Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Who Wants to Fight Me?

In West, above the Pure Land.

The Victorious Will-Born Name Tathagata’s World Appearance feared Lü Yang to an extreme degree. It had long since decided in its heart that this man of great Fortune was a quintessential Saint Sect True Monarch.

Even Lü Yang could see that while his opponent seemed to be taking a hard-line stance, it was all bark and no bite. Of course, the main reason for this was a lack of strength. The Victorious Will-Born Name Tathagata’s World Appearance was still confined to the Foundation Establishment Level, no match for a Perfected Lord.

’Earthly Buddha Country....’

Lü Yang’s eyes shone. The power of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire enhanced his vision, allowing his gaze to penetrate many secrets and see through the dense Buddha Light before him.

"You...!"

The voice of the Victorious Will-Born Name Tathagata’s World Appearance betrayed a hint of anger. "Even a Perfected Lord cannot be so disrespectful in my Pure Land!"

"By prying into the secrets of the Buddha Country, do you intend to drop all pretense of peace?"

A majestic Buddhist chant rang out, mobilizing the Earthly Buddha Country in an attempt to resist Lü Yang’s probing gaze. At the Foundation Establishment Level, this mighty power was nigh-invincible.

Alas, its opponent was far beyond that level. Lü Yang didn’t even need to use his Mana. With a mere thought, the entire Earthly Buddha Country ground to a halt. The Victorious Will-Born Name Tathagata’s World Appearance froze in place, its body suddenly bursting into flames.

HUUUFF.

Lü Yang pursed his lips and blew a single breath. Instantly, the magnificent Dharma Appearance seemed to suffer a death by a thousand cuts before it exploded into a sky-filling shower of radiant light.

’The gap is just too vast....’

Having cultivated for many lifetimes, Lü Yang once again felt what it was like to be a Qi Refining cultivator meeting someone at Foundation Establishment. They might appear to be the same species, but in reality, the difference was as great as that between the clouds and the mud.

With a beckoning gesture, three streams of Gold Attribute flew into Lü Yang’s palm. They belonged to Exorcist Zhenren, Southern King Wu Taian, and the Victorious Will-Born Name Tathagata’s World Appearance. Added to the Gold Attribute from the Immortal Spirit Upper Chapter, that made for a total of four Golden Talents!

At this thought, Lü Yang’s gaze shifted.

A moment later, the sole surviving Saint Sect Zhenren, Xiang Ye, swallowed nervously. Without a second thought, he decisively opened up his Spiritual Space.

"This humble cultivator, Xiang Ye, greets the True Monarch of Celestial Destiny!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Xiang Ye took the initiative to present his own Gold Attribute. "This is the Gold Attribute this humble one has cultivated," he said respectfully. "I hope the Perfected Lord will accept it."

Seeing this, Lü Yang nodded in satisfaction.

’A Saint Sect Zhenren really knows how to act!’

"Relax, I’m not some bloodthirsty maniac," Lü Yang chuckled. He didn’t take all of Xiang Ye’s Gold Attribute, only a mere sliver.

’Just enough for the Centome’s reckoning.’

After finishing, he looked at Xiang Ye and said calmly, "You’re the only one left now. What are you spacing out for? Go on, continue Seeking Gold."

"...Huh?"

Xiang Ye was dumbfounded.

To be honest, ever since Lü Yang had appeared in the guise of a Perfected Lord, Xiang Ye had given up all hope of Seeking Gold. He never imagined Lü Yang would actually choose not to interfere!

’Is this a trap?’

The thought immediately surfaced in Xiang Ye’s mind, but as he looked at the smiling Lü Yang before him, he quickly realized something:

’The arrow is already on the string; I have to let it fly!’

’Trap or no trap, I’m not in a position to refuse!’

"This humble cultivator accepts your command!"

Xiang Ye was a man of decisive character. Having reached this conclusion, he instantly cast aside all hesitation and focused his entire Heart Spirit on Sensing the Fruit Position.

A moment later, the crisp sound of water began to emanate from Xiang Ye’s body. A pure, cool Splendid Light washed over him, like an inexhaustible, ice-cold spring. Finally, the magnificent vista of a Blessed Land appeared. Within the scene was a wellspring, which a hundred households drew from to drink and a thousand peoples relied on to live.

The Fruit of Spring Water!

This was the Fruit that Xiang Ye sought to attain. Casting his gaze upon the vision and sensing the Blessed Land, Xiang Ye immediately rode the momentum and began to ascend, seeking to claim the position of a Supreme Venerable of Heaven and Earth!

Lü Yang, meanwhile, watched from the sidelines.

His expression remained calm from start to finish. Although he now had the means to seek the Fruit of Pomegranate Wood after reclaiming his Immortal Spirit Body, he didn’t make a move.

’Because while in this state of a Fake Golden Position, I am unable to Seek Gold.’

’To seek the Fruit of Pomegranate Wood, I have to exit this Fake Golden Position state. But in the current situation, if I were to do that, it would be suicide.’

’Besides, this Earthly Buddha Country... is one giant trap!’

The reason was simple. This Earthly Buddha Country happened to encompass the Fruit of Pewter Metal, and the Fruit of Pewter Metal was something Ang Xiao absolutely had to obtain!

’This is a fundamental conflict of the Great Dao. It’s easy to imagine that Ang Xiao would never allow the Fruit of Pewter Metal to fall into the hands of the Pure Land’s Earthly Buddha Country. He is bound to make a move. If that’s the case, trying to seize the Buddha Country myself would just make me an easy target for him. It’s better to find a scapegoat to take the hit for me....’

’There was one other thing.’

’I suspected it before. The ownership of a Heaven and Earth Fruit Position probably isn’t held by the Perfected Lord... In other words, I likely can’t take it with me when I restart.’

’That would be a huge problem.’

’What’s the point of seizing a Fruit I can’t even take with me?’

That’s why Lü Yang didn’t care about any of them right now, not even the Fruit of Rampart Earth. In his eyes, the only thing of true value was the Sword Dao left behind by the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.

’The Fruit of Sword Dao is different from all other Fruits. It was brought into existence by the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected through a Void Certificate, making it a truly ownerless Fruit. If I can get my hands on it and then restart, there’s a good chance I can take it with me, along with the Seven Luminaries Heaven! Now *that* is a real priceless treasure!’

At that thought, Lü Yang abruptly looked up, a sudden premonition striking him.

’So, they finally couldn’t hold back any longer....’

RUMBLE!

High in the firmament, the Fruit Position Star symbolizing the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth finally blazed to its brightest point, and a deafening, heaven-shaking crack resounded through the air.

Then, a figure stepped out from the starlight.

His body was wreathed in a clear radiance, his silhouette that of a youth in his prime. The mere overflow of his Qi trace caused the entire world to resonate in response!

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde!

At this moment, the Sword Pavilion True Monarch showed no sign of having paid the immense price of burning his Grotto Heaven to descend. His Mana was still incredibly potent.

Throughout the world, every Foundation-Stage Cultivator who cultivated the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth felt an undeniable connection and began to tremble uncontrollably!

This was the suppression of a Dao Lineage. As the Perfected Lord of the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth, he held the same absolute power of life and death over the cultivators of his lineage as an Emperor held over a peasant.

From within the clear radiance, a pair of sword-like eyes emerged.

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde had a clear target. The moment he appeared, his profound gaze fell directly upon Lü Yang, as if trying to see straight through him.

However, this was not the end.

At almost the same instant, high in the heavens above West, another star blazed to life, its light in no way inferior to the just-reappeared Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth!

And from within that starlight, another figure emerged.

Her bearing was graceful and, just like True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, she was another of Lü Yang’s old acquaintances: the Pure Land’s Bhumba Bodhisattva!

"Amitabha!"

For a moment, Heaven and Earth fell silent.

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde. Bhumba Bodhisattva.

The two Perfected Lords fixed their gazes on Lü Yang at almost the exact same time. Their eyes were ice-cold and transcendent, as if devoid of all mortal emotion.

However, faced with the gazes of the two Perfected Lords, Lü Yang just smiled faintly.

His voice was calm, devoid of any panic. He was simply eager, like someone whose greatest wish was about to be fulfilled, as if he had been anticipating this day for a very long time:

"Who wants to fight me?"