Chapter 169: Looting

True Lord Realm, Ninth Layer!

The Annihilation Dao Seed dissolved into a gray stream and merged into Lu Ye’s body.

The massive Enlightenment Tree—now towering over a thousand meters tall—also began to shrink, collapsing inward and merging into him.

At this moment, a brand-new Dao was born inside Lu Ye’s body:

The Annihilation Dao.

He had absorbed countless insights left behind by the Annihilation Heavenly Lord.

But... Lu Ye himself was a Heavenly Lord. Even with another Heavenly Lord’s insights added to his own, the benefit wasn’t overwhelmingly huge.

His own Dao resembled a galaxy—vast and boundless. The addition of the Annihilation Dao was like adding a dazzling star to an already infinite constellation.

Lu Ye clenched his fist. On his Heavenly Lord’s Fist, there now lingered a trace of terrifying annihilation.

It felt like he had become even stronger.

Suddenly, Lu Ye thought of something.

Hmmm...

He’d refined a single Annihilation Dao Seed—and it had boosted him from True Lord Realm, First Layer all the way to Ninth Layer in one go. Honestly, that wasn’t even unreasonable. It was a Heavenly Lord’s Dao, after all.

Next step... breaking through to the Earth Immortal Realm.

So... wouldn’t that trigger another kind of poison?

“What the fuck?!”

Even Lu Ye couldn’t help but curse aloud.

This was getting ridiculous.

He did a quick mental count—how many poisons had he dealt with by now?

Corpse-Binding Poison

Primal Dawn Mist

Slaughter Lotus Heart

Lunar Marrow Worm

Cycle of Obsession

Annihilation Dao Seed

Six kinds.

Unknowingly, he’d already endured six types of deadly afflictions.

Actually... not all were “poisons.” But every single one of them was something extremely bad for the average person.

His cultivation resources were almost dried up.

Whatever. Time to borrow some.

Lu Ye’s figure vanished.

He had always stood proudly by his name—never changing face or identity.

So when he reappeared just outside the Buddhist Sect...

The entire sect collectively froze.

Wait... WHAT?!

Wasn’t the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor already dead?!

Amitabha!!

Lu Ye had disguised himself as the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor, unleashing overwhelming demonic pressure upon the Buddhist Sect.

At the end of the cultivation path—what lies there?

Flight.

And at the end of fleeing—what reigns supreme?

Speed, disguise, and stealth.

Now that Lu Ye had reached True Lord Realm, Ninth Layer, no one in the First Heaven could see through his disguise.

“Who are you!?” a Buddhist elder roared.

“Jie jie jie...” Lu Ye let out a classic villainous cackle. “I disappear for just a few years, and you bald donkeys already forgot who I am?”

“You lie! The Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor was already slain! Who the hell are you pretending to be?!”

A monk activated their Heavenly Eye—yet saw exactly the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor.

“A mere Lu Ye thought he could kill me? Him? Don’t be ridiculous. Anyway, I’m short on cultivation funds lately. You monks want to offer them up yourselves—or should I take them by force?” Lu Ye sneered, fully committing to the villain act.

“Whoever you are, this is not a place for your arrogance—!”

Before the words could finish, a massive demonic claw appeared in the sky above the entire Buddhist mountain.

Under this overwhelming pressure, every statue and elder in the sect trembled with dread.

That claw—its power was utterly incomprehensible.

How could such strength exist in the First Heaven?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Yet as the claw descended, the Buddhist Mountain itself began to collapse. The sect's defensive formation burst into divine radiance—only to shatter instantly under the pressure.

There was no comparison between the two forces.

“Amitabha, stop! We’re willing to offer treasures! Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor, we of the Buddhist Sect are your allies! Please have mercy!”

Lu ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Ye halted the descent of the claw.

“Bring me the goods.”

Everyone wore bitter expressions.

That terrifying claw just now—they couldn’t resist it even if they wanted to.

And the collapse of the defensive array meant there was no backup—no powerful illusion constructed from relics to scare off an invader.

Whether or not this was truly the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor—this was a genuine powerhouse.

“Not enough,” Lu Ye snapped. “This little scrap? You monks trying to pass it off like I’m a beggar?”

“S-Senior... truly, our sect is destitute. We’ve been exiled to this mountain for years. What treasures we had have long since been lost or destroyed... There’s really not much left...”

Lu Ye coldly laughed.

“So poor, huh? Then I might as well wipe you out.”

The massive demonic claw appeared again.

“Wait, we have more! We do, we do!”

Another batch of treasures was handed over.

“Not enough! Not enough! NOT ENOUGH!”

Now that he was pretending to be the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor, Lu Ye didn’t care about appearances. There was no more “saving face.”

The Buddhist Sect scrambled to pull out even more.

“Senior! We truly have nothing else! If you’re looking for riches, go check the Great Wilderness! The sects there are swimming in wealth! Especially Grand Dao Sect—now the number one sect in the First Heaven, with treasures beyond counting. You might consider giving them a visit!”

“Grand Dao Sect, huh? Sure. I’ll swing by later. You really have nothing left?”

“Nothing at all. We’ve been cleaned out! Please, senior, have mercy!”

“Forget it. I’ll search for myself.”

The demonic claw reappeared—but this time, it became a fist.

A fist fell from the sky.

BOOM!

A golden shockwave echoed through the Buddhist realm, spreading endlessly.

The entire Buddhist Mountain was reduced to a flat wasteland.

Done.

At first, Lu Ye had only intended to take some loot. Bullying the weak wasn’t really his style.

But... those monks had given such a great suggestion.

Grand Dao Sect, huh?

They were loaded. Unfortunately for them, he wasn’t the kind of Empress-stabbing villain who minded robbing his own allies.

Resources began surging toward him.

Didn’t they say they were out? Really?

Because from what Lu Ye saw, there was plenty.

Disappearing again, Lu Ye reappeared outside Youming.

Still in the guise of the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor.

Youming’s cultivators panicked—before they could say anything—

BOOM...

Handled.

Another faction’s resources acquired.

Though not as rich as the first, it was probably enough to push him into the Earth Immortal Realm.

Now Lu Ye truly understood why the Nine Heavens Great Saints were revered by all.

He’d only targeted two forces because of old grudges. But what if a true demonic cultivator showed up—one with no distinction between friend or foe, one who just robbed indiscriminately?

What would happen to the world?

The destruction of two major factions sent shockwaves through the entire First Heaven.

Wait—was the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor actually still alive?!

No, that couldn’t be right...

If it were the Demon Emperor, he would’ve hit Grand Dao Sect first—not wiped out the Buddhist Sect and Youming.

Second Heaven.

Jiang Die received the intel.

“Lu Ye... he’s still in the First Heaven?!”

Jiang Die’s whole body jolted.

She knew Lu Ye’s methods. Her heart skipped a beat.

He had bypassed the Ascension? Avoided the Nine Heavens’ heavenly laws?

What realm was he at now?

Her heart pounded wildly, gripped by a growing sense of unease.

Why was this happening?!

How could he escape the bounds of ascension?

If he stayed in the First Heaven and grew to an earth-shattering level—then ascended to the Second Heaven...

What would happen?

Jiang Die’s scalp tingled.

No. No, no, no—

Absolutely not!!!