Above the [Sea of Bitterness], accompanied by visible ripples exploding one after another like stones thrown into a lake, a figure interweaved among the crowd.
Rumble!
Every intersection would trigger a turbulent ripple within the overwhelming sea of Banner Spirits, simultaneously blasting out a void of considerable size.
However, the next second, new Banner Spirits would fill the void, as if endless. Different Banner Spirits formed different formations, like sharp blades, roaming around [Sky-Shrouding], continuously unleashing dazzling dao art and divine abilities.
These attacks didn't have much effect.
After all, Lu Yang only borrowed the power of [Thunderbolt Flame], and the wonder stopped at the most basic usage. He hadn't expected to hurt [Sky-Shrouding] from the start.
The only function of the Banner Spirits was to trigger [Sever All Evil].
At this moment, Lu Yang could clearly sense that under the siege of the Banner Spirits, [Sky-Shrouding] was weakening at a visible speed.
Unfortunately, the talent has a cooldown time...
Although the cooldown wasn't long, it still existed. So even with the Banner Spirits' human wave tactics, he only triggered it twelve times in a short period.
The next second, [Sky-Shrouding] suddenly exhaled deeply.
Immediately after, boiling smoke spread instantly, like a giant hand slowly stretching its five fingers, encompassing all the Banner Spirits under its palm.
Then a gentle wipe.
Without any warning, without any aftershocks, as if just wiping away a stain, the entire sea of Banner Spirits was easily erased just like that.
Almost simultaneously, Lu Yang's pupils constricted abruptly.
Because at the same time as erasing all the Banner Spirits, [Sky-Shrouding]'s narrow eyes had already locked onto him, sharp enough to make his heart tremble.
With this thought, Lu Yang's figure instantly became illusory, planning to hide into the cracks of logic again to avoid [Sky-Shrouding]'s attack. At the same time, he didn't forget to use the same method as before to protect his own memories, lest [Sky-Shrouding] strike with underhanded means.
But [Sky-Shrouding] didn't attack.
In fact, that [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] which wiped out all the Banner Spirits just now was already one of his ultimate moves, especially after he was hit with weakness twelve times.
Is it a dao art?
Very strange, seems to be some kind of curse... but where did he get the time to refine dao art? Moreover, he shouldn't be able to refine them now.
Grotto-Heaven Method Perfected Lords had no way to refine dao art.
Because the Dao Lord of the Dao Art was still alive, and that person had fled the Immortal Nexus after the battle of heavenly change, taking all dao art with him, causing them to become extinct within the Immortal Nexus.
As long as a cultivator refined a Grotto-Heaven and controlled a Dao Fruit, even if they refined for tens of thousands of years, they couldn't possibly refine a simple dao art. If it were the previous Lu Yang, it would be fine since he was an Ancient Method Golden Core. But after controlling [Heavenly Fire], he should theoretically be insulated from dao arts.
But why?
Why could he still display this kind of method akin to dao arts? [Sky-Shrouding] even felt that this method seemed far from reaching its peak.
In that instant, I actually felt a chill in my heart...
As if he could truly be killed!
[Sky-Shrouding] pondered in his heart, but his movements didn't slow down in the slightest. He formed a hand seal, raised a finger, and infinite smoke collapsed at his fingertip.
The next second, the smoke turned into a hazy shimmer.
Then this shimmer gently brushed over his body, and the twelve instances of weakness inflicted by Lu Yang just now vanished into nothingness within the shimmer.
At the same time, his aura also weakened a bit.
This was also the usage of [Knowledge-Perception Barrier]. At this moment, he had forgotten how he was hit with weakness twelve times; all memories were completely severed.
And with the disappearance of this part of memory, all injuries he received during the time covered by the memory were also obliterated. Unlike Mu Changsheng's change between truth and falsehood, this method was irreversible. The severed memory couldn't be traced back, karma was severed, so no hidden dangers would remain.
Of course, there was a price.
Negative statuses could be cleared, injuries could be wiped, but the karma of spiritual power was too heavy to be directly restored to peak condition using this method.
And because the corresponding memories were cleared.
Next time, if Lu Yang used the same method again, he would still fall for it, because without corresponding intelligence, it was hard to prevent beforehand.
But he had methods for this too.
Thinking of this, [Sky-Shrouding]'s eyes focused slightly. Hazy smoke gathered, like a pair of lenses, causing the scene before his eyes to change instantly.
At this moment, time seemed to be pressed pause.
Then, rewind.
[Thunderbolt Flame], sea of Banner Spirits, strange dao art akin to curses... Scenes were reproduced just like that, flowing past [Sky-Shrouding]'s eyes.
This was also a usage of [Knowledge-Perception Barrier].
Just like people, heaven and earth also had memories. [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] could also wipe them out. And since it could wipe them out, naturally it could view what memories they were.
So precisely speaking, [Sky-Shrouding] only used half of the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] at this moment, stopping at the step of viewing, to review what exactly happened just now. The stature of this scene reproduction method was extremely high. Even if karma was severed, it couldn't stop being traced back to the past.
What exactly happened just now...
[Sky-Shrouding]'s thoughts moved slightly. A divine sense had already been thrown into the illusory scene he manifested, and soon he saw Lu Yang's figure.
Is it [Heavenly Fire]?
So that's how it is. He established some kind of rule... With this level of Dao Fruit usage, he definitely couldn't have attained [Heavenly Fire] just recently.
Unless his aptitude is the number one in history, possibly even higher than mine.
But he doesn't look like it.
So, he should be very ancient, having filled the defects of aptitude with long years?
But that shouldn't be...
[Sky-Shrouding] was a bit confused. According to his previous judgment, Lu Yang should just be a contemporary cultivator who luckily obtained the Dao Lord's inheritance.
However, now, he displayed abilities only ancient Perfected Lords possessed.
This was contradictory.
Phew...
[Sky-Shrouding] exhaled and spoke, withdrawing from the memories of heaven and earth. Coming back to his senses, the time around him that had originally stagnated also began to flow again.
Raising his head again, solemnity and apprehension surfaced in the depths of [Sky-Shrouding]'s eyes. He said in a deep voice:
"Compared to the first meeting in the [Mortal World], Fellow Daoist's speed of improvement in strength is truly eye-opening. You can actually fight me head-on now."
At this moment, he no longer despised Lu Yang.
After all, unlike before, the previous Lu Yang could at most flee for his life in front of him. But now, Lu Yang could truly fight with him.
This was enough for him to adopt an equal attitude.
The next second, just as Lu Yang, who had dived into the cracks of logic and was preparing to have a heart-to-heart with [Sky-Shrouding], watched in astonishment as the smoke before him dispersed—
[Sky-Shrouding] disappeared.
Just like him.
"..."
In an instant, Lu Yang, who was originally somewhat relaxed thinking [Sky-Shrouding] could only take a beating passively, also became solemn, examining the surrounding environment.
But the next second, as if thinking of something, his expression changed drastically.
If it were a normal battle, then this moment would undoubtedly be a stalemate. However, this wasn't a battle; [Sky-Shrouding] could choose another person entirely.
"...Bastard!"
Before his voice fell, Lu Yang actively stepped out from the cracks of logic. At the moment of manifesting his true body, he also swung his arm heavily toward the direction of Patriarch Nether Whisper.
Boom!
[Sky-Shrouding]'s palm passed through the void. The palm originally aimed at the back of Patriarch Nether Whisper's heart hit empty air. Patriarch Nether Whisper, who should have been only a stone's throw away, was now separated from him by a layer of graceful firelight, turning a stone's throw into the distance of the horizon, no longer reachable.
However, [Sky-Shrouding] wasn't disappointed at all. Instead, he smiled:
"This is more like it."
Splurt!
Accompanied by a familiar piercing sound, watching a familiar palm extend from his own chest, blood light spraying, Lu Yang could only sigh helplessly.
"This move again? I'm getting tired of it, Senior."
In an instant, Lu Yang clarified his thoughts: The one attacking Patriarch Nether Whisper was the [World-Retribution Incarnation]. [Sky-Shrouding]'s main body had been waiting for him all along.
"A move isn't afraid of being old, as long as it works." [Sky-Shrouding] smiled faintly.
"Is that so?"
Lu Yang responded with a smile as well. The next second, he unhesitatingly grabbing the palm piercing his chest firmly.
During this, he allowed [Sky-Shrouding] to destroy his Dharma Body wantonly.
Then, the [Wellspring Water] wonder in the [Past Life Aspect] circulated with a boom. Yellow water light rippled, directly submerging him and [Sky-Shrouding] together!
[Yellow Water]—causing weapons to turn against their wielders, reflecting all injuries received onto others!
Fuck it, I'm exploding directly with you!