Chapter 472: Arresting Hong Yun!

In Lü Yang’s view, Hong Yun had prepared three escape routes for himself.

The first was naturally 【Seven Luminaries Heaven】, the ultimate fallback, a path Hong Yun would only take if he deemed returning to his rightful place utterly hopeless.

The second was a cave heaven fragment.

In Jiangnan’s Gan Clan’s Sea-Combing lineage, beneath the waters of Gantang Dao, there remained a fragment of Hong Yun’s former 【Brilliant Luminary Radiance Cave Heaven】. Hong Yun had long since located it.

However, in truth, it was a trap laid by 【Ang Xiao】.

Going there meant death.

The last was the place where Hong Yun currently hid—secluded by layers of formations, concealed from the Heavenly Mechanism—even 【True Lord Qingcheng Feixue】 could not locate him.

Three escape routes, triple insurance. Unfortunately, 【Ang Xiao】 was far too cunning. Seizing upon Hong Yun’s unwillingness to let go, he used the cave heaven fragment as bait. If Hong Yun chose the second path and refined the fragment, death would be imminent. That was something Lü Yang could not allow to happen.

After all, Hong Yun was his target in this lifetime!

Thus, sending a report to Chong Guang had but one aim—to have Chong Guang destroy the cave heaven fragment in Jiangnan on his behalf, extinguishing Hong Yun’s hope once and for all.

‘This life is not the same as the last.’

‘In the previous life, not long after Uncle-Master Chong Guang received my report, 【Boundless Heaven】 emerged, followed by my exposure of 【Ang Xiao】’s identity.’

‘As a result, Uncle-Master Chong Guang didn’t have the strength to destroy the cave heaven fragment. Even 【True Lord Qingcheng Feixue】 ceased to support him. In the end, he even had to cooperate with 【Ang Xiao】. But this life is different. I haven’t leaked a single word in advance.’

Thus, this time, Chong Guang’s choice would also differ.

‘To the current Uncle-Master Chong Guang, his greatest enemy is Hong Yun. Destroying Hong Yun’s cave heaven fragment is an urgent priority.’

That was enough.

In Jiangbei, Lü Yang clasped his hands behind his back, gazing far into the direction of the Sky-Reaching Cloud Sea, firmly grasping Chong Guang’s mindset: “The cave heaven fragment, I entrust to Uncle-Master.”

The other escape path—he would handle it.

Only in this way could he force Hong Yun down the path of 【Seven Luminaries Heaven】, denying him reincarnation, and driving him into his own trap.

At this thought, Lü Yang suddenly looked to the side.

“Daoist Friend, you’ve come out with me this time, yet haven’t said a word.”

Beside Lü Yang stood a man, deferential and meek. Though his Qi was surging and his rank incomparably high, he strangely appeared small and insignificant. Upon hearing this, he gave a bitter smile:

“Forgive me for making you laugh, my lord…”

“No need to call me lord.” Lü Yang’s expression turned serious upon hearing this. “We both struggle to survive in this world. We should be fellow Daoists—there is no hierarchy between us.”

As his words fell, Suohuan quickly nodded in agreement—but made no move to change his form of address. After all, he was now a Banner Spirit, while Lü Yang was the master of the Myriad Spirits Banner. That title of “my lord”—Lü Yang could humbly reject it, but Suohuan could not refrain from using it. He understood this matter of stance all too well.

Lü Yang paused, then said directly:

“In this life, I wish to help you attain Golden Fruition, just as I did last time. I will give you two paths to choose from, freely. I will not interfere with your decision.”

“The first—wait for me to take another step forward.”

Lü Yang didn’t state it plainly, but if he attained 【Heavenly Fire Above】 in this life, he would undoubtedly command the world. By then, granting Suohuan a golden position wouldn’t be impossible.

But that was still a dream—far from reality.

So, he quickly offered a second path: “Though your 【Blessed Land of the Spirit Ruins】 was severely damaged, the hidden dangers are gone. I can help you repair it.”

“I possess a body of Daoist knowledge concerning 【Spring Well Water】—it leads directly to the peak of Foundation Establishment. It even includes matching cultivation techniques and rituals capable of attracting the attention of 【Spring Well Water】. Afterward, I’ll secure for you a top-grade official position at the peak of Foundation Establishment, enabling you to refine your Golden Nature.”

“At that point, you will be able to pursue Golden Fruition.”

Lü Yang spoke gravely. The knowledge of 【Spring Well Water】 had naturally come from the Holy Sect’s Xianghuo ceremony. It was sufficient to compensate for Suohuan’s shortcomings in Dao cultivation as an outsider.

He had always valued his promises.

Perhaps his bottom line was flexible and he often adapted—but with the Book of a Hundred Lives in hand, if he had the ability to fulfill a promise, then fulfill it he would.

For a moment, Suohuan stood stunned.

He really is helping me attain Golden Fruition…

I thought he had forgotten. That he had merely tricked me before!

The long-bowed, humble great Daoist from beyond the heavens was now overwhelmed with emotion, speechless. He simply bowed deeply to Lü Yang.

“Thank you… Daoist Friend.”

Lü Yang waved his hand and smiled: “We still have a long road together ahead. We should unite in heart and effort—how else could we face the powerful enemies of the future?”

“True!” Suohuan nodded.

Seeing this, Lü Yang smiled—but inwardly sighed.

‘I’m actually a little hypocritical.’

After all the noble words, it didn’t change one fact: as the Banner Master, he held life-and-death power over Banner Spirits washed by the 【Book of a Hundred Lives】.

So long as he willed it—be it Ancestor Tingyou or Suohuan—he could control them effortlessly.

But rather than exert that control, Lü Yang preferred sincerity in exchange for sincerity. Just like how he never forced Ancestor Tingyou to do anything.

Still, it wasn’t quite the same. Lü Yang knew this clearly. He dared to offer sincerity only because he could dominate life and death—he had the confidence.

If it were a total stranger, would he entrust them with anything? If you won’t even enter the Myriad Spirits Banner, why should I treat you as my brother?

‘Forget it.’

Hypocritical, then so be it. At this point, sincerity was beyond him. In this shattered world, this level of “hypocrisy” was the best he could manage.

As they spoke, the two arrived at a secluded mountain forest.

This was Hong Yun’s lair. It looked ordinary but was, in fact, shrouded by layered formations, severing cause and effect. Even True Lords would struggle to divine its existence.

Hong Yun’s survival this long owed much to this hideout.

‘Too bad… I’m cheating!’

No need to divine karma—Lü Yang had already calculated Hong Yun’s memories. He locked onto the exact location. The layered formations of the forest were like paper before him.

At the same time, deep within the mountain forest—

“Hiss!”

Suddenly, Hong Yun, who had been meditating in seclusion, jolted. Instinctively, he lifted his head, eyes gleaming as he looked above.

“Bad luck is pressing down on me?”

To be named “Hong Yun” (Great Fortune), naturally he possessed hidden trump cards. One such method was a secret art for observing fortune and sensing calamity.

This was no simple karmic divination but a high-ranked sensory technique that let him perceive danger and avoid it. It was this very technique that had allowed him, in his reincarnated True Lord body, to operate beneath the very nose of 【True Lord Qingcheng Feixue】. It was crucial. Few could ever pinpoint his location.

But now, he sensed danger.

‘Crisis… not too great, not Qingcheng Feixue-level… but not small either. Could it be a late-stage Great Daoist?’

Hong Yun showed no panic.

Late Foundation Establishment, that was all. Though he was at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, his surrounding formations were more than enough to handle one Great Daoist.

He even felt a bit of greed arise. A late-stage Foundation Establishment Great Daoist would be brimming with fortune. If he could seize that, he’d no longer need to scramble with mere Qi Refining disciples for scraps. He could abandon the Holy Sect’s so-called Merit Pool entirely.

“Let’s see what’s going on first…”

Cautious as ever, Hong Yun used his secret technique to sense several more times, divining karma. Only after confirming that he could handle the crisis did he abandon the thought of fleeing.

The next second—

“Boom!”

As formations were forcefully broken one after another, Hong Yun soon saw the two intruders. But in the very next moment, his expression stiffened.

His gaze locked directly onto Lü Yang.

‘Strange… this person seems very familiar with this place?’

Clearly this was his own territory, yet the other acted like he had foreknowledge—effortlessly disabling the various traps Hong Yun had set within the formations.

Before Hong Yun could finish thinking—he was struck with shock. For Lü Yang, who had been surveying other directions, suddenly tilted his head—unerringly looking straight toward his hiding spot:

“Found you.”