Chapter 301: Body in the Sword Pavilion, Heart with the Primordial Saint Sect

To be honest, Lu Yang completely hadn’t expected that in this life, he would meet [Sky-shrouding] again under such dramatic and abrupt circumstances.

Hundred… no, stay calm.

Lu Yang gritted his teeth, suppressing the urge to restart. The one exploring the [Eternal Brilliance Precious-Light Grotto-Heaven] is Perfected One Xiao Hai. What does it have to do with me?

With [Marionette] blocking him, he can’t see me!

Just trying to scare people.

Lu Yang was one hundred percent confident in this. After all, this was a Golden Talent produced by [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes].

[Marionette: By seizing a person’s destiny and accepting their karma, you can hide beneath their appearance and manipulate them like a puppet. No one can calculate your background.]

It said no one could calculate, so no one could calculate!

Cheat, activate!

The confidence [The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] gave Lu Yang allowed him to forcefully stabilize his emotions. He continued to stare straight at [Sky-shrouding] through Perfected One Xiao Hai’s vision.

In this moment, all sounds fell silent.

“…”

Even the rising [Si Fire] froze in mid-air. The sparks that should have been flying stagnated. Although the surroundings were visibly scorching hot, it felt as cold as winter at this moment.

Perfected One Xiao Hai’s expression was completely frozen at the moment he showed terror. Even his thoughts stopped. The only thing in the entire Grotto-Heaven fragment that could still move was the figure standing in the fire. He rested his chin on one hand and crossed the other arm across his chest, staring intently at Perfected One Xiao Hai.

His gaze was like a torch.

Perfected One Xiao Hai’s aura changes, spiritual power fluctuations, the dilation and contraction of his pupils, the shift in his line of sight, the karma on his body… everything was taken in by his eyes.

The smile on [Sky-shrouding]’s face faded slightly.

“Which Fellow Daoist is this?”

He spoke slowly, his voice causing the entire Grotto-Heaven fragment to tremble. The [Si Fire] resumed its flow, crawling up Perfected One Xiao Hai’s body bit by bit!

Densely packed fire snakes submerged Perfected One Xiao Hai in the blink of an eye. They crawled into his seven orifices, pouring into his internal organs and spiritual platform consciousness sea. The raging firelight illuminated this pitiful Foundation Establishment Perfected One, making him completely transparent. Not even a single shred of abnormality could be hidden.

However, [Sky-shrouding] found nothing.

An illusion?

The empty Grotto-Heaven still contained only him. This result caused a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but it soon turned into absolute certainty:

Impossible!

My senses can’t be wrong. Someone is watching me, watching me through this Foundation Establishment cultivator. But I actually can’t find them… Which Fellow Daoist is it exactly?

Looking at the whole world, not many people could be called “Fellow Daoist” by him. After all, monopolizing five Dao Fruits single-handedly, leaving later generations with no fruit to verify—such means were not possessed by just anyone. Breaking through to the Late Stage of Golden Core with this placed him among the strongest. Otherwise, what capital did he have to plot against the Netherworld?

Could it be… a Dao Lord is watching me?

[Sky-shrouding]’s eyes grew increasingly cautious. He actually knew of a similar method: the Pure Land! That damn World-Honored One loved this kind of trick the most!

It shouldn’t be. What about me is worth a Dao Lord’s gaze?

[Sky-shrouding]’s gaze was dark and eerie as he scrutinized Perfected One Xiao Hai coldly. He was strong, very strong, but definitely not strong enough to attract the attention of the four Dao Lords.

The two were on completely different levels.

If the mortal world was a great Sea of Bitterness where all living beings sank, and only Perfected Lords ascending to position could use their Dao Fruit as a boat to sail upon it…

Then the Dao Lords had already left the Sea of Bitterness and reached the other shore directly.

The world in the eyes of a Dao Lord and their focus had long transcended the mundane. They were completely different from others. At least, it definitely wouldn’t be him.

Should I… kill him?

[Sky-shrouding] frowned deeply. The Sea-Farer Li Clan was a pawn he had carefully selected, used to cover up this Grotto-Heaven fragment for many years.

But not to bury this Grotto-Heaven fragment completely.

Rather, to reveal a slight clue.

Because only in this way, when Daoist [Hong Yun] went through untold hardships to finally find this Grotto-Heaven fragment, would he not harbor any suspicion.

Including the first two jade slips, the contents of the True Interpretation of Hollow Void Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth and Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light were complete and accurate. Otherwise, it would be impossible to deceive [Hong Yun]. The place where he truly tampered with wasn’t this knowledge, but this very Grotto-Heaven fragment before his eyes!

As long as Daoist [Hong Yun] absorbed this Grotto-Heaven fragment and turned it into his own Blessed Land.

His scheme would succeed.

But if Perfected One Xiao Hai died here, it wouldn’t be certain.

Although I used the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier] to make [Hong Yun] ignore the cause of his death in the past and his suspicions about [Chen Earth], and even extracted the backdoors he prepared for re-ascending to position.

He is a Perfected Lord after all.

After five thousand years, even with the influence of the [Knowledge-Perception Barrier], he must have realized something is wrong. The current [Hong Yun] is probably like a frightened bird.

Under these circumstances, if I let this Foundation Establishment cultivator die, when [Hong Yun] finds his way here later, he will inevitably be suspicious. This would cause many variables to arise in my scheme out of thin air… No, that’s not right. From the moment this Foundation Establishment cultivator appeared in the Grotto-Heaven, variables have already appeared in my scheme!

But where did the variables come from?

[Sky-shrouding] pinched his fingers to calculate but consistently found nothing. His frown deepened, and for the first time, he felt that things were out of his control.

…Forget it. I’ll respond to all changes by remaining unchanged.

The next second, [Sky-shrouding] regained his calm. He took a step back, and his figure melted back into the raging sky-filling [Si Fire].

Then time resumed its flow.

Perfected One Xiao Hai blinked. The terror from just now faded rapidly as if it had never happened. He had already forgotten why he was terrified just now.

He hadn’t encountered anything major.

Nor had he encountered any opportunity.

“Sigh, what a pity.”

Thinking of this, Perfected One Xiao Hai couldn’t help but sigh deeply. “I didn’t expect this Grotto-Heaven to be empty, with no treasures at all. I made a wasted trip.”

As he spoke, he turned a blind eye to the three jade slips on the desk.

The next second, he turned around and left the Grotto-Heaven without hesitation. Behind him, [Sky-shrouding] watched his retreating figure quietly.

Unknown Fellow Daoist… interesting.

A smile of interest slowly traced across his gentle face. Plotting alone for over five thousand years, a few variables actually delighted him.

Let me see how you will make your move!

“Run, run, run!”

Withdrawing the vision of [Marionette], Lu Yang patted his chest with lingering fear. “In this life, I will never take half a step near Gantang Channel again!”

That damn place was too dangerous!

Despite saying this, a bold idea arose in Lu Yang’s heart: “But Martial Uncle Chong Guang must be very interested in that Grotto-Heaven…”

The method to construct a Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land!

The method to sense [Overturned Lamp Flame]!

At this point in time, Chong Guang probably hadn’t reincarnated yet. These two techniques were enough to make him act. And if he came, would [Perfected Lord Feixue] not come?

That Bright Light Daily Record clearly states suspicions about [Chen Earth]. As long as I can let Chong Guang see it, he will be guarded against this. Incidentally, I can also form a good karmic tie. Later, I can get my hands on the Immortal Spirit body left by his reincarnation, that breath of Xin Metal Qi.

[Pomegranate Wood] was the combination of Geng, Shen, Xin, and You.

And since he intended to verify [Pomegranate Wood] in this life, the Xin Metal Qi was crucial to his Dao path. Planning ahead by placing pawns now could be considered preparing for a rainy day.

Besides, he could make [Perfected Lord Feixue] and [Sky-shrouding] fight!

Once [Sky-shrouding]’s existence was exposed in advance, Chong Guang’s [Seeking Golden Core], which was already massive in scale in the previous life, would probably attract even more attention in this life.

That would be his chance!

There’s still about a hundred years left.

Lu Yang pondered in his heart, and a clear plan emerged in his mind:

Within a hundred years, I must nurture my Immortal Spirit body to Foundation Establishment Perfection. During this period, it’s best to connect with Suo Huan again and let him go [Seek Golden Core] with Chong Guang.

With this pair of crouching dragon and phoenix chicks at the front attracting everyone’s attention.

I can set up my layout calmly. I’ll emerge with the identity of an Immortal Spirit at Foundation Establishment Perfection, and while everyone is too busy to stop me, directly verify the Perfected Lord Dao Fruit!

Sea of Clouds Connecting to Heaven, Sacred Fire Cliff.

Inside the wide hall, a man whose appearance wasn’t handsome but whose brow carried a soaring sharpness sat at the head of the hall.

It was none other than Perfected One Chong Guang!

In his hand was a glowing flying letter, sent by Lu Yang using spiritual earlier, detailing the secrets of the Jiangnan Ten-Thousand-Man Pit.

Besides that, there was Lu Yang’s self-narration of how he reincarnated in Jiangnan and acted as an undercover agent—body in the Sword Pavilion, heart with the Primordial Saint Sect. Even Chong Guang clicked his tongue in wonder reading it.

There were actually quite a few traitors in the Saint Sect.

After all, looking at the four great sects, only the Pure Land had a worse sect environment than the Saint Sect. But the Pure Land allowed entry but not exit, so there was no risk of rebellion.

Compared to them, the Sword Pavilion and Dao Court were much better.

Therefore, there were often ordinary Perfected Ones with no hope in their Dao path who chose not to return to the Saint Sect after death and reincarnation, directly changing their identity to join the Sword Pavilion or Dao Court.

However, after so many left, this was the first one to send a letter back saying his heart lay with the Saint Sect.

“Interesting…”

Perfected One Chong Guang looked at the signature at the end of the flying letter and fell into brief contemplation. “Yuan Tu… Does my Saint Sect still have such a loyal Perfected One?”

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