Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: True Lords Clash, Corpses Pile a Million High!
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The voice of Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord rode the waves of the boundless heavenly river, spreading across the entire world. In an instant, it brought utter silence to the heavens and earth in all directions.
Who would dare fight her?
In that moment, countless True Lords sensed it. One by one, they opened their eyes and gazed toward the direction overseas, their sights filled with probing intent.
A real fight?
Some True Lords who thrived on chaos even felt a hidden anticipation. After all, the world had been at peace for far too long—the last great calamity a thousand years ago traced back five millennia!
They recalled that time: a single catastrophe had claimed more than one True Lord, with the final fall being Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord—the current Hongyun Daoist. Long Yao Treasure Light Cavern-Heaven shattered with a boom, blood rain fell from the sky, and all things mourned together. It had been years since such a spectacle.
Could they witness it again today?
"Amitabha!"
A Buddhist chant rang out. Treasure Vase Water Moon Bodhisattva of the Pure Land was the first to withdraw her aura, paying no heed to Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord's provocation.
The other True Lords saw this and felt no surprise.
Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land were well-known: they could dominate within the Pure Land, but outside, they were somewhat lacking. Choosing to concede was only natural.
Similarly, the Dao Court Celestial Sovereign was the second to withdraw his aura.
In an instant, the gazes of the assembled True Lords fell upon Jiangnan, landing on that red-lipped, white-toothed young True Lord seated on Extreme Heaven Cliff of Sword Pavilion, his hand resting on the sword in his lap.
The young True Lord fell silent.
He lowered his eyelids, glancing at the longsword before his knee—his lifebound flying sword, with which he had once slain his way to the peak of Foundation Establishment.
Yet since attaining Golden Core, this sword had never left its sheath. Even when exterminating the Witch-Ghost Path, he had merely unleashed a strand of sword qi without truly drawing it. Now, a millennium later, could this sword still be drawn? Was it still sharp? Did he still possess his former sword heart?
"Heh."
The young True Lord suddenly raised his head, as if locking eyes with Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord far overseas. Then he smiled.
"You're stirring my inner thoughts?"
"Snow Feihong, do you truly wish to fight me?"
Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord's response was simple and direct.
"You truly don't act like a sword cultivator. Far too indecisive. Do you want to follow in Hongyun's footsteps?"
"Come out and fight. You might still have a chance."
With those words spoken, the young True Lord sank back into silence. He turned to glance at the Foundation Establishment Perfected Being behind him, then closed his eyes and fell into contemplation.
At this moment, another person came to mind.
"Tingyou."
He truly did not resemble a sword cultivator. A true sword cultivator back then would never have begged for Golden Core before Tingyou—he would have fought Tingyou to the death.
"Very well. In the end, one must vie for the next life."
The young True Lord opened his eyes, resolve now firm.
In the next instant, this Heaven-Receiving Orthodox Virtue True Lord vanished from Extreme Heaven Cliff, where he had sat withered for a century. High in the firmament, a heavenly star blazed forth with sudden brilliance!
Seeing this, Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord threw her head back in laughter.
"Well come!"
Her words barely fell when Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord also vanished. By now, both had retracted their towering, heaven-spanning dharma bodies, manifesting only their respective Dao fruits.
In the next moment, the sun hid and the moon sank, all stars dimmed—save for the two stars born of their Dao fruits, which erupted in celestial radiance.
At the same time, anomalies arose in Jiangbei and Jiangnan: snow fell in torrents, floods burst from the mountains, and homes and fortifications everywhere suffered assaults.
Some dwellings collapsed; others stood firm.
This was no natural disaster, but man-made calamity. The clash of two True Lords stirred the world's natural resonance, birthing these unnatural spectacles.
And this was merely in the mortal realm. At this moment, all Dao bases and techniques tied to Wall Earth and Ravine Water throughout the world reacted identically. Cultivators of the corresponding methods felt a fierce loathing toward the opposing side—and a strange, ravenous hunger.
Kill them! Devour it!
Instinct told them: slay the enemy cultivator opposite, and their own cultivation would surge in an instant. This was the boon of Dao fruit empowerment, their personal opportunity!
In a flash, blood stained the land.
Aside from Connect-Heaven Cloud Sea of the Saint Sect, Ascending Dao Abyss of Sword Pavilion, and major powers guarded by True Lords, chaos erupted across the world!
Cultivators of Ravine Water and Wall Earth could not suppress their murderous impulses. Even kin, friends, or spouses turned on one another in deadly combat. Only Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings could barely retain some clarity.
When True Lords clashed, a million corpses would fall, the world clad in mourning white!
Overseas, Lu Yang looked up in bewilderment.
If he could barely glimpse the changes when Clear Snow Flying Rainbow True Lord slew everyone in one breath, now he could see nothing at all.
A call finally snapped him from his daze.
Lu Yang withdrew his gaze with effort, only to find Tingyou Ancestor standing beside him at some point, a pleased smile now on his face.
"Orthodox Virtue... that old Sword Pavilion fellow is falling behind."
Lu Yang asked curiously upon hearing this,
"Ancestor, can you see their battle clearly?"
"I cannot."
Tingyou Ancestor shook his head.
"But in life, I cultivated Wall Earth to the peak of Foundation Establishment. Even in death, some faint resonance lingers."
"I can clearly feel my strength weakening. This has nothing to do with my state—it's that the lord of Wall Earth is losing ground. The Dao fruit transfers the pressure it bears to the Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings below, manifesting on us and weakening our Dao base and divine abilities."
"But it's still early."
At this point, Tingyou Ancestor shook his head.
"This is merely the aftermath of True Lords clashing. To determine a true victor will take some time yet."
With that, he glanced at Lu Yang and shook his head again.
"Pity you don't cultivate Wall Earth."
"Otherwise, killing a few Foundation Establishment cultivators of Ravine Water right now might draw the Dao fruit's favor, with great hope of breaking through."
"But that could turn the tide for Wall Earth, suppressing Ravine Water in return. Though for True Lords, such shifts in Dao fruit offer only marginal gains, in a fight to the death, it could be the straw that breaks the camel's back."
"So that's how it is."
Lu Yang gained sudden insight. So Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings held such significance for Golden Core True Lords! No wonder they nurtured them!
This had long been a question of his.
With only thirty Dao fruits in the world, why didn't the Golden Core True Lords who ascended simply slaughter all Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings tied to their Dao fruit?
Wouldn't that eliminate all rivals?
Otherwise, like Hongyun, falling from the fruit and being overtaken by Heavy Light Perfected Being—how humiliating, a disgrace to Golden Core True Lords.
Now it was clear: other reasons were at play.
No wonder they said only after breaking through to Foundation Establishment was one a "true person." For Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings could influence True Lord contests to some degree!
Yet this alone seemed insufficient.
"Though they can influence True Lord clashes, why must there be clashes? There must be deeper reasons, vital to True Lord cultivation."
With this thought, Lu Yang dared not delve further.
Compared to that, the spoils of corpse-picking delighted him more. A storage pouch stuffed full of treasures— a divine sense sweep revealed four superior spirit treasures!
"Truly, murder and arson bring golden belts!"
Superior spirit treasures were rare on ordinary days, wondrously formed by heaven, practically granting an extra innate divine ability to Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings, dominating all battles henceforth.
Before today, he possessed only Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument and Avici Sword as superiors.
After today, four more!
Ye Xingfeng had been the richest: aside from his lifebound Star River Sword Pellet, he carried two superior spirit treasures.
Ying Tongshou was close, contributing one.
Of course, all were now his for the taking—not to mention half a true treasure left by Innate Dao Tribulation upon death: Imperial Mansion Golden Seal Tushita True Edict!
This corpse-picking haul was a massive windfall!
(End of chapter)