Chapter 71: You Can Achieve Great Things!
Chapter 71: You Have What It Takes!
The moment Lü Yang reported to True Person Yinshan, the Yun Family Patriarch inside the secret realm suddenly shuddered as if sensing impending doom.
"...It's your avatar?"
The Yun Family Patriarch performed a quick divination and instantly grasped the cause and effect. A trace of despair surfaced on his face: "In the end, tribulation is unavoidable."
His current reincarnation prioritized secrecy.
Only through the Sword Pavilion's sect master shielding heavenly secrets had he remained undetected. But once exposed, not even the Sword Pavilion master could rescue him.
In other words, his life-or-death gamble had utterly failed. The sect master's mission remained unfulfilled, his hopes of returning to Foundation Establishment vanished. Without him, the Yun Clan's status within the Sword Pavilion would plummet—no longer an exalted immortal family of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but facing imminent destruction...
"...No! There's still a chance!"
The Yun Family Patriarch glared at Lü Yang, his eyes suddenly blazing with terrifying killing intent. His hatred for Lü Yang couldn't be washed away even with the waters of three rivers.
In the next moment, his expression turned resolute.
With a thought, the Taiyi Golden Radiance surrounding him rapidly reversed course, converging at his fingertip to form a razor-sharp sword qi.
This sword qi was a divine ability called "The World-Bound Yuan-Severing Strike."
Though the sword qi appeared ordinary, it could directly lock onto an enemy's karma. Once unleashed, the sword qi would persist until the target's karma dispersed.
The Witch Ghost Path of old had been exterminated down to the last member by a Golden Core True Lord of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion using this very technique. Because remnants of the Witch Ghost Path's secret realm inheritance lingered—their karma unbroken—the sword qi had endured for a thousand years.
Yet this strike wasn't something ordinary cultivators could unleash.
Involving karma, it required Foundation Establishment cultivation to execute. Having fallen from that realm, the Yun Family Patriarch could only unleash it by sacrificing his life.
In other words—he sought mutual destruction!
"With the Heavenly Instrument shielding heavenly secrets, if I sacrifice myself to slay this demon and reincarnate anew, perhaps there's still hope for escape..."
Though this would be his third forced reincarnation before even returning to Foundation Establishment—severely damaging his cultivation depth—even if successful, he'd likely be trapped by the Fetal Mystery, reduced to a common mortal forever cut off from transcendence.
"...At least I'll kill you first!"
The Yun Family Patriarch stared fixedly at Lü Yang, then activated the divine ability. His essence, energy, and spirit disintegrated, pouring entirely into the razor-sharp sword qi he'd condensed.
"Strike!"
With a roar, the sword qi howled forth toward Lü Yang. Instantly, Lü Yang sensed overwhelming danger.
"Trying to fight me to the death?"
Lü Yang's mind flashed—his form completely merged into the Saint's Aspect behind him. Then, manipulating the golden figure, he extended two sky-supporting hands to grasp the sword qi.
The two forces tangled. The Saint's Aspect's hands were shredded to separated bone and flesh by the sword qi, while the patriarch's strike lost a large portion to Lü Yang's tearing grip. Yet because Lü Yang's karma remained intact, the sword qi drew from heaven and earth to regenerate—the torn section instantly restored.
Meanwhile, the Saint's Aspect mirrored this recovery.
Being merely Lü Yang's qi manifestation rather than a true physical form, a surge of magic power instantly regrew the missing flesh.
Thus, deadlock ensued.
Witnessing this, the Yun Family Patriarch sighed but didn't linger. Now bodiless, only his soul remained in the world.
Before the Saint Sect's True Person arrived, swift reincarnation was his best option.
Just then, a chilling sensation gripped the patriarch's heart. Turning, he saw Lü Yang sneering at him from afar:
"Senior, why the hurry?"
Next moment—Lü Yang held a wisp of the patriarch's qi mechanism in hand, using it to project his image within a circular glow.
"...No!"
The Yun Family Patriarch's pupils constricted violently. Despite his fury, confusion reigned: "The Profound Yin Form-Capturing Grand Art... How did he capture my qi mechanism?"
This technique could kill remotely by capturing a target's qi signature. The patriarch had foreseen Lü Yang mastering it and meticulously concealed his own qi during their battle—this should have been foolproof...
Yet somehow, Lü Yang had seized it!
In his current soulless state, a strike from this technique would scatter his spirit completely—ending any chance of reincarnation!
"Heavenly Duke, save me!"
The patriarch temporarily abandoned reincarnation, using his soul to activate the Heavenly Instrument against Lü Yang's technique.
"Too late!"
Lü Yang severed the projected image with a wave. The patriarch braced for impact...
Yet nothing happened.
Blinking in bewilderment, the expected remote curse never materialized—as if it had all been a bluff...
"...Wait!"
It was a bluff! Lü Yang was buying time!
The patriarch jolted to awareness, immediately opening a black portal to flee with his soul.
At that precise moment—a vast qi presence erupted into the Refinement Secret Realm!
"Realm Lock!"
A thunderous voice shook the secret realm. The golden-worded decree instantly sealed the patriarch's escape portal.
"NO—!!!"
That black portal led to the cycle of reincarnation. The patriarch's soul convulsed in anguish as he snarled at Lü Yang: "You deceived me!?"
"What can you do about it?"
Lü Yang smiled faintly as another massive hand reached into the secret realm, effortlessly crushing the persistent sword qi.
No matter how powerful the divine ability—against higher cultivation, it meant nothing.
'This is Foundation Establishment...'
Lü Yang marveled inwardly. Though he'd witnessed it before, the absolute dominance Foundation Establishment True Persons held over Qi Refining cultivators never failed to awe him.
Next moment, True Person Yinshan materialized beside Lü Yang.
"Well done."
After praising Lü Yang, Yinshan turned to the patriarch's soul and laughed: "So it's you, old dog Yun Qingchuan."
"Yinshan..."
The patriarch's eyes darted as if to speak, but before he could—Yinshan's palm struck his soul.
Boom!
Instantly, all of the patriarch's consciousness was erased, leaving only a blank soul clutched in Yinshan's grip.
Having fallen from Foundation Establishment, his soul retained some residual realm characteristics—but couldn't compare to a true Foundation Establishment True Person. Especially since Yinshan's cultivation had advanced after the Skeleton Mountain incident, now reaching mid-stage Foundation Establishment—far surpassing the patriarch's current state.
Hum!
With the patriarch dead and the Heavenly Instrument ownerless, Yinshan unceremoniously seized and examined it.
"Fine treasure... Truly a fine treasure..."
That the patriarch could use this artifact to conceal heavenly secrets and reincarnate undetected proved its extraordinary quality—tempting even Yinshan.
But this involved the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion and a Foundation Establishment True Person's soul. Sect rules demanded reporting to the sect master for judgment. Doing so would expose this rare treasure, making it a target—something his current status might not protect...
Just then, Lü Yang stepped forward with a bow:
"Senior Brother, this junior makes a bold request... Might I borrow that righteous Foundation Establishment soul? I swear to return it intact within ten years."
"Oh? You want this old dog's soul?"
Yinshan raised an eyebrow, then shook his head: "Bold indeed. But this concerns the Sword Pavilion. Once reported, the sect master will demand both soul and treasure."
"However... alternatives exist."
Here, Yinshan's tone shifted meaningfully as he smirked at Lü Yang: "Many things weigh lightly when never placed on the scales."
"If you help conceal this matter—no report, no investigation—both soul and treasure can remain."
Lü Yang paused, then feigned confusion: "Conceal what matter?"
"...Excellent! Truly a Saint Sect disciple—you have what it takes!"
Their eyes met in silent understanding.
Next moment, Yinshan tossed the patriarch's soul to Lü Yang, pocketed the Heavenly Instrument, and departed without another word.