As Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao stepped out from the Sword Pavilion, sword light flooded the horizon, turning the sky into a canvas of steel.
On the other side, at the Sacred Fire Cliff, a figure finally emerged from the secret realm, hands clasped behind his back.
It was Lu Yang.
In an instant, an aura no weaker than Gangxing Budao's shot straight into the firmament, transforming into a brilliant pillar of light that merged with the clouds and illuminated more than half of the Immortal Nexus.
At this moment, Lu Yang appeared to be wreathed in a primal, fierce blaze.
Crystal-clear, radiant firelight danced across his skin, dyeing his hair with a shimmering luster and making him appear increasingly ethereal and dazzling.
Finally, the light condensed into nine glittering golden divine rings that pulsed around him, centering him in a halo of majesty.
He was not about to let his opponent claim all the glory.
With a single step, the mountains and rivers seemed to reverse beneath his feet.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Yang traversed the Sacred Fire Cliff, crossed the Jiangbei territory, and stepped directly onto the waters of the Great Dragon River.
"Hmph..."
Seeing this, Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling even more vindicated in his decision to wait until the Pure Land and the Dao Court had declared their sides.
Looking at the raw power Lu Yang displayed now, Gangxing realized that while he was confident he wouldn't lose, securing a victory would have been far from easy—failure might even have been a possibility.
Thinking of this, Gangxing Budao offered a cold smile. "Fellow Daoist, the situation is clear. I do not truly wish to kill you. As long as you hand over [Heavenly Fire], I will turn and leave. You are a practitioner of the Ancient Method Golden Core; surrendering the fire will not cost you your life."
"This is your final chance."
"Give up the fire, and you live. Resist to the end, and you will have only yourself to blame. Given your cultivation, it would be a pity to throw away everything you've worked so hard to achieve."
Lu Yang tilted his head, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips. "At this stage, why must Senior play these psychological games? Your 'persuasion' is a sham; you're simply testing the waters to see if I have any trump cards left, aren't you?"
Hand over [Heavenly Fire] to live? Nonsense.
Gangxing Budao's goal had never been the flame itself. He sought to demote the Supreme Stature of [Heavenly Fire]; a mere Dao Fruit was useless to him.
The fastest way to achieve that demotion was to crush Lu Yang in a battle of equal cultivation.
If Lu Yang simply surrendered, the victory would be hollow and meaningless to Gangxing's ultimate goal.
The reason for the offer was simple: if Lu Yang hesitated, it proved he was out of options. Then, Gangxing could beat the "drowning dog" without mercy.
Unfortunately for him, Lu Yang's resolve was unshakable.
His attitude is still this defiant... Does he truly have an ace? But what card could possibly trump the two Great Perfected Lords standing behind me?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
Though Gangxing felt a flicker of unease, he remained outwardly calm, sneering, "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. Since you insist, I shall show no mercy."
"It should have been like this from the start!" Lu Yang countered.
A fervent light flickered in Lu Yang's eyes as he stared at his opponent. Gangxing had designs on him, but the feeling was mutual.
After all, even if his Stature was "crippled," Gangxing was still a Great Perfected Lord. If Lu Yang could claim his Golden Nature, what kind of talent would the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] bestow upon him? This was one of his primary motives for accepting the duel.
Before his voice even faded, a streak of sword light slashed toward him!
It was that familiar, relentless style. Gangxing's sword light followed like a shadow, leaving no room for reaction, aiming to behead Lu Yang in a single stroke.
But I am not the man I was in my previous life!
Lu Yang didn't dodge. He gripped the Righteous Dao Banner, unfurling it against the wind. In an instant, a deafening roar of insectoid chirping—like a peal of thunder—erupted from within!
The Qi-Eating Insect swarm had arrived.
In the Pure Land camp, Great Sage Xuan Yuan's expression shifted drastically. "So it was him! He's the one who stole my Dao Fruit... and he can use [Heavenly Fire] like that?"
As the swarm surged, Lu Yang pinched a hand seal, subtly altering the laws of logic while simultaneously summoning [Thunderbolt Flame].
He utilized the Wonder to empower the swarm; in an instant, the fierce insects ignited with spiritual fire, creating a dark, buzzing barrier that severed the space between Lu Yang and Gangxing Budao.
The sword light plunged into the sea of insects.
To the onlookers, it looked like a small boat tossed upon monstrous waves. Though it tried to ride the crests and break through, it was eventually swallowed by the endless, gnashing tide.
Crack! Crack!
With every inch the sword light advanced, countless Qi-Eating Insects pounced upon it, gnawing away at its power until the light grew dim and brittle.
Gangxing Budao was genuinely startled. He hadn't invoked his full stature as a Great Perfected Lord for that strike, but it was still a full-force blow.
The defensive power of the insect swarm far exceeded his expectations.
Not only are they devouring my spiritual power, but they're gnawing on the [Ascendant Victor Sword Intent] attached to the light. Can these wretched things eat anything?
Gangxing frowned, his momentum grinding to a halt before the buzzing wall of carapaces.
What about their numbers?
He silently calculated the swarm's casualties through karma, and his frown deepened.
There is almost no change in their quantity...
This meant his strike had been effectively useless. Under the protection of the swarm, Lu Yang possessed a near-invulnerable shield.
The solution seemed simple: if he raised his Stature, a single strike would annihilate the entire swarm. But as he prepared to do so, he hesitated.
No... something is wrong. This is a trap!
The feedback from karma felt artificial. He is baiting me to strike. These insects must have some unknown method of near-instant recovery...
Inside the swarm, Lu Yang watched Gangxing restrain himself, a flash of regret crossing his mind.
He truly is a former Great Perfected Lord. Even half-crippled, his karmic intuition is outrageously sharp. Trying to deceive him completely is a tall order...
A pity. If he had struck first with his full Stature, the rest of this fight would have been much easier.
Gangxing's intuition was spot on. This was a trap centered on Jade Maiden, the Mother Insect of the swarm. She was currently being protected by Lu Yang inside the Righteous Dao Banner.
If Gangxing had unleashed a strike with the Stature of a Great Perfected Lord, he might have wiped out the swarm—but as long as Jade Maiden lived, Lu Yang could re-circulate and replenish the insects in a matter of heartbeats.
Gangxing would have suffered the backlash of forcing his Stature for nothing.
Since he's holding his ground, this will have to be a battle of attrition.
Lu Yang remained composed. He glanced toward Jiangnan, sensing the Old Dragon Lord watching him like a predator in the reeds.
If that old loach tries to interfere, the Patriarch will handle him. No rush... the perfect opportunity hasn't arrived yet.
With that thought, Lu Yang didn't press for a quick victory.
Instead, he kept the Qi-Eating Insect swarm coiled around him, intending to let this single, "disgusting" tactic carry him through.
And it was undeniably effective.
Break through if you have the guts! Lu Yang thought with grim confidence.
His "Sea of Insects" tactic wasn't fancy; it was just revoltingly persistent.
To kill him, one had to wade through the swarm.
And the moment an enemy entered that swarm, they would trigger [Sever All Evil].
I guarantee you'll walk in hard and walk out limp!