At first, there were only some sounds.
Even though Lu Yang had severed all perception of the outside world, this sound still transmitted over, simply because it wasn't coming from a specific place.
Rather, everywhere.
Under these circumstances, Lu Yang's perception of the outside world was almost forcibly opened, and a scene he would never forget in his entire life shockingly imprinted itself into his eyes.
It was a light.
A light descending from [Paramita], pure and flawless, making one almost unable to resist becoming intoxicated by it, as if endless supreme principles of the Great Dao circulated within it.
When he first looked at it, it was merely an extremely minuscule white dot. However, as it continuously descended from [Paramita], the white dot actually grew larger and larger, shockingly manifesting an expansive light that filled the sky and reached the extreme ends of the earth. It transformed the great karmic net into an ocean of light, leaving nothing else behind.
The radiant light was vast and mighty.
Wherever it passed, colors, sounds, sensations—the myriad things of the world were all completely stripped away. Even time and space seemed to lose their meaning within this light.
Only the radiant light flowed.
And within the great karmic net, all karmic scenes within seventy thousand years also fell into stagnation at this moment, as if congealed within the amber of time.
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect had made a move!
The mighty power of this strike even exceeded the finger that had descended upon the present world earlier, which had used a wisp of thought to stir spiritual qi and almost pointed Lu Yang to death on the spot.
At that time, it was merely a wisp of thought.
But this time, the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had, in the truest sense, extracted a streak of spiritual power from his true body situated at the extreme heights of [Paramita] and sent it down.
Wherever it passed, the entire great karmic net seemed to melt like ice and snow. The karmic scenes were completely swept clean, plunging the World Honored One into a long silence.
Karma itself would not be destroyed, but karmic scenes were different. Since the Ancestor of the Saint Sect had made a move, he wouldn't leave the slightest flaw. Although the karma wouldn't be destroyed, as long as an anomaly existed within the karmic scene, the result would inevitably be getting ground into dust, without any suspense.
'The purest power...'
The World Honored One sighed inwardly. This was the advantage of the Primordial Saint. He had exhausted his mind and schemed for eons, yet in the end, it couldn't compare to a single full-force attack from the other party.
'Regardless, He has finally lowered His head.'
His true body casting down a streak of spiritual power from [Paramita]—this level of interference was actually equivalent to voluntarily lowering his stature for the Ancestor of the Saint Sect.
Although it wouldn't cause a qualitative drop, it could already be considered a rare success. It was just a pity for that Immortal Lord Master of Tribulations and Ferryman of Karma, who was hiding heaven knew where. Although he had escaped his own search, he ultimately failed to escape with his life. Right now, his body and soul were likely already completely destroyed.
The World Honored One took one last look at the great karmic net.
There, the grid symbolizing seventy thousand years ago had been completely shattered. Only wandering karma remained drifting about. It would probably take a lengthy period of time to recover.
In the next second, all the Dao Lord's mighty power dissipated.
The great karmic net returned to tranquility once more. The dim universe held not the slightest sound. It wasn't until a long while passed like this—that a mighty power abruptly descended.
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect!
This wielder of [Inevitable Fate] had actually lowered his gaze once more, investigating the damaged great karmic net a few more times. Only after confirming there were no mistakes did he withdraw his sight.
Another moment passed.
A Dao Lord's mighty power descended again!
This time it was the World Honored One. He, too, like the Ancestor of the Saint Sect, meticulously searched through the great karmic net, before finally withdrawing his consciousness somewhat disappointed.
Similar situations occurred back and forth three more times.
Only after the third time did all anomalies completely fall silent. The great karmic net returned to plainness from then on, leaving only the damaged karma to re-establish connections.
In the dimness, Lu Yang's consciousness gradually recovered from the earth-shattering, destructive waves. He faintly woke up, yet still felt as if he were unable to extricate himself from a dream.
'Fuck me...'
The Ancestor of the Saint Sect doesn't care about martial virtues!
If he couldn't find him, he just fucking nuked everything... How was this any different from playing a game of chess halfway, realizing you can't win, and just smashing the chessboard over your opponent's head?
Is this even human?
In that instant just now, Lu Yang was almost ready to restart and transfer to the next life. It wasn't until the light descended that one of his talents unexpectedly lit up.
[A Few Tricks Up Your Sleeve]!
To be honest, Lu Yang was terrified at the time. Because a streak of spiritual power descending from the Ancestor of the Saint Sect on [Paramita] clearly exceeded his limits.
Let alone one Great Perfected Lord, even if there were ten, a hundred, or a thousand Great Perfected Lords, when that streak of spiritual power swept past, they would be obliterated. There would be no suspense in the result... Under these circumstances, [A Few Tricks Up Your Sleeve] actually lit up? Lu Yang briefly suspected his talent was broken.
But ultimately, he chose to trust it.
Then he saw that after the talent activated, he began to operate, completely unfurling the karma of [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao] and sealing himself completely within it.
Then, a miracle happened.
The karmic scenes were entirely wiped out, with only the karma remaining. And hiding within [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao], using this layer of shell, he actually luckily survived!
'As expected of the talent I was born with!'
Evidently, even the Ancestor of the Saint Sect hadn't anticipated this move, simply because the effect of [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest] was replacing the target's karma from its very source!
As long as he wore this clothing, he was not an anomaly within the great karmic net!
And after escaping with his life, Lu Yang remained curled up within [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao]'s karma, not in a hurry to come out. He patiently waited.
The result was as he expected. Both the World Honored One and the Ancestor of the Saint Sect loved to pull a "killing and returning" trick. This made Lu Yang increasingly cautious. Even after the three times passed and the two Dao Lords seemed to have truly withdrawn their gazes, he didn't act rashly, but continued to wait for the karma to reshape.
He wasn't anxious about this at all.
Because there was no distinction of time and space within the great karmic net. No matter how long he stayed here, the point in time he returned to would only be the exact instant he left.
While waiting, Lu Yang simply began to study the World Honored One's [Method of Planar Creation].
Like this, heaven knew how long had passed before the scattered karma finally reconnected and the great net reshaped. And up to this moment, the mighty power of the Dao Lords still hadn't manifested.
Just in case, Lu Yang waited another two and a half years.
"No rush. Hastiness ruins things, deliberation rounds them out!"
Lu Yang just waited like this, until his Dao heart sounded a warning that if he stayed any longer, he would highly likely become lost. Only then did he stand up and step out of the karma he was hiding in.
"The time has arrived!"
Lu Yang looked around and let out a long whistle. Then, the [Divine Firmament Thunder] surfaced in his hand, and the three rings of the Overlord-Level Dao Soldier, the [Realm Sovereign], rotated along with it.
The final ring lit up with a boom.
"After [Turtle Dove Occupying the Magpie's Nest], Dragon Lord Yu Zhao, who was originally destined to die, actually obtained the favor of the Dharma Body Dao, and his lifespan issue was thus resolved."
"However, out of caution, he ultimately chose to fake his death. No one knew, not even the old Dragon Lord was clear about it. As for the World Honored One's [One Mind], it was isolated by [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao]'s perfected Dao heart and couldn't be sensed. He just quietly lived on like this until seventy thousand years later..."
Altering causes, shifting effects.
'[Commanding Past and Present]!'
The boiling iridescent light smelted into one at this moment, finally landing upon the body of [Dragon Lord Yu Zhao], ultimately erupting with a blinding white light.
(End of Chapter)