Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 302
Chapter Title: The Deal with Chongguang
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Hidden Sword Manor, within a pavilion.
Lu Yang sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, radiant light spilling from his body. It eventually coalesced into gorgeous golden patterns etched into his skin.
Innate Divine Ability: [Stubborn Gold Duke]!
This ability was not one he had refined from the Heavenly Dipper or Earthly Fiend stars. Instead, it was derived through the Upholding the Dharma power of [Calamity Wave], a premature borrowing of a divine ability along his path.
"[Shen Gold] is the stubborn and unyielding gold, which requires fire refining to forge into swords and spears. This qi ranks among the Earthly Fiends and shares the yang attribute with [Geng Gold]. Its light is the sharpest, impossible to shatter. Once it empowers the dharma body, no blade, axe, heavenly thunder, or lightning strike can damage it. Thus, it is called [Stubborn Gold Duke]."
Boom!
The next moment, as the innate divine ability settled, Lu Yang's aura surged violently. It shattered the shackles of early Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop, propelling him straight into mid Foundation Establishment!
"Finally, some progress."
Lu Yang opened his eyes and nodded in satisfaction. After three years, his immortal spirit body had finally reached initial completion, its Upholding the Dharma power now comparable to mid Foundation Establishment.
Looking back, those three years had truly not been fit for human living.
'Right after leaving Gantang Road, I immediately self-destructed my clone and buried all the scavenged Geng Gold spirit items. I didn't dare take a single one, fearing it would implicate my true body.'
Lu Yang had always been decisive. He directly abandoned all gains from the Haicheng Li Clan and spent three years recollecting Geng Gold spirit items. Only recently had he completed the final nurturing step for his immortal spirit body at early Foundation Establishment. At the same time, he confirmed something that greatly relieved him:
'That [Soaring Empyrean] probably isn't free either.'
If his guess was right, he most likely couldn't leave the underworld!
'In the previous life, he could wander like a ghost because he had refined the Dao Tribulation formed from Senior Uncle Chongguang's failed bid for gold.'
Just like Lu Yang now, with a clone, one could traverse the world in proxy.
But at this point in time, he clearly lacked such means. His perception of the present world was thus limited—not omniscient or omnipotent.
Otherwise, why had True Lord Clear Serenity Flying Snow dared to clash with him in the previous life?
Beyond her audacious courage and extraordinary strength, part of it was that [Soaring Empyrean] faced severe restrictions in the underworld.
On top of that, one other matter had exceeded Lu Yang's expectations.
The Ten Thousand Men Pit in Jiangnan.
'Back when I was in the sect, it had only been reopened for less than a month before the Sword Pavilion moved to seize the Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit, causing the price of Death-Substituting Yin Puppets to skyrocket.'
'But in this life, perhaps because of the letter I sent warning Senior Uncle Chongguang earlier, the sect bolstered its defenses at the Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit. The Sword Pavilion has delayed action and seems to have other considerations. In the end, it dragged on for a full three years without a fight breaking out.'
This was good news.
After all, if it had erupted too early, he wouldn't have had a chance to claim a share. Now that he had recovered to mid Foundation Establishment, he finally had some qualifications to participate.
With that in mind, Lu Yang finally took out a flying letter spirit book.
This one was paired with the flying letter spirit book he had sent to the sect. They sensed each other mutually, allowing direct communication via writing on them.
'In the past three years, Senior Uncle Chongguang has tried contacting me more than once.'
'He seems quite curious about me.'
Lu Yang hadn't replied immediately but waited three years. Partly because his cultivation wasn't ready, but also to deliberately whet his appetite.
What came easily wouldn't be cherished.
Only by playing hard to get could one seize the initiative.
That said, Lu Yang didn't activate the spirit book right away. Instead, with a thought, his divine sense locked onto a mortal city thousands of li away.
He then casually selected a Qi Refining loose cultivator in the city.
Next, he sent the spirit book to the loose cultivator's hand and activated [Marionette Strings] to directly control him, creating a layer of causal firewall.
'Though Senior Uncle Chongguang ranks high in morals among the sect, that's only relative. Plus, he has a True Lord behind him! Who knows if he's just waiting for me to reach out, only for Flying Snow True Lord to tear through space, grab me, and refine me on the spot.'
In this regard, Lu Yang had to admit [Marionette Strings] was truly useful.
Not because of its [hypnosis] effect—that was essentially for bullying the weak, only viable against lower realms.
The key was severing causality. No one could trace the puppeteer Lu Yang through the causality of [Marionette Strings]. That was how he stayed hidden behind the scenes.
Otherwise, three years ago when he met [Soaring Empyrean], he would have been forced to restart.
'It's all about the proxies!'
Lu Yang sighed inwardly, then manipulated the Qi Refining loose cultivator through the [Marionette Strings] firewall to activate the flying letter spirit book in his hand.
Almost simultaneously.
In the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, at Sacred Fire Cliff.
Chongguang, who had been regulating his breathing, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the flying letter that had been silent for three full years. A glint of interest flashed in his gaze.
Finally couldn't hold back?
The next second, he flicked his sleeve, accepting the communication request from Lu Yang. At the same time, he immediately began divining causality along the spirit book's connection!
The result, naturally, was nothing.
Soon after, a message floated up before his eyes via the spirit book:
[I know a secret involving not only the "Covered Lamp Fire" cultivation but also that "Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord." Interested?]
Chongguang's eyebrows rose slightly.
Just these words alone told him the other party was no ordinary person. After all, not just anyone knew the honorific "Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord."
After a moment's thought, he waved his hand and wrote four words:
[What secret?]
The reply came quickly:
[I want a superior spirit treasure!]
Chongguang's expression turned peculiar. He stroked his chin with interest. Demanding benefits upfront—could it really be one of our sect's True Persons?
[I naturally have a superior spirit treasure, but how do I deliver it to you?]
[That's your problem to solve. But my secret involves a fragment of a cavern-heaven left behind after that "Heavenly Fortune Bright Light True Lord" fell.]
". . ."
Chongguang's expression grew even more profound. The next second, a graceful figure appeared in the hall. With a beckoning hand, the spirit book fell into her grasp.
"Apologies for the trouble, True Lord."
Chongguang smiled then. The one holding the spirit book was none other than True Lord Clear Serenity Flying Snow, who had immediately emerged from seclusion upon receiving his message!
True Lord Clear Serenity Flying Snow didn't bother divining causality. Instead, she violently traced the connection between the two spirit books, instantly locking onto a location in Jiangnan. Then she reached out and grasped. . .
In an instant! Space cracked, and a figure was yanked over from afar!
But the moment they saw the person, both let out a soft "Eh?"
Their gazes fell upon the captured figure, who was none other than the random Qi Refining loose cultivator Lu Yang had selected and controlled with [Marionette Strings].
'As expected, they played dirty. Beasts!'
Far away in Jiangnan, Lu Yang's true body shook his head helplessly, utterly unmoved. He knew caution was paramount—the sect's beasts had no sense of honor!
Especially Chongguang—outrageous!
It was just a deal, yet he directly called in Clear Serenity Flying Snow True Lord. If not for his vigilance, he'd be forced to restart by now!
"It seems. . . Fellow Daoist prefers face-to-face talks?"
Through [Marionette Strings], Lu Yang smiled faintly at Chongguang. But the next second, he felt an immense force descend upon the loose cultivator.
Without a word, they soul-searched him!
Yet Lu Yang remained composed. The loose cultivator's memories had no ties to him whatsoever—there would be no results no matter how they searched.
A long while later, the force dissipated.
True Lord Clear Serenity Flying Snow's beautiful eyes burned with intense curiosity toward Lu Yang, as if she itched to dissect him right there.
Lu Yang spread his hands:
"Can we talk now?"
As the words fell, True Person Chongguang finally laughed. He gave Lu Yang a deep look:
"Interesting. . . It seems Fellow Daoist truly is one of our sect's True Persons."
And judging by the style, no ordinary one at that!
(End of chapter)