Lu Yang was not surprised by Emperor Jiayou's retreat.
Although it was somewhat unexpected, fortunately I was prepared. The World Honored One should take the blame for me. Dao Tianqi's merit is really too useful.
While he was thinking, an intense pain struck.
This wasn't a simple physical pain, but a throbbing pain originating from the soul. Especially Mu Changsheng's [Divine Offering], which was densely covered with cracks at this moment, nearly shattered.
As expected, it was still overloaded.
Replacing the Will of Heaven with the Will of the People, heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers—it's still too immense for a single person. And this is only the tiny territory of the Immortal Alliance. If it were the entire Light Sea...
Thinking of this, Lu Yang understood that this method to change heaven and earth still had room for improvement.
But this was also normal. After all, relying on it, Mu Changsheng had practically withstood a blow from Emperor Jiayou, a Middle Stage Golden Core Perfected Lord, using only the cultivation of an Unorthodox Perfected Lord.
This had completely exceeded common sense. Being able to do it was entirely because Lu Yang played on his behalf, taking a shortcut.
However, taking a shortcut meant a price had to be paid sooner or later.
I'll let someone else bear it.
Lu Yang decisively withdrew his consciousness. The colorful light in Mu Changsheng's eyes quickly dimmed, and then he let out a howl, falling to the ground and twitching continuously.
Seeing him in such pain, Lu Yang suddenly felt much more relaxed.
"With this battle, the living advertisement for [Heaven of Nothingness] is completely out there. I'd like to see those Unorthodox Perfected Lords of the Immortal Nexus not obediently running over to seek guidance."
An Unorthodox Perfected Lord withstanding an Orthodox Perfected Lord head-on, and a Middle Stage one at that!
Based on this battle record alone, tricking those Unorthodox Perfected Lords into joining his Investiture of the Gods Method would be almost effortless. This was the first harvest of this battle.
As for the second harvest.
Lu Yang lowered his eyes and looked at a bright light held in his hand. Within it, one could faintly see the myriad living beings, the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, surging with endless profound auras.
The concept of [Fortune].
As the Son of Heaven of the Dao Court and the fatherly ruler of the tens of thousands of people in Jiangdong, Emperor Jiayou naturally had residual concepts of [Fortune] on him. Lu Yang naturally couldn't possibly miss it.
This kind of interception was extremely hidden and almost impossible to discover. After all, the amount was still too small. To the Dao Lord of the Dao Court, it was like losing a single strand of body hair. Not to mention it would be very hard for him to notice; even if he did, he might not be able to tell whether it fell out naturally or was deliberately plucked by someone.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang casually tossed it.
This concept of [Fortune] intercepted from Emperor Jiayou immediately landed in front of Empress Xiao, who held it in her palms as if revering a supreme treasure.
"With this, you should also be able to break free from the shackles of the unorthodox path."
As soon as these words came out, Empress Xiao's beautiful eyes almost overflowed with water, rippling like autumn waves. She wished she could immediately express her gratitude to Lu Yang verbally.
Of course, Lu Yang wasn't into this.
His heart was set on the Great Dao.
Therefore, just three days later, as soon as Empress Xiao successfully refined the concept of [Fortune] and switched to cultivating the Investiture of the Gods Method, Lu Yang withdrew his attention from her.
Now that I am a Heaven Treading Great Perfected Lord, if I want to take a step further and truly compete with the Dao Lords in the future, the third level of the Dao Heart—the Primordial Spirit—is indispensable.
After all, he was different from [Sky-shrouding].
[Sky-shrouding] could ascend the [Paramita] and walk the Netherworld. For him, the Primordial Spirit was actually not a hard requirement and could be bypassed somehow.
However, he was different.
I use the [Heavenly Palace] as my foundation, relying entirely on myself. So if I want to continue improving, I must achieve the Primordial Spirit; otherwise, getting lost is only a matter of time.
Besides that, there were also the drawbacks of the method to change heaven and earth.
Mu Changsheng governed a single region of the Immortal Alliance, and with a mighty power that hadn't even reached Great Perfected Lord, he was already nearly overloaded. One could see how much burden governing the entire Light Sea would cause.
To withstand this burden, the Dao Heart was crucial.
Looking at it from this angle, the Primordial Spirit Dao Heart is also a goal I must pursue in this lifetime... It's just that I have absolutely no clue how to achieve it.
He didn't even have anyone to ask.
Dao Tianqi? The man was far away in the Netherworld, and he was highly likely being monitored by the Primordial Saint. Lu Yang didn't even dare to meet him with his true body, let alone ask for guidance.
The World Honored One?
Stop joking. If you dared to ask the World Honored One about something like the Dao Heart today, you would become the World Honored One tomorrow. Lu Yang would ask absolutely anyone but him.
So, after thinking it over and over, there was only one person he could ask.
The next second, Lu Yang focused his gaze and once again projected an Manifestation Body into the Light Sea. Then he sensed around for a bit, before revealing a smile.
As expected, there is karma.
[Heavenly's Being Remnant Consciousness]!
This time, it wasn't through Mu Changsheng's hands, but he himself possessed the karma of the [Heavenly's Being Remnant Consciousness]. As for the reason, he could roughly guess it.
Just like the [Ancestral Dragon's Manor], the so-called [Heavenly's Being Remnant Consciousness] should also be the handiwork of that mighty figure who left behind the [Ancestral Dragon's Manor]. I created a new method, which is why I was able to see the [Ancestral Dragon's Manor] in the Dark Void. The [Heavenly's Being Remnant Consciousness]is also open to me for this reason.
With this thought, Lu Yang's figure immediately blurred.
[Equality of All Things]!
Back then, Sisui had comprehended the Dao here, creating the Precious Life Perfect Form Scripture, and later, before being sealed, left the [Dao-Conquering Tianhun Diagram] here.
I'm back again.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Yang returned to that familiar vermilion staircase. After walking up step by step, the familiar palace in the painting immediately surfaced before his eyes.
"Who goes there!"
The next second, the palace opened wide, and an artifact spirit resembling a young military general soared out, looking at the pacing Lu Yang with eyes full of vigilance.
"There's no need to panic, Fellow Daoist."
Lu Yang gave Tianhun a gentle look, while scenes from the lifetime before the last flashed through his mind. He had to admit, this Supreme Treasure artifact spirit had a very ancient style.
Before his words fell, Lu Yang had already brazenly walked into the [Dao-Conquering Tianhun Diagram]. Instantly, all the scenery in his eyes changed. All the palaces disappeared, replaced by a magnificent array map that spanned heaven and earth, divided Yin and Yang, and blended black and white.
"Get out!"
On the other side, Tianhun fell into immense terror, because he had already seen through it—the person who came was a Heaven Treading Realm Great Perfected Lord!
With ancient methods in decline today, below the Dao Lords, who could possess such cultivation?
It must definitely be a demon!
With this thought, Tianhun instantly activated his strongest method. Beneath the array map, Yin and Yang reversed. Lu Yang, who was trapped deep within, instantly chuckled lightly:
"Is Fellow Daoist trying to send me into the Dark Aspect of the Light Sea?"
Before his words fell, he stomped heavily.
Boom!
With a single stomp, the entire [Dao-Conquering Tianhun Diagram] instantly stalled, as if it had been stepped on a vital spot. All its wonders were forcibly halted!
"How is this possible!" Tianhun almost couldn't believe it.
Lu Yang, however, looked indifferent. What was impossible about it? In the lifetime before the last, he had played with him so many times; he had already thoroughly understood him inside and out.
"Can we talk now?"
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, I am not a demon of the Grotto-Heaven Method. I came to see you this time also to help you awaken Fellow Daoist Pan Huang and the other eleven ancient method Daoists."
Tianhun was even more shocked.
Who exactly was this person? Why did he even know the secrets of Pan Huang and the others? Could he be the descendant of that pervert Bu Tianque? But he was even stronger than Bu Tianque!
The surprise came too suddenly, so much so that Tianhun fundamentally had no time to process it. His thoughts were a mess, and it took a good while before he barely managed to calm down.
Then he was seen asking in a hoarse voice:
"...Dare I ask Senior's title?"
Lu Yang naturally couldn't report his true name, so after a brief consideration, he smiled and said: "You can call me Virtuous, that can be considered my title."
Virtuous?
Tianhun thought for a moment, and after confirming he had absolutely no impression of this title, he became even more careful: "Since that's the case, what is the purpose of Senior Virtuous' visit this time?"
Before his words fell, Lu Yang gave the answer without hesitation:
"Naturally, for the sake of all living being!"