Chapter 290

As the final divine ability expanded, Lu Yang's figure grew blurry, while the halo behind him suddenly magnified countless times in that instant.

Countless web-like patterns radiated outward from the center of the halo.

Then they twisted.

This time, facing the Daoist art struck by Patriarch Wuyou, Lu Yang did not dodge again; instead, he let it fall, and the twisted radiance swallowed all things.

The next second, Patriarch Wuyou abruptly halted his movements, then glanced at Lu Yang with surprise before looking around once more. There was no doubt that Lu Yang was unharmed; his Daoist art had not failed to hit, but rather, the damage that should have taken effect had been transferred elsewhere.

Transferred to where?

In an instant, Patriarch Wuyou felt the incense fire on his body beginning to scatter violently, while a powerful, invisible fury locked onto his qi mechanism out of thin air.

'Heavenly Punishment...!?'

Patriarch Wuyou immediately gained a sudden realization; when he looked at Lu Yang again, astonishment finally surfaced in his eyes, and he then actively withdrew his magic power.

"... have lost."

Patriarch Wuyou laughed freely, while Lu Yang bowed respectfully with clasped hands:

"Where would such words come from? Patriarch, you have yielded."

【One with the World】, as the name suggests, is a divine ability that binds oneself to heaven and earth, causing heaven and earth to bear the injuries one receives.

Just now, Patriarch Wuyou's Daoist art was exactly like that; all damage was transferred away by Lu Yang, specifically into the earth veins of the Seven Luminaries Heaven. As a result, Patriarch Wuyou, who had damaged the earth veins, immediately incurred the hostility of the Seven Luminaries Heaven, which was why his incense fire showed signs of scattering.

Had Lu Yang not restrained the subsequent changes in the Seven Luminaries Heaven.

At this moment, Patriarch Wuyou would likely have already lost the support of his incense fire and fallen from the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment realm, which was why he frankly admitted his defeat.

And this was only within the Seven Luminaries Heaven.

'After all, 【One with the World】 is not limited to the Seven Luminaries Heaven but applies across ten thousand worlds; it can even be used in broken places!'

Under the boost of this divine ability, Lu Yang was practically a human-shaped earth vein.

Any injury could be directly shifted to heaven and earth, thereby invoking heavenly punishment, yet because he could transfer the injury, punishing him was meaningless to heaven and earth.

The natural result was that heaven and earth could only punish his opponent.

'The function of this divine ability is to force heaven and earth to stand on my side and help me deal with my enemies; it truly disgusts both the enemy and heaven and earth...'

Too beastly; I like it!

Lu Yang smiled slightly, withdrew 【One with the World】, and the white jade halo behind him converged once more, hanging plainly behind his head like a full moon.

"Patriarch, how strong do you think I am now?"

Hearing this, Patriarch Wuyou pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Quite good. Strength is secondary; the main issue is that the marvelous utility of your divine abilities makes you very difficult to fight."

This statement was extremely tactful.

Lu Yang's eyebrows raised slightly; he caught the implication: if strength was secondary, did that mean if one really analyzed it, his strength was still insufficient?

"It cannot be said that you are weak."

Seeing Lu Yang's reaction, Patriarch Wuyou quickly added, continuing, "For those reaching the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment outside the four major powers, their strength is roughly equal to yours now."

"Even if I recovered to my peak, I would only be slightly stronger than you."

Lu Yang nodded upon hearing this, then asked curiously, "Where exactly is the difference?"

"The difference lies in Daoist arts!"

Patriarch Wuyou explained, "As far as I know, all four major powers possess Daoist arts specifically prepared for those at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, which require refining with golden nature to cultivate."

"Your 【Sword Intent】 is one of them."

This was the benefit of being from a prestigious sect.

In comparison, small sects and minor schools could not obtain true transmissions; without the accumulation of countless years possessed by great sects, even the highest talent would only reach the level of Patriarch Wuyou.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang furrowed his brows again:

"I have also condensed 【Sword Intent】 now, but I do not feel its boost to me is that exaggerated; it is very strong, but seemingly not strong enough..." "【Sword Intent】 is merely the foundation."

Patriarch Wuyou shook his head: "Do you have a sword art capable of bringing it out? The sword art is the key, and the primary reason why sword cultivators possess such combat power."

It must be known that 【Sword Intent】 is not the exclusive domain of sword cultivators.

For instance, Lu Yang's true body was not that of a sword cultivator, yet he still condensed sword intent; essentially, this was merely an extreme application of soul and spiritual sense.

Of course, this was only temporary.

Once the Sword Pavilion truly proved the 【Sword Dao Fruit Position】, under the influence of that fruit position, 【Sword Intent】 would completely become something unique to sword cultivators.

"In short, your strength still has room for improvement."

Patriarch Wuyou poured a basin of cold water on Lu Yang, then comforted him, "However, your divine abilities are very insidious; I estimate no one will want to fight you."

"Moreover, the strength or weakness in actual combat is actually not important."

Speaking of this, Patriarch Wuyou sighed with emotion, "Take me, for example; I am not skilled in combat, but deficiencies in fighting can be compensated for by realm."

Lu Yang: "..."

Patriarch Wuyou was not skilled in combat?

Was this something a human could say?

But very soon he reacted, his eyes brightening slightly; indeed, if combat power was insufficient, realm could make up for it; cultivation always prioritized realm above all!

Fighting with magic power was inferior to fighting with cultivation!

"... Yanmo Hall】?"

The False Holding of the Golden Position Art!

Upon this thought, Lu Yang immediately waved his hand, summoning forth Emperor Taizu of Yan, the Capital City God, and the Mother of No Birth, who had already been refined into banner spirits, one after another.

Next came Peak Master Senior Butian, the Dragon Girl Sui Ling, and the Dharma Protector Goddess Sunü.

And also Long Yue and Patriarch Wuyou.

All eight of the above could be boosted by the Incense Fire Divine Path to obtain the status of Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment; adding Lu Yang himself, there were now a full nine experts at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment!

The conditions for 【Yanmo Hall】 had been met!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately rubbed his fists together in excitement.

"Do not get your hopes up too early."

Seeing this, Patriarch Wuyou said somewhat helplessly, "【Yanmo Hall】 itself does not point toward any fruit position; how do you think it manages to falsely hold the golden position?"

At these words, Lu Yang immediately regained his calm.

'... hat's right.'

He hadn't noticed it before, but thinking about it now, the method by which 【Yanmo Hall】 falsely held the golden position was actually very strange: was gathering nine experts at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment really enough?

Was no fruit position required?

But if there was not even a fruit position, what was there to talk about regarding falsely holding it?

"The key lies in golden nature."

Seeing this, Patriarch Wuyou explained, "In my deduction, 【Yanmo Hall】 is essentially very similar to the 'Heaven Collapse' method used during Qi Refining."

"Heaven Collapse..."

Lu Yang quickly recalled it; the so-called Heaven Collapse was when a Qi Refining cultivator climbed in status to reach the Foundation Establishment realm, only to plummet abruptly, achieving a killing move through this 'dimensional reduction'; Patriarch Wuyou had once used it against him, and he had only blocked it by relying on 【Having a Few Tricks】.

"【Yanmo Hall】 operates on the same principle."

"Its mechanism is to elevate oneself to a 'height' comparable to a fruit position, thereby allowing 【Yanmo Hall】 to exert power similar to that of a fruit position."

"This is actually quite similar to the process of seeking gold."

"Therefore, both require golden nature."

Speaking of this, Patriarch Wuyou finally revealed the greatest limitation of 【Yanmo Hall】: "Every time 【Yanmo Hall】 is activated, it is equivalent to one instance of seeking gold."

"Seeking gold requires the consumption of golden nature."

"In other words, to make 【Yanmo Hall】 falsely hold the golden position, one must consume golden nature; once the golden nature is exhausted, 【Yanmo Hall】 will disintegrate along with it!"

(End of Chapter)