The moment that thought appeared, both Lu Yang and the [Sky-Shrouding] projection realized something was wrong. Looks of horror appeared on both their faces.
'Alas' your head!
The next second, the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method] in Lu Yang's hand was pushed to its limit, like a clear spring instantly cleansing his consciousness sea and mind.
Yet even so, the will rooted in Lu Yang's Dao Heart was awakened. In a way he couldn't comprehend at all, it began to smear and modify his Dao Heart, forcibly carving out a piece from his originally perfect and unified True Self. The intense will was like a storm.
Amitabha...
A heavy sound echoed from within his heart, as if some colossus had suddenly surfaced, opening a pair of smiling eyes overflowing with Buddhist light.
It's out of control.
As the Buddha's name echoed in Lu Yang's heart, he could clearly sense that fully one-fifth of his Dao Heart had been carved away and transformed into the World Honored One.
At this moment, he was incredibly grateful that he had refined the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method].
If not for the blessing of this Immortal Method stabilizing my True Self, I'm afraid at least two-thirds of my Dao Heart would have been carved away by him right now.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang was instantly horrified.
Why two-thirds?
Because I needed three True Treasures! When I refined the first two True Treasures, I devoured Unorthodox Dao Fruits twice, and it turns out both Unorthodox Dao Fruits had problems...
The True Treasures themselves were fine.
The problem was that to quickly raise his cultivation, refining True Treasures required devouring Unorthodox Dao Fruits, and this became the key to the World Honored One plotting against him.
I was wondering why there was a Bodhisattva behind both the [Imperial Order] from the Myriad Martial World and the [Inscription of Heaven] from the Unorthodox Alliance. It turns out they were waiting for me here... Poison prepared specifically for me. And just because I wanted to raise my cultivation quickly, I had no choice but to eat it. Just a little more and I would have been done for...
Lu Yang's heart was ice cold.
If I hadn't had a sudden epiphany and decided to use my own Grotto-Heaven to refine the third True Treasure instead of continuing to devour Dao Fruits from the outside world...
Then the World Honored One might have succeeded!
Devouring three Unorthodox Dao Fruits, each related to the World Honored One... in the end, He would revive in his body, almost instantly taking everything away!
Fortunately, a flaw appeared with the third True Treasure, allowing him to escape by a fluke. Not only was he not instantly possessed by the World Honored One, but with the help of the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method], he forcibly reduced the mighty power that could have carved away two-thirds of his Dao Heart to one-fifth.
However, this was only temporary.
The World Honored One's method of modifying the Dao Heart is too terrifying. If I weren't in the [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] right now, I probably couldn't stop His transformation at all.
The [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness] isolated everything.
The reason he hadn't realized he was actually an incarnation of the World Honored One was precisely because of this—the World Honored One's main body, far away on the [Paramita], had no way to provide assistance.
But even so, the World Honored One still held the upper hand. Lu Yang could clearly sense the opponent modifying the Dao Heart True Self that belonged to him, bit by bit.
What to do?
All these changes happened in the blink of an eye. By the time Lu Yang came back to his senses, his chest had already been pierced through by the [Sky-Shrouding] projection.
However, at this moment, the calm in the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's eyes was gone.
His voice, previously full of ease, now held disbelief and panic: "You... you truly are a daring fellow!"
You dare touch the World Honored One's stuff?
Even in his plan, he would only consider snatching things from the World Honored One after reaching the late Golden Core stage and becoming a Five Elements Great Perfected Lord.
But what about Lu Yang?
Early Golden Core, a junior who hadn't even been in the realm for a hundred years, actually dared to take the World Honored One's things. And looking at it, he took more than one!
Was he not afraid of death?
Thinking of this, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's killing intent surged. He couldn't delay with Lu Yang any longer. If the World Honored One really revived here, it would be over!
Thinking in the worst direction... the World Honored One's main body far away on the [Paramita] has probably noticed something is wrong and started sensing this fish that slipped through the net back then! Once He finds this place, He will definitely stomp down again, and even the plan on the main body's side will fail...
This absolutely could not happen!
With this thought, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection held nothing back. His hands formed seals pressed against his chest, but no bright light appeared—only a mass of vast smoke exploded.
[Veiled Truth Immortal Method]!
He pointed a finger, and instantly fog covered the sky. Lu Yang immediately sensed it, looking up and keenly perceiving the terrifying nature of this Immortal Method.
Just like my [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method], but with the exact opposite effect!
The effect of the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method] was to stabilize the Dao Heart and maintain the True Self, while the [Veiled Truth Immortal Method] destroyed the Dao Heart and annihilated the True Self!
More importantly, it could correspond with the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier]!
For a moment, Lu Yang only felt his thinking become blurry, his thoughts stopped turning, and his whole person floated as if in a dream, giving birth to a massive drowsiness.
Of course, the World Honored One inside his body was the same.
After all, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection wasn't targeting anyone specifically but intended to catch everything in one net. While Lu Yang and the World Honored One were entangled, he would destroy both sides!
In this situation, his death was certain.
The [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method] was still entangled with the World Honored One, and he was already at a disadvantage. He had no spare energy to resist the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's attack.
...Risk it!
The next second, Lu Yang made a decision. He directly retracted the [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method], locking his Dao Heart at the critical point of one-third.
This was the bottom line for maintaining his self-consciousness.
As long as this one-third of the Dao Heart wasn't modified, his True Self wouldn't change. He would still be him, not completely transformed into the World Honored One.
The only drawback was that by doing so, the World Honored One, occupying two-thirds of his Dao Heart, could replace him and directly command his cultivation.
In other words:
The World Honored One is about to revive in my body...
Almost simultaneously, "Lu Yang"—who had been pierced through the chest, shrouded by the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier], and affected by the [Veiled Truth Immortal Method]—suddenly raised his head.
[Sky-Shrouding] projection: "..."
Not daring to hesitate in the slightest, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection, who had originally planned to wipe out both Lu Yang and the World Honored One, quickly shifted his strategy to target the World Honored One.
Boom!
A silent explosion rolled within Lu Yang's consciousness sea, heavily striking the part of the Dao Heart that had been transformed into the World Honored One, causing it to instantly weaken.
Clearly, the effect was excellent.
However, the more this happened, the brighter the Buddhist light in "Lu Yang's" eyes became. The corners of his mouth even turned up slightly, revealing a compassionate smile.
The World Honored One's will in Lu Yang's body had completely revived. Although he couldn't check Lu Yang's memories because Lu Yang held fast to the last third of his Dao Heart, he could already manipulate Lu Yang's spiritual power, dharma body, and even Dao Fruits—only the three True Treasures remained out of reach.
But that was enough.
The World Honored One looked around. Although it was only a portion of will built upon Lu Yang's Dao Heart and he couldn't contact the main body far away on the [Paramita]...
He was, after all, somewhat related to a Dao Lord.
The next second, the [Sky-Shrouding] projection saw a firelight emerge from the top of "Lu Yang's" head, transforming into a talisman that then outlined a line of large characters:
[This place cannot affect the Dao Heart.]
Forced Inscription!
Not only that, but this time the [Inscribing Heavenly Chapter] carried the inherent stature of the World Honored One's will, pushing the power of this Dao Fruit's divine wonder to the extreme.
The next second, whether it was the [Sky-Shrouding] projection's [Veiled Truth Immortal Method] or Lu Yang's [Dao Enlightenment and Self-Realization Immortal Method], both shattered like dream bubbles. And losing the suppression of both, the World Honored One's thoughts became increasingly clear, finally speaking the first sentence after awakening:
"Alas! I never thought I was actually an incarnation of the World Honored One!"