Jiangnan, where clouds and sky meet.
The sun shone brightly in the sky, light floating on the sea of clouds. A streak of illusory color shuttled through it. After a while, it carefully poked out of the clouds, revealing a figure.
This was an extremely contradictory figure.
At first glance, he was a black-robed Daoist with rolling smoke around his body, looking spirited and radiant. His face was handsome and graceful, and his demeanor exuded masculinity.
However, as he looked around and his face shook, the surrounding smoke also distorted. Trancelike, it seemed another completely different face jumped out, yet extremely blurred, unable to see the appearance clearly and unable to distinguish it's gender. Only a pair of narrow and long eyes were incredibly clear, staring straight at him.
"What are you looking at me for, Senior?"
Lu Yang chuckled: "Didn't we agree before? I'll control it usually... If Senior does it, the damage to this spiritual treasure is too great."
"...Hmph!"
Sky-Shrouding didn't deny it upon hearing this. After all, the current [World-Retribution Incarnation] was indeed far less perfect than at the very beginning.
But who was to blame for this?
'Wasn't this all because you, you bastard, schemed against me, leaving me no choice but to have the [World-Retribution Incarnation] collide head-on with Gangxing, causing excessive damage that cannot be perfectly repaired?'
Although he had tried his best to repair it, the current [World-Retribution Incarnation] still couldn't bear his mighty power. As long as he possessed and controlled it, a damage would appear immediately. On the contrary, Lu Yang was just stuck at the limit output of the [World-Retribution Incarnation], so no problems would arise.
Just then, Lu Yang suddenly spoke:
"Speaking of which, just now Senior and I were in the Sword Pavilion and heard that conversation. I still have one thing unclear. I wonder if Senior can resolve my doubts?"
"...Speak." Sky-Shrouding was noncommittal.
"Very simple. Does Senior think the reason Perfected One Subduing-Spirits cannot seek [Sword Edge Gold] is really the same as what [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] said?"
Sky-Shrouding fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then spoke: "About the same."
"Gangxing... Although I look down on this person, he still has some ability. His judgment on the state of [Sword Edge Gold] didn't have any errors or omissions."
"This is interesting."
Lu Yang smiled: "Looking at it this way, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] indeed hopes Perfected One Subduing-Spirits can attain [Sword Edge Gold]. Does Senior know the reason?"
Sky-Shrouding didn't answer upon hearing this, but took a deep look at Lu Yang, suddenly saying: "Why beat around the bush? What secrets do you know? Speak them out; I can help you evaluate them. If we can really scheme against Gangxing once, I don't mind lending you a hand."
He saw through Lu Yang's thoughts at a glance.
This was wanting to scheme against someone, but worrying that the gap in cultivation realm between himself and the other party was too large, leading to some oversights. So he wanted to find him as an advisor so everyone could scheme against people together!
If it were anyone else, he would naturally choose to turn a blind eye.
However, the Sword Pavilion was another matter.
Everyone was a Saint Sect perfected lord. Between each other—scheming, calculating. You scheme me, I scheme you—that was Saint Sect sect style. But scheming the Sword Pavilion was completely different.
This was a issue of stance.
So if someone wanted to scheme aginst the Sword Pavilion, he definitely had to help out!
Seeing Sky-Shrouding clarify his attitude, Lu Yang also said simply: "As far as I know, this Sword Pavilion Great Perfected Lord seems to have been planning for [Heavenly Fire]."
"[Heavenly Fire]? Him?"
"Hahaha!"
Sky-Shrouding laughed aloud. His first reaction was disbelief. But what level of Dao comprehension did he have? The next second he reacted, and the laughter stopped abruptly.
"...Interesting."
"Not wanting to seek [Heavenly Fire], but wanting to strip the Supreme Status of [Heavenly Fire], to elevate the [Furnace Crucible Fire] under his rule?"
Lu Yang asked softly: "Does Senior think it's feasible?"
"...Feasible!"
After pondering for a moment, Sky-Shrouding gave the answer: "Not only feasible, but once successful, it can really let this guy break free from the quagmire and ascend to the sky in one step!"
"However, [Heavenly Fire] has not been attained by anyone so far, and never manifesting in the world. If he wants to strip its Supreme Status; he must first find a Foundation Establishment Perfected One cultivating [Heavenly Fire], help him seek golden core, and lure [Heavenly Fire] to emerge. This is just the first step... The probability of this plan failing is very high."
"So that's how it is, that's why [Sword Edge Gold] is needed!"
"With [Sword Edge Gold], he can erase all possibilities of failure, anchoring the successful future... Interesting, he really came up with a way!"
Sky-Shrouding's words made Lu Yang narrow his eyes.
Need a Foundation Establishment cultivating [Heavenly Fire]?
This sentence reminded him of the scene when he sought golden core in the past. At that time, the future seen in the false history was that the Sword Pavilion would also take action at the critical moment.
However, reality didn't happen that way.
At that time, I thought because I helped Master Vanquishing-Demon attain the [Sword Dao], the Sword Pavilion had no reason to attack me again. Now it seems I was probably wrong.
At that time I attained [Heavenly Fire], the Sword Pavilion didn't act, probably only because [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was sealed in the [Sea of Bitterness] by the Patriarch, and difficult to act... This is interesting. [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] needs [Heavenly Fire], and the current [Heavenly Fire] inheritance...
Overseas, the True Dragon Clan!
As far as I know, the Old Dragon Lord left the [Heavenly Fire] inheritance wanting to use it to hook up with the Dao Court... But is it possible it had other plans?
Hooking up with the Dao Court was just one aspect.
On the other hand, maybe it also wanted to use this to hook up with [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]. Even if the Dao Court side didn't work out, there was still the Sword Pavilion as a backup plan.
One product, two customers!
Very possible. The Old Dragon Lord could lead the True Dragon Clan to survive until today; what stands out is being able to profit from both sides. Rather, this makes more sense!
The next second, Lu Yang stood still on the spot.
"Hmm?" Sky-Shrouding frowned slightly seeing this: "Why stopped moving?"
"I know where Mu Changsheng is."
Lu Yang grinned, a look of certainty emerging in his eyes: "He should be overseas... specifically at the Four Seas Sect, protected by the Old Dragon Lord!"
The reason was simple: The Old Dragon Lord is used to profiting from both sides. Now that the four Great Dao Lords are hostile to the Heavens, he has submitted to the four Great Dao Lords, but would he ignore the lord of heaven side?
After all, it's just a Mu Changsheng, it didn't touch the bottom line.
If the Saint Sect Old Monster asks for him, he can just tie up Mu Changsheng and hand him over, saying he was helping the Old Monster guard him all along. What problem would there be?
If the Saint Sect Old Monster doesn't care, then it just happens to sell a favor.
Either way, it doesn't lose.
With this thought, Lu Yang immediately formed hand seals.
Guessing was just guessing after all. Wanting to verify this guess was also very simple. Use karma to calculate a bit, and see what result could be obtained in the end.
"If targeting the entire Immortal Nexus, finding Mu Changsheng is indeed looking for a needle in a haystack. But if limited to the Old Dragon Lord, then it's much simpler."
The next second, firelight appeared on Lu Yang's fingertips.
And behind him, the [Past Life Aspect] emerged, holding up a lamp. Candlelight flickered in the lamp, firelight illuminating the great net of karma instantly.
[Holding Candle]!
In an instant, strong "Revealing Secret" wonders spread along the great net of karma, illuminating some buried hidden karma thoroughly clear.
"Found it!"
Lu Yang clapped his hands instantly: "Indeed he is at the Four Seas Sect!"
Seeing this, Sky-Shrouding frowned slightly: "Such large karma fluctuation, don't alert the snake by hitting the grass."
"Senior rest assured."
Lu Yang looked calm. The hand seals changed, and the [Past Life Aspect] behind him moved accordingly. The original [Holding Candle] immediately reversed into [Driving Night].
Immediately after, infinite darkness expanded from Lu Yang, carrying strong "Hiding Secret" wonders, wrapping up all the fluctuations of the karma great net just stirred up by it. All things returned to tranquility. Only the sea of clouds rippled slightly, some light and qi scattered. Aside from this, there were no abnormalities.
"In this way, the Old Dragon Lord and Mu Changsheng shouldn't discover it."
Lu Yang chuckled, but Sky-Shrouding fell silent.
At this moment, he only felt his mood was somewhat complicated: The wonder of Overturned Lamp Flame can be elevated by him to this extent? By using [Five Elements Star Essence]? Why does it feel like deliberately imitating my Knowledge-Perception Barrier...
It seemed like he had been taken advantage of!