[The Mortal World].
Jade towers and magnificent buildings, majestic and spectacular. billowing clouds drifted beneath one's feet, ethereal and immortal-like, as if a towering palace stood in the heavens, dazzling the eyes.
Inside one of the pavilions.
Perfected One Subduing-Spirits sat cross-legged in meditation. His brows were tightly knit, seemingly locked in a bitter struggle. The brilliance of divine abilities on his body flickered constantly, alternating between bright and dim.
After a long time, he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Failed again..."
Perfected One Subduing-Spirits slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Although he spoke of failure, his brow was incredibly high-spirited, clearly not disappointed by this.
After all, he didn't lose in terms of strength.
"That Star Palace cultivator named Qinghe is actually inferior to me in strength. She only barely beat me by relying on that secret treasure capable of unleashing a Perfected Lord's strike."
Speaking of this, Perfected One Subduing-Spirits' tone was full of confidence: "But no matter. Relying on external objects counts for nothing. The other party doesn't cultivate a Supreme Dao Fruit of the Star Palace either. Wait until I temper my five divine abilities to the extreme next time; I'll just slash her with one sword, ensuring she can't even use the secret treasure!"
As his voice fell, a light shadow floated out from his body.
It was precisely Long Tu.
He stroked his beard and chuckled: "Not bad. Sword cultivators would rather break than bend. Having this Dao Heart and not being affected by temporary failure is already quite good."
"This is just the start of my life."
Hearing this, Perfected One Subduing-Spirits was full of ambition: "Capable people come forth in large numbers in this world. Once I attain [Sword Edge Gold], I must test my sword against the world and behold the elegance of the world's cultivators."
"Good! Ambitious!"
As the voice fell, Lu Yang, standing beside Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, reached out and patted Perfected One Subduing-Spirits on the shoulder: "Fellow Daoist must work harder in the future."
"Senior praises me too much."
Perfected One Subduing-Spirits nodded, not feeling anything wrong with Lu Yang standing beside him at all, only revealing a somewhat shy smile.
Seeing this scene, Lu Yang sighed with even more emotion: "Fellow Daoist's Knowledge-Perception Barrier is truly too useful."
Hearing these words, Sky-Shrouding, standing on the other side of Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, hurriedly waved his hand modestly: "A petty trick; it actually doesn't count for much."
After speaking, he even glanced at Long Tu: "What does Fellow Daoist think?"
Hearing this, Long Tu nodded: "Fellow Daoist is being modest. The stature of this wonder itself is extremely high, and Fellow Daoist uses it with perfection."
"To be honest, it is the only time I have seen such in my life!"
As his voice fell, his expression was incredibly serious, seeming just like Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, realizing absolutely nothing of how bizarre and eerie the scene before them was.
Immediately after, Sky-Shrouding looked at Lu Yang, completely disregarding the eavesdropping Perfected One Subduing-Spirits and Long Tu, and said openly: "What does Fellow Daoist intend to do next? Kill them just like this? Although not impossible, the method would be a bit too crude."
This is probing me...
Lu Yang sneered in his heart. The reason he could appear in [The Mortal World] at this moment was purely relying on Sky-Shrouding's Knowledge-Perception Barrier to deceive the rules of this place.
After all, he was already at mid-stage Golden Core.
Although he still had no Grotto-Heaven, after controlling the Dharma Body Great Dao, he couldn't exploit loopholes like in the previous life. So he could only ask Sky-Shrouding for help.
But this wasn't a long-term plan.
After all, if Sky-Shrouding withdrew the Knowledge-Perception Barrier's protection on him now, the rules of [The Mortal World] would probably immediately leave him without a burial place.
Leaving my life in the hands of others is not my style.
With this thought, Lu Yang immediately spoke: "Never mind. Fellow Daoist, just blind this Perfected Lord remnant soul. As for this Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, leave him to me to handle."
"Very well."
Sky-Shrouding nodded, but curiosity emerged in his heart. After all, according to his guess, Lu Yang was nine out of ten a former Dao Lord who had resurrected and returned.
But a guess was just a guess.
Seeing is believing. So he also wanted to see what kind of powerful methods Lu Yang could display, and whether they could match the Dao Lord methods in his mind.
The next second, Sky-Shrouding moved.
The mist formed by the Knowledge-Perception Barrier completely blinded Long Tu's five senses and seven apertures, causing his face to go blank, his thinking to stop, and drool to even flow out.
Immediately after, Lu Yang cleanly activated his talent.
[Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest]!
In an instant, Sky-Shrouding saw a scene that terrified him immensely—he saw Perfected One Subduing-Spirits' figure disappearing bit by bit into formlessness just like that.
And in his perception, Perfected One Subduing-Spirits' divine abilities, identity, karma, fate... all the information and intelligence he could sense that constructed the "existence" of Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, were actually all grafted onto Lu Yang. It even made a corresponding thought emerge in his heart for a moment—
Is this person's true body actually Perfected One Subduing-Spirits?
But the next second, Sky-Shrouding woke up with a start, subconsciously taking a step back: No! What is this... such a terrifying possession technique!
Is this a Dao Lord's divine ability?
If he hadn't had interactions with Lu Yang, plus witnessing his entire possession process with his own eyes, he probably would have identified him as Perfected One Subduing-Spirits!
Unbelievable!
At the same time, Lu Yang naturally noticed Sky-Shrouding's change and was satisfied in his heart: Like this, I should be able to awe this one a little.
Lu Yang knew very well in his heart.
Cooperating with Sky-Shrouding was no different from asking a tiger for its skin. The reason the cooperation could still be maintained was purely because there were no benefits worth the other party turning hostile yet.
So he had to think of every way to awe the other party.
At least make Sky-Shrouding feel apprehension towards him and dare not turn hostile easily. Only in this way could he strive for enough benefits for himself during the cooperation.
Soon, Lu Yang opened his eyes.
"Fellow Daoist can withdraw the Knowledge-Perception Barrier now."
Hearing this, Sky-Shrouding directly dispersed the wonder previously shrouding Lu Yang. Yet [The Mortal World] gave birth to no reaction whatsoever towards the current Lu Yang.
Because Lu Yang was now "Perfected One Subduing-Spirits".
Even inside his body, a Dao foundation and divine abilities shockingly appeared at this moment, exactly corresponding to [Sword Edge Gold], and he could command them as easily as his arms and fingers without any awkwardness!
Thinking of this, he couldn't help glancing at Sky-Shrouding.
[Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest] was settled from Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde's golden nature. Even that could settle such a terrifyingly powerful talent.
What if it were Sky-Shrouding?
For a time, Lu Yang's gaze became much more fervent, making Sky-Shrouding increasingly vigilant, subconsciously frowning and taking a step back at the same time.
What do you want to do?
Seeing this, Lu Yang knew beating around the bush was useless, so he simply spoke directly: "This method of mine requires golden nature to maintain. I wonder if Fellow Daoist could give me a sliver?"
"...Golden Nature?"
"Correct." Lu Yang looked sincere: "I am willing to exchange things for it."
However, before his voice fell, Sky-Shrouding shook his head without hesitation: "Apologies, golden nature is the foundation of a cultivator. It is impossible for me to hand it to others."
"Is that so... then never mind."
Lu Yang shook his head upon hearing this, not disappointed either. After all, he had anticipated this long ago. So he changed the topic: "Fellow Daoist can release the wonder now."
Sky-Shrouding nodded upon hearing this.
The next second, Long Tu, who had been absent-minded for a long time, suddenly came back to his senses, instantly shocked: With my cultivation, I actually lost focus? No! Someone is harming me?
Thinking of this, he hurriedly looked at Lu Yang.
Seeing Lu Yang safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, Fuyao, you are fine... Did you notice anything wrong just now?"
"No." Lu Yang shook his head honestly.
"Is that so..."
Long Tu frowned tightly, pondering in his heart: Strange… could it be not someone influencing me, but my injuries worsening, making my soul thoughts unstable?
It wasn't impossible.
But for some reason, he always felt something was wrong somewhere, but he didn't know where it was wrong. At least Perfected One Subduing-Spirits didn't encounter danger.
It's should be an illusion.