Bodhisattva Immaculate gave up thinking.
What met his eyes was a man with his black robe fluttering, detached and independent. Yet, besides him, not a single person could discover the other party's existence.
A Great Perfected Lord is a Great Perfected Lord!
Bodhisattva Immaculate instantly recognized reality. To be able to suppress him so easily, and even casually erase his presence in the eyes of the other Perfected Lords...
If not a Great Perfected Lord, what else could he be?
My life is over.
At this moment, Bodhisattva Immaculate directly lamented in his heart. Looking at Perfected Lord Tai Hao on the other side, whose face was full of determination, he almost cursed out loud.
You have such strong backup, why didn't you say so earlier?
Late-stage Golden Core, Great Perfected Lord... I thought I was here to casually handle a small fry, but I ended up crashing headfirst into an iron wall. I'm afraid I'm completely done for this time!
With this thought, Bodhisattva Immaculate's expression changed several times. He had the mind to beg for mercy, but then he thought of the enmity between the Three Foundations and the Grotto-Heaven method, fearing that speaking up rashly would instead easily anger the other party. For a moment, cold sweat poured down. He could only stand there blankly, squeezing out a sentence after a long while:
"This junior monk Immaculate greets Senior."
As his voice fell, Lu Yang finally turned around. His handsome face carried a teasing look, and his eyes sized up this Death Spirit Bodhisattva with keen interest.
"Interesting."
A voice that only Bodhisattva Flawless could hear continued to ring out:
"Your Dao Fruit while alive was [Weeping Willow Wood]. After being converted into a Death Spirit, the Netherworld actually comprehensively simulated the profound wonders and concepts of [Weeping Willow Wood] for you?"
At this moment, Bodhisattva Immaculate also calmed down slightly.
Immediately after, a thought of pleasant surprise crept into his heart: This senior seems to have died recently and just arrived in the Netherworld. And he looks quite easy to talk to?
With this thought, he hurriedly said:
"That is indeed the case."
"After we are converted into Death Spirits, all our dao comprehension is extracted and assimilated by the Netherworld, which then simulates the profound power most compatible with us."
"Therefore, although we have incarnated as Death Spirits, the profound wonders, spiritual treasures, and wondrous divine abilities we use are exactly the same as when we were alive."
"Oh? Really?"
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, then shook his head: "That's not right. It's fine for you, but can the cultivators of the Dao Court also maintain their cultivation from when they were alive?"
Other cultivators cultivated their own nature, even Pure Land Bodhisattvas were like this. Only the Dao Court was different; the majority of their lifelong cultivation was rooted in the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. Once dead, everything was empty, making them even inferior to mortals. How could they possibly still have the cultivation from when they were alive after being converted into Death Spirits?
As soon as these words came out, Bodhisattva Immaculate instantly understood:
"Senior wishes to ask about the one accompanying this junior monk, Grand Preceptor Shangxuan Fubi. He is indeed from the Dao Court, but he is also different from ordinary Dao Court cultivators."
"How is he different?" Lu Yang asked curiously.
"He died too late."
Bodhisattva Immaculate explained: "Estimating the time, he has only been dead for about five thousand years. The emperor who killed him back then is probably still on the throne now."
"...Hmm?"
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, instantly realizing the other party's identity. The former Grand Preceptor who was overthrown by Emperor Jiayou. But wasn't this person supposed to have gone to reincarnate... Oh.
In the next second, Lu Yang reacted.
Emperor Jiayou had a black heart.
Only true spirits that had scattered and perished could enter the [Four Great Ghost Domains]. It was very obvious that the former Grand Preceptor's reincarnation was just on the surface; in reality, he had been secretly murdered.
No wonder after reincarnating for so long, there was no sign of the former Grand Preceptor returning like a king, not even the slightest news, and his former political faction had scattered like birds and beasts. It turned out they had long been eradicated by Emperor Jiayou. It could only be said that this former Grand Preceptor, who suffered defeat from Perfected Lord Feixue, was truly a bit unlucky.
"But this doesn't prove anything, right?"
Lu Yang shook his head: "He just died late. What does that have to do with his current cultivation?"
"Senior is unaware."
Bodhisattva Immaculate hurriedly said: "The Netherworld also has a Dao Court. Fellow Daoist Shangxuan died late and has the best understanding of the changes in the mortal world. How could he not be heavily relied upon?"
"...The Netherworld also has a Dao Court?"
"Not only does it have one, but it's very large!"
Bodhisattva Immaculate sighed: "In fact, apart from the Saint Sect which is slightly tougher, the rest of us Grotto-Heaven method cultivators are all under the jurisdiction of the Dao Court!"
"What?"
As soon as these words came out, even Lu Yang was somewhat surprised. That bunch of cowards in Jiangdong were submissive and agreeable in the mortal world, yet they rose up in the Netherworld? What kind of logic was this?
Is this still the Dao Court?
No... this actually doesn't seem to be a problem. After all, the cultivation system of the Dao Court doomed it to be this powerful in the Netherworld!
What was the system of the Dao Court?
Successive Sons of Heaven cultivated their own nature, then ascended and died. Their Grotto-Heavens were sent into the Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws, and they didn't even have soul reincarnation—they just vanished out of thin air.
At the time, I felt this system was very bizarre, but combining it with the Netherworld, this system actually forms a loop! The reason all the Sons of Heaven had no reincarnation after death was that their souls had completely scattered and perished! And their true spirits would be guided away by the Dao Court Dao Lord who commands the [Yellow Springs Road]...
And then enter the Netherworld!
This entire system of the Dao Court can completely ensure that every generation has a scattered and perished Perfected Lord, or even a scattered and perished Great Perfected Lord entering the Netherworld!
So this is the [Acting on Behalf of Heaven Dao]!
The mortal world is only a part of it, so it looks bizarre. But once you add the Netherworld, the entire system immediately becomes incomparably perfect, and even powerful!
If it weren't for the fact that too many powerful true spirits entering the Netherworld would cause the Netherworld to expand further, the Dao Court Dao Lord could even mass-produce Great Perfected Lords to enter the Netherworld! Just based on this point, the Dao Court unifying the Netherworld wouldn't be a problem. No wonder the Dao Court in the mortal world shrinks back in Jiangdong, not even twitching...
It turned out the Dao Court's main battlefield wasn't in the mortal world at all.
But in the Netherworld!
Thinking of this, Lu Yang finally dawned with realization. He turned his head and looked at the former Grand Preceptor, who was still fiercely battling Perfected Lord Tai Hao not far away, and then reached out and grabbed.
For some unknown reason, Perfected Lord Tai Hao suddenly felt much more relaxed.
She couldn't even understand why she was injured before. Against a mere Perfected Lord Zaoyuan Yingguang, she should at most be slightly disadvantaged; it was absolutely not un-fightable.
Especially within the [Mingluo Sea of Trees], her odds of winning were even greater!
"Hahaha, sword bastard, you, a mere single person, actually thought of fighting me head-on in the [Mingluo Sea of Trees]? Did you really think the Grotto-Heaven method is invincible?"
Perfected Lord Tai Hao laughed loudly:
"In the mortal world, you Grotto-Heaven method cultivators can resurrect infinitely, which is quite impressive. But in the Netherworld, everyone only has one life. You are only slightly stronger than me."
"Who's afraid of who?"
After speaking, Perfected Lord Tai Hao immediately pushed her Dharma body. One spiritual plant after another was released by her, beating the lone sword-holding Perfected Lord on the other side into bewilderment.
This isn't right, is it?
I remember we made a lot of preparations when we decided to attack the [Mingluo Sea of Trees] this time. How did things turn out like this?
To this day, the overall situation of the Netherworld was already set. The remnants of the Three Foundations fled in panic, forming no organized force. He should have been leisurely and easily cleaning up the mess. How come, after fighting with Perfected Lord Tai Hao all the way to this point, he was the one who was flustered and stretched thin?
"Crap!"
In the next second, the sword-holding Perfected Lord felt a chill in his heart, only feeling that he might have been hit by some nightmare-suppressing art. He hurriedly reversed his sword light and cleaved directly into his sea of consciousness.
"Slash nightmares, break delusions, return to the origin!"
The sword light was transparent, illuminating his mind, as if a basin of cold water was poured over his head. It immediately made the sword-holding Perfected Lord much more clear-headed. Thinking back to the previous events—
It doesn't seem like anything is wrong.
Mhm, he was probably overthinking it.
(End of Chapter)