Lu Yang fought fiercely against Lu Yang.
Sect Master Lu was proficient in spells, casting Five Elements spells with consummate ease and having delved into the dual pinnacles of time and space spells. He had even achieved the unity of fist and spell, beating the sect masters of the Four Great Immortal Sects into a panicked retreat.
Young Cult Master Lu focused primarily on the sword. Despite his youth, his comprehension of the Dao of the Sword far surpassed cultivators of the same realm, rivaling the Nascent Soul stage.
"Who will win? They say this Sect Master Lu is exceptionally accomplished in spells and has created numerous unique techniques. In all of history, few people have ever created spells at this realm."
"At the Grand Qingzhou Festival, he fought two at once, defeating Bai Ming and Lan Ting, yet no one could tell what kind of Golden Core he had formed."
"It’s hard to say who will win. Didn’t you hear what that Young Cult Master Lu said? His talent was so terrifying that even immortals suppressed him!"
Lu Yang truly lived up to his reputation as a peerless powerhouse, every move of his commanding the undivided attention of the crowd.
The four immortal sect masters and Eldest Prince Jiang Qun, in particular, watched intently to see how Lu Yang would fight against himself.
The moment Sect Master Lu leapt down toward the arena, the Immortal Fairy willingly yielded control of the body to Lu Yang, leaving him to manipulate both bodies in battle.
"Fight well, Lu Yang! You have to defeat that fellow across from you! In this battle, you represent our Dao Seeking Sect!" The Immortal Fairy first dashed into Sect Master Lu’s spiritual space, waving flags and cheering him on, before flitting over to Young Cult Master Lu’s spiritual space.
"Wipe out that Dao Seeking Sect guy across from you! This time, you must make a name for our Heavenly Court Cult!"
"...Fairy, if you have nothing to do, just go rest."
"Oh, okay."
During the time the Immortal Fairy served as Acting Sect Master and cultivated using Lu Yang’s body, his cultivation had indeed progressed by leaps and bounds, especially his spiritual power, which had climbed to another level.
In the past, controlling two bodies required total concentration, without the slightest distraction or lapse.
Now, he could manage both bodies while still having enough attention to spare to placate the Immortal Fairy.
To the outside world, Sect Master Lu and Young Cult Master Lu were locked in an inseparable, back-and-forth duel, with neither gaining a clear upper hand.
Sect Master Lu opened his mouth and spat out Three-Flavor True Fire. The true fire divided into three streams, each possessing a distinct flavor. The three streams flickered like fiery tongues, licking the air and sending the temperature soaring.
With a flick of his wrist, Young Cult Master Lu released three sharp arcs of sword qi.
"Three Flying Sparrows!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sword qi and true fire erupted violently. The heatwave of the flames mingled with the sharp wind of the sword qi, stinging both of their faces.
Sect Master Lu used Shrinking the Earth, preparing to launch a sneak attack from beneath the ground. But as if possessing precognition, Young Cult Master Lu dodged in advance, evading Sect Master Lu just as he emerged abruptly from the earth.
Sect Master Lu stared at Young Cult Master Lu with a grave expression. "Precognition... a Clear Sword Heart. I heard my master say that only by becoming utterly infatuated and obsessed with the sword can one attain a Clear Sword Heart. Has your comprehension of the sword reached such heights already?"
Young Cult Master Lu chuckled lightly and wiped away a trace of blood on his cheek. Even though he had anticipated the attack, he had still been half a step too slow, getting grazed on the face.
"You aren't simple either. Using Samadhi True Fire as a foundation, you created a brand-new true fire. And that spell you used just now to tunnel through the earth looked like Earth Escape, yet differed from it—did you invent that yourself as well?"
"Creating two Five Elements spells at the Golden Core stage was unheard of even in ancient times!"
Sect Master Lu's body suddenly shrank until he was only three inches tall. Hopping rapidly across the ground, he was enveloped in Three-Flavor True Fire and unleashed the Arhat Fist. Though small in stature, he exerted immense pressure on Young Cult Master Lu, who dared not clash with him bare-handed and was forced to parry with his sword.
The shrunken Sect Master Lu’s fist technique was astounding, carrying waves of Buddhist chants that brimmed with sorrow and compassion for the world. His tiny fists struck the blade with clear, ringing clangs.
Young Cult Master Lu’s swordplay was no slouch either. Pointing the tip of his sword at Sect Master Lu, he thrust three times in rapid succession, each strike narrowly avoided by Sect Master Lu by a hair's breadth.
The two exchanged a hundred rounds, yet neither could overcome the other!
Every technique was lethal; a single slip would lead to defeat. Yet both reacted with blinding speed, always finding a countermeasure in the shortest possible time and retaliating immediately.
The battle of offense and defense, full of intricate maneuvers and tactical mind games, left the prodigies below the stage holding their breath. They watched wide-eyed, terrified of missing even the slightest detail.
By this point, they had forgotten all factional rivalries. They only wanted to see what other shocking feats the two fighters on stage could pull off.
After a hundred and twenty rounds, both leapt backward at the same time, panting to steady their breathing and recover their spiritual energy.
The fierce clash had nearly drained both of their reserves.
"People say a sword cultivator can break ten thousand spells with a single sword. I never believed it before, but seeing it today, it truly is so."
Sect Master Lu watched Young Cult Master Lu’s expression, looking for an opportune moment to strike.
"Sect Master Lu overpraises me. With a sword in hand, I believe I can traverse the world at will. Prodigies may be many, yet none match the might of my sword. Only by fighting Sect Master Lu today do I realize there are still obstacles on my road to immortality!"
Witnessing this scene, Hundred Herb Heavenly King could not resist murmuring in a voice loud enough for the onlookers to overhear, "Our Young Cult Master has never praised someone like this before, has he?"
The other four Heavenly Kings nodded. "What a proud person the Young Cult Master is. Only the Cult Master and Dou Tianzun have ever commanded his bow of respect. Who would have thought that this trip would grant him the opponent he has always dreamed of? Truly rare."
"It’s a pity we set out in such a hurry. If we had brought the four Holy Sons along, this battle might have looked very different."
*The four Holy Sons?*
Overhearing this, the bystanders began to speculate. Did the Heavenly Court Cult possess four other peerless geniuses besides this Young Cult Master?
The four Holy Sons, of course, were Meng Jingzhou, Tao Yaoye, Man Gu, and Li Haoran.
Qin Yanyan was technically a member of the Heavenly Court Cult as well, but her current identity was the reincarnation of Qin Haoran.
Lu Yang fought another eighty rounds against himself. With the outcome still undecided, both stopped in tacit understanding.
"Delightful! Never before have I fought so heartily against a cultivator of the same realm!" Young Cult Master Lu threw his head back and laughed wildly—arrogant, unbridled, and lawless—yet his gaze no longer looked down on Sect Master Lu as an inferior.
Sect Master Lu smiled in reply. "If we continue, I fear we won't decide a winner even by tomorrow. Fighting further is meaningless. How about we call it a draw here?"
Young Cult Master Lu pondered for a moment and swiftly agreed to Sect Master Lu’s proposal.
"Then let us end it here! I underestimated the prodigies of the current age. With you in the struggle of the Golden Age, it certainly won't be lonely!"
Sect Master Lu maintained his modest demeanor. "Arriving uninvited is impolite. Heavenly Court Cult, please depart."
Being asked to leave did not anger Young Cult Master Lu in the slightest. With a wide sweep of his sleeve, he turned to leave.
"Five Protectors, depart with me."
"Yes!"
The Heavenly Court Cult arrived on clouds and departed on clouds. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the cloud drifted out of the Dao Seeking Sect.
Lying backstage recovering from his injuries, Meng Jingzhou watched this scene and seethed with indignation.
"Damn it, I got swindled big time!"
"Brother Meng, what's wrong?" Man Gu asked.
Except for Li Haoran, the other three Holy Sons of the Heavenly Court Cult were hidden here.
Man Gu and Tao Yaoye had subpar acting skills and risked blowing their cover if they showed themselves outside, so the two of them had remained backstage watching the fights.
"That bastard Lu Yang got to show off twice, yet he only promised to help me show off once!"
Chapter 500