Chapter 284: A False Alarm

"Of course I know him."

Facing Guang Ming's inquiry, Lu Yang did not hesitate for a moment; frowning, he said, "That Immortal Spirit owes my Jiange a karmic debt; after reincarnation, he ought to be a disciple of my Jiange."

"I was just planning to kill it, so as to grant it this opportunity."

At these words, the originally amiable smile on Guang Ming's face instantly stiffened.

'Jiange's Sword Seed.'

Thinking this, Guang Ming carefully sized up Lu Yang, while Lu Yang, relying on his experience from multiple encounters with Ang Xiao, forcefully kept his expression taut.

Just kidding; he wasn't panicked in the slightest.

Because he had discovered that the Guang Ming before him was far less terrifying than he had imagined.

One must remember that Lu Yang had witnessed the World Honored One appear in person.

That terrifying oppression, which had made him despair even across the Book of Hundred Lives, was something he still could not forget to this day.

Compared to that, Guang Ming truly fell far short.

'A Buddha Son... and the World Honored One do not seem to be the same thing?'

Although equally powerful, equally capable of crushing him, they could not prevent him from committing suicide!

'Although the World Honored One's true body might also descend, just like that time overseas, the World Honored One's descent requires time; even if only for an instant, by the time he finishes descending, I would have already restarted!'

Previously, he had been unable to commit suicide purely because his Immortal Spirit form had fallen into a heavenly and earthly trap, suffering too great an influence; now, having switched to a Sword Dao avatar, the world was vast and the sky wide.

As long as it was not a Dao Lord in the truest sense appearing before him, Lu Yang feared nothing!

Therefore, at this moment, he was full of confidence, looking straight at Guang Ming without any guilt.

Suddenly, Guang Ming tilted his ear slightly, looking toward the 【Shengyi Shengming Tuoluo Tian Xianshi Xiang】 behind him, his face also revealing an expression of listening; seeing this, Lu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly, for within his spiritual sense perception, there was no spiritual sense exchange between the two, as if it were merely Guang Ming directing and acting himself.

"... his poor monk understands."

Immediately after, Guang Ming suddenly nodded, then looked at Lu Yang, actually smiling as he took out the 【Heart-Binding Hoop】 from earlier once again.

"I wonder if the benefactor would be willing to become this poor monk's disciple?"

"Great Master, please seek someone more capable elsewhere!"

Hearing this, Lu Yang's heart trembled, yet his face maintained a fearless demeanor; sneering coldly, he said, "I am a true disciple of Jiange, the leader of the Righteous Path; how could I become your disciple?"

Hearing this, Guang Ming did not become angry; after all, he did not truly intend to make Lu Yang his disciple. According to the revelation from the 【Shengyi Shengming Tuoluo Tian Xianshi Xiang】, his disciple should have been that Immortal Spirit from earlier; wanting Lu Yang to take the role was merely a strategy of substituting a plum for a peach.

'Now, the karmic connection between me and that Immortal Spirit has been severed.'

'To reshape the karmic connection, the only way is to perform a transformation of true and false: use a false Immortal Spirit to slay the true Immortal Spirit, then substitute its fate. The strength of Jiange's True Persons has always been formidable...'

Killing an Immortal Spirit should not be a problem, right?

This was Guang Ming's thought, along with an unspeakable slight point: his intuition always felt something was not quite right; Lu Yang's appearance here was too coincidental.

Although he had not discovered any specific issue, adhering to the principle of caution, eliminating him was never wrong.

"Benefactor is simply unwilling now; very soon, you will be willing."

Saying this, Guang Ming immediately began chanting scriptures, and the 【Heart-Binding Hoop】 in his hand once again radiated brilliant light, showing a trend of descending toward Lu Yang.

"Clang! Clang!"

Facing this scene, Lu Yang felt no fear whatsoever; he directly drew his sword from its sheath, and under the blessing of 【Clear Sword Heart】, majestic sword qi instantly surged toward the heavens.

"Hmm? This is..."

Seeing this, Guang Ming's expression suddenly stiffened: "A Sword Cultivator?"

The 【Heart-Binding Hoop】, which had been about to encircle Lu Yang, abruptly halted its descent; one could see Guang Ming's brows furrow slightly, actually revealing a trace of difficulty.

Within Jiange, Sword Cultivators were the most special.

Because theoretically, every Sword Cultivator was talent meant for Jiange to fill the 【Sword Dao Fruit Position】, and as talent, they clearly had an owner.

This was one of the sources of Lu Yang's confidence.

'I have someone backing me!'

If his relationship with the Immortal Spirit had been confirmed, there would be nothing more to say; Guang Ming would certainly act without scruples, directly striking to suppress Lu Yang. However, now, as a pure and innocent Sword Cultivator, he was essentially talent personally designated by the Jiange Dao Lord, the kind who had offered incense to the Patriarch in the Reception Hall; under these circumstances, Guang Ming, and even the World Honored One behind him, had to reconsider whether to continue acting against him.

Because doing so would basically equate to snatching people from the Jiange Dao Lord.

"... mitabha."

After a moment of silence, Guang Ming stopped casting his technique, chanted a Buddhist title, and then withdrew the 【Heart-Binding Hoop】; this was not out of cowardice, but mainly because it was unnecessary.

Seeing this scene, Lu Yang also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, he formed a rough estimate of Guang Ming's state; in his view, Guang Ming's strength was most likely at the level of Great Perfection in Foundation Establishment.

Moreover, he mainly relied on that 【Shengyi Shengming Tuoluo Tian Xianshi Xiang】 behind him.

Guang Ming's own cultivation base and life seemed to be entirely entrusted to this one Dharma Aspect; the two were indistinguishable, which was also the key to his current strength.

If not for this, even with the mighty power of the World Honored One personally logging in to cultivate, it would be impossible to elevate Guang Ming, a mere Qi Refining little novice who did not even count as a human, to the heavens in a single step within a mere ten years; that he could become the revered Buddha Son of today could only mean that the Pure Land's Shi cultivation was damnably shameless...

Thinking this, Lu Yang's heart suddenly tightened again.

'... omething is not quite right.'

Lu Yang looked out, only to see Guang Ming wearing an expression of deep thought, with the 【Shengyi Shengming Tuoluo Tian Xianshi Xiang】 behind him showing no sign of being withdrawn.

What did he intend to do?

The next second, Guang Ming shook his head, pressed his palms together, his face still bearing a smile of compassion, yet a faint killing intent flowed from the bottom of his eyes.

He had already made his decision: Better to kill by mistake than to let one go!

This was the style of the World Honored One, and also Guang Ming's character; although it was inconvenient to convert him, since there was suspicion, it was better to simply kill him!

Seeing this, Lu Yang had no choice but to hold his sword before his chest.

The next second, visible sharp sword qi rippled across his body; all his fate count and merit, at this moment, converged upon his sword.

This was another source of Lu Yang's confidence.

'【Fatal Strike】!'

Sword Dao avatar, the fourth profound mystery of his Innate Divine Ability!

This was the Sword of Mutual Destruction; liberating one's life solely to strike out with one sword, killing the enemy after killing oneself, essentially a method of sacrifice to the Sword Dao Fruit Position.

When a Sword Cultivator unleashes this sword, they sacrifice all their life and cultivation to the Sword Dao Fruit Position, exchanging it for a strike of unparalleled power; this was also why Jiange's Sword Cultivators always made people wary—with this sword, even if they could not win, they could achieve a one-for-one exchange.

Highlighting one word: shameless!

However, for Lu Yang, the key was not the power of this sword, but its effect: liberating one's life, truly a suicidal move guaranteeing death!

Below the level of a True Person, no one could stop it.

And above True Person... regarding background, this sword was an offering to the Jiange Dao Lord.

Who would dare to stop it?

Moreover, the timing of Lu Yang unleashing this sword was excellent; it was Guang Ming who struck first intending to kill him, forcing him to gamble his life in desperation; no matter how one looked at it, it was entirely reasonable.

'Hundred Lives...'

Lu Yang's mind stirred slightly, about to strike out with this 【Fatal Strike】.

However, just at this moment.

"Zeng—!"

Between heaven and earth, a clear sound of sword ringing suddenly erupted, accompanied by an urgent shout entering Lu Yang's ears: "Stop! Do not rush to use it!"

Hearing this, Lu Yang paused his movement, recognizing the voice of the newcomer.

The 【Fatal Strike】 that had been about to be unleashed also hesitated slightly, halting in place.

However, since this sword had already condensed, unless he actively dispersed it, no one could stop him from committing suicide, so he was not worried.

'Is there still a turning point?'

The next second, a figure broke through the sky, directly rushing between Guang Ming and Lu Yang, a broad back steadily shielding him behind.

Upon seeing the other party, Lu Yang was truly stunned.

"... aster?"

It was actually True Person Dang Mo!

(End of Chapter)