Free Web NovelChapter 598: Chapter 598: Demon-Vanquisher
Although a decision had been made, the crisis was far from over.
The reason was simple:
"I still need time."
Progenitor Tingyou’s expression was grave, the Light of Spiritual Wisdom in his eyes almost overflowing from his pupils. His fingertips nearly rubbed sparks into existence, a sight that even Lü Yang could not comprehend.
But it was still not enough.
"The Celestial Mansion... it’s too distant. Even with the Water and Fire Tribulation on you as a karmic link for positioning, it’s extremely difficult to calculate."
"Worse, its position is constantly shifting, like a surging wave. I can only lock onto it at the exact moment the wave crests. If the wave falls, any attempt at positioning will be off by a hair’s breadth, yet result in a thousand-mile error. A single misstep could even lead us into a fatal deathtrap."
Lü Yang was not surprised to hear this.
After all, the Celestial Mansion was a super Outer Realm, second only to that Broken Place. It was only natural for it to have such a degree of protection.
In fact, for Progenitor Tingyou to be able to lock onto the Celestial Mansion’s position at all under these circumstances, only needing more time, was a display of world-shaking wisdom.
"How much more time do you need?"
"I’ll need at least one more visit to the Void Land," Progenitor Tingyou said in a low voice. "In other words, you have to survive one more of their assassination attempts."
"Alright." Lü Yang nodded readily.
At the same time, Summon also rose and came to Lü Yang’s side, his face calm. "From here on, I’ll have to trouble you, Daoist, to look after Huanxu Heaven for me."
Lü Yang nodded in return.
In the next second, a clear Splendid Light slowly materialized in Summon’s palm. He had pushed the fundamental Profound Mysterious of his Fruit of Spring Water to its absolute limit.
Shared Drink!
In the eyes of many Perfected Lords, the Fruit of Spring Water was not a powerful Fruit. It was too focused on support, and its fundamental Profound Mysterious was far from impressive.
However, only Lü Yang knew just how valuable this Fruit truly was. It might only have one effect—"taking on damage"—but the key was that it could take on *any* damage! No matter the injury, its nature, or its Profound Mysterious, he could perfectly transfer it to himself.
And it wasn’t limited to just one person.
Thus far, the real thing limiting Summon from unleashing the Profound Mysterious of the Fruit of Spring Water was his Cultivation. At the Early Stage of Golden Core, death meant starting over from scratch.
But what if he broke through?
Middle Stage of Golden Core, Pocket World Falling, infinite Resurrection... At that point, he could take on the injuries of others without any limit!
What was the difference between that and being invincible?
A top-tier support Position!
In the next instant, cracks began to appear on Summon’s Dharma Body as the light of water and fire emerged, while the fissures on Lü Yang’s body rapidly vanished.
Immediately after, a visible bloody line appeared on Summon’s neck. In the span of just a few breaths, he had grafted all of Lü Yang’s injuries onto himself, simultaneously transferring all his Mana to Lü Yang, allowing Lü Yang’s Qi trace to return to its peak!
"CRACK!"
With a soft snap, Summon’s head started to fall from his neck, but he caught it just in time. A bloody light slowly trickled from his seven orifices.
"It’s fine. I’m not dead yet."
Summon smiled faintly, showing no sign of pain... Compared to the agony of waiting for hundreds of years, bitterly seeking the Golden Core without success, this was nothing.
He welcomed it gladly.
As his voice fell, Summon’s figure quickly dimmed and sank into the deepest part of the Righteous Banner. Lü Yang did not delay, immediately forming a Daoist Hand Seal and shaking the Banner.
Instantly, billowing purple qi around the Righteous Banner howled over and submerged Summon. It helped suppress and stabilize the transferred injuries, keeping his Dharma Body from being destroyed and his Grotto Heaven from collapsing. This was the last of the three new Divine Effects added after Lü Yang had refined it into a True Treasure.
Defend the Righteous!
As its name implied, this Divine Effect was designed specifically to protect the Banner Spirit. With its suppression, it could at least prevent Summon from perishing on the spot.
Only after doing all this did Lü Yang take a deep breath.
At this moment, Progenitor Tingyou was still calculating with his eyes closed, seemingly having lost all perception of the outside world. Empress Xiao, however, sighed and walked toward Lü Yang.
"I’ve really been dragged through the mud by you, my dear foe..."
Lü Yang chuckled. "I won’t take the blame for that. Back then, it was clearly you, Your Majesty the Empress, who was begging me, and quite enthusiastically at that."
Hearing this, Empress Xiao’s face broke into a smile. "You’re not wrong about that. These past few days have truly been more blissful than the last few hundred years of my life."
"Enough, enough."
As her voice fell, Empress Xiao gently raised her hands in the shape of a lotus pedestal, manifesting the Incense Fruit Position of the Seven Luminaries Heaven and presenting it to Lü Yang.
"I am merely of the Outer Dao; I can’t help you much."
"After thinking it over, all I have is this True Monarch’s Body. The Incense Divine Power might still be of some use. Keep my Fruit Position True Spirit for me, and don’t let me really die."
Lü Yang nodded and collected it with the Righteous Banner.
Just then, the Void Land trembled. Lü Yang knew this was a silent warning. If he didn’t return to the Current World to recover, staying any longer would mean certain death.
"...Let’s go!"
The next second, Lü Yang put away the Righteous Banner, leaving Progenitor Tingyou to continue his calculations, while he and Empress Xiao plunged into the Outer Heaven Sea of Light.
In a flash of lightning and flint, a Sword Light was already upon them.
Just as Lü Yang had guessed, upon entering the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, True Monarch Gangxing was right there in front of him, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
"BOOM!"
"CLANG!"
Two massive explosions rang out in the Outer Heaven Sea of Light. The first was Empress Xiao self-detonating without hesitation; the second was the ring of True Monarch Gangxing’s sword.
Although Empress Xiao was only an Outer Dao True Monarch, barely a Fifth Grade at that, she was a True Monarch nonetheless. The power of her self-sacrifice was considerable. It was enough to block True Monarch Gangxing’s Sword Light for a single instant, buying Lü Yang precious time to react.
’Enlightenment!’
The Righteous Banner unfurled, and a powerful force of Enlightenment swept out like a great wind. In a way, this was also a form of Deprive.
It simply Deprived one of their Intention and mind.
However, True Monarch Gangxing was a Great Perfected Lord, after all. He had been affected for a moment before because he was unprepared. How could he fall for the same trick again?
’My heart is like a sword, clear and bright!’
The Sword Light did not waver, completely unaffected by the Enlightenment. After slashing through the aftermath of Empress Xiao’s self-detonation, it continued its path toward Lü Yang’s neck.
Upon the three-foot blade, the light of Victory shone brilliantly.
In that same instant, True Monarch Gangxing’s Position was even soaring. With one slash, his entire being seemed to enter a transcendent state.
An elevation of Position!
To ensure this strike would kill Lü Yang, while activating his Sealed Title Sword Intent, he had also forcibly restored his own Position to the Great Perfected Lord level!
This single action crushed all of Lü Yang’s preparations.
If True Monarch Gangxing had remained at the state of a First-class Perfected Lord, Lü Yang, now restored to his peak, could have tanked the hit and survived.
But now, things were different.
The Position of a Great Perfected Lord crashed down. Wherever the sword pointed, the Engraving Laws on Lü Yang’s brow instantly extinguished, unable to channel even a hint of its Profound Mysterious!
It was obvious that True Monarch Gangxing had, in that split second, noticed Lü Yang’s recovery. Combined with Empress Xiao’s unhesitating self-detonation, it made him realize he had fallen a step behind, giving Lü Yang a chance to breathe. But how could a Sword Species like him give his enemy an opportunity?
"Die!"
The Sword Light flashed. It was about to slay Lü Yang, cause his Grotto Heaven to collapse, and damage the manifestation of the Fruit of Celestial Fire, thus completing his entire scheme—
"ZING!!!"
At this critical moment, a third sword hum rang out in the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, triggering two changes at once and instantly disrupting the foregone conclusion.
The first change was to True Monarch Gangxing’s Victory Sword Intent.
Without any warning, the magnificent Sword Intent that should have been enough to kill Lü Yang suddenly withered. Its manifestation collapsed, and it lost the Profound Mysterious that guaranteed Lü Yang’s death.
The second change was to Lü Yang’s Unyielding Sword Intent.
In stark contrast to True Monarch Gangxing, this Sword Intent surged violently, allowing Lü Yang to endure the moment he was struck by the Sword Light.
With one side waning and the other waxing—
"BOOM!"
Lü Yang stumbled back a step, one hand clamped to the top of his own head, holding it down with all his might. Half of his head was already severed from his neck, but he had managed to stabilize it.
He wasn’t dead!
On the other side, True Monarch Gangxing stood frozen in place, his expression darker than ever before as he silently looked toward the source of the Variable.
"DRIP. DROP."
Blood dripped, blooming in the Outer Heaven Sea of Light.
Where True Monarch Gangxing’s gaze fell, he saw only a sword, a person—a person who, according to his calculations, should not have been here.
"Demon-Vanquishing Perfected... Ye Guangji..."
True Monarch Gangxing let out a low sigh. "Why must you do this? What’s so bad about staying in the South and being the Demon-Vanquisher?"
His answer was a pair of blazing white eyes, filled with Splendid Light—calm, yet resolute.
