Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Divine Martial Gate
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At dusk, within the Blood-clothed Tower.
The setting sun was the color of blood. As he concluded another cycle of cultivation, Lu Yang slowly refined the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his dantian, then converted it into True Qi that flowed to his limbs and bones.
The Qi coursed through his meridians like a dragon returning to the sea.
“Soon. Once I cultivate the final Soaring Fish Transformation and merge all nine transformations into one, I will have completely forged the third-grade True Qi of the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art*—the ‘True Dragon Baleful Qi’.”
“By the time I’ve mastered the True Dragon Baleful Qi, the great war between the righteous and demonic sects should be about to begin. The timing will be perfect, allowing me to contend for the Foundation Establishment opportunity at Skull Mountain in my strongest state… Only the Foundation Establishment opportunity is worth the risk, worth fighting for with my life. Everything else is an illusion.”
Having finished his cultivation for the day, Lu Yang stepped out of his quiet chamber.
Outside, a woman with a magnificent figure and sharp, defined brows had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing Lu Yang, she immediately stepped forward and handed him a jade slip.
“Daoist Brother, the latest intelligence on the corpse tide’s movements has arrived.”
Lu Yang accepted the jade slip with a faint smile. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yun.”
This woman was none other than Yun Miaoqing.
She had been a disciple of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion. Although Lu Yang had already mastered the Divine Empyrean Sword Control True Art, he had bought her nonetheless, out of consideration for their connection in his past life.
To be honest, his original intention was simply that since they had, after all, engaged in dual cultivation in his past life, he didn't mind doing a good deed as long as it didn't inconvenience him. Helping Yun Miaoqing was better than letting her be bought by other Saint Sect disciples, used as a cauldron, and drained until she was a mere husk.
Unexpectedly, however, this decision brought him a pleasant surprise.
Perhaps because he hadn't engaged in dual cultivation with Yun Miaoqing in this life, instead treating her with respect and focusing solely on his own arduous training, her favorability toward him had increased dramatically.
“Daoist Brother, you are a good person. Why must you remain in the Primal Saint Demon Sect?”
Yun Miaoqing moved to Lu Yang’s side and whispered, “With the corpse tide erupting, why don’t you fake your death, Brother, and return with me to the Sword Pavilion to embrace the righteous path…”
As she spoke, Yun Miaoqing looked at Lu Yang, a hint of affection in her beautiful eyes.
In her moment of greatest despair and powerlessness, it was the man before her who had saved her from a sea of suffering. Not only had he been completely respectful, but he had also given her a place of refuge.
Though he came from the Demon Sect, he was a true gentleman.
Not to mention, over the past ten years, she had personally witnessed his growth. His cultivation was high, his talent was strong, and most importantly, he was very handsome.
If he could join the Sword Pavilion, perhaps he and she could…
As her thoughts wandered, a blush suddenly crept onto Yun Miaoqing’s pretty face, her mind filled with unknown fancies.
Her expression reminded Lu Yang of her past lives, when she would glare at him defiantly, calling him a devil. For a moment, he found the contrast quite amusing.
Of course, he had no interest in romance.
What he truly valued was that Yun Miaoqing’s status in the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion seemed to be quite high; she claimed that with her recommendation, the Sword Pavilion would surely accept him.
“Cultivating in the Saint Sect is like walking on thin ice. If possible, I would rather join a sect with a better reputation…”
Yun Miaoqing might just be his ticket to defecting to the righteous path in the future.
“How are Senior Sister Feixia and the others?”
“Those demonic cultivators broke through the corpse tide at Jueyin Ridge a few days ago. A mysterious expert even intervened but was repelled by them. They then gave chase.”
Yun Miaoqing handed him another jade slip.
Lu Yang took it, and with a sweep of his spiritual sense, the scenes from that day instantly appeared in his mind.
“I see… So the premature eruption of the corpse tide really did have a mastermind. Disciples of the Divine Martial Gate? And the rare treasure they used to catalyze the tide…”
Reading this, Lu Yang suddenly froze, then shot to his feet.
“The Profound Feminine Grand Yin Treasure Jade!?”
That’s right. The intelligence report clearly stated that the masterminds behind the corpse tide, the disciples of the Divine Martial Gate, possessed a thumb-sized Profound Feminine Grand Yin Treasure Jade!
“If I can obtain this jade, I can immediately master the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Grand Art. Given time, even the *Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art* would not be a distant dream. Considering the rarity of this jade, this is likely my only chance in this lifetime. If I give it up, I might miss it forever.” “However… if not in this life, then in the next. If I miss it, I miss it!”
Lu Yang’s expression turned grim as he sat back down. Despite the unexpected discovery of the Grand Yin Treasure Jade he had longed for, he felt no joy.
He only felt a bone-deep chill, his heart filled with vigilance.
“Whatever I want just happens to fall into my lap? How can there be such a fortunate thing in this world? After all, I’m not a Son of Heaven’s Mandate like Xiao Shiye.”
Besides, even Xiao Shiye’s luck was granted by someone else!
“Could it be that Great Luck Daoist again?”
The thought that all of this might be the work of a Foundation Establishment expert manipulating fate and scheming in the shadows made Lu Yang’s decision firm.
“I’m just not going out!”
The situation at Skull Mountain was treacherous. Staying within the market and controlling the formation was the safest option. As long as no Foundation Establishment cultivators took action, he was as unshakable as a mountain.
“Besides, just because I don’t go out doesn’t mean I have no chance of obtaining the jade.”
Weren’t Fairy Feixia and the others still out there?
After all, the report said they had given chase. If they could seize the jade and escape back to the market, wouldn’t that be his chance?
At this thought, Lu Yang couldn’t help but cheer for Fairy Feixia from the bottom of his heart.
…
Time flew.
Another day passed in the Blood-clothed Tower.
Lu Yang was meditating and refining his Qi when he suddenly sensed something. He mounted a streak of light and flew outside the tower, gazing into the distance toward the outskirts of the market.
“BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!”
In the sky far away, a series of thunderous explosions, accompanied by blooming clouds of detonations, rapidly approached the market from the horizon. It was a chase scene, with the highly distinctive rainbow-colored light of Fairy Feixia’s escape technique leading the way.
“One is missing?”
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow. The Skull Mountain market had four late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, including himself: Fairy Feixia, Lu Yuanchun, and another unnamed senior brother.
Yet, at this moment, Lu Yang could only see the figures of Fairy Feixia and Lu Yuanchun.
“Activate the formation.”
Unflustered, Lu Yang gave the command. The Saint Sect disciples within the market immediately took their positions. Formation flags fluttered, and in an instant, a magnificent array materialized.
The Hundred Skeletons Return to True Grand Array!
This was a seventh-grade formation, a top-tier array for the Qi Refining Realm. With Lu Yang presiding over it, he could even fight a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining.
However, in the next second, the unexpected happened!
Lu Yuanchun suddenly produced a token. With a flick of his fingers, he activated it, directly opening a gap in the previously sealed grand array.
“Now!”
Almost simultaneously, an ecstatic shout echoed from outside the market. Several streaks of spiritual light shot out, transforming into formation flags that planted themselves in the four cardinal directions.
In the next moment, a miniature formation appeared over the gap Lu Yuanchun had created, locking it in place. Lu Yang couldn't even close it!
“The Divine Martial Gate…”
Lu Yang frowned slightly, immediately recognizing the attackers. It was clear the Divine Martial Gate had been lying in ambush outside the market for a long time, just waiting for such an opportunity.
Now that the formation had been forced open, the Divine Martial Gate could use this breach to storm the market!
And the culprit behind all this, Lu Yuanchun, merely cast a cold glance at the market before turning his streak of light and fleeing in the opposite direction!
He clearly understood what he had done. He simply didn't care. In fact, he had done it deliberately, sacrificing the market as a pawn for his own escape. After all, for the Divine Martial Gate, seizing this golden opportunity to annihilate the Skull Mountain market was far more valuable than continuing to hunt him down.
As for his fellow Saint Sect disciples inside the market?
They were just unlucky.
(End of Chapter)