NOVEL NEXT Ch. 177
Chapter 177: What Are You Doing?
Until this moment, Lü Yang had not given up.
Facing 【Wu Cang】, who stepped out from the crack and reached toward him, Lü Yang’s mind instead became incomparably calm in that instant.
‘Not a True Person!’
‘If a True Person wanted to kill me, it would be impossible for me to escape.’
‘But it is related to a True Person, yet not Hong Yun. Is this something born from Heaven and Earth’s killing intent to kill me?’
‘Where did it come from?’
While he was thinking, the Myriad Spirits Banner had already appeared in front of Lü Yang.
Su Nu, Chen Xin’an, and all the banner spirits emerged at this moment.
“Explode!”
In the next second, under Lü Yang’s control, all the banner spirits, including the two at Foundation Establishment Realm, exploded with a thunderous blast!
The shockwave from the shattering of the Dao Foundations even caused the Foundation Establishment Realm to tremble, making 【Wu Cang】's figure sway slightly, and his actions came to an abrupt halt, buying Lü Yang precious time to survive.
Almost at the same time, the light from the 【Qixia Robe】 on his body burst forth brilliantly.
This spiritual treasure given to him by True Person Chong Guang now served as the final barrier, blocking 【Wu Cang】's reaching fingertip.
Rip!
In the next moment, Lü Yang disappeared from the spot for the third time, while 【Wu Cang】 was left holding a shredded 【Qixia Robe】.
However, at this moment, 【Wu Cang】's face was filled with surprise.
“.It’s actually the Myriad Spirits Banner?”
He frowned, reaching out to grasp the lingering smoke from the self-destruction of the banner spirits, carefully sensing it, and then revealed a puzzled expression.
“It is indeed the Myriad Spirits Banner, but it seems not to be the innate one. It lacks innate karma. What’s going on? Could it be that the method of crafting the Myriad Spirits Banner has been passed down? Impossible, that guy always thought the Myriad Spirits Banner was too vicious, how could he let it spread?”
For a moment, 【Wu Cang】's curiosity grew immensely.
“You slippery little brat, I’d like to see how many more times you can escape!”
With this thought, 【Wu Cang】 immediately cast a spell again, pulling the karma line on Guang Ming, and pursued along the karmic connection between Guang Ming and Lü Yang.
At this moment, 【Wu Cang】's entire attention was focused on Lü Yang.
Therefore, he did not notice that the Guang Ming in his hand had, at some point, quietly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of eyes overflowing with Buddhist light and filled with compassion.
“Grandmaster, what is that thing?”
After fleeing again, Lü Yang activated the Myriad Spirits Banner and summoned the only banner spirit he had not detonated, none other than the long-silent Grandmaster Ting You.
Although Grandmaster Ting You now had not even a fraction of his former strength, not even at Foundation Establishment, his experience from having once reached the peak of Foundation Establishment was still significant, and his insight far surpassed Lü Yang’s.
What Lü Yang could not discern, Grandmaster Ting You might.
And indeed, this was the case.
“That is a Dao Calamity.”
Grandmaster Ting You spoke without any hesitation, “A cultivator who fails in seeking the Golden Core and cannot withstand Dao Transformation will, after death, transform into a Dao Calamity.”
Upon hearing this, Lü Yang suddenly understood.
‘Dao Calamity… it’s an Innate True Person!’
Lü Yang instantly recalled the jade disc that the great Dao Integration cultivator Elder Lin had given him before.
【To die seeking gold, without regret in death;
the body transforms into a Dao Calamity, leaving grace to future generations;
hold my banner, enter my place of gold-seeking, refine it, and you may prove First-Grade Great Ascension True Qi!】
‘So, the current 【Wu Cang】 has already been possessed by a Dao Calamity formed from the failure of an Innate True Person in seeking the Golden Core?’
‘But why does it want to kill me?’
‘What a pity, Heaven and Earth’s killing intent has no cause or reason, I can’t calculate anything.’
‘This must be Hong Yun’s doing. At worst, I’ll check it out in my next lifetime.’
Yes, Lü Yang had already started thinking about the next lifetime.
He had no choice.
【Wu Cang】's strength had completely surpassed what he could handle, and likely only a perfected Foundation Establishment Great True Person could fight him.
This gap was no longer something human effort could bridge.
So, Lü Yang’s current goal had shifted from escaping alive to probing as much as he could about 【Wu Cang】's background and motives, preparing for the next lifetime.
In the next second, the void cracked open.
【Wu Cang】 stepped out.
This time, Lü Yang had no protective means left and could only watch helplessly as 【Wu Cang】 came before him and extended a finger.
‘Hundred Lifetimes…’
Lü Yang silently recited in his heart, ready to self-destruct and reset.
However, at that moment, in a flash, the gears of time seemed to come to a halt, and Heaven and Earth turned into a still painting.
All sounds ceased.
Immediately after, a melodious chant broke the silence.
Magnificent and solemn Buddhist light flowed from Guang Ming, who was in 【Wu Cang】's hand.
Within the Buddhist light, temples stood tall, and meditation forests appeared one after another, finally sketching out a vast and indescribable Pure Land.
At the very front of the Pure Land stood 【Fulong Temple】, and in front of the temple stood a white-clad woman holding a jade vase in her hand.
“Layman Lü, it has been a long time.”
The crisp and pleasant voice fell like a mountain stream, cleansing the body and mind, making Lü Yang’s thoughts momentarily clear, yet his expression grew even more serious.
“.So it’s the Bodhisattva herself.”
Lü Yang bowed with cupped hands, for the white-clad woman before him was none other than the Pure Land True Person who had appeared in the battle for the Dao — 【Bodhisattva of the Precious Vase and Water Moon】!
‘So Guang Ming really had a problem!’
While bowing, Lü Yang cursed inwardly.
First a Dao Calamity, then a True Person — a bunch of shameless old geezers ganging up on a junior like me. Where is the True Person from the Primordial Saint Sect? Where are my allies? Can someone come save me?
“You misunderstand, layman.”
In front of 【Fulong Temple】, the white-clad woman smiled gently with a compassionate expression, “This body is merely an incarnation of the true body, temporarily manifesting through Guang Ming.”
“The true body’s reward form still resides in the Pure Land and has not moved. Otherwise, the True Persons of the Demon Sect would surely have sensed it.”
“Therefore, I can only delay slightly for you, layman, and cannot truly save you. Under Heaven and Earth’s killing intent, if you wish to live, you must save yourself.”
Lü Yang frowned at these words. “Save myself?”
“Indeed.” The white-clad woman’s expression became even more sincere. “The Demon Sect is unrighteous, but my Pure Land is willing to open the door of convenience wide and offer you a path to survival.”
“【Fulong Temple】 is right here.”
“As long as you are willing to integrate your Dao Foundation into Fulong Temple, you can immediately replace Guang Ming. I am willing to personally shave your head and grant you the Dharma name of Arhat.”
Invite me to join the Pure Land!?
In an instant, Lü Yang finally understood the karmic connection between himself and Guang Ming — it was a tactic by the Pure Land to pull him into their camp!
No, it wasn’t just that.
‘If I’m not mistaken, this Dao Calamity was able to find me so easily likely because the Pure Land also helped… all to first drive me to a deathtrap.’
‘Only then could they force me to join the Pure Land.’
This was an open scheme!
If he did not join the Pure Land, he would die!
At this moment, Lü Yang fell silent.
If it were the Dao Court or the Sword Pavilion, he might have considered accepting, and could even take the chance to probe their depths.
But the Pure Land was different.
Because the cultivation method of the Pure Land was "Brahman and Self as One", transforming oneself into a "self" of the World-Honored One of the Pure Land — a change based on consciousness.
And Lü Yang didn’t know whether 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】 could erase such a consciousness change!
If it couldn’t, and this influence carried over into the next lifetime, then he would be truly doomed.
Even if there was only a one in ten thousand risk, he would not take the gamble.
So Lü Yang had never considered joining the Pure Land.
“Hoo.”
Thinking of this, Lü Yang immediately exhaled a deep breath.
He activated a minor divine ability he had not used for a long time.
With slightly parted lips, he uttered a single word — kill.
Killing Curse!
Self-destruction!
In the next instant, under the astonished and puzzled gaze of the white-clad woman, Lü Yang’s dharma body collapsed with a loud bang, leaving only a single thought drifting in the void.
“Book of a Hundred Lifetimes!”
In an instant, the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes activated, and all scenes blurred.
White clouds, blue skies, the great sea, and even 【Wu Cang】's figure all faded one by one.
Until this erasing power fell upon the white-clad woman.
However, what happened next completely exceeded Lü Yang’s expectations, causing his previously calm mind to suddenly surge with overwhelming waves.
He saw the originally dimming white-clad woman suddenly raise her head.
Her eyes shone with Buddhist light, but unlike the earlier compassion, they now revealed an utterly different aura — a domineering presence that declared "I alone reign supreme over Heaven and Earth".
“.Hmm?”
A soft exclamation sounded within what should have been the exclusive domain of 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】.
It was very faint, yet unmistakably clear, spreading out like a whisper.
Lü Yang froze instantly.
Then he heard a fragmented, surprised voice:
“What are… you… doing?”
Before the voice could finish, 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】 had already turned to a brand new page.
The white-clad woman’s voice abruptly stopped, and her figure, along with those clearly belonging to someone else — those eyes filled with Buddhist light — were completely erased from existence.
Heaven and Earth fell silent once more.
Everything began again.