Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Assaulting Foundation Establishment!
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The next day, Lu Yang left the Secret Realm of Art Refining.
As for what had happened within the secret realm, he naturally kept his lips sealed. Luo Wuya also remained silent, making it seem as if Lu Yang had never even been to the secret realm.
As for Lu Yang, Perfected Being Yin Shan had already dealt with the soul of the Yun family's ancestor. He was more than happy to profit quietly and certainly wouldn't go around blabbing. To put Perfected Being Yin Shan at ease, he decided not to leave after exiting the secret realm. Instead, he directly carved out a cave abode within Yin Shan and settled down.
In the mountains, a cultivator loses track of the years. In the blink of an eye, another ten springs and autumns had passed.
On this day, Lu Yang was roused from his seclusion. He opened his eyes and looked at the Dao-Clarifying Jade Slip that hadn't left his hand in ten years, only to find several cracks on its surface.
"It seems this secret treasure has its limits."
For the past ten years, he had been activating this secret treasure almost constantly. Thanks to it, his attainments in various fields had advanced by leaps and bounds.
Formations, talismans, and cultivation.
Most importantly, he had finally deduced a secret method to cultivate the *Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art* without triggering the Book of a Hundred Lives.
Lu Yang named it the "Yin Spirit Ghost Immortal Art".
To put it bluntly, it was a technique of feigned death. By guarding the soul within, keeping one's will from scattering, the Yin Spirit would emerge upon physical death, allowing the soul to remain in the world.
Using this secret art, Lu Yang could adjust his own soul to a state resembling that of a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being. This way, his soul wouldn't enter reincarnation after his body died, fulfilling the conditions to cultivate the *Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art* by 'shedding after death', all without triggering the Book of a Hundred Lives.
"In the next life, I will make this my goal."
After all, the Sage's Theft alone had cost him several decades.
The *Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art* was only stronger, not weaker, in comparison. The time required would likely be even greater. It was definitely impossible in this lifetime.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang took out another jade slip.
It recorded a secret art called 'Stealing Heavenly Secrets', which Zhao Xuhe had traded to him back then, even placing a secrecy restriction upon it.
If he could master it, his chances of reaching Foundation Establishment would increase by another ten percent!
Lu Yang reached out and tapped it lightly. As he expected, after eighty years, the restriction on the jade slip had already dissipated. He easily saw its contents.
"Senior Brother Zhao is an honest man. There are no omissions, and he even added annotations."
As Lu Yang firmly committed the art of Stealing Heavenly Secrets to memory, he mused, "Oh, right, Senior Brother Zhao still owes me money in this life. I can't forget that next time."
Another month passed before Lu Yang left his cave abode.
This time, however, he heard a piece of news that greatly surprised him: Luo Wuya, his Second Senior Brother from the Three Rivers Association, had failed in his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment and perished.
"How could this be?"
Inside Perfected Being Yin Shan's cave abode, Lu Yang let out a long sigh. "Senior Brother Luo and I were close friends. I thought we could share a drink and chat happily when I came out of seclusion."
Hearing this, Perfected Being Yin Shan also shook his head. "It's a pity about Second Brother. His cultivation method was the Primal Saint Sect's true transmission, the *Heavenly Craft True Scripture*. The 'Heavenly Craft Treasure Qi' he refined upon reaching completion was third-grade. On top of that, he had mastered a great divine ability and possessed a Foundation Establishment Pill. He should have had a thirty percent chance of breaking through."
Reaching Foundation Establishment is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the heavens.
Lu Yang was already a hundred years old in this life, and Luo Wuya was only older, not younger. A thirty percent chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment was already worth risking his life for.
Unfortunately, he lost the gamble.
Perfected Being Yin Shan sighed for a moment before looking at Lu Yang. "Seeing you emerge from seclusion, it seems you've made up your mind. Are you planning to assault Foundation Establishment?"
"Senior Brother's insight is sharp."
Lu Yang cupped his hands, took out the soul of the Yun family's ancestor, and returned it to Perfected Being Yin Shan. He said in a deep voice, "After seeing Senior Brother, I plan to enter seclusion."
"You... you're a true talent. You should have been cultivating in the Primal Saint Sect." Perfected Being Yin Shan stroked his beard and smiled. "Thinking back, I somewhat regret siphoning your fortune back at Skull Mountain. It made you waste thirty years for nothing. Otherwise, if you were thirty years younger, your chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment would be even higher."
Lu Yang shook his head. "Senior Brother overpraises me."
"I never speak falsely." Perfected Being Yin Shan shook his head. Then, with a wave of his hand, a jade token landed in front of Lu Yang. On it were written two large characters:
Ascension!
"This is the Ascension Token I didn't give you back at Skull Mountain. You traded it for the Dao-Clarifying Jade Slip. Second Brother had no use for it, and Third Brother died early on the battlefield between the righteous and demonic sects."
"Take it."
Lu Yang was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved his hands. "Senior Brother, your kindness is too great. I cannot accept this."
"Cut the nonsense." Perfected Being Yin Shan looked impatient. "If I tell you to take it, then take it. If you truly succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment, it can be considered forming a good bond."
Hearing this, Lu Yang had no choice but to accept the Ascension Token. A sliver of anticipation suddenly rose in his heart. His original intention in attempting to reach Foundation Establishment was merely to accumulate experience for the next life. But now, with his third-grade true qi and the Sage's Theft, if he added this Ascension Token, could he really have a thirty percent chance?
There isn't some conspiracy, is there?
The thought made Lu Yang feel a bit amused. It couldn't be helped; the Primal Saint Sect had too many talents. Unconditional help simply made him uneasy.
'But even if there is a conspiracy, I'll accept it.'
'In this life, even if I die, I plan to die on the path to Foundation Establishment. Success or martyrdom, a conspiracy doesn't matter.'
'If there really is some scheme, at worst, I'll be on my guard in the next life.'
With that thought, Lu Yang stopped dwelling on it. He stood up, gave Perfected Being Yin Shan a respectful bow, and then turned to leave.
Little did he know that after he left, another figure appeared beside Perfected Being Yin Shan.
The newcomer was a middle-aged man with a dignified bearing. A sharp, soaring aura emanated from between his brows, as if nothing in the world could stump him.
Perfected Being Yin Shan spoke first. "What do you think?"
"...He won't make it."
The newcomer shook his head. "The best age to break through to Foundation Establishment is between seventy and eighty. This person is already over a hundred. His chances of success are minuscule."
"It's a pity. Although he cultivated the *Grand Yin Corpse Liberation and Form Shedding True Art*, he hasn't completed the final transformation to attain the status of a 'Corpse-Liberated Immortal'. Otherwise, his chances would increase by another ten percent... But without the help of another Foundation Establishment Perfected Being, the two of us probably can't break into that place."
"Let's hope he succeeds."
"If not, we can only take the risk of asking an outsider for help."
Perfected Being Yin Shan looked helpless. "Senior Brother Chongguang, you have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, and you are the reincarnation of the Lord of the 'Covered Lamp Fire'. This is an opportunity that must not be missed."
"Indeed. At this point, we can only risk it all."
Perfected Being Chongguang's expression was resolute. He said, "Success is my fortune, failure is my fate. Besides, the thousand-year calamity is approaching. If I don't become a True Lord, how can I be one of the players?"
"It's merely the difference between dying early and dying late!"
"At least dying while striving for a breakthrough is far better than having one's mind clouded by the calamity when it arrives, becoming someone else's pawn, and dying in ignorance."
"You and I have both attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment. We should understand this principle."
"Senior Brother's words are wise."
Perfected Being Yin Shan nodded, seemingly recalling past events, and then sighed. "Qi Refining cannot grant transcendence, and even Foundation Establishment struggles to find true freedom."
"That is the way of the world."
Perfected Being Chongguang's tone was cold. "Otherwise, why would there be talk of Perfected Beings and True Lords?"
"A Qi Refining cultivator, no matter how stunning, is just 'material' that can be expended at any time."
"Only by breaking through to Foundation Establishment are you treated as a person. And only by achieving the Golden Core can you be considered a lofty lord who rules over thousands!"
(End of this chapter)