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How is this possible?

At the moment this power was unleashed, he already recognized its origin.

This sword intent—the entirety of heaven and earth had seen it only once in countless millennia. That was just a dozen days ago during the fierce battle in Nanhai City, where the Sword Dao Fruit appeared!

The sword intent at that time soared straight into the heavens. Even though he had been in a deep slumber, it startled him awake in an instant. The force was so overwhelming that all the ancients were shaken and regarded it as an existential threat.

The intelligence also reached their Buddha Kingdom at once. In this world, theoretically speaking, only three people were capable of wielding such power now.

The first was Ao Zhen, who had become the ultimate victor in the duel against the Sword Demon, righteously claiming the Sword Dao Fruit and being acknowledged by heaven and earth as its pure inheritor.

Yet due to the immense depletion caused by that duel, she struggled even to protect herself.

Furthermore, she was witnessed by numerous Buddhas in the Capital City, making it impossible for her to break through the Victorious Fighting Buddha’s blockade and appear here.

The second was Chen Qing, Master of the Divine Path Sect, who could flawlessly utilize the rules governing that power.

Yet Chen Qing had already exhausted his spiritual power.

Even now, reunited with Ziyue and replenished in energy, the wounds inflicted by the Purple Moon Secret Technique would make it difficult for him to recover in the short term, let alone breach the Victorious Fighting Buddha’s blockade.

The only person in Jiangnan theoretically capable of wielding this power was Tian Heng, who had been ordained as the Western Sea God by Chen Qing.

But Tian Heng was no longer able to utilize that power.

This was an indisputable fact. If he could have, the Siao Family’s Princess Royale would already be dead, Jiangnan would have successfully repelled the Imperial Army, resolving its internal manpower crisis, and would have mobilized troops to eradicate the Buddhist Temple long ago.

Wouldn’t that have been a far surer course of action?

He had been cautious enough. So why had this power, which was never supposed to reappear, surfaced once more?

What went wrong?

As his thoughts swirled endlessly, the man across from him did not hesitate.

His sword intent surged, and the impossibly dominant light from the blade directly tore through the darkness.

Even amid the erosion of time, it remained eternally indestructible.

That power, so overwhelming, made his scalp tingle with fear.

He must withdraw his domain immediately.

This domain’s seal was double-edged—it imprisoned his opponent, but also himself. As long as his adversary could not break through the corrosive forces of space-time, the domain was an absolute advantage for him. But if his opponent overcame it, he would be merely a lamb to the slaughter within it!

However, if he failed to subdue his opponent now, once the domain was relinquished, there were military formations waiting outside and the terrifying swordsmanship beside him. How would he escape?

Both paths led to death!

Could it be... he had reached a dead end?

No!!

The Buddha’s sorrowful face hardened with a trace of ferocity. Fixing his gaze tightly on his opponent, he did not retreat but advanced instead. The Power of Space-Time surged violently as he made his decision in an instant. Victory or defeat... would be determined here and now.

If he could just kill his opponent, he could forcibly utilize the Laws of the Past to implant a Buddha Seed within the opponent’s body.

Afterward, he could forcefully appropriate the opponent’s abilities for his own use.

Although he might not fully master them in the short term, replacing a mere soldier should be feasible, right?

Utilizing his opponent’s White Drawing abilities, he could blend within the soldiers and regain his chance of survival!

At this thought, he cast aside all hesitation and unleashed his full power, his entire being aglow with Buddha Light.

"You’re not retreating?" The King of Qin sneered coldly. "You’ve truly surpassed my expectations. I thought old-timers like you were all cowardly and craven when faced with death."

"This old monk does not believe you can fully grasp this power!" the Buddha roared fiercely. "I don’t know what kind of agreement you struck with Chen Qing, or how you’re able to use this power, but the time must have been too short. There’s no way you’ve fully mastered it!"

"Hmm... I guessed you’d think that!" The King of Qin smirked, bringing his short sword down without hesitation.

At that instant, an overwhelming dread surged through the Buddha’s heart—a feeling he hadn’t experienced since gaining his current powers.

In that moment, he knew—he had made the wrong decision.

But why?

"You’ve lost, Old Yang." The King of Qin’s voice echoed hauntingly. The Buddha’s body jolted violently as the domain he had been barely maintaining collapsed almost instantly.

So that’s how it was... so that’s how it was!!

Old Yang’s eyes widened in shock, nearly shattering entirely, all because of that single phrase: Old Yang.

"You are... Chen Qing!!!"

"Old Yang’s response... is still too slow..." The man across from him sighed. "It seems that the long years have dulled you. The you of the past would never have been so easily deceived."

His opponent froze for a moment, then burst into mad laughter.

So that’s how it was...

It had all been an elaborate scheme—a grand performance!

That old fox, Old Liu, had orchestrated this setup in Nanhai, even at the cost of sacrificing his grandson. His intention wasn’t the old woman of the Demon Realm at all—it was him!

In that chaotic skirmish, it wasn’t Chen Qing who had been taken away by Ziyue using Taboo Power—it was the King of Qin!

Yes, how had he not realized?

In the Capital City, that Chen Qing had never once lifted a hand, relying entirely on his subordinates and the Siao Family’s Emperor to fight in his stead.

No one doubted Chen Qing’s identity back then—not even he—because Chen Qing’s situation seemed to leave him no room to act personally.

But if... if this had all been premeditated from the start, everything would make sense.

The one who had lost their spiritual power was the King of Qin, and the one who returned to the Eastern Sea was Chen Qing!

Chen Qing and the King of Qin looked exactly alike. In that chaotic battle, with Old Liu’s cooperation, they could easily have swapped identities.

Damn it!!

"Why?"

After the mad laughter, the Space Law was cleanly severed by a single sword. Within the blink of an eye, the suffocating darkness shattered like glass. Amid the tens of thousands of troops, the lifeless Ancient Buddha still seemed unwilling: "Why would he do this?"

He could not comprehend why Old Liu would target him so ruthlessly, even at such a great cost.

"From the moment you began scheming against Ali, Old Liu marked you for death.

A Buddha capable of altering the past, yet fixated on capturing the Thousand-Faced Fox, was too dangerous to leave unchecked.

Moreover, your strategies were those most universally opposed by all factions, including Old Liu himself. "

"Why were they opposed?" Old Yang roared with effort. "Why? Do they think they can win? Can they not see how powerful the Void Demon Statues are? Why haven’t they dared to let them fully manifest over the years? Isn’t it because they’re uncertain?"

"What’s so wrong with my approach?"

"No degree of uncertainty justifies surrendering your destiny to someone else. Relying on those monsters’ apathy to spare you is no different from pretending to sleep through a crisis.

No matter how selfish or indifferent to the masses Old Liu and the others may be, they’re still warriors at heart.

True warriors... never entrust their fate to others! "

Old Yang: "......"

"Old Yang, from the moment you conceived this plan, you ceased to be the Old Yang of the past. You’ve gone from being a ravenous beast to a cowardly rat.

You’re not even worthy of being called an Evil Dragon anymore.

If you lack the resolve, then relinquish your power. It’s time for you... to step down!!"