Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Possession
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The sky-piercing divine statue in the City of Wrongful Death was not just for show.
This statue was the foundation of the Sect of Nether Listening, built at the very center of the secret realm. It resonated with the earth veins of Skull Mountain; one could say it was the cornerstone of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm.
The construction of the statue began when the Founder of the Sect of Nether Listening was still alive. Cultivators served as laborers and mortals as materials. It was only barely completed after the Founder had ruled for three hundred years and died of old age. It possessed countless divine marvels and was linked to one of the sect's trump cards, not to be used unless absolutely necessary.
Yet now, everything had changed.
Lu Yang was seen sitting atop the statue's head. Without any overt action, he instantly altered the feng shui, replacing the statue to become the new celestial and terrestrial hub of this secret realm!
This was not a deliberate act on his part, but a natural consequence of the disparity in their respective standings.
Just as mortals only pay attention to the world's highest peak, largely unaware of the second highest, so too do heaven and earth often focus only on the one with the higher standing.
"I have come as invited. Where are you, Senior?"
Before Lu Yang's voice had faded, a magnificent saintly visage rose from the ground behind him. Its lips also parted, releasing a thunderous roar!
In an instant, Lu Yang's voice echoed both inside and outside the secret realm.
The countless mortals within the City of Wrongful Death were relatively fine; they merely couldn't help but cover their ears, feeling as though the sound was like thunder rolling out from the mountains, leaving them bewildered and at a loss.
Only the eight elders of the Sect of Nether Listening felt as if Lu Yang's voice possessed a tangible 'weight'. With a boom, it crashed down upon them, scattering their escape lights and nearly causing them to fall from the sky. As they looked up at the saintly visage manifested by Lu Yang, expressions of terror appeared on their faces.
"The insolent villain... He's blaspheming the Founder!"
"A mere voice is enough to... Could he be an existence on par with the Founder?"
"Impossible!"
For a moment, the faces of all eight elders changed, their ears turning red. The previous discussion on how to subdue Lu Yang had instantly become a joke!
However, in the next second, joy suddenly appeared on their faces.
The sky-piercing divine statue trembled slightly under the force of Lu Yang's voice. A soul hidden within it was awakened, and a long sigh echoed out:
"A disciple of the Primal Saint Sect... has finally arrived."
As the voice fell, the originally cold, hard features of the divine statue suddenly softened, its brows unfurrowing. Its eyes, forged from fine iron, instantly flickered with the light of intelligence.
The Foundation Establishment soul had awakened!
A true Foundation Establishment soul, just like the Yun family's ancestor from his previous life, and perhaps even superior, for this one's Daoist cultivation seemed to be higher than that of the Yun ancestor!
Immediately after, Lu Yang saw a brilliant light fly out from the sky-piercing statue. It then borrowed Qi to manifest its form, transforming into a handsome Daoist with the white hair of a crane and the rosy complexion of a child, exuding an immortal aura. He landed before Lu Yang and chuckled, "Interesting. Where is your physical body, young friend? How is it that only your soul remains?"
"I must have made a fool of myself in front of you, Senior."
Lu Yang smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the Founder of Nether Listening. "You don't seem to be in much better shape, Senior. This must be your fifth life, isn't it?"
He was certain that this person was a remnant of the Witch Ghost Dao.
However, the Witch Ghost Dao had existed for a thousand years. For a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being to live to this day, they would have had to reincarnate at least four times. No matter how profound their cultivation, they were no longer to be feared.
"How did you know I am a disciple of the Saint Sect, Senior?"
The Founder of Nether Listening shook his head. "Young friend, you nearly slaughtered all my followers the moment you acted. Such a style—who else could it be but a madman from the Primal Saint Sect?"
Lu Yang frowned at his words, then declared with righteous indignation, "Your sect's doctrine uses ghosts to shepherd the people and brings harm to all living beings. This junior's actions were to eliminate a pest for the populace!"
The Founder of Nether Listening immediately laughed. "Truly a disciple of the Saint Sect!"
Lu Yang: "..."
After a moment of silence, Lu Yang took the initiative to change the subject. "Senior invited me here. What is your intention?"
"To escape my confinement and re-establish my Witch Ghost Dao." The Founder of Nether Listening chuckled lightly. "For that, I must borrow something from you, young friend. I hope you will not refuse."
"Oh?" Lu Yang's eyes burned brightly. "What is it you wish to borrow, Senior?"
As his voice fell, the Founder of Nether Listening's expression turned strange. His eyes held a chilling glint as he stared fixedly at Lu Yang, like a predator eyeing its prey.
Lu Yang was unafraid, meeting his gaze calmly.
"You understand, don't you, young friend? I intend to use the Primal Saint Sect to break that Golden Core sword qi, so naturally, I need a Primal Saint Sect identity."
The Founder of Nether Listening grinned, his snow-white teeth flashing with a cold, sinister light. "My Witch Ghost Dao has deeply studied the soul and has some expertise in reincarnation and possession. I have already reincarnated four times. Logically, my fifth life should be completely obscured by dust, no longer able to achieve transcendence. But there are clever ways around that."
"As long as you are willing to lend me your body."
"If I take your place, my fifth life can be revitalized. I see you have extraordinary potential, young friend. Perhaps you can even help me ascend to the Foundation Establishment realm once more."
His tone was casual, but the truth he spoke was enough to make one's hair stand on end.
"You want to possess me, Senior?" Lu Yang raised an eyebrow.
"This wouldn't be the first time. On the day the Golden Core sword qi descended, why do you think so many Foundation Establishment cultivators died, while I alone survived?"
The Founder of Nether Listening was highly experienced; he had done something similar long ago. Using a possession technique, he had seized a mortal's body to use as a vessel, borrowing their fate to conceal his own, thereby evading the purge of the Golden Core sword qi. Back then, within the Witch Ghost Dao, he was the only one who had mastered such a technique.
"So you've come for me this time, Senior?"
"I should thank you," the Founder of Nether Listening said with a smile. "My time is short. If you hadn't appeared, I'm afraid I wouldn't have lived much longer."
Lu Yang sneered. "You think you can possess me?"
"In life, one must always take a gamble. The Witch Ghost Dao cannot perish in my hands. For this, I am willing to pay any price. Life and death mean nothing."
Despite his words, the Founder of Nether Listening's attitude was one of extreme confidence. Perhaps he was certain that Lu Yang was no match for him, or perhaps after barely surviving for a thousand years, he had come to see many things with detachment. Regardless, at this moment, he gave Lu Yang an intense sense of crisis.
However, Lu Yang still had a question in his mind.
If it was merely about possession, why would the Golden Core sword qi slaughter the entire secret realm? There must be another, more important reason that he didn't know.
Of course, Lu Yang didn't expect the Founder of Nether Listening to tell him.
Even what he was saying now, Lu Yang only believed thirty percent of it. After all, who knew if it was just a deliberate attempt to mislead him.
"It seems I'll have to capture you first, Senior, and then interrogate you thoroughly!"
A sharp light flashed in Lu Yang's eyes, and his figure vanished abruptly. The saintly visage behind him, however, instantly became clear and distinct. Two massive golden hands clapped together from either side.
Boom!
In that instant, a brilliant golden light flooded the Founder of Nether Listening's vision. He had been caught in the palm of Lu Yang's saintly visage, which intended to refine him on the spot.
But in the next second, an even more intense radiance erupted from within the saintly visage's hand, blowing Lu Yang's palm wide open. Then, rolling dark clouds intertwined with the brilliant light, finally revealing a towering, majestic mansion that reached into the clouds. It had jade steps and vermilion platforms, solemn and dignified. A plaque above the entrance bore three large characters:
[Hall of Yama-Deva]!
The mansion's gates were wide open, revealing jade steps and vermilion platforms. The Founder of Nether Listening was seated in the position of honor. Behind him, a Dharma Body also manifested, holding a human-head scepter in its left hand and a book in its right.
This was—the Visage of the Lord of the Profound Underworld!
"To achieve Foundation Establishment, standing is merely the entry ticket. It's nothing to boast about." Before the Founder of Nether Listening's voice faded, his aura also began to skyrocket in sync.
Boom!
In the next second, his standing reached a level equal to Lu Yang's. The two stood on the same starting line, neither giving an inch, and collided with a deafening crash!
Instantly, before the eight remaining elders of the Sect of Nether Listening could even offer aid.
The collision between the two kicked up a monstrous, visible shockwave. It surged outwards in waves like a tsunami, blasting them back and causing them to vomit blood ceaselessly.
And under the force of this collision, the brilliant light between the Founder of Nether Listening's brows grew even brighter.
"It can't be hidden anyway... Succeed or die trying!" The Founder of Nether Listening's tone was haunting, but his actions grew more resolute, as if he had already made up his mind.
This mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator had relied on a possession technique to conceal the heavenly secrets back then, which was how he had escaped the Golden Core sword qi's reckoning.
Yet now, he had abandoned his concealment and no longer masked the heavenly secrets. As a result, his true identity from the past and its corresponding karma became increasingly clear.
Clang clang—!
Within the secret realm, the Golden Core sword qi hanging high in the sky seemed to sense something. It emitted a series of soft clangs, like a divine sword thrumming within its sheath.