Chapter 290: Building the Dao Foundation with Heaven and Earth
Chapter 290: Laying the Foundation Between Heaven and Earth
"Hmm..."
As Lü Yang began circulating the Mending Heaven True Scripture, Yun Miaoqing immediately sensed something amiss. An indescribable warmth spread from her dantian and lower abdomen.
In the next instant, the bottleneck between the third and fourth layers of Qi Refining—the barrier separating early-stage from mid-stage—that had plagued her for months shattered effortlessly. Yun Miaoqing looked at herself in delighted surprise before turning to her elder sister Yun Miaozhen. Though Yun Miaozhen had already reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining, she was technically still in the mid-stage.
'Am I in the same realm as Sister now?'
A surge of inexplicable accomplishment welled up within her, making Yun Miaoqing instinctively clutch her abdomen. Meanwhile, Yun Miaozhen's expression grew increasingly rigid.
'It must be the spirit sword embryo!'
'Fusing with such an embryo and using its sword qi to stimulate breakthroughs... If I had obtained it, I'd already be in late-stage Qi Refining by now!'
Why wasn't it mine?
Yun Miaozhen lowered her eyelids, swiftly suppressing her negative emotions before regaining her composure. "Enough. Now that you've obtained the sword embryo, we should prepare to return."
Yun Miaoqing blinked in surprise. "But Sister, haven't you found a suitable sword embryo yet?"
"I already have."
Yun Miaozhen shook her head calmly. "There's no time to waste. Let's return first. This isn't sect territory—we could be attacked by the Demon Sect at any moment."
At the mention of the Demon Sect, Yun Miaoqing's expression instantly tensed. For an ordinary disciple like her, the reputation of the Primordial Demon Sect—a titan of the northern riverlands—was terrifying. Moreover, relations between the southern and northern riverlands had never been harmonious. To say they coexisted peacefully would be an understatement; it was more accurate to say they were sworn enemies.
Lü Yang paid no attention to the external changes.
At this moment, he was still examining himself: 'Interesting. This is the first time I'm cultivating not through absorption techniques, but via mutual cultivation and complementation...'
Clearly, he hadn't drained Yun Miaoqing.
Though the Mending Heaven True Scripture was a demonic art, his past-life exchanges with Madam Ruo Xiang had taught him that this scripture wasn't solely about absorption.
"Mending Heaven" implied using oneself to mend heaven's deficiencies, thereby earning heaven's favor—a process that could also be mutually beneficial. His current relationship with Yun Miaoqing exemplified this: with his Foundation Establishment immortal spirit status, he accelerated her cultivation, while ninety percent of her cultivation gains flowed back to him.
"What a pity. Yun Miaoqing's cultivation is too weak."
Lü Yang shook his head. For his own nourishment, Qi Refining was merely a drop in the bucket. At minimum, he needed a Foundation Establishment True Person.
Though Yun Miaozhen would have been more effective than Yun Miaoqing even as a drop in the bucket...
Lü Yang simply didn't like her.
"I'm a good person. Good people naturally associate with good people. As for minor gaps in talent and cultivation—they mean nothing to me."
Moreover, in Lü Yang's view, the talent disparity between the Yun sisters wasn't that vast.
At least, not to the extent of Ancestor Nether Whisper's gap, where human effort couldn't possibly bridge it. Yun Miaoqing did possess some talent; her aptitude wasn't abysmal.
"Of course, the most important thing is that she's met me now!"
Lü Yang was utterly confident that even through gradual, potential-preserving cultivation, he could ensure Yun Miaoqing reached Qi Refining perfection within a decade.
Next, he continued his self-examination.
As an immortal spirit still undergoing nourishment, his essence was currently a strand of Heavenly Gang qi. With minimal calculation, he discerned his own origin.
"I am... formed from Geng Metal qi!"
Geng Metal, also known as Upper Petition, governed heaven and earth's authority over execution, presiding over mortal warfare. In the heavens, it manifested as wind and frost; on earth, as metal and iron—a Yang-aligned metal.
"How marvelous."
Lü Yang found this fascinating. As an immortal spirit, his Dao foundation was naturally nurtured by heaven and earth, inherently aligned with Geng Metal qi—even his divine abilities stemmed from this.
"The cultivation of immortal spirits is the inverse of humans."
"Human cultivation begins by condensing one's life essence, then continuously gathering Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend qi to assemble four innate divine abilities before finally challenging the Golden Core tribulation."
"Immortal spirits are different. They begin with innate divine abilities, assembling all four before condensing their life essence divine ability... However, most immortal spirits never survive long enough to condense their life essence, either emerging prematurely or perishing midway."
This imagery was profoundly mystical.
"To draw an analogy—it's like a ten-month pregnancy... Immortal spirits receive nourishment from heaven and earth, gather four innate divine abilities, then awaken their life essence to separate from their 'mother.'"
During this process, all four innate divine abilities were bestowed by heaven and earth.
If the four bestowed abilities happened to align with a Fruit Position, and the life essence awakened, one could immediately begin pursuing the Golden Core, striving to occupy that Fruit Position.
In other words—
"Immortal spirits seem like entities forcibly birthed by heaven and earth specifically to occupy Fruit Positions... Could there be some underlying issue with this?"
A chill ran down Lü Yang's spine as he contemplated the terrifying implications.
Forget it. Best not to delve too deeply.
With that thought, Lü Yang quickly reined in his musings and turned his attention to the divine ability coalescing within him.
This was an innate ability bestowed by his Geng Metal immortal spirit nature—a divine ability called Lord of War, which Lü Yang had once seen Ye Guyue employ.
"Lord of War—formed from Heavenly Gang Geng Metal and Earthly Fiend Shen Metal, both Yang-aligned metals. Their fusion pushes metal's unyielding ferocity to its extreme, giving birth to this divine ability. It has two applications, corresponding to Geng Metal's transformations between heaven and earth."
"Its internal use lies in Arms, enhancing weaponry's might."
"Its external use lies in Change—transforming forms, rendering the tangible intangible. It's a supreme method for dismantling divine abilities and magical treasures..."
Lü Yang was immersed in comprehending his own marvels when—
"...Hm?"
Abruptly, his eyes snapped open as he sensed a divine sense sweep over Yun Miaoqing's body, piercing straight into her dantian to land upon him.
Fortunately, he had long shielded himself with Tribulation Wave. Under the profound mysteries of Piercing Clarity, his karma remained concealed and heavenly secrets obscured. Unless a Golden Core True Lord stood before him, no one could discern his origins. To outward appearances, he was merely a slightly peculiar sword embryo.
"Which Foundation Establishment cultivator is this?"
Initially startled, Lü Yang quickly steadied himself upon sensing the intruder's divine sense was only at early-stage Foundation Establishment.
"Ah, the joys of bullying newcomers in the starter zone!"
"Let's see who's spying on me..."
Quite pleased, Lü Yang willed his Heavenly Dominion Myriad Manifestations Dharma Body into existence, swiftly darting along the intruder's divine sense toward its source.
Meanwhile, within Hidden Sword Manor—
After dismissing Yun Miaoqing to prepare the flying vessel for their return to Sword Pavilion, Yun Miaozhen made her way to a secluded pavilion within the manor.
There, a woman in resplendent robes reclined by the window.
"Disciple pays respects to Master."
Yun Miaozhen bowed respectfully. This was her greatest fortune in this life—a karmic legacy from her past existence: a Foundation Establishment master!
Thanks to this, she had become the Yun Clan's current prodigy, entrusted with high hopes by the Yun Family Patriarch. Once she broke through to late-stage Qi Refining, she would immediately be granted Sword Pavilion's grand divine ability, paving her path toward becoming a true disciple and assaulting Foundation Establishment. Her future was undeniably bright.
"Rise."
The woman—named Xiuxin, an external consultant from Sword Pavilion's prominent Ye Family—gestured languidly with a delicate hand, her voice soft and unhurried.
"Have you decided?"
"Reporting to Master, this disciple has decided."
Yun Miaozhen spoke solemnly: "I beseech Master to link Miaoqing's fate's breath to mine, that I might send her to the Demon Sect to aid her cultivation progress."