Chapter 417: Times Are No Longer the Same!

“Boom rumble rumble!”

At this moment, as the circular radiance transformed by 【Same as the World】 slowly revolved, thunder roared across heaven and earth, making Guang Ming Buddha Child frown.

Even the Buddha Palm froze for an instant.

If it had truly been the World-Honored One before him, he naturally would not have cared about such a threat. However, he was not the World-Honored One, and right now he instead felt somewhat apprehensive, as though a rat hesitating to bite the cat.

On the other side, at the very center of the radiance, Lü Yang’s robes also fluttered in the wind as he stood with hands behind his back, his gaze locked onto Guang Ming Buddha Child. After all, just a little over ten years ago, he too had been forced to the sect’s gate by this same Buddha Child, nearly slain on the spot.

That scene remained vivid in Lü Yang’s memory to this day.

But now, his identity had already changed. He had no karmic ties to his Sword Dao Incarnation, so Guang Ming Buddha Child could not recognize him. Instead, the Buddha Child merely smiled and said:

“May I dare ask for benefactor’s name?”

Lü Yang grinned in return, baring his teeth with a sinister smile: “My surname is Lü, my name is Daddy. The full name is Lü Daddy. Since today we meet as kindred spirits, Daoist Friend may directly call me Daddy.”

The moment these words fell, heaven and earth fell silent.

Though they were overseas, the sea breeze ceased to blow, the waves stopped surging, and the ocean became as calm as flat ground. An invisible pressure suffused all of heaven and earth.

Not far away, Xiang Ye and Hong Ju were utterly dumbstruck.

‘This is definitely a True Person of my Saint Sect… No, even among True Persons of the Saint Sect, this one must belong to that category of mentally unsound!’

‘Since when did Lord Hong Yun become this arrogant…’

‘Madman!’

Looking across the world, who did not secretly resent the World-Honored One’s shameless act of fishing for weaklings? But until now, who had dared speak it aloud?

Not to mention cursing him to his face—people did not even dare whisper that the World-Honored One was shameless in private. They could only cloak it in euphemisms. Everyone knew the World-Honored One bore grudges. If an insult reached his ears, and he retaliated, it would mean ruin.

Yet Lü Yang cursed him.

And not only cursed—he even added seniority! To call it “fearless” was an understatement. Even True Lords would not dare speak this way to Guang Ming Buddha Child!

Such audacity!

Such arrogance!

Was he not afraid of death?

“...”

At that moment, the smile on Guang Ming Buddha Child’s face slowly faded. The Dharma Aspect behind him lowered its eyelids, staring intently at Lü Yang.

“Even if I dare call it, would Benefactor dare acknowledge it?”

As his words fell, Lü Yang suddenly felt as if an invisible mountain crashed down on his back, attempting to force him into a bow.

Yet he laughed.

“What would I not dare?”

As he spoke, he not only refused to bow but instead straightened his spine like an unsheathed sword piercing the heavens, meeting Guang Ming Buddha Child’s gaze head-on.

The stare of the Dharma Aspect was enough to make even a late-stage Foundation Establishment True Person bend at the waist, and even a Foundation Establishment Great Completion cultivator would feel crushing pressure.

But for Lü Yang, this was child’s play.

【Sword Intent】!

Although only a seed, and not yet honed to the perfection of Real Person Dangmo’s 【Sword Intent of No Killing】, it was more than sufficient to resist oppressive might.

‘Did you think you could toy with me like you did over ten years ago?’

Times were no longer the same!

“Swish swish!”

Standing with hands behind his back, Lü Yang’s halo of 【Same as the World】 fused even deeper with heaven and earth, his bearing utterly fearless and confident.

At last, Guang Ming Buddha Child spoke:

“Does Benefactor truly believe his divine power invincible?”

Even before his voice faded, his palms were pressed together. Behind him, the 【Earthly Buddha Nation】 suddenly expanded, merging with 【Victorious Enlightenment Mandala Manifestation】.

“Boom!”

In an instant, the entire 【Victorious Enlightenment Mandala Manifestation】 swelled violently, and within the 【Earthly Buddha Nation】 countless monks chanted in unison:

“Good indeed! Good indeed!”

“Our Buddha is merciful!”

“Namo Victorious Enlightenment Mandala Manifesting World Buddha!”

Amidst the myriad chants, the Dharma Aspect slowly extended its arms. One became ten, ten became a hundred, a hundred became a thousand. In but a blink, it manifested forty-eight thousand arms!

In the center of each palm opened a Dharma Eye.

And within each Dharma Eye swirled endless visions: temples, Zen forests, pagoda towers—supreme realms of the Great Vehicle, Pure Lands of Utmost Bliss.

“Amitabha!”

The next moment, all forty-eight thousand arms formed seals, pinched mudras, and manifested dharmas. Suddenly, heaven and earth resounded with a deafening crash.

“Crack!”

Lü Yang’s expression changed abruptly.

The radiance behind his head—【Same as the World】—dimmed, its link with heaven and earth severed in an instant!

‘As expected…’

Though his gaze grew grave, he did not panic. After all, the greatest strength of 【Same as the World】 was in concealment, striking before being exposed.

Once exposed, flaws naturally appeared.

After all, no divine power was unbreakable, and no Dao law flawless.

Especially before a Buddha Child—an instrument for the World-Honored One’s “fishing.” Having prior intelligence on 【Same as the World】, it was no surprise he could counter it.

‘If it were me just after returning, my only option would be to falsely wield the Golden Rank to break this…’

‘But now, things are different.’

Having gained the full support of the True Dragon Clan, Lü Yang had already cultivated a Blessed Land. With this transformation, he no longer faced Guang Ming Buddha Child powerless!

‘Perfect. Time to test my newly acquired Golden Talent!’

Facing the crushing pressure, Lü Yang flicked his sleeve and rose. From between his brows blossomed divine radiance, reflecting suns, moons, rivers, and mountains.

‘【Xuandu Blessed Land】!’

With or without the aid of a Blessed Land was a tremendous difference for a Foundation Establishment Great Completion True Person. Only with a Blessed Land could one perceive the true essence of things.

With 【Xuandu Blessed Land】 empowering him, Lü Yang looked upon Guang Ming Buddha Child anew and shuddered.

Without flesh and skin, where was there any human shape? He was nothing but an empty shell, a tether of golden light linking him to the Dharma Aspect behind.

No wonder rumors of the World-Honored One possessing others were so widespread.

No matter how the Pure Land tried to “dispel rumors,” no one believed it.

For once one cultivated a Blessed Land, a single glance revealed truth. It could not be hidden from cultivators of the world. To deny it was only self-deception.

Suddenly.

Beneath layers of Buddha light, the young Daoist extended his right hand. With fingers spread, the 【Xuandu Blessed Land】 in his palm forcefully tore open the Buddha light around him!

In that instant, Guang Ming Buddha Child’s heart jolted: ‘Not right!’

His thoughts raced, and the colossal Dharma Aspect raised its palm to smash down. With 【Divine Knowledge of Others’ Minds】 augmenting it, he would forcibly convert Lü Yang!

Yet Lü Yang did not dodge in the slightest.

The next second, his Dharma Body was struck squarely by the Buddha Palm. But simultaneously, above his head emerged a dazzling jade with seven apertures.

【Jade Gui of Union and Separation】!

All the power within the Buddha Palm was transferred onto this life-saving treasure Lü Yang had obtained from the Dragon Palace. In an instant, six of its seven apertures sealed shut.

Yet Lü Yang remained unscathed!

Meanwhile, his palm holding the Blessed Land did not falter.

‘【Heaven-Bearing Net】!’ 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The small world constructed by divine power, together with 【Xuandu Blessed Land】, counterattacked at once, dragging Guang Ming Buddha Child inside. In an instant, countless sword edges emerged!

But upon seeing them, Guang Ming Buddha Child frowned. For they were not strong—enough only to inflict superficial wounds on his Golden Body. At most like scraping off a layer of flesh—painful, but recoverable in half a day.

Yet then—

As the imagery of death by a thousand cuts was imposed upon Guang Ming Buddha Child, an invisible might surged forth!

‘【Dragon-Flaying Platform】!’

【Dragon-Flaying Platform: A Golden Talent born from blood and hatred, recreating the scene of White Chi being torn apart and devoured. It may anchor another’s fate and life force.】

The Golden Talent refined from White Chi’s essence!

Among all talents Lü Yang had obtained so far, this was the most unique—for it served no purpose but slaughter!

‘Dragon-Flaying Platform—so long as the ancient scene of White Chi being flayed alive and consumed is recreated, the victim’s fate will resonate with that death. The truer and more complete the reenactment, the stronger and more inescapable the doom!’

“Splurt!”

The next instant, what could once only inflict shallow cuts now tore into flesh and organs!

Unstoppable!

By the resonance of fate, Guang Ming Buddha Child had become the White Chi being flayed alive. The despair of White Chi then was the powerlessness he now suffered!

“Boom!”

His Golden Body was ripped apart, shredded by a thousand blades, bursting into blazing scarlet light that dyed half the sky!

Such scarlet light staining the 【Earthly Buddha Nation】 was like a flawless painting suddenly marred by a glaring flaw. In an instant, all visions collapsed, reduced to the mundane, and came crashing from the heavens into the sea!

Far in the distance, Xiang Ye and Hong Ju looked at one another, disbelief in their eyes.

‘The Buddha Child of the Pure Land actually lost?’

‘This can’t be Lord Hong Yun!’

The next moment, a beam of Buddha light shot skyward and vanished into the horizon.

Lü Yang narrowed his eyes: ‘So it was just a clone?’

‘Indeed. 【Dragon-Flaying Platform】 had not fully manifested its power. Only a clone’s frail life could be severed in one blow. If the true body were here, it would at most be wounded…’

“Benefactor, we shall meet again. But then, this poor monk shall come in person.”

In his ears, Guang Ming Buddha Child’s voice lingered.

Lü Yang sneered:

“Anytime, I’ll be waiting!”

This time was just collecting some interest, setting a trap. If you dare bring your true body, I will dare feign the Golden Rank and kill you just the same!