Jiangbei, Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.
As an escaping light descended, Xiang Ye, Hong Ju, and Lu Yang landed one after another on the Sacred Fire Cliff. Lu Yang also surveyed the scene of the Saint Sect after a long absence.
As he expected, looking around, it was indeed a scene of vibrant vitality, with all living things flourishing in competition.
He even saw an old acquaintance.
Perfected One Yin Shan...
Perfected One Yin Shan remained completely unaware of his gaze.
Seeing this scene, a few feelings of emotion rose in Lu Yang's heart. The Foundation Establishment Perfected One who was once unattainable now seemed like nothing more than this.
And... Perfected One Primordial!
Lu Yang hadn't forgotten the scene he saw earlier through the [Marionette]. Perfected One Primordial Mu Changsheng was currently still locked up in the Refining Arts Secret Realm.
This one could be considered utterly pitted by the Saint Sect Ancestor. He painstakingly created the [Wu You Heaven], thinking he had hope for Seeking Golden Core. The result was that his most crucial soul was directly thrown into the Refining Arts Secret Realm by the Saint Sect Ancestor. Five thousand years were wasted, all effort in vain.
Hmm, gotta stay away from that unlucky bastard.
Don't want his blood splashing on me.
While Lu Yang was pondering, Xiang Ye was also sizing up this "outer heavens rogue cultivator," laughing secretly in his heart: What outer heavens cultivator? he's f**king lying!
Did he think he couldn't tell?
This guy entered the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea like entering his own home, and found the location of the Sacred Fire Cliff at a glance. It would be weird if he weren't a Saint Sect Perfected One!
This is trying to make a clean break.
Xiang Ye rubbed his chin: But where exactly did my Saint Sect pop out such a Great Perfected One from? Truly as if he popped out of nowhere...
Cultivation was never a one-man affair.
Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Blessed Land, Golden Nature... which one didn't require resources? Which one didn't require dealing with people? Which one didn't require contending and snatching from others?
Master's inheritance, Daoist friends, enemies—logically speaking, what cultivator didn't have these three? If it were the Early or Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, it would be fine; not many people pay attention. But the Late Stage or Perfection of Foundation Establishment—a dignified Great Perfected One—would have some slight fame looking at the world.
How could no one know him?
This person... I definitely know him!
Xiang Ye considered his qualifications to be quite old. Even Chong Guang was inferior to him. Looking at the current Saint Sect, probably only Hong Ju had lived longer than him.
...Hm?
Suddenly, Xiang Ye's thoughts paused.
It's fine if I don't recognize him, but Hong Ju is different... Relying on that [Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light], he has lived for at least more than five thousand years.
Foundation Establishment Perfection—five reincarnations would only be one thousand five hundred years.
Logically speaking, Hong Ju had seen off several generations of Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators in the Saint Sect. If it really were a returning Saint Sect Great Perfected One, how could he completely not recognize him?
Unless...
He needs to hide?
Who can make him hide?
Xiang Ye sorted out all his thoughts like peeling a cocoon, and then a guess jumped out:
...Hong Yun?
Thinking of this, Xiang Ye's first reaction was:
Impossible!
The legend of Hong Yun could be said to be widely known among Saint Sect Perfected Ones. If the Saint Sect had an annual top ten jokes, Hong Yun's experience would definitely top the list.
Therefore, when Xiang Ye thought of "Hong Yun," he immediately subconsciously rejected this idea. But soon, after excluding a series of other impossibilities, he still couldn't help thinking: Could it really be Hong Yun... Hmm, after all, he is a reincarnated Perfected Lord. I cannot underestimate him.
Xiang Ye pondered in his heart but remained calm on the surface:
"Fellow Daoist has just arrived and just fought a great battle with that Buddha Child. Why not stay here temporarily to recuperate, and then you and I can exchange views later."
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."
Lu Yang cupped his hands. Then he arrived at the cave abode quiet room Xiang Ye arranged for him. With a thought, he took out the Myriad Spirits Banner again.
As the banner fluttered, Suo Huan's figure emerged.
"Greetings, my Lord."
Suo Huan bowed respectfully, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Immediately after, Lu Yang's expression turned solemn as he said gravely: "Regarding the problem on Fellow Daoist, I have two solutions. It depends on which one Fellow Daoist chooses."
"Please instruct me, my Lord."
Under circumstances where he could keep his promise, Lu Yang had always kept his promise.
Since he said he would save Suo Huan in this life, he naturally had thought of a way long ago. Besides, in his current view, Suo Huan's problem wasn't actually difficult.
Lu Yang held up two fingers: "The first method is for you to abandon the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land]. I will strip away your consciousness, then send your soul to reincarnate. After your soul finishes reincarnating and washes away the traces of the outer heavens, I will send your consciousness back. Then you can re-cultivate the Great Dao."
This plan could be called setting things right once and for all.
With the [Marionette], Lu Yang could completely lock onto Suo Huan's soul. Even after the baptism of the [Netherworld], he could quickly sense it.
And once washed by the [Netherworld], Sky-Shrouding would have no way to deal with Suo Huan.
Although stripping consciousness also had a very high probability of failure—one slip could lead to sudden death—Lu Yang could use [Divining Luck Drawing Lots] to avoid it.
Strictly speaking, I can even use this method to achieve soul immortality like a Perfected Lord's reincarnation without Golden Nature. If word gets out, who knows how many Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones will be envious... Pity, this is solely meaningless for me who has [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes].
And—
"This subordinate chooses the second plan."
As Lu Yang expected, Suo Huan abandoned the first plan almost without hesitation. He couldn't abandon the hope of the Universe Ruins Realm's recovery.
Even if there were problems, he wouldn't do it.
Lu Yang shook his head: "The second plan is you can keep the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land], but don't practice that [Myriad Spirits Return to Ruins Dao Scripture] anymore."
Suo Huan didn't object upon hearing this, only showing a worried look: "But without the [Myriad Spirits Return to Ruins Dao Scripture], how can I, a mere outer heavens cultivator, seek the Golden Core?"
"Just change to another one."
With a thought, Lu Yang quickly sorted out a cultivation method from his divine sense and handed it to Suo Huan.
[Supreme True Immortal Dao]!
"This is..."
"This is the cultivation method corresponding to the Dao Fruit of the [Mystic Spirit World Realm]." Lu Yang grinned: "The Perfected Lords are in seclusion; the Mystic Spirit World Realm is currently still sitting there and hasn't left."
Originally, according to the efficiency of the four major powers, the [Mystic Spirit World Realm] should have been digested without a scrap left by now. But Chong Guang suddenly pulled a big one, taking all Perfected Lords away. The result was that the digestion process of the [Mystic Spirit World Realm] was abandoned halfway, leaving the shell there until now.
Lu Yang's plan was very simple.
Abandon the [Myriad Spirits Return to Ruins Dao Scripture] which Sky-Shrouding left a backdoor in, and instead let Suo Huan swallow the [Mystic Spirit World Realm] to seek the Golden Core and ascend to the position!
Suo Huan's eyes brightened upon hearing this: "Can it succeed?"
"...There's hope!" Lu Yang looked certain, but in his heart was another thought:
Succees my ass, he's dead for sure!
If Suo Huan chose the first plan, he would be happy to help him fulfill it. But the second plan meant not jumping out of Sky-Shrouding's layout and calculation.
Then there was no helping it.
After the trip to the Seven Luminaries Heaven, Lu Yang deeply realized that sometimes strategic diversion is necessary. Without jumping out of the enemy's chessboard, one can never win.
So when Suo Huan chose the second plan, he defaulted to him being beyond saving.
But it didn't matter.
According to Lu Yang's estimation, as long as he restarted and used [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] to wash Suo Huan's soul and the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land] once, there shouldn't be any problem.
Then why did Lu Yang propose the second plan?
The answer was simple: If Suo Huan didn't seek the Golden Core, how could he fish [Sky-Shrouding] out?
Fellow Daoist Suo Huan, after you choose the second plan, your opportunity will be in the next life... Since that's the case, it doesn't matter if you let me use you in this life, right?
[Netherworld], Unspeakable Place.
Inside a majestic palace hall, Sky-Shrouding sat cross-legged, quietly overlooking the river of souls flowing past his door, as if looking at something of utmost beauty.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, he raised his head.
Currently, he couldn't see the present world, nor could he even extend his hand out of this palace hall. However, the induction transmitted through the Dao Fruit still made him frown slightly:
"[Knowledge-Perception Barrier] was broken... Suo Huan?"
Sky-Shrouding's expression appeared slightly gloomy. Suo Huan was his key piece to seizing the Dao Fruit and pulling it into the [Netherworld]. There shouldn't have been any problems.
But a problem just occurred... This feeling of things going beyond control made Sky-Shrouding feel quite uncomfortable. Although he hadn't done nothing in these thirty years, he always lacked an opportunity, making it difficult to achieve success... Just then, his gaze suddenly moved.
In front of the palace hall door, within the vast river of souls.
"Amitabha."
A Foundation Establishment soul that had died of old age and reincarnated suddenly jumped out. The soul displayed Buddhist light and said in a grand voice: "Little monk Guang Ming pays respects to Senior Sky-Shrouding."