Before Sky-Shrouding finished speaking, Lu Yang reacted.
He misunderstood!
This exceeded Lu Yang's expectations. He had no idea what going through [Sky-Shrouding]'s thought process was to actually mistake him for Hong Yun.
However, this didn't stop Lu Yang from reacting.
His expression changed, fluctuating between light and dark. After a long time, he sighed deeply and looked at Sky-Shrouding: "I wonder how Senior saw through it."
"Very simple."
[Sky-Shrouding] smiled upon seeing this: "All things have karma and background. How can there be a mighty cultivator appearing out of thin air in the world?"
"Back then, when Chong Guang took away the world's Perfected Lords, Hong Yun, you were not among them. With the means of a Perfected Lord reincarnating, you should have challenged [Overturned Lamp Flame] again long ago. For this, I even prepared many methods waiting for you... Yet you vanished from the world, disappearing without a trace for thirty years."
"I almost thought you were dead."
"And coincidentally, that Fellow Daoist who played chess with me at the [Southern Heavenly Gate] back then also disappeared strangely from this world along with you, Hong Yun."
"Until many years later, Fellow Daoist appeared out of nowhere."
"A guest from the outer heavens... very interesting."
Speaking of this, Sky-Shrouding looked intrigued: "Although Fellow Daoist concealed it very well, having fought with Fellow Daoist many times, I also know your roots and foundation."
"Fellow Daoist's Golden Nature can be hidden from others' eyes."
"But in my eyes, it cannot be hidden."
Sky-Shrouding's words were incomparably certain. Lu Yang narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, understanding in his heart: So that's it... it's the fault of Hong Yun's Golden Nature.
Sky-Shrouding sensed Hong Yun's Golden Nature!
If other things were just corroboration, then Hong Yun's Golden Nature was hard evidence. After all, who would have thought Hong Yun would be spawn-camped and counter-slain by him just after reincarnating?
With this thought, Lu Yang simply shut his mouth and said nothing.
Saying more means more mistakes.
At this time, silence is the way to pretend to be an expert!
On the other side, seeing Lu Yang not responding, Sky-Shrouding shook his head: "Why must Fellow Daoist fear me like a tiger? You and I no longer have any conflict now."
"After all, I see Fellow Daoist has already given up on [Overturned Lamp Flame] and turned to seek an outer heavens Dao Fruit. Infiltrating the Sword Pavilion before... could it be you are interested in the [Sword Dao Fruit]? I underestimated Fellow Daoist before. Fellow Daoist dares to choose and discard, worthy of a heaven's favored one. its a pity your luck is always a bit short..."
In an instant, Lu Yang's heart became clear.
Because from Sky-Shrouding's words, he keenly noticed one thing:
He thinks I aim for the [Sword Dao Fruit] but says my luck is bad... Meaning he actually doesn't think the [Sword Dao Fruit] can be attained?
Why?
Lu Yang weighed his words carefully. After a long time, he whispered—
"Senior thinks I cannot obtain the [Sword Dao Fruit]?"
Sky-Shrouding didn't suspect him. Hearing this, he chuckled immediately: "What can you do? Today the Pure Land will inevitably be in great chaos. What [Sword Dao Fruit]? It's nothing but a mirage!"
For a time, Lu Yang's thoughts turned rapidly. He said in a deep voice:
"The Pure Land plotted for many years, and Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon has now entered the urn. In my view, the [Sword Dao Fruit] is already within my grasp. How can it be a mirage?"
After speaking, he very timely revealed a bit of unwillingness.
Such a performance further confirmed Sky-Shrouding's guess, thinking "Hong Yun" was unwilling to believe his judgment, hence asking this.
At the same time, Sky-Shrouding also pondered in his heart:
That Buddha Child of the Pure Land obviously harbors evil intentions. Cooperating with him has no future. On the contrary, this Hong Yun is much more powerful than I imagined, yet he happens to be all alone, easy to handle... Now that there is no struggle for the Dao path between us, if I rope him in, he should be quite useful...
With this thought, Sky-Shrouding smiled instantly:
"If the World Honored One personally oversaw it, naturally there would be no variables this time. However, the Buddha Child is ultimately not the World Honored One. The Pure Land is still a bit too naive."
Lu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this: "...Naive?"
"Indeed."
Sky-Shrouding shook his head and said a sentence that deeply surprised Lu Yang: "The Pure Land truly underestimated that Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon."
Underestimated Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon?
What does that mean?
Lu Yang's Sword Incarnation was following right beside Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon at this moment. He knew Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's current situation all too well. It was truly being surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Can this still be turned around?
Facing Lu Yang's confusion, Sky-Shrouding only chuckled lightly.
As a fellow cultivator of the Saint Sect, he understood the so-called "old nice guy" best. The better his reputation, the more cunning his actions; he was definitely plotting something wicked!
Boom!
Pure Land, inside the Supreme Truth Enlightenment Monastery, Buddha Child Guang Ming stood up directly. Behind him, the majestic Golden Body Buddha statue slowly opened its palm.
In an instant, countless golden lights emerged from that full Buddha palm, presenting countless images—the heavenly capital jade rampart, the dragon coiling golden city, ministers offering advice, and the clash of swords and the thunder of horses. It truly depicted the myriad aspects of the mortal world, the divine realm, all held atop the Buddha's palm, constantly evolving in form.
Hiss!
Seeing this scene, Lu Yang felt as if he had suffered a heavy blow. Stormy waves rose in his sea of consciousness, and an uncontrollable greed gushed from the bottom of his heart like a spring—
It's [City Rampart Earth]!
The only Dao Fruit in the world today imprisoned in one place, the core of the Pure Land's [Buddha Kingdom on Earth], was now impressively held in Guang Ming's palm!
So that's how it is...
At such a close distance, with Lu Yang's current dao comprehension, he could already see some clues. At least he understood how the Pure Land contained [City Rampart Earth].
[City Rampart Earth] is a heavy weapon for establishing a nation. While controlling human hearts, it is also limited by human hearts. Therefore, the Pure Land relied on the characteristic of buddhist cultivators being of one mind to forcibly lock [City Rampart Earth] in the land of Jiangxi. In this situation, unless one is a Buddhist cultivator, no one can attain [City Rampart Earth]...
...But why at this time?
At this moment, watching Buddha Child Guang Ming suddenly take out [City Rampart Earth] and feeling the mighty power brazenly spreading out, Lu Yang immediately realized the situation had changed.
Why take out [City Rampart Earth] at this time? To activate the [Buddha Kingdom on Earth]?
Because he discovered something wrong, worried that things might change if he wait too long?
Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately looked beside him.
Immediately, he saw Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, who had remained silent since entering the Pure Land, finally stand up slowly and speak his first sentence:
"Listen to my sword cry."
Only when the voice fell did Lu Yang realize this sentence wasn't said to Buddha Child Guang Ming and other monks, but Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon speaking to himself.
Just this one sentence aggravated the premonition of unease in Buddha Child Guang Ming's heart.
Something wasn't quite right!
How could this be?
Clang!
The next second, a crisp sword cry rang out from Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's body, becoming increasingly intense. finally, it boomed and drowned out the sound of the great bell echoing in the Pure Land!
"You want to go on a killing spree?"
Buddha Child Guang Ming was stunned upon seeing this, then breathed a sigh of relief instead... Because this was within his expectations. He didn't care how many Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon killed.
However, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon shook his head upon hearing this: "I didn't come to kill people today."
[No-Kill Sword] unsheathed.
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon looked at Buddha Child Guang Ming calmly and said softly:
"Pure Land Buddhist cultivators are of one mind, all puppets of the World Honored One... You are like that, and so are my former friends. I have come to save you."
"Save me?"
Buddha Child Guang Ming was instantly stunned.
Then he saw a sword light spread rapidly outward with Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon as the center. Wherever it passed, not a single person died.
"This sword... severs karma, not people!"
Crack!
Crisp sounds rang out incessantly.
That was the sound of "connections" being severed. Buddha Child Guang Ming looked up instantly, looking at the [Supreme Truth Enlightenment Tuoluo Heaven Manifestation] behind him in extreme terror.
At this moment, the connection between him and the dharma aspect was severed!
Not just him. All Arhats, novice monks, and monks present had some deepest level connection cut off, revealing looks of blankness on their faces.
At this moment, the Buddhist monks, who had previously shared the same expressions, actions, and thoughts, suddenly experienced hundreds of different emotions—some fear, some anger, some dread, and some relief. The pure land of Buddhism instantly transformed into a bustling metropolis!