Long Tu's soul was utterly scattered.
There was no suspense. Although he still held a few trump cards, under the suppression of a Perfected Lord's stature, all struggles were futile.
Immediately after, Lu Yang waved his hand.
The movement was as casual as wiping away a speck of dust. The figure of Perfected One Vanquishing-Spirits instantly dissipated from the spot, as if he had never appeared there in the first place.
As for the Ten Imperial Venerables, since they were raised by his own mouthful of blood, Lu Yang, being kind-hearted, didn't plan to kill them. Instead, he took out the Righteous Dao Banner and transformed it into an immortal gate standing there. He would wait for these Imperial Venerables to voluntarily become Banner Spirits. With his protection over their true spirits, they could be considered immortal and undying.
"Ah, I'm just too righteous."
After finishing all this, Lu Yang finally turned his gaze to the complex of palaces before him. After pondering for a moment, he walked into the pavilion from which Perfected One Subduing-Spirits had previously emerged.
Boom!
The next second, the pavilion doors closed. Lu Yang stood within, looking around, but found nothing amiss, save for his spiritual perception faintly trembling.
It seems the checkpoint isn't inside this pavilion.
It requires sensing.
Lu Yang frowned slightly. He considered summoning Patriarch Nether Whisper to ask, but since the Patriarch was now a Golden Core Perfected Lord, it wasn't appropriate for him to appear here.
This place forbids Golden Core Perfected Lords. Patriarch and the other all fallen into a deep slumber to isolate their aura. Coupled with the fact that they are Banner Spirits, they were able to deceive the heavens and cross the sea with me. If I wake them, they won't be able to conceal themselves like I do. It would likely trigger a riot in this place, and then there would be considerable danger.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt helpless.
This lousy place simply didn't allow him to display his talents.
Damn it!
After a good while, Lu Yang gathered his thoughts and simply sat down in the pavilion. With his eyes closed tightly, he began to sense every inch of space within the structure.
No, perhaps I should change my perspective.
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow, recalling what Long Tu had said earlier—that this [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] checkpoint was very likely formed spontaneously by the [Sea of Bitterness].
If that was the case, he shouldn't look at it with ordinary eyes.
He needed to open the [Sea of Bitterness]!
With this thought, a divine light instantly flashed in the depths of Lu Yang's eyes as he sensed the [Sea of Bitterness]. The next second, the pavilion before him underwent a tremendous change.
It feels a bit fake...
Lu Yang looked astonished. The original pavilion had seemed incredibly real to his eyes, but once he employed the [Sea of Bitterness] vision, it became illusory instead.
So that's how it is. This is the threshold to enter the checkpoint. To enter, one must at least reach the level of [Chasing the Dao] and be able to perceive the [Sea of Bitterness] to have the qualification to enter the pass. Otherwise, even if one came here, they would only return empty-handed... No wonder that Long Tu dared to propose cooperation with me.
He underestimated me!
Of course, Lu Yang could understand. After all, not every Perfected Lord could perceive the [Sea of Bitterness].
Perfected One Subduing-Spirits was likely the same. As a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, without the help of Long Tu, his 'grandpa', he wouldn't even have the qualification to attempt the trial.
The next second, the world in Lu Yang's eyes completely shattered.
Looking back, he found himself standing atop a cloud peak. The wind howled around him, clouds rolled and relaxed, and looking up, he saw a clear sky and bright sun.
Invisibly, a realization welled up in his heart.
[The Human World].
Lu Yang looked around, somewhat curious: The first trial is named [The Mortal World]. What kind of human world is this?
The next moment, a young cultivator in black robes walked out from the surging clouds. At a glance, his stature was no different from Foundation Establishment Perfection.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist."
Seeing this, Lu Yang cupped his hands, appearing very polite: "What profundity lies within this [The Mortal World]?"
The black-robed cultivator looked deeply at Lu Yang upon hearing this and laughed: "I didn't expect a newcomer. What profundity? Kill me, and you'll naturally understand..."
Rumble!
In an instant, a massive hand descended from the sky. The black-robed cultivator didn't even have time to react; the cold sneer at the corner of his mouth hadn't even faded before Lu Yang slapped his skull into pieces. His soul was crushed along with it, his figure dissipating, finally turning into a disintegrating concept that vanished into nothingness.
"Hey, I still don't understand..."
Lu Yang frowned deeply, lamenting the sinister nature of the human heart. clearly, he had already killed the other party, yet the guy still lied to him. It was truly hard to be a good person in this world.
However, the next second, Lu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly.
Because after the black-robed youth died, Lu Yang suddenly felt as if he had become somewhat lighter. The operation of his soul consciousness and thoughts seemed more effortless.
"What is this?"
Lu Yang was somewhat surprised. But before he could figure it out, the surrounding sea of clouds surged again, and a second challenger appeared, also at Foundation Establishment Perfection.
Hmm... why are they all Foundation Establishment Perfection?
Lu Yang's expression gradually became flamboyant. That made sense. Besides him, who else could deceive the heavens and come here with the cultivation of a Golden Core Perfected Lord?
Only Foundation Establishment Perfection was normal!
"I am Qinghe, a cultivator of the [Star Palace]."
The second challenger looked refined and gentle, holding a folding fan in his hand. After appearing, he didn't rush to attack but looked at Lu Yang with a light chuckle: "May I ask where fellow Daoist comes from?"
Boom!
Lu Yang couldn't be bothered to waste breath with a lower cultivator. As per custom, he slapped him. On the spot, the opponent was flattened into a meat patty, his dharma body and soul subsequently disintegrating and scattering.
Seeing this scene, while Lu Yang's mind became increasingly clear, he couldn't help but harbor a doubt: These people's bodies are entirely constructed from concepts, unlike real people... They should be the projections left behind by cultivators who entered the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] in the past, no different from incarnations.
Now that I've dispersed them, will it affect their main bodies?
[Star Palace], Azure Dragon Constellation.
Above The Vast Realm of Myriad Lands, the [Horned Wood Flood Dragon] star map hung high. Within the map, celestial palaces suspended in the universe could be seen. Only after passing nine layers of golden steps could one see a magnificent hall standing tall.
Inside the hall, a young man sat cross-legged.
He was originally regulating his breath and meditating, his aura harmonizing with the [Horned Wood Flood Dragon] star map. With every breath, the essence of the star sea surged towards him—truly a grand scene.
However, the next second, the young man's body suddenly swayed. His eyes snapped open, and then, with his head thrown back, he fell from the Dao platform with a thud. His originally fair face turned beet red as if he were trying his best to endure, but after a long while, he could no longer suppress it and spurted out a mouthful of blood essence.
"Ah—!"
The young man vomited three liters of blood. It took a long time for him to recover, his face filled with terror: "What a powerful curse-killing art. Who wants to harm me? Why harm me?"
If he hadn't attained the position of Star Lord, he might have died just now!
How could this be?
The young man climbed onto the Dao platform and regulated his breath for a while longer. Only then did he gather enough spiritual power to silently deduce the cause. Subsequently, his expression gradually turned gloomy:
So that's how it is... Entering that [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] in the past actually carried such a drawback. It seems a newly advanced junior killed my projection, and the backlash affected my true body... But that shouldn't be. My projection was incredibly powerful, with almost no rivals among Foundation Establishment cultivators. Someone could actually kill it?
This wasn't the young man being arrogant.
It was a fact. When he entered the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] back then, he carried a secret treasure that could unleash the might of a Star Lord in necessary situations.
The projection would completely copy the records of that time.
So theoretically speaking, unless the opponent also had a Star Lord father like he did back then, with deep backing, it was impossible to kill his projection.
Moreover, the projection possessed consciousness.
The battles in [The Mortal World] didn't necessarily have to end in life or death. Given his style, he would likely have conversed with the opponent first, striving for a win-win situation.
In that case, could it be that the opponent didn't listen to the projection at all and attacked directly?
Could it be a demon from the Immortal Nexus?
The young man looked suspicious, his brows furrowed tight, but soon they relaxed: "Forget it. In any case, that trial in [The Mortal World] has long since become a dead end."
With such a tyrannical style, the faster that attacker advance, the sooner they'll likely die!