Chapter 113: Talent and Effort
Chapter 113: Talent and Hard Work
"...One escaped."
The scorched earth was pockmarked with deep craters as if freshly plowed, each pit containing a mangled corpse.
Seventeen Buddhist cultivators had engaged—sixteen lay dead, while one fled.
The remaining sixteen had been obliterated by Lü Yang's Nine Heavens Secret Demon Yin Thunder. The supposedly demon-suppressing Buddhist radiance had proven utterly ineffective.
But this was to be expected. The concept of suppression was always relative. Take water and fire: under normal circumstances, water extinguishes flames. Yet what use is a cup of water against a wildfire spanning thousands of miles? The gap between Lü Yang and these Buddhist cultivators far exceeded even that analogy.
Guang Ming, the sole survivor, understood this all too clearly.
Several thousand miles away, in a mountain forest serving as the Buddhist cultivators' assembly point, Guang Hai—leader of the Pure Land faction—sat meditating.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Guang Hai's eyes snapped open as visible golden Buddhist light rippled around him. In the next instant, Guang Ming tumbled out from the radiance in disarray.
The moment his feet touched ground, Guang Ming frantically scanned his surroundings. Only when he confirmed the absence of that terrifying figure did he finally exhale in relief.
"I escaped... I made it out alive!"
His strategy had paid off—gathering all the Buddhist cultivators as human shields while secretly activating the "Same-Heart Life-Link Talisman" to flee under the pretense of preparing a major technique.
The Same-Heart Life-Link Talisman, a Fruit Position Treasure possessed by Pure Land cultivators, could teleport marked practitioners to its owner's location. Through secret methods, Guang Ming had reversed its function to instantly transport himself to Guang Hai's side.
"What happened?"
Observing Guang Ming's disheveled state, Guang Hai frowned. "Did you encounter powerful enemies? How many? Where are the fellow cultivators who went with you?"
Guang Ming froze.
His mind raced—tell the truth? Impossible! Admit he'd fled the battlefield? That would be a death sentence!
To placate the families of the fallen, Guang Hai wouldn't hesitate to make an example of him.
Eyes darting, Guang Ming's expression twisted into grief. "Too many to count!" he wailed. "The demons had prepared countermeasures! I fought desperately, killing several before barely escaping... The others were slaughtered..."
"What?"
Before Guang Ming finished speaking, Guang Hai's expression turned grave. Had the Primordial Saint Sect's demons already mobilized their forces?
"We must eliminate them."
Treating this as critical intelligence, Guang Hai immediately summoned another kasaya-clad cultivator. "Guang Hui, take the Dragon Division to exterminate these demons."
The Deep Joy Pure Land's cultivators were organized into Eight Divisions of Buddhist Hosts, with the Dragon Division ranking second—Guang Hai's most elite force.
Then he turned back to Guang Ming. "Junior Brother Guang Ming, you'll guide them."
"Me?" Guang Ming's mouth twitched, his heart screaming refusal. Yet under Guang Hai's gaze, he could only clench his teeth and nod with forced serenity.
'It should be fine this time... right?'
The sight of the hundred-strong Dragon Division bolstered his confidence. After all, they faced only one enemy.
The weakest among the Dragon Division had reached mid-stage Qi Refining. Their leader Guang Hui had mastered three great mantras and could unite the cultivators to summon a Dragon-Elephant Vajra through secret methods—a manifestation nearly equal in positional authority to a Guardian Vajra, second only to Foundation Establishment True Persons.
With such strength, how could they lose?
That demon might be formidable, but he was still just at Qi Refining. Even if he fought desperately, he couldn't possibly kill all hundred cultivators before exhausting his true qi!
Meanwhile, at the scorched battlefield...
"By the True Lord... How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator enter this realm?"
Qin Tianhe stared at Lü Yang's back in utter bewilderment. Clearly, his initial misunderstanding during their first meeting hadn't been corrected—it had deepened.
This wasn't surprising. Lü Yang's overwhelming display of power made little distinction between himself and an actual Foundation Establishment expert in Qin Tianhe's eyes.
But soon, excitement replaced Qin Tianhe's confusion.
Though he didn't understand how this "Foundation Establishment True Person" had entered the secret realm, knowing Lü Yang belonged to their Saint Sect was enough.
Victory was assured!
Lü Yang, however, paid no attention to Qin Tianhe's misconception. His focus remained fixed on the scattered corpses of Buddhist cultivators.
"These could be useful..."
With a series of hand seals, Lü Yang unfurled the Myriad Spirits Banner. Immediately, thick white smoke began rising from each corpse.
The bodies vaporized as their souls drifted out, systematically absorbed by the banner. As the true spirits took their places, the white smoke reconstituted—sixteen Buddhist cultivators materialized in perfect formation, bowing deeply to Lü Yang.
"We pay respects to our Master!"
Satisfied, Lü Yang surveyed the still-sparse banner with growing anticipation. This Dao-Seizing War might present an extraordinary opportunity—a chance to fully refine the Myriad Spirits Banner!
After all, cultivators from Jiangdong, Jiangxi, the Dao Court, and Pure Lands swarmed these mountains. Every living practitioner represented potential material!
"How intriguing..."
Ancestor Nether Whisper's spectral form materialized behind Lü Yang, examining the Buddhist banner spirits with academic interest before remarking:
"I once studied Jiangdong's [Heavenly Hunting Dao] when creating [Yama Palace]. It seems Jiangxi's methods also hold merit. If you collect more such Buddhist cultivators, I might refine [Yama Palace] further."
"Oh?"
The suggestion sparked inspiration—Lü Yang recalled Fulong Arhat's [Fulong Temple] from his previous life.
[Fulong Temple] represented Fulong Arhat's Dao Foundation. Buddhist cultivators didn't establish foundations within themselves, but rather constructed temples in the Deep Joy Pure Land opened by Jiangxi's World-Honored One. A temple's power grew with its congregation and incense offerings.
If Ancestor Nether Whisper could incorporate this principle into [Yama Palace], the sheer number of banner spirits could propel Lü Yang's strength to new heights!
Without hesitation, Lü Yang clasped his hands. "Then I'll trouble the Ancestor with this matter."
Ancestor Nether Whisper sighed. "Strengthening [Yama Palace] preserves some legacy of our Witch Ghost Path. This is all I can contribute now."
"Don't disturb me henceforth—I must enter seclusion."
"Pity we only captured a dozen or so Buddhist spirits. More specimens would accelerate my research..."
With that, the ancestor led the Buddhist spirits into the banner's dongtian realm, clearly intending to thoroughly study their cultivation methods.
Watching this, Lü Yang finally grasped Ancestor Nether Whisper's true value.
Using him for combat?
Too narrow-minded!
This was a consummate technical expert—far surpassing the Bright Dao Jade Slip from two lifetimes ago. Any knowledge requiring deep comprehension could be delegated to him!
Thus Lü Yang realized: as long as the supremely talented Ancestor Nether Whisper worked tirelessly, this lifetime's achievements would dwarf all previous ones.
Soon enough, he might genuinely declare: "My current realm stems solely from extraordinary talent and unrelenting effort!"