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Chapter 361: Ambush
Chapter 361: Ambush
As Li Hao and his companions set out, many prodigies from other Holy Lands also began their journey to Tianyuan World in the Upper Three Realms.
In addition to these prodigies, the defeated contestants and influential figures from various realms also departed on the same day, heading to this grand prodigy event in the Land of Sages.
Beams of light from all realms converged on Tianyuan World like a rain of light.
Inside the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary.
The Sword Master's figure flickered, and he appeared at the Sword Saint Academy, saying calmly:
"I'll personally take the young ones. It's been a long time since I've gone out for a stroll. You stay and guard the Holy Land."
The Sword Saint was somewhat surprised. His senior brother usually lived in seclusion and disliked such gatherings, yet he was now willing to go.
After some thought, he didn't refuse and said, "Then I'll trouble you, senior brother."
The Sword Master nodded slightly and then vanished, returning to the Sword Tower.
"Old friend, it's time for you to accompany me again. This time, there might be some unexpected surprises. If there's a chance, I'll strike a blow for that child, and it won't have been in vain that we fished together."
The Sword Master murmured to himself in front of the Sword Tower, which was bound by chains. The tower seemed to tremble slightly, and the dust on countless martial techniques and secret manuals inside shook.
A faint shadow then flew out from the Sword Tower, the Sword Tower's Sword Soul.
The shadow rapidly condensed and merged into the Sword Master's fingertip. He then folded his hands behind his back and turned to leave.
...
Inside the Buddhist Sanctuary.
The Buddhist Venerable, upon hearing the words of the Bodhisattva, looked at him with compassion in his eyes, carrying a deep meaning:
"It seems the allure of the three Heaven and Earth treasures has truly moved him. He actually dares to come."
In front of his lotus platform, the Twin-Born Buddha Prince's eyes brightened slightly, revealing a hint of violent killing intent: "It's good that he's coming out. I was afraid he'd hide there."
"The Thief Saint has invited the Mo Family Sage, hoping to use the Supreme Sage's name as a cover. When the time comes, I'll lure Yuan Zhou away, and you can ambush and kill him!"
The Green Lamp Buddha said calmly.
As they spoke, a slight ripple appeared in the void, followed by the arrival of two auras in the Buddhist Sanctuary.
Although these auras were subtle, the Buddhist Venerable and the Green Lamp Buddha immediately detected them. They focused their gaze and saw one of them was an old acquaintance, the Virtual Sage.
Besides him, there was another Sage, the Yang Sage!
"They have set out."
The Virtual Sage met the Buddhist Venerable's gaze from a distance, then teleported to the Buddhist Hall. His first words upon entering were direct.
"They have split into two groups. I detected the Lying Heaven Sage's presence outside the Heaven Stealing Holy Land, and he has taken what seems to be an avatar and left. He is skilled in deceit and lies. If he is involved, he must be the mastermind. Now, there is one real and one fake. I've heard that your Buddhist Sect has the Mahayana Supreme Truth Law, which can discern truth from lies. Can it verify which is which?"
Upon hearing the Virtual Sage's words, the Buddhist Venerable frowned slightly and said:
"The Mahayana Supreme Truth Law can indeed dispel all illusions, but the Lying Heaven Sage has transcended the Three Calamities. He might even deceive himself. If he has deceived himself, relying on this method could lead us astray."
The Green Lamp Buddha's expression darkened: "They know about the Mahayana Supreme Truth Law. This move is likely a precaution. The Lying Heaven Sage is taking an avatar away on his own?"
The Virtual Sage's eyes showed disappointment when he heard that the Mahayana Supreme Truth Law was ineffective. He had some apprehension about the Lying Heaven Sage's lies, but he still explained the situation.
Since Li Hao gained fame in the Battles of the Ten Thousand Heavens, he had his avatar lurk in the void outside the Heaven Stealing Holy Land, waiting for an opportunity to spy. If he found a chance for the young man to come out alone, he would be willing to sacrifice his avatar to ensure a fatal strike.
Unfortunately, the young man never showed his face, remaining in seclusion the entire time.
"They have taken such precautions and even invited a Mo Family Sage to guard, clearly anticipating that we would investigate. The Lying Heaven Sage might have predicted that his whereabouts would be exposed, and this might have been a deliberate move. What he brought could be an Incarnation rather than his True Form!" the Buddhist Venerable mused.
The Virtual Sage frowned. "I thought the same, but the Lying Heaven Sage is skilled in deception. If he anticipated that we would guess, he might have done the opposite, making it more likely to be his True Form!"
"If she anticipated that we would guess and then calculate that she would act contrary to our expectations, it could still be an Incarnation", the Yang Sage said.
Green Lamp Buddha remained silent.
True or false, it all depended on how one interpreted it.
"The other True Form, which is openly traveling with Yuan Zhou and the Thief Saint, is so brazen that it makes one think it’s a fake, but they might have calculated that we would think this way, making it actually the true form!" the Virtual Sage said.
He was naturally suspicious and particularly disliked the Lying Heaven Sage.
"Since it’s difficult to discern, we don’t need to waste time trying to figure it out. Why don’t we split up?"
The Buddhist Venerable suggested.
The Virtual Sage nodded, agreeing with the idea. If the other side wanted them to guess, they could also split up.
"Since the Virtual Sage believes the Lying Heaven Sage’s companion is the true form, I will go after the Lying Heaven Sage, while you two search for the Thief Saint."
The Buddhist Venerable said.
The Virtual Sage and the Yang Sage exchanged glances, both understanding the Buddhist Venerable’s thoughts. He didn’t want to confront Yuan Zhou, given the influence of the Mo Clan behind him.
"I need to guard the Holy Land, so I can only send an Incarnation to accompany you two."
Green Lamp Buddha spoke, offering to send his Incarnation to accompany the Virtual Sage and the Yang Sage, showing the Buddhist Sect’s stance in meeting Yuan Zhou.
Hearing this, the two of them looked more pleased and nodded.
"Additionally, there’s another matter I need to inform you. Ordinary methods likely won’t be enough to kill the Monsters. He has cultivated Divine Blood, and with Divine Blood in his body, he has transformed into a Divine Race!"
The Virtual Sage suddenly said.
The Buddhist Venerable’s eyes flickered, but he wasn’t particularly surprised.
The Yang Sage, however, was taken aback. "Divine Blood? How bold! Could he be trying to achieve the Extreme Path to Sagehood? Wait, if that’s the case, his recent participation in the Battles of the Ten Thousand Heavens must have accumulated enough Extreme Dao Power!"
His eyes gleamed. If the Extreme Path to Sagehood was the goal, it would be a difficult challenge, and their ambush and kill plan would likely fail.
However, the good news was that they could make this public and have the Supreme Sage intervene. After all, they had sealed away one Divine Race before, and doing it again wouldn’t be impossible, especially while the target still lacked a strong foundation and hadn’t yet passed the Three Calamities.
"About that, there’s no need to worry. His ambition is as high as the sky. The incense provided by the Canglan World Elder hasn’t been cut off. He wants to cultivate both incense and Extreme Dao simultaneously, likely aiming to break the ancient shackles through the fusion of two sainthoods."
The Buddhist Venerable said calmly.
He had already seen Li Hao’s possession of Divine Blood during the previous quota battle. The Extreme Dao Power in the Fuyou Demon Realm had diminished significantly, and he knew it had been absorbed by Li Hao.
Therefore, he had sent people to monitor the cities where Li Hao received incense, and they found that the incense power hadn’t been interrupted.
If Li Hao chose the Extreme Path to Sagehood, he would need to dispel the incense in his body and cut off the incense supply. Otherwise, the incense would interfere, making it difficult to achieve Extreme Dao.
And Incense still stands, indicating that the other party has not yet taken the Extreme Path to Sagehood and is not yet a Sage!
Virtual Sage and Yang Sage glanced at Buddhist Venerable, seemingly realizing something, but they didn't say anything. Yang Sage heaved a sigh of relief: "It's good that he hasn't Ascended. That boy's Talent is too terrifying. If I had known this back then..."
He trailed off. Initially, when he bestowed the Sage Mark upon Li Hao, it was to lure him to the Land of Sages and eliminate the Ji Family's bloodline monsters.
However, he later discovered that the young man had severed his bloodline, seemingly breaking ties with the Ji Family. After that, Li Hao not only survived under Virtual Sage's watch but also caused a massive stir in the Canglan World.
Including his recent fame from the Battles of the Ten Thousand Heavens, it made Yang Sage feel a twinge of regret.
If he had taken that monster as a disciple and kept him under his tutelage, perhaps he would now be representing their Holy Land in the Minor World, fighting for Fate!
Moreover, if the other party were to Ascend and remember this mentorship, it would bring significant benefits.
Now, however, they have become mortal enemies. As long as the other party lives, it feels like a thorn in his heart, always making him uneasy.
"If he becomes a Divine Race member, he can disperse his Divine Blood. Even if his True Self is killed, he can transfer his Dao Will and Divine Soul to another strand of Divine Blood, achieving Blood Drop Rebirth!"
Green Lamp Buddha frowned. With Divine Blood cultivated and combined with the power of the Three Eternities Apex, his ability to survive is arguably the best in All Heavens.
Back then, the Divine Race was only sealed and allowed to decline before they were finally eliminated.
"Even if it's Divine Blood, if dispersed for too long, it will eventually dissipate and lose its divinity, unable to maintain Divine Power indefinitely", Buddhist Venerable said.
If it weren't for Divine Blood, just a Blood Drop Rebirth, it could be thwarted by thoroughly destroying and scattering the remains.
But Divine Blood, once dispersed, can retain its 1st Rank status for a considerable time, making it useless to kill the True Self.
Furthermore, Divine Blood has extremely high vitality, making it difficult to completely destroy in one go.
"Ten years ago, he escaped from my grasp and survived in the void for a decade. I thought he was dead, but he managed to endure."
Virtual Sage's face was grim. He had been extremely cautious, using his Incarnation to patrol the area for ten years, but the other party never showed up.
His patience, acting skills, and power were all terrifying. He managed to remain Indestructible in the void for ten years in his Divine Blood state. Afterward, Virtual Sage speculated that the other party likely used layers of Divine Blood to protect himself, gradually wearing down to resist the void's erosion.
Buddhist Venerable said softly, "No worries. I have a Divine Power called the Great Causal Technique. No matter where his Divine Blood is dispersed, as long as it is of the same origin, I can track it!"
This was a Divine Power he had Comprehended after a thousand lifetimes of Cultivation, extremely powerful and one of his trump cards.
Hearing Buddhist Venerable's words, Virtual Sage's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded: "If we can't kill him on the spot, we can seal him. We just need to wait for his Divine Blood to decay before thoroughly eliminating him!"
Although the process might be long, possibly taking decades, it's enough.
Back then, sealing the Divine Race Ancestor required the combined efforts of several Supreme Sages, and it took them several hundred years to exhaust and kill him.
As they spoke, Twin-Born Buddha Prince's face was dark. He had the memories of a Mortal World Buddhist Master. If what Virtual Sage said was true, the young man had fled in the Void Sacred Land for ten years. In that situation, it would be impossible to Cultivate. Given his age, he must be under 20, yet he managed to force him into such a predicament?
"We shouldn't delay. Let's set out!"
Virtual Sage said.
Buddhist Venerable nodded and then they split up. He used his Incarnation to escort the Buddhist Sect disciples, while his True Self took Twin-Born Buddha Prince.
If the True Form is by the Lying Heaven Sage's side, he can keep the Lying Heaven Sage occupied and hand him over to the Twin-Born Buddha Prince to eliminate, making the Heart Demon dissipate.
Snap!
On the Precious Treasure Boat, Li Hao took out the Chess Board and played a game with Hongyue.
As the pieces were placed on the Chess Board, Li Hao secured his victory.
"Your chess skills have improved. It seems I can no longer keep up with you, Young Master."
Hongyue saw the deadlock on the Chess Board, her mouth slightly agape, and finally let out a bitter laugh.
Li Hao smiled slightly and said, "It's just a leisurely pastime. There's no need to dwell on winning or losing."
Hongyue pouted slightly, thinking, You didn't say that when you lost...
The boat swayed, and Yuan Zhou and Feng Boping sat beside Li Hao. Seeing that he still had the leisure to play chess, Feng Boping was accustomed to it, but Yuan Zhou couldn't help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes.
After all, this journey might encounter a Sage ambush and kill, and for those in the Dao Law Realm, even making a Sage unhappy would be nerve-wracking, let alone facing an ambush and kill. He would likely be on edge the entire time.
"Young friend, you truly have a good spirit."
Yuan Zhou chuckled. He also loved the Dao of Chess, but seeing Li Hao holding the Chess Board and playing with the woman, both of whom were skilled in the Dao of Chess, he wisely kept his interest to himself. If a Sage were to be easily defeated by two juniors, it would be somewhat embarrassing, especially since this was their first meeting and they weren't yet familiar with each other.
"Peaceful days are a blessing, thanks to the two of you carrying the burden for me."
Li Hao smiled. Though he appeared carefree, he knew that Old Feng had done a lot for him. He wasn't a sentimental person and didn't like showing too much emotion on his face, but he kept this gratitude in his heart.
"That Buddhist Sect and the Virtual Sage should have set out as well, I wonder what they're planning."
Feng Boping said with a smile, trusting the Lying Heaven Sage's arrangements. This was the trust built over thousands of years of rivalry.
"Debating true and false with the Lying Heaven Sage is like walking into a trap. The best outcome is to avoid the confrontation and split into two groups", Yuan Zhou said with a slight smile.
Feng Boping nodded. "That's what we had anticipated as well."
This prediction came from the Lying Heaven Sage, who had even informed Feng Boping that the Buddhist Sect was likely to seek her out, while the Virtual Sage would come to Feng Boping to test the situation.
Li Hao was also aware of their plans and arrangements. The Twin-Born Buddha Prince might act before the Supreme Young Hero Battle on the Battle Platform, not waiting for a fair confrontation.
Sometimes, the outcome of a chess game is decided by moves made outside the Chess Board.
"Come, let's continue."
Li Hao invited Hongyue to play another round. This journey provided time to accumulate Chess Dao experience. Although winning against Hongyue now yielded much less experience, it was still far better than the meager gains from playing others.
In the void nearby.
The Lying Heaven Sage, accompanied by her Shadow Clone, swiftly traversed the void, her eyes calm and confident.
Suddenly, a beam of Golden Light appeared in the void, the bright and pure Buddhist Light.
The Lying Heaven Sage's lips curled slightly, but her eyes showed a serious expression. "Venerable Buddhist?"
The Venerable Buddhist stepped out of the Buddhist Light, accompanied by the Twin-Born Buddha Prince. He smiled and said, "Lying Heaven Sage, it's been many years. Why have you started to meddle in others' affairs?"
"Many years have passed, and you still enjoy exorcising all beings in the name of Buddhism."
The Lying Heaven Sage pursed her lips, a trace of disdain in her eyes.
The Venerable Buddhist recited a Buddhist chant, knowing there was no need for further words. After all, the Lying Heaven Sage was full of lies, making it impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood. His monk's robe fluttered as he directly summoned the Sacred Path Dharma Image, a majestic Buddha standing in the void outside the Minor World.
(End of Chapter)
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