Master...
The Lord of Sword Dao, [Sword Lord Vanquishing-Demon and Protecting-Saint]!
To be honest, Lu Yang had never imagined Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon would appear at this moment, nor did he expect him to actually attack [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao].
Not to mention him.
Even [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] himself hadn't expected it. At this moment, he only had doubts: My plan to intercept and kill Lu Yang was never leaked at all.
He had also hidden the karma very well.
How did Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon know?
Taking a step back, even if he knew that he had left the other three Sword Pavilion perfected lords behind to guard the sect, how did he enter the light sea and find this place?
How could the Sword Pavilion Dao Lord allow it?
Now that Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon was the Lord of Sword Dao, bearing the [Sword Dao Fruit], he was crucial beyond measure. Going to the outer heaven before fully growing up was simply seeking death.
Something's wrong...
At this moment, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] finally felt that things were out of his control, even though he was supposed to be the fisherman in this scheme within a scheme.
Who else is plotting?
My action this time was secretly pushed by the World Honored One, and the Sword Lord acquiesced. Theoretically, there should be no mistakes, unless that person from the Saint Sect intervened...
But that wasn't right either.
If the Saint Sect's Ancestor intervened, why go through such trouble? A single hint to Perfected Lord Feixue would have ended this siege without a conclusion.
Unless—
I... was used?
That person from the Saint Sect wanted to use my hand to make Lu Yang do something. He wanted me to force him, but didn't want him to die, so Vanquishing-Demon came here...
In an instant, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
In the next second, a sword light shone into his pupils, and his proud [Ascendant Victor] Sword Intent fell into complete silence before this sword light.
Lord of Sword Dao!
Ruling over all sword intents under heaven. Even the sword intent of a Great Perfected Lord was no exception. Even though he had just attained it and was still very weak, it was still extraordinarily profound.
"Bastard!"
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] roared angrily. Although his sword intent was disabled, his other means were still there. But just now, to ensure Lu Yang's death, he had forcefully restored his Great Perfected Lord stature. At this moment, he was suffering a backlash, and his aura plummeted, genuinely giving him a sense of crisis.
Clang!
Sword light flashed, and two sword edges collided. The reverberating clear sound rang through the outer heaven light sea, but in the end, it caused [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] to reveal a look of shock and anger:
"Are you crazy!?"
At the same time, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon remained very calm.
On his body, a soft sound rang out, as if something had snapped. In an instant, the same concept appeared in everyone's mind.
The sword broke!
Yet in that very instant, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's aura also climbed to the extreme. A single sword strike forced [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] to retreat!
It wasn't that he couldn't win, but that he dared not win!
Just like the period when Lu Yang had just attained the Dao, he dared not act. When the Dao Court besieged him, he also dared not act... all because of one person.
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon!
Because Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon chose to stand on Lu Yang's side, and he controlled the [Sword Dao Fruit]. This fact alone made him refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vase.
He couldn't attack Lu Yang openly, as Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon would inevitably come to stop him. That was why he picked such a perfect opportunity to quietly intercept Lu Yang. He hadn't expected Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon to discover it anyway, and even find this place precisely with someone's help.
He feared exactly this scene happening before his eyes.
This madman... He... He actually severed the Sword Dao!
No, that's not right. Not severing the Sword Dao, but severing the connection with the Sword Dao, voluntarily dropping from the perfected lord position... But regardless, this sword cannot be broken!
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] gritted his teeth secretly.
If he broke this sword of Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, the [Sword Dao Fruit], which already teetering because Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon voluntarily severed the Dao, would likely vanish into smoke.
Then everything would be finished.
Therefore, even though [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s strength far exceeded Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's, at this moment, he had no choice but to retreat under this resolute sword!
At the same time, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's voice rumbled and echoed:
"This sword, I return it to you!"
The blazing white sword light fell. It was [All-Slaying]. What this sword severed wasn't just Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's own perfected lord position, but also his karma with the Sword Pavilion!
In the past, he achieved the Dao because of the Sword Pavilion.
Now returning the dao fruit, from this point on, kindness and enmity were both cleared!
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was left speechless. He could only choose to forcefully take the sword light slashed out by Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, then re-refine it into the [Sword Dao Fruit].
At this moment, the Grand Perfected Lord frowned tightly:
"Is it worth it?"
He clearly transformed from the spirit of the Sword Lord's personal sword, a proper Lord of Sword Dao with a great future ahead... abandoning it all, even giving up the perfected lord position. Was doing this really worth it?
To this, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon had no hesitation:
"I just saving a person. What's not worth it?"
Within his ability, saving the life of a close Daoist friend—what wasn't worth it? Besides, the reason he could achieve the Dao was originally because of Lu Yang.
Boom!
The exploding sword light submerged everything. [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao], afraid of damaging the [Sword Dao Fruit], could only stand still on the spot, daring not make a single move.
On the other side, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon, having fallen from the perfected lord position, landed beside Lu Yang. He grinned, and although his originally vigorous vitality was draining away at a rapid speed, he didn't care at all. He said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Lu, do not take it to heart. This is also my fate..."
"Fate? What a joke!"
Lu Yang didn't answer but directly unfurled the [Righteous Dao Banner]. "Fellow Daoist need not say more. I can save your life. Go in first; you and I will talk later."
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon was stunned upon hearing this.
I can still be saved?
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon immediately threw himself into the [Righteous Dao Banner] without hesitation. Although he didn't fear death, he wasn't bent on dying either. A bad life is better than a good death, after all.
In the next second, Lu Yang pushed the [Righteous Dao Banner]'s [Guarding Integrity] divine wonder with full force, freezing Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon and Suo Huan together in their heavily injured states. Ensuring their souls and bodies wouldn't dissipate further, he stabilized their injuries first. He would think of a way to recover later; there was always room for salvation.
After doing all this, he looked at [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao].
"You just wait..."
This grudge, I've noted it down!
On the other side, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] looked equally cold but couldn't attack to kill Lu Yang because the [Sword Dao Fruit] before him was still unstable.
The two looked at each other across the rolling sword light.
Then Lu Yang finished his adjustments and vanished into the light sea again. At the same time, a realization dawned in [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s heart.
He fled...
He had acted personally, even risking further deterioration of his condition to forcefully activate the Great Perfected Lord stature, yet he still let the opponent escape with his life.
...Where did he go?
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] sensed inwardly, only to find that although Lu Yang still had his sword intent on him, he could no longer clearly sense Lu Yang's position.
And looking across the entire outer heaven light sea, only a few places could obscure his sensing.
So he quickly reached a conclusion:
The [Celestial Court].
Thinking of this, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] couldn't help but sigh, understanding the true meaning of this scheme within a scheme: To force that Lu Yang to go to the [Celestial Court]?
No, that wasn't right.
To be precise, the other three Dao Lords wanted to kill Lu Yang, but because of the Saint Sect's Ancestor's intervention, this killing turned into forcing him to flee far into the outer heaven.
Was this setting up a layout for the thousand year tribulation?
But that Lu Yang was just an Early-Stage Golden Core. Even if he went to the [Celestial Court], what could he do? Could he actually influence the outcome of the thousand year tribulation?
Surely not?
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was still pondering, but soon he lost the leisure to do so, because at some point, the sound of a torrent had begun to ring out around him.
Rumble!
Rolling heavenly river water surged from the void, rushing towards him. Perfected Lord Feixue stood with hands on her hips, her beautiful eyes cold, staring straight at him:
"It seems Fellow Daoist Lu has already run away."
Perfected Lord Feixue smiled beautifully, but there was no mirth in her eyes. "You had fun chasing him just now, right? In that case, now it's your turn to run."
"Run faster, before I kill you."
Hearing this, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] could only sigh helplessly.
This was another layer of the Saint Sect's Ancestor's scheme—making him take such risks, only to end up with nothing accomplished while bringing Feixue down on his head. He'd gotten the short end of the stick in every way..
Damn it!