Chapter 342: Third Encounter with Ang Xiao

Lu Yang admitted that he had indeed panicked for a moment.

But the next second, he regained his composure; it was still the same saying: as long as the Immortal Spirit's true body has not been seized, the suffering is only for the clone.

"【Li Jie Bo】!"

Despite saying so, Lu Yang used the marvelous【Dong Ming】to cleanse himself a few more times, then took a few deep breaths before looking at True Person Xiaohai.

"Actually, it is very simple."

Lu Yang, with an unchanging face and a steady heart, spoke nonsense off the cuff: "I have some acquaintance with Mu Changsheng; he is willing to lend me his divine powers, so what is strange about that?"

"Really?"

True Person Xiaohai, or rather【Ang Xiao】wearing that skin, smiled slightly, almost saying "I don't believe it" out loud, clearly doubtful.

"That【Wu You Tian】is indeed quite interesting, but that is all; the True Lords will not allow Mu Changsheng to ascend the throne with it. Or rather, anyone can ascend, except him. So his path was a dead end from the start. Fellow Daoist, why befriend him?"

【Ang Xiao】's eyes were full of scrutiny.

He had long been curious about who this Fellow Daoist was, who not only discovered his identity and schemes but also fought him across the void, gaining a slight upper hand.

On the other side, Lu Yang did not answer.

'I am not a True Lord; I do not know many secrets at all. The more I speak, the more I err. It is better to remain silent and pretend to be a master!'

"Does Fellow Daoist not answer?"

Seeing Lu Yang remain silent, 【Ang Xiao】put on an expression of profound composure and smiled as well: "Or does Fellow Daoist dare not answer casually?"

Lu Yang smiled and said nothing.

"Previously, I thought Fellow Daoist was an established True Lord; now it seems I overestimated you. Is Fellow Daoist a reincarnated True Lord, similar to Hong Yun?"

"Speaking of which, there is one more thing I am curious about."

【Ang Xiao】was not in a hurry; he simply rose slowly, his eyes reflecting Lu Yang's figure: "I have been watching Fellow Daoist's magical combat for some time."

"From when Fellow Daoist dealt with that Chengxian Earth Immortal, to the great slaughter within this【Nan Tianmen】, Fellow Daoist has used【Guan Chou Hai】, 【Qun Fang Sui】, 【Bing Ge Zhu】, 【Wan Jin Gong】, two Great Void divine powers, plus two innate divine powers, yet Fellow Daoist only pretended to be a Great True Person in the end."

"This is very interesting."

Speaking thus, 【Ang Xiao】narrowed his eyes, as if seeing a fine prey:

"Previously, I did not discover it, so I thought Fellow Daoist had hidden your innate divine power. After all, the second and third divine powers are both mid-stage Foundation Establishment; there is nothing strange about that."

"But now, it is not right."

"If Fellow Daoist still has an innate divine power, plus the four divine powers I just mentioned, with five divine powers supporting you, you should be at the late-stage Foundation Establishment."

"What is Fellow Daoist's realm?"

"Fellow Daoist, where is your innate divine power?"

"As far as I know, there is no single Daoist tradition in the world that cultivates the innate divine power last; the only exception is those born of heaven and earth."

Speaking thus, 【Ang Xiao】suddenly stopped his voice, a smile of catching prey appearing on his face:

"Fellow Daoist, could it be that you are now an Immortal Spirit?"

Lu Yang continued to smile and say nothing.

Although【Ang Xiao】had exposed part of his past, he was not panicked at all, because he discovered that【Ang Xiao】was only attacking him with words.

'As a True Lord, where are your methods?'

'Even if you do not search my soul, at least control me!'

Recalling the last life, how strong was the oppressive pressure when【Ang Xiao】appeared? It was something he could not possibly resist, yet the【Ang Xiao】of this life is different.

'It is strange, but not strong enough. What level is True Person Xiaohai? A early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; what can he use to bear the power of a True Lord? The【Ang Xiao】of the last life was so terrifying because he had Master Chongguang's Dao Sin as a vessel; the【Ang Xiao】of this life is just a silver-tipped wax spear.'

Good to look at but useless!

Otherwise, why would he say so much nonsense? Why not simply reach into his dantian, seize the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, and refine it in an instant? Would that not be much more straightforward?

Why not do so?

Does he not want to?

'He cannot!'

Thinking thus, Lu Yang became even more calm; after pondering for a moment, he decided to drop a bombshell: "Fellow Daoist came specifically to find me, yet you have fallen into someone else's scheme."

Master Chongguang's scheme!

'The Holy Sect has no good people. Master Chongguang? Pfft, old thief Chongguang! Saying he wanted me to stay in【Nan Tianmen】a while longer was clearly setting me up!'

Lu Yang was one hundred percent certain that Master Chongguang used some method to predict that【Ang Xiao】would follow him, so he deliberately made a deal with him, letting him stay in【Nan Tianmen】for a while longer, using him as bait. Now that【Ang Xiao】has taken the hook, Master Chongguang has likely already started his actions.

However, what surprised Lu Yang was:

After hearing his bombshell, 【Ang Xiao】did not show any surprise; instead, he smiled: "Fell into someone else's scheme? Is Fellow Daoist talking about Xue Feihong?"

"Speaking of which, I have not yet settled accounts with Fellow Daoist over this matter."

"Fellow Daoist told Xue Feihong my identity, which caused me considerable trouble. We have no enmity, yet this makes things very difficult for me."

Lu Yang continued to smile and say nothing.

Seeing this, 【Ang Xiao】sighed, knowing that Lu Yang had guessed his true nature of being strong outside but weak inside; he indeed did not possess many powerful methods now.

'This body... is still too weak.'

A mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; using the Obstacle of Knowledge and View to hide it is already difficult. If a little more power were added, the magical body would likely collapse immediately.

Strictly speaking, he is not even Lu Yang's match now.

Otherwise, why would he still be here talking nonsense? Capturing him first and then interrogating him slowly would be simpler than probing sentence by sentence as now. He truly has the will but lacks the strength.

Thinking thus, 【Ang Xiao】stopped beating around the bush.

"Let us make a deal. If my guess is correct, Fellow Daoist wishes to use this body to verify the【Shi Liu Mu】, breaking through to the late-stage Jin Dan, correct? I can assist you."

'He misunderstood...'

Lu Yang understood in his heart that in【Ang Xiao】's view, he was undoubtedly a True Lord, but if he were already a True Lord, why would he seek another fruit position?

There is only one answer: late-stage Jin Dan!

Only in the late stage of the Golden Core does one require support from other attainments, so in Ang Xiao's eyes, he had already become a True Lord plotting for the late stage.

'It makes perfect sense.'

Thinking of this, Lu Yang finally spoke: "Daoist friend, how do you intend to assist me?"

Seeing that Lu Yang was no longer silent, Ang Xiao also smiled: "Besides Pomegranate Wood, you have also entered the Sword Pavilion; I estimate you still have your sights set on Sword Edge Metal, correct?"

"However, this is too slow, and the risk is far too great."

Ang Xiao said softly: "In the early and mid stages of the Golden Core, one rules a single element alone; however, to break through to the late stage, one must master two more elements to achieve it."

"Because only by mastering three elements can a cycle be formed; if one masters only two, it will inevitably trigger mutual generation and mutual destruction, causing conflict between them, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the Cave Heaven. However, this is merely a lowly method; the true superior method requires all five elements to be complete, only then can one look forward to the state of perfection."

"But for one person to verify five attainments, how difficult is that?"

"Not only are the variables extremely numerous, but one is also easily hated by all True Lords under heaven; therefore, looking across the world, there are not even enough fingers on one hand to count the great True Lords in the late stage of the Golden Core."

"Moreover, their methods are mostly peaceful."

"It is not about monopolizing attainments, but cooperating with other True Lords; for instance, Xue Feihong. If my guess is not wrong, she likely used a similar method."

"After all, she is in the mid stage of the Golden Core, her Cave Heaven unshaken; if an ordinary True Lord in the early stage of the Golden Core cooperates with her, anchoring their own Cave Heaven to hers, they can also obtain the 'Unshaken' effect. Even if their thousand-year lifespan ends in the future, they can quickly return and re-ascend under her guidance."

"However, how can cooperation among many compare to one person's autocracy?"

Speaking to this point, Ang Xiao's face revealed a look of pride: "I do not need to rule five attainments alone; I only need to ensure that no one else can verify the other attainments!"

"Reversing Chen Earth is my method."

"In this way, without needing to verify an attainment, I can easily complete the perfection of the five elements, and I need not worry about partners betraying me; this is the true path of the Great Dao!"

Speaking to this point, he finally looked at Lu Yang: "What do you think?"

"If you, Daoist friend, have the heart, I can give you my method of reversing and monopolizing the five attainments, provided you are willing to agree to one simple condition."

Lu Yang pondered for a moment: "... What condition?"

Speaking to this point, a deep killing intent finally revealed itself in Ang Xiao's eyes: "I intend to lure Xue Feihong into the Netherworld and kill her to cut off future troubles!"

(End of this chapter)