Chapter 364: Let It Begin With Me! (Fourth Update Bonus)
Chapter 364: Let Me Be the First! (Fourth Bonus Chapter)
"Is this all you've got to challenge me?"
Lü Yang lowered his sword light and reached out, immediately plucking two streaks of radiance from the dissipating spiritual tide formed by the collapsing physical forms of the two Myriad Poison Sect True Persons.
They were unmistakably their gu insects.
[Dragon Centipede Gu].
[Cicada Gu].
The former was clearly a gu insect akin to a dharma body divine ability, capable of transforming its user into an exotic dragon centipede—indeed possessing some semblance of true dragon majesty, though nothing more.
The latter, however, was far more intriguing.
"Morning mushrooms know not dusk and dawn; summer cicadas understand not spring and autumn."
Lü Yang grasped the [Cicada Gu] in his palm. At first glance, it appeared as a delicate golden cicada that emitted chirping sounds as he channeled his magic power into it.
Suddenly, Lü Yang's brow arched slightly—for within these chirps, he distinctly sensed his own body undergoing subtle decay. The circulation of his magic power accelerated as if time itself were draining from him, and faint traces of frost appeared amidst his originally jet-black hair.
"Hmph!"
The next instant, Lü Yang smirked coldly and flicked his finger, instantly releasing a [Sword Qi Thunder Sound] that dispersed the eerie chirping.
Looking back—what decay?
His jet-black hair remained unchanged. The wrinkles and signs of aging that had appeared moments ago vanished completely, as if everything had been nothing but an illusion.
"Interesting."
Lü Yang stroked his chin, deducing the profound mystery of this [Cicada Gu]. Its foundation lay not in magic power but solely in the belief of the afflicted.
"Appearance arises from the mind—if you believe it, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. This gu insect can create illusions so lifelike they border on reality. Once the victim believes, illusion becomes truth. If they don't, it remains but a fleeting dream... This gu is far more advanced than the [Dragon Centipede Gu]."
Its sole flaw was its extremely short lifespan.
Born in spring, dead by summer; born in summer, gone by autumn. Thus, it usually remained dormant, reviving only when needed and not to be used lightly.
'No wonder among the three fortune-drawing results from [Sign of Fortune Drawing], there was a possibility I couldn't defeat them.'
After all, when wielded skillfully, the [Cicada Gu] possessed formidable power.
Whether injured, exhausted of magic power, or trapped in any predicament—so long as one firmly believed in the illusion they conjured, they could effortlessly erase the crisis.
'Too bad it encountered me.'
Such a miraculous gu insect, before it could truly unleash its power, was instantly obliterated by Lü Yang's ruthless efficiency—rendering its brilliance useless.
"Mine now!"
With a beckoning gesture, Lü Yang pocketed the [Cicada Gu]. The only regret was that neither of the two True Persons carried the Myriad Poison Sect's gu manipulation techniques.
"Naturally, such secrets are rarely carried on one's person..."
At this thought, Lü Yang paused briefly.
If he truly wished, he could summon the [Myriad Spirits Banner] via his [Qian Tian Omnipresent Dharma Body] right now and capture these two Myriad Poison Sect True Persons.
Then, any cultivation secrets or techniques could be extracted through interrogation.
Yet after consideration, Lü Yang dismissed the idea.
'Unnecessary. Since my avatar has already entered Sword Pavilion, I must leave no trace connecting it to my true form. Best to keep things completely separate.'
'Besides, caution ensures longevity—who knows if someone's watching me right now!'
Southern Frontier, within a heavily fortified military camp shrouded in layers of clouds, the Dao Court's [King of the South Suppression], Wu Tai'an, calmly withdrew his gaze.
"He actually won..."
Wu Tai'an stroked his chin, somewhat surprised. "Having just reached Foundation Establishment, yet already recovering to mid-stage Foundation Establishment perfection... This person's origins from his past life must be significant."
As a noble of the Dao Court's imperial family—with the current emperor as his elder brother and the crown prince as his nephew—his jade-green eyes, bestowed by bloodline, possessed the mystical ability to gaze upon the heavens above and the underworld below. This innate divine ability, though lacking formal rank, allowed him to peer across thousands of miles effortlessly.
"Sword Pavilion has produced another formidable sword cultivator."
Wu Tai'an sighed, but his expression gradually darkened, his tone somber: "Surveying this world, how many heroes are there?"
"The Saint Sect stands most dazzling."
"Just one [True Lord of Morning Truth and Great Void] shattered five thousand years of stagnation, ushering in sixty years of the Great Contention Era. Which True Person in the world doesn't owe him a debt?"
"Sword Pavilion refuses to lag behind."
"Demon-Slaying True Person Ye Guangji—today's foremost sword cultivator. I can't even imagine any Foundation Establishment cultivator surviving three of his strikes. His strength defies reason."
"The Pure Land? Don't even mention them. With the Buddha's descendant incarnated, the [Buddhist Kingdom on Earth] is within reach."
"Even overseas..."
At this point, Wu Tai'an suddenly erupted in fury, slamming his palm onto the table: "Even overseas, damn it, some formidable wandering cultivator from beyond the heavens has emerged!"
The Saint Sect, Sword Pavilion, and Pure Land each boast their own prodigies.
Overseas talents rise as well.
"But what about us?"
What about the Dao Court?
As these words fell, Wu Tai'an's deputy beside him cautiously ventured: "Your Highness, do we not have the Crown Prince overseeing the state...?"
This remark only provoked a scoff from Wu Tai'an: "The Crown Prince? A useless figurehead! Probably spends all his time waiting for His Majesty's [Dragon-Riding Heavenly Ascent] to meet the Grand Ancestor, so he can smoothly inherit the throne. That's the extent of his ambition!"
"Having him maintain the status quo is already a stretch."
"Expecting him to expand territories and seek a golden seat himself? Overestimating him! Forget a golden seat—he likely lacks the courage even for temporary stewardship!"
"As for the court officials? Every last one is a spineless coward!"
"How can Jiangdong be governed properly with these vermin? How can the Dao Court thrive?"
Wu Tai'an's tirade was cathartic.
Yet his deputy listened in terror, wishing he were deaf, eyes fixed on his nose as if hearing nothing.
But his expression shifted the next moment.
For after his outburst, Wu Tai'an's demeanor abruptly calmed: "When the [True Lord of Morning Truth and Great Void] initiated sixty years of tranquility..."
"Ten years have already passed."
"Yet the world remains unchanged—undercurrents swirl, but no one has truly taken that step forward. Do you know why?"
"Why?" the deputy whispered.
"Because they're afraid!"
Wu Tai'an grinned sharply: "Are the words of the [True Lord of Morning Truth and Great Void] reliable? Have the esteemed lords truly retreated from the world? Did they leave behind any contingencies?"
"These are all unknowns!"
"Some might even suspect this is a scheme among True Lords to uproot the seedlings nurtured over five thousand years..."
The more Wu Tai'an spoke, the more his deputy broke into a cold sweat.
Could these possibilities be true?
Absolutely!
The [True Lord of Morning Truth and Great Void] hailed from the Saint Sect—that alone was enough to sow doubt in every True Person's mind.
Yet abruptly, Wu Tai'an pivoted:
"In my opinion, they're all cowards!"
"Waiting today, waiting tomorrow—until when? Little do they realize, the earlier the time, the greater the opportunity! The longer one delays seeking gold, the more perilous it becomes!"
"After all, the [True Lord of Morning Truth and Great Void] is newly advanced. Claiming sixty years is one thing, but who can say for certain? Standing alone against all True Lords of the world—lasting thirty years would already be remarkable! He might even be nearing his demise as we speak!"
With that, Wu Tai'an rose to his feet.
"Your Highness..."
The deputy, sensing what was coming, attempted to dissuade him quietly. But upon seeing Wu Tai'an's resolute and authoritative expression, he silently lowered his head.
"How can the Dao Court be absent when the Saint Sect, Sword Pavilion, and Pure Land—even overseas—are all in play?"
Wu Tai'an laughed heartily: "True Persons across the world hesitate, afraid to seek gold, waiting for someone to take the first step. Since that's the case, let me be the first!"
"Throughout history, ascending to a golden seat has always required martyrdom. Yet today, with True Lords in seclusion, none dare seek gold through sacrifice—this is why the world stagnates. If none will step forward, then let me be the first!"