Chapter 29: Karma Attracts Trouble
Chapter 29: Karma Invites Trouble
Zhao Xuhe's words sent Lü Yang plummeting into an icy abyss.
To think—in this lifetime, he hadn't even set foot on Panlong Island. The cultivation method had been memorized from his previous lives. Yet Panlong Island had vanished on its own?
Because of so-called karma?
Because he had cultivated the 《Nine Transforming Dragon Art》 ahead of time, intercepting the karmic connection between Zhao Xuhe and the island, Panlong Island simply ceased to exist?
The karma of techniques, the predestination of opportunities—
So this was Zhao Xuhe's fated chance, something Lü Yang couldn't steal or cultivate? Otherwise, someone would trace the karma back to him?
The moment Lü Yang grasped this, fury surged within him, followed by a bitter laugh.
This world was utterly disgusting!
True Person powerhouses could predetermine opportunities for their disciples. If anything went awry, they could deduce the cause and forcibly correct the deviated karma.
Under such circumstances, how could ordinary people ever rise?
They could only bow their heads and live as beasts of burden!
Take the current situation—on the surface, only Zhao Xuhe had appeared. But in reality, the true mastermind was likely Zhao Xuhe's so-called "shifu"!
Lü Yang was one hundred percent certain—that person had to be a Foundation Establishment True Person!
Raising his head, Lü Yang recalled Daoist Hong Yun from his previous life. It was as if a pair of eyes were gazing down at him from the vast heavens above.
"...Why force me like this?"
At this thought, rage erupted from Lü Yang's heart, and malice surged through his veins. His lips curled into a mocking smile as he turned his gaze to Zhao Xuhe.
Almost simultaneously, someone beside Zhao Xuhe stepped forward.
"Junior Brother, be careful—!"
Whoosh!
A flash of sword light streaked past. Zhao Xuhe's vision blurred for an instant. When it cleared, the fiery anger in his chest was instantly doused by a chilling realization.
The person who had just stepped forward was a fellow disciple under their "shifu," having entered the sect three years earlier than Zhao Xuhe. He had cultivated the 《Dragon-Tiger Union Ode of Yin-Yang Great Bliss》 to the sixth layer of Qi Refining—mid-stage peak—with true qi refined to the fifth-grade limit. In terms of strength, he far surpassed Zhao Xuhe.
Yet now, that senior brother was gone.
Flesh, bones, and blood—all devoured by a crimson divine light. In the blink of an eye, only an empty husk of skin remained, drifting slowly to the ground.
A moment later, a wisp of spiritual light emerged from the skin.
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for freeing me."
Within the spiritual light, a faint silhouette appeared—not a trace of anger over being slain by Lü Yang's sword. Instead, there was even a hint of relief.
Then, the silhouette turned to Zhao Xuhe.
"Junior Brother, before this journey, Shifu remarked that my foundation was shallow and my merits insufficient. He said reaching Qi Refining perfection in this lifetime would be difficult, and Foundation Establishment was utterly hopeless."
"I begged Shifu for guidance. Only then did he order me to accompany you, to save you at a critical moment. You have accumulated merits across three lifetimes—there is a thirty percent chance you will achieve Foundation Establishment in the future. Today, I have saved your life. The karma is set. If you attain Foundation Establishment in the future, you must aid my reincarnated self in cultivation."
With those words, the spiritual light soared into the heavens.
Below, Lü Yang's eyes grew colder.
"...Using my hand to bind karma for your disciple, ensuring his reincarnation? You're so certain I can't turn the tide that you're squeezing every last bit of value from me?"
Shifting his gaze, Lü Yang saw Saint Sect disciples stepping forward one after another beside Zhao Xuhe—each at the sixth layer of Qi Refining, mid-stage peak.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xuhe finally snapped out of his daze, excitement flashing across his face as he shouted, "Senior Brothers! If you aid me in capturing this thief today and reclaiming my opportunity, I swear—should I achieve Foundation Establishment in the future, I will spare no effort to assist your reincarnated selves in attaining Qi Refining perfection!"
Hearing this, the disciples nodded in unison.
"Junior Brother, rest assured."
"Opportunities belong to the fated. This thief stole what was yours without cause—his crime is unforgivable. With Shifu overseeing this, we will surely help you capture him!"
Lü Yang burst into laughter. "All this talk, and in the end, you're just here to rob me by force?"
"Stubborn fool."
The leading Saint Sect disciple shook his head and sneered. "I am Lu Yuanchun. Since you refuse to surrender, don't blame me for being ruthless."
As he spoke, Lu Yuanchun formed hand seals. His aura surged—seventh layer of Qi Refining, late-stage—before he summoned a radiant golden mirror into the sky, replacing the sun itself. In an instant, countless golden rays cascaded down like blades in a torrential storm, swallowing Lü Yang whole.
Lü Yang frowned, his figure vanishing instantly.
A sword light shot upward, splitting into countless streaks that darted left and right—yet none could escape the golden radiance. They were forced to endure the onslaught.
"Shifu foresaw this thief's proficiency in sword arts. Did you think he wouldn't provide a countermeasure?"
Lu Yuanchun smirked, then turned to Zhao Xuhe. "Junior Brother Zhao, I have trapped him, preventing him from utilizing his sword's evasive techniques."
"Now, activate your treasure seal and seize his flying sword. Once that's done, victory is assured!"
"Many thanks, Senior Brother!"
Zhao Xuhe clasped his hands in gratitude before hastily retrieving a gleaming golden seal and hurling it toward Lü Yang's sword light.
"That thing again..."
Lü Yang's eyes narrowed in recognition—the "Magnetic Golden Seal" Zhao Xuhe had used in his second lifetime, a treasure designed to suppress flying swords.
With past experience as his guide, Lü Yang wouldn't allow Zhao Xuhe to succeed. With a thought, the Blood Sun Sword Pill obeyed his will—avoiding the Magnetic Golden Seal entirely—before transforming into a crimson divine light that swept toward Zhao Xuhe.
Zhao Xuhe paled, stumbling backward in panic. "Senior Brother—!"
"Don't panic. It's just the struggle of a cornered beast."
Lu Yuanchun remained composed. "Fellow Junior Brothers, now is the time."
As soon as he spoke, several more Saint Sect disciples stepped forward, eerie smiles on their faces. Before the divine light could reach them, they slit their own throats without hesitation.
Instantly, streaks of bloody light erupted from their corpses.
These bloody lights intertwined like chains, temporarily ensnaring Lü Yang's Blood-Transforming Divine Light and making it sluggish to recall. Lü Yang's mind felt abruptly sluggish.
Zhao Xuhe and Lu Yuanchun had come prepared.
Especially Lu Yuanchun—before arriving, he had received secret teachings from his shifu, learning many of Lü Yang's secrets. Thus, he had devised numerous countermeasures.
His strategy was clear: first, restrict Lü Yang's mobility to prevent escape; second, have Zhao Xuhe suppress the sword pill; finally, rely on the joint efforts of his fellow disciples to contain the Blood-Transforming Divine Light. No matter how formidable Lü Yang's divine abilities were, he would be like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"Out of tricks. The outcome is decided!"
Lu Yuanchun sneered, confident of victory. He shook the golden mirror, unleashing another torrent of golden rays aimed at refining Lü Yang alive.
Lü Yang could only sigh.
"This is the advantage of having backing..."
At his current strength, even outnumbered, Lü Yang could easily defeat Lu Yuanchun and Zhao Xuhe. But their preparations were too thorough—every move targeted his weaknesses.
And all of this was due to Zhao Xuhe's mysterious "shifu," who had deduced karma, calculated destiny, and devised such precise countermeasures.
Under normal circumstances, Lü Yang would indeed be powerless at this point.
"Luckily... I have cheats!"
The Blood Sun Sword Pill had been brought by the 《Book of a Hundred Lifetimes》 from his previous life—untouched by karma and immune to all calculations.
Even if Zhao Xuhe's "shifu" could deduce Lü Yang's sword proficiency and Blood-Transforming Divine Light, there was no way he could foresee the true nature of the Blood Sun Sword Pill!
In the next instant, Lü Yang focused his mind and channeled his true qi once more.
Clang! Clang!—
The Blood Sun Sword Pill let out a resonant cry as the formation patterns engraved upon it suddenly erupted—sealing heaven and earth, locking down space itself—instantly enveloping everyone present!
In less than a blink, Lü Yang had unfurled the grand formation he had spent twenty years perfecting in his previous life!