Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Battle the Perfected Lord

"Who wishes to fight me?"

His voice boomed like thunder, rolling across the sky. The deliberate provocation made the gazes of True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde and Bhumba Bodhisattva grow even colder.

However, no one made a move.

The two Perfected Lords were no ordinary beings. Their Dharma Eyes saw all, and they could tell Lü Yang’s current state would only last for a short time. He simply wasn’t worth fighting.

After all, losing meant instant death, and winning would likely cost them half their own lives. They had descended on a mission, going so far as to burn their own Grotto Heavens. After paying such an immense price, how could they waste their lives on a meaningless squabble born from a moment of anger?

Seeing this, Lü Yang smiled. "No takers?"

He looked at True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, a grin spreading across his face. "I slaughtered the Ye Family—didn’t leave a single one alive. Don’t you want to kill me to vent your anger, Daoist?"

With that, he turned his gaze to Bhumba Bodhisattva.

"I was the one who destroyed the Pure Land’s Earthly Buddha Country. I also just cut down the Dharma Appearance sent by the Bhagavat. Don’t you want to avenge it, Daoist?"

"..."

Below, the Foundation-Stage Cultivators gazing up at the three great Perfected Lords of this age were all dumbfounded. The Perfected Persons from the Pure Land and Sword Pavilion, in particular, were utterly baffled.

’He’s taken the taunts this far, and they’re still not fighting?’

’Just fucking fight him already!’

Be that as it may, even when provoked to such an extent, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, who bore the grudge of his clan’s annihilation, remained silent and chose not to act.

’...It’s not worth it.’

’I’ve descended to the Lower Realm, and my Grotto Heaven is already on the verge of collapse. I don’t have much time. The top priority is to first secure the Fruit of Sword Dao, then bring it back to the Sword Pavilion.’

’Only by doing this will the other Sword Pavilion True Monarchs come to guide me after my death, ensuring that I can ascend to my position again... As for the Ye Family, if they’re dead, they’re dead. As long as I don’t die, I can just remarry after reincarnating, take a few dozen wives, put in a little effort, and I can always rebuild it.’

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s reasoning was perfectly clear.

He had already burned his Grotto Heaven to descend to the Lower Realm. There was no way back. He had to see this path through to the end. In the face of his Dao path, even the greatest hatred was nothing but a fleeting cloud.

’Therefore, not only can I not fight this person, I must win him over!’

In the current situation, the Sword Pavilion and the Pure Land were mortal enemies. Bhumba Bodhisattva hadn’t descended to the Lower Realm because of Lü Yang, but to stop him!

Originally, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde had been uncertain, but if Lü Yang could stand on his side and temporarily hold off Bhumba Bodhisattva, then he would be 100% confident in driving the Fruit of Sword Dao completely into the Pure Land, letting it gestate, and then bringing it back to the Sword Pavilion whole!

However, the Pure Land understood this same reasoning.

"Amitabha!"

A Buddha’s name was chanted, and Bhumba Bodhisattva moved. With no intention of communicating, the Bodhisattva dove straight down below.

This scene alone made True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s expression flicker.

Because Lü Yang did not stop the other party, but let Bhumba Bodhisattva pass, instead continuing to block his path with an unreadable smile.

"...Why?"

After a moment of silence, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde finally spoke his first words since descending, his eyes filled with killing intent as he looked at Lü Yang.

"No reason."

Of course, Lü Yang wasn’t about to explain himself to the man.

’The Earthly Buddha Country is Ang Xiao’s problem now. It’s good to give him something to do, so he doesn’t come looking for trouble with me...’

Lü Yang felt he understood Ang Xiao quite well.

’I just screwed him over in a big way. If he got the chance, how could he not seek revenge? It’s perfect to use Bhumba Bodhisattva to keep him occupied.’

By the same token, Ang Xiao would also keep the Pure Land busy.

Because of the Fruit of Pewter Metal, this was a Dao struggle between the two sides, with absolutely no room for reconciliation. Therefore, he wasn’t worried that Ang Xiao wouldn’t give it his all.

As for why he insisted on fighting True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, the reason was also simple... Because among everyone present, only True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde possessed Sword Intent, just like him. If he wanted to take the Fruit of Sword Dao, he had to fight him and determine whose Sword Intent was superior.

This was determined by the nature of the Fruit of Sword Dao.

In the sword, there is no second place. Only the strongest is worthy of possessing it!

"You..."

In a flash, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde also realized this, and his expression shifted. "You? You think you’re worthy of meddling with the Sword Dao?"

"And why not?"

Lü Yang let out a long laugh. "If a Daoist with a disposition like yours can become a Perfected Lord, then what’s wrong with this junior merely wanting to take the Sword Dao?"

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s face instantly darkened.

’What does he mean, "a disposition like mine"? It’s precisely because of this disposition that I became a Perfected Lord! In this broken place, it has always been winner takes all!’

"You’re courting death. You’ve borrowed Tingyou’s Dharma Gate to create a Fake Golden Position. Your strength is only on par with an Outer Dao True Monarch, and it won’t even last. How can you compare to an Orthodox True Monarch like me? If you really force me into a battle to the death, the one who falls will be you!" True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde said, his voice ice-cold.

What is the Outer Dao?

A Fruit from an outside world is the Outer Dao! It’s not that Outer Dao True Monarchs don’t exist in this corner of Heaven and Earth, but their strength is incomparable to that of Orthodox True Monarchs like them.

Lü Yang himself was also aware of this.

For example, the Immortal Emperor from the Profound Spirit Realm was a classic Outer Dao True Monarch, and didn’t he end up with the miserable fate of his entire Outer Realm being devoured?

Yet, he was not the least bit afraid.

"If you don’t wish to fight, Daoist, that’s fine too. Just step aside and watch."

"Delusional!" True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s tone grew even more chilling. "How long can you maintain your Fake Golden Position? Are you truly not leaving yourself any way out?"

Beneath the forceful words, however, was helplessness.

Indeed, he simply could not understand it. Was Lü Yang really not leaving himself a way out? He was only borrowing a Fake Golden Position, not a true Golden Core Perfected Lord!

’What was the point?’ 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

But True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde was a Perfected Lord, after all. Seeing no more room for negotiation, he no longer hesitated. With a BOOM, his qi trace exploded outwards!

"Since you’re seeking death, I’ll grant your wish!"

He made his move!

The clear radiance scattered, revealing True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s true appearance. A head of jet-black hair fluttered in the wind as he raised his hand, seemingly summoning something.

Almost simultaneously, Lü Yang felt the True Treasure he had obtained from the incarnation he’d previously slain—the Heaven-Receiving Ascending Profound Mysterious Realm Observation Sword—begin to vibrate. The True Spirit within the sword fully awakened, directly breaking his seal and speeding towards its master.

’A summons from its Fruit Position... I can’t stop it...’

Lü Yang’s brow furrowed slightly. After assuming the Fake Golden Position, when he looked at the True Treasure, the Heaven-Receiving Ascending Profound Mysterious Realm Observation Sword, again, he could immediately see through many of its illusion barriers.

’No wonder True Treasures are so hard to refine.’

’So-called True Treasures rank above Spiritual Treasures, a difference in status equivalent to that between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core. How could a gap like that not involve the Power of Fruit Position?’

’A Golden Core Perfected Lord has the ability to draw upon the Power of Fruit Position and condense their own Treasure of Fruit Position, but this kind of treasure needs to be personally channeled by the Perfected Lord... A True Treasure, however, is different. It is born from the communion between an artifact and a Fruit Position. In a sense, it’s even a part of the Fruit Position itself...’

’Therefore, a True Treasure has a master and is difficult to seal away.’

’After all, no seal, no matter how powerful, can block a direct summons from a Heaven and Earth Fruit Position, unless one uses another True Treasure that also specializes in sealing to counter it.’

"Slash!"

The moment the Heaven-Receiving Ascending Profound Mysterious Realm Observation Sword was in his hand, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde’s qi trace reached its peak. A single slash from his sword made Heaven and Earth cry out!

Yet, upon seeing this, Lü Yang’s fighting spirit soared. He was utterly fearless.

"Come!"