Chapter 486
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 486
Chapter Title: Chongguang at the End of His Rope
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To be honest, Lu Yang wasn't panicked at all.
After all, his main body was safely holed up in the Dao Court, steady as can be. Even if it was just an immortal embryo clone separated by vast distances, he had no fear even if True Lord Qingcheng Feixue herself showed up.
At worst, the clone would suffer a bit.
That's what clones were for, after all.
So rather than the Chongguang right in front of him, Lu Yang was more curious about how Chongguang had tracked down this particular clone. His mind raced:
'First off, anything a Primal Saint Sect Perfected Being says—believe it and you're done for.'
Chongguang's one-sided story was just cheap bluster. Anyone who bought it wouldn't even reach Qi Refining completion in the Primal Saint Sect, let alone Foundation Establishment.
Compared to that, Lu Yang trusted his own judgment more:
'Marking me? Even on a clone, with my cultivation, if Hongyun left a mark, there's no way I wouldn't notice.'
'But Hongyun must have left some method to sense this clone's position, then passed it on through his spiritual link with Hong Ju. But I sealed his soul in the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, severing all karma—no one could sense him. So that leaves only...'
After a brief moment of thought, Lu Yang smiled.
He opened his palm, and a burst of divine ability radiance bloomed in his hand, instantly unfolding into myriad scenes: flowers, birds, fish, insects, flying beasts, and walking creatures emerging endlessly.
[All Things Root]!
This divine ability, seized from Hongyun, was an external object at heart, so it couldn't freely switch between Lu Yang's immortal embryo and main body.
Thus, it had remained on the immortal embryo clone.
"Is this it?"
Lu Yang looked at Chongguang and chuckled lightly. "I underestimated Hongyun. He didn't tamper with me, or even with this divine ability."
That's why he hadn't noticed anything.
If his guess was right, Hongyun had simply left Hong Ju with a secret method to sense the [All Things Root]—or rather, the position of this yang-attribute earthly branch earth.
'After all, in this era, the only yang-attribute earthly branch earth is the [All Things Root] in my hands—standing out like a candle flame in the night. Back then, I used the link between [All Things Root] and Hongyun to find him, and he returned the favor in kind!'
There was one other surprise: Hong Ju.
From his experiences in previous lives, Hong Ju could sense when Hongyun's metal nature changed hands. Given that, Lu Yang had assumed he would pledge loyalty to him.
After all, Hong Ju's life and death were tied entirely to Hongyun's metal nature.
So Lu Yang hadn't worried about Hong Ju at all before, even overlooking him entirely. Yet in the end, Hong Ju was the problem.
'He's loyal to Hongyun? Impossible.'
'Primal Saint Sect Perfected Beings always follow whoever feeds them—loyalty? When Hongyun died in the ninth life, didn't he promptly switch to Senior Uncle Chongguang?'
That left only one possibility.
'He got the spiritual message from Hongyun, decided Hongyun was doomed and his metal nature doomed to extinction, so he contacted Chongguang to switch allegiances?'
That was understandable. The judgment was spot on—Lu Yang planned to burn Hongyun's metal nature sooner or later anyway. In the previous life, Hong Ju had tried to surrender to him, but after the burning, things must have gone south for him. He probably died a frustrating death.
This life, Hong Ju was clearly much smarter.
It all came down to an information gap. In his final moments, Hongyun had evidently recalled much of his past lives and passed it all to Hong Ju without reservation.
Different information, different choices.
In a flash, Lu Yang had pieced together the whole story of how this clone was found. His expression grew even more composed:
"Fellow Daoist, empty threats only reveal your weakness."
As the words fell, Chongguang narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. "Not quite empty threats. I just wanted to test your mettle, Fellow Daoist."
Just as expected!
Lu Yang sneered inwardly: You old fox Chongguang! I knew you were bluffing just now, trying to scare my clone into revealing my secrets?
The next moment, Chongguang continued:
"Though Fellow Daoist Hong Ju claimed you were an incarnation of [Soaring Empyrean], after close examination, I believe it was just a misunderstanding."
Chongguang had his own assessment.
Hongyun had clearly grown obsessive by the end, but Chongguang was different. As an outsider, he could view Lu Yang more rationally.
"The one who sent me the cavern heaven intel must have been you, right, Fellow Daoist." Chongguang said flatly. "That cavern heaven fragment was peculiar. After returning to the sect, we scoured the records but found no matches—until Hong Ju suddenly mentioned the name [Soaring Empyrean]..."
Sudden realization dawned.
Only then did Chongguang realize the records had mentioned [Soaring Empyrean] all along—he'd just overlooked them.
True Lord Feixue had nearly lost her temper over it.
But that made things intriguing. If the cavern heaven fragment was linked to [Soaring Empyrean], and Lu Yang was the one who sent the intel, a contradiction arose.
Thus, Chongguang concluded:
"You're not [Soaring Empyrean], Fellow Daoist. Quite the opposite—you must harbor some grudge against [Soaring Empyrean], which is why you're opposing him."
Lu Yang neither confirmed nor denied it, changing the subject: "Fellow Daoist came to find me without True Lord Qingcheng Feixue overseeing things?"
"No need."
Chongguang shook his head. "This is an understanding between True Lord and me. She yields the chance to me, asks no questions, and lets me seek you out."
"So?" Lu Yang countered. "What do you want from me, Fellow Daoist?"
"This earthly branch earth divine ability."
Chongguang's expression was calm as he pointed at the [All Things Root] in Lu Yang's hand. "It's yang-attribute earthly branch earth. I wish to trade it for metal. Would you help me, Fellow Daoist?"
"From Fellow Daoist Hong Ju, I learned of your divine ability's wonders. You can seize abilities, so you can surely bestow them. If you strip my earthly branch earth divine ability [Yin Dragon Water] and give me this [All Things Root] instead, perhaps I can erase the flaws in my Dao foundation."
Chongguang proposed a bold plan.
Even Lu Yang hadn't considered it—using [Bright Lord Treatment] to swap someone else's divine ability? Was it feasible? He rapidly deduced with his cultivation.
'...It is!'
In an instant, Lu Yang's expression shifted slightly. "Swapping divine abilities... It's not impossible. But doing so would infect you with my natal divine ability."
This was no joke.
With [Heavenly Fire]'s domineering nature, helping Chongguang swap would make him a subordinate—Lu Yang would hold his life in his hands!
It was no different from entering the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner.
Would Chongguang agree?
Under Lu Yang's gaze, Chongguang paused at his words, then nodded. "I see. In that case, never mind."
He refused!
In that moment, Lu Yang's emotions grew complicated.
Because he understood now:
For all Chongguang's intimidating arrival—even tracking his clone down out of thin air—the one truly desperate, backed into a corner, was Chongguang himself.
'This life has no [Heaven of Non-existence]'
Without [Heaven of Non-existence], Chongguang had no choice but to cling to Covered Lamp Fire. If it were Lu Yang in that spot, he'd agree to any terms.
But Chongguang didn't. He refused.
Like True Lord Qingcheng Feixue, he had his principles. He sought favors, made deals, but his final reliance was always himself.
'Of course—relying on others has never been Senior Uncle's style.'
In other words, Chongguang would never accept the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner.
To force him in, Lu Yang would have to kill him first—but a dead Chongguang as a banner spirit? Useless. Lu Yang didn't lack for such spirits.
With that thought, Lu Yang smiled instead:
'This is the real Senior Uncle Chongguang!'
The next moment, as Chongguang turned to leave, Lu Yang spoke up: "If you're willing, Fellow Daoist, I do have other options."
Plans never survived change.
Lu Yang's original intent was to take Chongguang as a banner spirit, then grant him a [Seven Luminaries Heaven] position after achieving metal attainment.
As for [Covered Lamp Fire], it was fine for threatening [Soaring Empyrean].
But truly ruining [Soaring Empyrean]'s path? Too risky. Lu Yang's wariness of this Primal Saint Sect grand True Lord ran deep.
Now, though, he changed his mind.
With that resolve, Lu Yang's divine sense took form, slowly condensing a radiant contract scroll at his fingertip, which he lightly sent drifting toward Chongguang.
Then, Lu Yang chuckled:
"Fellow Daoist, shall we do something big?"
(End of chapter)