Chapter 59: An Unexpected Dilemma

Standing before the secret realm, Lü Yang carefully contemplated this "Dao Lord creation" while pondering how to configure the realm to best serve his purposes.

'First, I definitely won't take center stage.'

'I only need to sow seeds and wait for them to bloom... If there's no shadowy mastermind from the beginning, naturally no one will investigate!'

'Second, I don't need a peaceful world.'

"After all, heroes emerge in chaotic times—it's easier to fish in troubled waters... Even if a hero who discovers the truth does appear, they won't be able to cause major waves."

'Because I can simply pit heroes against heroes and warriors against warriors!'

With these thoughts, Lü Yang input numerous configurations into the secret realm.

The next moment, the entire realm erupted with light, its cycles rotating like wheels. Within it, Lü Yang seemed to see countless mortal scenes continuously shifting.

Seeing this, Luo Wuya proactively said, "Since junior brother wishes to cultivate within the realm, I won't disturb you further. I wish you success in your endeavors."

"Thank you for your auspicious words, senior brother." Lü Yang returned the courtesy. "Your guidance is deeply appreciated. Once I succeed, if you have any requests, please don't hesitate to ask."

Luo Wuya smiled contentedly at his words:

"Junior brother is destined for greatness!"

In the next instant, the realm's light swallowed Lü Yang whole.

............

"Quite impressive..."

Inside the secret realm, Lü Yang stood atop a mountain peak, his eyes filled with curiosity as he observed his surroundings—the flowers, grass, trees—everything appeared startlingly real.

"...But there are still flaws, not perfect."

A halo manifested behind Lü Yang's head as the Taiwei Decree Talisman activated. Through divination and deduction, he immediately saw through the illusions, discovering discrepancies completely different from the true world.

These flaws were minute, existing only at microscopic levels. Only Lü Yang's divination abilities allowed him to perceive them—ordinary cultivators observing macroscopically wouldn't notice anything amiss. As for the "talents" who had lived in this realm since birth, discovering anomalies would be utterly impossible.

"Rather than calling it a world, it's more like an enormous ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stage set..."

The flowers, birds, fish, and insects—all were real.

Yet the "world" composing them was entirely artificial, no different in nature from pigsties in mortal villages.

"So this is the Saint Sect's talent cultivation base."

Lü Yang shook his head, ceasing his reflections as he prepared for his "scripture dissemination" mission. The most crucial aspect was establishing a cultivation system.

"With the Bright Dao Jade Slip, no wonder Luo Wuya said the Saint's Theft would suit me well..."

Because this divination artifact could minimize flaws in the cultivation system he created, making it harder for natives of the realm to detect inconsistencies.

'The cultivation system can't be too complex.'

'Given my abilities, the more intricate it is, the more likely it is to collapse under scrutiny. Simplicity is best—something even fools can understand, accessible to anyone...'

'But it can't be too weak either. If the system's strongest practitioners only reached Qi Refining's first layer, while posing no threat to me, the Fate's Breath obtainable through Saint's Theft would be pitifully small, hindering my cultivation instead. So I should aim higher—boldly elevate the system's peak strength.'

With this realization, Lü Yang suddenly grasped something.

'That true disciple Senior Brother Luo mentioned—the one killed by natives—probably also sought maximum benefits like me, only to unexpectedly fail...'

'No, I need to install a safeguard.'

After continuous contemplation, Lü Yang finally formed a framework. With the Bright Dao Jade Slip's assistance, numerous details were filled in, completing the system...

Soon after, Lü Yang made his decision.

Since Saint's Theft was fundamentally a body refinement technique, any cultivation system he created would naturally prioritize physical cultivation for higher efficiency.

Regarding physique, the most advanced knowledge Lü Yang possessed came from the 《Taiyi Primordial Essence Jade Radiance》 obtained from Yun Miaozhen.

Thus, he decided to base his system on this divine ability.

With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately activated the divine ability.

Heart fire, lung metal, spleen earth, liver wood, kidney water...

Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, sinews, bones, flesh, blood, will...

Lü Yang calmed his mind, gathering radiant essence from his five viscera and throughout his body, channeling it upward through his heavenly gate before erupting from his crown!

Brilliant flames enveloped him, erasing all "imperfections" and rendering his physique crystalline like jade.

This was the "Taiyi Primordial Essence Jade Radiance."

Simultaneously, Lü Yang recorded every transformation of this divine ability with the Bright Dao Jade Slip. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Using this as foundation, he soon organized a complete system.

"This method shall be called Martial Dao!"

"Martial Dao prioritizes blood qi—mastering the body's five elements, opening the nine heavenly orifices, and breaking through creation's mysterious gates! A grandmaster martial artist... should rival late-stage Qi Refining cultivators!"

"However, while Martial Dao enhances physical might, it cannot achieve flight....."

This was Lü Yang's safeguard: martial artists couldn't fly!

Thus, even in the worst-case scenario—being counterattacked by realm natives—he could simply take to the skies. If he couldn't win, he could at least escape.

After an indeterminate period, Lü Yang emerged from meditation.

In his hand now rested a manual documenting "Martial Dao."

With a thought, the manual suddenly radiated golden light, splitting into four copies midair before dispersing toward the horizons.

"The pieces are set—let's see what changes the future brings..."

Lü Yang smiled faintly before returning to his temporary cave abode to resume seclusion. Regarding cultivation, he still had many unfinished matters.

For instance, he had already mastered the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light, Profound Yin Form-Capturing Grand Art, and Taiwei Decree Talisman—all three divine abilities composing the 《Corpse Dissolution True Method》, identical to Yun Miaozhen's repertoire. Yet he remained clueless about integrating them seamlessly.

This wasn't due to ignorance of the method.

In truth, the final step of the 《Corpse Dissolution True Method》 was remarkably simple, encapsulated in one phrase:

"Traverse the Great Yin in death, briefly passing three gates. The Taiyi guards the corpse, three souls fortify bones, seven spirits attend flesh. The embryonic spirit records qi, reforming substance into shape—revived, it soars through heavens."

In essence: one needed to "die once."

Death preceding metamorphosis—while failure meant true death, success would transform one's body into an immortal embryo, possessing some power comparable to Foundation Establishment True Persons.

For most, this step wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠particularly difficult—it merely depended ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on whether cultivators dared gamble on life-and-death probabilities and possessed fortune for success.

Yet for Lü Yang, this was an insurmountable chasm.

"Because when I die, I immediately restart!"

After restarting, everything returns to the beginning—what metamorphosis after death?

At this realization, Lü Yang didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】 had always been his greatest reliance. Regardless of danger, he faced it fearlessly—at worst, he could start anew.

Never had he imagined the 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】 would become an obstacle to his advancement!