[Sea of Bitterness].
Endless waves mixed with the light of heaven. Lu Yang's expression was calm. Even though the sky canopy above was torn open and the silhouette of [Paramita] faintly visible, his expression remained indifferent.
Thus far, everything was under his control.
And in his hands, the [Time-Reversing World Dao Instrument] surfaced. As time passed and he occupied an increasing share of the Dharma Body Dao, his stature grew higher.
The higher his stature, the smoother this supreme artifact of karma operated in his hands. Boundless iridescent light flowed from between his fingers like a waterfall, falling into the [Sea of Bitterness] beneath his feet before spreading out, faintly blending in. Amidst the seven-colored rosy clouds, a blinding white light faintly flickered.
Following that, Lu Yang raised his head and gazed up at the vault of heaven.
In a daze, he seemed to see a hazy figure within the lofty silhouette of [Paramita], who was also lowering its head, looking at him from afar.
One at the mountain peak.
One at the foot of the mountain.
The absolute gap between heaven and earth didn't instill fear in Lu Yang. Instead, a smile played on his lips as he said faintly, "Which of you is willing to come down and stop me?"
No one answered.
However, on the other side, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue—who had been slacking off considerably, leaving Immortal Venerable Taiyin to bear the pressure of the six Great Perfected Lords of the Star Palace—suddenly changed her expression.
"...Hmph!"
She snorted coldly, a flash of annoyance surfacing in her eyes, though it quickly returned to calmness. Following that, her aura began to rapidly climb.
She opened her palm, and in the center of it, True Treasures emerged one after another:[ Abyssal Return Tidr Chalice], [Sea-Mountain Heavenbreak Stone], [Nine Abysses Reversal Bottle], [Celesticaln Silken Radiance], [Thousand Torrent Return Pearl]. The five True Treasures orbited each other, ultimately converging into five streams of iridescent light that collapsed at her fingertips!
Boom!
In an instant, rumbling thunder echoed from the single point of light where the five True Treasures merged. It was like an immortal well from which bubbling, watery light flowed out.
The ultimate variation of Water!
It was merely a single streak of radiant light, yet it seemed as if billions of auspicious clouds had gathered. Densely packed runes continuously emerged and transformed, carrying a strong personal mark.
Void Attainment Dao Fruit!
She had possessed an embryo since the Middle Stage of the Golden Core. Only now, upon becoming a Great Perfected Lord, had Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue finally completed the concept weaving of her Void Attainment Dao Fruit!
"The highest good is like water.
Water benefits the myriad beings and does not contend.
It abides in places others disdain—
and therefore is close to the Dao."
At that moment, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's Dao voice resounded violently within the [Sea of Bitterness], echoing in harmony with her Dao Fruit:
"Encountering rock, it diverts its course.
Encountering an abyss, it gathers into unfathomable depths.
Encountering a precipice, it cascades into a waterfall…"
As her words fell, the Dao Fruit at her fingertips soared into the firmament. Spinning gently, it scattered boundless radiance—resplendent, serene, and vast. Bathed in its light, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue seemed ethereal, as though poised to ascend beyond mortality.
Then, with a palm as smooth and luminous as carved jade, she struck forward without hesitation toward the Great Perfected Lords of the Star Palace.
Void Attainment Dao Fruit —
Nourishing Descent Dao Fruit!
Void Attainment Dao Fruit—[Nourishing Descent]!
Bang!
This resounding sound was like a dragon's roar and a phoenix's cry, endless and continuous. Carrying incomparable power, it actually sent Exalted One Hao Yuan flying backward on the spot!
After delivering one palm strike, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's movements didn't pause in the slightest. Her delicate body was like a dream or an illusion, ethereal as an immortal. Even time seemed to stop beneath her feet.
With a single step, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue instantly vanished.
Including her aura, stature, and surging spiritual power—everything vanished together, deeply accumulated and concealed, leaving no trace. By the time they regained their senses, she had already arrived right in front of them.
Boom!
The second palm strike was delivered. Like a waterfall dropping from heaven, it erupted violently, instantly sending another Great Perfected Lord of the Star Palace flying into the air, his entire spiritual power shattered.
Seeing this scene, the six Great Perfected Lords of the Star Palace all revealed expressions of astonishment. Prior to this, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue was strictly speaking inferior to Immortal Venerable Taiyin. After all, she had only broken through recently; any one of them had the confidence to fight her. But now, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's combat power was climbing rapidly!
Even Lu Yang couldn't help but look sideways.
'According to [Sky-shrouding]'s classification, among the six Great Perfected Lords of the Star Palace, only one is high-tier; the other five are all ordinary—not strong, but not weak either.'
'And Feixue was also an ordinary Great Perfected Lord previously.'
'But just now, she achieved Void Attainment with her Dao Fruit. With its augmentation, merging the Void Attainment Great Dao and her own Dao Fruit together, she's already very close to high-tier.'
This classification was actually very arbitrary.
Lu Yang wasn't entirely certain either; he was merely making a judgment based on the changes in Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's aura. The important thing was that Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue had chosen to make a move.
'She was clearly slacking off before. Even when she guessed that Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao might defect, she chose to remain silent. Her initial will to fight actually wasn't high. Why did she only explode with power now? Did she receive instructions from someone? The Ancestor of the Saint Sect? This is a bit troublesome now.'
But only a bit.
On the other side, due to Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue's sudden explosion of power, taking over the pressure of the Star Palace's Great Perfected Lords for Immortal Venerable Taiyin, the latter finally found an opportunity.
"Master of Tribulations is dead, buried in Taiyin!"
Immortal Venerable Taiyin chanted an incantation. [Taiyin] shone brightly, reflecting a vast, boundless graveyard behind her. From within it, a tombstone rose from the ground.
[Tomb of the Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma]
In an instant, Lu Yang saw large swathes of graveyard dirt emerging within his body, filling his five viscera and clogging his seven apertures, seemingly wanting to bury him.
"Another cursing method..."
Lu Yang's expression was calm. This wasn't the first time he had seen this move from Immortal Venerable Taiyin; in his lifetime at the Celestial Court, she had used a similar method against Sisui.
'Good thing I was cautious in this lifetime. From beginning to end, only the so-called title of [Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma] circulated outside. Even this was an honored title born after the Mystic Spirit World Realm resonated with me; my true name has never been exposed. Using this to curse me is choosing the wrong target.'
Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately formed hand seals.
Previously, he had used the [Penetrating the Void and Pacifying Karma Jade Scripture] to communicate deeply with the Mystic Spirit World Realm and obtained the title of Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma. But now, he decisively discarded it—
Sever!
He instantly broke up with the Mystic Spirit World Realm, severing the connection. As a result, the karma between the title [Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma] and Lu Yang also rapidly grew thin.
Almost simultaneously, the [Time-Reversing World Dao Instrument] in his hands also roared into motion.
Altering causes, shifting effects!
In an instant, Immortal Venerable Taiyin, who was originally planning to continue forward, was instantly stunned. This was because, right before her eyes, massive waves shockingly rose from the [Sea of Bitterness]!
In the blink of an eye, a heavenly chasm appeared between her and Lu Yang, severing all profound wonders. There had been no prior warning for such an anomaly; it was as if it had appeared out of thin air. Yet its timing and power were just right, clearly showing it had been planned for a long time, forming a strong contradiction.
"...How is this possible!"
Immortal Venerable Taiyin was stunned upon seeing this, but she quickly reacted. Her gaze fell upon Lu Yang's [Time-Reversing World Dao Instrument], and she gritted her silver teeth tightly:
"How could the [Sea of Bitterness] inexplicably raise such a heavenly chasm?"
"Is it a Dao Fruit Secret Method?"
On the other side of the heavenly chasm, Lu Yang wore a calm expression.
The answer was simple: Just now, he used the [Time-Reversing World Dao Instrument] to go to the great karmic net, and then followed history to challenge [Responding to Emperors] once more.
As a result, he mastered another Dao Fruit Secret Method.
[Great Relay Earth] + [Wellspring Water] + [Pine & Cypress Wood] was called the [Heaven-Sun Axis Dao Fruit]. Its profound wonder could cause heaven and earth to rotate, turning a short distance into the ends of the earth!
After that, he used the great karmic net to arrive at the Dharma Body Dao's location in the [Sea of Bitterness] several years in advance. Then, he buried this Dao Fruit into the sea of bitterness, set up a formation, and borrowed the power of the [Sea of Bitterness] to continuously augment the Dao Fruit's might. He waited until this very moment to let it abruptly erupt!
It seemed like a mere instant.
But in reality, he had experienced a lengthy period of time within the great karmic net through the [Time-Reversing World Dao Instrument], finally achieving the miracle before them:
In just this instant, Immortal Venerable Taiyin was blocked!
Almost simultaneously, Lu Yang's process of occupying the Dharma Body Dao was also approaching its end. The aura on his body grew increasingly surging, and his stature touched the critical point!
However, right at this moment.
Above the [Sea of Bitterness], on the faintly outlined [Paramita], an indisputable stroke of ink abruptly appeared, imprinting itself upon the present world and karma:
The Dharma Body Dao ultimately failed to reappear in the world.
The second [Inevitable Fate]!
(End of Chapter)