Dark Void.
Chaos stretched out like a boundless abyss. Lu Yang's figure surfaced from the depths, sending ripples through the void. The moment he appeared, he opened his mouth and spewed a mouthful of fresh blood.
Pfft!
The blood, shimmering with golden light, landed on the abyssal surface. It quickly spread and dissolved... One could only imagine that it would randomly fall into some corner of the outer heaven light sea.
If there happened to be a world realm there, and this mouthful of blood fell into it, at the very least, it would resonate with the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, transforming into a supreme heavenly spirit treasure. At most, it might gain sentience, becoming a supreme prodigy of that world realm... all because this blood was mingled with the essence of Lu Yang's grotto-heaven and even his golden nature.
If an outer heaven cultivator were to accidentally obtain it...
This single mouthful of blood was enough to make them the strongest existence beneath a perfected lord. If their talent was exceptional, they might even establish a profound sensory connection with Lu Yang.
In the past, Lu Yang would have certainly reclaimed this blood.
But now, he had no time to care about such trivialities. After spitting out the blood, he immediately sat cross-legged in the dark void, doing his utmost to suppress the surging sword qi within his body.
The appearance of Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon had undoubtedly been a lifesaver.
If he hadn't neutralized the 'Ascendant Victor' sword intent contained within the sword qi, the current Lu Yang would already be dead, let alone sitting here suppressing the residual energy.
Without the sword intent, the pure sword qi was much easier to deal with.
Before long, Lu Yang's complexion gradually regained its calm. The cracked skin on his body knitted back together, and at first glance, it seemed he had returned to his peak state.
At the same time, from within the Righteous Dao Banner, Patriarch Nether Whisper opened his eyes, a look of joy floating onto his face. "Success. I've locked onto the position."
"Heading over like this won't put us directly inside the [Celestial Court], but rather in its vicinity. After all, a super world realm of that magnitude won't allow an entity with the mass of a perfected lord to enter and exit at will... Let alone the [Celestial Court], even the Myriad Martial World Realm wouldn't permit it. A perfected lord is simply too 'large'."
Hearing this, Lu Yang finally relaxed.
"No matter. It's better than continuing to be hunted by a great perfected lord. However, heading to a super world realm like the [Celestial Court] in my current state might be courting death."
Lu Yang felt a headache coming on.
After all, his current [Heavenly Fire] was blazing brightly. One look and anyone could tell he came from the Immortal Nexus. The cultivators of the [Celestial Court] would likely scream for his blood the moment they saw him.
Hearing this, Patriarch Nether Whisper pinched his fingers in calculation and said, "It's not entirely hopeless. If you actively restrain yourself, and I use the [Wu You Heaven] to mask you, we might be able to conceal the traces of the [Heavenly Fire]."
"Is that possible?" Lu Yang looked surprised.
Patriarch Nether Whisper nodded, speaking with certainty. "It is. The [Wu You Heaven] governs the transformation of illusion and reality. We just need to turn the [Heavenly Fire] from reality into void."
"That sounds difficult."
Lu Yang frowned. "To achieve such a thing, one must have a sufficient understanding of the [Heavenly Fire] and possess techniques specifically targeting it. Do you have such things, Patriarch?"
"I do now."
As his voice fell, Patriarch Nether Whisper finally stopped the movements of his fingers and smiled. "I created it in passing while calculating the location of the [Celestial Court] earlier."
Lu Yang: "..."
I was shallow. To think I didn't trust in his earth-shattering wisdom just now. Shallow, indeed.
"Then I'll trouble you, Patriarch."
Lu Yang bowed with cupped hands. Patriarch Nether Whisper nodded, then waved his hand. The [Wu You Heaven] immediately materialized above Lu Yang's head.
It was a dao fruit that appeared both illusory and dreamlike.
As Patriarch Nether Whisper formed hand seals, the [Wu You Heaven] began to shift. Countless iridescent colors emerged, piling up and interweaving into a magnificent cloak.
In the next second, the cloak descended.
It drifted gently onto Lu Yang's body, obscuring the heavenly light and completely masking all aura related to the [Heavenly Fire].
"The [Wu You Heaven] is not proficient in combat, but it excels at these methods of illusion and reality transformation. Cultivators at the early and middle stage of the golden core shouldn't be able to see through it. As for the late stage, unless they have specific means to break through illusions and inspect you rigorously, they shouldn't discover any issues either."
At this point, Patriarch Nether Whisper's expression turned serious.
"However, this is limited to situations where you don't fight. Once you make a move, your aura will erupt, and the disguise I've laid down will instantly fail."
"Many thanks, Patriarch. This junior understands."
Lu Yang's face showed a hint of joy. With the Patriarch's cover, he could perfectly disguise himself as a simple and honest unorthodox perfected lord, cutting ties with those demonic figures of the Immortal Nexus.
As for whether it would work, Lu Yang was open-minded.
Since this was the absolute best he could do at the moment, he wouldn't dwell on it. It would be best if he wasn't discovered, but if he was, he'd just chalk it up to bad luck.
"Time waits for no one. Let's go now."
Lu Yang had always been decisive. With [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] as his safety net, he naturally acted on his thoughts immediately. Moreover, he urgently needed a place to heal his injuries.
Boom!
In the next second, following the coordinates anchored by Patriarch Nether Whisper, Lu Yang's figure dove back into the abyssal surface, crashing toward the location of the [Celestial Court].
I just wonder... after I leave, what will happen to that wretched place, the Immortal Nexus?
....
Immortal Nexus, Jiangxi.
After disappearing for less than half a year, brilliant Buddha light once again illuminated the skies of Jiangxi. The [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] walked out from the light, his face filled with compassion.
"Amitabha!"
Looking at Jiangxi, which had completely changed its appearance, the expression of the [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] became even more sorrowful. "Jiangxi... my Buddha's believers have suffered."
Look at what that Demon Dragon has done to Jiangxi?
Not only did he exempt these unruly subjects from paying offering money to the Buddha, but he also set rules requiring cultivators to help them regulate the weather and fertilize the land. He's raised them to be fat and plump, to the point where they've even birthed thoughts of cultivating immortality—thoughts they shouldn't have! Perfectly good spiritual qi, wasted on these unruly subjects!
Is this not a sin?
Demon! As expected of the Jiangbei Demon. What is this 'education for all', this 'everyone can cultivate'? If everyone cultivates, who will be left to offer worship to us?
Besides, cultivation is so cruel. The result of everyone cultivating would be just like Jiangbei—a pure land turned into a mortal slaughterhouse, with countless casualties at every turn.
Only the Jiangbei Demon could bear to commit such evil sins.
He has absolutely no sense of responsibility!
Thinking of this, the [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] immediately prepared to set things right, intending to return Jiangxi to its 'best era' of equality and unity in heart.
However, right at that moment—
ROAR!!!
A dragon's roar interrupted the [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer]'s movements. In an instant, the entire sky of Jiangxi turned into a boundless ocean, cutting off the sky-filling Buddha light.
Seeing this scene, the [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] narrowed his eyes.
"Old Dragon Lord... do you still not understand? That Demon Dragon cannot return. He arbitrarily altered the trend of the world and became the target of all. Being exiled to the outer heavens is already a great fortune for him."
"Under these circumstances, you still want to intervene?"
The ocean surged mightily as the Old Dragon Lord revealed his true body. A head as large as a mountain protruded forth, his voice booming like thunder: "Scram! This place is now the foundation of my Dragon Clan!"
In this moment, the Old Dragon Lord's attitude was incomparably firm.
The [Bodhisattva Precious Lotus Hidden Subduer] said he didn't understand, but the Old Dragon Lord felt he saw things quite clearly— Someone had set a trap to kill Lu Yang, yet Lu Yang had not died.
He didn't care about 'exile to the outer heavens' or 'target of all.'
In his view, there was only one key point— Lu Yang didn't die!
If he didn't die, it meant there was someone protecting him from behind. It meant there was still room for the situation to turn around. It meant this was the perfect opportunity for the Dragon Clan, for him, to offer help in a time of need!
If he didn't act now, when would he?
Drawing on his experience, he had already formed a conjecture—
The person behind the scenes allowed Du Huan to go to the outer heavens. If it were just an ordinary world realm, how would it be worth his journey?
It must be one of those three places!
[Celestial Court]? [The Mysterious Wall]? [Star Palace]?
It should be the [Celestial Court]. I previously sensed that location's concept in the outer heavens. This Thousand-Year Great Tribulation will likely be contested by the [Celestial Court].
I fear the dao lord is laying out his plans in advance!
Regardless, Du Huan was clearly still valued by the big shots. In that case, as long as my Dragon Clan stands firmly with him, we will also be valued!
Whether the Dragon Clan can make progress after countless years...
Depends on this single move!