At this moment, the entire [The Mortal World] fell into an expanse of illusion. The boiling concepts recreated the mortal world, constructing a vast and magnificent scene.
That was an expanse of fertile soil.
Mountains towered, rivers flowed into the sea, and the sun and moon shared the same sky. This scenery actually wasn't much in Lingxiao's eyes; they were merely ordinary things found in every World Realm.
What truly surprised him was that this scenery seemed to have come alive.
In a trance, he seemed to see towering figures surface on every hill, every river of the fertile soil, and even the sun, moon, and stars in the sky.
Flowers, birds, fish, insects, flying fowls, running beasts, the myriad living beings—everyone was a deity, governing a square inch of land. Layer upon layer going upward, it was like a magnificent picture scroll slowly unfurling. Yet such a grand spectacle didn't condense any wonder at this moment; it only went upwards endlessly, lifting an expanse of turbid vastness.
This was Lu Yang's Dao.
Changing heaven and earth—first using a Dao to benefit the living beings of the Light Sea, and then using the living beings of the Light Sea to elevate a Dao. Mutual benefit and reciprocity, ultimately forming a complete cycle!
"The heaven's mandate rests upon you; sincerely uphold the center."
At this moment, Lu Yang had already dispersed his physical form like [Sky-shrouding], leaving only the true form of the Great Dao encompassing the universe. The thunderous Dao sound spread in all directions.
Responding to him were figures one after another.
Vanquishing-Demon, Suo Huan, Empress Xiao, Pan Huang, Mu Changsheng... all the cultivators who had switched to cultivating the Investiture of the Gods Method and left their divine idols in the [Heavenly Palace] arrived in succession.
They formed groups, occupying every inch of space in [The Mortal World]. Then, they ignited their divine fire, continuously resonating with the Dao Fruit hanging high in the sky, the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning]. The boiling divine light spread continuously like a spider web with the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning] as the center, ultimately manifesting a wonder.
[Divine Offering].
Just like that day in the Overseas Immortal Alliance, when Lu Yang possessed Mu Changsheng and used this wonder to condense the mighty power of the entire Overseas Immortal Alliance, he was actually repeating his old trick at this moment.
Then, Lingxiao saw it.
Under the lingering of endless divine light, an invisible giant seemed to appear within [The Mortal World], and the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning] was lifted up in his palm.
He gradually raised the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning] higher.
And during this process, Lingxiao clearly sensed that the other party's Great Dao was climbing bit by bit, until it completely surpassed his own [Inversion]!
He was originally inferior to me...
This was very normal, and Lu Yang wasn't surprised either. After all, how long had it been since the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning] was attained? Yet [Inversion] was the result of Lingxiao's lifelong cultivation.
However, this was no longer important.
Because under the concerted elevation of [Divine Offering] and all the gods governed by the [Heavenly Palace], the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning] at this moment exceeded the limit of [Inversion]!
The method of gathering the masses... even ants have the heart to swallow a dragon...
For a moment, Lingxiao widened his eyes. In his view, those deities governed by Lu Yang were just ants that could be wiped out with a single breath. But what about now?
These ants accumulated into a multitude, gathered sand to form a tower, and forcibly allowed the other party's Great Dao to surpass his own! And this number was nothing more than a drop in the ocean compared to the myriad living beings of the Light Sea... Then what if he could control the entire Light Sea? What if he could truly make all the living beings of the Light Sea join forces?
Could it fill the chasm between Dao Lords and those beneath them?
Lingxiao didn't know.
But... it's worth a try!
Lingxiao raised his head, watching that brilliantly shining Dao Fruit get higher and higher, and finally be firmly hung above [The Mortal World] by that invisible giant.
Then, crimson light swept over.
[Fate Revolution]!
Instantly, Lingxiao's field of vision abruptly turned into an eye-catching crimson red. Like a prairie fire, it transformed all things, reformed the old methods, and established a new heaven!
Such a change falling into Lingxiao's perception meant that his [Inversion] suddenly lost its former wonders. It was as if this place was no longer the Light Sea, and all Great Daos and Dao Fruits based on the Light Sea completely lost the foundation of their existence at this moment, making it difficult to influence the brand-new world anymore.
This is changing heaven and earth...
At this moment, Lingxiao personally experienced Lu Yang's Great Dao once, understanding that the so-called "changing heaven and earth" was absolutely not empty talk, but a truly feasible method.
He consequently lost all wonders, like water without a source.
What would happen to the Dao Lords?
Thinking of this, Lingxiao suddenly smiled.
"...What Great Dao? To put it plainly, isn't it just using greater numbers to bully the few!"
The laughter was clear and bright. Although it was a complaint, it was extremely delighted.
Soon, the heavenly sound responded.
"This is called a just cause enjoys abundant support, an unjust cause finds little support."
"A just cause enjoys abundant support..."
Lingxiao silently chewed on these words, finally nodding slightly: "Quite fitting."
As his words fell, Lingxiao seemed to have finally made a decision. The wonders that were originally condensed to the extreme abruptly relaxed, giving up all struggle and resistance.
It was true that he still had ways to cope. After all, the deities currently governed by Lu Yang were still not enough, and he still didn't have the means to meticulously control the entirety of [The Mortal World]. He could still find flaws, then forcibly circulate [Inversion] and escape to the heaven of life. At worst, he could just leave [The Mortal World].
Even if he couldn't win, he could at least escape.
However, this was meaningless.
Because this was a Dao Dispute. What was disputed was the Dao, not methods, and even less so techniques. If the Dao lost, then it was a loss. Lingxiao would only gladly accept this.
"...Good!"
The next second, the crimson radiance of [Fate Revolution] landed on his body. Like a large hand, it tightly grasped Lingxiao's strand of Golden Nature.
Subsequently, the Golden Nature disintegrated.
A faint light was pulled out by the crimson radiance, causing Lingxiao to let out a muffled groan. Yet he didn't have the slightest look of pain or entanglement. Instead, he lifted the corners of his mouth, his eyes incredibly bright.
A just cause enjoys abundant support. If you and I help each other, can we attain the Dao?
I'll gamble on it.
I give you my Golden Nature, and I bet you win!
The azure scenery manifested by [Inversion] gradually dimmed. Like the ebb and flow of the tide, it retreated without a form. Lingxiao's figure surfaced anew, his handsome face slightly pale.
At the same time, the picture scroll of heaven and earth created by the [Heavenly Destiny Reckoning], along with the invisible giant jointly supported by those myriad deities, also dissipated along with it.
They transformed into the residual light of a collapsing setting sun, hanging behind Lu Yang's head, rippling with waves, along with a brilliantly glowing golden light pinched between his fingertips.
[The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes]!
The next second, as if opening a gluttonous feast, the panel of [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] rapidly surfaced, as if a bloody maw swallowed that golden light in one bite.
Refined in an instant!
[Currently settling experiences for 'Perfected Lord Lingxiao of Eastern Sovereign/Perfected Lord Sky-Shrouding and Obscuring the Sun'...]
[You are but a passing traveler beyond the bounds of history—unbound by heaven and earth. Yet for that very reason, you remain untouched by the tides of time. As all things shift and change, you alone endure, unchanged and singular.]
On the panel, dense text rapidly surfaced:
[Since Perfected Lord Lingxiao of Eastern Sovereign/Perfected Lord Sky-Shrouding Obscuring the Sun is already at the Late Stage of Golden Core, and his Golden Nature has already completed its first qualitative change, you can choose one of the following talents as a settlement.]
[1. Veiled Among the Mortal World: You will no longer be conspicuous in the sight of cultivators at higher realms.]
[2. Unbound by Heaven and Earth: You are not bound by history, but because of this, you will also not be affected by history.]
[3. Lesser Dao Transformation: Comprehension is massively increased. Can be used at most three times in one lifetime.]
[4. Warden of the Netherworld: You can freely enter and exit the Netherworld without being discovered.]
[5. Veil Beyond History: Your roots will be unviewable by anyone.]
He hit the jackpot!