Chapter 422
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter:
Chapter Title: Rigid Refinement Dao Feather Nirvana Sword Art
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sword Pavilion, before the Jade Pivot shrine hall.
As Lu Yang continuously poured in his sword intent, the brilliant glow on this piece of luminous jade gradually coalesced, revealing dense lines of script that imprinted themselves one by one into the depths of his mind.
*Rigid Refinement Dao Feather Nirvana Sword Art*
Right away, a name surfaced in his heart, resonating distantly with his [Sword Intent], complementing it in perfect harmony—like a fish gliding effortlessly through water!
‘Pairing this sword art with my [Sword Intent], the sword light it unleashes starts off unremarkable in power. Yet it triumphs through sheer endlessness, like grass sprouting endlessly across the plains or stubborn iron forged relentlessly into peerless steel. Fail to shatter it in a single blow, and all one can do is watch helplessly as it swells, growing ever stronger.’
A sword art perfectly suited to him, indeed.
‘If I temper my [Sword Intent] with this, one day I might reach the realm of Perfected Being Demon-Quelling. At that point, it could rightfully be dubbed [Unyielding Sword Intent].’
But that was no quick accomplishment.
Honing sword intent demanded not just tireless cultivation, but also immersion in trials and the forging of unbreakable obsessions—years upon years before it could bloom into fruition.
‘In any case, this trip’s goal is accomplished.’
Just as Lu Yang felt thoroughly satisfied and prepared to withdraw his consciousness from the avatar, leaving it to operate independently, a sudden disturbance rippled through the [String Puppet].
“Hm?”
[Underworld], the unspeakable realm.
Amid the vast, boundless River of Souls drifted a frail soul, its awareness slowly cloaked in deepening shadows as reincarnation took hold.
Fetal Enigma.
The peril Foundation Establishment Perfected dreaded above all—the [Underworld]’s dread manifestation, and the greatest ordeal every such cultivator faced upon rebirth.
In theory, Foundation Establishment Perfected enjoyed five lifetimes of endurance. In practice, however, each successive life thickened the Fetal Enigma: early-stage ones awoke clear-minded in their second life, mid-stage in the third, late-stage in the fourth. Only those at Perfection navigated all five lifetimes with full lucidity.
This marked the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s fourth life already.
His original second lifetime had ended in late-years decrepitude; rebirth into the Law Refining Secret Realm counted as one life, and his latest reincarnation to escape it made another.
Thus, his Fetal Enigma weighed upon him most oppressively.
Yet the Yun Family Old Ancestor harbored scant panic. With a mere thought, a dharma instrument materialized within his soul, scattering the haze.
‘[Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument]!’
This supreme treasure of heavenly secrets had once fallen into Lu Yang’s hands, its arcane function named [All Illumination]. Beyond divining causes and effects, it swiftly restored clarity to reincarnating Foundation Establishment souls.
‘Thank goodness for the heavenly secret treasure bestowed by the Perfected One.’
The Yun Family Old Ancestor’s thoughts raced.
‘A pity that stubborn Mu Changsheng refused to yield. The task entrusted by the wicked Perfected One... unfinished.’
Unease flickered within him.
But then, darkness swallowed his vision. He looked up—and beheld only a colossal hand blotting out his sight.
“Got you without lifting a finger.”
“Deep in the River of Souls, mid-reincarnation, and you dare activate a spirit treasure like that? Shining so bright in the [Underworld]—as if you weren’t conspicuous enough already.”
The next instant, the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s awareness winked out.
At the same moment, before the River of Souls, [Soaring Empyrean] stood shrouded head to toe in roiling mist, save for one flawless, plump hand of jade-white flesh exposed to view.
That hand now clenched the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s soul.
Boom!
In a flash, countless bolts of lightning crashed onto his palm. Deafening blasts erupted, scorching one blackened blood-hole after another across his flesh.
Yet [Soaring Empyrean] pressed on undeterred.
“A mere Foundation Establishment soul. I’m not ripping it free of the cycle—just a little meddling. No cause for them to come after me over this.”
With those words, he channeled his magic power. Foundation Establishment Perfected guarded their souls fiercely—even Golden Core True Lords struggled to plunder them. Implanting a false memory, though? Far simpler.
Soon enough, a fabricated recollection materialized around the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s sea of consciousness. It vividly recounted how, within the Law Refining Secret Realm, he had wielded his glib tongue to sway Mu Changsheng, securing the vital consciousness-separation method before withdrawing triumphant.
Under normal circumstances, such a ploy proved worthless.
Implanted memories never truly merged into the sea of consciousness—riddled with flaws any early Foundation Establishment Perfected could spot at a glance.
But the one wielding the art was [Soaring Empyrean].
[Cognitive Obstruction], invoke!
In moments, the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s soul fluctuations settled under [Soaring Empyrean]’s influence. Upon awakening, he would accept this forgery as gospel truth.
Every inconsistency, glossed over by his own mind.
Task complete, [Soaring Empyrean] released the Yun Family Old Ancestor to depart. The churning mists then veiled his mangled hand once more.
“Mission accomplished. The rest is yours.”
[Soaring Empyrean]’s gaze shifted to a soul aglow with Buddhist radiance nearby.
“[White Wax Gold] plunges into the [Underworld]. For that, I’ll aid you in slaying Demon-Quelling.”
Guang Ming Buddha Child offered a faint smile.
“Monks of the cloth speak no falsehoods. Rest easy, Senior.”
“This time, Demon-Quelling Perfected dies for certain!”
The pair exchanged knowing grins.
With the world’s True Lords in seclusion and the [Underworld]’s power fueling their scheme, it was flawless—victory assured, barring the unforeseen!
Jiangbei, Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.
Lu Yang idly stroked his chin, peering at the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s status via the [String Puppet]. A mischievous grin played across his face.
Though the Yun Family Old Ancestor had blacked out midway—and Lu Yang hadn’t caught the exchange between [Soaring Empyrean] and Guang Ming Buddha Child—it scarcely mattered. Who else in the [Underworld] would target a Foundation Establishment soul? Obvious as day: [Soaring Empyrean].
‘What’s he up to?’
Right now, [Cognitive Obstruction] blinded the Yun Family Old Ancestor to the glaring holes in the intrusive memory hovering at his sea of consciousness’s edge.
Lu Yang, unaffected, peered right through it.
No soul-search needed for a forced implant. He glimpsed its contents effortlessly—then his expression twisted into one of bemused oddity.
‘Consciousness-separation method?’
‘No. A damn good fake, that’s all.’
Only two versions of the consciousness-separation method existed under heaven.
Listen幽 Patriarch’s imitation, born of genius insight: ninety percent fatality. Lu Yang wouldn’t touch it sans his [Fortune-Appraisal Lottery Straw].
Or Mu Changsheng’s authentic original.
Yet per Listen幽 Patriarch, risks proved ineradicable. Mu Changsheng merely shaved the death rate to fifty percent.
The version in this memory? Utterly different.
‘A consciousness-separation method boasting one hundred percent success? No... it *appears* foolproof—while guaranteeing death!’
[Soaring Empyrean]’s trap!
Who was the target?
Such a insidious cultivation-method swindle instantly evoked Suo Huan for Lu Yang. Hadn’t the *Ten Thousand Spirits Returning to Ruins Dao Scripture* pulled the exact same stunt?
Talk about
‘A golden opportunity!’
Excitement surged through Lu Yang. Anything tied to [Soaring Empyrean] demanded sabotage—no matter the scheme!