Chapter 243: Unavoidable!

What kind of wretched place is this, a wretched place, a wretched place!

At this very moment, only one thought remained in Lu Yang's mind; to be honest, just a moment ago he had nearly self-detonated to activate the Book of Hundred Lives.

'It is absolutely Ang Xiao!'

'Although I am using a clone, I did not split my spiritual sense but instead entered it with my consciousness, yet the result was that it was used as a medium to affect my main body!'

Lu Yang's expression was bitter; he had not split his spiritual sense to enter the clone because he originally intended to prevent the clone from being used by others and eventually developing its own consciousness to betray the main body, so he entered and controlled the clone with his original consciousness, only to find that despite his precautions, he was instead influenced across the void by a True Person, affecting his very self!

Moreover, being unconscious was one thing, but waking up only made one even more terrified.

Everything that had happened before felt like a dream; many decisions and words seemed shrouded in a layer of illusion, to the point that Lu Yang did not even dare to recall them too much.

'I have truly gone mad!'

'To think I was previously considering that by coming overseas this time, as long as I found the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and broke through to the mid-stage Great Perfection, I could even fight a Great True Person.'

Is this really me?

'Let alone whether I could fight or not; even if I truly could, why would I fight? Would it not be simpler to use the combat power of a Great True Person to bully those at the mid and early stages of Foundation Establishment?'

The more Lu Yang thought about it, the more his scalp tingled.

However, soon a greater doubt arose in his heart: 'Why me? I am merely at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment; what virtue or ability do I possess to be schemed against in such a manner?'

Those involved are confused, while onlookers see clearly.

Once Lu Yang finally broke free from the influence of the obstacle of knowledge, he immediately understood Ang Xiao's intention: he wanted him to seek out the Yuan Ci Divine Mountain!

'Fortunately... fortunately!'

Lu Yang looked at the Dharma sword in his hand, and recalling his previous decision to 'first improve his strength,' a look of relief instantly appeared in his eyes.

Fortunately, while a leopard may change its spots, its nature remains the same.

Even while influenced by a True Person, he had firmly held onto the thought of 'playing it safe' and first sought Suo Huan to refine a magic treasure, which, through a happy accident, instead allowed him to regain his clarity.

'Wait... it may not necessarily have been a happy accident.'

'How could a True Person allow such a variable to occur?'

Lu Yang turned his head, looked at Suo Huan beside him, and said in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist, tell me the truth; do you really have absolute certainty in refining this magic treasure?"

Hearing this, Suo Huan also looked over but offered a bitter smile: "Absolute certainty? If it were an ordinary magic treasure, that would be one thing, but with so many treasures you provided, how could I possibly smelt them alone? Unless a True Person takes action! If one truly wants to refine them, it depends at least ninety percent on heaven's will..."

Suo Huan's voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke.

Lu Yang also looked at the Dharma sword in his hand, feeling as though he were holding a lump of burning charcoal, incredibly scalding, unsure whether to keep holding it or throw it away.

Unless a True Person takes action, otherwise weapon refining entirely depends on heaven's will.

And yet it actually succeeded?

If one says no True Person interfered behind the scenes, who would believe it? But if it was Ang Xiao, why would he go to such extra trouble to wake the two of them from their illusion?

Or could it be...

'... ould there be a second True Person?'

'Does this mean that Suo Huan and my experiences were essentially just a Dharma battle between True Persons?'

Lu Yang pressed his brow; for the first time, he experienced the feeling of having no True Person backing him, where everything was like viewing flowers through fog, and one could be sold out while still counting the money for the seller!

If Qingcheng Qingcheng Feixue True Person had not yet entered seclusion, how could he have ended up in such a situation?

"Senior Brother? Senior?"

Just then, Master Chongguang looked at Lu Yang with a bewildered expression, then turned to look at Suo Huan: "Aren't you two still rushing to go to the Yuan Ci Divine Mountain..."

"Thump!"

Before Master Chongguang could finish speaking, his eyes rolled back and he fainted, while Suo Huan, with an expression as calm as ever, said, "Trouble you to shine that sword light on him as well."

Hearing this, Lu Yang shook his head: "It is useless even if shone; the wonder of the sword light is indeed remarkable, but his cultivation base is too low; although he was only affected by the spillover, the impact on him is even deeper than on me; unless that person voluntarily withdraws their divine ability, or a True Person comes to assist, I fear he will not wake up."

After speaking, both fell silent.

Lu Yang subconsciously raised his fingers to calculate, but then gave up; this was clearly a trap set by a True Person, so what was there for him to calculate? He feared he would only be misled by it instead.

'Can I not go and return to the Sky-Reaching Cloud Sea?'

Lu Yang's first thought was to flee, but soon he thought of something that made his heart turn ice-cold: he had successfully left the Holy Sect!

Lu Yang did not believe that a True Person would fail to notice that he had been influenced by Ang Xiao, yet he had left the Sky-Reaching Cloud Sea without any obstruction and quite naturally; at the time he felt nothing unusual, but now thinking about it, the implications were terrifying... Did this not indirectly reflect the Holy Sect's attitude?

'Have I been abandoned?'

This was not strange, after all, in the eyes of most people, he was merely a True Person whose path of cultivation was cut off; no matter how brilliant he was, it was useless, and he was not indispensable.

'If there were more important matters, abandoning me would be only right and proper.'

'But what is this matter? And what role do they need me to play in it? What effect does the True Person behind the scenes want me to achieve?'

Thinking of this, Lu Yang suddenly turned his head.

Almost simultaneously, Suo Huan also glanced at him, then the corners of his mouth curled into a bitter smile, obviously his thoughts were reacting no slower than Lu Yang's.

'Just like back in the Wan Wu Realm, I was merely an addition; Suo Huan is the target!'

'Ang Xiao's true target is him; is he using my hands to make Suo Huan seek that Yuan Ci Divine Mountain? That is impossible; the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are useless to him...'

Under the illumination of the sword light, Lu Yang's thoughts became increasingly clear, turning as fast as lightning.

The next second, he suddenly lowered his head and looked at the Dharma sword in his hand.

'The reason this spiritual sword could be refined is because a True Person secretly took action, and it is precisely because of it that Suo Huan and I were able to wake up from the illusion.'

'Yes! This is my purpose!'

"My purpose is to wake Suo Huan up!"

In an instant, Lu Yang's face finally revealed a look of sudden realization: 'Wrong! Everything is wrong! The mastermind behind the scenes is actually not Ang Xiao!'

Until just now, Lu Yang's belief had been that Ang Xiao was manipulating fate to draw himself and Suo Huan into the trap, and then a mysterious True Person acted to save them.

However, the truth was likely exactly the opposite.

Ang Xiao was the one who acted to save them!

'It is Suo Huan himself who is deeply trapped in the scheme without realizing it; Ang Xiao used my hands to draw him out, refined this Dharma sword, and thereby allowed him to wake up!'

Only then does it make sense!

Upon this realization, Lu Yang's expression also became increasingly bitter: "If this is truly the case... then this means they want Suo Huan and me to act together!"

After all, both of them relied on the wonder of the Dharma sword to regain clarity.

Once separated, although it would not matter to him, Suo Huan would inevitably fall back into ignorance; under such circumstances, how could Ang Xiao possibly allow him to leave?

'If my deduction is correct, by now I should have already provoked a powerful enemy... Yes, the Four Seas Sect! Because I killed the Dragon King Sui Ying! Originally, with the Jiu Tian Yi concealing karma, no one should have been able to calculate it, but now it is uncertain...'

'If the karma has truly been calculated by the Four Seas Sect, and now I am overseas, I fear only Suo Huan can protect me; if I leave him without permission, I will surely die at the hands of the Dragon Clan!'

What mysterious karma? It is clearly just another form of Dharma battle between True Persons!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang could not help but look at Suo Huan.

"Senior... what exactly have you done?"

As soon as the words fell, Suo Huan also glanced at him and said with a bitter smile, "Seeking a path to survival, but alas... it seems someone will not even grant me this one path."

"I have dragged you into this as well, Fellow Daoist."

"Do not mention it."

The wood had already been made into a boat; naturally, Lu Yang would not say any more words of complaint, after all, regardless of the situation, the two of them were now like grasshoppers tied to the same string!

(End of Chapter)