Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Fulong's Invitation, Heaven Mending Enters the Game
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Primal Saint Sect, Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, Heaven Mending Peak.
This was the highest point amid the cloud sea, where spiritual energy flowed pure and harmonious. Lush greenery thrived, and deep within the layered woods, a graceful figure sat cross-legged in meditation, circulating her true qi.
The Heaven Mending Peak Master nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
"Qian'er has been diligent in her cultivation lately. It's a pity the Six Paths Nirvana Phoenix Art has stalled. Without the nourishment of the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art, she's still lacking."
With that thought, the Heaven Mending Peak Master sighed again. Lu Yang was no longer the sort of talent one could manipulate at will like a Qi Refining cultivator. Without the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art's nourishment, Chen Shuqian's chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment were at most thirty percent—too unreliable for him.
If possible, the Heaven Mending Peak Master would prefer to strike a deal with Lu Yang.
That was why he'd been so warmly enthusiastic earlier. After all, if he could get Lu Yang to dual cultivate with his daughter, the benefits to him would be the greatest.
"Fortunately, I still have Xin'an."
The Heaven Mending Peak Master shifted his gaze to another spot on Heaven Mending Peak. There, Chen Xinan—who had already recovered his fleshly body—was meditating with eyes closed.
"Grow strong quickly."
The Heaven Mending Peak Master murmured softly. He gazed at his pair of children like an old farmer appraising promising seedlings, his eyes brimming with eager anticipation.
A son and daughter—double insurance.
As long as one of them reached Foundation Establishment, his plans would succeed. Then he would be a late Foundation Establishment great cultivator, a true pillar of the Primal Saint Sect!
But just then—
As he pondered, the Heaven Mending Peak Master's brows suddenly twitched. For no reason, memories of his past acquaintance with Panlong surfaced, his image sharpening in his mind.
The next moment, he chuckled.
"After all these years, Panlong, you're actually coming to see me?"
As the words left his mouth, the figure in his memory grew vividly clear. The Heaven Mending Peak Master immediately entered a Foundation Establishment trance and watched as a youth flew out from empty space.
"Amitabha."
Fulong Arhat pressed his palms together with a smile.
"You and I are old friends. Though we now belong to different factions, we can still separate public from private matters—our friendship endures, doesn't it?"
"You make it sound so nice."
The Heaven Mending Peak Master sneered.
"Talking friendship with the Primal Saint Sect's Perfected Beings? I don't even talk friendship with them! Cut the nonsense. Let's get straight to business—interests first. What makes you come begging to me, and what benefits can you offer?"
Fulong Arhat didn't beat around the bush.
"A top-quality cauldron!"
"You and I know each other well. I know what you're after. A cauldron who's cultivated the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art—surely that's something you need badly?"
The Heaven Mending Peak Master narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want me to do?"
Fulong Arhat's tone grew grave.
"You're with the Primal Saint Sect. I need you to help draw away the sect's other Perfected Beings. I want that Lu Yang dead outside Skull Mountain!"
Inviting one Primal Saint Sect Perfected Being to deal with another!
Such an act was no different from betraying the sect!
Not to mention Lu Yang was currently a favorite in Heavy Light Perfected Being's eyes, with no small status.
Despite the shocking words, the Heaven Mending Peak Master seemed to have anticipated them. His expression unchanged, he shook his head and slowly uttered two syllables:
"Not enough!"
At those words, Fulong Arhat's eyes lit up.
There was room to negotiate!?
Joy surged in Fulong Arhat's heart. He'd only been testing the waters, but it actually seemed promising. He couldn't help but marvel at the Primal Saint Sect's customs.
Without hesitation, he pressed:
"How much do you want?"
Only then did the Heaven Mending Peak Master smile faintly.
"Besides the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art cauldron, I also want the golden body relic you leave behind after reincarnation."
Fulong Arhat's brows furrowed at once.
Pure Land Arhats would condense a relic upon death—a unique Foundation Establishment treasure of the Pure Land. Consuming it could boost one's Foundation Establishment chances by ten percent.
Fulong Arhat had cultivated for over eighty years to reach Foundation Establishment, then wasted a century before finally nirvanizing into the Pure Land and becoming an Arhat, barely breaking through to mid Foundation Establishment. Now over two hundred years old, his three-hundred-year Foundation Establishment lifespan loomed near. Reincarnation and recultivation were just three or four decades away.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so urgent to eliminate Lu Yang.
If not now, it would be raising a tiger to invite calamity. By the time he reincarnated and reclaimed his Arhat position, Lu Yang might truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
"For your son?"
Fulong Arhat glanced toward Chen Xinan's direction, then said solemnly:
"I agree, but in that case, you must act personally!"
". . . Fine."
The Heaven Mending Peak Master nodded calmly.
"When you need me, just call with your divine ability. As for you—don't get careless and let him escape."
"No need to worry. No one understands the [Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation] better than I!"
At this, Fulong Arhat's face filled with confidence.
"I've studied this natal divine ability condensed from the Dao foundation for decades."
"That Lu Yang only just condensed his. How could he compare?"
"Besides, this divine ability isn't even that impressive. It just allows free shifting—more flexible in combat, nothing more profound."
Fulong Arhat spoke casually. As a Buddhist cultivator, he didn't rely primarily on natal divine abilities in battle, so he didn't care about exposing it.
"As long as Lu Yang appears before me, I'll lock him down with my divine ability. Even if he casts an escape art, I can drag him back."
"That's it?"
The Heaven Mending Peak Master sounded surprised.
"The [City Wall Earth] had quite a reputation back in the day. Yet the Dao foundation under it only has one profundity?"
"That's the truth."
Fulong Arhat sighed.
"Anyway, I only got one profundity. Probably because the fruition position was hidden away, suppressed by the Bodhisattvas."
But the Heaven Mending Peak Master had another thought.
Was it possible the fruition position wasn't the issue—you were?
After all, even identical Dao foundations had differences between wielders.
'That Lu Yang achieved perfect Foundation Establishment.'
Compared to him, what was Fulong Arhat? A loose cultivator who'd gotten lucky with Foundation Establishment—essentially just a pawn for the Pure Land Bodhisattvas to lay eggs in another's nest.
At the realization, the Heaven Mending Peak Master's brow twitched as he changed his mind.
'If I really go to Skull Mountain, I won't rush into action. I'll watch the situation first. If things go south, better to switch sides and backstab Fulong.'
Primal Saint Sect Perfected Beings were always quite flexible, after all.
With that in mind, the Heaven Mending Peak Master's expression grew even friendlier. He chatted amiably with Fulong Arhat a while longer before seeing him off.
Skull Mountain market, inside a quiet chamber.
"Hm? Who's scheming against me?"
Lu Yang, who had been meditating, abruptly opened his eyes. A blaze of丙 fire lit his brow, illuminating the six directions and making the karmic ties on him stand out in sharp clarity.
Though the Heaven Mending Peak Master and Fulong Arhat had both taken care to obscure their karma, how could Lu Yang—with the [Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument] in hand—be fooled by ordinary means? A single sweep of its treasure light revealed the anomaly. A quick calculation laid bare the causes and effects!
This was something neither the Heaven Mending Peak Master nor Fulong Arhat could have foreseen.
Battles between Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings weren't just direct clashes. Sometimes, the clash of karma decided victory or defeat.
Use karma well, and you kill without a blade.
Master karma wondrously, and you even evade tribulations.
The [Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument]—this supreme treasure of heavenly secrets that placed Lu Yang inherently beyond defeat—was his true trump card for plotting against Fulong Arhat!
(End of chapter)