Chapter 476: Chapter 476: The Water Element’s Deficiency

At this moment, Ang Xiao was rather surprised.

Gantang Dao was now completely shrouded by his Veil of the Trees, hidden from sight. Theoretically, no one should have noticed it.

’This person isn’t affected by the Veil of the Trees?’

This was understandable. After all, his main body was in the Netherworld, so his long-distance spells weren’t at full power. If someone was dead set on the idea that something was wrong with Gantang Dao, then it was normal for them to be unaffected.

The problem was that, according to Ang Xiao’s senses, the person before him was only at Foundation Establishment, and not even at the Perfection stage. This was quite unexpected.

’For a Foundation-Stage Cultivator to escape my Veil of the Trees at its current power, he’d need at least a high-quality Superior Sentient Artifact that specializes in Purifying Spirit and breaking through Illusion Barriers. And his Cultivation can’t be too low... Interesting. Who is this person? Could he be the avatar of some Perfected Lord?’

In an instant, a hundred thoughts raced through Ang Xiao’s mind.

Meanwhile, Lü Yang pocketed the small Grotto Heaven Fragment. Not daring to linger, his figure flickered and vanished from the spot.

"Hm?"

Almost at the same time, also within Gantang Dao, a man radiating a sharp aura suddenly felt something and looked toward the spot where Lü Yang had just disappeared.

He had captured Lü Yang’s Qi trace in an instant, but in the next second, that trace vanished into thin air as if someone had hidden it, preventing him from tracking it any further... Not long after, a vast and Mighty Power descended from the sky, revealing a graceful silhouette.

"Interesting..."

World Purger Fei Xue glanced around, her gaze sharp as a torch as she surveyed the vast Gantang Dao. She finally remembered what she had just forgotten.

She had forgotten Minor Metal!

She had come to Gantang Dao with Minor Metal. But after a great battle, she had enjoyed the fight so much that she’d completely forgotten him in Gantang Dao.

This was clearly not normal.

And it wasn’t just her. Even the other Perfected Lords of the Sword Pavilion seemed to have forgotten about Minor Metal’s existence. They hadn’t spared Gantang Dao a single glance.

’So it’s not my fault. Someone has tampered with all of Gantang Dao. Minor Metal was just unlucky enough to be caught inside, which is why he was affected... Why does this kind of Ability feel so familiar? I feel like I’ve read about a similar technique in the Sect’s records before.’

’But which record specifically... I can’t remember.’

This was undoubtedly a problem. The fact that even someone with her level of Cultivation could be affected suggested that the person acting in secret might have a stronger Cultivation than her.

’Fortune... No, that’s impossible.’

’Then who could it be?’

World Purger Fei Xue wanted to investigate, but as she returned to Jiangnan, she felt a Qi trace from the Sword Pavilion again, signaling that she couldn’t stay any longer.

"...I’ll leave first."

As her voice fell, World Purger Fei Xue immediately grabbed Minor Metal and vanished. She had gained much from this great battle, but she had also sustained considerable injuries and needed to return to recuperate. As for Gantang Dao, it was in Jiangnan territory after all. She might as well leave it for the Sword Pavilion to worry about.

.......

「Meanwhile, in a remote mountain forest.」

Lü Yang descended leisurely into the forest, his hands clasped behind his back. He first carved out a temporary Cave Mansion, then took out the Grotto Heaven Fragment inside.

"Thank you for your help, senior."

Lü Yang clasped his hands, a sincere smile on his face. If Ang Xiao hadn’t concealed him with the Veil of the Trees just now, Minor Metal would have already found him.

The next second, a faint light emanated from the Grotto Heaven Fragment. A figure completely shrouded in mist—its gender and age indiscernible—emerged from the light. Although its Qi trace was extremely weak, its every move carried the composed air of one who controlled Karma Links.

"Daoist... you are very bold."

Ang Xiao looked at Lü Yang, revealing none of his inner thoughts. He chuckled lightly and said, "How could you be so certain that I would help you conceal your Qi trace?"

This was just one of Ang Xiao’s questions.

There was another he didn’t voice: how was Lü Yang so sure that the Grotto Heaven Fragment he inhabited hadn’t been completely destroyed in Gantang Dao?

If Lü Yang hadn’t found him, or if he had been unwilling to help, Lü Yang would have been immediately exposed to Minor Metal. The outcome was good, but the process had been an enormous gamble. This very attitude made Ang Xiao rather curious. ’Does this person know me very well?’

Faced with Ang Xiao’s question, Lü Yang just smiled faintly.

"I have faith in you, senior."

He refused to believe that someone with Ang Xiao’s methods would let his Grotto Heaven be destroyed by World Purger Fei Xue so easily. That’s why he dared to risk coming to Gantang Dao to try his luck.

By the same token, he also believed Ang Xiao would recognize the situation.

After all, if Ang Xiao didn’t help him, Lü Yang would lose nothing more than a clone. But Ang Xiao would definitely be exposed, and he wouldn’t even be able to keep this last Grotto Heaven Fragment.

Helping to conceal him was the only way to have any hope of preserving the fragment.

Therefore, Ang Xiao would surely act.

’After all, this isn’t the first time I’ve blackmailed him. How could I not understand him? This is an old-school Saint Sect True Monarch, the purest kind of profit-seeker!’

With this in mind, Lü Yang wasted no more words and decisively took out a brilliantly shining Ability. The moment Ang Xiao saw it, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes... because flowing within that Ability was a Qi trace that should have long ceased to exist in the current era!

This Ability was none other than the Root of All Things that Lü Yang had deprived Fortune of.

Yang’s Chen Earth!

But since he had reversed its Yin Yang Attribute, only Yin’s Chen Earth should exist in the world. Where did this Yang’s Chen Earth come from?

"...Fortune?"

Ang Xiao’s mind raced. He had already guessed the origin of the Ability in Lü Yang’s hand. At the same time, his Dharma Eye, sharp as a torch, saw through Lü Yang’s Dao Foundation and background.

"Fruit of Celestial Fire?"

This time, Ang Xiao was truly surprised.

The Fruit of Celestial Fire position was unoccupied; this was beyond doubt. In fact, from ancient times to the present, no one had ever successfully attained the Fruit of Celestial Fire.

The conditions were simply too harsh, even more so than for his Fruit of Great-Forest Wood.

The Cultivation Techniques under its domain were ridiculously rare, and the path forward was a dead end. Cultivating them wasn’t worth the cost, so they had gradually gone extinct over the ages.

Thinking of this, Ang Xiao had already made a judgment.

’This person is not a Perfected Lord.’

’Foundation Establishment... But he has a rich foundation and a significant background. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to possess a Third-Grade Foundation Method pointing to the Fruit of Celestial Fire, let alone succeed in cultivating it.’

Among the Five Great Supreme Fruit Positions, only the Fruit of Sky-River Water was in a poor state.

This was because the Water Element belonged to the former True Dragon Race, and it was the only one among the Five Elements whose Emperor Fruit had been altered. It had suffered immense damage after the great change in Heaven.

Lü Yang was actually aware of this, having discovered it in Celestial Python’s memories. After all, if the symbolism of the Fruit of Sky-River Water wasn’t flawed, which in turn affected all Cultivators under its domain, how could a Foundation-Stage Cultivator like Celestial Python, who was at Divine Power Perfection and cultivating an Emperor Fruit, be so weak in combat?

"Little friend, your courage is extraordinary."

After seeing Lü Yang’s true Cultivation, Ang Xiao immediately changed his tune. Switching from "Daoist" to "little friend," he scrutinized Lü Yang.

"I just wonder, how did you come to recognize me, little friend?"

His Veil of the Trees had deceived the entire world, including Perfected Lords. Yet a mere Foundation-Stage Cultivator actually knew a great deal about him?

He was very interested in the secrets behind this.

"You flatter me, senior."

Hearing this, Lü Yang gave a light laugh and said calmly, "The reason I could recognize you, senior, is thanks to an elder in my family. It is no credit of my own."

’An elder in his family?’

Several names quickly flashed through Ang Xiao’s mind. He was an old-school Saint Sect True Monarch! His existence could be traced back tens of thousands of years!

When he acted to kill Fortune five thousand years ago, he had already been feigning death for a very long time.

There were not many people in the current era who had lived longer than him.

And even fewer had seen him with their own eyes and knew of his power. After all, those with insufficient Cultivation were not even qualified to remember him. Eliminating the possibilities one by one...

"...The Old Dragon Monarch?"

After a moment of silence, Ang Xiao suddenly uttered a name.

’As expected of you!’

Lü Yang praised him internally. This was the benefit of talking to a clever person. With just a slight hint, he could guess the exact answer you wanted him to guess!