Chapter 570: Chapter 570: The Fundamental Profundity of the Fruit of Celestial Fire

Although it seemed preposterous, the True Body Tathagata was no fool. In the next instant, it pierced through to the truth: ’A possible future from Pseudo-History?’

’That has to be it!’

In that moment, the True Body Tathagata nearly shattered its Buddha’s Tooth, not because of Lü Yang, but because of the true mastermind who had orchestrated everything—

’First Saint!’

After all, if that person hadn’t opened the path to Pseudo-History, how could Lü Yang have possibly found a chance to turn the tables? Combat with that bastard was always like this. It would scheme and plot painstakingly, trying every means to set up its plans, only for its opponent to make a single move and cause it to lose the entire game.

’Hm? No, that’s not right!’

The next second, the True Body Tathagata jolted, suddenly realizing: ’These aren’t my emotions... They’re the Bhagavat’s? Is the Bhagavat furious right now?’

The anger came quickly and went just as fast.

At the end of the day, the True Body Tathagata and the Buddha’s Son’s Dharma Appearance were one and the same—not the true Bhagavat, but a creation born of Enlightenment. Fundamentally, a difference still remained.

Therefore, it quickly regained its composure.

’The Fruit of Sword Dao... I’m afraid it can’t be stopped now. The Sword Pavilion won’t allow me to interfere. What’s more, as for the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, the Sword Pavilion doesn’t actually care if he becomes a Perfected Lord.’

To be precise, the Sword Pavilion Daoist Lord didn’t care.

The ones who truly cared were the other Perfected Lords. After all, no Sword Pavilion True Monarch would enjoy having the Sword Intent they had painstakingly cultivated be influenced by the Mighty Power of another Perfected Lord.

However, the Perfected Lords were now in seclusion.

SHIIING!

Without any hindrance, high on Zenith Cliff in the South, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s face was deathly pale as the Light Fragment in his hand dissipated into nothingness.

Lü Yang had given it to him.

The item left behind by Hongtian in the Pseudo-History—the possibility of a future where one could attain the Fruit of Sword Dao and not die—had become the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s last hope.

However, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected didn’t spend a single second savoring the feeling of having just become a Perfected Lord. Instead, he immediately gripped the hilt of the Non-Killing Sword at his waist. He drew the blade, its cold gleam illuminating everything, and his figure vanished. The very next second, the colors of Heaven and Earth shifted!

"The heavens... they’ve split apart!"

Stretching from the South all the way to the East, a colossal fissure split the heavens, scattering the sun, moon, and stars. The boundless celestial light shattered into a sky full of flowing fire.

Countless Cultivators involuntarily raised their heads, gazing up at the firmament.

And within their pupils, each unconsciously saw the reflection of an Enchanted Sword. Shimmering like a clear spring, it stretched across the sky, its unparalleled edge pointed directly toward the East.

In that moment, all was silent.

There was only the ring of a sword—crisp, clear, and sharp enough to pierce metal and shatter stone. It slashed toward the True Body Tathagata without hesitation, bringing a look of utter shock to that Buddhist face!

’Fruit Position Imagery... No, it’s practically Fruit Position Profound Mysterious!’

"To be limited to the Outer Dao and still possess such might?"

"It clearly just emerged via Void Certificate and hasn’t even been nurtured, yet it already possesses such Mighty Power, specializing in slaughter... It truly is a Top-Grade Enchanted Sword!"

As the True Body Tathagata contemplated, it unfurled its forty-eight thousand arms, using its Yanfu Ti Suo Cave Heaven to receive the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s sword strike.

’No matter. It’s still within my control!’

Although it had been startled by the momentum of the four-directional Seeking Gold, after calming down, the True Body Tathagata’s smile gained a chilling, mocking quality.

The reason was simple—

’The future... it still hasn’t changed!’

It could see with perfect clarity that the current Lü Yang was still trapped within the future of "Failing to Seek Gold, body and Dao annihilated." No matter how the process changed, the outcome would remain the same.

It was nothing more than a deathbed struggle!

At this thought, the True Body Tathagata felt a bit more at ease. That being said, it had no intention of giving Lü Yang any more time to play his tricks.

’Kill him!’

In truth, from the moment Lü Yang accepted the future of ’Failing to Seek Gold’ to Empress Xiao, Minor Metal, and the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected successively Seeking Gold, only a few breaths’ time had passed.

Even so, such a massive turn of events had occurred, filling the True Body Tathagata’s heart with dread. ’If I let him do anything more, he might actually manage to turn this around...’ Spurred by this killing intent, the True Body Tathagata made a shocking move.

CRACK!

The next second, it abandoned its defense against the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, allowing his sword to slash deep into its body. Simultaneously, all forty-eight thousand of its arms stretched out.

The arms separated into four directions, twelve thousand in each. Their bones bent and twisted, forming a massive Manji Dharma Seal with the True Body Tathagata at its center. Then, all forty-eight thousand arms unleashed their power at once as two hundred forty thousand fingers came together, closing into a titanic Fist Seal:

BOOM!

In an instant, an indescribably tyrannical image materialized. Two hundred and forty thousand fingers clenched into fists, as if grasping Heaven and Earth itself in their palm.

The past is gone, the future ever-changing; only the present is truly real!

This was an image representing the concept of ’Seizing the Present.’ The moment it appeared, it seemed to freeze time and space, halting the progression of all things in that single, eternal ’now.’

The loudest sound is inaudible; all was utterly silent.

In the frozen world, only the True Body Tathagata’s Fist Seal advanced, moving slowly but inexorably, about to strike Lü Yang and pulverize him completely—

...Heh heh.

The True Body Tathagata’s eyes flew wide open.

’What did I just see? Lü Yang’s spiritual perception should have been completely suppressed by my ’Seizing the Present’ image. He shouldn’t have been able to react at all...’

’Smiled?’

The True Body Tathagata didn’t dwell on it; its Fist Seal still slammed into Lü Yang’s body. After all, the future of certain death still clung to him. To ensure that future came to pass, the True Body Tathagata’s punch was empowered by karmic links, granting it the conceptual properties of a guaranteed hit and a guaranteed kill.

This restored the True Body Tathagata’s confidence.

’Never mind that Lü Yang is just a Fake Golden Core; even an Orthodox True Monarch, like that True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde, would be killed by this punch!’

RUMBLE!

The next second, time resumed its flow. Thunder Sound rolled as Lü Yang’s body crumbled and disintegrated under the True Body Tathagata’s Manji Fist Seal.

Of course, the True Body Tathagata paid a price as well.

PFFT!

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s Sword Light showed no mercy, slicing diagonally into the Tathagata’s shoulder, cutting across its chest, and down to its flank in one unimpeded motion.

It nearly cut it in half at the waist!

AHHH—!

The True Body Tathagata cried out in pain, yet its eyes were filled with mirth. It still had a chance. Although its Immortal Dao Law had severely atrophied due to the conceptual changes in the North, West, and South, its foundation remained. It could still be resurrected one more time, which was more than enough to clean up the mess.

’In any case, that Demon Dragon is dead, with not even a burial place to call his own...’

As the True Body Tathagata had this thought, it realized that for some reason, time was passing with excruciating slowness. Even the pain from the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s strike seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

’.....What’s going on?’

The True Body Tathagata strained to operate its spiritual perception, thinking with great difficulty:

’What... happened?’

’Something... is wrong.’

’Why...’

Finally, amidst its sluggish thoughts, the True Body Tathagata pinpointed the problem: although Lü Yang was dead, the light of the Fruit of Celestial Fire had not dimmed.

On the contrary, it had grown even brighter.

The next second, it saw a figure strolling out from within the brilliant Fruit of Celestial Fire. His movements were relaxed, as if he were taking a leisurely walk through a garden.

It was Lü Yang!

In an instant, the True Body Tathagata’s pupils contracted. It was completely unable to comprehend what had happened... until it saw the Mighty Power slowly emerging from behind Lü Yang.

’That is...’

The True Body Tathagata looked closely, only to see countless, densely packed Talismans. They seemed to be expounding the ultimate principles of the Great Dao, transforming into one burning character after another.

The fundamental Profound Mysterious of the Fruit of Celestial Fire—the Engraving Laws.