Hong Tian didn't recognize the World Honored One.
After all, in the [False History], the World Honored One ascended immediately after attaining the Dao. There were absolutely no records left behind, so Hong Tian naturally had no way of knowing the World Honored One's origins.
But this didn't hinder him from clarifying the current situation.
This person... is the final hurdle in my quest for the golden core! He comes from the outside world, just like the mysterious perfected lord of the past. Regardless, killing him will allow me to seek the golden core.
In this moment, Hong Tian was struck by a sudden inspiration.
He activated the [Kan-Li Correct Position Phase Shift True Technique]. The [Overturned Lamp Flame] transformed into the [Heavenly Fire]. With a wave of his hand, a concept instantly emerged:
[Deprivation]!
Almost simultaneously, the True Body Tathagata descended by the World Honored One also moved. Forty-eight thousand arms stretched out in unison, the wisdom eyes in their palms opening to reflect the great universe.
In a trance, Hong Tian met the gaze of those forty-eight thousand wisdom eyes. Within them, he seemed to see a magnificent world with forty-eight thousand lotus platforms. Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, Arhats, and Vajras sat upright, chanting scriptures in unison. There were temples, zen forests, and pagodas stretching endlessly beyond sight.
[Jambudvipa Saha Grotto-Heaven]!
In an instant, Hong Tian [Deprived] countless temples and pagodas from this magnificent Grotto-Heaven, yet the Buddha light before him didn't dim in the slightest.
"It is a false holding after all."
The True Body Tathagata smiled faintly upon seeing this, showing no intention of resisting. "The fruit of false holding cannot fully borrow the profound mysteries. Deprivation also has its limits..."
"How much can you take?"
"I possess the Jambudvipa Saha World, which bears forty-eight thousand lotus platforms, three thousand disciples, and countless believers. All are prepared for you; deprive as you wish."
As He spoke, He continued to move forward.
In the next second, firelight exploded, transforming into a rule:
[Those who deprived by me shall suffer heavy punishment]
Instantly, the True Body Tathagata, who was still walking toward Hong Tian, shuddered violently. His stainless, dustless sixteen-foot golden body instantly erupted with heavenly light and flowing fire.
The punishment of heavenly fire burning the body!
Yet even so, the True Body Tathagata remained unmoved. He merely held the Buddha light in front of his chest, his forty-eight thousand arms simultaneously forming different hand seals:
"All things are complete and perfect; there is only joy and no suffering."
As his voice fell, the appearance of the True Body Tathagata suddenly became illusory. He took a step forward, and lotus flowers instantly bloomed beneath his feet, spreading toward Hong Tian from afar.
Immediately after, the figure of the True Body Tathagata stepped on the blooming lotuses, directly shaking off the punishment of heavenly fire burning the body. He displayed the profound wonder of avoiding disaster and escaping tribulation. The heavenly fire tried to pursue, but was blocked by the lotuses blooming beneath his feet, easily left behind.
Overpowered!
Lu Yang watched, dumbfounded. This wasn't some Dao Fruit wonder or concept, but pure dao art and techniques!
Can He do this even without relying on a Dao Fruit?
No, that's not it. The key isn't the Dao Fruit, but that [Jambudvipa Saha Grotto-Heaven]... For a golden core perfected lord, the Grotto-Heaven is the true foundation!
At this moment, Lu Yang had no distracting thoughts.
His eyes were fixed tightly on the True Body Tathagata descended by the World Honored One, seeking only to clearly see all His methods to prepare for dealing with Him in the present world later.
On the other side, Hong Tian's face was calm.
Undeniably, the descent of the True Body Tathagata broke conventions. Absolute power directly smashed all schemes, plunging Hong Tian into a situation of certain death.
Although the World Honored One descending to smurf was shameless, it was undeniably effective.
Even so, like Lu Yang, Hong Tian had no distracting thoughts. He clearly and precisely grasped the most important thing at this moment:
Attain the [Heavenly Fire]!
Resisting the True Body Tathagata was merely a method, not the ultimate goal. His goal from beginning to end was seeking the golden core. He must not confuse the means with the end.
In an instant, Hong Tian made a decision.
He would not respond!
If the True Body Tathagata wanted to kill him, then let Him kill. Let's see if He kills me faster, or if I attain the [Heavenly Fire] faster. It's nothing more than gambling on that sliver of a chance for survival!
Instantly, the heaven and earth concepts inverted.
Within the vast Foundation Establishment Realm, Buddha light, dao fruits, heavenly fire, and countless concepts mixed together into a chaotic mass. In the end, only a point of golden light remained, struggling through it.
Hong Tian's Golden Nature!
At this moment, he abandoned everything—his dharma body, the falsely held Grotto-Heaven. Only his five divine abilities pushed his Golden Nature forward, about to fly into the [Heavenly Fire]!
Almost simultaneously, the two Yama Dao perfected lords, [Eternal Flowing Water] and [Wall-Top Earth], also shone brilliantly at this moment. Sparing no cost to expand, they switched from defense to offense. Countless palace gates overlapped, like the mouth of a Taotie, directly swallowing the True Body Tathagata and the four Dao Fruits together!
Instantly, all sound vanished!
[Wayside Earth], [Plains Forest Wood], [Gilded Gold Leaf], [Great Relay Earth], and even the True Body Tathagata all disappeared, leaving only a clear blue sky.
They were going all out!
Clearly, Hong Tian's act of self-sacrifice made the two Yama Dao perfected lords equally ruthless. Above the dome of the sky, two streaks of firelight condensed into words amidst the explosion:
[Those wishing to escape shall suffer heavy punishment]
[Those seeing the sovereign without kneeling shall suffer heavy punishment]
Two rules descended. Instantly, heavenly fire blazed brilliantly. The Immortal Court's Son of Heaven, the Three Excellencies—the four perfected lords—groaned almost simultaneously as heavenly fire ignited on their bodies.
On the other side, the True Body Tathagata also frowned.
He could withstand the two heavenly fires, but his state would degrade, making it difficult to instantly break through the obstruction of the two Yama Dao perfected lords.
However—
"If there is only one punishment of heavenly fire, it is not a big problem."
In the next second, the True Body Tathagata descended by the World Honored One didn't hesitate. Bending his knees, he knelt down toward Hong Tian with a loud boom!
Such an act, disregarding dignity and face, stunned even Hong Tian. Meanwhile, the True Body Tathagata had already broken through the obstruction while kneeling!
This process was extremely brief, like a spark of flint.
After all, the two Yama Dao perfected lords were fighting two against five. Even risking heavy injury to force the issue, a split second was their limit.
The next second, the palace chambers exploded.
Boom!
The light of [Wall-Top Earth] and [Eternal Flowing Water] instantly dimmed, completely defeated. They could only widen their eyes, looking in Hong Tian's direction.
Can he succeed?
Is there hope?
At this moment, Lu Yang below was also looking up at the sky. As a [Heavenly Fire] cultivator at the peak of foundation establishment, his judgment was even more precise:
...Just a little bit short!
Almost simultaneously, Hong Tian made the same judgment.
Too late to attain it! One second before he entered the [Heavenly Fire], the True Body Tathagata would arrive, grab him, and refine him in an instant!
What to do?
Hong Tian's thoughts raced. Countless ideas flashed through his mind, searching for a method but finding no clue. Just then, a voice came:
"Continue! Gamble on it!"
Lu Yang spoke.
In an instant, Hong Tian's hesitation turned into resolve. Disregarding the True Body Tathagata approaching from behind, he flew madly toward the [Heavenly Fire].
On the other side, in the Zou Yu Ruins.
Lu Yang's main body looked up, his expression calm. A golden talent quietly opened, extracting all the fortune accumulated over these years.
Golden Talent: [Fortune Does Not Fill the Eye]!
Golden Talent: [Divining Luck Drawing Lots]!
The former could separate good luck; the latter could draw lots for fortune... Lu Yang couldn't intervene directly; only golden talents could interfere without leaving a trace.
The next second, golden light flashed!
[End Auspice]!
Although it wasn't the sure-win [Great Auspice], it still won a sliver of a chance for Hong Tian. The True Body Tathagata actually encountered a sudden obstruction on his approach.
This momentary obstruction was caused by the lingering concepts of the two Yama Dao perfected lords. It just "happened" to slow the True Body Tathagata's movement for an instant.
But that was enough!
Instantly, Hong Tian was like a bird finally freed from its cage, spreading its wings to soar high—
Clang!
—Sword light rising slowly from Jiangnan severed everything.
The bird's wings broke. Hong Tian's aura plummeted instantly. He looked back blankly, only to see the sky-covering net formed by the [Supreme Law of the Heavenly Kingdom] falling toward him.
And he was the butterfly in that spider web.