Although saying it was illogical, the True Body Tathagata was no fool. In the next instant, He saw through the truth: The future possibilities from the [False History].
It can only be this!
In an instant, the True Body Tathagata nearly shattered his teeth, not because of Lu Yang, but because of the mastermind who truly caused all this—
The Primordial Saint.
After all, if the other party hadn't opened the passage to the [False History], how could Lu Yang have obtained the hope of turning the tables? Fighting with that dog was always like this. He painstakingly planned and tried every possible way to lay out a setup, only for the other party to play a single move and make him lose the entire game.
Hm? That's not right!
In the next second, the True Body Tathagata woke up with a start and realized: This isn't my emotion... It's the World Honored One's? Is the World Honored One very angry right now?
The anger came quickly and went quickly.
Ultimately, the True Body Tathagata and the Buddha Child Dharma Aspect were the same thing—not the true World Honored One, but entities enlightened and created by Him. Essentially, there was still a difference.
Therefore, He quickly regained His calm.
[Sword Dao Fruit]... I'm afraid it can't be stopped. The Sword Pavilion won't allow it. Moreover, as for Vanquishing-Demon, the Sword Pavilion doesn't really care if he becomes a perfected lord.
To be precise, the Sword Pavilion's Dao Lord didn't care.
What truly mattered were the perfected lords. After all, no Sword Pavilion perfected lord liked having the sword intent they painstakingly cultivated affected by the mighty power of another perfected lord.
But now, the perfected lords were in seclusion.
Clang!
Without any obstruction, atop the Extreme Heaven Cliff in Jiangnan, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's face was pale. A fragment of light in his hand vanished into nothingness at this moment.
That was given to him by Lu Yang.
From the [False History], the item left by Hong Tian—the future possibility of [Not Dying After Attaining the Sword Dao Fruit]—became Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's life-saving straw.
However, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon didn't spend a single second savoring the feeling of just becoming a perfected lord. Instead, he immediately gripped the hilt of the [No-Kill Sword] at his waist. Then, he drew the sword. Illuminated by the cold light, his figure vanished from the spot. In the next second, the colors of heaven and earth changed!
"The sky... cracked!"
From Jiangnan spreading all the way to Jiangdong, a huge rift split the sky curtain, scattering the sun, moon, and stars. The boundless heavenly light shattered into flowing fire filling the sky.
Countless cultivators looked up involuntarily, gazing at the dome of the sky.
Reflected in their pupils was a precious sword. Like a reflection in a spring, the sword spanned across the sky, its peerless sharpness pointing straight toward Jiangdong.
At this moment, all sounds were sharp.
Only a sword resonance, crisp and melodious, capable of piercing metal and cracking stone, slashed toward the True Body Tathagata without hesitation, causing a look of shock to appear on that Buddha face!
Dao Fruit concept... no, almost a Dao Fruit profound wonder!
"Even limited to the unorthodox path, does it have such might?"
"Clearly just attained out of nothingness, not yet nurtured, yet it possesses such mighty power, governing slaughter... Truly a top-grade precious sword!"
While pondering, the True Body Tathagata spread His forty-eight thousand arms, using the [Jambudvipa Saha Grotto-Heaven] to receive this sword from Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon.
No matter, it still under my control!
Although startled by the momentum of seeking the golden core from four directions, after calming down, the True Body Tathagata's smile gained a few degrees of coldness and mockery.
The reason was simple—
The future still hasn't changed!
He saw clearly that the current Lu Yang was still within the future of [Seeking the golden core, failing, and perishing]. Changing the process couldn't change the result.
Ultimately, it was just a dying struggle!
Thinking of this, the True Body Tathagata felt a bit more calm. But even so, He didn't plan to give Lu Yang any more time to play tricks.
Kill him!
Actually, from Lu Yang accepting the [Seeking Failure] future to Empress Xiao, Chong Guang, and Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon successively seeking the golden core, only a few breaths had passed.
Even so, such huge changes had occurred, making the True Body Tathagata extremely wary. If He let the person before him do anything more, the situation might really be reversed... Under such killing intent, the True Body Tathagata made a shocking move.
Crack!
In the next second, He actually gave up resisting Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, allowing the sword to slash into His body. Simultaneously, His forty-eight thousand arms spread out in unison.
The arms divided into four directions, with twelve thousand in each. Bending their bones at the same time, they formed a gigantic [Swastika] seal centred on the True Body Tathagata. Then, all forty-eight thousand arms exerted force simultaneously, and two hundred and forty thousand fingers closed together, clenching into fist seals:
Boom!
Instantly, an indescribably domineering concept emerged. Two hundred and forty thousand fingers clenching into fists seemed to grasp the heaven and earth within the palm.
The past cannot be chased, the future has infinite changes, only the present is true and not false!
This was a concept of "Grasping the Present." The moment it emerged; it seemed to freeze time and space; the operation of all things stopped at this instant of "now."
Great sound is silent; all noises ceased.
In the static world, only the True Body Tathagata's fist seals advanced slowly, climbing step by step, about to hit Lu Yang and completely shatter him—
"...Hehe."
The True Body Tathagata's eyes widened abruptly.
What did He just see? Lu Yang, whose mental processes should have been suppressed by His "Grasping the Present" concept and shouldn't have had any reaction...
You smiling?
The True Body Tathagata didn't continue thinking. His first seals still bombarded Lu Yang's body because that future of certain death was still wrapped around him. To fulfill this future, the True Body Tathagata's punch received karmic blessing, gaining concepts of sure-hit and sure-kill out of thin air.
This restored the True Body Tathagata's confidence.
Let alone Lu Yang only falsely holding the golden core, even if an orthodox perfected lord were here, like that [Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde], he would also be beaten to death by this punch!
Rumble!
In the next second, time resumed its flow. Thunder rolled, and Lu Yang's body collapsed and dispersed under the True Body Tathagata's [Swastika] fist seals.
Of course, the True Body Tathagata also paid a price.
Splurt!
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's sword light showed no mercy, slashing diagonally into His shoulder, then cutting across His chest until the flank—a strike without obstruction.
Almost cutting Him in half at the waist!
"Ah—!"
The True Body Tathagata cried out in pain, yet His eyes were full of smiling intent because He still had a chance. Although the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] had shrunk severely due to the concept changes in Jiangbei, Jiangxi, and Jiangnan, the foundation was there. It could still let Him resurrect once, enough to clean up the remaining mess.
Regardless, that demon dragon has died without a burial place...
The True Body Tathagata thought this, but found that for some reason, time passed incredibly slowly. Even the pain of being slashed by Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon became prolonged.
...What's going on?
The True Body Tathagata tried His best to operate His divine thoughts, thinking with difficulty:
What... happened?
Something is... wrong.
Why...
Finally, amidst the slow thinking, the True Body Tathagata discovered the problem—although Lu Yang was clearly dead, the brilliance of the [Heavenly Fire] hadn't dimmed.
Instead, it became even brighter.
In the next second, He saw a figure walk out from that bright [Heavenly Fire], moving slowly and leisurely, as if strolling in a courtyard.
It was Lu Yang!
Instantly, the True Body Tathagata's pupils shrank violently, completely unable to understand what had happened... until He saw the mighty power slowly emerging behind Lu Yang.
That is...
The True Body Tathagata looked, but saw only dense talismans, seeming to explain the principles of the great dao, transforming into burning characters.
Fundamental Profound Wonder of the [Heavenly Fire]—Inscribing Heavenly Chapters.