Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Although ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it sounded unreasonable, the Manifested Tathāgata was no fool. In the next instant, he grasped the truth: ‘The future possibility from within the 【Pseudo-History】.’

‘It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍can only be that!’

In ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a flash, the Manifested Tathāgata nearly ground his Buddha teeth to dust—not because of Lü Yang, but due to the true mastermind behind all of this—

‘The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍First Saint.’

After ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all, had the other party not opened the path to the 【Pseudo-History】, how could Lü Yang have found a chance to turn the tables? Every time he fought with that damned creature, it always ended like this: after painstakingly plotting and scheming, laying out everything carefully, the other party merely made a single move, and he was utterly defeated.

‘Hm? ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍No—something’s off!’

The next second, the Manifested Tathāgata abruptly snapped to attention and realized: ‘These aren’t my emotions—these are the emotions of the World-Honored One? Is the World-Honored One currently furious?’

The anger came fast and left just as quickly.

In the end, the Manifested Tathāgata and the Buddha Child Manifestation were one and the same, not truly the World-Honored One, merely an enlightenment-spawned incarnation, and thus there remained an essential difference.

So he swiftly regained his composure.

‘The Sword Dao Fruit Position… it likely can’t be stopped. The Sword Pavilion wouldn’t allow it. Moreover, regarding Demon-Cleansing—him attaining True Lord status doesn’t really concern the Sword Pavilion.’

To be precise, it didn’t concern the Dao Lord of the Sword Pavilion.

What truly mattered were the True Lords—after all, no True Lord of the Sword Pavilion would be happy seeing the Sword Intent they painstakingly cultivated being influenced by another’s True Lord might.

Yet now, the True Lords had secluded themselves.

“Clang clang！”

With no obstruction whatsoever, atop the Extreme Heaven Cliff of Jiangnan, the face of the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing turned deathly pale. The shard of light in his hand vanished without a trace at that moment.

That was given to him by Lü Yang.

From within the 【Pseudo-History】, something left behind by Hongtian—【the possibility of attaining the Sword Dao Fruit Position and surviving】—had become the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing’s last straw of salvation.

Yet the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing didn’t spend even a second savoring the feeling of becoming a True Lord. Instead, he immediately gripped the hilt of the 【No-Kill Sword】 at his waist. Then, drawing the blade from its sheath, under the radiant gleam of cold light, his figure vanished from the spot. In the next instant, the very hue of heaven and earth changed！

“The sky… is tearing open！”

From Jiangnan, stretching all the way to Jiangdong, a massive rift split the sky, scattering sun, moon, and stars, turning boundless heavenly radiance into a sky full of flowing fire.

Countless cultivators unconsciously looked up, gazing toward the heavens.

And within their pupils, all involuntarily reflected the image of a treasured sword—gleaming like a mirrored spring, spanning the sky, with peerless sharpness aimed directly at the Jiangdong region.

In that moment, all things fell silent.

Only a single sword cry resounded—crisp and pleasant, shattering metal and stone—rushing forward without hesitation toward the Manifested Tathāgata, making the Buddha’s face suddenly contort in shock！

‘Fruit Position Imagery… no, this nears the profound mysteries of the Fruit Position itself！’

“To think that even as an external path, it holds such power？”

“Clearly just freshly manifested from emptiness, without any cultivation yet, and already possesses such might, able to govern over killing—this is truly an upper-class treasured sword！”

While pondering, the Manifested Tathāgata unfurled his forty-eight thousand arms, and received this strike from the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing using the 【Jambudvīpa Saha Blessed Realm】.

‘No matter—it remains within my control！’

Though the uproar of gold-seeking had startled him, upon calming down, the Manifested Tathāgata’s smile became colder and more mocking.

The reason was simple—

‘The future… still hasn’t changed！’

He could see it plainly. At this very moment, Lü Yang remained trapped in the future of 【Failed to Seek Gold, Body Perished and Dao Dispersed】. No matter how the process altered, the result did not.

In the end, it was just a dying struggle！

With this in mind, the Manifested Tathāgata regained his sense of calm. Yet, despite that, he had no intention of giving Lü Yang any more time to play tricks.

‘Kill him！’

In truth, from the moment Lü Yang accepted the future of 【Failed Gold Seeking】, to the moments when Empress Xiao, Chongguang, and the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing each sought gold in succession—only a few breaths had passed.

And even so, such drastic upheavals had occurred. This deeply alarmed the Manifested Tathāgata. If this man were allowed to act further, he might truly reverse the entire situation… With such murderous intent boiling, the Manifested Tathāgata made a shocking move.

“Crack！”

In the next second, he actually abandoned the clash with the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing, allowing that sword strike to slash into his body. At the same time, his forty-eight thousand arms all extended.

The arms split into four directions, each comprising twelve thousand limbs. Then, twisting bones and joints, they formed—centered on the Manifested Tathāgata himself—a massive 【卍】-shaped dharma seal. All forty-eight thousand arms struck simultaneously, their two hundred forty thousand fingers closing into a mighty fist seal：

“BOOM！”

In that instant, an indescribably tyrannical imagery emerged—two hundred forty thousand fingers clenched into a fist, as though grasping heaven and earth itself.

The past cannot be pursued, the future changes infinitely—only the present is real and unshakable！

This was an imagery of “Grasping the Present.” The moment it appeared, it seemed to freeze time and space; all motion ceased in this single instant.

In this still world, only the fist imprint of the Manifested Tathāgata pushed forward slowly, step by step ascending, and was about to strike Lü Yang—shattering him completely—

“.Heh.”

The Manifested Tathāgata’s eyes suddenly widened.

What had he just seen？ Lü Yang, whose divine sense should have been suppressed by the “Grasping the Present” imagery, leaving him unable to react at all—

Smiled？

The Manifested Tathāgata didn’t continue pondering. His fist seal still struck Lü Yang, for that fatal future still clung to him. To realize that future, this punch of the Manifested Tathāgata was empowered by causality, manifesting the concepts of “inevitable hit” and “inevitable death.”

This restored the Manifested Tathāgata’s confidence.

Let alone Lü Yang, merely a pseudo-Golden Core. Even a proper True Lord—say, that 【True Lord of Heaven-Bearing Virtue】—would still be killed by this punch！

“RUMBLE RUMBLE！”

The next second, time resumed. Thunderous echoes resounded, and Lü Yang’s body crumbled and scattered under the 【卍】-shaped fist seal of the Manifested Tathāgata.

Of course, the Manifested Tathāgata paid a price for this.

“PFFFT！”

The sword light of the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing showed no mercy—slashing diagonally into his shoulder, then across his chest and down to his side—a smooth, unimpeded strike.

Nearly cleaving him in half！

“AHHH——！”

The Manifested Tathāgata cried out in pain, yet his eyes brimmed with laughter. He still had a chance. Though the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】 had shriveled severely due to the conceptual shifts in Jiangbei, Jiangxi, and Jiangnan, the foundation remained—it could allow him to resurrect once, more than enough to deal with the remaining cleanup.

‘No matter what, that demon dragon shall die without a grave…’

As he thought this, the Manifested Tathāgata noticed that, for some reason, time passed excruciatingly slow. Even the pain of being struck by the Real Person of Demon‑Cleansing seemed elongated.

‘.What is happening？’

The Manifested Tathāgata strained every effort to circulate divine sense, laboriously thinking：

‘What… has happened？’

‘Something… is wrong.’

‘Why…’

Finally, in the sluggish depths of his thoughts, the Manifested Tathāgata identified the problem: despite Lü Yang’s apparent death, the radiance of 【Heavenly Fire】 hadn’t dimmed.

Instead—it had grown even brighter.

The next second, from within that brilliant 【Heavenly Fire】, a figure leisurely stepped forth, each motion unhurried, as though taking a casual stroll through a garden.

It was Lü Yang！

In an instant, the Manifested Tathāgata’s pupils constricted sharply. He couldn’t comprehend what had occurred… until he saw the vast might slowly emerging behind Lü Yang.

‘That is…’

The Manifested Tathāgata looked out—and saw only a dense array of talismans, as though explaining the truths of the Great Dao, transforming into burning symbols one by one.

The fundamental mystery of 【Heavenly Fire】——The Chapter of Heavenly Inscription.