Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

At this moment, Lü Yang suddenly saw the light.

‘As expected, it’s only through more exchanges with seniors that one can clearly see the path ahead. Now that I understand how to break through to the mid-stage, this great battle has been worth the price of admission.’

Such an epiphany was the most precious of all.

If this kind of crucial knowledge came from another’s guidance, it would ultimately lack the tremor deep within the soul. One might know that it is, but not why it is — such understanding would be of no benefit to one’s cultivation.

Only by comprehending it on one’s own, could it be truly understood.

Unfortunately, the world was not so naive. Progress in cultivation did not instantly affect Lü Yang’s power. He couldn’t possibly make a breakthrough on the battlefield.

Thus, the crisis remained.

What’s more, because Lü Yang had directly revealed his greatest secret, the killing intent hidden deep within the beautiful eyes of the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 became even stronger.

Although she had already prepared to be studied and targeted by her peers the moment she publicly displayed her Dao-seeking Immortal Art, the fact that someone had seen through it so quickly meant she would be even more disadvantaged when facing other mid-stage Golden Core True Lords in the future — and this was all thanks to Lü Yang!

If she did not kill this wretch, it would be impossible to quell the hatred in her heart.

At this moment, the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 no longer bothered to hide it. She deliberately feigned high speed, her ten fingers dancing as she sealed a hand seal.

“【Fixed Cause-and-Effect Immortal Art】!”

As the words fell, a dazzling multicolored brilliance suddenly burst forth from her fingertips — so radiant it was blinding, reflecting instantly into Lü Yang’s pupils.

In that instant, a familiar feeling resurfaced.

Karma and retribution. The future predetermined!

‘Compared to 【Controlling Past and Present】 of 【Chengtou Soil】, this is nothing. It’s not directly setting karma, but rather finding the karma that already exists on me.’

Put simply, it was about altering possibility.

As long as a possibility existed on Lü Yang, the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 could, using the 【Fixed Cause-and-Effect Immortal Art】, make it a certainty.

Just like in their previous fight — since she was mid-stage Golden Core and Lü Yang was only at the early stage — the odds of him being injured were immensely high. Using her Immortal Art, she turned those unrealized possibilities directly into reality!

‘This move is perfect for bullying the weak!’

With the intuition of a True Lord of the Saint Sect, Lü Yang instantly came to a judgment: under the influence of this Immortal Art, defeating a superior opponent from a lower stage was almost impossible!

After all, defying the odds was an inherently improbable event.

And her true technique could completely snuff out such improbabilities.

‘Still, correspondingly, the lower the likelihood, the harder it should be for her to realize it — which is why she hasn’t been able to kill me yet.’

Lü Yang grasped the truth in his heart.

If she could alter any possibility, she would have killed him with the very first blow. Why wait until now?

‘This proves that the possibility of me being killed by her is extremely low — so low that even with her mid-stage Golden Core cultivation, even at full strength, she cannot turn it into reality. That’s why she needs to injure me first, constantly weakening me to raise the odds of my death.’

In a flash of insight, Lü Yang had already worked it all out.

At the same time, the light of the Immortal Art that the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 had unleashed descended gracefully, inescapable and unavoidable, enveloping him entirely.

“Puchi!”

In an instant, Lü Yang’s Dharma body burst open with wound after wound — injuries he might have suffered now appeared on his body in reality.

At this moment, the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】 had clearly gone all out. Her power rapidly drained, clearly intending to severely wound Lü Yang as quickly as possible. Even if she couldn’t kill him, as long as she could break his suppression of the two Bodhisattvas and the Grand Tutor and Grand Protector, she could turn the tides once more.

All around, reactions flared.

Seeing the full-powered eruption of the 【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】, many True Lords narrowed their eyes, wondering silently: If it were me instead, could I block it?

“Ching ching!”

In Jiangnan’s Sword Pavilion, the True Person Who Suppresses Demons had already gripped the【Unslaying Sword】at his waist, but his soaring sword aura was being suppressed by another overwhelming force.

“You would stop me?” The True Person’s expression was icy.

Inside his body, the newly attained【Sword Dao Fruit Position】began to erupt, a terrifying sword intent that severed all things gradually radiating from him.

“.Don’t rush.”

From deep within the Sword Pavilion, a slightly helpless voice echoed: “That demon dragon won’t die... Besides, this is something he must experience.”

To found a sect in the heartlands without the strength to back it up?

Meanwhile, in Jiangbei, within the Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds, another poised silhouette stood in the way of Chong Guang, who like the True Person, was about to strike.

“True Lord...” Chong Guang’s face was full of confusion.

“Just watch,” said the True Lord Feixue with a faint smile. “The Supreme Fruit Position 【Heavenly Flame Above】 — if it can’t even reverse a mere mismatch, what right does it have to be called supreme?”

As if to confirm her words—

At that moment, Lü Yang, now covered in wounds, suddenly raised his head. The【Heavenly Inscription Seal】on his brow was nearly on the verge of rupture.

“Hm?”

In a flash, the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】felt a tremor in her heart.

‘He’s pushing the marvel of the Supreme Fruit Position to its limit — the utmost of what he can currently draw upon. What’s he going to do? What can he possibly do to me?’

The next second, Lü Yang moved.

“Ching ching!”

The tribulation-forged wave was unsheathed, its clear sword cry echoing throughout the heavens. For a moment, the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】and even all the surrounding True Lords experienced a shared illusion.

They saw a treasured sword.

A sword veined with golden cracks, yet never broken.

【Unyielding Sword Intent】!

The more desperate the situation, the stronger this sword intent became!

Almost simultaneously, within the Sword Pavilion, the True Person Who Suppresses Demons also erupted with power — without the slightest hesitation, he channeled his full【Sword Dao Fruit Position】into Lü Yang.

And that still wasn’t the limit.

‘【Sword Dao Fruit Position】!’

Aside from the one verified by the True Person, Lü Yang himself possessed one — a dual fruit position amplification that instantly pushed his sword aura to the extreme.

Almost at the same time, the【Heavenly Inscription Seal】lit up.

【Sword Dao Fruit Position multiplies the enhancement of titled sword intents a hundredfold】!

A hundredfold. That was Lü Yang’s limit — not the limit of the【Heavenly Inscription Seal】. Given time and cultivation, the restrictions would only decrease.

‘But for now... it’s more than enough.’

In facing the Immortal Art of the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】, Lü Yang’s counter was simple: if he couldn’t defend, then attack! Strike back with overwhelming force!

This was what the Supreme Fruit Position meant.

When you needed mechanics, it gave you mechanics. When you needed raw stats, even if they were lacking, it could make up for it with mechanics. It was the very embodiment of shamelessness.

The next second, Lü Yang swung his sword.

Almost instantly, a visible sword scar slashed across the sky, forcing every Fruit Position to back off, and even the starlight to scatter and flee!

Long before that, the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】had already begun sealing hand signs, intending to select a possibility where she remained entirely unharmed to dodge the sword.

But the feedback she received was:

‘No such possibility?’

She was momentarily stunned. She quickly lowered her standards: ‘It doesn’t have to be unscathed. A minor injury is fine, as long as I can dodge this sword.’

Karmic feedback: impossible.

‘...Severely injured then, but dodge this sword!’

Still impossible.

In an instant, the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】’s lovely face turned deathly pale — for every karmic thread, every possibility, pointed to the same inevitable outcome:

“Slash!”

In that moment, all things fell silent.

The radiant sword light swallowed everything, ignoring all mechanics, crushing through with absolute power, almost flattening the【Essence-Holding Treasure Lotus Bodhisattva】!