Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the past, Lü Yang had also encountered a descendant of the Zouyu line. However, at the time, his cultivation was still low—he had only just established his Dao Foundation and his Dao attainments were far from sufficient.

Therefore, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he hadn’t seen anything divine or extraordinary at that time.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍now, things were different. Lü Yang’s eyes shone with blazing golden light, and under their radiance, Yu Zhou before him seemed no more than a mere shadow under sunlight!

“Ssshhh—”

Almost ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simultaneously, Yu Zhou drew in a sharp breath, feeling as if the gaze of this “superior cultivator” before him had pierced straight through his being.

“I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do not know which celestial family this superior cultivator hails from…”

Yu Zhou bit his lip, drenched in sweat, and could only glance pleadingly at Chong Guang. Seeing the latter remain expressionless, he could only look again toward Lü Yang.

As his words fell, Lü Yang withdrew the divine light from his eyes and smiled amiably:

“I am Dou Huan. I hold a minor position within the Dao Court.”

“So it’s the Dao Court?”

At this, Yu Zhou froze. Then, a chill rushed up from the soles of his feet to his skull, and the fear that surged within him surpassed even that of Lü Yang’s earlier gaze.

The reason was simple:

‘It’s over!’

‘Dou Huan… he’s that demon dragon! The one who attained【Heavenly Fire】—he must’ve come knowing our secret, to eliminate all loose ends!’

As the current head of the Zouyu bloodline, Yu Zhou knew well the uniqueness of his lineage. But he dared not speak of it. All he could do was suppress it, living day by day. Some junior clansmen in the early and mid Foundation Establishment stages still dreamed of restoring the kingdom...

In Yu Zhou’s eyes, it was already fortune enough that the family line persisted.

Compared to his own family, the Zouyu descendants here had already been completely wiped out fifteen thousand years ago when the Tianwu Dao Court usurped the throne.

His clan had survived against the odds.

So now, seeing Lü Yang arrive, Yu Zhou didn’t hesitate at all. He immediately knelt down: “My lord, my lord, the Zouyu clan is innocent!”

This display of submission instead caught Lü Yang slightly off guard:

‘The Zouyu royal clan… they hardly count as royalty anymore. Having been kept by the Sacred Sect for five thousand years, what royalty remains? At best, they’re a fallen household!’

But this was normal.

After all, this line of Zouyu descendants was fundamentally at odds with Heaven and Earth. If they were a family brimming with ambition, they would have become a thorn in the side of the Sacred Sect’s founding ancestor.

As they were now—just right.

The Sacred Sect had raised this line like rice worms. The founding ancestor of the Sacred Sect could use them to threaten the World-Honored One, but not to the point of triggering a crisis.

“Stand up.”

Lü Yang raised his hand slightly and smiled: “Don’t worry, I haven’t come to kill you. Killing you wouldn’t solve anything—in fact, it’d only cause endless trouble.”

“Thank you, my lord, for sparing us!”

Yu Zhou kowtowed again, with great sincerity. A dull thud sounded repeatedly as he actually bruised his Foundation Establishment body with the force.

Lü Yang paid it no mind. Meanwhile, Chong Guang took the initiative to open a palace hall, letting the two enter for a private discussion while he excused himself. Only then did Lü Yang speak in a low voice:

“I seek【Heavenly Fire】. The issue lies within your bloodline.”

“Does Daoist Friend have any method?”

Lü Yang cut straight to the point, causing Yu Zhou’s scalp to tingle again.

Fortunately, ever since he heard that Emperor Huanming of the Dao Court cultivated【Heavenly Fire】, he had spent the past ten years tossing and turning, racking his brain, and had long prepared a response.

The next moment, the old man sighed:

“Reporting to my lord, in the past, the emperor of our clan also deeply studied【Heavenly Fire】. He even obtained a legacy and, with the strength of an entire dynasty, refined and perfected it countless times.”

“Thus came the【True Method of Correct Positional Shifting of Kan and Li】that Lord Chong Guang presented to you. The original version of that method was actually even cruder, full of conjecture and fanciful ideas. Only after many years of refinement by our clan’s emperor did it become a true technique, with practical application.”

Yu Zhou phrased it very tactfully.

He deliberately started by mentioning the【True Method of Correct Positional Shifting of Kan and Li】to create a connection, implying that his family had already done something to aid Lü Yang.

Lü Yang raised his brow slightly at this:

“The【Heavenly Fire】inheritance in your possession—may I have a look at it?”

“It would be my greatest honor!”

Without hesitation, Yu Zhou drew a thick tome from his robes. Its cover, pages, and spine were all forged from brass.

“This is the legacy held by our clan, titled【Radiant Tome of the Celestial Sovereign】.” Holding it high above his head with both hands, the old man offered it to Lü Yang and said softly, “This tome records the divine abilities and arts of【Heavenly Fire】cultivators across various grades, as well as the methods to seek out the corresponding Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiends.”

“【True Method of Correct Positional Shifting of Kan and Li】is also within.”

“The person who penned this inheritance was once the most promising cultivator of【Heavenly Fire】in the world—he was even a True Lord from beyond the heavens.”

“A True Lord?”

Lü Yang was immediately intrigued. He knew that even heterodox True Lords could pursue orthodox positions… but why pursue【Heavenly Fire】of all things?

“That True Lord was no ordinary man.”

At this point, Yu Zhou’s expression turned strange as he spoke in a low tone:

“He was shrouded in mystery. They say he had once attained the rank of True Lord long ago, but was sabotaged and fell from that status, forced to reincarnate and start anew.”

“Yet after reincarnation, not only did he not fade into obscurity, but instead rose against all odds. He became a hegemon beyond the heavens, his cultivation profound to the extreme. Ruthless in his methods and backed by the Sacred Sect, he managed to establish a mighty domain in Jiangbei, rivaling even the Dao Court.”

The more Lü Yang listened, the more uneasy he became.

Why did this story sound so familiar?

After a moment of thought, Lü Yang tentatively asked: “Hong Yun?”

In another timeline… the Hong Yun who hadn’t been betrayed and killed by【Angxiao】and the Heavenly Lord—who had instead found a path forward? I don’t quite buy it.

On the other side, Yu Zhou revealed an awkward expression: “It probably is… but it doesn’t really seem like him either. That’s why I’ve long been confused myself…”

Good grief, even the Zouyu descendants doubt it themselves!

After all, the difference between the two was enormous. Compared to the Hong Yun of this world, what kind of historical divergence could flip his fate so drastically?

For a moment, Lü Yang found karma profoundly strange.

‘I used the【True Method of Correct Positional Shifting of Kan and Li】to shift【Overturning Lamp Fire】into【Heavenly Fire】… could that have been part of this alternate Hong Yun’s original plan?’

‘Quite the ambition he had!’

‘Is it really Hong Yun? Or an imposter?’

With that thought, Lü Yang sent his divine sense into the【Radiant Tome of the Celestial Sovereign】in his hand. Most of its content was useless to him at present.

Only one passage caught his interest:

‘【Heavenly Fire】is hard to obtain, the supreme and only path. 【Heavenly River Water】has waned and lost its mystery. 【Sword Edge Metal】has returned to the sheath, its sharpness concealed. As for【City Head Earth】—not even worth discussing… After much thought, only【Great Forest Wood】seems to hold a sliver of hope.’

Apart from that, Lü Yang had one more question of interest:

‘Come to think of it, since the Zouyu descendants could arrive in this reality from that chaotic history, there must be a passage within the Sacred Sect that links both timelines!’

With this realization, Lü Yang suddenly looked up and asked Yu Zhou: “Hong Yun… the heterodox True Lord you mentioned earlier—what became of him in the end?”

At those words, Yu Zhou’s face immediately turned tense:

“He failed to obtain【Heavenly Fire】and perished. He must have reincarnated once again.”