Chapter 289
Chapter 289
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Tenth Life
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After a long while, Lu Yang finally calmed his surging emotions.
To be honest, hearing that furious and shocked voice of Soaring Empyrean Sun-Obscuring True Lord at the end had truly felt exhilarating. All the pent-up frustration from before had been utterly vented.
"It's not over yet!"
"Soaring Empyrean, right? Just you wait. Once I reach the late Golden Core stage, the first place I'll go is the Underworld. I'll hold this grudge against you for life!"
Lu Yang cursed for a good while longer before finally settling down. He began to survey his surroundings.
For Lu Yang, this was an incredibly subtle experience. The sky was chaos, the earth a void of dimness, with only him standing alone at the center of this expanse.
The Book of a Hundred Lives flipped its pages slowly.
This was the "standby state" before the Book of a Hundred Lives reset each time. But previously, it had always flashed by in an instant, leaving little real sensation.
This time, however, was clearly different. The "standby" period had stretched out dramatically. And in Lu Yang's palm, that strand of metallic essence from Suo Huan flickered with faint light, gradually merging into the Book of a Hundred Lives bit by bit. Finally, it transformed into lines of text appearing on the panel before his eyes.
[Settlement for "Suo Huan" in progress.]
[As the Son of Destiny of the Huanxu Realm, you rose to the challenge, resisting the invasion from an unknown world. You vowed to fulfill your mission.]
[You fought bravely, employing countless clever stratagems.]
[Your growth was swift, soon reaching the pinnacle of cultivation in the Huanxu Realm. With the power of the masses gathered, you finally defeated the unknown invaders.]
[Victorious and complacent, you prepared to retire into seclusion with your bevy of beautiful companions.]
[Then the True Lord descended.]
[The Huanxu Realm was destroyed. You had no power to resist, and you couldn't even recall how you escaped. Agony filled your heart.]
[At last, you arrived in the outer seas of the unknown world. Rallying your spirits anew, you discovered the "Spirit Ruins Blessed Land" and the Ten Thousand Spirits Returning to Ruins Dao Scripture entrusted to you by the Huanxu Realm before its fall. Though you vaguely felt something off about the latter, you quickly dismissed it as overthinking.]
[You found a new goal.]
[You resolved to revive the Huanxu Realm—a grand, ethereal ambition, but one you pursued with unyielding determination, willing to devote your entire life to it.]
[You still had "hope."]
[.]
The lengthy text scrolled line by line, chronicling Suo Huan's six hundred years in the outer seas—his inner journey, and the resolve he held when seeking the golden path.
—Along with his final despair.
At the end, accompanied by a brilliant golden radiance, a brand-new golden talent appeared on the Book of a Hundred Lives panel. Lu Yang immediately focused on it:
[You have acquired the golden talent: Marionette on Strings.]
[Marionette on Strings: Seize a person's destiny and assume their karma, allowing you to hide beneath their exterior and control them like a puppet. No one can divine your true origins.]
"A talent like this?"
Staring at the talent on the panel, Lu Yang was momentarily stunned. Truth be told, he had expected something like Lone Star of Heavenly Baleful Aura or Fortune in Misfortune.
"But it makes sense."
Looking back on Suo Huan's life, his fate had been sealed from the moment the Huanxu Realm was captured by the four great sects and turned into a battlefield for path-seizing.
First pitted by Soaring Empyrean, then carved up by the Primal Saint Sect, Dao Court, and Pure Land in alliance.
Even his vision of ascending to gold and rebuilding the Huanxu Realm was nothing but an illusion planted by Soaring Empyre. It was tragedy incarnate.
Marionette on Strings—aptly named.
"Don't worry, fellow Daoist Suo Huan. In this life, I'll come to ferry you... Though considering my current strength is a bit lacking, it might take a few more lives."
Calm now, Lu Yang thought it over seriously. Even resetting for a new life, snatching someone from under a late Golden Core True Lord like Soaring Empyre would likely prove tricky. And given the outer seas ordeal, there was an even greater chance he'd end up addled by cognitive hindrance too.
"Still gotta get rich first to lead the rest to prosperity."
"Fellow Daoist Suo Huan, how about in this life you take the lead and scout the dangers for me? Contribute to my golden ascension. Once I become a True Lord, I'll figure out a way to ferry you!"
Lu Yang quickly convinced himself.
Right then, the Book of a Hundred Lives finally turned to the next page. The golden talent [Innate Immortal Spirit] he had settled from Chongguang's life activated.
[Please select your birth direction.]
Lu Yang peered closely and saw five options on the Book of a Hundred Lives interface: East of the River, West of the River, South of the River, North of the River, and the Outer Seas.
He had a plan ready for this.
"In this life, I can't cultivate City Wall Earth anymore. That thing's too much of a trap, too conspicuous, and too likely to draw the attention of all those True Lords."
Besides the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art corresponding to City Wall Earth, the only complete third-grade true technique in Lu Yang's possession was the Heaven Mending True Scripture. This third-grade technique aligned with multiple fruition positions; the Heaven Mending Peak Master had used it to pursue Pomegranate Wood, which struck Lu Yang as a viable path.
"After all, Heaven Mending Peak Master paved the way for me."
"With his connections as one of the four peak masters, so well-informed, he must have done his homework before choosing Pomegranate Wood."
Even so, the Primal Saint Sect was still too dangerous.
"This hellhole of a sect is full of pitfalls. Since I'm recultivating this life without inheriting cultivation, staying in the sect to practice carries too many risks."
Best to go somewhere beyond the Primal Saint Sect's reach.
With that in mind, Lu Yang's gaze locked onto one direction.
"South of the River, Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion!"
"If I can secure the origins of an Innate Immortal Spirit this life, joining the Sword Pavilion should be a sure thing. After all, they value origins above all."
Strictly speaking, an immortal spirit's status was prized in all four great sects. Favored by heaven and earth, they were born at Foundation Establishment and couldn't be killed without invoking heavenly punishment, like the Blood Devil True Person. At worst, in the Primal Saint Sect, there was a risk of being treated as prime material.
But the Sword Pavilion would absolutely welcome an immortal spirit.
Decision made, Lu Yang clapped his hands. "This life, I'll join the Sword Pavilion as an immortal spirit and verify the Pomegranate Wood position!"
"Though I've been a fiend for nine lives, I know I'm a good person at heart. I've always yearned for the righteous path!"
Soon, text reappeared on the panel before Lu Yang's eyes:
[Confronting a late Golden Core great True Lord, you accomplished what even True Lords could not, unleashing a cathartic torrent of curses before death.]
[Remaining pages in the Book of a Hundred Lives: 91]
[For this reset, select one reward from the previous life's gains:
1: Treasure.
2: Cultivation.
3: Lifespan.
4: Forfeit all gains; randomly awaken one talent based on prior life's experiences.]
"I choose treasure: Dry Heaven All Phenomena Total Subjugation Dharma Body!"
This was something Lu Yang discovered only after resetting: the dharma body's profundity made it both a divine ability and a spirit treasure, requiring no immortal fetus avatar as a medium!
Without hesitation, he redeemed it.
The next instant, the azure-faced, fanged Dry Heaven Total Subjugation All Phenomena Dharma Body materialized—three heads, six arms, with two hands clutching a treasure sword and a banner.
Calamity Wave!
Ten Thousand Spirits Banner!
The dharma body's All Phenomena mystery could refine external objects. Lu Yang had long smelted his two greatest possessions into it, and now they came along too!
"Not bad, not bad."
Seeing this, Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction. Since he planned to join the Sword Pavilion, how could he go without a top-tier dharma sword?
Moreover, when it came to sword arts and profundities, the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion were the true experts. Their claim to supreme combat prowess among the four sects wasn't unfounded. Joining them this time wasn't just for seeking gold; elevating Calamity Wave to true treasure grade was another goal. Succeeding at either would be a massive win.
"And there's Illumination too!"
Lu Yang was done with these True Lords—one and all, precautions were essential. A spirit treasure to keep his mind clear was vital.
With that thought, Lu Yang drew a deep breath.
"Let's begin—the tenth life!"
This life, he aimed for gold!
In the next instant, the Book of a Hundred Lives blazed with light. The dim void of the "standby state" finally brightened.
As if opening his eyes.
Soon, a new scene reflected in Lu Yang's vision: a pair of stunningly beautiful sisters who looked strikingly similar, yet one with a cold expression, the other warm.
"Sister, this sword is so big!"
Lu Yang froze.
Though many lives had passed, he recognized them instantly. "Yun Miao from the Sword Pavilion... and Yun Miaoqing?"