Chapter 378: Cowardice Is Shameful, but Effective
Chapter 378: Shameful Escape, But Effective
At Ji Tian Cliff, within the quiet chamber.
Lü Yang sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, with Daoist Dangmo's [No Killing Sword] placed before him. His consciousness had completely submerged into the depths of his sea of consciousness.
Within his sea of consciousness, a golden light shimmered brilliantly.
The Golden Nature of Great Fortune!
This golden essence had been drained of its divine marrow by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], leaving only an outer shell. Yet, even so, it still exerted considerable pressure on Lü Yang.
The next moment, Lü Yang opened his panel.
This time, without interference from heaven and earth, he carefully and thoroughly reviewed the fortunate life that the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] had settled for him.
After a long while, he finally opened his eyes.
"...Damn!"
He couldn't help but curse.
Only now did Lü Yang realize how much he had been sitting atop a treasure trove without realizing it—using the Golden Nature of Great Fortune merely to disguise his identity.
As a favored figure of heaven and earth, Hong Yun had encountered countless opportunities and explored innumerable secret realms and perilous lands. Just the experience alone was invaluable, including methods for locating treasures within secret realms and determining whether a realm had an owner.
And this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Lü Yang spent a full three days meticulously organizing Hong Yun's memories with his divine sense, eventually categorizing them into three major sections.
First, cultivation depth and knowledge!
Hong Yun, as a True Lord of [Overturned Lamp Flame], possessed profound understanding of the corresponding Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends. His cultivation depth could be described as reaching the pinnacle.
[Jia Wood], [Yi Wood].
[Chen Earth], [Si Fire].
The yin-yang attributes, internal transformations, and combinations of these four Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends—Hong Yun's memories contained corresponding knowledge, vast as the ocean!
If I patiently integrate this knowledge and spend a few centuries comprehending it thoroughly, perhaps I could even seek [Overturned Lamp Flame] in the future... Even if I can't, attempting to pursue other fruit positions related to these four Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends would likely yield twice the result with half the effort!
Such wealth would make every Foundation Establishment cultivator in the world green with envy.
Not to mention, it also included the two secret methods from before—The True Explanation of Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth and Upper Bright Golden Lamp Jade Light—both complete and intact!
Of these two secret methods, the latter's ability to sense [Overturned Lamp Flame] was secondary.
For Lü Yang, the former was far more important—it was a secret method for constructing cave heavens and blessed lands, immensely beneficial for cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage!
Who would have thought that the secret method I traded away would return to me like this...
Such was the fateful connection!
Moreover, the versions he had traded away were incomplete, with hidden flaws left by Hong Yun. But what he had now were flawless, complete editions!
"Hmm? What's this?"
Suddenly, Lü Yang's heart stirred as he noticed a page in The True Explanation of Inner Observation of Heaven and Earth. It recorded a secret technique deduced by Hong Yun.
"[Minor Paradise]?"
Lü Yang read carefully, his eyes growing brighter.
As the name suggested, a [Minor Paradise] was the embryonic form of a blessed land. Not only could it be nurtured into a true blessed land, but more importantly, its restrictions were minimal.
Because it didn't require the cultivation level of Foundation Establishment Perfection.
Even at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, one could refine it!
Though it can't enhance cultivation like a true blessed land, a [Minor Paradise] still possesses the ability to evade disasters. Once hidden within, even immortals would struggle to find you!
This point was especially crucial.
As long as I refine this [Minor Paradise], I can hide inside and avoid detection by heaven and earth, no longer worrying about being hunted down!
Beyond that, a [Minor Paradise] can also be used to evade the [Five Decays of Heaven and Man], significantly increasing the chances of reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection. Truly a marvelous technique!
The only drawback was the vast amount of spiritual materials required.
But I just obtained the [Myriad Tribulations Indestructible Gilded Silkworm] from the Myriad Poison Sect. Using it as material would be perfect, greatly reducing other costs...
With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately prioritized refining the [Minor Paradise].
Only then did he continue reviewing Hong Yun's memories.
Beyond cultivation depth and knowledge, the second category is the secrets of heaven and earth!
Reading this, Lü Yang gritted his teeth again: No wonder Hong Yun ultimately chose to betray heaven and earth—even after reaping benefits during the millennium calamity, he refused to share them...
Heaven and earth didn't support you for free!
It was like an investment—after painstakingly nurturing you, they naturally demanded greater returns to recover their costs. Otherwise, what was the point?
The reason heaven and earth supported Hong Yun to become a True Lord was purely for [Overturned Lamp Flame]. As a beneficiary of heaven and earth's favor, as long as Hong Yun remained in his position, [Overturned Lamp Flame] would be subtly influenced day by day. And with each passing day, [Overturned Lamp Flame] would fall further under heaven and earth's control.
Yet doing so violated a major taboo of the Dao Lords!
Hong Yun realized this and thus chose betrayal. After all, with the four Dao Lords suppressing heaven and earth, following heaven and earth offered no future...
True Lords of the Saint Sect had always been clear-headed about such matters of principle.
They would only side with the winners.
Moreover, after Hong Yun became a True Lord, heaven and earth ceased their support. With his millennium lifespan nearing its end, this was the true reason he decided to betray...
Mid-stage Golden Core, Unfalling Cave Heaven.
To reach this level, one had to continuously strengthen their cave heaven, plundering external resources for it. But this ran counter to heaven and earth's original intentions.
Had heaven and earth continued supporting Hong Yun, giving him hope of reaching higher realms instead of forcing him to start over after a millennium, Hong Yun might not have betrayed them. But treating someone like a dog while withholding wages—who would keep working under such conditions?
Moreover, Lü Yang found heaven and earth's tactics increasingly familiar.
Isn't this just flooding the market with capital to monopolize it, then turning around to exploit once dominance is achieved...
Had I known this earlier, I would've been wary of heaven and earth and wouldn't have realized so late that the World-Honored One was targeting me...
Alas, the past was beyond retrieval.
Lü Yang steadied his emotions and turned to the third category—the part he valued most.
Hong Yun truly didn't waste his five thousand years of existence!
Admittedly, Hong Yun had died repeatedly over those five millennia, living a life of unimaginable misery.
But he had also recognized the problem.
After all, even a pig would notice the drastic decline in fortune compared to his earlier years.
Long before losing his fruit position, Hong Yun, having betrayed heaven and earth, had foreseen this.
And prepared countermeasures in advance.
The Ritual Manual for Cultivating Dao!
This was a Grade Two true technique, deduced and recorded by Hong Yun himself.
That wasn't the most important part. What mattered was that the realm corresponding to this Grade Two true technique—its coordinates—hadn't been recorded elsewhere. Hong Yun had discovered it alone, and only he knew of it!
Furthermore, Hong Yun had manipulated this realm to ensure it wouldn't approach this world, preventing it from being captured like the [Mystic Spirit Realm].
This was... Hong Yun's final escape route for himself!
Hong Yun had arranged everything within the technique—using it, one could reincarnate into that realm.
If he truly couldn't reclaim his position as a True Lord, he would settle for fleeing to that realm, first becoming its master before returning to exact vengeance... Unfortunately, despite all his preparations and contingencies, his luck was so abysmal that he couldn't utilize any of them in either his past or current life...
After organizing these memories, Lü Yang's impression of Hong Yun underwent a drastic change.
Upon reflection, his current predicament was strikingly similar to Hong Yun's—both targeted by heaven and earth, both facing an overwhelming enemy.
I was originally fretting over what to do next, but now I don't need to think anymore.
Hong Yun had already laid out the plan—he just hadn't had the chance to execute it.
But that was fine. When Lü Yang implemented it, he could bring the Golden Nature of Great Fortune along, giving Hong Yun a sense of participation.
I've finally realized—this damned place has no true beginner-friendly zones. Even heaven and earth and the Dao Lords can jump in to wreck the game. Trying to develop here is pure fantasy.
The only way to break the deadlock was to leave.
To find a real beginner-friendly zone!
Shameful escape, but effective!
The moment the thought of fleeing arose, the world suddenly felt vast and open. Lü Yang instantly saw a bright path ahead where there had once been confusion.
That's right—to the world beyond!
Screw the Buddhist Child, screw the Immortal Spirit—I'm done playing along!
Once I achieve True Lord status beyond this world, I'll return to settle every score!