Chapter 366: Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool
Long Yue ultimately yielded.
Her previous defiance towards Lü Yang had stemmed from her status as a Grand True Person, granting her absolute dominance over him.
But now, things were different.
Though fleeting, Lü Yang had displayed the aura of a Grand True Person, placing them on equal footing. And when cultivators shared the same realm, the dynamics shifted entirely.
Sword cultivators were nearly invincible within their own realm!
At the very least, they were undeniably unmatched against minor sects like the Myriad Poison Sect. Even if Long Yue believed her cultivation depth surpassed Lü Yang's, she only had a slim chance of preserving her life.
"Fellow Daoist, please."
Long Yue stepped aside and dispersed the Myriad Poison Sect's mountain-protecting formation, allowing Lü Yang to ride a sword beam straight into the sect's depths.
The moment he entered, Lü Yang unleashed his divine sense without restraint, sweeping it across every inch of the Myriad Poison Sect's territory. The sect's Elders watched with faces dark as storm clouds, as if their beloved goddess had been defiled, their expressions twisting with the urge to charge Lü Yang and fight to the death.
"What is Fellow Daoist searching for?"
Long Yue approached on a beam of light, her expression composed. There was one truth Lü Yang hadn't mentioned—the Myriad Poison Sect had indeed abducted civilians from Jiangnan.
But this wasn't done on their own initiative.
Someone from the Sword Pavilion had actively invited them to use those civilians as test subjects for gu cultivation, exchanging them for rare spiritual materials and herbs unique to the Southern Frontier.
This trade had persisted for over a century!
Given the Myriad Poison Sect's strength, they would have preferred to remain holed up in the Southern Frontier, keeping as far from the Sword Pavilion as possible. Why would they deliberately provoke trouble in Jiangnan?
Despite this, Long Yue dared not reveal this widely known arrangement. True Person Dangmo's reputation for ruthlessness had reached even the Myriad Poison Sect. His methods differed starkly from other Sword Pavilion True Persons, leaving her no choice but to swallow her humiliation and endure Lü Yang's invasive investigation.
Time passed.
As Lü Yang grew increasingly brazen—probing not just surface structures but even delving underground—Long Yue finally lost patience and spoke through gritted teeth:
"Has Fellow Daoist investigated enough?"
"Of course not!"
Lü Yang's expression remained icy as he descended into the Myriad Poison Sect's Cult Master residence—a grand hall—and declared, "Fellow Daoist Long Yue, I request a private discussion."
Her face instantly paled.
'Has... it been exposed?'
As a cultivator outside the Four Great Powers, her rise to late-stage Foundation Establishment had relied on certain advantages—chief among them, her unique constitution.
It was called the [Kan-Li Jade Body of Dao Marvel].
This physique harmonized the mysteries of water and fire—cold on the outside, hot within—making it exceptionally suited for nurturing gu worms. After advancing to Grand True Person, she had refined it to perfection.
Yet this same constitution was also ideal for dual cultivation, particularly beneficial for those who had forged golden-element Dao Foundations—especially sword cultivators of the Sword Pavilion. The principle of "tempering sharpness through water and fire" held that sword cultivators' sword foundations, nourished by her physique, could gain an additional thirty percent of razor-sharp qi.
This had always been her secret.
If such a superior constitution were exposed, the Sword Pavilion's typical methods would undoubtedly force her into submission, turning her into a furnace for refining swords.
Her flawless features grew colder.
'In the end... I can't escape.'
Still, she dared not refuse—both due to Lü Yang's strength and because the Myriad Poison Sect's grand scheme had reached a critical juncture.
'Endure small humiliations to avoid greater chaos.'
'Once the [Ten Thousand Calamities Gu] is refined, I can use it to achieve Foundation Establishment Perfection. Then, every ounce of today's disgrace will be repaid a hundredfold!'
'Bear with him for now—consider it a dog's bite...'
With this resolve, Long Yue's expression steadied. Under the furious gazes of her sect members, she stepped into the grand hall.
"Boom!"
The heavy doors slammed shut behind her.
"Come here."
Seated imperiously in the host's seat, Lü Yang eyed Long Yue as she followed. "I prefer initiative. It would be best if Fellow Daoist spoke first."
Her face darkened further.
Demanding her to take the lead? The insult was unbearable!
Yet Long Yue quickly regained her composure. As a Grand True Person, she was no fool—her momentary disarray stemmed from tangled thoughts.
'Wait... Could his target not be me?'
'Did he learn of the [Ten Thousand Calamities Gu] from Long Wu or Hui Gu? Impossible—searching the soul of a Foundation Establishment True Person is no easy feat...'
She nearly sighed aloud. The [Ten Thousand Calamities Gu] was the cornerstone of her Dao path and the Myriad Poison Sect's greatest hope—an ultimate treasure they would never relinquish. Frankly, she'd rather Lü Yang take her body than seize the gu.
Her silence lasted only moments.
But Lü Yang, keenly observing her shifting expressions, narrowed his eyes. Though his face betrayed nothing, doubt stirred within:
'This reaction... doesn't fit.'
'While my true aim is [Xin Metal], as a sword cultivator, I'd have no apparent use for it. She shouldn't be this guarded.'
'Why hesitate?'
'Logically, the Myriad Poison Sect has nothing worth my pursuit. She should be cooperating openly with my investigation.'
A conclusion surfaced:
'Unless... beyond [Xin Metal], the Myriad Poison Sect holds something else—something so valuable she fears even my current cultivation level would covet it?'
An unexpected windfall!
While Lü Yang's mind raced through possibilities, Long Yue finally organized her thoughts and spoke softly, "Long Yue is unsure what Fellow Daoist wishes me to say."
After a contemplative pause, Lü Yang raised an eyebrow and chuckled:
"Naturally, I refer to your Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool."
"...That is merely a secret realm our sect uses to condense Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences. Surely, it holds little value for a sword cultivator of your standing?"
Her tone was calm, revealing nothing.
Lü Yang nodded, deliberately adopting a mocking tone. "I've always admired the moon. Your Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool has long captivated me."
"How about Fellow Daoist guides me there for a visit?"
"I promise—I'll only look from the outside, not enter."
"This..."
Lü Yang was no ordinary man. The instant Long Yue wavered, revealing a flicker of hesitation, he seized upon it and drew his conclusion:
'Both [Xin Metal] and whatever hidden treasure exists lie within that Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool!'
His thoughts raced further.
'[Sign of Fortune Drawing]!'
[Event: Investigating the Myriad Poison Sect's Hidden Opportunity.]
[Great Misfortune: Your arrogance and tyranny finally provoke True Person Long Yue. She would rather destroy the divine artifact than surrender it, mobilizing the entire Myriad Poison Sect against you. Though you emerge victorious, you suffer severe injuries in the process.]
[Minor Misfortune: At the cost of grave wounds, you obtain "Xin Metal" but miss the ultimate treasure.]
[Marginal Blessing: Balancing coercion and persuasion, you stabilize True Person Long Yue long enough to secure "Xin Metal." Whether you obtain the divine artifact remains uncertain.]
"..."
With this divination, the fortune Lü Yang had drained from the Divine Martial Gate was nearly exhausted—yet the results left him genuinely surprised.
'This Myriad Poison Sect... truly has tricks up its sleeve!'
Given his avatar's combat prowess, the fact that Long Yue could fight him to a stalemate proved that even minor sects were not to be underestimated.
'After all, even the Witch Ghost Path once produced an Ancestor Nether Whisper...'
Resolving to follow the [Marginal Blessing] path, Lü Yang prepared to assess the situation. If things turned dire, he wouldn't recklessly force the issue.
But in the next instant—
"Boom—!"
A violent tremor erupted from beneath the Myriad Poison Sect's mountain gates, impossible to conceal. Long Yue's flawless composure shattered into shock.
Lü Yang studied her face—her expression mingled alarm and... delight?
The alarm came from Lü Yang uncovering her secrets.
As for the delight?
'The [Ten Thousand Calamities Gu]... has finished refining and emerged—now of all times!?'