Chapter 375
Chapter 375
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Consciousness Severance
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In the northern reaches of the Jiang River, deep within a secret chamber hidden in a remote mountain forest.
As Lu Yang's summons echoed forth, Ancestral Master Tingyou—still immersed in secluded cultivation—jolted awake. His form abruptly traversed thousands of mountains and myriad rivers, drifting into arrival.
Though revived, he remained a banner spirit.
And as a banner spirit, Lu Yang, the banner's master, could call upon him at will. A brief exchange of divine senses followed, and Ancestral Master Tingyou instantly grasped the dire predicament at hand.
"Consciousness severance."
With those words spoken, Ancestral Master Tingyou let out a deep sigh. Frowning, he uttered the phrase that filled Lu Yang with overwhelming joy.
"I should be able to give it a try."
It could not be denied that consciousness severance posed some difficulty. Yet Ancestral Master Tingyou was no longer the same as before. He had first consumed a Dao-Unifying Immortal Pill from the Mysterious Spirit Realm to nourish his aptitude for enlightenment, then merged with the remnant of his original body from this life. Now, his aptitude for comprehension surpassed even his former self!
"If it truly must be done, then it can be done."
"But..." Before Lu Yang could respond, Ancestral Master Tingyou hesitated.
"The success rate for something like this is limited. I can't guarantee it will work."
Lu Yang remained utterly composed. Not a hundred percent success?
With a thought, his sword path avatar began drawing out destiny. Long Yue had been slain by his hand, and now the Myriad Poison Sect's mountain was brimming with unclaimed fate and merit!
After gathering this destiny, Lu Yang unhesitatingly expended it all in one go:
'[Fate-Divining Lottery Draw]!'
[Event: Have Ancestral Master Tingyou sever your consciousness.]
[Great Omen: You fail. Your consciousness cannot detach from your soul and is refined by the heavens, plunging you into oblivion.]
[Lesser Omen: You fail to transfer in time. Guang Ming bursts in and converts you.]
[Final Blessing: You complete the consciousness transfer right on the edge of time. But are you truly safe now? Fortune and misfortune intertwine—nothing is certain yet.]
Without hesitation, Lu Yang seized the [Final Blessing].
"Ancestral Master, proceed."
In the next instant, he turned to Ancestral Master Tingyou with a relaxed smile.
"No need to worry. The future of success is already firmly in my grasp!"
"...Very well."
Ancestral Master Tingyou was a decisive sort. Since Lu Yang had spoken thus, he wasted no time. Radiant light bloomed in his eyes, and a glow of Daoist arts ignited at his fingertip. He pointed directly at Lu Yang's soul.
In that moment, Lu Yang felt his consciousness drifting upward, ethereal and unbound.
The sensation was utterly bizarre.
His first-person view shifted to third-person as it detached from flesh and soul alike. He could even behold himself, lying there in the pool.
Under Ancestral Master Tingyou's guidance and the boon of the [Fate-Divining Lottery Draw]'s lottery fortune, Lu Yang's consciousness swiftly entered the avatar. Though the avatar's divided soul put up resistance, under the absolute control of [Marionette Strings], Lu Yang quickly seized command and eliminated the divided soul threat.
Then came the moment that sent a chill through Lu Yang.
His 'soul' opened its eyes.
"..."
Those eyes held a strange gaze—indifferent and serene, yet carrying the pristine clarity of a newborn babe. They stared straight at Lu Yang.
Their gazes met.
In an instant, a surge of intense emotion transmitted along that line of sight, flooding Lu Yang's mind: 'Want! Crave! Desperately crave!'
Lu Yang froze. 'Want what?'
'Want you!'
The intense emotion assaulted Lu Yang's consciousness once more. But this time, its influence was negligible, like a gentle breeze.
'As expected... it can no longer affect me!'
Relief washed over Lu Yang as enlightenment dawned: All things under heaven root in the cosmos itself. Souls and flesh are no exception.
Especially an immortal spirit's soul!
'To put it another way, only an immortal spirit's soul can be profoundly swayed by the heavens. For ordinary true cultivators' souls, heaven holds scant authority.'
Where did this authority lie?
Lu Yang suspected it lay in the [Underworld]!
Immortal spirits' souls were bestowed directly by heaven. All other souls, however, passed through the [Underworld] first—that was likely the key distinction!
The avatar's soul was the same.
'Souls that have passed through the [Underworld] cannot be controlled by heaven!'
With that realization, Lu Yang relaxed fully. He took a deliberate step back, putting safe distance between himself and his former "self"—now the "immortal spirit."
The immortal spirit could do nothing to stop him.
Yet in all fairness, its core objective had been achieved: reclaiming the vital 'tool.' As for these minor flaws, there would be chances to address them later.
Boom!
At the same moment, the battle outside the Myriad Poison Sect's gates reached its conclusion. The figure formed by four innate divine abilities shattered like a dream or illusion.
Guang Ming, however, furrowed his brow.
"The master-disciple karmic bond... severed?"
The radiant Buddhist light on the golden hoop in his hand dimmed abruptly. This change prompted him to glance instinctively behind himself.
There loomed the [Victorious Will Generating Brilliance Dharani Heaven Worldly Manifestation], mounted upon a six-tusked white elephant with a white lotus in its mouth, seated in the subduing demon mudra. It remained utterly still and silent, its serene countenance bearing a compassionate smile—as if it had been a lifeless object from the start.
"Amitabha."
With a flick of his sleeve, Guang Ming shattered the sect's mountain-guarding grand array. His gaze fell upon the immortal spirit residing in the [Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool].
"...Pity."
Witnessing this, sudden insight struck Guang Ming.
'So that's how it is. Heaven's Duke claimed the lead. Had the benefactor worn the [Mind-Binding Hoop] beforehand, perhaps this calamity could have been averted.'
"Absurd."
The immortal spirit sneered. The lingering clarity in its eyes faded to utter indifference, and its once-stilted speech flowed smoothly now:
"...Born of heaven and earth, how could I submit to mortal control?"
"You vermin are selfish and grasping, offering heaven not the slightest benefit. Now that heaven favors me, it wishes me to uphold the Heavenly Dao!"
"From this day forth, I am [Shangzhang]!"
Shangzhang—the alternate name for [Geng Metal].
Hearing this, Guang Ming shook his head ruefully.
"Obstinate and unyielding. Another Mu Changsheng."
Before his words faded, he stowed the [Mind-Binding Hoop]. The [Victorious Will Generating Brilliance Dharani Heaven Worldly Manifestation] behind him stirred to life, slowly raising its Buddhist palm.
Boom!
In the next breath, the palm descended!
Five-colored radiance bloomed between its fingers, like some primordial divine mountain crashing down. The vast Myriad Poison Sect gates crumbled to dust motes beneath that strike!
The brilliant light flashed and vanished.
In the blink of an eye, the sect's mountain gate and even the [Moon-Worshipping Sacred Pool] were pulverized by a single palm from the [Victorious Will Generating Brilliance Dharani Heaven Worldly Manifestation] behind Guang Ming.
Yet before that, [Shangzhang]'s figure had already vanished.
Meanwhile, Lu Yang fled on a streak of sword light, ragged and desperate.
From start to finish, his actions mirrored those of any cultivator unwittingly caught in the fray. Seeing [Shangzhang]'s display, he breathed a sigh of relief.
'As expected, heaven hasn't exposed me.'
Guang Ming now bore the mantle of Buddha's son, with the World-Honored One's possession. Any hint from heaven linking back to Lu Yang would draw the World-Honored One's scrutiny.
Lu Yang would have no choice but to self-detonate.
'But heaven—or rather, that [Shangzhang]—clearly covets my secrets too, so it held its tongue. Likely plotting to take its time.'
The bad news: A future immortal spirit, potentially reaching peak Foundation Establishment, had him in its sights.
The good news: He had survived.
Moreover, all karmic ties had been intercepted by heaven. Lu Yang needn't fear discovery by the Dao Lord. In turn, heaven would likely monitor him constantly from now on.
'Whatever. Better than a Dao Lord.'
At least for now, heaven seemed suppressed by the four Dao Lords, limiting its options. A Dao Lord, however...
Even the World-Honored One could personally bomb the waters!
"Benefactor..."
A gentle voice interrupted Lu Yang's thoughts. Looking up, he saw Guang Ming—who had just obliterated the entire sacred mountain of the Myriad Poison Sect—gazing at him with a smile.
"Do you know that immortal spirit benefactor?"