Chapter 233: Master Chongguang's Dao Companion?

The ruins of the former capital of the Qing Kingdom.

Lu Yang stood upon a layer of clouds, gazing silently at the vast sky.

After Master Chongguang ascended to seek the Golden Dao, sacrificing the entire 【Qing Kingdom】 as an offering, this place had lost its former vitality and become a dead silence.

Furthermore, since Master Chongguang failed in his quest for the Golden Dao, the 【Dongyang Blessed Land】 is now falling from the heavens toward this location. Although it has not yet fully manifested, even these few signs have generated hot winds and radiance carrying extreme lethality; any mortal who draws near turns to ash.

Even cultivators in the early and mid stages of Qi Refining find it difficult to approach.

Only cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining can remain for a short time under this radiance; only those in the Great Perfection of Qi Refining who possess status can ignore the effects of this place.

And as time passes, this influence continues to intensify.

According to Lu Yang's calculations, by the time the 【Dongyang Blessed Land】 truly crashes into the mortal realm, even those in the Great Perfection of Qi Refining will likely be unable to approach this place.

"Duanmu Yuan Tu."

Just then, a figure with a gloomy expression flew swiftly on a flight of light; it was none other than True Person Yinshan, though his expression was somewhat unpleasant.

Seeing this, Lu Yang also sighed: "Senior Brother, you are in a difficult position too."

Upon hearing these words, True Person Yinshan's emotions were immediately stirred; he could not help but let out a long sigh and clasped his hands, saying: "In the future, I will need Junior Brother to look after me."

Having finished speaking, a deep, ruthless look flashed in his eyes again: "This is the only chance for the two of us; we must seize it. Otherwise, we fear we will become indistinguishable from the masses, losing the glory of the past. You must know that within the Holy Sect, there are many True Persons watching our positions."

True Person Yinshan saw the situation very clearly.

With Master Chongguang's failure to seek the Golden Dao and the loss of this great backer who had reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, the status of him and Lu Yang within the Holy Sect, if not exactly as in the past...

... at the very least, could be said to be far worse than before.

Therefore, they must find a new backer; thus, gaining the favor of True Lord Qingcheng Feixue is a matter of utmost importance for the two of them.

And to gain the True Lord's favor, one must demonstrate ability.

Although he said this, True Person Yinshan's expression was not optimistic; after all, this time they must deal with more than just a mere Foundation Establishment True Person from the 【Qing Kingdom】.

"The True Lord has established a pact: the 【Dongyang Blessed Land】 shall be divided among all families."

"This is a rare great opportunity; in the past, even great True Persons would have come for this. Even with the True Lord's restrictions, it would likely be difficult to deal with."

Just then, as True Person Yinshan shifted his gaze, he saw a flight of light suddenly appear on the distant horizon. Where it passed, the spiritual tide surged; upon approaching, it split into two streams, one still and one moving. It turned out to be a middle-aged man in official robes and a handsome young man clad in armor and wielding weapons.

The moment the two appeared, they immediately summoned the response of heaven and earth.

Within the brilliant light above their heads, tadpole-shaped talismans converged, finally transforming into two extremely conspicuous, sky-filling official titles.

Seeing this, True Person Yinshan's gaze immediately froze:

"【Commander of the Capital Sky Office】 Hou Lan, 【Provincial Administrator of the Tongzheng Office】 Cheng Tinggui."

True Person Yinshan spoke in a low voice: "Both hold the official rank of Zheng San Pin, comparable to the Great Perfection of the mid stage of Foundation Establishment. Although in single combat they are a tier weaker than the various factions."

"However, the Dao Court and the Pure Land have long been in collusion, usually fighting together as allies. These two, one civil and one military, are likely proficient in combined strike techniques; do not be careless."

"Junior Brother understands."

Lu Yang nodded, then looked toward another direction, where he saw the clouds part and the mist disperse, revealing a phantom scene of a Zen forest and temples.

"The Pure Land..."

The next second, several figures walked out from the Zen forest.

The leader clasped his hands in prayer, wearing a smile, dressed in a magnificent kasaya inlaid with gold and jade; the prayer beads in his hand were each plump, radiating a warm jade luster.

And the moment he appeared, he stared straight at Lu Yang.

"Who is this one?"

Lu Yang, lacking sufficient seniority, recognized the other as an Arhat in the Great Perfection of the mid stage of Foundation Establishment, but did not know his origin; he could only listen to True Person Yinshan's explanation beside him:

"This person should be 【Hui Ku】, a disciple of that 【Bodhisattva of the Coiling Dragon and Snake】. He is of the same faction as the Vimalakirti Arhat who attacked us previously. However, the Vimalakirti Arhat was driven back to the Pure Land; now that his temple has an empty position, this Hui Ku likely intends to take his place."

"I see." Lu Yang immediately understood.

No wonder he looked at me like that; he wants to advance. After all, everyone knows that the current me is simply a delicacy the Pure Land desires but cannot obtain.

"But the big one hasn't arrived yet."

The Dao Court and the Pure Land were not worth mentioning; not only Lu Yang, but even True Person Yinshan merely felt a few extra degrees of caution in his heart, not regarding them as great enemies.

For the Holy Sect, there is only one great enemy.

"Clang! Clang!"

Just then, a clear sword cry suddenly rang out from the south, piercing through gold and splitting stone, shooting straight into the cloudy sky, instantly triggering the response of ten thousand sword artifacts.

Seeing this scene, True Person Yinshan's expression became much more serious:

"Sword intent... The madman from the south has arrived."

Lu Yang opened the Dharma Eye in his brow; the Instrument of Investigating Heaven rotated, casting down a beam of Bing Fire light, immediately revealing the tall figure hidden beneath the layers of sword light.

He was seen standing with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering. A sword pill atop his head swallowed and spat out the radiance of the sun and moon, continuously erupting sword qi outward. Merely standing in the air, he resembled a sharp sword that had killed countless people. The moment he appeared, just like Hui Ku of the Pure Land, he turned his gaze and stared straight at Lu Yang.

However, the Yushu Jiange was much more straightforward than the Pure Land.

"Swish!"

The instant their gazes met, a conspicuous sword edge had already slashed to Lu Yang's front, the bone-chilling coldness seeping into his brow.

"Truly a madman."

Lu Yang cursed silently in his heart but did not hesitate for a moment; his 【Hundred-Devil Subduing Black Cloak】 fluttered, immediately blocking that sword edge.

"Xing Feng's spiritual treasure."

Seeing this, the figure from the Yushu Jiange let out a muffled groan, his tone adding a few degrees of anger. The slashed sword edge suddenly erupted with ten thousand brilliant colors; each brilliance carried a degree of lethality. Striking the 【Hundred-Devil Subduing Black Cloak】, it almost instantly breached the spiritual treasure's defense!

After all, this spiritual treasure originated from the Yushu Jiange; who would know the method to break it better than the Yushu Jiange?

However, even so, it still bought Lu Yang time; in the blink of an eye, the radiance of 【Fixing Intimacy and Distance】 fell upon the opponent.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The next second, the figure from the Yushu Jiange landed a thousand meters away, causing the opponent to frown tightly. He did not attack again but dispersed the sword light surrounding his body.

Scanning the area, she turned out to be a graceful woman.

At first glance, her appearance was no older than seventeen or eighteen; bright eyes and white teeth, slender eyebrows and a broad forehead, skin like congealed fat and Bai Yu, wearing a jade-green palace skirt with a wide-sleeved silk robe over it.

Seeing this, Lu Yang ventured, "Someone from the Ye family?"

"Yushu Jiange, Ye Guyue."

The valiant female sword cultivator gave a cold smile; her expression resembled a treasure sword drawn from its sheath, sword qi and killing intent utterly unhidden, as if she still intended to strike at Lu Yang.

Seeing this, Lu Yang also narrowed his eyes.

For a moment, swords were drawn and bows were bent.

Yet just at this moment.

Only then did a Dao sound, resembling a zither, a xiao, or a flute—indescribable—suddenly come from afar, dispelling the malevolent energy and instantly calming the tense situation.

Immediately after, a graceful figure likewise appeared in the distance.

The person wore a flying-immortal hairstyle; her brows and eyes were like a painting, her appearance extremely fine, yet unlike the female sword cultivator, she wore a set of white mourning clothes, her temperament like an orchid in a quiet valley.

"Who is that?" Lu Yang asked curiously.

"This one is a person of our Holy Sect."

On the other side, Yinshan True Person, hearing this, lowered his voice: "She is the Dao companion of my senior brother; now that senior brother has perished, she naturally must come here."

Master Chongguang True Person's Lady?

Lu Yang was stunned, only then suddenly remembering:

Master Chongguang True Person had a son! He had even seen the other person on the Dao-Struggle Battlefield; his name was Chongming. In that case, having a Dao companion was not strange.

The next second, Lu Yang discovered that the other party had likewise turned her beautiful gaze, staring straight at him.

(End of this chapter)