As the final Ability expanded, Lü Yang’s figure blurred, while the halo behind him abruptly magnified countless times.

Countless spiderweb-like patterns spread out from the center of the halo.

Then they began to distort.

This time, facing the Daoist Skill coming from Progenitor Tingyou, Lü Yang did not evade. Instead, he let it fall upon him as the distorted brilliance swallowed everything.

In the next second, Progenitor Tingyou abruptly halted his movements. He glanced at Lü Yang in surprise, then looked at his surroundings... Without a doubt, Lü Yang was unharmed. His Daoist Skill hadn’t failed to connect; rather, the damage that should have been dealt had been transferred away.

Where was it transferred?

In that instant, Progenitor Tingyou felt the Incense on his body begin to violently dissipate. A powerful, formless rage materialized out of thin air and locked onto his Qi trace.

’Heavenly punishment...?!’

A look of sudden realization dawned on Progenitor Tingyou. When he looked at Lü Yang again, a sense of awe finally appeared in his eyes. He then took the initiative to retract his Mana.

"...I’ve lost."

Progenitor Tingyou smiled freely, while Lü Yang solemnly clasped his hands in a salute.

"Not at all, Progenitor. You let me win."

[With the World]. As its name implies, this Ability binds the user to Heaven and Earth, allowing Heaven and Earth to bear any damage the user receives.

That was what happened to Progenitor Tingyou’s Daoist Skill just now. All the damage was transferred away by Lü Yang—transferred into the Lay Lines of the Seven Luminaries Heaven. As a result, Progenitor Tingyou, who had damaged the Lay Lines, immediately incurred the hostility of the Seven Luminaries Heaven, which was why his Incense began to scatter.

If Lü Yang hadn’t halted the subsequent changes in the Seven Luminaries Heaven...

...Progenitor Tingyou would have likely already lost the support of his Incense and fallen from his Cultivation at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. That was why he so frankly admitted defeat.

And this was only in the Seven Luminaries Heaven.

’After all, the Ability [With the World] isn’t just limited to the Seven Luminaries Heaven. It works across all realms. It would even work in some broken place!’

With this Ability, Lü Yang was practically a humanoid Lay Line.

Any injury could be directly transferred to Heaven and Earth, thereby inviting heavenly punishment. But because he could transfer the damage, punishing him was pointless.

So naturally, the punishment could only fall upon his opponent.

’The purpose of this Ability is to force Heaven and Earth to stand on my side and help me deal with my enemies. It truly disgusts my enemies and disgusts Heaven and Earth...’

So savage. I love it!

Lü Yang smiled faintly and deactivated [With the World]. The round, white jade light behind him retracted, hanging behind his head as plain and unremarkable as a full moon.

"Progenitor, how strong do you think I am now?"

Hearing this, Progenitor Tingyou pondered for a moment before nodding. "You’re very good. Your raw power is secondary; it’s the ingenious use of your Abilities that makes you very difficult to fight."

He said this very tactfully.

Lü Yang’s eyebrow twitched. He understood the hidden meaning: if his power was secondary, did that mean, when it came down to it, his strength was still insufficient?

"I wouldn’t say you’re weak."

Seeing his reaction, Progenitor Tingyou quickly elaborated, "A Cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection from outside the Four Great Forces would be about on par with you right now."

"Even if I were restored to my peak, I would only be slightly stronger than you."

Lü Yang nodded and asked curiously, "What exactly am I lacking?"

"You’re lacking in Daoist Skills!"

Progenitor Tingyou explained, "As far as I know, the Four Great Forces all have Daoist Skills specifically prepared for those at Foundation Establishment Perfection. They can only be mastered through Gold Essence Refinement."

"Your [Sword Intent] is one of them."

This is the advantage of being from a Renowned Sect.

In contrast, those from Small Sects do not receive a Direct Disciple’s inheritance and lack the millennia of accumulated knowledge of a Major Sect. No matter how talented they are, the best they can hope for is to reach Progenitor Tingyou’s level.

Thinking of this, Lü Yang frowned.

"I have also condensed [Sword Intent] now, but I don’t feel its enhancement is that exaggerated. It’s strong, but it seems it’s not strong enough..."

"[Sword Intent] is just the foundation." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Progenitor Tingyou shook his head. "Do you have the Swordsmanship to bring out its full potential? Swordsmanship is the key. It’s the reason why Sword Cultivators have the greatest combat strength."

You should know, [Sword Intent] is not exclusive to Sword Cultivators.

Take Lü Yang, for example. His true self is not a Sword Cultivator, yet he still condensed Sword Intent. In essence, it is merely an extreme application of one’s Soul and Divine Sense.

Of course, this is only temporary.

Once the Sword Pavilion truly proves the [Fruit of Sword Dao], then under the influence of that Fruit, [Sword Intent] will become something completely exclusive to Sword Cultivators.

"In short, you still have room to improve your strength."

Progenitor Tingyou threw a bucket of cold water on Lü Yang, but then consoled him, "However, your Abilities are very insidious. I doubt anyone would want to fight you."

"Besides, strength in Combat is not actually that important."

Speaking of which, Progenitor Tingyou added with a sigh, "Take me, for example. I’m not good at Combat, but any deficiency in Combat can be compensated for by one’s Realm."

Lü Yang: "..."

’Progenitor Tingyou isn’t good at Combat? Is he for real?’

But he quickly understood, and his eyes lit up. Indeed, if your combat power is lacking, make it up with your Realm. In cultivation, the Realm has always been paramount!

Better to compete in Cultivation than in Combat!

"...[Yama Hall]?"

The Fake Golden Position Method!

At this thought, Lü Yang waved his hand, successively summoning Yan Taizu, the Capital City God, and the Mother of Non-Birth, all of whom had already been Refined into Banner Spirits.

Next came the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, the Dragon Maiden’s Evil Spirit, and Guardian Su Nu.

And also Long Yue and Progenitor Tingyou.

The eight individuals above could all be empowered by the Incense and Candle Divine Dao to obtain the Position of Foundation Establishment Perfection. Adding Lü Yang himself, that made a full nine at Foundation Establishment Perfection!

The conditions for [Yama Hall] were met!

Thinking of this, Lü Yang began to rub his hands together eagerly.

"Don’t celebrate too early."

Progenitor Tingyou saw his expression and said with a sense of helplessness, "[Yama Hall] itself does not point towards any Fruit. How do you think it achieves the Fake Golden Position?"

As soon as he said this, Lü Yang instantly calmed down.

’...He’s right.’

’I didn’t think about it before, but now that I do, the method for [Yama Hall] to achieve the Fake Golden Position is very strange. Is it enough just to gather nine beings at Foundation Establishment Perfection?’

’Doesn’t it need a Fruit?’

’But without even a Fruit, what’s there to "fake"?’

"The key lies in the Gold Attribute."

Seeing his expression, Progenitor Tingyou explained, "In my deductions, [Yama Hall] is, in essence, very similar to the ’Heaven-Crashing Technique’ method used during Qi Refining."

"The Heaven-Crashing Technique..."

Lü Yang quickly recalled it. The so-called Heaven-Crashing Technique was a killing move achieved when a Qi Refiner ascended to the Position of the Foundation Establishment Realm and then plummeted back down, a process of "dimension reduction." Progenitor Tingyou had used it on him before, and he had only managed to block it thanks to [Got a Pair].

"[Yama Hall] is the same."

"Its principle is to elevate oneself to a ’height’ similar to that of a Fruit, thereby allowing [Yama Hall] to exert a Mighty Power similar to that of a Fruit."

"This is actually quite similar to the process of Seeking Gold."

"Therefore, both require the Gold Attribute."

At this point, Progenitor Tingyou finally revealed the greatest limitation of [Yama Hall]: "Each time you activate [Yama Hall], it is equivalent to one attempt at Seeking Gold."

"Seeking Gold consumes the Gold Attribute."

"In other words, to have [Yama Hall] achieve the Fake Golden Position, you must consume the Gold Attribute. Once the Gold Attribute is depleted, [Yama Hall] will disintegrate along with it!"