Chapter 199
Chapter 199
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Cave Heaven Collapses and Falls, Fruit Position Hangs Empty!
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At this moment, it wasn't just Lu Yang who sensed it. Ordinary mortals across the world, Qi Refining cultivators, and even Foundation Establishment True Persons all felt a stirring in their hearts, their gazes turning toward the sky overhead.
Then, a wave of sorrow crashed over everyone abruptly.
Mortals wailed uncontrollably, tears streaming down their faces. Qi Refining cultivators couldn't help but weep. Only Foundation Establishment True Persons felt a mere sting in their eyes.
Next, the entire sky turned a deep crimson. Rain poured down in torrents, each drop crystal clear. In midair, they fell as massive sheets of water, but upon hitting the ground, they transformed into rolling red jade stones, merging into the earth's veins, the spiritual energy, and all things under heaven.
Heaven wept blood, and all creation mourned!
Seeing this, Ancestor Master Tingyou couldn't help but sigh.
"A Golden Core True Lord has fallen, and the fruit position responds. Even heaven and earth grieve for the True Lord's demise."
But Lu Yang saw it differently.
"No, that's not right."
As a Primal Saint Sect True Person, he always considered things from the worst possible angle.
Lu Yang glanced around. After the blood rain fell and integrated into heaven and earth, it caused no harm whatsoever. On the contrary, it brought great benefits.
In other words, this blood rain following a Golden Core True Lord's fall was actually a boon for heaven and earth.
Heaven and earth weeping over a Golden Core True Lord's death?
Was it faking?
Though he thought this, Lu Yang didn't dare voice it aloud. What if it invoked heavenly punishment? After all, disaster came from the mouth.
Just then, another massive rumble echoed—not in the present world this time. Neither mortals nor Qi Refining cultivators sensed it; only Foundation Establishment True Persons could detect it. Lu Yang immediately withdrew into the Foundation Establishment Realm and looked up.
To his shock, a vast region of the Foundation Establishment Realm was collapsing on a massive scale!
"What is this?"
The sky was falling!
Lu Yang stared dumbfounded at the collapsing area, realizing it wasn't the Foundation Establishment Realm itself crumbling, but the space above it.
The Foundation Establishment Realm was extraordinarily unique.
It had clear divisions above and below. Beneath lay a dark, murky sea where the [Stagnant Winds] blew ceaselessly year-round. Above stretched an infinite expanse, impossibly high and distant, beyond the reach of sight.
Yet now, the collapsing region revealed an "end."
At that endpoint, myriad brilliant hues wrapped in soaring auspicious vapors descended bit by bit into the Foundation Establishment Realm, filling Lu Yang with a profound familiarity.
It felt exactly like—
"Heaven Collapse?"
Beside him, Ancestor Master Tingyou voiced the same doubt, snapping Lu Yang to realization.
"That's right! It's Heaven Collapse! The sensation is identical!"
Heaven Collapse was a technique he had learned from Ancestor Master Tingyou back in his Qi Refining days: ascend to the Foundation Establishment Realm, then deliberately plummet, unleashing devastating destructive power.
And now, those myriad brilliant hues falling from the heavens matched the feeling of Heaven Collapse perfectly!
Something was crashing down!
Lu Yang peered into the distance. Amid the brilliant hues, he glimpsed jade towers and pearl pavilions, mountains and rivers, suns and moons. But he also saw vast corpse mountains and blood seas.
The sight reminded him of the minor worlds plucked by the True Lords during the Path-Seizing War.
"What exactly is that?"
Lu Yang murmured under his breath.
The next instant, a voice responded in his ear.
"That's a Cave Heaven."
The speaker's tone rose and fell dramatically.
"With [Heaven-Receiving Orthodox Virtue True Lord]'s fall, his soul enters reincarnation. [Jade Palace Treasure Scepter Cave Heaven] plummets, and the fruit position hangs empty."
In that moment, Lu Yang felt his limbs go ice-cold.
But upon recognizing the voice, his tense body relaxed instantly. He turned back helplessly.
"Uncle Master, was that on purpose?"
"Hahaha."
Perfected Being Chongguang laughed heartily.
"Scared you?"
"Not at all."
Lu Yang stiffened his denial, turning back to watch the progressively crumbling brilliant hues. He sighed.
"So that Sword Pavilion True Lord has truly fallen?"
"Not that easily."
Perfected Being Chongguang shook his head.
"Golden Core True Lords refine their golden nature to ascend a blessed land, transforming it into a Cave Heaven to attain the true fruit. The Cave Heaven's fall is merely the first step of their demise."
"Like with Hongyun, the Cave Heaven plummets, a wisp of golden nature shields the reincarnation. Though the soul endures, unbound by the mysteries of the womb, it loses the True Lord's mighty power. They cannot immediately reclaim their fruit position upon rebirth and must bide their time, awaiting the chance to return."
"Of course, he wouldn't have lived long in this life anyway."
Lu Yang sighed at the words.
"He didn't want to die on his sickbed, so he stepped out of the Sword Pavilion to fight Perfected Being Feixue to the death?"
"Is that what you think?"
Perfected Being Chongguang glanced at Lu Yang, his expression odd.
"You clearly don't understand those sword-mad lunatics from the south very well."
"In the end, he sought karma."
Here, Perfected Being Chongguang glanced at Ancestor Master Tingyou beside him.
"After all, [Heaven-Receiving Orthodox Virtue True Lord]'s talent wasn't exceptional."
"A millennium passed, and he was still only at early Golden Core."
"Even if he avoided battle and hid away, he couldn't sustain [Jade Palace Treasure Scepter Cave Heaven] after death. The outcome would be the same."
"So he took the initiative to fight, shattering his own Cave Heaven and sacrificing himself to gravely wound Perfected Being Feixue. In exchange, he sought karma from the Sword Pavilion True Lords, so they could guide him back someday and give him a chance to reclaim his fruit position. I'd wager that's his true intent!"
Perfected Being Chongguang's assessment was blunt.
"The southern lands obsess over karma. Nine out of ten disciples there are reincarnations. Just wait—within a few years, the Sword Pavilion will produce a peerless prodigy."
At that moment, a silvery bell-like laugh rang out.
"He thinks he can actually harm me, with that?"
As the words faded, Lu Yang instinctively turned. His eyes met a pair of limpid, autumn-water pools, their pupils still flecked with crimson.
"Escaping my grasp only by self-detonating his Cave Heaven—a mere wisp of golden nature carrying his soul into reincarnation. I bit off a third of his golden nature right before he fled. It'll take him thirty or fifty years before he can even reincarnate. Truly, only a seated True Lord's golden nature tastes so fine!"
With that, the speaker even flicked out her tongue to lick her lips, savoring the memory.
Perfected Being Qingcheng Feixue!
This True Lord, dubbed a "madwoman" by outsiders, appeared every bit the refined lady of a noble house once she reined in her initial arrogance.
"True Lord, these are the treasures and materials I gathered for you."
Without hesitation, Lu Yang offered up the pile of spirit treasures he'd collected from the corpse, including the [Imperial Mansion Golden Seal Tushita True Edict].
"Hehe."
Perfected Being Qingcheng Feixue covered her mouth in a light laugh, then waved generously.
"Keep them yourself. No need to report such trifles to me in the future."
"I've taken on all these karmic ties for you. Be it the Pure Lands or the Dao Court, as long as I say nothing, they won't trouble you before your late Foundation Establishment."
"Thank you, True Lord!"
Only then did Lu Yang stow his storage pouch. Though relieved, he didn't take her polite words at face value. He'd offered them voluntarily this time, prompting her gracious response to show magnanimity. Had he not, her attitude would surely differ.
She could refuse the gifts, but he could not withhold them!
If given, she might bestow them back. If withheld, it signaled disloyalty—an absolute taboo. The Primal Saint Sect's iron fist would descend.
Next, Perfected Being Qingcheng Feixue turned to Perfected Being Chongguang.
"Chongguang, I've slain Hongyun."
"He never anticipated my breakthrough to mid Golden Core. Without his Cave Heaven's protection, that wisp of golden nature wasn't enough for him to escape reincarnation in my grasp."
"Everything is in place. Prepare to ascend the throne."
With that, Perfected Being Qingcheng Feixue vanished from the spot.
Meanwhile, a rare gleam of irrepressible excitement flickered across Perfected Being Chongguang's usually composed face. He turned sharply to Lu Yang.
"Yuantu, hurry back to the Cloud Sea. Meet me at Sacred Fire Cliff with Yin Shan."
"I have a great task for you."
(End of chapter)