The situation changed so fast that it was dazzling.
Let alone Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Golden Core Perfected Lords were somewhat bewildered. After all, the four borders of the world had been a stagnant pool of water, peaceful for many years.
Then [Sky-Shrouding] suddenly popped up.
Without any warning, his first move was a massive play, instantly churning this stagnant pool into monstrous waves, leaving the Perfected Lords no time to think.
But... perhaps this is exactly what he wants!
In Jiangdong, Lu Yang praised sincerely in his heart:
Thinking back to the ninth life, when Martial Uncle Chong Guang was seeking Golden Core, what a huge spectacle that was. But it failed unexpectedly, causing Perfected Lords of various factions to harbor doubts and suspicions.
The result was that as soon as [Sky-Shrouding] made a move, over a dozen Perfected Lords immediately swarmed to besiege him. Not to mention Suo Huan's attempt to seek the Golden Core later—[Sky-Shrouding] directly became a target of world hatred. This was the result of having his background exposed and then being delayed. However, this life is different.
[Sky-Shrouding] was fighting a blitzkrieg.
He remained hidden until he didn't, and once he emerged, he gave no one time to react. By stirring up the situation and making the Perfected Lords suspicious, he created the chaos needed to fish in troubled waters.
And the result was exactly that—he snatched the [Silted Sand Earth].
And his next target was clearly the [White Wax Gold]!
Hmm? No, wait...
A second later, Lu Yang frowned, realizing something was wrong. Having been an Immortal Spirit himself, no one understood how an Immortal Spirit developed better than he did.
That [White Wax Gold] Immortal Spirit... isn't perfect yet!
Although all four innate divine abilities were complete, the most crucial life-bound divine ability had not condensed. It was one step short, so it couldn't be born yet.
That's right, this is normal. After all, in the previous life, [Sky-Shrouding] sought out Perfected One Warding-Evil of the Sword Pavilion and even tried to use him to trigger the [White Wax Gold]. If this Immortal Spirit was already perfect and usable, why would he have wasted time on Perfected One Warding-Evil?
What Lu Yang could see, the other Perfected Lords could naturally see as well.
"Amitabha!"
Within the Pure Land, another Bodhisattva walked out. Surprisingly, it was also a woman, her appearance even more enchanting than [Bodhisattva Precious Vase Water Moon], her every glance brimming with allure.
Her name was [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer].
A mid-stage Golden Core, and the true person in charge of the Pure Land. Looking at [Sky-Shrouding], she spoke softly: "Benefactor, the sea of bitterness has no bounds; turn back and you will find the shore."
"This Immortal Spirit is not yet perfect. You cannot use it to trigger the Dao Fruit."
The Perfected Lords present could also see what [Sky-Shrouding] intended to do. Although they didn't know the reason, dragging a Dao Fruit into the [Netherworld] was undoubtedly bad news.
Therefore, no one wanted to see [Sky-Shrouding] succeed.
Seeing that the Immortal Spirit wasn't perfect, many Perfected Lords watching in secret breathed a sigh of relief, thinking [Sky-Shrouding] had reached his limit.
But on the other side, Lu Yang thought differently.
To reiterate— He believed in [Sky-Shrouding].
As a Perfected Lord of the Primordial Saint Sect, if there truly was no hope, he would have run long ago. Since he's still here, it means he definitely has a backup plan.
And the result... was exactly as he expected.
"Hahaha!"
[Sky-Shrouding] laughed loudly, looking at [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] with contempt. "A frog in a well, how could you see the grandeur of the world?"
"Watch closely!"
As his voice fell, [Sky-Shrouding] formed a hand seal. Immediately after, the [Silted Sand Earth] he had just pulled into the [Netherworld] was activated by him.
But it wasn't used to fight the enemy.
The majestic power originating from the [Silted Sand Earth] fell squarely onto the Immortal Spirit, completely merging into it!
This scene instantly stunned all the Perfected Lords.
No one understood what [Sky-Shrouding] was doing. Only Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue frowned, looking thoughtful as if she had guessed something.
The next second—
Clang!
A crisp sound of metal clashing broke the silence. The Immortal Spirit in [Sky-Shrouding]'s hand suddenly opened its eyes, and five divine abilities bloomed from the top of its head.
In an instant, over a dozen astonished gazes fell upon it:
"...It's perfect???"
"How is that possible!"
"[Silted Sand Earth] doesn't have the concept of nurturing all things. How could it catalyze the growth of an Immortal Spirit? And this catalytic effect is just too good..."
Only [Sky-Shrouding] sneered coldly at the sight: "Mediocre people, discussing Dao comprehension with me?"
The reason [Silted Sand Earth] could catalyze the Immortal Spirit wasn't because of the earth itself, but because of the Dao Fruit the Immortal Spirit represented—[White Wax Gold]!
White Wax Gold is jade from Kun Mountain, interacting with the light of the sun and moon, condensing the Qi of Yin and Yang.
Its form is bright and its body pure; it is the true color of metal. When it meets earth, it is only suitable if it is polished and ground; only then will it become a vessel, which is auspicious. Other earths are useless. This is the concept of [White Wax Gold].
In other words, [White Wax Gold] is only close to one kind of earth.
But which kind of earth was hard to determine, only referred to as "Polishing Earth."
But what is "Polishing Earth"?
The profundity within cannot be grasped without deep Dao comprehension. Fortunately, [Sky-Shrouding] had studied this path for countless years and had long since understood: Polishing Earth is [Silted Sand Earth]!
[White Wax Gold] must be polished by [Silted Sand Earth] to become a vessel!
Simply put, [White Wax Gold] and [Silted Sand Earth] seem unrelated at first glance, but they are actually compatible. The power of [Silted Sand Earth] can intensify [White Wax Gold] to a certain extent. If used on an Immortal Spirit, it catalyzes its growth speed, allowing the Immortal Spirit to perfect itself and be born as quickly as possible!
Thinking of this, [Sky-Shrouding] felt another wave of regret.
Because if everything had gone smoothly according to his arrangement:
First take [Overturned Lamp Flame], then grab [Eternal Flowing Water], and finally seize [Silted Sand Earth] and [White Wax Gold]. He could have broken through to Golden Core perfection in the [Netherworld].
By then, the Nascent Soul would be in sight!
However, now that [Overturned Lamp Flame] and [Eternal Flowing Water] had both failed, and there was a suspected mastermind plotting against him from behind, he was forced to act prematurely.
Boom!
The next second, as the Immortal Spirit was born, the [White Wax Gold] Dao Fruit emerged. [Sky-Shrouding] repeated his old trick, immediately attempting to pull it into the [Netherworld].
At this moment, other Perfected Lords finally couldn't sit still.
In fact, less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense had passed since [Sky-Shrouding] appeared. For a Perfected Lord, this time spent weighing pros and cons was nothing.
But it was too late.
Watching the stars light up one by one in the vault of heaven, and the swarming Perfected Lords trying to stop him, [Sky-Shrouding] merely smiled calmly.
Immediately after, the hand seal in his hand changed abruptly.
Bang!
He self-destructed!
The [World-Retribution Incarnation] was blown apart by [Sky-Shrouding] without hesitation. The explosion severed the sky, blocking all the approaching Perfected Lords outside.
And seizing this opportunity, [Sky-Shrouding] had already grabbed the [White Wax Gold]...
Clang!
A sword cry suddenly rose!
In the deepest part of the Sword Pavilion in the Jiangnan region, as [Sky-Shrouding] grabbed the [White Wax Gold], a sword light finally stopped hiding and slashed out brazenly!
This sword light had once killed Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue, inflicting injuries difficult to erase even through reincarnation. Now slashed out again, its momentum was even greater. At the same moment the sword cry was heard, the sword light had already shone into [Sky-Shrouding]'s heart, about to chop off the hand grabbing the [White Wax Gold].
Yet [Sky-Shrouding] wasn't flustered in the slightest. Instead, he smiled:
"I've been waiting for you!"
Before his voice faded, [Sky-Shrouding]'s other hand intercepted the sword light. He pointed a finger, his fingertip lightly touching that unmatched sword light.
This touch instantly produced a gray mist.
The mist fell upon the sword light, instantly submerging and hiding it... When the mist cleared, where was the sword light? It was as if it had never existed.
[Knowledge-Perception Barrier]!
At this moment, every Perfected Lord, Foundation Establishment cultivator, and even [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] himself who slashed out that sword...
All lost the memory of that sword light.
What did it look like? What color was it? How strong was the aura? What was the effect? All memories were obscured, leaving only a blank understanding of it.
And when no one remembered that sword light, as the witnesses disappeared, that sword light also vanished from the mortal world.
In an instant, silence reigned.
The Sword Pavilion, which had just slashed out that earth-shattering sword, seemed dead. [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s aura completely vanished, not revealing a trace.
"...You weak-ass."
[Sky-Shrouding] sneered while retracting the hand holding the [White Wax Gold]. The second Dao Fruit fell into the [Netherworld], henceforth controlled by him!
In Jiangdong, Lu Yang closed his eyes and sighed in his heart—
The Number One Perfected Lord in the World...
At this moment, he could only think of this description.
Single-handedly facing the Perfected Lords of the world—including peerless geniuses—yet all had their brilliance overshadowed by [Sky-Shrouding], like the rising sun outshining the bright moon and the stars!
The next second, Lu Yang opened his eyes, but the depths of his eyes erupted with intense ambition and heat:
...I shall be like this!