Netherworld, an Unspeakable Place.
Suddenly, [Sky-Shrouding], who was originally in meditation, opened his eyes, drawing a sharp breath of cold air. Then he subconsciously looked far away towards the direction of the present world.
Someone is trying to harm me again.
Not quite right... This time, it actually makes me feel a bit of heart palpitations. Hong Yun? That mastermind wants to act against me again so soon?
What enmity, what grievance?
Thinking of this, [Sky-Shrouding] suspected even more that the so-called mastermind was actually Hong Yun. After all, only Hong Yun had such a big grudge against him.
And the problem lay in what methods Hong Yun had prepared that could truly make him feel a sense of crisis. This didn't look like something an early Golden Core cultivator could do. It showed that Hong Yun's plan must have truly hit his vital point. But with so many backup plans of his own, how many exactly did he grasp?
It couldn't possibly be all of them, right?
As soon as this thought appeared, [Sky-Shrouding] himself felt it was absurd and couldn't help laughing out loud... However, gradually, his laughter lowered.
Is it really impossible?
Being thwarted in overseas earlier, I can understand. After all, Hong Yun had been to the Emerald Sun Cultivation World back then. Being able to set up that game is within reason.
But what about the others?
Suo Huan, Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow, and my World-Retribution Incarnation. These three backup plans... At least the latter two, Hong Yun couldn't possibly know.
[Sky-Shrouding] sat up straight and began to think seriously: In that case, there is only Suo Huan left. After all, Suo Huan is overseas, and Hong Yun has also been overseas. It's not impossible... In any case, one should anticipate the enemy leniently. Let's assume Hong Yun has grasped the intelligence on Suo Huan first.
With this thought, [Sky-Shrouding] immediately formed hand seals.
He needed to verify it.
Almost simultaneously, overseas, inside the Earth Fire Sea Heart Furnace. Suo Huan, who had just swallowed the karma of his original body, suddenly raised his head and looked at Lu Yang beside him:
Someone is coming.
Lu Yang was stunned at first, then greatly surprised:
Who? [Sky-Shrouding]!?
At this moment, he had to admire [Sky-Shrouding]'s vigilance. He had just made his move here, and [Sky-Shrouding] actually already sensed something was wrong?
Stabilize him.
Lu Yang signaled, then actively faded his figure. Suo Huan restrained his aura, even simply hiding the Grotto-Heaven inside the Righteous Dao Banner, completely isolating it. He lowered his own stature to late Foundation Establishment, and only then held the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land] in his hand, silently operating it.
Soon, inside the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land].
[Sky-Shrouding]'s consciousness descended silently, quietly observing Suo Huan. Without hesitation, a Knowledge-Perception Barrier was thrown over without a word.
Immediately after, he looked around again.
No abnormality, everything is normal.
As if it was just his suspicious character acting up before, thinking too much... But the more it was like this, the harder it was to soothe the annoyance and anxiety in [Sky-Shrouding]'s heart.
It still not right.
[Sky-Shrouding] lightly rubbed his glabella. He was extremely confident in his spiritual perception. Wind doesn't come from an empty cave; there must be a cause. Something must have gone wrong somewhere!
At this moment, he displayed the style of a Saint Sect Perfected Lord.
Putting facts aside.
Regardless of whether there is an abnormality, I will draw a conclusion first! I determine that there is a problem on Suo Huan's side. And Suo Huan having no abnormality shows the problem is very serious!
[Eternal Flowing Water]... might have to be abandoned!
[Sky-Shrouding] felt heavy in his heart. The move with Suo Huan was his key to seizing [Eternal Flowing Water]. Now that it might be crippled, his mood naturally wasn't good.
Vaguely, he had already sensed the crisis.
[Eternal Flowing Water] is crippled, then what about [Overturned Lamp Flame]? If it's really Hong Yun laying out the plan, [Overturned Lamp Flame] probably will also give birth to many variables.
How about... launching early, grabbing [White Wax Gold] and [Silted Sand Earth] first?
In this way, at least I won't fall in realm.
Unknowingly, [Sky-Shrouding]'s thoughts had overlapped with his self from the previous life. Both were startled by the crisis, intending to use a blitzkrieg to secure a bottom line.
Indecision leads to chaos.
The next second, [Sky-Shrouding] withdrew his consciousness, turning to the Jiangxi Pure Land, and quickly connected with [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow].
However, this life was different from the previous one.
In the previous life, Lu Yang knew nothing about the backup plan of [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow], allowing [Sky-Shrouding] to succeed. In this life, he learned about this move.
Not only he knew it, but also passed the news to the Pure Land through Yuan Tu's hand!
The result was that when [Sky-Shrouding] threw his consciousness into the Pure Land, he discovered in horror that [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] had been imprisoned at some unknown time!
Exposed!
In an instant, even with [Sky-Shrouding]'s Dao Heart, he couldn't help but feel a coldness like falling into an ice cave, subconsciously giving birth to a thought:
Which Dao Lord wants to harm me!?
Yes, Dao Lord!
Able to discern his biggest backup plan in advance—besides a Dao Lord, who else could it be? Could it be the World Honored One? That's right, the World Honored One is the most likely!
After all, the World Honored One had always been universally praised.
His own behavior was basically jumping left and right on the World Honored One's tolerance limit. The possibility that the World Honored One couldn't bear it and personally entered the arena to smurf wasn't non-existent!
Even very high!
But soon he reacted. If it really were a Dao Lord, why use these petty tricks? Just grab him with a big hand and refine him instantly.
After a moment of silence, [Sky-Shrouding] didn't choose to immediately possess [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] for a desperate fight, but silently withdrew his consciousness.
"Calm down, the situation hasn't reached the worst degree yet."
"Putting it bluntly, it's just that... isn't it just that [White Wax Gold], [Silted Sand Earth], [Eternal Flowing Water], and [Overturned Lamp Flame] all inexplicably went wrong..."
As his voice fell, a silence fell within the Netherworld.
"...Fuck!"
The next second, [Sky-Shrouding] slapped the desk in front of him in half with a palm. Only then did he vent that suffocating bad breath in his chest.
However, the situation wouldn't improve because of this.
But after venting, [Sky-Shrouding] regained his composure and began to seriously think about countermeasures, sparks rubbing out from his fingertips.
Where is the breaking point?
Since even [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] is exposed, there's no need to doubt. I can assume my most important backup plans have all been exposed.
Under these circumstances, with what do I win?
Gradually, a trace of ferocity appeared in the depths of [Sky-Shrouding]'s eyes: [World-Retribution Incarnation]. Only this one trump card is something the opponent cannot target.
Because the [World-Retribution Incarnation] is not a plot or scheme, but pure strength. So as long as it exists, I have the chance for a counterattack to the death... In other words, as long as the opponent isn't stupid, they will definitely try every means to make me use up the [World-Retribution Incarnation] to thoroughly seal the victory.
Then the answer was very simple.
Regardless of whether the person plotting against me is Hong Yun, eighty percent chance it's someone from the Saint Sect. In that case, his plotting against me must be for more important benefits.
Plotting against me is just incidental, a process.
So what I have to do is endure... No matter what the mastermind does, I must keep my cool and cannot use the [World-Retribution Incarnation] first.
Until the mastermind exposes their true purpose, only then can I use the [World-Retribution Incarnation] for a decapitating strike... Only in this way do I have hope to turn the tables!
Thinking of this, [Sky-Shrouding] smiled instead.
"How many years has it been? I didn't expect that nearing the completion of my grand plan, I could still encounter such a huge crisis. As expected, one cannot underestimate the people of the world."
He became even more excited.
The tension of dancing on the tip of a blade and walking between life and death in the past resurfaced, causing his fighting spirit, which had been silent for a long time, to fully revive at this moment.
"Matters have reached this point, come on!"
[Sky-Shrouding] stood up. High-spirited and intense emotions surged in his heart, nearly fanatical, yet making his eyes increasingly cold and rational:
"Let's test whose methods are superior, yours or mine!"