Chapter 62: Foundation Establishment Opens Killing Tribulation, Storm Rises in a Thought
Chapter 62: Foundation Establishment Triggers the Killing Tribulation, Winds and Clouds Stir in a Thought
"With my current strength, killing that little demon won't be easy..."
The Yun Family Patriarch wore a pensive expression. Having just reincarnated into an infant's body, aside from his powerful soul and divination abilities, he possessed no combat capabilities whatsoever.
"...But it matters not."
The Yun Family Patriarch wasn't anxious. Lü Yang couldn't possibly detect him, allowing ample time to develop. Within ten years, he could restore his cultivation to peak Qi Refining.
"However, that slippery brat currently controls this Refinement Secret Realm. If he senses danger, he can withdraw anytime. Even if I restore peak Qi Refining, killing him would require careful planning—a trap ensuring he cannot escape."
As he pondered, the Patriarch continued divining.
"Three Steps of the Martial Path: mastering the five elements within the body, opening the nine heavenly orifices, breaking through the profound gate of creation... A grandmaster martial artist can rival late-stage Qi Refining. What an exquisite method."
Awe flashed across the Patriarch's face.
Having reached Foundation Establishment twice and lived over six hundred years, he'd encountered countless demons—some even mastered Saint's Theft—yet none matched Lü Yang's caliber.
"Without Foundation Establishment, one cannot comprehend destiny. Divination and deduction skills fall far short of creation standards. Even forced creations crumble like clay tiles at a touch. Those matching mid-stage Qi Refining are already remarkable; reaching late-stage is near perfection."
"Could that demon possess such heaven-defying talent?"
As admiration grew, so did wariness. The Patriarch resolved to prevent Lü Yang's Foundation Establishment breakthrough, lest it empower the demonic path further.
But how?
"Saint's Theft plunders the world's Fate's Breath, consuming virtue. Masters inevitably face tribulation... Thus, my reincarnation must be his ordained calamity."
Piercing heavenly secrets, realization dawned:
"With the Heavenly Instrument shielding me, he cannot divine my existence while I track him effortlessly—a decisive advantage."
"Therefore, I shall craft a 'tribulation' for him—neither too easy nor impossible, offering just enough hope to lure him into personally intervening... ensnaring him in my trap..."
As the saying goes: even lions use full strength against rabbits.
Having reincarnated before, the Patriarch discarded any Foundation Establishment arrogance. He wouldn't underestimate Lü Yang, planning with utmost gravity.
"So what shall this 'tribulation' be?"
After contemplation, he smiled faintly: "For him, nothing worries more than errors in cultivating Saint's Theft."
"Then I shall... help him!"
"He created Three Martial Steps—I'll gift him a Fourth. But this step shall break free from his system's constraints..."
With this, the Patriarch began manipulating karma.
...........
Ten years passed in a blink.
During this decade, heroes emerged across the land. Martial arts development peaked, with Three Steps becoming widespread knowledge.
Then, on a stormy night in Tianjing City, thunder roared as a pillar of righteous qi pierced the heavens, dispersing rainclouds within moments, revealing clear skies.
Next morning, shocking news spread:
Wang Boyuan, 'Saintly Scholar' and master of Haoran Academy—guardians of a Heavenly Book volume—had overnight comprehended the Fourth Step of Martial Arts!
First Step: Mastery of Five Elements.
Heart, lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys—perfecting these organs makes a martial artist.
Second Step: Opening Nine Heavenly Orifices.
Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, tendons, bones, flesh, blood, intent—opening all nine elevates one to martial instructor.
Third Step: Breaking the Profound Gate of Creation.
With deities three feet above one's head, refining bodily essence through organs while channeling heaven-earth forces through orifices—breaking the crown gate reveals these 'deities'.
Most believed this marked martial arts' pinnacle... until Wang Boyuan's breakthrough electrified practitioners worldwide. Nobly, he shared his epiphany:
"The Fourth Step: 'Investigating the Changes Between Heaven and Man'!"
"To achieve this, one must transcend martial constraints—forging one's own path to harness heaven-earth transformations!"
Wang Boyuan realized this by abandoning martial conventions, creating the "Fortune Observation Technique" to perceive destiny, celestial fortune, even alter heavenly mechanisms—all to prolong Great Zhou's reign and establish eternal peace.
His breakthrough triggered karmic shifts across the land.
Next came Chang Qingjing, 'Barefoot Daoist' from Dragon-Tiger Mountain's Heavenly Master Mansion, awakening during medical practice.
Third was Xuan Ku, Hanging Temple's 'God Monk of Deliverance', enlightened during morning sutras.
Fourth... fifth... sixth...
Within ten years, seven Martial Path of Heaven and Man practitioners emerged, shattering Lü Yang's original framework!
.............
"Hmm?"
Deep in the Refinement Secret Realm's western mountains, amidst blood-red Heaven-Slashing Sword Formation diagrams encircled by countless talismans, Lü Yang suddenly opened his eyes.
Only stormclouds greeted him—no trace of blue skies.
Instantly, radiance burst behind his head as the Taiwei Treasure Script activated, revealing every change from the past decade.
"Fourth Martial Step: Investigating Heaven-Man Changes... So fast!"
Delight and suspicion warred within Lü Yang. While thrilled by martial arts' rapid evolution, its speed disturbed him.
How could this happen?
Yet divination showed flawless cause-effect chains without loopholes.
"My Three Steps already rival late-stage Qi Refining. Now this Fourth Step's Heaven-Man practitioners might approach peak Qi Refining... but this diverges from true martial arts!"
His expression darkened.
The events checked out...
Karmic shifts appeared natural...
Everything seemed logical—except martial arts were spiraling beyond control, threatening Saint's Theft's collapse unless he personally intervened.
"...This is wrong!"
Alarm bells rang violently. Though unable to detect the Yun Patriarch's schemes or karma manipulations, one truth stood firm:
"Nothing will make me leave this place!"
Here, protected by countless talismans and formations, he feared no dozen peak Qi Refining experts—a fisherman serenely awaiting his catch.
But stepping outside changed everything.
As the chessmaster above the board, entering the game meant becoming a piece himself—one misstep spelling total defeat.
Calming himself, Lü Yang acknowledged that while Heaven-Man practitioners could disrupt Saint's Theft, the process required time.
"First send an avatar to scout..."
With a thought, the Myriad Spirits Banner materialized in his palm. Pure 'Primordial Qi' coalesced at his fingertips—a remnant from his second life's self-refinement.
Once invaluable (helping his third life reach mid-stage Qi Refining), it had gradually become obsolete.
"Now this trash finds new purpose..."