Chapter 55: Witch Ghost Path Emerges, True Person Reels In
Chapter 55: The Witch-Ghost Emerges, the True Person Reels In
Though Ming Chan was a rogue cultivator, he had inherited Buddhist teachings and thus understood something of Foundation Establishment True Persons—and more importantly, grasped the terror of this realm.
The term "Foundation Establishment" was merely the immortal sects' designation. In Buddhism, it went by another name: the "Lotus Platform." While immortal cultivators built their Dao foundations and were called "True Persons," Buddhist practitioners ascended the lotus platform and were titled "Arhats." Though the names differed, the destination remained the same.
"An Arhat... There's an Arhat behind Skeleton Mountain!"
"Damn it all! What fortuitous encounter?! It's all a lie! Clearly, an Arhat is fishing—even if there were any opportunities, they'd already be reserved for that Arhat!"
"Amitabha... Fuck!"
At this moment, Ming Chan had completely shed his Buddhist monk demeanor. Panic had resurrected his old habits, and vulgarities poured forth unchecked.
After all, before turning to Buddhism, he had been a mountain bandit.
Ironically, after every murder and robbery, he would bow before a Buddha statue. Never had he imagined that one day, he would genuinely receive Buddhist inheritance.
The inheritance even claimed this was merit accumulated over his past three lifetimes.
So he laid down his blade and became a monk on the spot.
From then on, everything Ming Chan did went smoothly. He effortlessly broke through to peak Qi Refining, standing just one step from Foundation Establishment.
Yet now, he felt only terror.
The three-life merit and overwhelming fortune that had always served him seemed to have lost their efficacy. All they could do was scream warnings from the depths of his intuition.
Danger! Certain death! Run!
But as Ming Chan fled, his steps gradually slowed. Sweat poured down his bald head as he surveyed his surroundings—only to realize he hadn't moved an inch from where he started.
Where was this place?
Had he truly been running just now?
"I..."
Confusion filled his eyes as the Buddhist light within them dimmed. By 'accident,' he suffered qi deviation, and his decades of hard-earned cultivation dissipated into silence.
He was dead.
From beginning to end, the Foundation Establishment True Person hadn't even shown himself. With just the slightest tug on the web of karma, Ming Chan had naturally perished.
Meanwhile, outside Skeleton Mountain Market.
Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng were equally drenched in sweat. They hadn't fled—not because they were slower to react than Ming Chan, but because they knew escape was futile.
With a Foundation Establishment True Person present, did you really think you could run?
Rogue cultivators truly lacked perspective.
Especially Yun Zhiqiu. As Lü Yang broke through, the dust clouding his spiritual platform abruptly cleared, replaced by overwhelming dread.
What was I doing? What did I just do?
At that moment, a figure silently materialized.
It was a black-robed youth with a gloomy countenance and pallid complexion—at first glance, indistinguishable from any ordinary Daoist one might encounter in the mortal world.
"...Greetings, Senior!"
Without hesitation, Yun Zhiqiu sheathed his sword and bowed.
True Person Yinshan paid him no mind, his burning gaze fixed on Skeleton Mountain below, where dark flames were rising from the spiritual veins.
Elsewhere, Lü Yang also experienced a sudden epiphany.
"The Witch-Ghost Secret Realm..."
The threads of fate whispered to him that his breakthrough had elevated his fortune to its zenith, resonating with the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm and drawing it forth to choose him.
"...He really was fishing!"
In the next instant, the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm's previously warm familiarity abruptly froze. Then, violent fury and terror erupted from it.
These were the emotions of the realm's spirit.
The fish had taken the bait.
"Come."
True Person Yinshan spoke softly, displaying no divine abilities. Yet with those two words, the emerging Witch-Ghost Secret Realm uncontrollably flew toward him.
And Lü Yang couldn't help but curse inwardly: "Fuck me!"
Because within the opened secret realm hovered a majestic sword qi, coiled like a crouching tiger, clearly waiting to deliver a fatal strike to whoever opened it!
Clang—!
The next moment, Lü Yang's thoughts froze. His vision filled with sword qi locked onto him, as if every inch of his being had been laid bare.
"Golden Core sword qi..."
True Person Yinshan took a step back, placing Lü Yang squarely in front of him... This was precisely why he had refused to act personally, choosing instead to remain hidden in the shadows.
For a moment, Yinshan felt nothing but relief. Had he opened the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm himself, that sword qi would now be targeting him. And before Golden Core sword qi, the difference between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining was negligible—both would perish in a single strike.
Yet unexpectedly, the sword qi did not attack.
Lü Yang felt his newly perfected third-grade "True Dragon Sha" qi tremble slightly, as if resonating with the sword qi within the secret realm.
The two forces reached a stalemate.
"...Hmm?"
Even True Person Yinshan let out a surprised sound at this sight, giving Lü Yang an intrigued glance. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated this variable.
An immeasurable time passed.
Lü Yang seemed to pass some sort of inspection by the sword qi, which dissipated without attacking, transforming into surging spiritual energy that returned to heaven and earth.
"Ugh!"
Only then did Lü Yang snap back to awareness, his stagnant thoughts resuming. His entire body was drenched as if he'd just been pulled from water.
"The Nine Transforming Dragon Art... True Person Panlong's legacy? You've had remarkable luck. Panlong was no demonic cultivator."
"This Golden Core sword qi targets demonic cultivators. Had you practiced our Saint Sect's techniques, you'd be dead without question. Fortunately, you cultivated the Nine Transforming Dragon Art."
True Person Yinshan studied Lü Yang with mild surprise but little concern. The quality of the bait mattered little—whether Lü Yang lived or died was inconsequential. The only thing that mattered was whether the fish had been hooked. Now that the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm had emerged, his objective was complete.
Time to reel in the line.
Yinshan raised his hand, and the newly emerged Witch-Ghost Secret Realm—its dark flames piercing the clouds—vanished, transforming into a streak of light that landed in his palm.
"Excellent... A perfect Heavenly Corpse Sha!"
True Person Yinshan looked pleased. Foundation Establishment cultivation held unique mysteries, among them the need for earthly sha energy—and Heavenly Corpse Sha was the finest grade of all.
With this, his breakthrough to mid-stage Foundation Establishment was assured!
At that moment, Lü Yang abruptly stepped forward and dropped to one knee without hesitation, proclaiming loudly: "Congratulations, Senior Brother, on obtaining this fortuitous encounter! The Great Dao now lies within your grasp!"
Nearby, Second Senior Brother Luo Wuya of the Three Rivers Association paled.
Damn it, he beat me to it!
No wonder this kid rose so quickly among the ordinary disciples. Truly a worthy disciple of our Saint Sect—what a shameless flatterer... Even as Luo Wuya inwardly cursed Lü Yang, he hurried forward without pause: "May Senior Brother live a thousand immortal years!"
"Hahaha, a thousand years is the lifespan of a Golden Core cultivator. This humble one dare not claim such... dare not..."
Despite his words, True Person Yinshan clearly enjoyed the praise. Though he claimed it was undeserved, he secretly wished Lü Yang and Luo Wuya would lay it on thicker.
By the end, even Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng gritted their teeth and offered stiff congratulations.
Yet True Person Yinshan only gave Ouyang Feng an amused look: "The Divine Martial Gate openly provokes our Saint Sect, yet you dare speak in my presence?"
Ouyang Feng's scalp prickled as he stammered: "Y-you can't kill me! My Divine Martial Gate also has True Persons—"
"Not for much longer."
True Person Yinshan's casual remark shattered Ouyang Feng's composure: "Since I can appear here, your Divine Martial Gate's fate is already sealed."
"Th-that's impossible! My Divine Martial Gate—"
Before Ouyang Feng could finish, his vital energy inexplicably raged out of control. His panicked mind couldn't rein it in—he could only widen his eyes in horror—
Boom!!!
With a deafening explosion, Ouyang Feng—a peak Qi Refining cultivator—detonated into a shower of light that silently dissolved into heaven and earth.
Only after the light faded did True Person Yinshan look away, leaving Yun Zhiqiu of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion drenched in cold sweat. Yet in the end, Yinshan didn't act. With a flick of his sleeve, he vanished with Luo Wuya and Lü Yang, leaving behind a deathly silent Skeleton Mountain.