Rumble!
Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, a streak of daylight now enveloped everything. Perfected ones below the late foundation establishment stage were forced to exit, not even qualified to watch the battle.
Only great perfected ones at the late or peak foundation establishment stage could barely make out the sixteen-foot golden body pacing with difficulty within that blazing daylight. Yet, even such a perfect golden body was now cracking under the daylight, its muscles and bones melting, its internal organs burning to ash.
This single strike of daylight affected an unknown extent of the present world.
Countless specks of starlight were shattered by the True Body Tathagata, piercing through the Foundation Establishment Realm and falling into the present world. Nourished by spiritual qi, they would transform into spiritual fires within a hundred years.
After a long time, the daylight gradually subsided.
At this moment, the True Body Tathagata no longer resembled a human. His skin and flesh were completely burnt away, leaving only a gleaming golden skeleton standing in place.
Clatter.
A breeze blew, and the skeleton lost its divine luster, disintegrating with the wind. But in the distance, Buddha light reappeared, and incredibly, another True Body Tathagata walked out.
It's the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]...
Lu Yang lowered his eyelids, seeing through the secret of the True Body Tathagata's "resurrection":
This True Body Tathagata has actually modified Himself into an existence like an official position within the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. Even if He dies, He can be nurtured again at any time!
In the past, when the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] only controlled Jiangdong, nurturing a True Body Tathagata at the level of a golden core perfected lord would undoubtedly have been extremely difficult. Even if possible, once or twice would be the limit... But now, the Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws covering the entire world could do this easily!
Even better, this resurrection completely bypassed the rules Lu Yang had set.
According to Lu Yang's established rules, if the True Body Tathagata was injured, the more He recovered, the heavier the rule punishment would be, solidifying Lu Yang's victory through a snowball effect.
But the result?
He didn't recover from injuries; He resurrected directly!
How was one supposed to play against this?
It's simply cheating!
Lu Yang sighed inwardly. The hand seal in his hand changed, dispersing the rules he had just condensed. After all, if they really clashed head-on in a battle, he would also get hurt.
Just then, the True Body Tathagata moved.
"I originally intended to save this gift for the end, but since Benefactor remains obstinate, I will bestow this beautiful future upon you now."
He smiled faintly, then spread his forty-eight thousand arms in unison. The wisdom eyes in his palms once again reflected the appearance of the [Jambudvipa Saha Grotto-Heaven]. Not only that, but there were also visible streams of light, within which lay a great karma pointing directly to a certain future—
[Hong Tian's Possibility]!
The World Honored One specifically descended the True Body Tathagata in the [False History] to kill Hong Tian before Lu Yang sought the golden core. It wasn't just for practice.
It was also for this possibility of the future.
A future of [Seeking the Heavenly Fire, failing, and perishing]!
Instantly, Lu Yang felt a massive karma land on him. Since the causes and conditions had arisen, regardless of the process, the future result was already destined:
I seek the golden core, and I will die!?
Lu Yang's expression suddenly turned gloomy, but he didn't panic. This trump card of the True Body Tathagata was within his expectations.
However, in the next second—
Crack!
Lu Yang's pupils shrank violently. He looked abruptly at the [Yama Hall], at the Hong Yun golden nature that had rendered great service in this world and was still shining and heating up.
The perfected lord golden nature, which should have been indestructible, now showed clear, visible cracks under the pressure of the [Yama Hall]. Fragments were peeling off from time to time, causing the Hong Yun golden nature, which should have lasted for a while longer, to become visibly thinner!
And it wasn't just that.
As the Hong Yun golden nature shattered, the [Yama Hall] also emitted sounds of being overwhelmed, seemingly unable to maintain itself under the pressure of the [Heavenly Fire].
Lu Yang calculated the karma and instantly understood the sequence of events:
Because I previously used the [Heavenly Fire] ability to deprive other Golden Natures to patch up the Hong Yun golden nature... it seemed perfect, but it actually left significant hidden dangers.
Now, under high-intensity combat, these hidden dangers have finally erupted, causing the Hong Yun golden nature to crack and its lifespan to shorten drastically. Consequently, the [Yama Hall] is also beginning to disintegrate... If this continues, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn—in another three minutes—I will fall from my state!
You must be joking!
Lu Yang took a deep breath, knowing clearly in his heart that this wasn't his problem, but the [Future of Certain Death] bestowed by the True Body Tathagata stirring the changes in karma!
But just then.
Rumble!
The [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] vibrated again, seeming to have recovered from Lu Yang's sword strike just now. Immediately after, new text emerged:
[Eradicate the Usurper Emperor, Restore the Legal Lineage]!
In the next second, all Dao Court cultivators in the five regions under heaven felt the induction. The [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] had issued a mission: Eradicate all cultivators of the Incense Divine Dao!
Instantly, war broke out!
Huanming City, below the [Star Plucking Tower]...
"Get lost, all of you!"
Xiao Shan's entire body was condensed with Incense Divine Power, manifesting the true form of a mandrill demon. He charged desperately under the siege of a group of Dao Court cultivators.
"Don't be afraid, hold on!"
"Mere Incense Divine Dao—unorthodox cultivators—can only fight low-realm perfected ones. Against perfected ones of the same realm, they can't withstand a single blow!"
The leader of the group besieging Xiao Shan laughed loudly. Just moments ago, as a die-hard loyalist of the Tianwu Imperial Family who had endured humiliation, he suddenly received an official position blessing. The [Junior Guardian] position, once sealed by Lu Yang, descended from the sky, raising his cultivation out of thin air to the peak of foundation establishment!
"I knew the puppet dynasty wouldn't last long!"
The newly appointed [Junior Guardian] was incredibly excited. He was previously a Rank 2 official and had coveted the Rank 1 position for a long time. Today, his wish was finally fulfilled.
How could he not be excited?
Thinking of this, the killing intent in his eyes as he looked at Xiao Shan grew fiercer. Exterminate the rebels, kill the treacherous faction—whether he could sit firmly in the [Junior Guardian] position depended on this moment!
As long as he did well, when the Tianwu dynasty was restored in the future, he might even have hope of touching the position of the Three Excellencies!
For a time, the situation in the present world changed again.
In the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lu Yang frowned slightly, looking at the golden bridge beneath his feet. The figures of light within it were invariably drifting away from him.
The karma was set, the future unchangeable.
He was going to lose!
Lu Yang wanted to resist, but now, even maintaining the state of false holding was difficult for him. The Hong Yun golden nature was still disintegrating at an accelerated rate. What could he use to resist?
"Amitabha."
Seeing this scene, the True Body Tathagata's face returned to that smile of pity for the world. He spoke softly: "Why must Benefactor struggle so bitterly?"
"Enter my [Jambudvipa Saha Grotto-Heaven]. I have specially reserved a place for you within. In the future, after receiving the precepts and upholding the Dharma, it is not impossible for you to become a Tathagata of my Dao. Standing side by side with me, participating together in the great vessel fundamental law—isn't that the highest bliss? Why persist in suffering, rolling in the red dust?"
Hearing these words, Lu Yang raised his head.
At this moment, the firelight around him had dimmed significantly. As the cultivators of the Imperial City Department in the present world were continuously exterminated, his foundation for seeking the golden stature was also collapsing.
Yet he remained calm, like an ancient well without ripples.
Seeing this, the True Body Tathagata frowned unconsciously:
Why can he still be so calm?
Failed to seek the golden core, schemes came to nothing, ten years of bitter waiting, numerous backup plans prepared—all fell short in the end. On what basis can he remain calm?
In the next second, Lu Yang spoke:
"I refuse to accept this."
Five simple words, yet they made the True Body Tathagata laugh. You refuse to accept? What use is refusing to accept? Can the affairs of the world be solved just by refusing to accept?
"I didn't expect Benefactor to say such naive words. It surprises this poor monk."
The True Body Tathagata shook His head, laughing. He felt his vigilance just now was simply ridiculous. What demon dragon? He just a fool who couldn't recognize reality.
But in the next second.
Suddenly, voices came from the five regions under heaven, piercing straight into the Foundation Establishment Realm, resounding between heaven and earth. Men and women, their voices overlapped with Lu Yang's at this moment:
"He's right."
As the voices fell, besides Jiangdong where Lu Yang was, lights of seeking the golden core rose simultaneously from Jiangbei, Jiangxi, and overseas, shining together into the Sea of Bitterness:
"We refuse to accept this—!"
TN: The power of friendship?????