In the Mystic Spirit World Realm, bright light suddenly flashed.
Lu Yang strolled out from the [Sea of Bitterness], humming a little tune in an excellent mood. At this moment, the Banner Spirits inside the Righteous Dao Banner had essentially been completely emptied out by him.
They were all sent into the [Arctic Exorcism Court].
Under the command of Patriarch Nether Whisper, they began replicating the Star Palace's artifact-formation refining techniques. This also gave the Banner Spirits something to do, preventing them from becoming lazy gluttons.
'Speaking of which, I used to have the Banner Spirits help me craft talismans. Unfortunately, as my cultivation base grew higher, I no longer needed those low-level talismans. As a result, I indirectly gave these Banner Spirits a permanent vacation. Eating and drinking inside my Righteous Dao Banner every day, living a life of boundless joy—is there any justice in that?'
I absolutely cannot raise a bunch of freeloaders!
One must know, Banner Spirits were born to work for me. I gave them a second life. A Banner Spirit that cannot serve me has no value in existing.
Regarding the [Arctic Exorcism Court], Lu Yang's expectations were very simple.
He hoped that in the future, when he attained the [Divine Firmament Thunder] and established tribulations for heaven and earth, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] would become the entity responsible for sending down those tribulations.
'The World Honored One is actually still too merciful.'
'The Buddhist cultivator methods he created aren't actually that attractive to most cultivators. At the very least, the benefits of joining the Pure Land aren't particularly obvious.'
'I still have to be the one to do it.'
Lu Yang's plan was very simple.
In the future, he planned to use the [Arctic Exorcism Court] to establish tribulations for heaven and earth, thereby sublimating the [Divine Firmament Thunder], while simultaneously officially re-establishing the Righteous Dao to the outside world.
'From then on, as long as you join my Righteous Dao, you can immediately reduce the power of the lightning tribulation you suffer, and even go out and send down tribulations upon others... Are you going to join me or not? If you don't, I'll strike you to death with a lightning tribulation. If you do? That's easy, just obediently contribute to the expansion of the [Arctic Exorcism Court].'
Only by applying both grace and might can one accomplish great things.
In Lu Yang's eyes, cultivators were all gluttons for punishment. Rather than giving them benefits to entice them to join, it was better to let them know the dire consequences of not joining.
'If this plan works.'
'Not only will my Righteous Dao inevitably flourish, but the expansion speed of the [Arctic Exorcism Court] might even surpass the World Honored One's [Vajradhatu]!'
Lu Yang placed high hopes on this.
Of course, those were all future plans. At present, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] had just started its enterprise. A hundred tasks awaited doing, and only its outward appearance looked somewhat decent.
'No time to lose!'
After finishing the settlement of the Golden Nature, Lu Yang rushed non-stop to the outside of the Mystic Spirit World Realm. Looking down, he immediately saw the Immortal Nexus, which resembled a deep abyss.
The next second, he transformed into a streak of light and descended.
Rumble!
Instantly, Golden Core Perfected Lords across the Immortal Nexus sensed it. Raising their heads to the sky, they all revealed solemn expressions. "It's that person from outer heavens..."
Lu Yang did not conceal his aura, traveling openly and forthrightly. However, to avoid misunderstandings, he still chose the easiest target to bully—the overseas regions—when entering the realm. As expected, upon sensing his aura, the old Dragon Lord didn't say a word, turned around, and left, vacating the Four Seas Sect in the blink of an eye.
He was far too steady.
'Why go so far? I didn't plan on making a move this time.' Lu Yang shook his head. He didn't bother tracking the old Dragon Lord's whereabouts, instead focusing his mind and holding his breath.
Meanwhile, over a dozen obscure gazes also swept over.
Lu Yang didn't care in the slightest. He directly activated the [Penetrating the Void and Pacifying Karma Jade Scripture]. After practicing it in the Mystic Spirit World Realm, he had become increasingly proficient with this cultivation technique.
Unfurling it at this moment was equivalent to giving the Immortal Nexus a massage.
Although it still wasn't enough to elicit a strong reaction from the Heavenly Lord, he could still get the heavens to cooperate on matters far below his stature.
"I want... Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends!"
Lu Yang formed a hand seal, resonating with the Immortal Nexus. And under his all-out effort, the Heavenly Lord—which was quite satisfied with his massage—finally gave a response.
Rumble!
Instantly, a thunderous roar echoed through heaven and earth. Following that, a burly, majestic white tiger, as if crouching on a mountain ridge, materialized out of thin air beside him.
Heavenly Spirit, Qi of Geng Metal!
This was only the beginning. Subsequently, streams of auras converged, igniting with radiant colors, and ultimately transformed into three more Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends landing before him.
Yin Wood, Xin Metal, Mao Wood!
Seeing this, Lu Yang rapidly changed his hand seals and gently pressed them against his lower abdomen's Dantian. A brilliant, exceptionally solid prismatic hue flowed between his fingers and palm.
It was impressively a Dao Foundation!
The Dao Foundation was refined, and his Life-Bound Divine Ability was born. Following that, the four Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends circled him. Boundless light and colors reflected off each other, transforming into a towering giant tree.
[Pine & Cypress Wood]!
This scene nearly stupefied all the Perfected Lords. They watched helplessly as the Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends—which were supposed to be painstakingly sought after and obtained only by deducing heavenly mysteries—appeared all at once around Lu Yang. Geng, Yin, Xin, Mao—the qi of Metal and Wood converged in his Dao Foundation. In just a brief moment, he had reached the stage of Foundation Establishment Perfection!
"He's... poaching the foundations of our Immortal Nexus!"
At this moment, a Golden Core Perfected Lord finally reacted, feeling it was utterly absurd. "An Unorthodox Perfected Lord came to our Immortal Nexus to poach our foundations?"
The first reaction of all the Golden Core Perfected Lords was: Are you kidding me?
It had always been us, the lords of the Immortal Nexus, plundering the sea of light, scouring world realms big and small, and poaching others' foundations. Since when was it someone else's turn to poach ours?
Filthy Unorthodox cultivator, bullying the heavens!
However, very quickly, a Perfected Lord with vast experience and profound Dao comprehension realized something. "That's not right... If he were an Unorthodox cultivator, how could he be so favored by the Immortal Nexus?"
It was extremely difficult for an Unorthodox Perfected Lord to seek the Golden Core.
Because they weren't natives of the Immortal Nexus and hadn't gained its recognition, they naturally wouldn't attract the attention of the Dao Fruits—unless they fed their own Unorthodox Dao Fruit to the Immortal Nexus.
And even then, success wasn't guaranteed.
"I knew it! How could an Unorthodox cultivator possess such a cultivation base?"
"And don't forget, he previously exposed [Sky-shrouding]'s conspiracy to reverse the Chen Earth. He might very well have left our Immortal Nexus and returned through reincarnation!"
"I think so too."
"Shallow waters only breed toads; how could they produce a true dragon? Most likely, a Perfected Lord from here went out and has now returned, merely wearing the skin of an Unorthodox cultivator."
"Then, Fellow Daoists, which sect's Perfected Lord do you think he is?"
"..."
Someone suddenly asked a question that plunged all the Perfected Lords into silence. After a long while, a Perfected Lord grumbled in a low voice:
"Who else could it be!"
"It can't be the Pure Land; after all, they just fought a battle. The Dao Court couldn't possibly raise such a Perfected Lord. So it's either the Sword Pavilion or the Saint Sect."
"But you all know the Sword Pavilion. They always reincarnate internally, maintaining hereditary bloodlines and passing them down generation after generation. When have they ever gone outside the Immortal Nexus to reincarnate? Thinking it over, it can only be the Saint Sect... They already frequently pull stunts like cutting ties with their past anyway."
"That's unlikely, right? He ruthlessly screwed over [Sky-shrouding], who is also from the Saint Sect..."
"That makes it even more likely!"
Once these words were spoken, the Perfected Lords present expressed their agreement, feeling that this deduction was well-founded and convincing. Anyway, when there's trouble, blaming the Saint Sect is never wrong!
Meanwhile, Lu Yang withdrew his hand seals and opened his eyes, feeling astonished inwardly.
'...Strange.'
'I originally planned to follow Bodhisattva Precious Vajra Victory's experience and set up a Dharma Ritual for Seeking the Golden Core. But before I even did anything, the [Pine & Cypress Wood] showed up on its own?'
Am I highly compatible with the [Pine & Cypress Wood]?
Could it be that this Dao Fruit most favors cultivators like me—deeply far-sighted, possessing peerless comprehension, and holding a resolute Dao Heart—so it cast its gaze down without needing a Dharma Ritual?
Just as Lu Yang was feeling puzzled.
Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted into his ears from an unknown source: 'Fellow Daoist... perhaps we should find an opportunity to meet.'
It was [Sky-shrouding]!