Chapter 91: Sword Qi Cleaves Mending Heaven!
Chapter 91: Sword Qi Shatters the Mending Heaven!
Above Skeleton Mountain, outside the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm.
The void split open as the Mending Heaven Peak Master and Daoist Hong Yun stepped out one after another. Their Foundation Establishment gazes swept across the entire Skeleton Mountain in an instant.
In that moment, the previously cloudless sky suddenly darkened with ominous clouds. Lightning snakes danced wildly within, illuminating half the firmament. Even the unintentional sweep of a Foundation Establishment True Person's divine sense sent tremors through the rogue cultivators and demonic spirits inhabiting the mountain.
"This is the place."
Though his divine sense found nothing, the Mending Heaven Peak Master couldn't help but smile. The fact that his divine sense couldn't immediately locate the target meant their hiding place must be extraordinary!
"An unexpected harvest—a secret realm?" The thought of such a tremendous gain made the Peak Master hum lightly.
He immediately began finger calculations to discern the nature of this realm, only to find it was an utterly ordinary, nameless minor secret realm.
"No matter. Entering will reveal all."
The Peak Master was supremely confident. As ruler of one of the Primordial Saint Sect's four inner peaks, his cultivation had long reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment, just a step away from late-stage.
In this world, who could kill me besides True Lord remnants?
With this thought, he swiftly formed hand seals, casting the "Heaven-Searching Earth-Netting Technique" to pinpoint the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm's entrance.
"Found it!"
The Peak Master grinned coldly and strode toward the realm.
Yet Daoist Hong Yun, observing this, showed no urgency—instead wearing an odd expression. "This realm... seems unusual!"
Named "Hong Yun" (Great Fortune), he naturally excelled in fortune-reading. Just as he prepared to follow the Peak Master inside, a sudden premonition of dread made him halt abruptly. At his cultivation level, what could possibly trigger such alarm?
"How intriguing..."
A cold smile played on Daoist Hong Yun's lips as he watched the Peak Master enter the realm with amused schadenfreude.
Then—
"BOOM!!!"
A deafening explosion erupted from the secret realm as a radiant light shot skyward, connecting with Skeleton Mountain's eight-hundred-mile spiritual veins to reveal its true form.
The Mending Heaven Peak Master's forced entry had torn away the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm's concealment, exposing it—and the awe-inspiring sword qi suspended above it like a celestial river, majestic as inverted mountains and seas.
Beneath this sword qi fled the desperately escaping Peak Master.
"Deceitful junior! Treacherous villain! I—"
The once-composed Peak Master now hurled curses mid-flight, his anger and panic laid bare.
A Golden Core sword qi!
Never had he imagined this supposedly easy prey of a realm would contain sword qi left behind by a Golden Core True Lord!
Like finding a shark in a fishing pond!
"Lü Yang... just who are you?!"
Having obscured the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm's karma with divine talismans, Lü Yang lost that protection—allowing the Peak Master to deduce everything clearly.
Yet clarity brought disbelief.
According to his divination, Lü Yang had cultivated for less than a year, achieving not only perfected Qi Refining but also mastering the Saint Sect's secret technique—the Saint's Theft.
Not to mention other grand divine abilities like the Corpse Dissolution True Method and Heavenly Silkworm Secret—standard for true disciples. Yet Lü Yang was a new recruit! Impossible—the karma must be obscured again!
He even suspected Lü Yang was the reincarnation of some Saint Sect True Person.
"No, such ruthlessness undoubtedly marks him as my sect's True Person reborn..."
The Peak Master's thoughts raced until the descending sword qi forced him to focus solely on evasion—yet all efforts proved futile.
He froze mid-flight, grimacing—the sword qi had locked onto his karma!
A clear voice descended from the heavens: "Demonic path—be purged!"
The sword qi fell before he could react. Though a jade token at his waist activated autonomously to intercept the strike, the collision slowed time itself.
The sword qi reflected a handsome youth in Daoist robes, while the token projected a sinister middle-aged man. Their gazes met as unimaginable power clashed in higher dimensions.
"CRACK."
The token shattered—but so did 99% of the sword qi. The remaining sliver struck the Peak Master.
Even this remnant proved unbearable—his body exploded violently!
Amid the gore, only the Peak Master's powerful soul remained, eyes burning with fury toward the secret realm.
Inside, Lü Yang sighed. "As expected—not killed."
Just as predicted, the Peak Master possessed Golden Core-level life-saving treasures that preserved him at the critical moment.
"Fortunately, my plan succeeded."
The Golden Core sword qi had annihilated the Peak Master's physical form, leaving only a heavily damaged soul. Daoist Hong Yun nearby remained an observer.
Seizing this window, Lü Yang completed the final step of [Yama Palace]. The Myriad Spirits Banner stirred as eight hundred miles of Skeleton Mountain responded—the majestic [Yama Palace] rose from the earth while Guardian Deity Su Nu bathed in radiant light.
"My lord..."
Su Nu floated gracefully to Lü Yang's side and bowed respectfully, showing no hint of rebellion despite her newfound power—only reverence and fear.
Having been personally refined by Lü Yang's spiritual sense, Su Nu understood his temperament intimately.
Her lord could be described in four words:
Needle-like meticulousness!
Best not to offend!
Pleased by her deference, Lü Yang nodded. "Enter."
Su Nu complied instantly, merging completely into his dantian without reservation.
Instantly, Lü Yang's aura skyrocketed!
Between his brows shone divine light brilliant as the morning sun, illuminating six resplendent talismanic characters:
[Underworld Lord of Mystic Darkness, Gatherer of Shades]
Then Skeleton Mountain's spiritual veins erupted, adding three more characters before them:
Yama Heaven.
[Underworld Lord of Yama Heaven, Mystic Darkness, Gatherer of Shades]!
Warm currents surged through Lü Yang's body—Su Nu's presence like sweet dew nourishing his dantian.
With a Foundation Establishment guardian deity, though not yet at that realm himself, he could now enjoy its foundational benefits. Even his [Corpse Dissolution Immortal] transformation accelerated from decades to mere months!
Reverse-cultivating grand divine abilities with Foundation Establishment status brought exponential progress!
While Lü Yang basked in triumph, the Mending Heaven Peak Master's mood was decidedly worse.
"Impossible..."
He stared dumbfounded at Lü Yang's soaring aura. "Jiangdong's Heavenly Official? No... similar yet different..."
Before he could comprehend, Lü Yang's gaze locked onto him.
Chills ran down the Peak Master's spectral spine—his soul alone couldn't withstand Foundation Establishment combat!
"...Retreat!"
The Peak Master acted decisively, his soul transforming into a fleeing streak of light while scattering decoy soul fragments.
Lü Yang merely formed a hand seal—palms cupped together, index and little fingers curled inward.
Dark radiance erupted behind him, revealing a ghostly world where countless witch-ghosts supported a towering palace, howling endlessly.
Black and White Impermanence seized lives, ghostly enforcers collected souls, judges dispensed justice, and wandering deities patrolled the skies.
Eight solemn yet ferocious deities—golden cangues and silver chains, mourning staffs, and life-death ledgers in hand—crowded before the palace.
From its heights, Lü Yang laughed heartily: "Senior has come so far—why leave in haste?"
The [Yama Palace] yawned open.
"Stay as my guest—let me play proper host!"
Before the Peak Master could react, darkness swallowed him—he found himself imprisoned within [Yama Palace]!