Jiangxi, Pure Land.
Boundless Buddhist light filled the sky. The towering [Supreme Truth Enlightenment Tuoluo Heaven Manifestation] rose from the ground, palms joined together, the sound of chanting resonating through more than half of Jiangxi.
Behind this Dharma Aspect, the two disciples who had returned to their positions—King Zhen Nan, Wu Taian of the Dao Court, and Perfected One Warding-Evil—also erupted with their auras. Perfected One Warding-Evil pointed to the Dao Fruit [White Wax Gold], while King Zhen Nan, Wu Taian, pointed to the Dao Fruit [Mountain Peak Fire].
Above the dome of the sky, stars emerged.
Although it was described as such, they did not need Perfected One Warding-Evil and Wu Taian to successfully seeking Golden Core. If they could make the Dao Fruit manifest, it would be considered a success.
If the Dao Fruit manifests, it can be pulled into the [Buddha Kingdom].
At that time, if I can attain [City Rampart Earth], I can wield the great authority of the [Buddha Kingdom] and thereby indirectly manipulate the other Dao Fruits that fall into the [Buddha Kingdom].
It was a pity that times had changed.
In the past, [City Rampart Earth] was locked down by the Pure Land using one mind, ensuring that only a Buddhist Cultivator could attain it, guaranteeing the [Buddha Kingdom] could not fall into outsider hands.
However, now, if the Pure Land had no way to attain [City Rampart Earth] at the same time the [Buddha Kingdom] formed, and instead allowed others to successfully seek Golden Core for the other four Dao Fruits, then the opponent could immediately use the might of a Perfected Lord to turn from guest to host, making the Pure Land's [Buddha Kingdom on Earth] merely act as wedding clothes for someone else!
What was this?
In Jiangxi, Lu Yang, who witnessed this scene with his own eyes through his sword incarnation, had a realization in his heart:
This is an opportunity. An opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step! The [Buddha Kingdom] has the five elements complete plus a Supreme Dao Fruit... this is the configuration only [Sky-shrouding] possesses!
In other words, whoever could control the [Buddha Kingdom on Earth] in the end.
Whoever that was had the hope of becoming the next [Sky-shrouding]!
Boom!
Just then, with a loud noise, two more auras shot into the sky, drawing down a blaze of heavenly light and manifesting the phenomenon of two Dao Fruit stars.
[Pomegranate Wood]!
[Wellspring Water]!
In the land of Jiangnan, the ground cracked open. Surging earth vein qi clustered around a stone man as he paced out; it was shockingly Lu Yang's former Immortal Spirit body!
On the other side, a figure also walked out from within the Sword Pavilion.
Xiang Ye.
This Foundation Establishment Great Perfected One, the sole survivor of the Saint Sect, had clearly gained much in the Sword Pavilion. The [Wellspring Water] Dao Fruit manifested its light and shadow precisely because of him.
Both were people with Buddhist affinity. Lu Yang saw the opportunity of the [Buddha Kingdom on Earth] clearly; naturally, with their dao comprehension, it was impossible for them not to deduce the sequence of events. Thus, they no longer resisted and even actively appeared, wanting to facilitate the [Buddha Kingdom on Earth] and fight for that opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step!
At this moment, all parties were prepared.
Although the Pure Land had suffered a great loss, they were not without trump cards. After all, having locked down [City Rampart Earth] for so long, they surely had some means of response.
Xiang Ye also had his own plans.
As for Immortal Spirit Shangzhang, it went without saying. He was aided by the Lord of Heaven, and at this moment, he was favored by fortune itself. The speed at which his aura rose was the most rapid among everyone.
"At a time like this... an Immortal Spirit is born!"
The world was shaken, and discussions abounded.
A significant number of Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones focused their gazes on Immortal Spirit Shangzhang. After all, a perfect Immortal Spirit had previously existed almost only in history.
The Perfected Ones of various forces, once they reached a certain status, knew more or less about the taboos of Immortal Spirits.
It should have been the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivators of the four factions stepping forward to compete for the Perfected Lord position, but now a natural-born, fully prepared Great Perfection Immortal Spirit had appeared.
Was he going to snatch the peach right out from under them?
At this moment, many Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones harbored similar thoughts. Even Immortal Spirit Shangzhang himself couldn't help but think the same way.
After all, compared to him, what were the other four but rotten fish and shrimp? The Pure Land's [Supreme Truth Enlightenment Tuoluo Heaven Manifestation] had lost Guang Ming as a vessel, and its might was greatly reduced. Perfected One Warding-Evil was already half-dead. Xiang Ye was war-torn and harbored old injuries. Wu Taian was from the Dao Court...
"In this battle, the advantage is mine!"
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang let out a long howl, full of smug satisfaction, and was about to ride his escaping light toward the Pure Land. However, in the next second, his vision abruptly darkened.
"...Eh?"
It was a hand.
A slender, full palm cut off his path out of thin air, spanning across heaven and earth, casting a deep shadow over his body.
"Who is it!?"
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang exploded with his own aura almost subconsciously. Five Divine Abilities emerged in succession, instantly whipping up a spiritual tide that covered ten thousand li.
However, even with such a massive spiritual tide—where the collision of spiritual energy birthed earth, water, wind, and fire, and thunder exploded—it was all encompassed by that slender palm. The boiling spiritual fire landed on it but couldn't even burn through the skin, leaving him to watch helplessly as the five fingers slowly closed.
How is this possible... Impossible...!
This wasn't Foundation Establishment!
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang had a clear understanding of his own strength. Under the heavens, there was absolutely no Foundation Establishment Perfected One who could handle his Divine Abilities in this manner!
Even Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon couldn't; at the very least, he would have to draw his sword!
Yet the palm before him circulated no spiritual power. It simply manifested and then grabbed at him out of thin air!
To be able to do this...
A Perfected Lord? How is that possible!
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang looked up at the sky. [Wall-Top Earth] was still radiating heavenly light. Although it was becoming increasingly dazzling, it had not yet reached the level that could support the descent of a Perfected Lord.
Where did a Perfected Lord come from?!
Lord of Heaven... Lord of Heaven save me...
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang called out urgently, but the earnest care from the Lord of Heaven that he usually felt was now completely cut off.
In the next second, Immortal Spirit Shangzhang's grand ambitions and infinite aspirations from the moment of his birth shattered like a dream bubble. He was grabbed by the giant hand descending from the sky, and then he felt the sky spin and the earth turn. When he looked up again, he saw a face that was all too familiar.
"...It's you!?"
Immortal Spirit Shangzhang froze. Lu Yang was no longer hiding; his aura exploded as he looked at him quietly, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile.
"Has this day finally come?"
Thinking back decades ago, he was merely a plaything in Immortal Spirit Shangzhang's palm, unable to even commit suicide. Yet now, the poles had reversed, and their positions were swapped.
With a thought, a pitch-black palace hall landed in Lu Yang's palm. It was a massively shrunken [Yama Hall], only now it was filled with the thick scent of incense, and a brilliant, blazing Golden Nature was burning within it, causing Lu Yang's stature to climb continuously.
[Yama Hall]!
"How is this possible..."
On the other side, [Sky-shrouding], possessing the Ancestor of the Yun Family, lost his composure for the first time. dumbstruck, his gaze fixed straight on the calm-looking Lu Yang.
"Nothing is impossible."
Lu Yang smirked and casually tossed Immortal Spirit Shangzhang into the [Yama Hall]. At the same time, a talent was already acting upon this Immortal Spirit.
[Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest]!
What was mine in the past... should be returned to me now!
The Immortal Spirit's main body, flesh, soul, and [Pomegranate Wood] related Divine Abilities were all being reclaimed by Lu Yang under the effect of [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest]!
During this process, his aura became increasingly intense.
Until finally, he brazenly trampled through a certain invisible barrier.
Boom!
Lu Yang opened his eyes.
At some point, his eyes had turned golden, as if two candle flames were ignited in their depths. The world in his eyes was now vastly different.
[Overturned Lamp Flame]—illuminating where the sun and moon do not shine, brightening the world before dawn.
The next second, Lu Yang lowered his head and looked at [Sky-shrouding].
"Where does Fellow Daoist intend to go?"
"..." [Sky-shrouding] was silent.
He seemed to want to use the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] to hide, but this time, the usually unfailing [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] failed before Lu Yang's eyes.
This result seemed to declare a fact that no one could deny—
In today's world, with the Perfected Lords not manifesting... this person is likely unstoppable!