Chapter 283: Dividing Duanmu Yuan Tu?

Shenshan of Yuan Ci glows with five colors and ten hues.

This Shenshan is unlike ordinary things; it is what formed after a True Person died, when their cave heaven merged into heaven and earth, having shed the cave heaven's original attributes.

One must know that for any True Person, their cave heavens each point toward a specific fruit position; therefore, a cave heaven fragment generated by heaven and earth with no such direction is incredibly rare beyond belief. Setting aside other matters, the mere ability to assist cultivators in ascending to blessed lands and reaching the Golden Position is something no other cave heaven can achieve.

Otherwise, why would the Dragon Palace's Crown Prince, Tian Qiu, set his sights on this?

If any cave heaven could assist in reaching the Golden Position, given his status, he could have simply broken through in the Dragon Lord's cave heaven, having no need for such trouble.

However, this Shenshan is currently of no use to Lu Yang.

All he needs is the Earth Fiend 【Yin Wood Qi】 derived from within the Shenshan; otherwise, he could not have collaborated so sincerely with Suo Huan.

This point is likewise known to all present.

Almost the instant Lu Yang entered meditation, outside the Shenshan, Hui Ku and the rest of the Buddhist cultivators who had previously hidden using the power of a Sacred Treasure suddenly revealed their forms.

"Amitabha!"

Yet these Buddhist cultivators now each wore expressions of joy; Hui Ku even laughed aloud, saying, "Benefactor Duanmu Yuan Tu, today you are fated to meet your tribulation and enter our Pure Land!"

As his words fell, the Buddhist cultivators immediately formed hand seals and chanted Buddha names: "We respectfully invite the 【Guangli Heavenly Dragon Temple】!"

As his words fell, within the Foundation Establishment realm, vast Buddha light suddenly rose; within the light appeared a towering temple supported by auspicious clouds, with a golden statue standing inside.

Had Lu Yang not entered meditation at this moment, refining the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiends, he would certainly have recognized this temple; it was none other than the former 【Luo Han Fu Long Temple】, merely changed in appearance, and the golden statue standing within was no longer the Luo Han Fu Long Luo Han, but a Buddha whose face was identical to Lu Yang's.

"Hahaha!"

Only then did Hui Ku finally laugh aloud, feeling that the humiliation of being so frightened by Lu Yang's sword earlier that he dared not appear had been largely dispelled.

No matter how great your supernatural powers, what can you do?

Will you not still have to surrender with hands bound?

Yes, in Hui Ku's view, Lu Yang had already accepted his fate and intended to surrender with hands bound, after all, there is no power to resist at all while refining the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiends.

"At least you are sensible."

"Otherwise, if a fight truly broke out, it would be impossible to end without several deaths; since this demon head is now willing to surrender with hands bound, it counts as boundless merit."

Thinking thus, Hui Ku even felt a touch of envy; after all, with Lu Yang's cultivation, once he finished refining the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiends, achieving the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and then entered the Buddhist path to take the position of 【Guangli Heavenly Dragon Luo Han】, he would not be far from the status of a Pure Land Venerable of the Great True Person level.

Although by then, there would be no Lu Yang left.

Thinking of this, Hui Ku could not help but grin, and the twenty-three Buddhist cultivators standing behind him simultaneously revealed smiles very similar to his.

However, just at this moment.

"The Immortal Decree has arrived!"

Only a loud shout from the distant horizon was heard; in an instant, a mighty force dispersed the Pure Land's Buddha light, and looking out, there was a long procession of carriages.

"Hmm? The Dao Court?"

Seeing this, Hui Ku frowned but said nothing; beforehand, the Bodhisattvas within the Pure Land had already instructed him that the Dao Court also wanted a share.

Soon, several Duting Office guards of the Dao Court were seen arriving right before them.

The one leading them was also an old acquaintance; it was none other than a high-ranking official of the Dao Court at the Zheng San Pin level, who, like Hui Ku, had previously appeared in the 【Dongyang Blessed Land】 seeking treasures.

【Commander of the Duting Office】 Hou Lan.

【Provincial Administrator of the Tongzheng Office】 Cheng Tinggui.

At this moment, the two were seen jointly holding a golden scroll and solemnly stating: "In accordance with Your Majesty's Immortal Decree, we summon Jiangbei's Lu Yang to enter the court as an official, granting him a rank within the Upper Three Ranks!"

Seeing this, Hui Ku paid it no mind.

The Pure Land and the Dao Court had already settled matters beforehand; the Pure Land would take Lu Yang's Dao foundation, Dharma body, and entire cultivation, while the Dao Court would take Lu Yang's soul and spirit.

The Pure Land hoped to use Lu Yang's entire cultivation to trigger the 【Chengtou Earth】, while the Dao Court intended to have Lu Yang, the only True Person currently cultivating 【Chengtou Earth】, enter the court as an official and bow in submission, thereby seizing its imagery and usurping 【Chengtou Earth】 as the supreme position of the Earth element.

The two plans did not conflict.

Therefore, after the two sides met, there was not even a hint of a tense atmosphere; instead, they were harmonious and joyful, appearing as if everyone was happy and everyone was good.

In a short while, another sword light was seen flying swiftly toward them.

"The Yushu Jiange has arrived!"

Hui Ku laughed aloud, yet saw that sword light arrive close by, from which stepped a handsome young man whose fierce gaze immediately fell upon Lu Yang.

The side intending to sweep the overseas regions this time was the Pure Land, the Dao Court, and the Holy Sect; indeed, it had nothing to do with the Yushu Jiange, but once Lu Yang joined in, the Yushu Jiange could not sit still; especially as the Ye family, the former True Person's direct lineage, they hated Lu Yang to the bone and wished to kill him to feel satisfied.

"I am Ye Tao."

The young man bowed toward the directions of the Pure Land and the Dao Court, then looked at 【Li Jie Bo】 beside Lu Yang and said in a deep voice: "I have come for this sword."

"This demon head is of commoner origin, with no background in his past life; such a divine sword falling into his hands is like a bright pearl covered in dust."

"After our Yushu Jiange records him, we will select a disciple with a background and an extraordinary past life to bestow it upon, so that this sword may shine with the brilliance it deserves."

Even the candidate had already been decided.

That was 【Chengtian Zhengde True Person】, who would return through reincarnation decades later; otherwise, Ye Tao, as an elder of the Ye family, would not have come personally.

"Excellent!"

Seeing this, Hui Ku smiled but did not care; although 【Li Jie Bo】 was indeed a fine sword, the Pure Land had few sword cultivators and naturally cared little for it.

At the same time, Hou Lan of the Dao Court looked around and asked in surprise:

"Has no one from the Mo Sect arrived?"

Hui Ku shook his head: "Their main focus is on that Suo Huan; if we take a larger share here, we must give them a larger portion over there."

"I see." Cheng Tinggui nodded upon hearing this and continued: "Since everyone has arrived, let us act now; let us finish early to avoid trouble arising from a long night."

Having spoken, everyone turned their gaze toward Lu Yang on the mountain.

The next second, as the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner beside him swayed, banner spirits emerged one by one, radiating their auras; they were none other than the seven Foundation Establishment demon beasts from just now.

However, no one paid them any mind.

Ye Tao, Hui Ku, Hou Lan, and Cheng Tinggui present—was any of them not of mid-stage cultivation? Seven early-stage Foundation Establishment beings were, to them, no different than earthen chickens and clay dogs.

"I shall go first!"

Hou Lan sneered coldly and immediately summoned his official position; the talismanic text of "Commander of the Du Tian Office" erupted with rosy light, shining down directly toward Lu Yang.

But in the very next second.

"Ah!"

Hou Lan, who had been charging at the front, suddenly halted; a cry filled with terror caused Hui Ku and the others, who had intended to advance, to stop in their tracks at once.

What happened?

Then they saw a hand suddenly reach out from the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, carrying surging Yin Sha, and directly clamp onto Hou Lan's neck!

Without any pause, that hand twisted slightly, breaking Hou Lan's neck as easily as snapping a tree branch; boundless Yin Sha wrapped around Hou Lan like a spiderweb, transforming into Xiong Xiong Sha Fire, which instantly refined him into flying ash!

"Impossible!"

Seeing this, Cheng Tinggui, who like Hou Lan hailed from the Dao Court, was the first to cry out in shock; Hui Ku and Ye Tao also displayed expressions of astonishment.

True, cultivators of the Dao Court were a bit weak.

Yet no matter how weak, they were Zheng San Pin, comparable to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment; how could they be crushed to death by a single hand? Could Lu Yang still be awake?

Soon, they saw the owner of the hand.

"I am old; I am of no use anymore."

The Ten Thousand Spirits Banner fluttered, and a figure stepped out, rubbing his shoulder while sighing, "In the past, I could kill him with just a glare."

As he spoke these words, the one who emerged was a handsome young man.

Hui Ku and Cheng Tinggui did not yet know him.

Only Ye Tao, looking at his face, seemed to recall something; his eyes suddenly widened as he said, "You are... that remnant of the Wraith Ghost Sect, Ting You!?"

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Ting You immediately turned his gaze toward him:

"Who are you calling a remnant?"

(End of this chapter)