Chapter 374
Chapter 374
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: N/A
Chapter Title: Standoff at the Myriad Poisons Sect Gates
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Outside the Myriad Poisons Sect's mountain gate, two figures stood tall and imposing.
One was entirely formed from gathered divine abilities. Stubborn Gold Duke outlined its frame, Lord of Arms and Warfare shaped its weapons, while Solemn Profound Frost and Heaven-Sounding Bell provided reinforcement.
At a glance, no features could be discerned.
A profound aura of heaven and earth's favor simply swirled around it. Standing there alone, it seemed to draw in all the splendor between sky and land.
*What an exquisite immortal spirit!*
Guang Ming nodded faintly. He didn't recognize the figure, but the Victorious Will Generating Brilliance Dharani Heaven Worldly Manifestation behind him revealed it as his karmic destiny.
"Benefactor, would you join my sect?"
Guang Ming pressed his palms together, dharma eyes blazing.
"Benefactor appears complete for now, but truly lacks one final step. You have yet to awaken your innate divine ability."
With that, he reached into his sleeve and produced a golden hoop etched with intricate patterns. They shimmered with countless illusory spectacles, as if harboring the truths of the Great Dao itself. A mere close look filled the ears with solemn Buddhist chants.
"Convert, benefactor, and you shall be my first disciple under the seat."
"This Heart-Binding Hoop marks our karmic bond. Don it, and within thirty years, you will forge your innate ability to seek the orthodox fruit above."
Boom!
In response to Guang Ming's overture, the divine ability figure merely lifted a hand. Frost blanketed the heavens in an instant, a horrifying killing chill saturating the world.
Solemn Profound Frost!
This divine ability warped the environment and, more crucially, dissolved mana with arcane subtlety. Every flake of snow was a blade forged a hundred times over.
Unleashed by the divine figure now, it summoned heaven and earth's aid. Snow swirled madly wherever it spread, engulfing Guang Ming's form and savagely rending his dharma body. Bearing down, it carved countless stark white gashes across his flawless golden form.
Yet Guang Ming stood unmoved.
His cultivation and the divine ability shadow's were both at late Foundation Establishment, neither perfected. But the strength they displayed differed utterly.
"Amitabha."
Guang Ming pressed his palms together, invoking no divine ability. He endured the assault barehanded with his golden body while parting his lips to intone a sutra.
"Om mani padme hum."
As the words rang out, the golden hoop shot from his grasp.
Alive with spirit, the hoop hurtled toward the divine figure's crown. The shadow promptly shifted its hand seals.
Dong!
A resonant bell tolled at once—formless, substanceless, devoid of divine radiance, yet reverberating across the cosmos to halt the descending hoop.
Heaven-Sounding Bell!
The hoop checked, Guang Ming smiled instead of faltering. He clapped, laughing.
"The rooster embodies the temple bell. You Gold holds the western Dui position. Benefactor, your innate divine ability proves your bond with my western paradise!"
The divine shadow remained silent.
Meanwhile, within the Myriad Poisons Sect's mountain gate, Lu Yang strained against the invading heavenly consciousness. The foe had switched tactics.
*Trying to grind me down?*
*Divine ability avatar detains Guang Ming and draws eyes, buying time to fully refine me. But why me?*
For a controllable immortal spirit alone, ejecting one's soul to claim the flesh wasn't simpler?
Heaven and earth's stance thus far clearly sought to seize both flesh and soul—not merely the immortal spirit shell.
Could it be...
Gloom flickered in Lu Yang's eyes.
*The Book of a Hundred Lives exposed?*
*No, just scaring myself.*
*Foundation Establishment true persons' memories resist reading. Only Heaven Mending True Scripture enables soul-searching them—and nothing more.*
Lu Yang feared not dual cultivation!
Even against Heaven Mending True Scripture, counter came easy.
Heaven and earth reading memories via the immortal spirit shell to uncover the Book of a Hundred Lives defied reason. He refused to believe it.
*More crucially, knowing the Book of a Hundred Lives' worth, why skulk and dawdle? Instant refinement simpler. Its value warrants fanfare—proof heaven and earth remains ignorant!*
At worst, mere curiosity.
An immortal spirit emerging inexplicably, un-nurtured by heaven and earth, self-hunting Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend stars—patently odd.
*Rather, the refinement attempt stems from wanting my secrets!*
Boom!
Another thunderous crash hurled Lu Yang to the precipice anew. He unleashed Intent Trap once more, wrenching all back to the outset.
Limit reached.
*Intent Trap devours mana. Three casts near-empty my reserves. This last one, likely.*
Despair endured.
Past trials flickered through Lu Yang's mind like a lantern show. A path through deadlock must exist.
*Body? Soul? Consciousness?*
His heart jolted.
*Consciousness!*
Innate true person Mu Changsheng!
*Yes—consciousness! Body and soul are heaven and earth's make. Consciousness alone is truly mine!*
Former innate true person Mu Changsheng once severed his consciousness, abiding it in Heaven of Non-existence before soul-reincarnation. A living feat. Replicate it, and escape beckons!
*After all... the Book of a Hundred Lives tracks my consciousness!*
Certainty absolute for Lu Yang.
Tested: shifting consciousness to clone via Marionette Control allowed interface access through it.
Issue now: consciousness rooted in main soul.
Soul controlled, consciousness trapped.
*Detach fully from main soul, shift to clone's split soul—salvation possible!*
Clone's split soul, post-reincarnation, stood independent.
Marionette Control evaded detection.
Heaven and earth, ever-watchful from outset, might know. Others inspecting? Main and clone linked naught.
No karma even.
Lu Yang's arm-like command over clone stemmed solely from Marionette Control. Absent it, instant revolt.
*Detach consciousness—abandon immortal spirit shell at worst!*
*Heaven and earth's suppression leverages my self-trap plus spirit shell. Clone differs.*
*Consciousness to clone...*
"Worst: suicide, restart!"
How, though?
Mu Changsheng bequeathed no soul-consciousness severance art. One meeting yielded no glimpse.
Who in the world replicated divine arts at a glance?
"......"
Next instant, Lu Yang rallied essence, energy, spirit. He communed dharma body, activated Myriad Spirits Banner, linking the secluded Tingyou Ancestor.
*Ancestor! Save me!*