally, Lü Yang would seek it first and then assist Chong Guang, or at the very least, they would seek it simultaneously.
Thus, the answer was clear:
'As long as I can prevent this demonic dragon from seeking the Golden Position and sever his path, the [Overturned Lamp Flame] will no longer be in danger, making it much easier to handle afterward.'
Even if Chen Earth was eventually reversed and Chong Guang verified the [Overturned Lamp Flame], as long as Lü Yang failed to verify the [Heavenly Fire Above], the absence of one Supreme Fruit Position would mean one less formidable enemy. Once True Lords emerged into the world, he could always devise new plans.
However, while the idea was sound, how to execute it?
Admittedly, Lü Yang had accurately gauged [Ang Xiao]'s current state—he truly had little remaining power to interfere with the mortal world.
Thus, he could only rely on external forces.
With this thought, [Ang Xiao] turned to Mu Changsheng, opening his mouth to speak—but in the next instant, a deafening explosion resounded—
"Boom!"
Xiao Shiye exploded.
To be precise, it was the false body of Xiao Shiye, crafted by Lü Yang using the power of a Fruit Position. Just as [Ang Xiao] was about to speak, Lü Yang decisively severed the connection.
The reason was simple:
'My intuition tells me something's wrong!'
'[Ang Xiao]... this old beast must have a trick up his sleeve!'
Lü Yang formed a hand seal, the radiant hues of the [Coiled Dragon Root] flowing at his fingertips, dispelling misfortune and warding off calamity, combined with the mystical insight of [Rise and Fall Matters] to sense fortune and disaster.
The fusion of the two made him exquisitely sensitive to danger.
In the past, [Ang Xiao] could still obscure his perception with the [Knowledge-Perception Obstruction], but now, [Ang Xiao] no longer had that capability.
Thus, the moment he sensed danger, even with the [Puppet on Strings] as a safeguard, Lü Yang did not hesitate to cut off his observation of the Refinement Secret Realm. After all, his opponent was none other than [Ang Xiao]—no amount of caution was excessive. With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately focused his thoughts:
"Boom!"
The [Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes] descended with a thunderous crash, firmly encasing him in their protection. According to Empress Xiao, this would ensure his soul and divine sense remained unaffected.
Only after completing these precautions did Lü Yang cautiously peer around.
Where was the danger?
Lü Yang rubbed his fingers so vigorously they nearly sparked, conjuring flashes of divine ability brilliance as he attempted to calculate the source of the threat. Yet in the next moment, his expression abruptly changed:
'No... bad, I shouldn't have calculated it!'
But it was already too late. The moment this thought surfaced, a deluge of information had already flowed through the Web of Karma, effortlessly calculated by Lü Yang!
The inverse application of the Dao of Karma!
Lü Yang instantly understood [Ang Xiao]'s method: while ordinary people went to great lengths to obscure heavenly secrets and conceal karma, he did the exact opposite.
Instead of hiding karma, he actively provided it.
Caught off guard, Lü Yang had already deduced the cause and effect by the time he realized what was happening. The unease in his heart intensified sharply, yet confusion also surged:
'What exactly is he trying to do?'
The Dao of Karma was undoubtedly formidable, but it lacked substantive lethality. Even if he fell into this trap, [Ang Xiao] couldn't use it to kill him across space.
In other words: how do you plan to win?
As Lü Yang pondered, the cause and effect he had just deduced surfaced in his mind—a brief dialogue between [Ang Xiao] and Mu Changsheng, consisting of only a few lines.
[Ang Xiao] initiated the exchange: "Innate Daoist, speaking of which, you've been trapped in this Refinement Secret Realm for about five thousand years now, haven't you?"
Mu Changsheng responded with confusion: "Five thousand years?"
"What are you talking about? After my consciousness returned to my soul, I checked—my soul has been imprisoned here for at most a thousand years..."
—What?
For a moment, Lü Yang was utterly bewildered.
Because he couldn't comprehend the significance of this dialogue or why it would serve as [Ang Xiao]'s lethal trick against him, something so dangerous.
What was wrong with this information?
'Wait... I remember Mu Changsheng rose to prominence during the great calamity five thousand years ago, then went into hiding afterward, with his soul seized by the Founding Ancestor of the Saint Sect...'
Hmm? That doesn't seem right...
The lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator spanned five lifetimes, totaling no more than fifteen hundred years. If Mu Changsheng rose five thousand years ago, he would have had to seek the Golden Position no later than thirty-five hundred years ago.
After failing to attain the Golden Position, his soul was captured.
Following this timeline, his soul should have been trapped in the Refinement Secret Realm for at least three thousand years! How could it possibly be only a mere thousand?
The moment this realization struck, Lü Yang felt as if he had grasped a key, unlocking another treasure trove of memories sealed in his mind.
'True Lord Qingcheng Feixue... she doesn't fit either!'
'From what I know, she also rose to prominence five thousand years ago, meaning she became a True Lord no later than thirty-five hundred years ago.'
'Yet a hundred years after attaining the status of True Lord, she clashed with the former Taishi of the Dao Court.'
'In other words, this battle must have occurred at least three thousand years ago... but after the battle ended, the former Taishi was purged by Emperor Jia You.'
Herein lay the problem:
'The Heavenly Son of the Dao Court rules for only a thousand years before ascending via Dragon-Riding Heavenly Ascent... meaning Emperor Jia You should have become a True Lord within the last thousand years!'
How could a True Lord from the last thousand years appear three thousand years ago?
"Boom!!!"
The moment this doubt arose in Lü Yang's heart, a peal of thunder resounded across the heavens. Lü Yang looked up blankly, his pupils contracting sharply in an instant:
"Yi! Never did I think... I... damn it!"
The words on the tip of his tongue were forcibly swallowed back.
Through karma calculation, Lü Yang clearly saw a strand of Buddhist light clinging to him like a malignant tumor—the karmic connection of the Buddhist disciple!
At this moment, Lü Yang finally understood: "Damn it, it's impossible to guard against!"
'The danger... is this very piece of knowledge!'
'The secret of the timeline, the taboo of five thousand years... even among the True Lords, few seem aware of it. [Ang Xiao] used this knowledge to trap me.'
Judging by the reaction, this was likely a secret belonging to the World-Honored One!
Yet in the next moment, Lü Yang forcibly suppressed his panic, fear, and other negative emotions, regaining his composure as he gazed distantly toward Jiangxi:
'No, it hasn't reached the worst outcome yet.'
Admittedly, he had learned something he shouldn't have, but now he was Emperor Huanming of the Dao Court, with the [Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes] constantly reinforcing him.
'I have backing too!'
The Dao Court and the Pure Land had always maintained a facade of harmony while harboring discord. Surely, the Dao Lord of the Dao Court would relish the opportunity to provoke the World-Honored One and wouldn't allow the latter to intervene directly.
'As long as the World-Honored One's true form doesn't descend, I won't be taken away.'
'The Buddhist karmic connection is, after all, merely the karma of the Buddhist disciple—not the true World-Honored One. At most, it will draw the disciple's attention, adding more variables to my pursuit of the Golden Position...'
'...Right, this was [Ang Xiao]'s plan all along.'
'Killing me outright was unrealistic, so he took a different approach—using a piece of taboo knowledge as a lever to disrupt my path to the Golden Position through Jiangxi!'
The next moment, Lü Yang's premonition came true.
"Amitabha!"
From the direction of Jiangxi, a beam of Buddhist light shot into the sky, accompanied by a resounding chant. Faintly visible within the sea of clouds was the figure of a golden Buddha seated in meditation.
'The [Manifestation of Victory and Clarity Dharmadhatu]? No...'
The golden Buddha manifesting now, whether in terms of aura or appearance, far surpassed the dharma form Lü Yang had seen on Guang Ming in his previous life.
Without a doubt—
'The World-Honored One hasn't descended personally, but He has doubled the stakes!'