Choosing to run was [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s biggest miscalculation on this trip.
Did he not expect Lu Yang and [Sky-Shrouding] to stop him from escaping? Of course not; he had anticipated it. After all, he had seen through the trap earlier.
The problem lay in the method of escape.
In his view, if [Sky-Shrouding] and Lu Yang wanted to stop him from fleeing, they would simply set up a formation inside [Nourishing Life Master] to cut off his connection with the outside world.
So his preparations were mostly targeted at this.
However, [Sky-Shrouding] had anticipated his anticipation. He didn't make a move inside [Nourishing Life Master] at all. Instead, he used a much simpler and more direct method.
To leave [Nourishing Life Master], one must first sense the [Dark Void] and then choose coordinates to enter the outer heaven light sea. [Sky-Shrouding]'s preparation was located in the [Dark Void]. This should have been an absolutely safe zone; even [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] wouldn't have guarded against it in the slightest.
Yet, at this moment.
Just as [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] connected with the [Dark Void] and prepared to escape, a beam of heavenly light shone down from the supposedly safe [Dark Void].
Gotcha!
In an instant, the caught-off-guard [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was hit squarely by this heavenly light. His vision spun.
Bastard!
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was no fool. In just a split second, he understood what had happened: it wasn't that there was a problem with the absolutely safe [Dark Void].
It was his sensing that had gone wrong!
He thought he was sensing the [Dark Void], but in reality, he had fallen into a formation [Sky-Shrouding] had set up long ago, causing him to take a hard hit!
What was more fatal was that after he managed to dispel the fog in his mind with great difficulty and barely regained clarity, he discovered he had actually "forgotten" how to connect to the [Dark Void]! Although he could recall some clues if he thought seriously, and it would become clearer over time...
Where would he find the time now?
Lu Yang was right in front of him!
Because he had been bent on escaping and was hit by [Sky-Shrouding]'s backup plan, he wasted precious time to counterattack. Now, he was too late to react!
BOOM!
In the next second, a white light landed on him. Like a candle illuminating the dark, three bright lamps appeared on his shoulders and head, only to be blown out in one breath.
Lamps extinguished, night descended abruptly.
[Driving Night]!
The intense profound wonder of "Sealing and Storing" swept through [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s entire body, almost causing the spiritual power he had already halfway mobilized to collapse.
Immediately after, Lu Yang arrived completely in front of him. Within inches, in a split second, Lu Yang clenched his hands into fists and threw out afterimages. Each fist was like a World Realm; every smash carried matchless giant force, punching out madly in a near-berserk posture!
Thud!
The heaven-shaking sound resonated for only an instant. Only by listening carefully would one discover that it was the sound of explosive bangs rising one after another in an extremely short time, merging into a single noise.
Lu Yang had exerted the power of every punch to the extreme.
Countless fist shadows fell, yet [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s figure didn't retreat a single step. Clearly, the power in the fists hadn't leaked out in the slightest.
All of it had been blasted into the opponent's body.
The result was that when Lu Yang retracted his fists, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s body had completely turned into a ragged mess, only one step away from disintegration!
This is the Dharma Body Dao!
Control first, then hit. Close-quarters combat... in this era where the Dharma Body Dao is extinct and Golden Core Perfected Lords generally have weak Dharma Bodies, it is simply invincible!
In the next second, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] spoke.
From his already ruined windpipe, blood surged. His lips and teeth opened and closed, accompanied by the gurgling sound of blood, slowly spitting out a syllable filled with hatred and rage:
"Ahhh...!!!"
This wasn't a simple wail, but an incantation. As the voice sounded, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s tattered body also bloomed with brilliant light.
Amidst the brilliance, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao]'s figure disappeared rapidly. Replacing it was a straight precious sword. The sword body was square and upright, engraved with dense dao inscription weaving and gathering together, reflecting a sword intent that rushed to the sky. The sword edge pointed straight at Lu Yang in front!
At this moment, a strong sense of crisis arose in Lu Yang's heart.
True, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] was at the end of his life, but wasn't he the same? His indestructible body was currently riddled with wounds.
However, he didn't retreat because of this.
Risking your life with me?
Lu Yang gritted his teeth, swallowing the fresh blood in his throat. Not only was he not forced back by the sword edge transformed from [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao], but he chose to take a step forward instead!
BOOM!
If Lu Yang didn't retreat, [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] naturally wouldn't either. He slashed out a sword; tide-like sword light instantly sliced Lu Yang into pieces.
However, in the next second, as if time flowed backward, all injuries disappeared. Only a figure that had just emerged behind Lu Yang shattered once again.
[Future Life Aspect]!
This aspect had shattered once before. It had been re-condensed with great difficulty, only to shatter with a bang again due to siphoning Lu Yang's injuries.
Moreover, because it had just been condensed not long ago, the intensity of injury siphoning was limited. Therefore, about thirty percent of the sword light still landed on Lu Yang's body, further aggravating his wretched state. But even so, he didn't retreat a fraction. He slowly raised his broken right hand, reflecting a gloomy color.
[Tribulation Evil Profound Light]!
While locking onto [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao], Lu Yang also transmitted his voice viciously: "Hand over the Supreme Dao Fruit books, or we perish together!"
"Take them!"
[Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] didn't hesitate for a moment. He decisively threw out the Dao Fruit books he had just obtained, simply because he truly felt the crisis of death.
Intuition told him that once this [Tribulation Evil Profound Light] landed on him, a chain reaction would extremely likely occur, detonating all his hidden dangers!
Of course, this wouldn't kill him yet.
But the problem was that there were strong enemies at his side. [Sky-Shrouding], Perfected Lord Feixue, Old Dragon Lord... every one of them could kill him if he fell to that state!
Forget it, forget it. Let him have this one.
Anyway, I just forcibly copied [Heavenly Fire] with my divine sense. Although I didn't have time to copy [Sword Edge Gold], it's not a total loss ultimately...
Meanwhile, Lu Yang had already caught the five Supreme Dao Fruit books.
In the next second, without any hesitation, Lu Yang escaped directly out of [Nourishing Life Master]. He had long guarded against [Sky-Shrouding]'s backup plan, so naturally, he wouldn't fall for it.
However, seeing this scene, [Sky-Shrouding] smiled.
Done!
Almost simultaneously, the moment Lu Yang left [Nourishing Life Master] and landed, he saw a brilliance that filled the sky and covered the earth—nowhere to hide, impossible to defend against.
A certain kill!
Against [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao], his preparation was to create a fake [Dark Void]. Against Lu Yang, his preparation was in the outer heaven light sea. He had calculated that Lu Yang would choose to return to the Immortal Nexus, so he deliberately set up a formation in the Immortal Nexus. No matter where Lu Yang chose to enter the Immortal Nexus...
He would fall into the formation in the end!
The result was just as [Sky-Shrouding] expected. Lu Yang escaped into the Immortal Nexus, falling precisely into his trap, right when he was at the end of his tether!
BOOM!
Without any suspense, Lu Yang's already riddled Dharma Body was submerged and disintegrated in the brilliance, finally turning into flying ash filling the sky.
At this moment, [Sky-Shrouding]'s joy almost overflowed from his narrow eyes.
Good, good, good... Dying within my formation, the formation will automatically extract the profound wonder of [Overturned Lamp Flame], allowing [Overturned Lamp Flame] to revive again!
You saved me some effort!
In the next second, [Sky-Shrouding] immediately escaped out of [Nourishing Life Master]. His divine sense sensed heaven and earth, planning to reverse the [Chen Earth] and return to the position of Great Perfected Lord.
However, soon—he was stunned.
Because [Overturned Lamp Flame] did not revive. The Dao Fruit profound wonder remained silent, giving him no response.
...Not dead?
Instantly, the smoke rioted. [Sky-Shrouding]'s narrow eyes froze abruptly. Then, like shattered glass, uncontrollable rage surged forth.
How can he not be dead!!!
Is it something I forgot before... but what exactly did I forget?
[Sky-Shrouding] was about to go mad.
In the end, if he wasn't dead, what was the point of all his painstaking planning up to now?
And if he remembered correctly, that bastard was carrying five Supreme Dao Fruit books!
So in the end, the guy who was schemed by him into deadly situations several times became the final beneficiary instead, while he drew water with a bamboo basket—all in vain?
For a moment, [Sky-Shrouding] just wanted to vent the anger in his heart like he roared at Hong Yun before. But when it came to it, he realized he actually didn't even know the other party's name.
He couldn't just roar "Fellow Daoist," could he?
"Bastard!!!"