Within the [Nourishing Life Master], Lu Yang closed his eyes.
"...Unexpected."
The [Well Dragon King], which was supposed to resonate with the Ancestral Dragon and thereby peer into his sealed location, had actually ended up peering into the Netherworld instead. What kind of logic was this?
Lu Yang's first reaction was, "Could it be that the Ancestral Dragon's sealed location, the center of the Immortal Nexus, isn't actually in the mortal realm, but rather within the Netherworld? That makes no sense. The First-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak probably hadn't even been born during the era when the Ancestral Dragon was active, or at the very least, he hadn't created the Netherworld yet. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other."
Or... had the resonance been deflected?
Unless there is an object in the Netherworld, an object so closely related to the Ancestral Dragon that it can even influence the resonance of the [Well Dragon King].
A contingency plan left behind by the Ancestral Dragon?
Thinking about it carefully, the Ancestral Dragon was, after all, a former Nascent Soul Dao Lord with unfathomably high cultivation. Could a person like that truly not have left a single contingency plan behind?
Even Su Sui left behind a remnant consciousness!
But if the Ancestral Dragon's contingency plan is in the Netherworld, then everything makes sense. An object capable of deflecting the resonance of the [Well Dragon King] is highly likely an important clue.
I must get my hands on it.
This thought suddenly popped into Lu Yang's mind.
Perhaps that is where the Ancestral Dragon's true contingency plan lies. If I can get it, my identity will be completely solidified.
When the Old Dragon Lord mistakenly assumed he was the Ancestral Dragon's contingency plan earlier, although Lu Yang didn't deny it, he also didn't dare to explicitly admit it. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't pretended to be a Dao Lord before, only to be seen through within a few days. Ever since then, he had learned to always hide thirty percent of the truth and let others fill in the blanks with their own imaginations.
In the end, it was still a lack of confidence.
But if he could get his hands on the Ancestral Dragon's true contingency plan, that would be a completely different story. And if he could find an opportunity to help the Ancestral Dragon break free, that would be even better.
Besides that—
"The First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak... He said back then that he wanted to use the Ancestral Dragon's Remnant Bloodline to refine a Nascent Soul Pill. Could that Ancestral Dragon's Remnant Bloodline actually be the Ancestral Dragon's contingency plan?"
The Old Dragon Lord's memories revealed that he had secretly searched for the Ancestral Dragon's Remnant Bloodline for many years, practically turning over more than half of the Immortal Nexus, but he found absolutely nothing. However, given the Old Dragon Lord's cultivation and his relationship with the Ancestral Dragon, not finding it was one thing, but to not even find a single clue was bizarre.
This was clearly abnormal.
However, if the Ancestral Dragon's Remnant Bloodline was actually in the Netherworld, then it wouldn't be strange at all!
Not only that, the place where the First-generation Pill Cauldron Peak Master refined the Nascent Soul Pill might also be in the Netherworld! Otherwise, how could he possibly have hidden it from the gaze of the Four Dogs of the Immortal Nexus?
Thinking of this, Lu Yang raised his palm again.
The [Well Dragon King] surfaced. Its dragon seal scripts intertwined, ready to construct the tunnel again at any moment. That is, until he pinched another profound wonder and dropped it onto the Dao Fruit.
The profound wonder of [Great Relay Earth]—[Boundless Dao]!
This profound wonder could open up pathways, allowing one to reach anywhere in the myriad realms. Now, having merged with the [Well Dragon King], the two combined to immediately produce an entirely new anomaly.
"Just as I thought..."
Looking at the [Well Dragon King], which was gradually turning pitch-black, Lu Yang's eyes grew profound. "With my stature, I might be able to borrow the [Well Dragon King] to sneak into the Netherworld."
Unfortunately, [Sky-shrouding] was blocking the door in the Netherworld.
This evil old ghost intentionally blocking the gates of the Netherworld... could it be to prevent others from having designs on the Netherworld, just like him?
That must be it!
Ultimately, the Netherworld was so massive and prominently displayed in the Immortal Nexus for so many years. Could [Sky-shrouding] truly be the only person who ever thought of using the power of the Netherworld to achieve Void Attainment for the Nascent Soul?
How could that be possible!
One had to know, the world was teeming with heroes like carp crossing a river; every generation produced its own talents. It was absolutely impossible that [Sky-shrouding] was the only one to discover the benefits of the Netherworld.
Yet this old ghost pulled up the drawbridge after crossing it himself! By blocking the gates of the Netherworld, anyone in later generations who had designs on the Netherworld would have to face him, a man standing at the absolute pinnacle of Great Perfected Lords... Doesn't that mean whoever comes, dies? That's why he was the only one to attain the Netherworld in the end!
This was simply too outrageous!
The more Lu Yang thought about it, the angrier he got. The Netherworld belonged to everyone; how could one person monopolize it? [Sky-shrouding]'s shameless monopolistic behavior had to be punished!
I must drive him out as soon as possible!
Otherwise, how can I contribute to the operation of the Netherworld and the reincarnation of all living beings?
At this thought, Lu Yang's mind suddenly shifted gears: Speaking of which, the [Responding to Emperor] should also have recovered in this lifetime, and there's a good item in there.
The [Nascent Light Sea]!
The legacy left behind by the First-generation Beast Taming Peak Master. It was entirely thanks to this treasure that he was able to comprehend so many Dao Fruit Secret Methods.
Furthermore, at the end of my previous life, I learned the correct method to clear the [Responding to Emperor] from the black-robed man, which proves this treasure is fated with me!
No sooner thought than done.
In the next second, Lu Yang circulated his divine sense, left the [Nourishing Life Master], and went all the way into the [Responding to Emperor], where he saw that empty, deserted pavilion.
The mysterious stairs, the desk, the Grand Master's chair.
Lu Yang strolled forward and sat on the chair with practiced ease. Instantly, the world spun, and a familiar darkness obscured all his senses.
This place was called [Hundun].
It was overall quite similar to the dark void. Only a single strand of divine sense remained connected to the outside world. One could use it to sense Dao Fruits and subsequently open one's apertures within [Hundun].
In his previous life, he had opened his apertures within [Hundun], which attracted the black-robed man. And according to the other party, the correct method to clear the stage wasn't opening one's apertures at all; instead, one had to actively sever the divine sense connection with the outside world. Because it was too difficult, he had set up the stage of opening apertures as a form of financial aid to future generations.
At the time, Lu Yang hadn't believed a word of it.
However, after witnessing the First-generation Beast Taming Peak Master's actions with his own eyes, he was somewhat half-believing, half-doubting, feeling that this clearance method might actually be true.
...I'll trust you this once.
Standing within [Hundun], Lu Yang gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and severed the connection with the outside world. Only then did he completely plunge into the scenery of [Hundun].
In a flash, enlightenment struck Lu Yang.
Only then did he realize that when he still had a divine sense connection with the outside world, he had never truly integrated into this bizarre place.
It was like an isolated island in the ocean; he had always been standing on the island, never stepping into the ocean.
Under those circumstances, how could he possibly find the secret treasure hidden deep within the ocean?
But things were different now.
"Well done."
Right at that moment, a laugh suddenly rang out by Lu Yang's ear. "Daring to sever the connection with the outside world. This fortuitous encounter is a reward bestowed upon the brave."
Was it the First-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak?
As the words fell, a whole new world opened up for Lu Yang.
The [Nascent Light Sea]—he sensed it! The moment he truly stepped into [Hundun], this fortuitous encounter was already close at hand.
If the original difficulty of obtaining the [Nascent Light Sea] was a ten, then after severing his connection with the outside world, the difficulty had plummeted to a one.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately went all out to sense it.
By his ear, the laughter of the First-generation Beast Taming Peak Master continued.
A quarter of an hour later, the laughter gradually lowered.
Half an hour later, the laughter stopped.
An hour later—
"Do you not want the reward from the [Responding to Emperor]?"
The voice rang out by Lu Yang's ear again, this time laced with a hint of confusion. "But if you don't take the reward, you have no way to leave [Hundun]."
Lu Yang: "..."
Is it that I don't want to take it?
I can't fucking comprehend it!
What is this trashy place? It completely stifles my world-shocking comprehension skills!
(End of Chapter)