Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Digging a Pit
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At the Grand Righteousness Academy, Ji Xiongying arrived quietly, just moments after Lu Yang had departed.
“Bookworm, have you seen that immortal?”
Upon entering, Ji Xiongying was slightly startled. He hadn't expected that Wang Boyuan, who was so high-spirited just a few months ago, would suddenly become so disheveled.
“What happened to you?”
“...It's nothing.”
Wang Boyuan took another swig of wine and said with a smile, “If you're talking about the one who fought you, then yes, I've met him.”
“He seemed quite interested in my 'Fortune Gazing Art'. It was an honor.”
“Cut the crap!”
Ji Xiongying sneered, tossing the scripture he obtained from his 'fortuitous encounter' directly in front of Wang Boyuan. “He can fulfill our grand ambitions!”
“There are immortals in this world, ageless and undying. Kill them and eat their flesh, and you can attain long life!”
Ji Xiongying said loudly. “Isn't your ambition to bring about ten thousand generations of peace? If we kill that immortal and share his flesh, we can live forever. Then, we can create a world of peace that will last for ten thousand generations!”
“A world of peace...”
Wang Boyuan murmured in a low voice, but he didn't show the excitement Ji Xiongying had imagined. He just shook his head and then said calmly, “Then let's give it a try.”
“Good! It's a deal!”
Ji Xiongying noticed that Wang Boyuan's attitude was off, as if he had something on his mind. However, he couldn't be bothered with it; as long as Wang Boyuan was willing to act, that was enough.
Meanwhile, within Tianjing City.
By now, Lu Yang had regained his composure. He had suddenly realized something: if it were truly a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being, there would be no need for such trouble.
Because this time was different from Skull Mountain.
At Skull Mountain, Perfected Being Yin Shan, hidden behind the scenes, never actually intended to kill him, only using him as bait. This time, however, was different.
This time, someone clearly wanted to kill him!
The reason they hadn't acted yet was likely because his true body was still hiding behind multiple layers of arrays, and he had only sent out an external incarnation to scout the way.
This meant that the cultivation of the person behind the scenes was definitely not at the Foundation Establishment realm. If it were, they would have no need for such caution and could simply slap him dead. From this perspective, although the opponent could manipulate causality, their strength was likely only at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm.
‘How strange.’
Able to manipulate causality, but not at Foundation Establishment?
One must understand that calculating causality and manipulating causality, despite differing by only one word, were worlds apart. It was the dividing line between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining.
Calculating causality merely allowed for a bit of foresight.
But manipulating causality could truly make a situation develop according to one's own will. Logically, only a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being could achieve such a feat.
Therefore, 'able to manipulate causality, but not at Foundation Establishment' should be impossible.
Unless...
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator, reincarnated?”
Lu Yang frowned. After eliminating all impossible speculations, the only remaining answer surfaced: “There's a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator in the secret realm!?”
That's it, the tribulation for The Sage's Theft!
The thought was so absurd that Lu Yang felt a wave of ridiculousness. What was this? The tribulation for mastering The Sage's Theft was actually a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator coming to cause trouble for him?
Surely not!
Heavens above, this poor Daoist has always been kind to others. How could I have possibly provoked a Foundation Establishment cultivator...
‘...Ah.’
The next second, Lu Yang's eyes suddenly widened.
‘Yun Miaoqing, Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion?’
In this life, there were only two Foundation Establishment cultivators who might hold a grudge against him. One was the Heaven Mending Peak Master, but he was in the prime of his life and nowhere near needing to reincarnate.
The other was the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion.
And with the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion's scale, it was perfectly normal for them to have a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator. Because of their existing enmity, was he drawn here by the tribulation of The Sage's Theft?
It can't be that outrageous, can it?
At this thought, Lu Yang instantly broke out in a cold sweat, so startled he almost left the secret realm on the spot to report to Perfected Being Yin Shan that there was a bad guy inside...
In the end, however, he resisted the urge to leave. He suddenly remembered the secret method he had previously deduced for the final step of mastering the Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art, 'shedding after death'. Didn't it just so happen to need the soul of a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator to help perfect it?
On the other hand, he still hadn't mastered The Sage's Theft.
If he reported it now, Perfected Being Yin Shan would clear the field, and he would be left with nothing. Setting aside the Foundation Establishment soul, his cultivation of The Sage's Theft would surely fall short.
‘Though it is a tribulation, it is also an opportunity!’
As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are intertwined!
Every cause has its effect, and every debt has its payment. As long as he could overcome this tribulation with his own strength, it would transform into a heaven-sent opportunity!
Besides, he wasn't without a chance of winning.
Before, the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light. Knowing nothing, his chances of survival were nil. But now that he knew the truth, things were different!
He could turn the tables on them!
‘Since that reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator is plotting against me from the shadows, this so-called Martial Dao Celestial Being path was probably created by him. I knew there was something wrong with it.’
‘...He wants to lure me out!’
‘And now that I've only sent out an incarnation, he's certainly not satisfied. That's why Ji Xiongying suddenly appeared to fight me.’
‘If I'm not mistaken, he must have other plans. He most likely wants to destroy this incarnation of mine to lure my true self out of my secluded cultivation cave, away from the protection of the arrays. However, Ji Xiongying is no match for this incarnation. To kill me... he'll have to join forces with the other Celestial Beings!’
I understand! I understand it all!
Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged, but in his mind, he had already pieced together most of the Yun family ancestor's scheme. Vaguely, his understanding of causality had also deepened.
‘So this is Foundation Establishment...’
Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely fight to the death. Instead, they mostly make their moves through causality. Whoever can calculate their opponent's causality gains an overwhelming advantage!
‘If he wants a kill, I'll give him one!’
Lu Yang pondered for a long time and quickly came up with a countermeasure. He had actually been planning to fight the Martial Dao Celestial Beings anyway, using the opportunity to pull the Martial Dao back onto the right track.
But not by creating a fifth step.
On this point, the Yun family ancestor's judgment was accurate. With Lu Yang's current cultivation and insight, even with the help of the Dao-Enlightening Jade Slip, it was impossible for him to create a fifth step.
However, to break the stalemate, he didn't actually need to create a new realm—he just needed to make people *think* he had created one.
After all, the key to "The Sage's Theft" was theft.
And deceiving the world to steal fame never required any real substance to begin with.
‘First, I need a new identity.’
Since he wanted everyone to believe he had created a new realm, he needed to be convincing. For that, a background with enough prestige was indispensable.
‘My true name... hmm, let's call it Di Shitian!’
‘I have lived for over a thousand years and am the only immortal in this world. I have long since reached the limits of this world and am seeking a way to break through.’
‘The reason I interact and fight with the Martial Dao Celestial Beings is that I believe when one's cultivation reaches the world's apex, to advance further, one must fight and kill one another, achieving the ultimate sublimation between life and death to shatter the shackles of heaven and earth!’
‘This realm, I call it Shattering the Void!’
‘After Shattering the Void, one can ascend gracefully. This way, no one will know what happened, nor will they be able to describe the mysteries of this realm.’
‘After all, no one who has reached this realm has ever returned to tell the tale.’
The unknown brings fear, but it also brings hope.
‘I don't even need to describe this realm in detail. I just need to have a great battle and demonstrate it once in public. They'll fill in the rest with their own imaginations.’
This was a huge pit!
The fourth step of the Martial Dao was already a dead end; Foundation Establishment was impossible. But human ambition knows no bounds, and the Martial Dao Celestial Beings needed a goal to pursue.
And Lu Yang would give them that goal!
As long as he put on a spectacular enough performance in front of everyone, making the so-called 'Shattering the Void' seem ethereal yet believable.
If no one believes it, even the truth becomes a lie.
If people believe it, even a lie becomes the truth!
(End of this chapter)