novelno Chapter 563: Desperate Situation
Chapter 563: Desperate Situation
Next time, this will be reality.
As his voice faded, the True Body Tathagata suddenly disintegrated, dissipated, and vanished without a trace, as if it had achieved its goal and left this [Pseudo-History].
However, Lü Yang did not move.
The True Body Tathagata was gone, and Lü Yang knew he had to return to the Current World as quickly as possible through the Zouyu Descendants’ entrance. But he remained motionless, his main body’s qi trace kept deeply hidden.
「Meanwhile, above the Zouyu Ruins.」
The True Body Tathagata sighed. It had only pretended to leave, casting a Blinding Technique to hide its form in the sky above the Zouyu Ruins.
"He is from the Stain Sect, after all. Not easy to trap... Forget it."
With that, it completely dissipated its form.
Three more days passed—
A golden light suddenly flared, and the True Body Tathagata emerged once more. It looked surprised, but this time, it didn’t speak deliberately, instead pondering inwardly: ’Could he have left long ago?’
’Is he really that clever?’
The True Body Tathagata couldn’t help but shake its head. If it could, it would have gladly waited at these Zouyu Ruins for a few hundred years. It refused to believe Lü Yang wouldn’t show himself eventually.
After all, this was a heaven-sent opportunity. If it could eliminate Lü Yang directly within the [Pseudo-History], it could monopolize all the rewards. Why bother going to the Current World? Things in the Current World were far more troublesome than in the [Pseudo-History]. The Bhagavat had to make many compromises and concessions just for the chance to send it down.
’Unfortunately, the situation doesn’t allow for it.’
’This Tathagata Body of mine is too heavy with karmic links. It’s fine for a short while, but if I stay too long, I could easily cause this [Pseudo-History] to completely collapse.’
’I have no choice but to leave.’
The True Body Tathagata sighed inwardly, but its expression remained unfathomably profound. Before leaving, it even performed a finger technique, leaving behind a permanent afterimage in its place.
’If I can’t find you, I’ll just scare you!’
’The longer I delay you, the more prepared the Bhagavat will be. When I descend in the Current World then, the power I can wield will be even greater than what I have here!’
.......
「Overseas, on Lonely Heart Island.」
One of Lü Yang’s [Puppets] quietly arrived, broke through the array guarding the outside, and soon entered the cave mansion on the island.
Deep within the cave mansion, inside a quiet, secret chamber, sat a wooden box. Engraved upon it was the lingering aura of Hongtian from before his death.
Lü Yang paced forward and opened the wooden box.
Inside, he saw a jade token lying next to a jade scroll. Lü Yang swept his divine sense over them and immediately understood what they were.
’A Life-Binding Card?’
This jade token was linked to a certain person’s life. Once the jade token was shattered, that person would also die, which would be equivalent to Lü Yang killing them with his own hands.
’In that case... that person’s future possibilities will fall into my hands!’ At this thought, Lü Yang instantly understood why Hongtian had left this item. ’He believed that the future possibilities of the person corresponding to this Life-Binding Jade Token would be useful to me?’
Thinking of this, Lü Yang didn’t hesitate and directly crushed the Jade Token.
The next second, the Jade Token burst with a splendid light. In the lands of Jiangnan, the cry of a sword rang out, then abruptly dimmed and fell silent.
At the same time, a splendid light also appeared in Lü Yang’s hand.
’This is...’
Lü Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly, and then an understanding dawned on him: this was the possibility of Black Tortoise Zhenren, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s counterpart in the [Pseudo-History]!
’Black Tortoise Zhenren’s life path is very similar to Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s. Both were groomed to attain the [Fruit of Sword Dao]. However, because the Bhagavat doesn’t exist in the [Pseudo-History], and it lacks the [Non-Killing Sword Intent], Black Tortoise Zhenren is much weaker than Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected. As a result, he never attained the [Fruit of Sword Dao].’
’But he survived.’
’After failing to attain the [Fruit of Sword Dao], he received Hongtian’s help and used the Life-Binding Jade Token to preserve his life, allowing him to cling to existence for another three years.’
In other words—
’This is a possibility of not dying after a ’Void Certificate’ for the [Fruit of Sword Dao]! If used on Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, it could be a heaven-sent opportunity!’
In his previous life, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had sacrificed himself to his sword, and his soul scattered after he attained the [Fruit of Sword Dao], making even reincarnation impossible. However, if he had managed to survive, given his connection to the [Fruit of Sword Dao], he could have instantly achieved Harmonization and ascended to the rank of Perfected Lord, even with just a remnant of his soul!
As for Black Tortoise Zhenren.
Even with the Life-Binding Jade Token, he only had three years of life left. Hongtian had told him this before leaving the item, and upon learning of it, he had readily agreed.
’As expected of Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s counterpart...’
Lü Yang’s expression was complicated as he thought to himself:
’It seems Hongtian also knew he was a public enemy. Any karmic links related to him would be tracked down, and not a single trace would be allowed to remain.’
’That’s why he left behind the karmic links of Black Tortoise Zhenren, which are unrelated to him.’
’Perhaps he didn’t actually think this would be of much help to me. It’s just that this was already the most valuable thing he could leave behind.’
Lü Yang sighed.
Turning his head, Lü Yang looked toward the image of the True Body Tathagata standing at the Zouyu Ruins and sneered. ’A cheap trick... Did you think I wouldn’t see through it?’
’It’s a fake!’
’Just for scaring people!’
Controlling the [Puppet], Lü Yang swaggered directly to the Zouyu Ruins. At the same time, his main body awakened and emerged from its seclusion.
"...It’s time to leave."
Lü Yang took one last look at the heaven and earth of the [Pseudo-History]... It was undeniable that although his time here was brief, he had benefited immensely from this [Pseudo-History].
’Hongtian... I will absolutely not repeat your mistakes!’
In time, he would return.
.......
「Inside Feixue Palace.」
Amidst a flash of streaming light, Lü Yang stepped out of a floor-length mirror. He instantly felt the difference between the [Pseudo-History] and the Current World.
’The Current World has a sense of solidity...’
The earth, the sky, the spiritual qi—none of it had the illusory quality of the [Pseudo-History]. This was a feeling most deeply understood only by those who had been to a [Pseudo-History].
The next second, Lü Yang looked up.
’[Fruit of Celestial Fire]... is at Perfection!’
He had conveniently left Yu Zhou and the other Zouyu Descendants on Lonely Heart Island, even setting up an array to both protect and imprison them.
Therefore, he was now free from the interference of the Zouyu Race’s qi trace. His [Fruit of Celestial Fire] phenomenon was at Flawless Perfection. There was no place under the heavens the sun and moon did not illuminate, and no one within the six directions who remained unknown to him. If one were to consider his state before Seeking Gold, he was actually quite a bit stronger than Hongtian had been!
’However... my troubles are also greater than Hongtian’s!’
After all, Hongtian was only targeted by Perfected Lords, while he was being "attended to" by the Four Great Daoist Lords. The two situations were not on the same level. The only future he could see was one of despair.
—What to do?
Lü Yang stood with his hands behind his back, sinking into a deep silence. Scenes of Hongtian being carved up by the various factions and then self-destructing flashed through his mind.
The Dao Court, the Bhagavat, the Sword Pavilion.
Three great calamities, each one an undeniable trial of life and death. He had to gamble his life on each one. Only by winning three times in a row could he successfully seek the [Fruit of Celestial Fire].
And what did he have?
A trip to the [Pseudo-History] had yielded nothing but a pile of intelligence that might as well be scrap paper, aside from the possibility of being ’Immortal After Attaining the Sword Dao Fruit’.
Even if he used that possibility, at best it would allow Demon-Vanquishing Perfected to become a Golden Core. But a newly attained Fruit of Sword Dao, not yet matured, might not be of much use.
He wasn’t confident he could win even once, let alone three times in a row.
In a daze, Lü Yang seemed to see a great net that filled the sky.
Only this time, it was his turn to be the butterfly caught in the spider’s web. The various factions were watching like hungry tigers, just waiting for him to Seek Gold so they could feast.