Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: The Bewildered Hong Ju
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Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, Sacred Fire Cliff.
Even to this day, few in the Primal Saint Sect knew what had truly happened. They only assumed their own Perfected Being had gone mad and picked a fight with the Perfected Being of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion.
The only ones who truly understood were the Great Cultivators at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
Such as Hong Ju.
"Pffft!!!"
In a secluded chamber, Hong Ju suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He could feel some profound mystery rooted in his bloodline dissipating at a visible speed.
"Impossible!?"
Hong Ju stared blankly at the blood he had spat out. It should have been pale gold, but now it was a glaring crimson.
"The Perfected Being... is dead?" Hong Ju looked utterly lost. He was the Daoist of Auspicious Fortune—or rather, back when the [Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord] still held his position, he had been forged from that lord's own vital blood, tempered, and shaped, ultimately achieving peak Foundation Establishment. Thus, a trace of golden essence had always lingered in his bloodline.
But now, that golden essence was gone!
There was only one explanation for this: the source of his golden essence, the [Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord]—Daoist Auspicious Fortune—had his soul scattered to the winds!
But how could that be?
How hard was it to kill a Perfected Being? With his soul guarded by golden essence, even if he fell from grace, he could easily escape from other Perfected Beings via reincarnation.
Unless they weren't on the same level.
But that was impossible too. As far as he knew, there was no grudge between the mid-stage or even late-stage Golden Core Perfected Beings in the sect and their own lord.
Moreover, for Golden Core Perfected Beings, fellow Daoists were important too.
So even when a Chongguang True Person emerged to vie with Daoist Auspicious Fortune for the position, the other Perfected Beings mostly just watched from the sidelines rather than intervene directly.
Except...
'Snow Flying Rainbow!?'
Hong Ju didn't dare speak the name aloud. This was Sacred Fire Cliff, after all—if he uttered it, the True Lord Clear Snow Flying Rainbow would surely sense him.
But he was certain of his guess. There was only one possibility: Snow Flying Rainbow, that wretch! Back then, she had been a junior to the Perfected Being, but after her last reincarnation and reclaiming her position, her cultivation had surged. Now, in just a few short centuries, she had broken through to mid-stage!
Simply inconceivable!
At Golden Core mid-stage, the cavernous heaven stabilized forever. Unless a Nascent Soul Dao Lord intervened, there was no risk of the heaven collapsing, and reclaiming the position after reincarnation was vastly accelerated.
It sounded simple enough.
But in reality, how many Perfected Beings had reincarnated, spending thousands or even tens of thousands of years without breaking through to mid-stage, still facing the peril of their cavernous heaven crumbling?
How could that step be so easy to take?
'That wretch! She must have used some whore's trick—'
Hong Ju abruptly cut off his inner roar.
Because at some point, droplets of water had begun appearing in his seclusion chamber, yin energy rising. The heavens and earth were responding to the resentment in his heart.
"Urgh!"
The next moment, Hong Ju vomited up a mouthful of water. It was cool spring water, conjured from nothing, churning his organs into a mess.
"Cough cough cough!"
As he coughed, Hong Ju hurriedly circulated his divine ability to sever the karma. Then he took out the [Shared Fate and Exchanged Luck Register Scripture] and swiftly wrote:
[I have never harbored any great irreverence!]
As the words fell, a stroke of merit and fortune surged into it, finally stopping his vomiting and halting the disintegration of his dharma body.
"Can't hate... must smile..."
Golden Core mid-stage was on a whole different level!
With the cavernous heaven eternally stable and the position favored, their bond with heaven and earth was so tight that any persistent mortal grudge would echo back!
Hong Ju let out a bitter laugh.
But it wasn't for Daoist Auspicious Fortune. As a True Person of the Primal Saint Sect, what could make him laugh bitterly, fill him with despair? Only himself.
"I was forged from a drop of the Perfected Being's vital blood. My entire path is tethered to him. Even at peak Foundation Establishment, I have no chance of ascending the position. Now that he's dead, my days are numbered too. I'll scrape by for a few years before my dharma body collapses and I follow him... Fuck, I don't even have a soul!"
No soul meant no reincarnation!
If Daoist Auspicious Fortune were still around, linked by golden essence, he'd have no worries about lifespan. But now? At most two or three more years!
How could he accept that?
At this thought, Hong Ju began divining with pinched fingers, nearly rubbing sparks from them. He had to find the culprit behind Daoist Auspicious Fortune's fall!
Moments later.
"..."
Hong Ju fell silent.
His chiseled face was full of bewilderment, his fingers nearly rubbed raw: "How could this be? No, wait—yes, yes, yes... No, that's not right?"
No matter how he calculated.
Daoist Auspicious Fortune had died by my hand?
Must be a miscalculation!
"That innately evil Chongguang and Yuantu—they must have obscured the heavenly secrets and karma to block me from the truth. I have an enmity with them not shared with heaven!"
Hong Ju lowered his hands, eyes brimming with hatred, yet utterly helpless. He knew full well why he hadn't been slapped to death yet: he still had value. After all, he was a peak Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator. The sect's Perfected Beings wanted him to die on the battlefield.
Almost simultaneously, a streak of light flew into the hall.
Hong Ju looked over listlessly and saw the spiritual light unfurl into a handwritten note with a single line: Help me ascend, and I grant you a lifetime of glory.
"...Chongguang?"
Hong Ju froze, then abruptly sat up: "Right—if he ascends and grasps [Covered Lamp Fire], maybe he can keep me alive too..."
At that thought, Hong Ju suddenly felt the sky vast and the sea boundless.
In another grand hall of Sacred Fire Cliff.
Chongguang True Person sat at the head, with Yin Shan True Person attending at his side.
At that moment, Chongguang True Person suddenly opened his eyes, as if receiving some reply. His eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of satisfaction in his gaze.
This situation was far better than he had anticipated!
With Daoist Auspicious Fortune dead, his greatest obstacle was removed, letting him arrange things more leisurely. His chances of seeking gold had multiplied several times!
Thus, when divine lights flashed in the hall and Lu Yang strode out, Chongguang True Person laughed heartily. He rose from his seat, approached Lu Yang warmly, and patted his shoulder: "You've worked hard this time, Yuantu..."
"For you, Uncle-Master, it's no hardship."
Lu Yang shook his head solemnly: "Uncle-Master mentioned earlier you had a major task. What is it? If this disciple can do it, I won't refuse even at the cost of my life!"
See? That was loyalty.
So reliable!
Chongguang True Person showed no displeasure at the interruption, laughing even more heartily: "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony with you, Yuantu."
With that, the three sat facing each other.
"Speaking of which, I haven't discussed this with you yet, have I?" Chongguang's tone was casual: "Yuantu probably doesn't know how to ascend and seek gold yet, right?"
Lu Yang's heart stirred at the words. Finally, the real goods!
He wasn't entirely ignorant of seeking gold—after all, there was still Ancestor Tingyou in the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner. But Tingyou was a wild path cultivator...
Or rather, aside from the four great powers of southeast, northwest, all other sects were wild paths.
The difference was just which was wilder, which wasn't wild enough.
For instance, some ancient sects also had Perfected Beings in charge. To the Primal Saint Sect, those might barely qualify as side doors or crooked paths.
But that was it.
Compared to them, Chongguang, as a direct disciple True Person of the Primal Saint Sect, surely had a far more systematic and precise understanding of ascending and seeking gold.
Thus, Lu Yang straightened up and cupped his hands: "Please instruct me, Uncle-Master."
(End of chapter)