Chapter 612 A Dialogue with the Dragon Lord, the Saint Sect’s Reputation!

Immortal Pivot, Jiangxi.

Although it had only been two years, compared to the period when the Pure Land ruled, Jiangxi had already undergone subtle changes—the number of cultivators had gradually begun to increase.

And at the very center of Jiangxi.

The former Dragon Palace had been moved here. The Old Dragon Lord coiled within it, yet he restrained the dragon clans under his command and did not, in practice, replace the Path of Righteous Qi.

The result was that Jiangxi was currently still managed by Lu Yang’s remaining old subordinates—the cultivators of the former Incense-Fire Divine Path and the Imperial City Office—while the Old Dragon Lord, and even the entire dragon clan, were enshrined high above. The two sides had reached a delicate balance, and in normal times, neither interfered with the other.

At this moment, within the main hall of the Path of Righteous Qi.

Clad in magnificent robes, with a solemn expression, Xiao Shan sat upright. After Lu Yang’s departure, as the second-in-command of the Incense-Fire Divine Path, he naturally shouldered the heavy responsibility.

The Imperial City Office, which had once been turbulent due to Lu Yang’s disappearance, had only returned to calm under his iron-fisted governance.

After that, there had even been several blind Incense-Fire gods who came to “urge advancement,” wanting to add another layer of robes for him, but all of them were beaten to death with乱棍 by his order.

This was because Xiao Shan firmly believed:

“大人绝对没有死！”

“早在大人求金那年，我就已经自愿被大人炼化，若是大人真的身亡，我也必死无疑，当随之而去。”

“既然我没死，大人也肯定没事。”

“所以在大人回来之前，我必须替大人看管好江西，否则便是罔顾了大人对我的栽培和多年的信任.”

Xiao Shan’s eyes were tightly shut as he silently refined incense-fire.

Behind him, Lu Yang listened to the many distracting thoughts in Xiao Shan’s heart and sighed softly with emotion: “Such loyalty is commendable. Back then, I indeed did not misjudge you.”

【Puppet on Strings】activated!

The next second, Lu Yang’s figure overlapped with Xiao Shan’s. Immediately after, “Xiao Shan” opened his eyes and deeply exhaled a mouthful of turbid breath.

‘Sorry—borrowing this body for the time being.’

He had not used 【Puppet on Strings】 for a very long time. However, with his true body now far beyond the heavens, only by such means could he return.

Afterward, Lu Yang stood up, formed hand seals, and mounted an escape light that flew straight toward the Dragon Palace. At the same time, he gathered his full mana, and a heavenly voice burst forth from his mouth, booming as it transmitted directly into the Dragon Palace:

“Senior Dragon Lord, this junior Lu Yang has a matter to request. I ask that you show yourself for a meeting.”

In an instant, deep within the Dragon Palace, a strand of divine sense rapidly awakened.

Lu Yang… had returned?

The Old Dragon Lord cast his gaze outward. Upon seeing “Xiao Shan,” his brows first furrowed, then he pinched his fingers and calculated for a while, before revealing an intense curiosity.

‘Can’t calculate it.’

‘No matter how I look at it, this demon is indeed that Xiao Shan. But a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator—how could he dare lie to me? Could it be some formidable puppet secret art?’

With that thought, the Old Dragon Lord immediately released his divine sense.

The next second, Lu Yang felt the world spin. When he came back to himself, he had already fallen deep within the Dragon Palace. Walking toward him was a burly middle-aged man.

No need for further words—just the difference in status radiating from the man was enough for Lu Yang to confirm his identity.

“Junior Lu Yang pays respects to the Old Dragon Lord.”

“.Supreme Pole Fate-Commanding True Lord？”

The Old Dragon Lord frowned deeply. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, “Daoist friend once fled far beyond the heavens and left no trace. I wonder what exactly happened?”

“This matter is rather long to explain.”

Lu Yang did not evade the topic and straightforwardly explained the cause and effect of his journey beyond the heavens in search of a breakthrough, only to be ambushed by the Pure Land and attacked by the Sturdy Path-Preaching True Lord.

Only then did the Old Dragon Lord believe it for the most part.

‘A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could not possibly know the secrets between True Lords—let alone explain them so clearly. It seems he truly is that Supreme Pole Fate-Commanding True Lord.’

Thinking this, a smile finally appeared on the Old Dragon Lord’s face. He proactively returned the courtesy and said, “Daoist friend is indeed extraordinary—able to return to the present world even from beyond the heavens. Rest assured, old man has watched over Jiangxi well for you. Those bald donkeys from the Pure Land tried to invade several times, and I chased them all back.”

“Many thanks to senior for your protection.”

Lu Yang smiled slightly and proactively expressed his goodwill, acknowledging the Old Dragon Lord’s favor. Hearing this, the smile on the Old Dragon Lord’s face became even more genuine.

“May I ask, Daoist friend, for what reason did you specially come to find this old man?”

“For the sake of asking the Dao.”

Lu Yang did not dally and went straight to the point: “Recently, this junior’s cultivation has increased somewhat, yet I am troubled by empty certification of the Fruit Position. Thus, I came to ask senior about it.”

“.Empty certification?”

Hearing this, the Old Dragon Lord immediately narrowed his eyes, secretly startled: ‘This does not look like blind ambition—it seems he truly has gained something.’

‘Is this person’s talent really that high? Less than ten years after seeking gold and ascending in rank, it is said he has already refined his first true treasure, and now he has even comprehended empty certification? Is the Supreme Fruit Position really that powerful? Why didn’t I feel this back then… or could it be that this person is truly a once-in-ten-thousand genius?’

After a moment of silence, the Old Dragon Lord finally spoke in a low voice:

“If the empty certification Daoist friend refers to is a further step of the 【Seeking Dao Immortal Law】… then this old man indeed knows a little and can try to resolve your doubts.”

“Many thanks, senior!”

Hearing this, Lu Yang cupped his hands, then impatiently asked, “May I ask, senior—does so-called empty certification require the support of five true treasures in order to succeed?”

‘Hiss!’

As soon as these words fell, the Old Dragon Lord sucked in a cold breath inwardly: ‘It’s not fake—he really has comprehended it, and not merely at a superficial level!’

“.Indeed, it is five.”

The Old Dragon Lord said solemnly, “Generally speaking, three true treasures are used to construct the 【Seeking Dao Immortal Law】 and maintain the cave heaven without collapse—this is already the limit of cultivation. To condense a fourth, or even a fifth true treasure, is extremely difficult, like a heavenly chasm. According to legend, only the Supreme Fruit Position can achieve it smoothly.”

He actually guessed right!

Joy rose slightly in Lu Yang’s heart, and he hurriedly continued asking, “What is the meaning of the empty-certified Fruit Position? What kind of help does it give toward impacting the Nascent Soul? I ask senior to instruct me.”

Old Dragon Lord: “.”

You really dare to ask!

The Old Dragon Lord bared his teeth slightly, then waved his hand, sealing off the surrounding causality, before lowering his voice: “This old man only heard it through hearsay.”

“After Daoist friend hears it, do not spread it recklessly.”

Lu Yang’s eyes immediately lit up.

This was going to be real substance?

“This junior understands!” Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Yang took several steps forward to stand before the Old Dragon Lord and likewise cast a spell to isolate causality. “I ask senior to enlighten me.”

“.As far as I know, the empty-certified Fruit Position should originally be a cultivation attained only after late-stage Golden Core, after becoming a Great True Lord. One uses one’s own empty-certified Fruit Position to devour the original Fruit Position. From then on, great power returns to oneself, no longer bound or restricted by any external force—no leakage, no deficiency. That is Golden Core Perfection!”

In an instant, Lu Yang suddenly understood.

‘Golden Core Perfection… so this is Golden Core Perfection! No wonder… hm?’

Suddenly, Lu Yang’s brows knit slightly: ‘Great True Lords of late-stage Golden Core are all achieved through multiple Fruit Positions—does that mean all Fruit Positions must be devoured?’

Hearing this, the Old Dragon Lord glanced at Lu Yang.

As expected of the Saint Sect—he reacted this quickly.

“.That’s right.”

The Old Dragon Lord nodded slightly. “Thus, those Great True Lords achieved by gathering the strength of many—though they look imposing—actually no longer have any hope of impacting perfection.”

Because to impact perfection, one must devour the other Fruit Positions. Yet one’s own Great True Lord status is supported by other True Lords. Once those parties choose to rebel and the status collapses, let alone impacting perfection—even late stage cannot be maintained. Instead, one ends up losing more than one gains.

‘How insidious!’

Lu Yang’s eyelids twitched slightly as he listened. He then glanced again at the Old Dragon Lord—this one had remained at mid-stage Golden Core for countless years; perhaps he still harbored ambition!

Because he wanted to impact Golden Core Perfection, he had remained at mid-stage Golden Core, seeking a way to monopolize other Fruit Positions and achieve Great True Lordhood?

‘No wonder 【Soaring High】 was so confident and set his sights on becoming a Dao Lord—because he truly has a chance!’

‘On the contrary, this so-called method of achieving Great True Lordhood through collective strength seems like an advancement, but in truth it completely severs the immortal path upward.’

Too vicious!

“Where did this method originally spread from?”

Before the words had fully fallen, Lu Yang already realized he had asked a foolish question.

And upon hearing it, the Old Dragon Lord looked at him with a strange expression and then gave the unsurprising answer:

“Where else could it come from?”

“Of course—from the Saint Sect.”