Chapter 291
Chapter 291
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Translator: Ace
Chapter:
Chapter Title: Geng Gold Immortal Spirit
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"Mm."
The moment Lu Yang circulated 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 that had plagued her for months—from the third layer of Qi Refining to the fourth, from early to mid-stage—shattered with a crack. Yun Miaoqing gazed at herself in delighted surprise, then turned to her sister Yun Miaozhen.
Though Yun Miaozhen had already reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining, she was still technically in the mid-stage.
'I'm in the same realm as Sister now?'
A profound sense of accomplishment welled up in her heart. Yun Miaoqing couldn't help but clutch her lower abdomen, while Yun Miaozhen's expression grew even more rigid.
'It has to be a spirit sword embryo!'
'Fusing with such a sword embryo and using its sword qi for stimulation breaks through bottlenecks like nothing. If it had been mine, I'd be at late-stage Qi Refining by now!'
*Why not me?*
Yun Miaozhen lowered her gaze, swiftly suppressing her negative emotions and regaining her composure.
"Alright. Now that we've obtained the sword embryo, let's prepare to head back."
Yun Miaoqing blinked in surprise.
"Sister, haven't you found a suitable sword embryo yet?"
"I have."
Yun Miaozhen shook her head calmly.
"No time to waste. We should return first. This isn't inside the sect, after all—Demon Sect forces could strike at any moment."
The mention of the Demon Sect made Yun Miaoqing tense up at once. For an ordinary disciple like her, the Primal Saint Demon Sect—a colossus of the northern reaches—was terrifying. Jiangnan and Jiangbei had long been at odds; they might not live in outright chaos, but "bitter enemies" was no exaggeration.
Lu Yang paid no mind to the outside world.
At that moment, he was still examining himself.
"Interesting. This is the first time I've cultivated not through cauldron harvesting, but via mutual supplementation dual cultivation."
Evidently, he hadn't harvested Yun Miaoqing.
Though the *Mending Heaven True Scripture* was a demonic art, he'd discussed it many times in his previous life with Lady Ruo Xiang. He knew it wasn't solely about harvesting.
Mending Heaven, mending Heaven—with one's body patching the heavens' leaks to earn heaven's favor. Naturally, it could also mutually benefit and supplement. That was his relationship with Yun Miaoqing right now: using his Foundation Establishment immortal spirit stature to accelerate her cultivation, while nine-tenths of her gains flowed to him.
"A shame Yun Miaoqing's cultivation is too weak."
Lu Yang shook his head. To truly aid his self-nourishment, Qi Refining was but a drop in the ocean. At minimum, it required a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Even that drop would have been larger from Yun Miaozhen than Yun Miaoqing.
But Lu Yang disliked her.
"I'm a good man, after all. Good men deal with good people. A mere gap in talent or cultivation means nothing to me."
Besides, in Lu Yang's view, the sisters' talent gap wasn't that vast.
It fell far short of Tingyou Ancestor's level, where mortal efforts could never compensate. Yun Miaoqing actually had decent talent; her aptitude wasn't poor.
"Of course, the key is that she's met *me* now!"
Lu Yang brimmed with confidence. Even taking it slow to preserve potential, he was certain he could bring Yun Miaoqing to Qi Refining perfection within a decade.
Next, he continued scrutinizing himself.
As an immortal spirit, his nourishment wasn't yet complete. At his core, he was merely a strand of Heavenly Gang qi. With a quick calculation, he discerned his origins.
"I'm... incarnated from Geng Gold qi!"
Geng Gold—also known as [Upper Chapter]—held authority over heaven and earth's killing frost. It governed mortal warfare and arms. In the heavens, it manifested as wind and frost; on earth, as metals and iron. It was gold of the yang attribute.
"How marvelous."
Lu Yang watched with keen interest. As an immortal spirit, his Dao foundation was naturally heaven- and earth-nurtured, innately attuned to Geng Gold qi. Even his divine abilities stemmed from it.
"Immortal spirit cultivation is the utter reverse of a human's."
"Human cultivation begins with condensing the natal astral, then gathering Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend essences to collect four innate divine abilities, culminating in challenging the Seek Gold Barrier."
"Immortal spirits are different. They begin with innate divine abilities. Only after gathering four can they condense a natal divine ability. But most immortal spirits never reach that point—either emerging prematurely or perishing midway."
The imagery was profoundly arcane.
"If anything, it's like a ten-month pregnancy. Immortal spirits draw heaven and earth's nurture until their four innate divine abilities converge, then awaken their natal one and emerge from the 'womb.'"
Throughout, the four innate divine abilities were bestowed by heaven and earth.
If those four perfectly matched a single fruition position, and the natal divine ability awakened in harmony, one could immediately pursue the gold, vying to claim that position.
In other words—
"Immortal spirits are practically heaven and earth's custom-forged tools for seizing fruition positions. There can't be some catch to this, right?"
Lu Yang shuddered at the thought.
Better not dwell on it.
With that, he reined in his mind and turned to the divine ability coalescing within him.
This was an innate divine ability born of his Geng Gold immortal spirit nature—a strand of Geng Gold qi manifesting as [Lord of Arms].
Lu Yang had once seen Ye Guyue wield it.
"[Lord of Arms]—formed from the Heavenly Gang [Geng Gold] and Earth Fiend [Shen Gold]. Both yang-attuned golds, their fusion pushes gold's unyielding ferocity to the limit, birthing [Lord of Arms]. This innate divine ability has inner and outer applications, mirroring Geng Gold's transformations of heaven and earth."
"Inner use governs [Arms], amplifying weapon might."
"Outer use governs [Armor]—as in 'change.' Unleashed, it alters forms, dissolving the tangible into the intangible. A supreme technique for neutralizing divine abilities and treasures."
Lu Yang was immersed in comprehending its wonders.
But then—
"...Hm?"
He snapped open his eyes. A divine sense had suddenly swept from Yun Miaoqing's body, piercing straight to his dantian and landing on him.
Thankfully, he'd shrouded himself in [Calamity Wave]. With [Illumination]'s arcane veil, all karma was concealed, heavenly secrets obscured. Unless a Golden Core True Lord peered in person, no one could trace his origins. To outward eyes, he was merely a faintly exotic sword embryo.
"Which Foundation Establishment cultivator?"
Lu Yang started at first, but sensing the divine sense's weakness—merely early Foundation Establishment—he quickly calmed.
"Nothing beats bullying newbies in starter village!"
"Let's see who's spying on me."
Deeply pleased, Lu Yang willed it, and his [Grand Qian Heaven Totality Encompassing Myriad Phenomena Dharma Body] manifested. It hurtled along the intruding divine sense.
Meanwhile, within Hidden Sword Manor.
Yun Miaozhen brushed off Yun Miaoqing, sending her to ready the flying boat for their return to the Sword Pavilion. She then slipped into a secluded pavilion in the manor.
There, a woman in ornate robes lounged by the window.
"Disciple greets Master."
Yun Miaozhen bowed deeply and respectfully. This was her life's greatest boon—the karma from her previous life's roots—a Foundation Establishment master!
It was why she now shone as the Yun family's prized prodigy, heaped with the old ancestor's hopes. Breakthrough to late Qi Refining, and she'd gain the Sword Pavilion's great divine ability. True disciple status and Foundation Establishment assault would follow—her path blazed bright.
"Rise."
The robed woman's slender hand lifted lightly, her soft voice laced with languor. She was Xiu Xin, a retainer of the Sword Pavilion's great clans and the Ye family's outer-branch guest elder.
"Have you decided?"
"Yes, Master."
Yun Miaozhen's voice was resolute.
"Please link Miaoqing's fortune to mine with your spell, Master. That way, I can send her into the Demon Sect... to aid her cultivation."