Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Lü Yang remained completely unscathed.

That golden hairpin formed of gathered radiance halted right before Lü Yang. Blazing golden light kept erupting from it, as if still in a state of rapid flight.

Yet, it could not touch Lü Yang.

Lü Yang merely stared coldly at the hairpin inches from him. His figure, wreathed in flames, remained unmoving, while the talisman at his brow grew ever more radiant.

Seeing this scene, 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 furrowed her elegant brows.

It must be known—this hairpin was no ordinary item, but another true treasure she had refined, named the 【Subduing Qi and Steadying Spirit Hairpin】, possessing power to pierce intent and break techniques.

If Lü Yang had used magic power to block or imagery to defend, it would have surely been shattered in one blow.

‘Why is he unharmed?’

【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 was astounded, unaware that the reason was quite simple: 【Heavenly Inscription Seal】: 【No external object can touch me】.

Upon the activation of this iron law, the distance between Lü Yang and the hairpin had already become infinite.

Even if it surged forward at unimaginable speed toward Lü Yang, in the face of an ”infinite” distance, it was still a drop in the ocean.

Thus, Lü Yang had no need to defend.

Even so, his expression remained solemn.

The profound might of the 【Heavenly Inscription Seal】 was indeed immense, but not easy to wield.

Especially when facing True Lords of equal standing—it was not something he could use recklessly. Specific preconditions had to be met.

‘First, there must be a connection between myself and the opponent.’

For example, when he had fought the True Body Tathagata, he had been able to interfere with the 【Immortal Nation Dao Law】 and the 【Yama Palace】 because the first condition was met.

‘Second, forced inscription is possible, but only one at a time.’

After being slain by the True Body Tathagata, he had resurrected from the Fruit Position, and eventually demoted its rank down to Foundation Establishment—that was this kind of case.

Likewise, forced inscription severely depleted magic power and could not be maintained long.

Naturally, there was a way to save magic power.

‘That is, if the rule to be inscribed has a flaw—then instead of adding, I am completing it. This incurs almost no cost.’

Based on this, Lü Yang’s strategy was straightforward.

‘First, use forced inscription to secure invincibility, then engage and probe for a flaw, finally killing in one blow.’

So, what was 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】’s flaw?

Lü Yang gave a cold smirk. With a single thought, the 【Heavenly Inscription Seal】 immediately manifested text beneath the surging flames, then fused into this world.

“Boom!”

In the next moment, 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】’s expression changed slightly. Her originally stable form began to violently tremble again.

This fluctuation made her involuntarily look to the sky.

‘Bitter Sea.【Hairpin Gold】 is about to withdraw from the world again? Why?’

With that thought, 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 immediately calculated with her fingers and understood the cause: ‘It’s those Buddhist cultivators decapitated by the Unslaying Sword Intent.’

Though there were no more Buddhist cultivators in Jiangxi, that didn’t mean they were all dead.

They lived on—in the storage pouch of the Demon-Slaying True Person.

As they hovered between life and death, technically they were still “alive”, and thus still supported the manifestation of the Fruit Position.

Now, Lü Yang had completed that rule:

【Those near death cannot uphold a Fruit Position】.

This strike hit precisely at the weak point of not just 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 but the other two Pure Land Bodhisattvas as well, immediately shocking them!

‘How could I let him banish me back to Bitter Sea?!’

In a flash, 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 dared not underestimate Lü Yang anymore. She raised her right hand high, radiating Buddhist light, manifesting a treasure wheel.

The treasure wheel rotated, streaming fire and radiance, as if three thousand worlds and all sentient beings revolved with it.

Chanting and sutra recitations filled the air, distorting even the surrounding world. Wherever the treasure wheel turned, only Buddhist Dharma remained; all other forces dissolved.

‘【Four Noble Truths True Dharma Wheel】!’

This was the third and final true treasure refined by 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】, complementing the most essential concept of 【Hairpin Gold】:

【Hidden Golden Boudoir】!

In that instant, her trembling form stabilized once again, no longer affected by Lü Yang’s inscribed law.

‘Suppression by higher rank… clever trick!’

Lü Yang was impressed—not that her profundity surpassed his, but she had used a higher-ranked Fruit Position to forcibly suppress his mystery.

‘Technically, mid-stage Golden Core isn’t that far from early-stage. It’s more like a temporary rise in status… I see now, using true treasures in tandem with Fruit Position insights and a Cave Heaven—this is the path of cultivation at mid-stage Golden Core?’

In a flash, Lü Yang’s eyes lit up!

Lacking Golden Core-level inheritance, ever since achieving 【Heavenly Fire】, he had no clear concept of cultivation at the True Lord level.

But now, he seemed to grasp a clue.

‘Refine true treasures, then combine them, match with a Cave Heaven, augment with Fruit Position insights… It’s like combining ingredients when concocting pills.’

‘No wonder it’s called the Golden Core Realm!’

‘Could it be that cultivation at the True Lord level is essentially an alchemical process—refining a “Golden Core” that points directly to the Dao, to consume it and transcend to immortality?’

Lü Yang speculated.

Between his brows, the talisman burned like a heavenly eye, nearly stripping away the Buddhist robes of 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 to reveal her concealed form.

‘She has another move.’

As the public face of the Pure Land, second only to the World-Honored One, this Bodhisattva was certainly formidable—Lü Yang could sense she still had a killer move hidden.

However—

‘It doesn’t matter.’

In the next second, Lü Yang suddenly smiled brightly, then disappeared before the tense gaze of 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】.

‘Hm? Wait—this is bad!’

Seeing Lü Yang vanish, she first froze, then suddenly realized something was wrong. Looking around, a sense of dread arose.

Where were the Dao Court’s Three Dukes?

This was supposed to be a four-versus-one crushing match, yet since entering the 【Celestial Pillar Siyan Cave Heaven】, only she had acted. Where were the others?

She looked around, only now noticing that the surroundings were filled with radiant lights lit by Lü Yang at the beginning—these lights had blinded her perception, obscuring her sense of place and even her divine sense… until a deafening blast tore the heavens apart, shattering the light:

“Boom!”

Amidst the crumbling radiance appeared a sight that made 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】’s pupils contract sharply—three figures engulfed in heavenly fire.

【Those of highest authority shall be severely punished】

【Those with damaged Cave Heaven shall be severely punished】

【The weakest shall be severely punished】

The Three Dukes of the Dao Court—each had triggered one law and were now being punished by heavenly fire, struggling to cope. Yet one among them had triggered three laws!

“No—!”

Within the raging fire, the one punished by all three rules was none other than the Grand Preceptor, the only one among them whose Cave Heaven was damaged.

All because of True Lord Feixue!

Years ago, Feixue had fought the former Grand Preceptor, shattering his Cave Heaven and forcing him to concede. That injury had never healed!

Thus, among the Three Dukes, the Grand Preceptor was the weakest!

As a True Lord of the Saint Sect, how could Lü Yang let such an opportunity slip? One must always strike the softest target—besides, group attacks were more efficient than solo duels!

In the next second, two figures emerged beside the Grand Preceptor scorched by heavenly fire.

Ancestor Tingyou!

Suohuan!

That rule—【Those near death cannot uphold a Fruit Position】—wasn’t just aimed at 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】, but all Pure Land Bodhisattvas!

She had enough cultivation to resist, but the other two did not, which freed Ancestor Tingyou and Suohuan.

Lü Yang’s initial light display in the 【Celestial Pillar Siyan Cave Heaven】 had perfectly concealed their movements.

By now, it was too late!

At this moment, the Dao Court’s Grand Protector and Grand Tutor were still entangled by heavenly fire. 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 too was bound by Lü Yang’s inscribed law.

“Kill——!”

A thunderous cry echoed throughout the cave heaven and beyond.

Ancestor Tingyou, Suohuan, and Lü Yang struck together—three against one, crushing all chance of failure.

“Boom!”

After the deafening explosion, silence fell across the land.

Then came a crackling sound of shattering, accompanied by surging heavenly fire and lightning radiance that illuminated from the skies and Bitter Sea.

The Cave Heaven had collapsed!

At that moment, all True Lords who saw this scene stood up simultaneously, horror on their faces.

None had expected that in a siege by four True Lords, instead of being trapped in crisis—

Lü Yang had—

Killed one first!