Almost all the Dao Lords failed to react in time.
Just as the Sword Lord, Cang Hao, Myriad Laws, and Du Xuan thought this would be a protracted battle, a flash of golden light nearly ended the fight instantly.
"BOOM!"
A single Daoist chime echoed without any further concept. Subsequently, the Nascent Soul Dao Body manifested by the World Honored One collapsed amidst the roar, disintegrating into nothingness.
In the dim Dark Void, a stunning streak of blood-light pierced through the chaos, erupting with power that painted more than half of the Light Sea a deep scarlet. As it reflected into the physical world of the Light Sea, it struck terror into the hearts of countless living beings; even without knowing what that scarlet streak represented, they trembled in fear.
Is he dead?
On the other side, the various Dao Lords atop the [Paramita] focused their gaze. Their eyes, when looking at Lu Yang, held a hint of surprise and an unspeakable wariness.
"What was that?"
"A wonder... a truly formidable wonder."
Cang Hao spoke in a low, hollow tone:
"It isn't that his stature is higher, but that his Great Dao itself is stronger than [Karma]. Myriad Treasure was momentarily careless and chose to meet it head-on, thus suffering a grievous loss."
As if responding to his words, in the next second, the blood-light reflecting in the Light Sea flowed backward. It reshaped a golden body and stepped out from the Dark Void.
"Amitabha..."
The World Honored One pressed his palms together, a trace of disbelief still lingering in his eyes. He had never expected that in that instant, he had nearly died a violent death.
'Such a Great Dao far surpasses my [Karma]. It wasn't even the Great Dao itself clashing; it was more like he used his Dao to encompass my [Karma], and then erased its existence from the very foundation. That is what caused my Dao to collapse, almost making me perish here.'
Fortunately, a Dao Lord is unkillable.
Furthermore, with the stature of the second layer of the [Paramita], the World Honored One managed to sustain [Karma]. He was not completely [Deleted] by Lu Yang, allowing him to recover.
'However, this method seems to have a massive consumption.'
The World Honored One's gaze narrowed. He saw that Lu Yang, not far away, had already returned to his human form. The Light of Order behind his head was slightly dimmed, clearly having suffered a great loss.
Evidently, that move had not been easy for him either.
Moreover, having experienced it personally once, the World Honored One now had insight and a guard up. He judged that if it happened again, he wouldn't be defeated quite so rapidly.
Yes, defeated.
"Fellow Daoist Xuande's skill is superior. This poor monk has lost."
The World Honored One took a step back, admitting defeat very decisively. After all, with his stature at the second layer of the [Paramita], fighting a first-layer opponent and ending up like this was already a loss of face.
Furthermore, even if he didn't admit defeat and the fight continued... while the opponent was heavily drained, he himself had nearly been killed once, which also cost him much of his profound wonder. The World Honored One estimated that at best, it would be a 40/60 split in his favor. Since this wasn't a life-and-death battle, there was absolutely no need to fight for a moment's pride.
Better to just admit defeat.
By proactively taking a step back and praising this Primordial Ancestor Xuande, he could forge a good karmic bond. It might even be useful in the future.
On the other side, Lu Yang was also filled with sentiment.
'The consumption is too high...'
The killing move he used was the same one he had used to slay the Sword Lord once in the previous life. The consumption was large back then, and now that he used it again, it had actually increased.
'It's primarily because the World Honored One's stature is higher than mine. Forcibly [Deleting] him requires spending more profound wonder; a 100% output only yields a 30% effect. If my stature were higher, fighting from a position of strength, it would be the opposite—one part effort for three parts effect, making the [Deletion] much more thorough...'
In fact, it was more than that.
'The World Honored One, Sword Lord, Cang Hao, Myriad Laws, Du Xuan... these are all temporary tenants of an exalted rank whose essence has not changed. Their immortality is actually unstable.'
'If my stature were higher.'
'And I went all out with [Delete]... I suspect I could do more than just kill their bodies; I could even erase their very seats upon the [Paramita].'
Dao Lords are immortal?
In the final analysis, that is just a part of [Order]. I govern [Order]. Unless you have [Transcended], if I want you dead, you must die!
Lu Yang kept his eyes closed until he heard the World Honored One admit defeat. Only then did he open them, having suppressed all his emotions. He restored a friendly and calm demeanor, smiling as he said: "I do not deserve such praise, Fellow Daoist. It is merely a few methods passed down by my sect. In terms of cultivation, your level is ultimately higher."
"However..."
At this point, his tone shifted: "I observe that your cultivation seems to rely entirely on the [Paramita], and your essence has not changed. This appears to be a hidden hazard."
The World Honored One froze.
Not just him; the Sword Lord and the others also showed a hint of doubt. They inquired: "The essence has not changed... what is 'essence'? I wonder if you could elaborate?"
"You do not know?"
Lu Yang put on a look of surprise.
"Actually, it is nothing much. Essence and stature have always complemented each other. I observe the methods of those rural rogue cultivators—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core—they are all like this."
"The essence of a Qi Refiner is a mortal body; the essence of Foundation Establishment is a dharmic form refined through divine abilities; the essence of a Perfected Lord, whether relying on a Dao Fruit or following a Great Dao, is centered on the true spirit—their essence is a manifestation of profound wonder... Only for Dao Lords, it seems you have only raised your stature, while your essence has not changed."
"If my guess is correct."
"If one day this [Paramita] collapses or can no longer be sustained, your cultivations will instantly plummet, and you will no longer hold the stature of Dao Lords."
"..."
For some reason, Lu Yang's words were exceptionally persuasive. The Dao Lords present all frowned, seemingly seeing a vision of the [Paramita] collapsing.
Seeing this, Lu Yang continued: "Furthermore, since you Fellow Daoists use the [Paramita] as your base, you cannot leave its vicinity. If you wander too far, even if your stature remains unchanged, you risk getting lost in the Dark Void. While your Primordial Spirits have some mitigating effect, it is ultimately just treating the symptoms rather than the root."
"...If that is the case, are you different, Fellow Daoist?"
"Of course." Lu Yang smiled faintly. "My Great Dao has long formed its own cycle. Within my current stature, I have no fear whatsoever of getting lost in the Dark Void."
"If it were not so, how could I travel through the void?"
After hearing Lu Yang's words, the moods of the Dao Lords grew complex. They felt that the [Paramita] they had previously treated as a priceless treasure wasn't so great after all.
Simultaneously, they finally began to truly believe in Lu Yang's identity.
After all, the [Paramita] was the only method for reaching a higher realm in the Light Sea. Since this man had completely transcended that restriction, he could only be a cultivator from the outside world.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for resolving our doubts."
Following this, the two sides exchanged thoughts on their respective understandings of the Dao to deepen their connection. Afterward, Cang Hao took the initiative to speak, getting to the main point:
"May I ask, Fellow Daoist Xuande."
"This [Jun] you have come to seek—what is his appearance, and what is his cultivation? We can search through ancient records; perhaps we can help you find clues."
It was finally here.
Lu Yang smiled faintly. Then, with a flicker of spiritual light, he sketched a portrait, manifesting the appearance of the Primordial Saint. He said: "This is my Senior Uncle [Jun]..."
"BOOM!!!"
Almost simultaneously, a resonant Daoist chime echoed from the apex of the [Paramita].