[Sky-shrouding]'s reaction could not be called slow.
More importantly, as a Saint Sect Perfected Lord, he shared the same characteristic as Lu Yang— extremely decisive when things needed to be done.
This cant go on!
With this thought, [Sky-shrouding] immediately changed the previously designated plan. Originally, he intended to turn Chong Guang into a stepping stone for his further advancement.
Eliminate Hong Yun, this last hidden danger. Then after Chong Guang fails in seeking Golden Core, use [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] to secretly hide the Dao sin transformed after his death. Wait until the limelight passes, then use Chong Guang's Dao sin to draw in [Overturned Lamp Flame], finally pulling this Dao Fruit into the [Netherworld].
The whole plan was perfect.
If Lu Yang knew, he would immediately understand [Sky-shrouding]'s logic of action in the ninth life; it was actually following this plan.
But there were no flawless plans in the world.
Therefore, halfway through the plan, [Sky-shrouding] also encountered variables... For example, Chong Guang seeking Golden Core. [Sky-shrouding] clearly didn't anticipate he could reach the critical point.
In [Sky-shrouding]'s plan, Chong Guang should have sought golden core very smoothly, then died suddenly without raising any waves... Yet Chong Guang forcibly relied on his own Dao Heart and natural talent to force him to expose his identity and become enemies with the world's Perfected Lords before collecting Chong Guang's Dao sin.
After that, there was even less need to say.
Overseas disputes, Feixue's layout... [Sky-shrouding] actually encountered many accidents, but survived them all relying on profound foundation and back-hand moves.
Plans never keep up with changes; this is common sense in the world.
[Sky-shrouding] was also very clear about this, so his plan had a large margin for error. He could also modify and adjust for accidents in the plan at any time.
However, the accident was a bit big this time.
"I can sense that the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] left in the Saint Sect was suddenly broken. My hidden name and information are probably exposed."
"In other words, forget about [Overturned Lamp Flame]."
The more [Sky-shrouding] pondered, the uglier his face became: "Moreover, the other party is deliberately isolating my perception of the mortal world. If this goes on, I'll be too passive."
This cannot be allowed.
Falling behind means getting attacked. If the initiative is handed over to others, things will be very difficult to handle. One careless moment, and countless years of planning will all come to naught!
Thinking of this, [Sky-shrouding]'s mind moved instantly.
Since achieving late-stage Golden Core and hiding in the [Netherworld], five thousand years had passed. In these five thousand years, he prepared many trump cards for himself.
Among them, there were three most crucial ones.
The first was naturally the [World-Retribution Incarnation], allowing him to forcibly interfere with the mortal world when necessary, exerting combat power far exceeding middle-stage Golden Core.
The second was Suo Huan.
Both [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land] and [Myriad Spirits Return to Ruins Dao Scripture] were baits for him to lead [Eternal Flowing Water] into the [Netherworld]. Naturally, they were crucial.
However, compared to the third trump card, the first two appeared insignificant... because the third trump card was his painstaking work.
..
The next second, [Sky-shrouding]'s consciousness crossed the [Netherworld].
Straight into Jiangxi.
Meanwhile, in the Jiangxi Pure Land, the faint phantoms of numerous temples could be seen, their light emanating from them—truly a place of thunderous preaching and merit, a grand Dharma hall unblemished through countless eons.
However, deep within these temple phantoms, beneath the surface of the light, lay a bizarre and wondrous scene: a series of Zen forests, each containing countless temples, yet clearly divided into several distinct sections, each with a unique appearance. These Zen forests were the sacred sites of the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land.
One of the Zen forests had the most grotesque appearance.
Looking upon it, one was struck by a colossal golden Buddha!
He sat cross-legged, his full palms outstretched, containing mountains and rivers, countless temples, each with monks practicing.
And it wasn't just his hands; his hair, skin, seven orifices, even his lungs—every organ of this golden Buddha seemed to be a temple, a vast Buddhist kingdom!
This was the [Special Image Zen Forest].
The master of this Zen forest was named [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow]. He was the lowkey Bodhisattva in the huge Pure Land, and also the one least known to outsiders.
However, just then, this towering Golden Body Great Buddha suddenly produced an anomaly. It didn't move, only Buddha light suddenly rippled behind its head, then turned into circles of pure round light and wheels of wisdom dharma. While rotating, it seemed to be calculating something, or receiving someone.
Such a change naturally attracted the attention of the Bodhisattvas.
"Coiled Dragon... what is he doing?"
"I don't know. Ever since he fed himself to the Buddha, using his Dharma Body to raise numerous temples and establishing this [Wondrous Manifestations Zen Forest], he hasn't spoken for many years."
"Ignore him."
"He is an unorthodox cultivator. For years he bitterly sought [Silted Sand Earth] without result. Now establishing the zen forest, perhaps the World Honored One sent blessings, and he gained some enlightenment."
"Indeed..."
The discussions of the other Bodhisattvas didn't affect [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow]'s mood at all. At this moment, he just silently watched his own consciousness sea.
In his heart, there was only one question—
Who am I?
The next second, a voice emerged from the bottom of his heart: You are me.
Numerous sealed memories surfaced in his mind, making him suddenly realize the truth. At the same time, a figure shrouded in smoke also appeared in his consciousness sea.
[Sky-shrouding]!
He stood with hands behind his back, scrutinizing [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow]'s state, seeming to be judging something. After a long time, he nodded:
"Good, very good."
"It seems the seal of [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] wasn't damaged... This trump card can still be used. Or rather, that mastermind behind the scenes hasn't discovered him yet?"
Correct, [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] was his third trump card!
This was an Unorthodox Perfected Lord—but not an ordinary one. The Unorthodox Dao Fruit he had achieved happened to align perfectly with the concept of [Silted Sand Earth].
What is Coiled Dragon Concealment?
Accumulated by returning tides, shaped by crossing currents. A palace of coiling dragons in concealment; a land where hills and valleys shift without cease. This is called Silted Sand Earth… one of the Five Dao Fruits monopolized by Sky-Shrouding.
Had it been a true [Silted Sand Earth] Perfected Lord, he would have been known as [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Concealment].
But what was achieved was an Unorthodox Dao Fruit. Only the underlying concept matched Silted Sand Earth. Thus, "Concealment" (Yin) was altered to "Shadow" (Ying), and he became [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow].
Back then, I split off a soul and cast it into reincarnation, descending through the Netherworld and entering Jiangxi. Step by step, it climbed upward, until it finally attained an Unorthodox Dao Fruit under the Pure Land's banner, becoming Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow. All of this was merely to borrow his hand to draw Silted Sand Earth into the Netherworld. For that, I gambled everything.
Even now, recalling it, Sky-Shrouding still felt lingering dread.
Due to the special nature of the Pure Land, he wouldn't activate this trump card under normal circumstances, because once activated, it must be the final juncture.
Time waits for no one...
[Sky-shrouding] scrutinized [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow]'s state. The other party had cultivated deeply in the Pure Land for many years and had long been assimilated by the World Honored One's one mind.
But since [Sky-shrouding] dared to let him throw himself into the Pure Land, he naturally had a method to deal with it.
On [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow], [Sky-shrouding] planted the strongest [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] in history, almost exhausting his Dao Fruit's divine wonder.
The effect was simple:
At this very moment, although [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] was still within the connection of One Mind, he forgot the fact that he was the World Honored One out of thin air.
Instead, he recalled he was [Sky-shrouding].
Negative times negative equals positive.
The result actually allowed [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] to obtain a certain degree of freedom. This was a peerless miracle only [Great Forest Wood] could achieve!
After all, the higher the cultivation, the harsher the World Honored One's 'One Mind'.
Especially reaching the Golden Core level, being one body with the World Honored One, theoretically impossible for it to separate... Yet [Sky-shrouding] succeeded!
At this moment, [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] had been stolen by [Sky-shrouding] without anyone knowing. Although it wouldn't take long for the World Honored One to discover the anomaly, cast his gaze, and resolve everything... but before that, [Sky-shrouding] believed his plan would have long been accomplished!