BOOM!

As Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's figure vanished, a brilliant radiance shot from earth to sky, bathing the entire West in a magnificent golden splendor.

"Amitabha..."

Inside the Great Heroic Treasure Hall, a single utterance of the Buddha's Name was heard. The face of the magnificent Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata's World Appearance suddenly revealed a trace of urgency.

The Fruit of Rampart Earth was out of control!

The Pure Land's Unity was shattered, and the seal suppressing the Fruit of Rampart Earth wavered in turn. It looked as if this Emperor Fruit was about to escape the Pure Land!

'Things have come to this... I have no choice but to take a risk.'

At this thought, the Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata's World Appearance simply stopped wasting energy suppressing the rampaging Fruit of Rampart Earth. It turned to look at Exorcist Zhenren, and with a single thought, a strand of Buddhist Destiny landed on the half-dead Master Sword Pavilion.

'Desperate times call for desperate measures. I have no other choice.'

At almost the same moment, Southern King Wu Taian of the Dao Court appeared by its side. Adding Exorcist Zhenren, two of the disciples were now in place.

'I'll forcibly activate the Earthly Buddha Country!'

'It doesn't matter if the Fruit of Rampart Earth is out of control. As long as we Monks are the ones who ultimately claim it, the final outcome will be exactly the same!'

What is the Earthly Buddha Country?

As its name implies, the plan is to use the Fruit of Rampart Earth, an Earth Element Supreme Venerable, as the foundation to establish a Buddha Country that is essentially similar to the Netherworld.

The reason the Magic Instrument required four disciples was so they could perform Seeking Gold, gathering the other Four Dao Fruit Positions needed to complete the Five Elements for the Buddha Country. The Monks would then take the lead, wielding control over the Buddha Country. Supplemented by a Secret Technique passed down from the Bhagavat, they would achieve the effect of a Fake Daoist Master Position.

Originally, the plan was perfect. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Under the power of Unity, only Monks could control the Fruit of Rampart Earth, and only through the Fruit of Rampart Earth could one control the fully realized Buddha Country.

But now, things were different.

The Fruit of Rampart Earth was out of control and the Buddha Country masterless, instantly giving rise to infinite variables. One wrong move, and the Pure Land would find it had toiled for nothing but another's benefit!

「Meanwhile, in the South, at the Sword Pavilion.」

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, what do you think?"

Ang Xiao withdrew his gaze and chuckled lightly. "I told you before. The so-called Fruit of Sword Dao is nothing but an illusion, like the moon's reflection in water or a flower in a mirror."

Despite his words, his face was filled with admiration. He had guessed that Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had a backup plan, but the final execution still impressed him greatly. "For someone at the Foundation Establishment Cultivation level, he pushed it to the absolute limit. He's practically forced the Sword Pavilion and the Pure Land into becoming mortal enemies on the Dao."

"Now there's a good show to watch."

At this, Ang Xiao's expression grew intrigued. "So much for the Righteous Dao. In the end, aren't they just like my Stain Sect, dogs tearing each other apart for their own gain?"

He understood the Pure Land's thinking very clearly.

By forcibly activating the Earthly Buddha Country's Magic Instrument, they were gambling on producing a new Perfected Lord. That Perfected Lord could then expunge the Sword Dao and turn the tide.

And the Sword Pavilion would obviously have the same idea...

BOOM!

In the next instant, Lü Yang looked up at the sky. He saw the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth, which had previously dimmed, flare brilliantly once more as it gazed intently downward.

Unlike the Sword Pavilion, the Pure Land at least had the Magic Instrument of the Earthly Buddha Country, giving them a chance to gamble on Seeking Gold. The Sword Pavilion, however, now lacked a Golden Core Seed. With no one able to attempt the Seeking Gold Ascension Position, the only ones who could possibly act were the Perfected Lords currently in seclusion!

Seeing this, Ang Xiao grinned. "They're getting desperate!"

That's right, the Sword Pavilion was desperate!

After all, if the Pure Land really managed to remove the Fruit of Sword Dao, then all of the Sword Pavilion's years of planning would be ruined, and they would have to start from scratch.

How could they allow that?

Witnessing this, Lü Yang once again marveled inwardly at the brilliance of Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's scheme. He had accounted for nearly everyone.

'Even saving people was a secondary goal!'

'Considering the current state of the Sword Pavilion's Perfected Lords, if they were truly forced to send one down to the Lower Realm—at the cost of burning their Grotto Heaven—there would only be one possible candidate...'

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde!

This Perfected Lord's time was almost up, and his cultivation was the weakest. Now that a sacrifice was required for the Sword Pavilion's grand ambition, if he didn't go, who would?

So, if True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde were to forcibly descend to the Lower Realm, his own days would be numbered regardless of the outcome. In effect, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was using this layer of his scheme to indirectly get the Perfected Lord who had once blocked his path killed! And as a bonus, the True Monarch would earn the eternal hatred of the Pure Land!

One scheme interlocking with the next!

What's even more brilliant is that regardless of whether the Pure Land or the Sword Pavilion won, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected would not lose in the end. He would at least achieve a part of his goal.

If the Pure Land won, the Sword Dao would be destroyed, and he would have his revenge on the Sword Pavilion for controlling half his life.

If the Sword Pavilion won, the Pure Land would lose its Unity forever, and he would have saved countless Monks, thus also achieving his lifelong goal.

'Under these circumstances, unless a Master of Dao intervenes... this is an unsolvable checkmate!'

Thinking of this, Lü Yang looked up at the sky, a hint of anticipation on his face.

'Unity is the very foundation of the Pure Land, and the Sword Dao is something the Sword Pavilion is determined to obtain. Logically, the two Masters of Dao can't possibly stand by and do nothing...'

Will the Masters of Dao act?

If they really make a move, then seeing it would be worth the price of admission, even if it cost me my life!

"Fellow Daoist, you'd best not get your hopes up."

Ang Xiao had evidently guessed Lü Yang's thoughts. He smiled and said, "This matter is significant, but it hasn't yet crossed the bottom line for a Master of Dao."

It hasn't?

Facing Lü Yang's questioning gaze, Ang Xiao shook his head. "It really hasn't. For a Master of Dao, their only true bottom line is this world itself..."

At this point, Ang Xiao grew reticent, as if speaking of a taboo, and decisively changed the subject. "Now that things have come to this, Fellow Daoist, what are your plans? Surely you don't intend to wade into these muddy waters? You'd be better off joining me in the Netherworld. I can find a Fruit for you to inhabit there..."

Hearing this, Lü Yang looked tempted. "Do you really mean that?"

Ang Xiao nodded with a smile. "I do."

'Bullshit!'

'Do you take me for a fool? In my past life, you made the same empty promises to me and the Dragon Race. In reality, what Fruits do you even have in the Netherworld to give away?'

'The recruitment is a lie; tricking people into becoming your hired muscle is the truth!'

With this thought, Lü Yang instantly abandoned the idea of continuing the conversation to probe Ang Xiao for information. Besides, at this point, there was no longer any need.

Lü Yang flicked his sleeves and stood up.

"Hm?"

From this simple movement, Ang Xiao immediately sensed something was amiss. He frowned subconsciously, feeling a subtle shift in Lü Yang's Qi trace.

'What is he going to do?'

Ang Xiao subconsciously reviewed the current situation.

'The Fruit of Rampart Earth is out of control. The Pure Land is forcibly activating the Magic Instrument for the Earthly Buddha Country. All the Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators in the world hoping to perform Seeking Gold will surely hear the news and flock to the West.'

'Meanwhile, the Sword Pavilion will likely force one of their Perfected Lords to manifest in the mortal world.'

'In this situation, what does he plan to do?'

'What can he even do?'

At that moment, countless speculations bloomed in Ang Xiao's mind, only to be dismissed one by one. He had no idea that Lü Yang's current thoughts were, in fact, brutally simple:

'If the Masters of Dao really aren't going to make a move, then what do I have to be afraid of?'

'The Fruit of Rampart Earth and the Fruit of Sword Dao are worth the gamble. Snatching one is a net gain. If I snatch both, I could just call this life a victory and start over...'

The time has come!

Fake Golden Position, and I'll wipe the board clean!