Although Lu Yang wavered for only an instant, [Sky-Shrouding] was no ordinary figure. With a gaze like a torch, he instantly detected the unnaturalness in Lu Yang's behavior.
"Fellow Daoist is unaware."
This time, genuine surprise appeared in his eyes: "I thought Fellow Daoist had learned of that secret and gained some assurance, which was why you dared to use a Grotto-Heaven to refine a True Treasure, severing your own path... It turns out Fellow Daoist knows nothing at all. That is truly strange. Where does Fellow Daoist get his confidence?"
To this, Lu Yang could only remain silent.
After all, how was he supposed to answer? He couldn't very well say it was because he used cheats. He could only stay silent and pretend to be an expert; at least that way, people wouldn't be able to see through his background.
Fortunately, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection didn't intend to get to the bottom of it.
He chuckled lightly and said: "It seems Fellow Daoist really does have good luck... otherwise, with Fellow Daoist's natural talent, you would have gone astray instead."
What did he mean?
Thoughts raced through Lu Yang's mind. Perhaps his comprehension wasn't as good as Patriarch Nether Whisper's, but when it came to scheming and deep calculations, he had some skill.
The next second, his pupils constricted:
There's a problem with the Grotto-Heaven Method!
With my natural talent, if I hadn't used the Grotto-Heaven to refine a True Treasure, I could have used the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method] to break through to the mid-stage right now... Is this what he means by going astray?
Why would it be so?
Thinking of this, Lu Yang frowned deeply, his heart heavy. Yet, seeing the [Sky-Shrouding] projection looking calm and composed, just waiting for him to ask, he hesitated.
Was he trying to manipulate him?
Lu Yang naturally didn't want to be controlled by others like this. The most forbidden thing in a conversation was losing the initiative. How could he be willing to be suppressed by someone else?
With this thought, Lu Yang immediately smiled: "Speaking of which, this seat and Senior have a blood feud outside. I thought it couldn't be resolved, but I didn't expect to meet again in this [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] today and even be addressed as 'Fellow Daoist' by Senior. It's quite interesting."
"Blood... feud?"
The smile in the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's eyes vanished.
He knew his own character very well. There were no blood feuds in this world; as long as the benefits were sufficient, even if someone killed his father, he could call them brother.
The only possibility—
The next second, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection narrowed his eyes and said coldly: "You ruined my plans? Was it [Overturned Lamp Flame]? or one of the other Dao Fruits?"
"Both."
Lu Yang looked indifferent: "The Senior outside is currently holed up in the Netherworld. Of the five elemental Dao Fruits you occupied, only three remain. The path to the Nascent Soul is fraught with difficulties."
As soon as these words came out, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection immediately realized the severity of the problem: Five elemental Dao Fruits, the Netherworld... It seems my previous plan was indeed mostly successful, only to be discovered by this person who managed to destroy much of it... I cut my losses in time, barely preserving three Dao Fruits?
In an instant, he analyzed a great deal.
Yet even so, he couldn't help but feel a secret hatred in his heart: Dao Fruits... If not for my ignorance back then, trapped by the Dao Fruits, how could I have suffered such a calamity?
However, on the surface, he remained unmoved.
"In that case, Fellow Daoist and I indeed have a feud of obstructing the Dao."
The [Sky-Shrouding] projection paused, then laughed: "But that is something for the 'Me' in the present world to worry about. As a mere projection, it doesn't really matter to me."
"Really?"
Of course, it was fake.
The [Sky-Shrouding] projection felt gloomy. If his main body could achieve the status of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord, it would actually bring immense benefits to him as a projection.
But he also knew clearly that right now, both sides were fighting for the initiative in the conversation. Therefore, he absolutely could not show weakness. Otherwise, he would fall to a disadvantage, eventually being duped by the opponent into exchanging important intelligence for a pile of meaningless trash. That would be a huge loss.
Just as he was pondering, Lu Yang took the initiative to speak:
"Regarding Senior's statement just now, I have considered it carefully and have a guess. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but may I ask Senior to clarify it for me?"
Hearing this, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained impassive: "No harm in trying to say it."
"The key lies in the Grotto-Heaven Method."
Lu Yang said in a deep voice: "In the Grotto-Heaven Method, there is a problem with the method of breaking through to the Golden Core mid-stage, correct?"
The [Sky-Shrouding] projection laughed loudly upon hearing this: "I don't know what you're talking about."
Although he said this, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart: I underestimated this person. The intelligence I revealed earlier was too obvious, causing him to guess so much.
At the same time, Lu Yang continued his analysis: "As for the specific problem, I also have a deduction. Does it lie in the characteristic of the [Grotto-Heaven Not Falling]? The Grotto-Heaven doesn't fall because it takes root in the Dao Fruit. Although one becomes immortal and indestructible from then on, correspondingly, the cultivator is also deeply bound to the Dao Fruit."
There was a problem with the Dao Fruit!
Lu Yang had known this for a long time. For example, a Golden Core Perfected Lord didn't actually completely control the Dao Fruit, but merely obtained the right to use it for a long time.
In this situation, what would be the result of being deeply bound to the Dao Fruit?
With this thought, Lu Yang was instantly horrified: "Bound to the Dao Fruit, yet the Dao Fruit doesn't belong to oneself... In the end, could one be reduced to nourishment for the Dao Fruit itself?"
Lu Yang stared straight at the [Sky-Shrouding] projection.
However, the smoke surrounding the opponent was too annoying. It concealed all emotional fluctuations, preventing him from distinguishing whether his guess was true or false.
"What does senior think... what I said is right or wrong?"
Before Lu Yang finished speaking, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection chuckled. The look he gave Lu Yang contained a hint of appreciation, but then he shook his head: "Both right and wrong."
"Being reduced to nourishment for the Dao Fruit is thinking too exaggeratedly. What is a Dao Fruit? After we condense a Grotto-Heaven, it is nothing more than something we take from at will."
He denied Lu Yang's guess.
"The key is still the Nascent Soul. The Grotto-Heaven Method was passed down by the Ancestor and spread throughout the world. With the Ancestor's vision, would he place any importance on mere Dao Fruits?"
"From beginning to end, the only things the Ancestor truly regarded were the Nascent Soul and the Great Dao! So the defect of the Grotto-Heaven Method lies only here... If one uses the Grotto-Heaven Method to achieve the Golden Core mid-stage, late-stage, or even perfection... if they want to seek the Dao again, no matter how well prepared, they will have at most a ten percent chance of success!"
At these words, Lu Yang pursed his lips.
He wanted to ask: Why?
However, once this question was asked, the initiative would be in [Sky-Shrouding]'s control. He would have to produce enough bargaining chips to exchange with him.
And he might not even get the truth.
After all, that was [Sky-Shrouding], a Perfected Lord of the Saint Sect. Lu Yang strongly suspected the opponent would ultimately produce a specious answer to fool him.
You evil old bastard!
Lu Yang cursed in his heart, but his mind raced, trying to find intelligence that could regain the initiative... unfortunately, his ten lifetimes of cultivation were still too short.
In terms of secrets, he couldn't possibly know more than [Sky-Shrouding].
Thinking of this, Lu Yang sighed deeply. He made a prompt decision, simply abandoning the idea of continuing to ask. The bright light at his fingertips became increasingly brilliant.
Seeing this, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection marveled even more: What a decisive character. He simply doesn't want to talk to me anymore. Rather than exploring secrets, he'd rather kill me and take the opportunity of this trial first.
But soon, he had another thought: It should still be that the value of the intelligence isn't enough to move him... That makes sense. After all, he has already refined the Grotto-Heaven. The defects of the Grotto-Heaven Method are actually unimportant to him now. To make him submit, I still have to bring out something more valuable.
Preferably something vital to his life.
Thinking of this, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection couldn't help but frown tightly.