At the apex of the [Paramita], the unprecedented upheaval caused the Primordial Saint's expression to shift several times. For the first time, the habitually decisive sovereign felt a flicker of hesitation and doubt.
If the opponent were like the Sword Lord or Cang Hao—merely a Golden Core perfection temporarily occupying an exalted rank—he would have acted without a second word to seize them and begin a slow interrogation. But a "True Dao Lord" who had undergone an essence metamorphosis was different; even if their stature was far inferior to his own, they were not to be underestimated.
'However... this person is not my equal.'
The Primordial Saint focused his gaze, silently scrutinizing Lu Yang. Like the Sword Lord, his attention was primarily fixed on the circular light behind Lu Yang's head.
But where the Sword Lord saw only the surface, he saw the inner workings.
'Neither increasing nor decreasing, forming its own cycle... no wonder his Dao can take root in the Dark Void. But in doing so, his cultivation can no longer grow...'
'No, not necessarily. This cycle isn't entirely unbreakable. If he truly encounters a fortuitous opportunity, he could temporarily break it and reconstruct the cycle after his cultivation improves. It's just that the risk is immense—compared to my [True Nascent Soul], it is far inferior.'
'Perhaps it could be called a [Dead Cycle].'
The Light of Wisdom erupted in the Primordial Saint's eyes as he performed a lightning-fast deduction. Yet, as his deep dissection of Lu Yang's [Order] Dao progressed, his gaze gradually changed.
'Wait, this is...'
'[Transcendence].'
'Impossible! How can his Daoist concept align so closely with the achievement of [Transcendence]? It is so intimate it could almost be called an "unorthodox path" of that very power.'
For a moment, the Primordial Saint's heart burned with heat, which then turned into intense disappointment and disbelief: 'An unorthodox path to [Transcendence]. If cultivated well, there is an extremely high probability of truly breaking through the shackles of the Dark Void. Yet he chose a [Dead Cycle]. To practice like this is simply a despicable waste!'
In this moment, the Primordial Saint's pupils shook violently.
The state of [Supreme Forgotten Emotion] and his obsession with [Transcendence] clashed fiercely before finally subsiding and returning to cold indifference.
"And... that name."
[Jun]. Before this, even the Primordial Saint did not know who this name referred to. But the moment it triggered that upheaval within the Light Sea, he understood.
The high-stage Deity Transformation being!
'This is the true name of that Immortal, something even I did not know. This person knows it... that explains why his Dao carries the aura of [Transcendence].'
What should he do? Should he manifest and meet him?
'...Wait a little longer.'
Although the identity Lu Yang displayed—Primordial Ancestor Xuande—seemed highly credible at first glance, the Primordial Saint's intuition told him something was slightly off.
The reason was simple—Why now?
The pre-ancient era ended an unknown amount of time ago. This person didn't come during the Archaic, Ancient, or Medieval eras—he waited until now to appear.
And what time was it now?
His own Deity Transformation ascension was already on the schedule; all his ambitions were about to reach a conclusion. It was the most sensitive and critical moment.
At this time, an extraterrestrial Dao Lord arrives.
Is it truly a coincidence?
Thinking of this, the Primordial Saint's gaze grew flatter, staring directly at Lu Yang as he abandoned the idea of meeting him in the short term.
No rush. Play with him first.
If he truly is a visitor from beyond, he could use the hands of the Sword Lord and the other Dao Lords to trick critical intelligence about extraterrestrial cultivators out of him.
If he is a fake... then he must hold a pre-ancient inheritance that is more complete and even more core than the one in the Primordial Saint's own hands!
'Primordial Saint, you're watching me, aren't you?'
Lu Yang's eyes narrowed slightly. Though he felt nothing, he knew that facing a "Variable" like himself, the Primordial Saint could not possibly ignore him.
But since he hadn't manifested, it meant the "explosive news" Lu Yang had dropped wasn't enough.
With that thought, facing the various Dao Lords, Lu Yang suddenly shifted the topic: "Speaking of which, you all seem to have not answered my initial question."
"Are you the disciples of my Senior Uncle [Jun]?"
Another period of silence followed.
Finally, Cang Hao was again the first to speak: "We shall not hide it from you, Fellow Daoist. As time has passed, we have never heard the name you speak of."
"You haven't?"
Lu Yang paused, then shook his head: "Impossible. Your language is identical to mine; it was clearly passed down by my Senior Uncle. It must be related to him."
Upon hearing this, the Dao Lords frowned. This was a point they had been suspicious of—that this Primordial Ancestor Xuande claimed to be from beyond, yet used a language very similar to theirs. They had intended to ask, but the other party had performed a polar reversal.
It wasn't that he was like them.
It was that they were like him?
This statement wasn't entirely incomprehensible, as current cultivation terminology did indeed accept the legacy of the pre-ancient era to a large extent.
But it didn't eliminate Lu Yang's suspicion.
"...I venture to ask a question."
Just then, the habitually silent Myriad Laws spoke up: "In your lineage, how exactly does one cultivate below the rank of [Dao Ancestor]?"
The various Dao Lords perked up their spirits.
Indeed. Words can lie, but the [Dao] cannot. If the person before them was a fraud, he surely wouldn't be able to produce a self-consistent cultivation system.
At the apex of the [Paramita], the secretly observing Primordial Saint also concentrated his spirit.
This question was indeed critical.
Well? Can this person answer it?
Facing the scrutiny of the Dao Lords, Lu Yang did not hesitate. He first offered a faint smile, then began to eloquently describe the system of the Investiture of the Gods Method from his previous life.
Bestowing titles upon deities, gathering the incense of the masses, governing heaven and earth, and nurturing Dao Fruits—this system was tightly interlinked and perfectly corresponded with Lu Yang's own Great Dao.
There was only one problem.
"This method... is very similar to ours."
Du Xuan spoke with a hollow tone.
"Though the cultivation means differ and the logic is largely divergent, the essence is still the elevation of stature. Your method, Fellow Daoist, does not seem to have escaped this pattern."
"Is that not incorrect?"
There was nothing incorrect about it; it was perfectly normal. Lu Yang knew this full well: the Investiture of the Gods Method was pioneered by him by taking the strengths of every school.
That said, a look of genuine confusion appeared on his face: "What is the problem? Do you Fellow Daoists not cultivate with this method?"
"Of course not."
Myriad Laws reached out and tapped the air. A streak of spiritual light flashed, demonstrating the cultivation methods of the Light Sea on the spot. He then looked at Lu Yang with piercing eyes.
"How do you explain this, Fellow Daoist?"
For a moment, the various Dao Lords all looked over.
However, Lu Yang seemed completely immersed in the cultivation method Myriad Laws had demonstrated. Only after a long while did he return to his senses, his brow furrowing tightly:
"You must be joking."
"Though this method is profound, it is limited to the cage of the Light Sea. Its strongest is but the peak of a Divine Lord; even if practiced to the very end, one cannot attain the rank of [Dao Ancestor]."
"Where did this rural rogue cultivator's method come from?"