Yefutidaolu

Chapter 441 Tit for tat
Gao Jian remained outwardly calm, even deliberately revealing a hint of doubt about the other party's reaction, but inwardly he had already raised his vigilance to the highest level.

The origin and purpose of this fake "Yuan Law" are probably far more complex than he imagined.

"Alright, then it's your turn." Gao Jian gestured for the other person to continue asking questions, his expression calm and composed, as if he hadn't noticed the other person's momentary loss of composure.

However, Yuanlu did not immediately ask a question.

He gave Gao Jian a deep look, and the habitual gentle smile on his face faded slightly.

"Shall we continue?" he asked slowly, his voice still calm, but with a hint of warning. "I thought Mr. Gao was someone who knew how to assess the situation and knew when to stop. You and I are both sensible people, and we both adhere to the bottom line of 'not lying.' But if we continue to ask, we will inevitably touch on some secrets that neither of us is willing to reveal easily."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through people's hearts: "At that time, if one side is unable to answer, or is forced to respond with lies and is discovered... this currently peaceful atmosphere will probably vanish in an instant. For you and me, that would really be... not good."

Gao Jian understood that the other party was right.

This question-and-answer game is fair, but it's also like dancing on a knife's edge, with each side testing the other's deepest bottom line.

The questions and answers so far, while involving some secrets, are mostly "minor details" that can be inferred through other means or are not absolutely core information.

Both sides are carefully controlling the pace to avoid igniting conflict prematurely.

This temporary peace is built on a delicate balance—neither side has figured out all of the other's cards, and both are wary of the consequences of a complete breakdown in relations.

But once a problem truly touches upon the unspeakable core, or one party is forced to lie and is exposed by the other, then this thin layer of paper will be pierced instantly.

Once the truth is revealed, the two people who were just sitting and drinking tea may instantly become enemies fighting to the death!

At that time...

Gao Jian calmly assessed in his mind whether he really had the confidence to win against a genuine, unfathomable Earth Immortal.
Although the rusty knife is sharp and my control over it is improving day by day, a mortal immortal's inner world is perfected, and their supernatural powers are unpredictable. They are not easy to deal with. Once we start fighting, the outcome is uncertain, and life and death hang by a thread.

Should we stop here, retreat with the limited information we've gathered, and plan for the future? Or... should we continue the risky journey, trying to uncover more secrets, even if it might immediately trigger a perilous war between the Earth Immortals?

The insightful gaze met the "Primordial Law" in the air.

Upon hearing this, Gao Jian not only did not back down, but also smiled naturally: "You are even wary of these questions, then Mr. Yuan invited me here tonight, could it really be just for tea and idle chat? Please continue, Mr. Yuan, I am all ears."

The more relaxed and casual he appeared, the more confident and fearless he seemed, throwing the pressure back at the other party.

Yuan Lu frowned slightly, then relaxed, as if he had made up his mind, and slowly nodded: "In that case, let's continue."

He stopped beating around the bush, his gaze suddenly sharpening like a hawk's, and directly posed a crucial question, his voice deepening:
"Mr. Gao, then let me ask you—what is the origin of that rusty knife in your hand?"

The other party finally got straight to the point and asked some key questions.

However, when faced with this pointed question, Gao simply shrugged helplessly, his tone so sincere that it was impossible to find fault with him:

"I do not know."

Is this... a kind of answer?

Yuan Lu's eyes were slightly cold.

“You’ve asked me something I truly don’t know. What can I do?” Gao Jian’s expression was quite calm, even somewhat innocent. “I can only tell you the truth—this thing has been with me since the moment I opened my eyes, like a part of my body. As for where it came from and why it chose me, I have no idea.”

He met Yuan Lu's scrutinizing gaze and said frankly, "This is the truth. Whether I am lying or not, Mr. Yuan should be able to judge for himself."

"Yuanlu" stared intently at Gao Jian, seemingly using some kind of secret technique to perceive the truth or falsehood of his words.

After a moment, he suddenly let out a low, enigmatic laugh: "Haha...that's true. It seems that the choice itself is part of a game. I chose the wrong direction. Let's continue then, it's your turn, Mr. Gao."

He didn't seem annoyed by not getting an answer; on the contrary, he seemed even more interested.

Gao Jianlue pondered for a moment, his gaze becoming deep, and asked a question that seemed to have no beginning or end, yet contained an immense weight:
"Then... are you 'Heaven'?"

These six simple words are like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, or a spark that ignites a fuse!

The moment Gao Jian finished speaking—

All the expressions on Yuan Lu's face, whether gentle or scrutinizing, vanished in an instant! They were replaced by an icy coldness!
He didn't hesitate for a moment, nor did he issue any warnings—

"boom--!!!"

Centered on him, the entire schoolhouse and even the courtyard seemed to be instantly assimilated and controlled by the invisible will emanating from him! The energy of heaven and earth was no longer gentle, but transformed into a raging torrent!

In an instant, Gao Jian felt as if every inch of space around him had become a solid shackle, with endless pressure crushing down from all directions! The bluestone slabs beneath his feet silently turned to dust, and the roof beams and tiles above his head seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand, groaning under the unbearable weight! The green bamboo outside the window swayed wildly, its leaves detaching from the branches but not falling; instead, they floated in the air like countless emerald blades, their sharp points pointing directly at Gao Jian! Even more terrifying, the flowing air itself transformed into a raging gale, swirling violently around him and emitting a shrill, ghostly wail! All these changes, this terrifying spectacle that stirred the power of heaven and earth within a hundred-foot radius, all its destructive force and killing intent, were precisely and condensed, acting solely on Gao Jian! The school building itself only trembled slightly; the courtyard walls did not collapse, and even the teacups on the table did not shake!
"Yuan Lu" still stood in the same place, but the feeling he gave people was completely different. He seemed to have merged with this turbulent world and become the absolute master of this space.

His gaze was icy as he stared at Gao Jian, who was at the center of the storm. Although he did not speak again, the overwhelming power of heaven and earth was the best answer and the most threatening warning!

Gao Jian stood at the center of this devastating yet focused attack, his clothes fluttering and his hair dancing wildly, but his back remained straight, his eyes as sharp as ever, gripping the rusty knife in his hand, facing the wrath of the Earth Immortal!
Faced with this perfect, unified force that seemed to represent the will of heaven and earth itself, Gao Jian's mind, after the initial shock, entered a state of extreme calm.

The light of the heart lamp no longer tries to "analyze" the flawless structure, but rather, like a mirror, purely reflects every change in this controlled world.

Your mind is as clear as a still lake; let me see your level of understanding.

The high insight reflected every trace of the opponent's magic, and all the energy flow was perfectly reflected in the heart lake, allowing him to naturally observe the opponent's every move.

It cannot be broken from the outside... because its 'perfection' lies in its self-identification with this world. Attacking it is like attacking the entire world; the power will be instantly dispersed, absorbed, circulated, and vanish into nothingness.

Gao Jian nodded slightly.

Its core lies in 'assimilation'. It is not simply about suppressing with force, but about incorporating one's own existence and will into this 'cycle of heaven and earth', making oneself a part of it, thereby disintegrating Gao Jian's resistance from within.

Gao Jian's mind raced like lightning. He realized that the key to countering this move was not to find a weakness in its power—because there was none.

The real key is to maintain one's independence and to sever the "connections" that try to pull oneself into the cycle!
All living beings are extensions of it, and all things circulate within it... So, the pressure it exerts on me, the force that intends to crush and assimilate me, is essentially a kind of 'connection,' a 'cause and effect' that forcibly pulls me into its cyclical system!
In that moment of clarity, on the brink of life and death, the hum of the rusty knife and its resolute sharpness gave him enlightenment!

His profound insights have stirred the very essence of life and death, and allowed him to glimpse the birth and death of the world! He has even experienced the pain of his own existence fading away—

That's right! His existence disappeared in the Hell Rift, and he also forcibly established a causal connection with the emperor, who was in a special state, in the palace.

Now, what he needs to do is the opposite!
—Sever all ties!
No sooner said than done! Gao Jian no longer attempted to use his own strength to confront the mighty power of heaven and earth; that would undoubtedly be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

All his energy, will, and understanding of life and death were poured into the rusty knife in his hand, condensed into its last remaining edge!

He didn't make any slashing or defensive movements because any specific attack aimed at the outside world would be immediately absorbed and neutralized by this perfect cyclical system.

He simply touched the tip of the rusty knife, which was gleaming with an eerie cold light, to his brow.

This action was bizarre and inexplicable, as if it were suicide.

However, just as the tip of the knife touched the space between his brows—

"laugh--!"

A very faint tearing sound, as if it came from the depths of the soul, rang out!
It is not the sound of matter, but a break in the level of rules!

Taking Gao Jian himself as the boundary, the invisible force that came from all directions, penetrating everywhere, trying to pull everything about him—his physical body, blood and qi, divine will, and even his very existence—into the “cycle of heaven and earth”, was like hitting an absolute “insulating wall” when it touched the tiny area covered by the resolute sharpness of the rusty knife!
More precisely, the countless invisible "causal threads" and "assimilation chains" that connected Gao Jian to this controlled world were precisely and thoroughly severed!
His insightful observations remained as sharp as ever. He existed in this space, yet it was as if he had suddenly broken free from the all-encompassing "net of heaven and earth"! He was no longer a fish caught in the net, but had become an independent, solitary "point"!
The perfect, ever-flowing power of heaven and earth still surged around him, but suddenly lost its "anchor point"! It was still powerful, still perfect, but it could no longer affect Gao Jian, as if he had become a transparent, non-existent "foreign object"!
Like a flawless painting, the painting itself remains beautiful, but the viewer suddenly "jumps" out of the world within the painting and stands outside of it!
The wind, rain, thunder, and lightning in the painting can no longer touch him!

For the first time, genuine and undisguised astonishment appeared on Yuan Lu's usually cold and indifferent face!

He clearly felt that his invincible, almost Dao-like "unity of heaven and earth" inexplicably "failed" when it touched the imperceptible domain around Gao Jian! It wasn't that he was defeated or neutralized, but rather it was as if... the other party suddenly disappeared from this "heaven and earth"!
Gao Jian slowly lowered the rusty knife he had been pointing at his brow, panting heavily, his arm trembling. Clearly, the action had been extremely taxing, and the pain and emptiness that had been supposed to lessen were not diminished at all.

However, he stood still, showing no signs of being oppressed, with only his clothes fluttering slightly in the air currents generated by the aftershocks of the force.

He looked up at the astonished "Yuan Lu": "A perfect 'heaven'. It's a pity... I seem to be no less than your 'heaven'."

The astonishment in Yuan Lu's eyes quickly faded, and he instead praised:

"Excellent method! Using a bizarre technique to sever one's connection with heaven and earth, thereby avoiding assimilation into the 'unity of heaven and earth'. I must say, you have broadened my horizons."

He then changed the subject: "However, this is like drinking poison to quench thirst! Cutting off your own existence from the anchor of heaven and earth has enormous side effects! At this moment, you are like a rootless duckweed, adrift in the world, no different from the emperor trapped deep in the Purple Palace. While you may be immune to the erosion of heaven and earth, you also become extremely vulnerable."

He slowly raised his right hand, no longer drawing upon the surrounding天地气 (heaven and earth energy), and the magnificent and powerful aura receded like the tide.

Instead, his own pure, refined, and vast inner power surged and churned within him!
Although he no longer had the blessing of heaven and earth and had lost the power of an earth immortal, his pure cultivation, which belonged to the full opening of the three gates, nine orifices, and twelve realms, was now being released without reservation, still attracting attention.

“Since the profound methods are ineffective against you…” Yuan Lu lowered his body slightly, assuming a fist stance, “then let’s use the simplest method.”

"I will kill you with my mere physical body, without using any of my immortal powers—"

His gaze locked onto Gao Jian, and he spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Brilliant idea, how should you respond?"

Without using the methods of the Earth Immortals, and abandoning the advantage of the integration of inner heaven and earth, I will rely on the methods of tempering the physical body in the netherworld and the mortal world, and use my fists to let you taste my power!
(End of this chapter)