Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Chapter 557: The World is a Vast Primordial Saint Sect

Lu Yang did not wait long.

Almost exactly one month after the conversation ended, Lu Yang sensed that his puppet had been reactivated, and he immediately projected his consciousness over.

However, this time, the scene before his eyes had drastically changed.

It was a grand and majestic high platform. At a glance, Lu Yang saw that it pierced straight into the clouds, not unlike the 【Star-Plucking Tower】 he had built in the Dao Court.

‘But it’s several layers shorter, only about half the height of the 【Star-Plucking Tower】.’

Of course, that was to be expected. After all, in the Dao Court, he stood alone at the top, whereas although Hongtian was the Imperial Preceptor of the Immortal Court, he was clearly only one among several power-holders.

The next second, Lu Yang looked toward Hongtian, who was seated upright atop the high platform, and declared loudly: “Daoist friend, you’ve reached the Golden Core.”

“Correct.”

Upon hearing this, Hongtian nodded and said, “After all, I had long since made thorough preparations. If not for that discussion with you that day, I would’ve achieved it half a month ago.”

“The reason I invited you here,” he said with a slight smile, “was to have you witness this event. After all, observing from the outside is not as clear as witnessing from here. From here, Daoist friend, you should be able to see it all clearly. Let this also serve as my thanks for your guidance.”

At that moment, a voice suddenly entered Lu Yang’s ear:

“I buried something on Lonely Heart Island overseas. If I succeed today, it won’t be needed. But if I fail and perish, then that item shall be yours.”

Hearing this, Lu Yang’s brows raised slightly.

Before he could respond, Hongtian—seeming as if he had just cast off a mental burden—flourished his sleeves and rose, stepping boldly down from the high platform.

“Boom!”

Just like that, Hongtian stood in the sky, his aura instantly radiating across the four seas. All under 【Pseudo-History】 involuntarily sensed it.

At the same moment, the brilliance of the 【Heavenly Fire】 blazed bright.

Lu Yang saw it clearly: above Hongtian’s head, a divine light rose slowly, revealing countless palace illusions—it was his Blessed Land.

‘【Hongguang Blessed Land】.’

From this Blessed Land at the center, Lu Yang saw a dense web spreading out—it was the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】, called 【Heavenly Kingdom Supreme Law】 in 【Pseudo-History】, but essentially the same. And this vast net was now expanding unrestrained toward the Five Domains!

‘It has begun!’

For every area the net covered, the light of the 【Heavenly Fire】 illuminated that land, and Hongtian’s aura grew stronger, ever closer to the fruit-position in the heavens.

This was the ritual of the 【Heavenly Fire】.

Soon, Lu Yang seemed to see the myriad beings of the Five Domains—mountains, rivers, and lands—all appearing in turn, pressing down upon Hongtian.

“Crack! Crack!”

In that instant, Hongtian’s body emitted audible cracking sounds, but the next second, a dark-gold radiance emerged from him.

【Heaven】!

Hongtian had actually cultivated this Tier-Two divine art, and now it strengthened his body enough to easily bear the crushing weight of the Five Domains.

And at the moment he withstood this pressure—

Across the Five Domains, from birds and fish to ordinary mortals, from Foundation Establishment True Persons to spiritual materials and treasures, all felt an overwhelming pressure.

Ruling the world, making it oneʼs own!

This was the effect of the 【Heavenly Fire】 ritual—only by ruling the world could one transform it into a stepping stone to reach the location of the 【Heavenly Fire】!

At the same time, Hongtian took a step forward.

Beneath his feet appeared the landscape of countless mountains and rivers, forming steps that supported him as he ascended, surrounded by their imagery.

In the next instant, his figure disappeared.

‘His status has risen—Foundation Establishment no longer exists in the present world!’

Lu Yang immediately shifted his perspective. The Foundation Establishment True Persons and even Golden Core True Lords in 【Pseudo-History】 turned their gaze toward the Foundation Establishment Realm.

At that moment, Hongtian stood within the Foundation Establishment Realm, hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky—where the light of the 【Heavenly Fire】 shone even brighter. It was a realm beyond reality, the lowest layer of the 【Sea of Bitterness】, and the necessary path to enter the fruit-position and cross the Sea of Bitterness.

The Sea of Bitterness is boundless, the fruit-position is the boat.

To forge a Golden Core and enter the fruit-position was like a mortal in the bitter sea finding a boat—never again needing to fear drowning in the depths.

“Dong!”

A deep boom echoed through the Foundation Establishment Realm. Hongtian continued to rise as the light beneath his feet gathered, slowly lifting him and his Blessed Land.

At the same time, Hongtian slowly spoke:

“【Emperor Commander of Fate】.”

As his words fell, a twelve-streamer imperial crown landed on his head, divine light shining forth, solidifying the stairs made from the shadows of sentient beings.

Hongtian continued upward.

Like a mortal climbing a mountain, with the 【Heavenly Fire】 hanging in the heavens, he stepped upon the myriad beings, ascending toward the fruit-position.

Halfway there, he paused to rest, only to see the path ahead still long, yet no new steps formed beneath him—as if the road had ended. But Hongtian showed no surprise. After resting briefly, he uttered another Daoist invocation:

“【Guiyuan Palace】.”

In an instant, the imagery beneath his feet transformed—pavilions and palaces, houses and towers emerged, manifestations of civilization across the land.

At this moment, they too became stepping stones for Hongtian.

With this new image added, the steps beneath him regained their luster, continuing to stretch toward the 【Heavenly Fire】.

Hongtian continued climbing.

By this point, Lu Yang could barely see him—only a silhouette wrapped in radiance, thunderous Dao sounds spreading forth:

“【Union of Heaven and Earth】!”

The illusory steps transformed by this divine ability now held sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers—and in that moment, all creation fell into darkness!

As if the entirety of heaven and earth had been packed into the steps beneath Hongtian’s feet!

Until—

“Fwoosh!”

With the first spark of flame igniting in the darkness, all things were illuminated once more—it was the 【Heavenly Fire】, and below it stood a figure.

Hongtian stood with hands behind his back, gazing upon the supreme fruit-position before him.

Then he nodded slightly, and as his lips moved, heavenly radiance flickered. A final voice echoed—calm and detached, yet each word rang out like thunder:

“【Coiling Dragon Root】!”

Four innate divine abilities manifested at that moment, wondrous and resplendent, jointly lifting Hongtian and his Blessed Land to step into the 【Heavenly Fire】.

And at that exact moment, the once aloof, elusive 【Heavenly Fire】 became closer to the world than ever before, causing mortals to reach out toward the light of the sun and moon, as if they could pluck it down with ease—

“Seize it!”

In that moment, the Immortal Court moved.

The 【Heavenly Kingdom Supreme Law】 that had supported Hongtian suddenly recoiled like a fishing net lying in wait—swooping toward the 【Heavenly Fire】!

And not only that.

Even Hongtian’s 【Hongguang Blessed Land】 was caught in the net’s range, beginning to show signs of dissolution!

To capture the 【Heavenly Fire】, the 【Heavenly Kingdom Supreme Law】 now held nothing back.

All its imagery was laid bare.

And all of it was clearly seen by Lu Yang, who stood directly beneath the site where Hongtian sought enlightenment—he saw the truth hidden behind the vast net.

‘One... two... ten...’

Lu Yang couldn’t help but hold his breath—for at the bottom of that vast net, he saw countless dazzling, intact Cave Heavens!

Not fragments. Not ruins. Whole Cave Heavens!

In an instant, Lu Yang recalled an old Dao Court rumor: every Dao Court Emperor, after ruling for a thousand years, would “ascend on a dragon’s chariot” and leave.

Taking their Cave Heavens with them.

“Hiss—!”

Lu Yang drew a sharp breath, a chill piercing to his core. The so-called companions of the Dao Lord... were nothing more than fodder for the 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】!

——At first, the net had been small.

Until it caught its first prey: the very first Emperor of the Dao Court. Their origins, background, and fruit-position had long since been buried by time.

But as more and more Cave Heavens were captured, the net grew, until it reached its current terrifying, grand scale.

‘The 【Laws of the Immortal Kingdom】... are actually the Dao Court’s 【Sword Dao Fruit-Position】!’

It was manifested using a Tier-One Supreme Technique!

‘No wonder the Dao Court shut its borders and ignored the outside world... the Dao Court Dao Lord had already laid the foundation. He didn’t need to do anything—just develop and wait!’

The entire Dao Court. All of Jiangdong.

Everyone was nourishment for the Dao Court Dao Lord. Even the seemingly carefree, self-cultivating royal clans were nothing more than refined resources!

‘It’s just like a... ranch!’

Once, Lu Yang thought that compared to the Sacred Sect and Sword Pavilion, the cultivators of the Dao Court seemed bland—ill-suited to this chaotic land.

Now he finally understood:

‘Mortals are chickens and ducks, cultivators are pigs and cattle, and the royal emperors... are nothing but sheepdogs guarding the ranch! Livestock—what personality do they need?’

It was just like—

‘Sacred Sect methods!?’

For a moment, Lu Yang’s jaw dropped, speechless: yes, the Dao Court Dao Lord’s designs on Jiangdong were exactly like the Sacred Sect’s designs on talent.

Even more extreme than the Sacred Sect.

‘Could the Dao Court Dao Lord... be related to the Sacred Sect?’

‘The World-Honored One trained in the Sacred Sect... the Dao Court Dao Lord has ties to the Sacred Sect too... so this whole wretched place—the world—is just one massive Primordial Sacred Sect!?’