At this moment, heaven and earth were all illuminated.
And in the Five Regions under heaven, whether mortal households or cultivator cave abodes, all things that fit the concepts of "candle" and "lamp" gave birth to strange changes.
Lampstands burned fire without oil, Dharma candles ignited without fire.
Snap! Snap.
Streaks of ghostly light were lit up in countless places, then climbed into the clouds, converging into a streak of not dazzling, not blinding, but constant and unchanging lamplight shimmering glow.
And under the illumination of this lamplight, even the sun, moon, and stars became dim. Even heaven and earth gradually changed appearance under its illumination. The originally integral Five Great Regions showed huge fissures at this moment, and countless pitch-black hollows emerged between heaven and earth.
Heaven and earth revealed their true appearance at this moment.
Not only that, besides the four major forces of Saint Sect, Dao Court, Sword Pavilion, and Pure Land, countless sects, large and small, in various regions also underwent changes at this moment.
The most direct manifestation was the sect's cultivation techniques and classics.
All the restrictions placed on the classics by these sects for confidentiality failed completely. The content of the cultivation techniques was opened to all disciples without reservation.
Besides this, there were treasures.
Those spiritual artifact containing special divine wonders or spiritual items that concealed themselves also revealed their true appearances one after another at this moment, causing countless people to look sideways.
The initiator of all this was precisely the figure sitting under that lamplight shimmering glow at this moment.
Hong Yun, no—it was [Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light].
After five thousand years, he finally returned to his former position. His brows, once wrinkled, stretched out again, high-spirited, his eyes flowing with blazing white firelight.
And just now, he demonstrated his ability to all Perfected Lords who cast their gaze on him: Overturned Lamp Flame, illuminating what the sun and moon do not illuminate, brightening what heaven and earth have not brightened. Under the mighty power of this Dao Fruit, no secret could hide. All things would reveal their truest appearance.
This naturally included [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow].
As Hong Yun looked over, [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow], who was originally still under [Sky-Shrouding]'s control, instantly broke through the Knowledge-Perception Barrier that was already on the verge of collapse.
The next second, he took a step back and put his palms together:
"Amitabha!"
After speaking, this [Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow] didn't hesitate at all. With a flash of his figure, he returned directly to the Pure Land, clearly not intending to participate in the battle.
On the other side, [Sky-Shrouding]'s expression was ugly to the extreme.
Immediately after, with a flip of his hand, he took out a puppet. Looking closely, it was Chong Guang's appearance—it was precisely the Dao Sin formed after Chong Guang's death!
Why is it useless...
He couldn't understand it at all. Chong Guang's Dao Sin was a trump card he made temporarily. After Chong Guang died, he hid the Dao Sin with the Knowledge-Perception Barrier, just waiting to take it out at the critical moment to fight with Hong Yun for [Overturned Lamp Flame] and delay time... But why, why was it useless?
At this moment, inside the dense forest.
Lu Yang smiled smugly.
Told you long ago, you can't hide anything from me... Isn't it just Martial Uncle Chong Guang's Dao Sin? An old trick; how could I not guard against it?
I was scared by this move of yours in the ninth life.
How could I fall for it again now?
I've waiting for you for a long time!
Lu Yang grinned. As for how he influenced Chong Guang's Dao Sin... naturally, it was by borrowing the Tribulation Wave sword mark carved into Chong Guang's divine ability back then!
A mere Dao Sin, simply modifying the concept a bit to make it unable to respond to [Overturned Lamp Flame], what difficulty was there?
Back then, you helped me refine the Tribulation Wave. Now I use it to give you a harsh one. It can be considered the cycle of karma; retribution is unfailing!
At the same time, Hong Yun also moved.
Without any hesitation, the stature of [Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light] pressed down entirely. In an instant, the Chen Earth between heaven and earth simultaneously erupted with soaring Yang Qi.
Reverse!
Rumble!
In an instant, heaven and earth rumbled, the universe dimmed. The divine sense of all Perfected Lords sensed a vast and boundless darkness approaching the present world at flying speed.
Different from the [Sea of Bitterness].
If the Foundation Establishment Realm was located above the present world, and the [Sea of Bitterness] was above the Foundation Establishment Realm, then the approaching darkness at this moment was located "below" the present world.
And now, it floated up.
It was precisely the Netherworld!
Within this darkness, a majestic figure walked out. With every step he took, a large patch of shadow was shaken off his body.
However, every time a shadow was shaken off, his aura would plummet by a large chunk. From overriding heaven and earth when he first appeared, surpassing even [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] by far, to finally a loud bang, actually falling directly below the late Golden Core stature, barely maintaining at the mid-Golden Core stage.
At the same time, he also revealed his true face.
That was a Daoist shrouded in smoke, or rather a mass of smoke condensed into a human shape. All over his body, only a pair of narrow and long eyes were revealed.
At most, also pale palms.
Such an appearance different from ordinary people, plus that stature and aura falling from infinite heights, instantly made the present Perfected Lords recognize the other party's identity.
[Sky-Shrouding]!
He actually walked out of the Netherworld!
Almost simultaneously, inside the Jiangbei dense forest, Lu Yang directly recalled Suo Huan. Without another word, he fled towards the Outer Heavens, not forgetting to curse loudly in his heart at the same time:
Fuck me!
The Netherworld actually didn't strike this old beast dead!? Didn't we agree that falling to mid-Golden Core meant certain death for him? The result is this? Let him walk out?
I can't stay in this place anymore!
The wind is tight, Run!
Although Lu Yang won this chess game affecting the world in the end, he didn't become arrogant. Rather, precisely because of this, he understood [Sky-Shrouding]'s terror clearly.
I worked so hard.
He still didn't die!
Due to walking out of the Netherworld, the current [Sky-Shrouding] was even more terrible than before because he had no scruples and no restrictions anymore!
Reacting similarly to Lu Yang was Hong Yun.
But if Lu Yang ran just out of a stress response just in case, then Hong Yun truly felt bone-piercing killing intent.
And not only that.
At the instant he attained [Overturned Lamp Flame], the [Enlightenment] divine wonder Lu Yang applied to him before became hard to maintain and was automatically released.
But precisely because of this, he was mad with anger.
Bastard!
He used me as a scapegoat, made me bear [Sky-Shrouding]'s wrath, and now lost contact... Can there be such a brazen and shameless person in the world?
He's definitely from the Saint Sect!
At this moment, Hong Yun almost subconsciously recalled the Outer Heavens coordinate Lu Yang gave him earlier, and at the same time understood the other party's thought.
This is wanting me to hide at this coordinate?
I won't be tracked by [Sky-Shrouding] there?
But... with the Saint Sect's style, since this place was arranged by that mysterious person, undoubtedly a trap must have been laid waiting for me!
[Sky-Shrouding] in front, Lu Yang behind—a dilemma!
But even so, Hong Yun made a decision in an instant: Compared to [Sky-Shrouding], that mysterious person looked easier to deal with.
No need to think.
Run!
Holding this thought, just as [Sky-Shrouding] gradually walked out of the Netherworld, Hong Yun had already fled far to the Outer Heavens. In a blink of an eye, he entered the Dark Void.
"Hong Yun! Come out!!!"
Behind him was [Sky-Shrouding]'s extremely furious and extremely discomposed roar. Hong Yun didn't look back at this, not even daring to glance at [Sky-Shrouding] once.
Too scary!
In the Dark Void, Hong Yun patted his chest. Only after a good while did he settle his mind, wiping the sweat uncontrollably flowing down his forehead, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Holy crap! Posturing and then running, so thrilling!
Only until this moment did joy surge into Hong Yun's heart.
I really succeeded?
[Overturned Lamp Flame], I got you again!
With this thought, Hong Yun hurriedly sensed seriously, wanting to touch and look properly at the Dao Fruit [Overturned Lamp Flame] he had longed for day and night for five thousand years.
Then he froze.
Immediately after, he blinked first, then rubbed his eyes, and finally opened his mouth, his expression twisting, revealing a look of disbelief.
He simply couldn't believe what he saw.
No, to be precise, he saw nothing.
"[Overturned Lamp Flame], [Overturned Lamp Flame]... Where is my fucking [Overturned Lamp Flame]???"
Such a big Dao Fruit!
Where did it go!?