Although he intended to investigate the secrets of the remnant consciousness, because Supreme Grandmaster was controlled by the Primordial Saint, there was no way to begin in many places.
In the next second, Lu Yang looked up at the World Honored One:
"Fellow Daoist, I have a method that might first make the Primordial Saint stumble, forcing him to step down slightly from those heights, lest he remain too aloof."
The World Honored One understood instantly:
"Sky-shrouding."
Indeed, this was his primary motive for personally coming to meet Lu Yang through Sky-shrouding's Karma via the Great Karmic Net; everything else was secondary.
"Since Beast Taming has awakened, Sky-shrouding is no longer useful. It is perfect to let him attain the Netherworld. We can then feign an intervention to stop him, utilizing the advantage of the Netherworld's low stature to force the Primordial Saint to interfere. In his current state, if he wants to stop Sky-shrouding, he must step down."
A very correct judgment.
Pity, there was still a lack of intelligence... Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately shook his head: "Fellow Daoist may not know, but the Primordial Saint may not necessarily stop Sky-shrouding."
"In fact, it is quite the opposite."
"The Primordial Saint should be happy to see Sky-shrouding attain the Netherworld. Even if he strikes to stop him, it will only be a smoke screen, a deliberate ruse."
"...What."
As soon as these words were uttered, the World Honored One was stunned.
On the other side, Lu Yang similarly recalled the Primordial Saint's attitude toward Sky-shrouding attaining the Netherworld across several previous lives; there had been multiple shifts.
The first time Sky-shrouding attained the Netherworld, the Primordial Saint stopped him on the surface but was actually unwilling to even step down, dealing with it perfunctorily. This was because the event essentially aligned with his interests—he wanted to use it for ascension. If he stepped down, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?
However, the second time was different.
'The second time, under my intervention, signs of reality collapsing appeared prematurely, triggering the Paramita to fall and forcing him to act to stabilize it.'
'That time, he stepped down.'
That was the key.
The World Honored One's hope that Sky-shrouding attaining the Netherworld would make the Primordial Saint step down was unrealistic. To achieve this goal, one had to be even more ruthless!
At this thought, Lu Yang simply explained the Primordial Saint's Deity Transformation ascension plan in detail to the World Honored One, along with the relationship between the Great Karmic Net and the Long River of Time. The World Honored One's expression grew stunned, almost instinctively revealing resistance, yet he gradually fell into deep thought.
"..."
Lu Yang could feel the World Honored One's fingers hidden beneath his golden robe performing frantic calculations, likely to the point of rubbing out sparks.
After a long while, he let out a long sigh.
However, to Lu Yang's surprise, this time he did not immediately show unreserved trust and determination as he had in the previous life.
Instead, he looked suspicious:
"Fellow Daoist Xuande... forgive my directness, but I'm afraid no Dao Lord in this world understands this intelligence. Fellow Daoist has just arrived; how could you know this?"
Lu Yang was stunned for a moment.
Only then did he realize that the reason the World Honored One believed him in the previous life—even being willing to abandon the Paramita—was not because his news was shocking.
It was because of Sisui.
At that time, he was backed by the mountain that was Sisui, the most trustworthy person in the Light Sea. With Sisui's guarantee, the World Honored One could safely cooperate with him.
But now things were different.
The method of borrowing a false reputation worked on someone with relatively pure thoughts like Dao Tianqi, but it was somewhat weak when used on the World Honored One.
People like him only believe what they see.
In the spark of a flint, Lu Yang thought of an answer, a look of surprise appearing on his face: "What is so difficult about this? Is it not something obvious at a single glance?"
—To explain is to hide.
The best explanation here was no explanation at all, attributing everything to inheritance and background. If asked, the answer was: you're just a rural rogue cultivator; it's normal that you can't understand.
Saying too much would only make it look like a cover-up.
"Furthermore, I am only giving Fellow Daoist some advice. If you truly intend to use Sky-shrouding's hand to weaken the Primordial Saint, then you should first change your thinking; the current approach certainly won't work. Of course, I will not interfere in this matter; everything depends on Fellow Daoist's own planning."
Lu Yang's attitude was very decisive.
The World Honored One's idea was good, but he would not participate this time. After all, if nothing went wrong, he should already be marked in the Primordial Saint's mind.
If he intervened, the Primordial Saint would not take the bait.
If the World Honored One acted alone, the success rate might actually be higher.
Therefore, before his voice even faded, Lu Yang proactively withdrew his divine sense, dispersed his aura, and quietly exited the Karmic Scene, returning to his main body outside the Dark Void.
In the gloomy Netherworld.
When Sky-shrouding snapped back from his stupor, he found Lu Yang's silhouette had already vanished. He felt as if he were in a dream, instinctively pressing his brow.
Karma had changed.
In his original memory, he had a conversation with the World Honored One when he attained the Great Forest Wood; this was unquestionable historical Karma.
Yet now, history had been altered.
That conversation had been interfered with by a majesty that transcended the years, presenting entirely new content: "Attain the Netherworld, now. Do not hesitate."
"...Now?"
Sky-shrouding's brow furrowed. Was this a joke? He had not yet completely controlled the other four elements; he only held the [Great Forest Wood] in his hand.
Although he had obtained substantial control over the Five Elements Dao fruits through Inversion of Chen Earth, he was ultimately not the Lord of those fruits. Lacking that perfected concept, attaining the Netherworld under these circumstances was virtually a death sentence. Why would the World Honored One suddenly make such a demand?
Moreover, the Netherworld was no longer the best choice—hm?
In the next second, Sky-shrouding realized: 'A probe! He doesn't truly want me to attain the Netherworld, but wants to use the opportunity of me attaining the Netherworld to probe someone?'
The Primordial Saint? Or the Lord of the Netherworld?
Thinking of this, Sky-shrouding intended to refuse immediately. No matter what the World Honored One's plan was, he could not gamble his life for the other party.
However, soon after.
The historical Karma changed further, and memories that originally did not exist increased once again, causing Sky-shrouding to stop his words of refusal in his throat.
'The Lord of the Netherworld, Dao Tianqi... fellow disciples?'
'Dealing with the Primordial Saint...'
The newly appeared memories plunged Sky-shrouding into deep thought. Then he looked at the Investiture of the Gods Method Lu Yang had handed him earlier, and his thoughts gradually shifted.
'With this method, it's not entirely impossible to try.'
'After all, if I just give up on the Netherworld like this, it's still a dead end... I see. So by leaving this method, he wants me to first establish some merit?'
Sky-shrouding felt he had guessed the extraterrestrial Dao Lord's thoughts. The other party wanted him to first show sincerity by joining forces with the World Honored One to pit the Primordial Saint once, and only after success would he be willing to guide him to attainment... Thinking this way, Sky-shrouding suddenly felt the World Honored One's proposal was acceptable.
The key lay in attaining the Dao.
To him, as long as he could attain the Dao, it didn't matter who he sided with. Since the Netherworld was a dead end, the Investiture of the Gods Method was his hope for attainment.
Against the Primordial Saint, he would not gamble his life.
However, for the sake of attaining the Dao, he would go all-in without hesitation even if there was only a sliver of hope... From this perspective, that extraterrestrial Dao Lord understood him quite well.
(End of Chapter)