Chapter 449: Chapter 449: Saint Sect True Monarchs Are No Pushovers

The self-detonation of a Perfected Lord, even if it was only a Dharma Body, was terrifyingly powerful. The resulting shockwaves seemed potent enough to overturn heaven and earth.

The once-clear sky abruptly turned blood-red. Crimson light filled the air as if a second Sun had appeared, endlessly spewing blinding, bloody rays. A thick stench of blood permeated the air. If such a cataclysm had struck the earth instead of the sky, it would have undoubtedly brought decimation to all living creatures.

Even so, screams echoed one after another from all directions.

Countless Foundation-Stage Cultivators, observing the battle with their Dharma Eyes, were blinded by the glare from the explosion of Lü Yang’s Dharma Body.

For a moment, a dead silence fell over everything.

’Dead?’

Bhumba Bodhisattva’s beautiful eyes shifted. She believed she had timed her attack perfectly. It was hardly surprising that a mere Outer Dao True Monarch, one relying on a Fake Golden Core, would perish...

"BOOM!"

The next second, the scattered bloody light reconverged as if time itself were reversing. In an instant, it shot far away from the West, coalescing into a human figure in the distance.

Lü Yang’s figure reappeared, the Yama Hall bobbing above his head like a lantern. Its light was faint, but it had not yet been extinguished. However, Bhumba Bodhisattva could tell he was at the end of his rope, his flame about to flicker out. It wouldn’t be long before he fell from his current state.

"I will be back!"

Lü Yang spoke this vow with venom, then turned and fled without another word, instantly concealing all of his Qi traces and vanishing from sight.

Bhumba Bodhisattva, however, paid him no mind.

After all, Lü Yang’s condition could hardly be hidden from her. He was not only heavily wounded but also on the verge of falling from the True Monarch Position. Even if he escaped, his days were numbered.

’This man is out of the game!’

With this thought, Bhumba Bodhisattva immediately turned her gaze back to the Earthly Buddha Country and Ang Xiao before her.

"Amitabha."

"Patron Ang Xiao, why must you insist on this folly?" Bhumba Bodhisattva said, her palms pressed together. Certain of her victory, her tone was remarkably relaxed.

There was no denying that Ang Xiao was strong. Very strong.

Yet, he was under too many constraints.

As a Perfected Lord herself, she only needed to withstand the seal of No Heaven. By burning her Grotto Heaven and paying the price of a damaged Dao Foundation, she could force her manifestation in the current world.

But Ang Xiao?

He had to contend not only with No Heaven, but also with the Netherworld! It was this dual suppression that had forced him into such a predicament.

Even so, the fact that he had held on this long made Bhumba Bodhisattva wary. To be honest, she feared this Great Perfected Lord of the Stain Sect might have other tricks up his sleeve. That was why, despite having the upper hand, she remained cautious and even tried to persuade him to surrender.

But Ang Xiao was dismissive.

"The victor has yet to be decided. Don’t get ahead of yourself, baldy."

As he spoke, Ang Xiao shot an imperceptible glance in the direction Lü Yang had fled. His intuition told him there was no way the man would exit the stage so easily.

’Fortune has been scheming for so long. To get nothing out of it but killing Zhengde? A Saint Sect True Monarch would never undertake such a thankless task!’

’He must be up to no good!’

That said, Ang Xiao wasn’t worried. Strictly speaking, he and Lü Yang had no conflict. In a way, they were even allies!

Thinking of this, he did not warn Bhumba Bodhisattva.

Instead, he secretly activated the Veil of the Trees, using the fact that Bhumba Bodhisattva’s attention was focused entirely on him to make her completely overlook Lü Yang.

’His target is the Fruit of Sword Dao, and mine is to destroy the Earthly Buddha Country. We should be on the same side! So even if he is scheming something, it’s likely aimed at the baldy... Still, his condition is no illusion. The Fake Golden Position is indeed about to collapse.’

’Without the battle power of a True Monarch, no amount of scheming is of any use.’

’If so, his retreat is likely a gambit to prolong the duration of his Fake Golden Position... But I’m familiar with Tingyou’s Fake Golden Position Method.’

’It requires either the Gold Attribute from nine cultivators at Foundation Establishment Perfection or the Gold Attribute from a single Perfected Lord.’

’So what is his plan?’

Ang Xiao’s thoughts raced. ’Nine cultivators at Foundation Establishment Perfection is impossible now, so that’s out. One Perfected Lord... Zhengde, who just perished!?’

’The Netherworld!’

...

「The Netherworld, an unknowable land.」

Ang Xiao’s true body rose gracefully, his gaze fixed on the River of Soul before him with a mix of wonder and curiosity. ’He can also interfere with the cycle of reincarnation?’

’Yes, he should be able to!’

’Years ago, Fortune only pretended to have been ambushed by me within the cycle of reincarnation. If he couldn’t interfere with it, then my ambush should have truly succeeded.’

’At the time, I was quite pleased with myself. After all, among all the Perfected Lords in the world, who could possibly influence the Netherworld?’

’But now, it seems Fortune was merely putting on an act.’

’If that’s the case, he can definitely interfere with reincarnation as well!’

’In theory, the reincarnation of a Perfected Lord should be impossible to track... but if Fortune wants to capture Zhengde, he must be able to follow his reincarnation.’

At this thought, an idea struck Ang Xiao. A surge of mighty power slammed into the River of Soul. He was careful not to disrupt the souls’ reincarnation process, but deliberately stirred the waters, forcing every soul to reveal its true form. In the next second, a golden light flared to life within the river.

"Demon!"

Within the River of Soul, the soul of True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde materialized, glaring daggers at Ang Xiao. He had intended to keep a low profile!

But with Ang Xiao stirring things up, he was forced to activate his Gold Attribute to protect his soul!

Though he was in the Netherworld and didn’t fear Ang Xiao could truly threaten his life, he couldn’t shake a rising sense of crisis.

’The Jiangbei Demon wouldn’t do something for no reason. He must be plotting something!’

’But what... what is the plot?’

True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde racked his brain but couldn’t figure it out. He could only fall back on a simple principle: if you can’t fight them, flee. The best thing to do was to reincarnate and get out of here immediately!

At this thought, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde immediately vanished again, entering the cycle of reincarnation without further delay.

Seeing this, Ang Xiao withdrew his Qi trace and sat back down, pondering, ’I wonder if that helped. Was my guess correct...’

「Meanwhile, in the current world.」

"Ang Xiao, you’re too damn reliable!"

Lü Yang couldn’t help but exclaim. Making an enemy of a Saint Sect True Monarch was an endless headache, but working with one? Their reliability was a true comfort.

They don’t have any weak links!

Thanks to Ang Xiao suddenly agitating the River of Soul and forcing True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde to reveal himself, he was finally able to lock onto the position of the man’s soul.

Ang Xiao had even panicked True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde into reincarnating immediately!

Otherwise, with the abilities of a Perfected Lord, Zhengde could have lingered in the Netherworld for some time instead of rushing to reincarnate. If that had happened, Lü Yang would have been left completely in the dark.

’I had Master Xiuxin commit suicide and reincarnate at the same time, then used a Puppet to monitor the process. Right now, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde should be located...’

The next instant, Lü Yang tore open the void.

In the South, within an ordinary family in a mortal kingdom, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, now reincarnated as an infant, opened his eyes and began planning for his new life.

’I’ll just hide until All the True Monarchs have manifested in the world again...’

"BOOM!"

Before True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde could even react, a massive hand descended from the sky, freezing all his thoughts into a single, final notion:

"Huh?"