Just as the World Honored One predicted.
Lu Yang was ultimately not a Dao Lord. Missing crucial intelligence, although he knew very well there was definitely a problem, he simply couldn't find a single clue no matter what.
What to do?
Lu Yang quietly slipped into the Dragon Palace. With the young novice monk skin given by the World Honored One, he displayed absolutely no anomalies even when using the mighty power of a Great Perfected Lord's stature.
After all, the identity of the young novice monk was an "incarnation of the World Honored One." As an "incarnation of the World Honored One," possessing the stature of a Great Perfected Lord was simply too normal. Moreover, since the Pure Land's Golden Body method was also somewhat related to the Dharma Body Dao, it could even perfectly mask the anomalous Dharma Body Dao fluctuations on his body.
'Simply too considerate...'
Lu Yang felt a chill in his heart. The more the World Honored One took care of him, the more afraid he became. Being overly courteous usually meant asking for a favor—this was fucking trying to screw him over big time!
Four Seas Sect, Dragon Palace.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Inside the towering palace, an old dragon manifested its true form, lying wretchedly on the ground like this. Even breathing had become somewhat difficult for it.
And beside the old dragon was another relatively young true dragon. However, within dragon eyes as massive as mountains, there was currently a look filled with grief: "Yu Zhao... after the Heavenly Change, only you and I are left to depend on each other. If you just die like this, what am I supposed to do in the future?"
The one speaking was precisely the old Dragon Lord.
But compared to seventy thousand years later, the current old Dragon Lord was much younger. And looking at him like this, a look of envy surfaced in the eyes of the dying dragon:
"How nice."
"Middle Stage Golden Core, you don't have to worry about lifespan issues. But I can't hold on anymore... After I die, the great figures in the sky won't let my soul go either."
"..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the old Dragon Lord instantly clenched his teeth tightly. Ordinary true dragons were one thing, but they, the Five Dragon Lords of Rivers, Lakes, Rains, and Seas, were different. Their souls were not allowed to reincarnate. Someone like him at the Middle Stage of the Golden Core, deeply bound to a Dao Fruit, might still have a sliver of a chance to survive.
However, the old dragon was different. He was only at the Early Stage of the Golden Core.
Therefore, this death was a permanent farewell.
Meanwhile, the dying dragon was still sighing: "It's a pity you and I are brothers, and your bloodline isn't higher than mine. Otherwise, you could make [Vast Ocean Water] return to its position."
"Forget it, just raise a few more sons in the future."
"With good luck, have your sons attain [Heavenly River Water], perhaps there's still hope... cough, cough, cough." The dying dragon coughed while earnestly instructing.
Seeing this, the old Dragon Lord hurriedly nodded.
It was just that, immersed in sorrow, he didn't notice that deep within the golden dragon eyes of the dying dragon right before him—was a wisp of Buddhist light.
'Very good.'
'Give birth to many new offspring, let them all cultivate [Heavenly River Water]. The more they cultivate, the more unstable the Foundation Establishment realm becomes, and the more likely it is to usher in a collapse.'
Thoughts such as these flashed fleetingly in the dying dragon's mind like a phantom dream, then vanished formlessly along with the Buddhist light deep in its eyes.
Up until this moment, everything was normal historical karma.
If nothing unexpected happened, Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, who commanded [Heavenly River Water], would die on this day as his lifespan ended. His soul would shatter, and his Grotto-Heaven fragment would be plucked away by someone.
However—the unexpected arrived.
Creak...
The sound of the Dragon Palace's main doors being pushed open abruptly drifted over, instantly drawing the young old Dragon Lord's attention. Then, his dragon eyes abruptly froze in place.
In the next second, he saw a travel-worn young novice monk walk in. He took off his monk robes, appearing very casual. Yet, it was exactly this ordinary-looking novice monk who instantly stripped away all consciousness of the two Dragon Lords present, as if enveloped by an endless darkness.
Thump!
The two true dragons plummeted down and fainted together just like that. To Lu Yang, who was currently a Great Perfected Lord, handling them was already as easy as lifting a finger.
Without any hesitation.
Lu Yang focused his mind and calmed his breath. Activating the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide], he directly began to inspect Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, whose lifespan was about to end. And then he saw—
[Large Trap! Please handle with caution.]
'Hm?'
Seeing this line of prompt, Lu Yang's originally sunken mood suddenly lifted again: 'Large Trap? Not a Massive Trap? Merely asking me to handle it with caution?'
Having used the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide] so many times, Lu Yang asked himself if he already understood this talent quite well. The prompts it gave basically only fell into four categories: [No Trap], [Small Trap], [Large Trap], and [Massive Trap]. And for these four types of trap, his coping methods were also different.
[No Trap] went without saying; everything was worry-free.
[Small Trap] meant there was no need to care too much. It might cause a bit of trouble, but not much. With his own strength, he could completely level the trap brainlessly.
[Large Trap], this one was different.
Although a trap of this level required cautious handling, it wasn't unsolvable. At least in the talent's judgment, he possessed the ability to resolve it.
As for [Massive Trap], that was just two words.
Certain death, run fast.
Therefore, when he saw [Large Trap], Lu Yang wasn't afraid. Instead, he felt somewhat pleasantly surprised, because this meant he had hope of resolving it!
In all things and all matters, there is also a chance of survival in a desperate situation!
At this thought, Lu Yang's expression grew increasingly serious. He switched to using the [Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit] and meticulously inspected the dying dragon from head to toe.
Unsurprisingly, he found absolutely nothing.
'The large trap laid out by the World Honored One, I have the ability to resolve it?'
Lu Yang fell into deep thought.
First, he needed to doubt one point: the method meticulously laid out by the World Honored One for him—was it truly something he could resolve? Would a Dao Lord make such a mistake?
Impossible.
'At least in the World Honored One's eyes, I have no way of breaking the deadlock... But in that case, it conflicts with the judgment of the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide].'
'...I understand now.'
A look of sudden realization gradually surfaced deep in Lu Yang's eyes: 'Looking at all the profound methods I have grasped, there is only one thing capable of jumping out of a Dao Lord's schemes.'
'That is the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]!'
'To be exact, it is the talents brought to me by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]!'
Just like right now.
The [Yin-Yang Insight Dao Fruit] was his strongest decryption method, yet it couldn't discover Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's problem, while the [Immortal Nexus Survival Guide] discovered it.
'My method to break the deadlock lies in nothing else but the talents the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] gave me... Which of my talents can help me break this inescapable death trap?'
After pondering for a moment, Lu Yang raised his eyes and smiled.
He guessed the answer.
Although he couldn't be one hundred percent certain, he had reached this point anyway; trying it out wouldn't result in a loss... From this point of view, the World Honored One's calculations were very accurate.
Compared to mutual destruction and directly restarting, Lu Yang indeed chose to take a gamble.
It was just a pity he hadn't calculated one thing—Lu Yang used cheat.
Inside the towering Dragon Palace, Lu Yang walked to Dragon Lord Yu Zhao's side and slowly reached out his hand. Golden light visible only to him surfaced in his palm.
[Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest]!
The golden talent obtained from Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde could completely replace a person's existence from the level of karma and origin. No matter who it was, they wouldn't be able to discover it!
This was like putting on a piece of clothing.
It could be taken off at any time, nor would it affect his true body. But as long as Lu Yang wore this piece of clothing, everyone would only recognize him as Dragon Lord Yu Zhao!
"Boom!!!"
Inside the Pure Land, only a thunderous sound was heard. The World Honored One abruptly stood up, no longer able to maintain his previous calm demeanor that seemed as if everything was under his control.
"...Gone?"
In his perception, the karma belonging to Lu Yang had actually vanished without warning right under his nose, like an illusion.
In the massive Dragon Palace, only the old Dragon Lord and the soon-to-fall [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] remained.
(End of Chapter)