Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: A Dragon Hidden in the Abyss
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Perhaps he was like a startled bird, or perhaps he was worrying for nothing, but regardless, Lu Yang was now wary of any power with a Foundation Establishment backer.
Especially those that could pay attention to him.
‘Unlike before, I have the protection of the divine talisman in this life. Heaven Mending Peak can’t plot against me, and the Divine Might Gate, being a righteous sect, shouldn’t harm its own people. In that case, the Foundation Establishment Perfected Being still hiding in the shadows and scheming for Skull Mountain might really be the one behind the Three Rivers Association!’
The more Lu Yang thought about it, the more suspicious the Three Rivers Association seemed, but his expression remained unchanged.
"I see. Could it be that Second Senior Brother wishes to see me?"
"Indeed." Fairy Feixia nodded. "Second Senior Brother has come to Skull Mountain and is in need of a few capable assistants. He hopes that you, Senior Brother, would be willing to help."
Assistants? More like cannon fodder!
Lu Yang shook his head decisively. "Although I know a little about formations, my strength is greatly diminished without them. How could I be worthy of Second Senior Brother's high regard?"
"Please ask Second Senior Brother to find someone more capable."
Lu Yang spoke with confidence.
Although he had joined the Three Rivers Association and signed a magical contract, he was not their slave. He still had this much autonomy. Who could force him?
Fairy Feixia clearly thought so too, so she was merely passing on the message.
Now that the message was delivered, her expression gradually grew ambiguous. Two crimson clouds appeared on her fair, pretty face, and her every glance was filled with a thousand charms.
"Junior Brother, this humble servant has recently encountered some difficulties with formations. I hope Junior Brother will offer his guidance..."
"That would be wonderful."
Lu Yang's spirits instantly lifted.
For the next three months, the pace of Lu Yang's life slowed down.
Every day was spent either discussing the Dao with Fairy Feixia or studying the Hundred Skeletons Return to True Grand Array outside. Sometimes, when the mood struck, he would do both at the same time.
However, in contrast to his peaceful days, Skull Mountain outside the market town was in complete chaos.
It wasn't just the Divine Might Gate and the Primal Saint Sect; their subordinate sects and even some rogue cultivators with astonishing divine abilities were drawn over.
When the three parties met, they naturally fell into conflict.
During this time, a few ancient ruins of the Witch-Ghost Dao were unearthed, further confirming the existence of the Witch-Ghost Mystic Realm.
It was at this time that Fairy Feixia brought him news that Zhao Xuhe was using his name to snatch many opportunities outside the market town.
"I didn't expect my name to be so useful..."
Lu Yang was a little surprised after hearing this. Zhao Xuhe had fought with others for opportunities several times and found himself in perilous situations, only to emerge safely after bringing up Lu Yang's name.
Evidently, Ouyang Haoze's death had indeed made many people wary of him.
Of course, this was also because Zhao Xuhe was smart and knew when to advance and retreat. So far, he hadn't provoked any truly powerful figures, allowing him to ride on another's coattails.
"Junior Brother, are you really not going to do anything about this?"
Fairy Feixia's lovely face was filled with killing intent, her words laced with ice. "This man is using your name and inviting karmic trouble for you. If you ask me, we should kill him first!"
"There's no need to bother with him."
Lu Yang shook his head. Zhao Xuhe wasn't returning to the market town at all now, single-mindedly searching Skull Mountain for the ancient Witch-Ghost Dao and that Witch-Ghost Mystic Realm.
If he wanted to kill him, he would have to leave the market town.
But how could that be possible?
"Let him be. He mortgaged a loan of contribution points from me, and I agreed back then that he could borrow my name. There's nothing more to say."
After seeing Fairy Feixia off, the expression on Lu Yang's face gradually faded.
"Heh heh!"
"Interesting. Over these past few months, everything I've heard and seen seems to be urging me, wanting me to leave the market town."
A word spontaneously arose in Lu Yang's mind: tribulation!
For a mere Qi Refining cultivator like himself to be targeted by a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being, to have his karma divined and be schemed against in a hundred ways—if this wasn't a tribulation, what was?
"Karma... what a damnable thing!"
"Regardless, with this tribulation upon me, I absolutely cannot act rashly. The only hope of surviving this is to shut my door, quietly recite the scriptures, and wait it out."
First, it was the Three Rivers Association, applying external pressure.
Now, it's Zhao Xuhe, an internal entanglement.
"No matter how you bait me, I won't bite. A dragon remains in the abyss. What can you do about my pride?"
At this thought, Lu Yang felt his mind clear. The restlessness that had just begun to stir in him settled down, and his entire body felt light, as if he had shed another layer of karma.
Time flowed on, and another month passed.
Over a thousand li east of the Skull Mountain market town.
A streak of light could be seen fleeing for its life, seemingly using some technique that burned its blood essence. Behind it, seven or eight other streaks of light gave chase.
"Zhao Xuhe! Where do you think you're running!"
The pursuers were all clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, their vitality soaring to the heavens. They were clearly disciples of the Divine Might Gate, their cultivation generally at the late Qi Refining Realm, with none at the peak.
If not for this, it would have been difficult for Zhao Xuhe to escape with his cultivation level.
Even so, fleeing all the way here had already pushed him to his limits. The only reason he hadn't fainted yet was a sliver of hope.
"I can still be saved!"
"I've already sent a message talisman to Lu Yang. As long as I can... as long as I can escape to that place, to the vicinity of the market town, Lu Yang will definitely save me!"
Zhao Xuhe fled desperately, trying hard to convince himself.
"The Stealing Heavenly Secrets still has my restriction on it. As long as he wants to break through to Foundation Establishment and not wait eighty years until he's old and decrepit, he has to come and save me!"
"He will come save me!"
"He will!"
Just then, to Zhao Xuhe's immense excitement, a brilliant streak of light finally rose from the direction of the market town, as if it had discovered he was in a deadly predicament.
"He's here! I knew he wouldn't abandon me!"
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe's spirits soared, and his pursuers also quickly slowed down, as if they too were waiting for something.
However, as time went on, everyone realized something was wrong.
The brilliant streak of light was still on its way, but it just never seemed to arrive.
Finally, Zhao Xuhe could run no more. The pursuers from the Divine Might Gate reluctantly cornered him, and the two sides began to fight.
The battle lasted for hours.
Towards the end, the Divine Might Gate pursuers didn't even dare to use their full strength, afraid they would kill Zhao Xuhe in a single blow. They kept glancing in the direction of the streak of light.
Upon closer inspection... wasn't that streak of light getting farther and farther away?
Finally, Zhao Xuhe's defenses completely crumbled.
"No! Why!?"
He violently spat out a mouthful of heart's blood and collapsed to his knees, having completely exhausted his last bit of strength. Even his life force began to rapidly dissipate.
Before he died, only a single thought remained in his mind.
Does Lu Yang not want the Stealing Heavenly Secrets technique anymore?
"Why didn't you save me!?"
Little did he know, this was also the thought of the person who had orchestrated this chase.
In the shadows, the Divine Might Gate elder, Ouyang Feng, was equally perplexed. He looked towards the distant Skull Mountain market town, a trace of unwillingness and helplessness in his eyes.
"Why didn't he save him?"
"Only a fool would save him!"
Dispelling his escaping light, Lu Yang looked at what was yet another distress message from Zhao Xuhe and casually tossed it aside. "Did you really think you could threaten me with a secret technique?"
"It's only eighty years. I can afford to wait!"
"Once your restriction naturally dissipates, the technique will be mine anyway! If not in this life, I can always use it in the next..."
Thinking of this, Lu Yang couldn't help but lament Zhao Xuhe's bad luck. If he had actually managed to flee all the way into the market town, he wouldn't have minded helping him.
But outside the market town? Then it could only be said that fate was not on his side.
"Senior Brother Zhao, you may rest in peace. You sacrificed yourself for the Primal Saint Sect. In the future, I will definitely petition the Heaven Mending Peak Master to grant you a glorious burial."
"As for your debt, I'll let it go for this life. I'll come find you for it in the next!"