"The Fruit of Great-Forest Wood: its branches shake the wind, its boughs support the moon. It possesses the virtue of soaring from ravines to the high heavens and the power to pierce the clouds and veil the sun..."
Ever since learning that the Perfected Lord who had reversed the Earth of Chen was suspected to be the Saint Sect’s own Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler, Lü Yang had done a deep dive on this Dao Fruit.
The Fruit of Great-Forest Wood, hailed as "Voice Echoing Through the Nine Heavens, Shade Spreading Over Ten Thousand Acres," was a Supre Venerable of the Wood Elent and one of the highest Fruits in existence. The only Fruit that could even challenge it was the Fruit of Pine-Cedar Wood. However, as everyone knew, "to challenge" simply ant "to be inferior," so a tangible gap still existed between the two.
Only after researching it did he realize just how terrifying it was.
’Veil the sun, veil the sun... it truly does veil the heavens and obscure the sun. It blocks out Heaven itself!’
’Who the fuck can possibly stop this Veil of the Trees?’
At this mont, Lü Yang felt nothing but relief. ’Thank Heaven and Earth, I was cautious enough to only send out my Immortal Embryo Avatar while my main body is still hiding back in the Saint Sect. Otherwise, wouldn’t I be finished?’
That said, Lü Yang didn’t hesitate to drop to his knees. Lowering his head, he spoke with the utmost respect. "Disciple Lü Yang greets Perfected Lord Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler."
Even as he showed his reverence, he was pondering sothing.
’Why is he following ?’
’With my level of cultivation, even though I made a splash in Qing Country, I’m still just operating at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishnt level. I don’t even qualify as a Great Trueman.’
’How could soone of my level possibly attract the attention of Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler? He even went out of his way to use the Veil of the Trees to have the Chongguang Evil Corpse follow all this ti. If I hadn’t been about to leave, he probably would have kept following in silence...’ The re thought sent a chill down Lü Yang’s spine.
’Good thing I don’t have a habit of talking to myself!’
’Good heavens, if I had muttered sothing about the Cento reopening earlier, thinking no one was around, wouldn’t it all have been over for ?’
’This son of a bitch with his Fruit of Great-Forest Wood, he’s so damn insidious!’
While Lü Yang was cursing up a storm in his head, his tone remained humble. "This disciple is slow-witted. I do not know what matter required the Perfected Lord’s venerable presence, and I am overco with apprehension..."
As soon as Lü Yang finished speaking, a deathly silence fell. The Chongguang Evil Corpse—or rather, the mysterious Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler—continued to gaze at the sky, surveying his surroundings with great interest. Only after a long while did he finally look away and glance at Lü Yang.
"As expected of a prodigy from my Saint Sect."
The casual remark made Lü Yang’s heart clench. ’He admitted it?’
Until now, after all, even World Purger Fei Xue had only said that the mysterious Perfected Lord who reversed the Earth of Chen was *suspected* to be Ang Xiao.
But now, from his response, it seed he was confirming his identity!
Then, Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler continued, "I was wondering before how a prodigy of the Saint Sect could be soone with such ordinary Fortune."
"So, I made a special trip to follow you. Now it seems Chongguang wasn’t wrong about you. Though your Fortune is quite average, your thods are impressive."
"As for your Talent Skill and Enlightennt... hmm. Tingyou’s reputation is well-deserved."
"A pity."
As the Perfected Lord’s voice faded, Lü Yang nearly lost control of his Dharma Body and broke out in a cold sweat. ’So that’s why he was following ?’
’Did he suspect I’d obtained so great opportunity? Is that why he followed all this way, ready to reveal himself and snatch it away the mont he confird I had sothing valuable?’
’And when he said "a pity," was that because he didn’t find anything?’
’Rinima... what an animal!’
The thought had barely ford in Lü Yang’s mind when the Perfected Lord spoke, his calm voice carrying a certainty that seed to see right through a person’s heart.
"You were just cursing , weren’t you?"
"...This disciple is terrified. I have nothing but reverence and admiration for the Perfected Lord..."
Although Lü Yang was startled, he remained outwardly composed. ’A cultivator at the Foundation Establishnt stage is already a Perfected Person, a far cry from Qi Refining. Not even a Perfected Lord can read minds.’
"Cut the crap."
The Perfected Lord chuckled. "I don’t need to read your mind to know what you’re thinking. After all, I was treated the exact sa way by other Perfected Lords back in the day. That’s how I got to where I am."
"I swore an oath back then that if I ever reached Major Mastery with my Abilities, I would be sure to treat others the sa way."
I had to stand in the rain, so why should you get an umbrella?
Since the Perfected Lord had said as much, how could Lü Yang dare to respond? He kept his head bowed, pretending he hadn’t heard a thing, while simultaneously preparing to self-destruct.
’In any case, my main body is still safe in the Saint Sect. The worst that can happen is I lose this Immortal Embryo Avatar. I refuse to believe this Perfected Lord can just send a giant hand down from the sky and openly snatch out of the Sea of Clouds. As long as my main body is unhard, the death of this avatar ans nothing. That’s what it was made for, anyway.’
But in the next instant, Lü Yang had a sudden realization. ’Wait... this isn’t how I should be reacting!’
’What’s my current situation? I’m the only Perfected Person in the world cultivating the Fruit of Rampart Earth, and the key to its progression is in the hands of the Pure Land.’
’Strictly speaking, my Dao path is severed.’
’If I were only in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishnt, it wouldn’t matter so much. But I’m already at the Mid-phase with Perfection in sight. I even have a decent chance of becoming a Great Trueman.’
’In a situation like this, how could I not be worried about my path forward?’
’And if I were truly worried about my path, how could I et a Great Power like Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler and not seize the opportunity to ask for guidance?’
’Soone intent on Seeking Gold, even when facing a Perfected Lord, would risk their life for a chance, no matter how imnse the pressure.’
’Speaking up is the only logical reaction. If I remain silent, it will only make this Perfected Lord suspect that I have so other ace up my sleeve!’
At this thought, Lü Yang hurriedly kowtowed, forcing himself into the image of soone overcoming their fear in a life-or-death gamble. He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "This disciple has long heard of the Perfected Lord’s great and thunderous na. The Perfected Lord was once a senior of our Saint Sect. I only beg that Senior might grant this disciple a clear path forward..."
He finished his plea, his heart pounding with lingering fear, not even daring to look up at the Perfected Lord.
Little did he know that seeing him speak up, a smile appeared on the Perfected Lord’s face. The flicker of suspicion that Lü Yang’s silence had raised now vanished completely.
’It seems this boy really doesn’t have any special opportunities on him.’
In the next instant, Lü Yang saw the figure of Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler—who had secretly taken over the Chongguang Evil Corpse to walk the mortal world—begin to fade.
Only a lingering voice remained:
"The Fruit of Rampart Earth is an Earth Elent Supre Venerable, a high-grade Fruit. Beneath Earth lies the Netherworld. If you have the will, entering my Netherworld may offer you a sliver of hope."
With that, the Perfected Lord’s figure vanished completely.
’He’s gone? He’s not just hiding again, is he?’
Lü Yang’s expression was still one of shock and uncertainty as he watched the world, which had been practically frozen, begin to move again. It was as if their entire conversation had been nothing but a fleeting dream.
But he still couldn’t understand.
’He followed just because I’m a prodigy of the Saint Sect? Surely a mighty Perfected Lord wouldn’t concern himself with a junior who isn’t even a Great Trueman, right?’
’The kind of person who could draw the attention of a Perfected Lord should be a Great Trueman at the very least, shouldn’t they?’
’As for the Great Truen I’ve t in the Ten Thousand Martial Realm...’ At this thought, Lü Yang’s perspective suddenly shifted, and a deeper question surfaced.
’Is this Perfected Lord... really Ang Xiao?’
’After all, Ang Xiao is a Saint Sect True Monarch. Why be so secretive? He only approached my avatar. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just follow my main body?’
It was all so baffling!
This Perfected Lord was already shrouded in too much mystery. With that damnable Veil of the Trees in play, one could easily overlook important clues without a second thought.
You wouldn’t even know what you’d missed!
As he mulled it over, Lü Yang found himself no longer pondering the question of why the Perfected Lord was following him. He put the thought out of his mind, and it felt completely natural.
.......
「anwhile, in another part of the Ten Thousand Martial Realm.」
Suohuan burned incense, straightened his robes, and sat upright within his Cave Mansion. He bowed respectfully to the figure that had suddenly appeared before him, then prostrated himself completely on the floor.
"This humble one greets Perfected Lord Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler!"
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