Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Overseas, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍atop the raging waves, Lü Yang spoke and then stood with hands behind his back, gazing at the boundless world and the celestial realms clustered around him.

‘True ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lord... Heh, True Lord!’

Lü ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yang tried hard to hold back his expression, indulging in the joy of this moment, even ignoring the gazes from the four Dao Lords falling upon him.

So ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what? Kill me if you can.

With ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a thought, a blazing flame ignited at the center of his brows, reflecting a talisman with dragon-shaped characters and phoenix-like seal script, like a heavenly eye, calmly gazing into the sky.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this moment, his gaze pierced through the Foundation Establishment realm, through the Sea of Bitterness, and saw those fruit positions drifting above it, along with their masters. In a daze, he even seemed to glimpse a vast, boundless domain far removed from the Sea of Bitterness—yet utterly unreachable.

Without becoming a True Lord, one could not comprehend the power of a True Lord.

So-called pseudo-possession, though it borrowed the profundity of a fruit position, was ultimately still false. The soul did not undergo qualitative change, and many things remained unseen, like a leaf obscuring the eyes.

In a word: He was fed up with it.

Let alone that this was the 【Heavenly Fire】, a supreme fruit position, inherently half a head above others and far closer to the domain of the four Dao Lords.

Precisely because of this, Lü Yang understood:

‘The four Dao Lords... likely it’s not that they won’t intervene in the mortal world—but that they can’t, or rather, they can’t without damaging their own Dao paths!’

If cultivation were likened to mountain climbing—

Mortals would be the earth supporting the mountains, Qi Refining would be the rubble at the foot, Foundation Establishment a small ascent, and a True Lord would be halfway up the mountain.

As for Nascent Soul Dao Lords—they were at the summit.

Or rather, on the path toward the summit. And the higher they climbed, the harder it became to interfere with the base, the foot, or even the mid-levels of the mountain.

‘A Nascent Soul Dao Lord, in their climb to the peak, would find it extremely costly to intervene in the mundane matters below. It’s not that they can’t, but they would have to descend, and that would nullify all prior progress. They’d have to start all over again.’

Unless their bottom line was touched—who would ever be willing to do that?

‘Only the World-Honored One would!’

Lü Yang grumbled inwardly: ‘That World-Honored One interferes in the mortal world the most frequently... which also suggests he likely hasn’t climbed as far as the others!’

Always picking on us junior cultivators!

These were all the insights granted to Lü Yang by his supreme fruit position, and under spiritual perception, he didn’t even need to deduce—much knowledge just naturally flooded into his mind.

Thus he was certain: the four Dao Lords would never descend just for him. Foundation Establishment aside, they saw it as a speck of dust. But a True Lord was already significant, and a Supreme Fruit Position even more so. If a Dao Lord wanted to kill him, they’d truly have to descend several steps.

But which of the four Dao Lords would do it?

If any one of them did, the other three would surely seize the opportunity to ascend rapidly—causing the one who acted to fall behind with every step.

It wouldn’t bring any benefit—in fact, it would only make one fall behind the others in the Dao path. Who would want to do something so foolish?

‘The only variable... is likely the World-Honored One.’

‘His cultivation is perhaps the lowest, the cost to kill me the least. And he holds a grudge against me. If he acts, the other Dao Lords would definitely be happy to watch.’

The next second, Lü Yang got his answer.

Among the four gazes upon him, the one belonging to the World-Honored One lingered only briefly before decisively withdrawing.

This was no surprise to Lü Yang.

Though shameless, the World-Honored One saw clearly—what he pursued was the Dao. Beyond that, nothing mattered. Such a decision was unsurprising.

Soon, the other three Dao Lords also withdrew their gazes in turn.

Only the last gaze lingered the longest on him. The pressure Lü Yang felt from it was also the greatest, and he knew exactly who it was.

‘The Founding Ancestor of the Sacred Sect!’

Lü Yang didn’t hesitate. He cupped his hands and bowed toward that gaze.

To speak fairly, his success in attaining 【Heavenly Fire】 owed at least seventy percent to the Founding Ancestor of the Sacred Sect. Whatever the motive, this was a favor.

And a favor—must be repaid.  

That bow was Lü Yang expressing his stance. Once he finished the salute, the final gaze seemed satisfied, and gradually faded into nothingness.

As for the other side——

“Humph!”

Lü Yang lowered his head. With a mere thought, he sensed a vast invisible web suddenly spreading toward him through his identity as “Emperor Huanming”.

In an instant, Lü Yang saw that the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】 had granted him full access. Not only could he see every celestial realm it had ever captured, but also the four fruit positions hidden within, and an enormous trove of Dao attainments—even useful to Golden Core cultivators—all awaiting his approval.

Return to the Dao Court, and all of this would be mine?

All previous misunderstandings could be set aside—as long as I return, “The Huanming Reign” would no longer be a false dynasty. The True Dragon Clan would even become Dao Court royalty?

‘Believe that and I’m a damn fool!’

Lü Yang sneered coldly. Having long seen through the Dao Court’s livestock-raising style, how could he fall for such lies again? No matter how many privileges they offered, livestock was still livestock.

Step into that pit, and the only difference would be when you’re devoured.

In the next second, Lü Yang didn’t hesitate—he severed all ties with the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】. Screw that trash Dao Court! I’m done!

【The Chapter of Heavenly Inscription】!

As the fire talisman between his brows surged, a new line of text soon emerged within the operating rules of the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】:

【After the Emperor abdicates, he is no different from a commoner】

The moment the rule took effect, Lü Yang’s renunciation of the “Emperor Huanming” identity rapidly severed all connections with the system.

‘This is likely why the Dao Court didn’t want me to truly attain 【Heavenly Fire】—this power to rewrite rules is far too overpowered, and extremely effective against the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】. If I wished, even if the 【Heavenly Fire】 were captured, I could rescue the fruit position.’

In any case, the matter with the Dao Court was settled.

Lü Yang looked around at heaven and earth—then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. At this moment, he stood independent from all four great powers, with skies high and oceans wide before him, free to gallop and roam!

‘Perhaps... I too can found a Dao lineage!’

After all, even the four Dao Lords left behind Dao lineages—this showed they were meaningful even for Nascent Souls.

Though Lü Yang didn’t yet know what that meaning was, it didn’t stop him from copying their homework. Better to be prepared—no harm in that.

Moreover——

‘Never mind mine for now, at the very least the Witch Ghost Path must be established first. I’ll make the front look nice, and when Ancestor returns, he’ll have a surprise.’

Lü Yang hadn’t forgotten that in his recent quest for the Golden Core, the dangers he faced differed from Hongtian’s. Two major advantages were:

First, the Sword Pavilion didn’t attack him.

Second, the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】 didn’t deploy its fruit position powers—saving him considerable trouble.

As for the first, Lü Yang knew well—it was his own scheming.

He helped the Real Person of Demon-Cleansing attain the Sword Dao fruit position, even become a True Lord of the Sword Dao, freeing the Sword Pavilion from the burden of a titled sword intent—and thus from acting against him.

The latter, however, had nothing to do with him.

‘Thinking back... it must have been Ancestor who, above the Sea of Bitterness, held off Emperor Jiayou and others, preventing the Dao Court from leveraging the fruit positions under its rule.’

His ascension—was not by his strength alone.

Pushing aside sentimentality, Lü Yang once again clenched his fists, heart ablaze:

‘Founding a Dao lineage, consolidating my forces, gathering allies, seeking the path of Golden Core and True Lord cultivation—and uncovering the secrets beyond the heavens...’

There were still many things to do!

As for where to found a Dao lineage—Lü Yang had decided: Jiangxi was spacious enough now. Since the World-Honored One no longer wanted it, it should become my Dao ground!

And the Buddhist cultivators of Jiangxi didn’t object much either.

If anyone might, it would be the Pure Land Bodhisattvas atop the Sea of Bitterness. But no matter—another fight would just have to happen.

‘I’m terrifyingly strong now!’

‘Pure Land Bodhisattvas—stuck in between—are the perfect whetstones for me!’

Of course, before that, there was one even more important matter.

In the next instant, Lü Yang turned with great anticipation toward his side—and there, a book visible only to him slowly opened:

【Hundred Lifetimes Book】!