The majestic sword light imprinted itself upon the light sea, and the surging sword qi roared, causing the surrounding Star Lords and Immortal Lords to reveal expressions of terror before scattering and fleeing in all directions.
The expressions on both the Star Palace and Celestial Court sides varied even more.
It was just that the focus of their astonishment was entirely different. The Star Palace was astonished by Lu Yang's strength. Four Golden Core Perfected Lords—he said he would decapitate them with a single sword strike, and he actually did.
On the other side, the Celestial Court's astonishment lay elsewhere.
Because they recognized the method Lu Yang had used.
"Impossible...!"
Immortal Venerable Taiyin spoke first, her eyes filled with shock. "Severing the future, making karma constant... why can this person unleash the concept of [Sword Edge Gold]?"
Meanwhile, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue also licked her lips.
'This is... a True Treasure? He actually possessed such a method, yet I was completely unaware. And that banner—he didn't use it either when fighting me before...'
She felt an itch in her heart!
Thinking of this, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's gaze towards Lu Yang grew increasingly curious: 'Just how many trump cards do you have left? And... what exactly do you want to do?'
'Are you interested in the [Tribulation]?'
'With your background, originating from the Saint Sect, don't you know that by revealing such methods, there's no way the Dao Lords would allow you to ascend to the [Tribulation]?'
For a moment, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue fell silent.
Conversely, Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao, who was most closely associated with [Sword Edge Gold], wore a calm expression because he thought of Perfected One Subduing-Spirits, who had been beaten half to death by Perfected One Chong Guang.
"It's nothing strange."
"This person once schemed against a Foundation Establishment cultivator practicing [Sword Edge Gold]. It's not impossible that he used some peculiar method to seize the Dao Fruit's concept..."
Upon hearing this, Immortal Venerable Taiyin instantly shot Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao a glance and sneered:
"What do you know!"
"[Sword Edge Gold] is currently anchoring the [Sword Dao]. Until the [Sword Dao] emerges, [Sword Edge Gold] simply will not manifest in the world; profound concept are completely impossible."
"Unless... the point in time this person take the concept of [Sword Edge Gold] was far before it anchored the [Sword Dao]!"
Thinking of this, Immortal Venerable Taiyin's mind raced with speculations: 'To achieve this, one either wields [City Rampart Earth] and can travel to the past to alter causes and shift effects.'
'Or... they are an ancient figure themselves!'
'A first-generation Peak Master... That's right. Only a first-generation Peak Master would have possessed enough strength to take the concept of [Sword Edge Gold] at that point in time and turn it to their own use.'
'Which one?'
Immortal Venerable Taiyin's thoughts spun rapidly: 'Beast Taming... impossible. Myriad Treasures is even more impossible. Pill Cauldron is dead. That leaves... Heaven-Mending? Is it you, Master?'
Her gaze flickered. Immortal Venerable Taiyin scrutinized Lu Yang with an unprecedented level of caution, and her expression subsequently changed slightly: 'There truly seem to be traces of the [Penetrating the Void and Pacifying Karma Jade Scripture]. Is it really Master? No, that's impossible. His true body has long since... Could it be a contingency plan he left behind?'
At this thought, Immortal Venerable Taiyin's eyes turned chilling.
'The first-generation Master of Heaven-Mending Peak, Bu Tianque... the Master I respected most in this life... If it really is you... then he... truly deserves to die!'
Meanwhile, within the light sea.
The four Perfected Lords were decapitated, their vitality rapidly dissipating. Only their souls swiftly escaped, vanishing formlessly. In the next instant, new streaks of light tore through the void and arrived.
Reincarnation and return!
Seeing this, Lu Yang sheathed his sword, shifted his gaze, and looked towards the Celestial Court again. A speck of candlelight flickered in his eyes, then instantly flared up.
[Overturned Lamp Flame]!
Illuminating what the sun and moon cannot, seeing clearly what heaven and earth have yet to reveal. The lamplight merged into his vision, seeing through all illusions, and instantly allowed Lu Yang to clearly see the source of the Netherworld's guiding power.
'It's the Dao Court!'
The newly promoted Son of Heaven of the Dao Court, holding the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. Although his true body was in the Immortal Nexus and hadn't joined this battle, he had projected his profound wonder over.
It was a Dao Fruit.
Using [Wayside Earth] as the foundation, supplemented by [Plains Forest Wood] and [Gilded Gold Leaf], it was called the [Myriad Converging Paths Dao Fruit]. It guided the power of the Netherworld into the Celestial Court.
Clearly, the Star Palace's tactics had long been seen through by the Dao Lords of the Immortal Nexus. This was why the Dao Lord of the Dao Court made a move, interfering with the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] to specifically create such a Dao Fruit, ensuring the immortality and indestructibility of the Immortal Nexus Perfected Lords, and forcefully turning the Celestial Court into another home ground!
'Looks like I'll have to change my approach.'
Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged. In the past, no matter what his Middle Stage Golden Core self did, it would have been impossible to stop cultivators of the same realm from reincarnating and returning.
But things were different now.
Lu Yang's expression was calm. The [Righteous Dao Banner] fluttered behind him, its Banner Spirits swarming out in full force. At the same time, the [Master of Great Tribulations] was activated, and his Dao Fruit's concept also underwent a transformation.
The originally golden, thunderous Dao Fruit instantly transformed into a blazing, scorching flame.
[Thunderbolt Flame]!
A thread of fine light, an order from the nine heavens. The profound wonder [General's Order] fell upon the countless Banner Spirits, striking out like a tidal wave, instantly triggering Lu Yang's talent.
[Sever All Evil!]
[Judgment: You have surpassed the target in all five domains: spiritual power, Dao Arts, cultivation realm, Dao comprehension, and Dao Fruit. The opponent has triggered the immediate death judgment!]
Boom!
In an instant, violent explosions rang out from the four Perfected Lords. The flowing light was dazzling and blinding. This anomalous phenomenon lasted for a brief moment before taking a sharp turn downwards. The sound faded, returning to precision; the brilliance retreated and vanished, returning to dimness. Finally, only fragments of Golden Core Dharma Bodies as fine as rain remained.
However, this was not the end.
A second later, their souls escaped, the Netherworld guided them, and the Dao Fruit stars shone brightly. It was expected that in less than a breath, the four Perfected Lords would be able to return once more.
But it was exactly at this moment that Lu Yang moved.
"Though both grant immortality, there is still a gap between a spiritual platform and a Grotto-Heaven."
Zheng—!
A drawn-out ringing sound pierced through heaven and earth.
The Tribulation Wave was drawn once again. The [Divine Firmament Thunder] augmented the sword blade, while [Overturned Lamp Flame] and [Pine & Cypress Wood] shone in mutual reflection. A Dao Fruit instantly surfaced:
"[Thunder-Sovereign Axe Dao Fruit]!"
The all-conquering, galloping lightning light made the future displayed on the [Tribulation Wave] increasingly clear. Lu Yang easily locked onto it without expending much effort.
"Sever!"
Before the Dao resonance faded, the sword light abruptly rose.
The brilliantly golden lightning light vanished in the blink of an eye, but it didn't strike at the other people. Instead, it slashed towards the sky above the Celestial Court, slashing at the blindingly radiant [Taiyang]!
The lightning light flashed and disappeared, sinking right into the [Taiyang] Dao Fruit just like that. After a brief silence, it shockingly erupted with an even brighter radiance, steaming and swirling. It actually forcibly split this Dao Fruit open, reflecting a towering spiritual platform from within, which then crumbled and disintegrated like shattering colored glaze.
"No—!!!"
In an instant, a mournful, shrill roar erupted from Immortal Lord Duxuan's soul. But it was useless; he could only watch helplessly as his spiritual platform disintegrated.
At this moment, the newly resurrected Perfected Lord Hanguang Futian and the other two were all stunned.
The combat between the surrounding Star Lords and Immortal Lords also came to a halt.
In the heavens above and the earth below, everyone unconsciously held their breath, silently watching as the disintegrating spiritual platform tumbled out from within [Taiyang].
The light sea was completely silent.
Only after a long while was there a soft click—it was the sound of Lu Yang sheathing his sword. It wasn't loud, but in the very next second, it set off world-shaking waves.
Rumble!
With the exception of Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue and Immortal Venerable Taiyin, all the other Perfected Lords, regardless of whether they were from the Celestial Court or the Immortal Nexus, simultaneously manifested streaks of light and charged out in unison!
At this moment, everyone reached a silent consensus.
The absolute advantage of immortality at the Middle Stage of the Golden Core had been completely wiped out. As long as Lu Yang remained, and assuming the Great Perfected Lords didn't intervene, this battle was essentially lost!
They had to kill this person at any cost!
However, surrounded by a multitude of powerful foes, Lu Yang simply laughed heartily. Slapping his sword hilt, not only did he not retreat, but he actually brazenly charged forward to meet the crowd:
"Coming at me together? You still aren't my match!"
(End of Chapter)