Chapter 473: The Tyranny of【Heavenly Fire Above】! |
“Boom!”
As Lu Yang spoke, his divine ability had already launched—or rather, he had acted before speaking; the words merely served to distract Hong Yun.
However, Hong Yun was a battle-hardened veteran. He didn’t bother listening to what Lu Yang said. The moment he was discovered, what remained at his original spot was already a substitute body. His true form had swiftly retreated into a nearby formation, intending to first pull some distance, then reassess the situation.
Yet he still miscalculated one thing.
That was—when it came to this formation, Lu Yang’s understanding was in no way inferior to his.
“Trying to run.”
Lu Yang formed a hand seal, and his divine sense swept forth like a howling wind. Everywhere it passed, Hong Yun was shocked to find the formation he had meticulously arranged was shattered in an instant.
‘Impossible.’
In that split second, no formation shielded Hong Yun any longer. His heart was filled with shock—this speed of breaking formations… even he himself couldn’t have done it better!
In that flash of lightning and fire, Hong Yun dared not hesitate for even a moment. His lips parted, and from his throat erupted a thunderous roar that shook the world, as if a fire had ignited at the point of origin. Thunder crashed, flames roared, and a storm surged forth, aiming to smash down upon Lu Yang.
‘【Thunder Draws Back】!’
Thunder is the exhalation of yang qi. It sounds in mid-spring and draws back in bright cities. It shares the nature of the spring-born wood. Thus, it was a most yang, most rigid divine ability of【Jia Wood】.
Hong Yun had great confidence in this ability. At the very least, he expected it to buy him some time.
But in the very next moment, a brilliant light like the sun burst forth from the back of Lu Yang’s head, cascading like mercury, spreading without end. In an instant, it filled the heavens and earth.
‘【Palace of Returning Origin】!’
Within the sunlight, jade towers and crystal pavilions, grand halls and lofty palaces rose from the ground, completely encompassing Hong Yun and the surrounding formations!
Hong Yun’s face changed drastically at the sight.
‘Noon Fire divine ability!?’
And not just any ordinary Noon Fire divine ability! To be able to reflect the radiance of the sun itself meant that this technique was extremely orthodox among Noon Fire abilities—perfectly aligned with the imagery of Noon Fire!
“Boom!”
The next second,【Palace of Returning Origin】collided with the storm conjured by【Thunder Draws Back】. Yet the divine ability upon which Hong Yun had pinned his hopes now reacted like a mouse meeting a cat—shattering instantly. The thunder vanished, the yang fire withered, and the blazing light disintegrated into fragments scattered across the sky.
‘A natural nemesis!’
Hong Yun gritted his teeth. If he had known earlier that his opponent wielded such a pure Noon Fire divine ability, he would never have opened with Jia Wood.
Jia Wood meets Noon Fire: fire flourishes, wood burns. There lies the danger of being turned to ash!
Let alone the fact that Noon corresponds to Li Fire, and fire lives off wood. Wood is the mother of fire; fire the child of wood. When the child flourishes, the mother weakens—how could this not end in destruction? Jia Wood is destined to perish under Noon!
Even more terrifying—divine ability interactions between Jia Wood and Noon Fire involve the very principles of heaven and earth. Cultivators lacking sufficient Dao attainment couldn’t even perceive the intricacies, let alone manifest the suppressive imagery. Thus, such suppression relied on the Dao attainment of both sides.
In other words:
‘This man’s attainment in Noon Fire… might not be inferior to mine in Jia Wood!’
But how could that be possible?
He was a True Lord! Though reborn, the foundation of a True Lord’s Dao attainment remained. How could an ordinary Foundation Establishment True Person possibly compare?
This thought sparked countless speculations in Hong Yun’s mind, finally settling on the most likely answer:
‘Dao Court?’
Across the four regions of the world, only the Dao Court’s【Immortal Nation Dao Law】could allow a Foundation Establishment True Person to rival a True Lord in a single attribute’s Dao attainment.
Even within the Dao Court, such individuals were as rare as phoenix feathers. Only members of the Tian Wu royal family, capable of independent cultivation and unrestricted access to the【Immortal Nation Dao Law】, could accomplish this.
Then… could this man be of the Tian Wu royal family? But he held no grudge with the Dao Court—why would he be targeted?
At that moment, Hong Yun was riddled with confusion.
Even worse, due to not anticipating the counter, he fell behind from the very first move. And one step behind meant every step behind—defeat loomed!
‘Must escape!’
His mind spun rapidly. All thoughts of greed were gone—things had become far too bizarre. He only wanted to escape now and reconsider later.
But would Lu Yang let him go so easily?
His trip to Jiangbei wasn’t just to drive Hong Yun away from【Heaven of the Seven Luminaries】—he also wanted to test the strength he gained after switching to【Heavenly Fire Above】!
At that thought, Lu Yang promptly formed another hand seal.
‘Let me show you what I’m capable of.’
【Commanding Mountains and Seas Diagram of Double Li】!
Hong Yun raised his head, only to see the scenery around him rapidly receding. Before his eyes stretched an expansive landscape of mountains and rivers, and above it all blazed a scarlet sun.
In that instant, the four layers of mystery within his natal divine ability were all activated by Lu Yang.
‘People Without Guile!’
The first layer established laws. Like an emperor pronouncing the heavenly mandate, his words became law. When spoken by Lu Yang, each word visibly manifested:
【Do not move!】
The more words a law contained, the more divine mystery it consumed. Lu Yang kept it concise—just three words—stopping Hong Yun for an instant.
Next second—
‘【Merit Self-Cultivates】!’
The second mystery empowered【Palace of Returning Origin】, encasing Hong Yun in searing solar fire, burning his magical power and body alike. His brows furrowed in pain.
But Lu Yang’s assault hadn’t ended.
‘【Rise and Fall Affairs】!’
The third mystery could be used on allies or foes. On oneself, it promoted【Rise】, helping avoid danger. On the enemy, it imposed【Fall】, entangling them in tribulation!
At that moment, Hong Yun was still attempting to cast divine abilities and perform Dao techniques—but shockingly, he misstepped the spell gestures, failed to channel enough magical power, and couldn’t trigger the ability! When he looked up to examine his fate, he saw a massive【Fall】character looming like a portent of doom!
This cascade of interference made him lose his final chance to fight back.
Lu Yang’s natal divine ability, the fourth layer of【Commanding Mountains and Seas Diagram of Double Li】, landed on him in tandem with his innate divine ability【Emperor of Life Command】.
‘【Sage-King Governance】!’
It was a dazzling golden radiance. When it swept across Hong Yun’s body, his expression froze in place.
Only then did he finally realize:
“【Heavenly Fire Above】... No!”
Next second, he watched helplessly as his original innate divine ability【Thunder Draws Back】was forcibly stripped from him and floated into Lu Yang’s hand!
All under heaven belongs to the King; all within the seas are his ministers!
【Sage-King Governance】, as the name implied, governed【Rule】.
This divine mystery could seize another’s divine abilities, magical treasures, magic power, or even Dao body—and place them under his own【Rule】. As Lu Yang’s status rose,【Rule】could extend even further—to fate, thoughts, lifespan, space, time... even all things in existence!
“This is mine.”
The second divine ability was seized as well—it was an Earth of the Chen aspect divine ability, called【Root of All Things】. Hong Yun had tried to use it to escape.
“This too is mine.”
Hong Yun’s magic power surged outward, but what should have obeyed him now bowed completely under the golden light of【Sage-King Governance】.
It even turned to attack him instead!
“All of it is mine!”
Hong Yun flicked his sleeve, sending over ten spiritual treasures flying out in a last-ditch effort to stall Lu Yang—only for them to be instantly swept away, like sheep thrown into a tiger’s jaws.
Hong Yun: “...”
Beast!
What Tian Wu royal family? Could this man be a True Person of our Holy Sect!?
Meanwhile, Lu Yang cradled the two innate divine abilities he had seized from Hong Yun, alongside over ten spiritual treasures. His own magical power had also fully recovered, thanks to stealing Hong Yun’s.
In that moment, he was utterly pleased with his natal divine ability.
【Heavenly Fire Above】—truly worthy of being a supreme Fruitional Rank.
Tyrannical to this degree!