Chapter 403
Chapter 403
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: [?]
Chapter Title: One with the World
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As the final Divine Ability expanded, Lu Yang's figure grew blurry.
Yet the halo behind him suddenly magnified countless times in that instant.
Countless spiderweb-like patterns radiated outward from the halo at its center.
They then twisted.
This time, facing the Dao technique flung by Ancestor Tingyou, Lu Yang no longer evaded.
Instead, he allowed it to land.
The twisted glow engulfed all things in existence.
The next second, Ancestor Tingyou abruptly halted his movements.
His eyes flashed with astonishment as he glanced at Lu Yang, then surveyed his surroundings.
There was no doubt—Lu Yang was unharmed.
Ancestor Tingyou's Dao technique had failed, not because it missed, but because the damage that should have taken effect had been redirected.
Redirected where?
In that instant, Ancestor Tingyou sensed his incense fire rapidly unraveling.
A fierce, formless wrath locked onto his qi flow from nowhere.
‘Heavenly punishment!?'
Realization dawned on Ancestor Tingyou's face.
When he looked at Lu Yang again, awe finally surfaced in his eyes.
He then proactively withdrew his mana.
". . . I concede."
Ancestor Tingyou flashed a carefree smile.
Lu Yang solemnly cupped his hands.
"No need, Ancestor. You showed mercy."
[One with the World]—as the name implied, this Divine Ability bound its user to heaven and earth itself, transferring any harm received to the world in their stead.
Ancestor Tingyou's Dao technique just now had met exactly that fate.
All the damage had been shifted away by Lu Yang—and straight into the ley lines of Seven Luminaries Heaven.
The result? Ancestor Tingyou, having disrupted those ley lines, immediately drew the world's enmity.
That was why his incense fire showed signs of collapse.
Were it not for Lu Yang halting Seven Luminaries Heaven's follow-up response.
Ancestor Tingyou would likely have lost his incense fire sustenance by now, plummeting from late Foundation Establishment.
That was why he so readily admitted defeat.
And this was only within Seven Luminaries Heaven.
‘After all, [One with the World] isn't limited to Seven Luminaries Heaven—it works across all realms, even in shattered ones!'
Empowered by the Divine Ability, Lu Yang was essentially a walking ley line.
Any injury could be offloaded directly onto heaven and earth, provoking heavenly retribution.
Yet because he could redirect harm, punishing him held no meaning for the world.
In the end, it could only punish his foe instead.
‘This Divine Ability forces heaven and earth to my side, making them fight my enemies for me. Truly vile to both foes and the cosmos alike.'
Beastly as hell—I love it!
Lu Yang smiled faintly and withdrew [One with the World].
The white jade halo behind him contracted once more, hanging plainly at the back of his head like an ordinary full moon.
"Ancestor, how strong would you say I am now?"
Ancestor Tingyou pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Impressive. Raw power aside, your Divine Ability's ingenuity makes you a nightmare to fight."
The words were exceedingly tactful.
Lu Yang's brow arched slightly.
He caught the subtext: power was secondary, meaning when it came down to it, his actual strength still fell short?
"Not that you're weak."
Seeing his reaction, Ancestor Tingyou hastened to elaborate.
"Any Foundation Establishment Completion cultivator from outside the four great powers would be roughly your equal."
"Even at my peak, I'd only have a slight edge."
Lu Yang nodded at that, then asked curiously,
"And specifically, where do I fall short?"
"In Dao techniques!"
Ancestor Tingyou explained,
"As far as I know, the four great powers each have Dao techniques tailored for Foundation Establishment Completion—ones that require Golden Essence to refine before cultivation."
"Your [Sword Intent] is one such example."
Such were the perks of prestigious sects.
By contrast, minor sects lacked true inheritances and the great sects' millennia of accumulation.
No matter their talent, they'd top out at Ancestor Tingyou's level.
At that thought, Lu Yang frowned anew.
"I've condensed [Sword Intent] now too, but its boost doesn't feel all that overwhelming. It's strong, sure—but not strong enough."
"[Sword Intent] is merely the foundation."
Ancestor Tingyou shook his head.
"Do you have sword techniques to unleash its full potential? Sword techniques are the crux—the main reason sword cultivators dominate in battle."
After all, [Sword Intent] wasn't exclusive to sword cultivators.
Take Lu Yang: he wasn't a sword cultivator at heart, yet he'd still formed Sword Intent.
At its core, it was simply peak mastery over soul and divine sense.
Of course, that was temporary.
Once Sword Pavilion truly verified the [Sword Dao Fruit Position], Sword Intent would become the sole domain of sword cultivators under its influence.
"In any case, you have room to grow stronger."
Ancestor Tingyou doused Lu Yang's enthusiasm, then added consolingly,
"That said, your Divine Ability is so underhanded, I doubt anyone would bother fighting you."
"Besides, prowess in duels isn't all that matters."
Here, Ancestor Tingyou sighed reflectively.
"Take me: I'm no duelist myself. But any shortfall there can be shored up with realm."
Lu Yang: " . . . "
Ancestor Tingyou, no duelist?
Who was he kidding?
But he quickly caught on, his eyes brightening.
Indeed—if combat power lacked, realm could compensate.
In cultivation, realm always came first!
Duel skill bowed to the path of cultivation!
". . . [Yanmo Hall]?"
The False Golden Position Method!
The thought struck, and Lu Yang swept his hand grandly, summoning in turn Yan Taizu—now refined into a banner spirit—the Capital City God, and Wusheng Old Mother.
Next came Heaven Mending Peak Master, Dragon Girl Sui Ling, Protector God Su Nu.
Along with Long Yue and Ancestor Tingyou.
All eight could be bolstered via incense fire divine dao to Foundation Establishment Completion rank.
Add Lu Yang himself, and that made a full nine!
[Yanmo Hall]'s requirements were met!
Eagerness surged through Lu Yang as he cracked his knuckles.
"Don't celebrate yet."
Ancestor Tingyou said helplessly.
"[Yanmo Hall] doesn't point to any Fruit Position. How do you suppose it falsely holds a Golden Position?"
Lu Yang instantly sobered.
‘ . . . You're right.'
He hadn't questioned it before, but now it hit him: [Yanmo Hall]'s false Golden Position method was oddly simplistic.
Just gather nine Foundation Establishment Completions?
No Fruit Position required?
Without one, what was there to falsely hold?
"The key is Golden Essence."
Ancestor Tingyou explained.
"From my deductions, [Yanmo Hall] is fundamentally akin to the ‘Heaven Collapse’ technique from the Qi Refining stage."
"Heaven Collapse . . . "
Lu Yang recalled it swiftly.
Heaven Collapse was when a Qi Refining cultivator forcibly ascended to Foundation Establishment rank before crashing down—a "dimensional downgrade" kill strike.
Ancestor Tingyou had once used it on him; he'd only survived thanks to [Has Some Skill].
"[Yanmo Hall] works the same way."
"It elevates you to a ‘height’ akin to a Fruit Position, letting [Yanmo Hall] wield comparable might."
"That's much like seeking Gold."
"Hence, both demand Golden Essence."
Finally, Ancestor Tingyou revealed [Yanmo Hall]'s greatest limit:
"Every activation of [Yanmo Hall] equates to one Gold-seeking attempt."
"Seeking Gold consumes Golden Essence."
"In other words, falsely holding a Golden Position with [Yanmo Hall] burns through Golden Essence. Exhaust it, and [Yanmo Hall] collapses!"