Despite this, Lingxiao didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took a deep breath and met Lu Yang's gaze with an unprecedented look in his eyes.
After a moment, he finally spoke abruptly:
"When I left the Netherworld, a Dao Lord once sought me out, speaking of a unorthodox method, teaching me to attain [Yin and Yang], claiming it was also a path leading to heaven."
As soon as these words came out, Lu Yang immediately narrowed his eyes.
Attaining the unorthodox path of [Yin and Yang].
Only after Lingxiao explained what the unorthodox path was and used the World Honored One as an example did Lu Yang understand. At the same time, he was rapidly deducing its feasibility in his mind.
At first glance, it really is a shortcut...
However, in today's world, [Yin and Yang] does not manifest, and the Dharma Body has already perished. What can be used to attain it... That's it! The false history. He can only attain it by going into the false history!
Without needing Lingxiao to explain further, Lu Yang had already understood the cause and effect, and then he immediately reached a conclusion: "This Lord is deceiving Fellow Daoist."
Unlike Lu Yang, although Lingxiao also guessed that he was being fooled, limited by intelligence, he was like a blind man feeling an elephant—knowing it was so, but not knowing why. Compared to him, Lu Yang knew far more secrets. Therefore, he immediately locked onto the biggest flaw in this so-called unorthodox method.
"Because the [Paramita] has, and can only have, six Dao Lords!"
Boom!
Before Lu Yang's words fell, the massive [The Mortal World] immediately responded. Faintly, it seemed a towering outline was sketched out in the distant horizon.
The [Paramita]!
The high and distant place that no one could see in the past, surfaced an outline that could be looked at directly when Lu Yang uttered one of its greatest truths.
Lingxiao's expression changed all at once.
Can only have six?
Why?
Lu Yang didn't stop speaking and continued: "Six Dao Lords is the original intention behind the creation of the [Paramita]. From the very beginning, no opportunity was given for anyone else to ascend to the position."
"The reason the World Honored One could ascend to the position was because he assisted the Primordial Saint in killing Sisui, the Dao Lord of the Dharma Body Dao. And that Dao Lord, besides the Dharma Body Dao, also concurrently commanded [Yin and Yang]. It was because of the fall of a Dao Lord that the World Honored One was able to fill the vacancy in the [Paramita] and become a newly advanced Dao Lord."
Lu Yang spoke with absolute certainty.
One must know that in the lifetime before the last, even when [Sky-shrouding] attained [Tribulation], the Primordial Saint didn't allow him to ascend the [Paramita] and personally took action to suppress him.
Now, changing it to the unorthodox path of [Yin and Yang], there was even less of a chance.
Instantly, Lingxiao's eyes were incredibly icy.
The prerequisite to becoming a Dao Lord was to first kill a Dao Lord? But if you aren't a Dao Lord, what do you use to kill a Dao Lord? This was a dead end!
The next second, Lingxiao suddenly smiled. The smile was chilling, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Since that's the case, what exactly was the purpose of that nameless Lord specifically coming to point me toward a dead end? And where could he use me?"
As his words fell, he looked at Lu Yang, his tone certain: "It's Fellow Daoist, isn't it? Are you also going to the false history? Which Dao Lord are you serving now?"
Lu Yang knew this was laying the cards on the table.
Therefore, he didn't hesitate either and said straightforwardly:
"The World Honored One, Sword Lord, and Cang Hao. The three Dao Lords jointly decided to send me into the false history... The Dao Lord who conversed with you should also be one of these three."
Having spoken to this point, both of them actually had the answer in their hearts.
The World Honored One? Unlikely. This person actually had the closest relationship with them as lower-realm cultivators. If he truly had the mind to scheme, there was no need to use this method.
"The Sword Lord, or Cang Hao?" Lingxiao asked softly.
"Cang Hao!"
Lu Yang slowly spat out a name. In an instant, the outline in the distant horizon that encompassed the celestial universe grew increasingly massive, casting down an expanse of gloomy shadow.
"The Sword Lord and Cang Hao jointly established the [Heavenly Dao], with the Sword Lord as the primary and Cang Hao as the secondary. However, both are Dao Lords; how could one be willing to be depressed and live under another for a long time? The Sword Lord already governs the [Heavenly Dao] and sits firmly in control; there is no need for her to make other schemes. Only Cang Hao, this person has the most motive!"
Hearing this, Lingxiao nodded.
At the same time, the gaze he cast toward Lu Yang also held a bit more recognition. Clearly, this was a person who understood the Dao Lords very well and had the perspective of a higher-realm cultivator.
This point was particularly crucial.
After all, in this wretched place, if you didn't have a higher-realm cultivator's perspective, no matter how high your cultivation or how good your aptitude, in the end, you would only be played to death by those Lords.
From this, it could be seen that this buyer was relatively reliable.
Thinking of this, Lingxiao took a deep breath: "I have three questions. As long as Fellow Daoist can answer them, I will hand over my Golden Nature and scheme together with Fellow Daoist for the higher realms."
Lu Yang nodded: "Please speak."
"First, since Fellow Daoist said the positions in the [Paramita] are limited and the Netherworld now has a master, then what does Fellow Daoist plan to use to attain the position of a Dao Lord?"
Hearing this, Lu Yang didn't hesitate at all:
"I opened a new method, so naturally I must establish a new [Paramita]. I have already mostly succeeded in this endeavor. I am only short of the final expansion, and then I can carry out the act of changing heaven and earth."
Speaking of this, Lu Yang detailed his idea of widely spreading his Dao Lineage, enfeoffing the gods, using this to control the Light Sea, replacing the Great Daos, and subsequently pulling the rug out from under the Dao Lords. Lingxiao listened patiently, the Light of Wisdom in the depths of his eyes flickering rapidly as he deduced the feasibility. He quickly reached a conclusion.
So that's how it is. That's why he has to go to the false history!
Although the mortal world is vast, it is entirely in the palms of the Dao Lords. If he wants to accomplish this kind of thing, he can only go to the false history, and then let the false history become the true history, catching them by surprise...
Thinking of this, Lingxiao's expression became increasingly serious.
The second question.
"Fellow Daoist's plan makes enemies of all the Dao Lords. Even if you can conceal it temporarily and slip by for now, when the day of success arrives, it will definitely be exposed."
Pulling the rug out from under them was certainly brilliant and ruthless, but it would also inevitably draw crazy counterattacks from the Dao Lords.
"When that time comes, how does Fellow Daoist plan to deal with the Dao Lords' reckoning?"
"Reckoning?"
Lu Yang chuckled lightly, but there wasn't the slightest bit of mirth in the depths of his eyes. He merely calmly recounted the Primordial Saint's Deity Transformation Ascension plan, and then said softly:
"When I attain the Dao, the [Paramita] will collapse, and all the Dao Lords will fall to the mortal dust."
"They will reckon with me?"
Speaking to the end, Lu Yang's tone finally revealed a murderous intent that had been hidden for a long time:
"When the time comes, it will be my turn to reckon with them!"
As his words fell, Lingxiao had already completely clarified Lu Yang's plan. After Lu Yang revealed everything, his gaze was also calm, staring straight at him.
"...How is it?"
His voice was incredibly calm, like still water without ripples:
"Fellow Daoist has now understood everything. Do you plan to leave [The Mortal World] and use me to sell yourself for a good price to the Dao Lords, or cooperate with me as a co-conspirator?"
Hearing this, the originally icy smile on Lingxiao's face suddenly gained a bit of warmth.
Go find the Dao Lords? Betray the person before me?
Stop joking!
How could the big shots in the sky care about such a trivial matter? Let alone just a piece of intelligence, even if you saved their lives, they would turn hostile when it was time to turn hostile!
If the [Paramita] truly only allowed six Dao Lords, then betraying the person before him held no benefit to speak of whatsoever. Because he couldn't sell himself for a good price, couldn't sell himself into becoming a Dao Lord. It wasn't even impossible that the Dao Lord, in a fit of joy after hearing it, would slap him to death along with him.
"Fellow Daoist truly misunderstands me."
Lingxiao smiled gently and said: "Fellow Daoist can go ask around. My reputation back in the day was still very good. How could I be a two-faced, insidious villain?"
Hearing this, Lu Yang rolled up his sleeves.
"Since that's the case, does Fellow Daoist plan to surrender directly, or ask the final question?"
At this moment, the two actually already had a tacit understanding; they were only short of the final step. Lingxiao similarly rolled up his sleeves, and then asked the final question with a smile:
"How can Fellow Daoist be certain that you can attain the Dao Lord position using this method?"
"I cannot be certain."
Lu Yang raised his hand, his tone brisk.
"Fellow Daoist can judge this point for yourself."
"Alright then."
Lingxiao nodded.
How to prove one could attain the Dao Lord? He didn't need to. How could attaining the Dao Lord be something where you simply have a chance of success? This kind of thing had always been seeking life amidst death.
The question he asked actually had another meaning—
Is your Dao higher than mine?
Only by being higher than himself could it prove that this Dao had a higher chance of success. And the only way to judge this was to speak with strength!
If it could truly be higher, then what was wrong with risking his life to gamble once?