Chapter 96: Another Charge Toward Foundation Establishment, Crouching Dragon Appears!
Chapter 96: Another Charge Toward Foundation Establishment, Panlong Appears!
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed.
On this day, Lü Yang sat cross-legged atop Skeleton Mountain when he suddenly opened his eyes, his face lighting up with joy—his physical body had finally completed the Corpse Dissolution transformation!
In the next instant, Lü Yang vanished from his spot.
Inside the Myriad Spirits Banner.
In a void-like space, twisted flesh and blood had constructed a majestic palace, with dense blood vessels resembling tree roots entwining around its perimeter.
These root-like blood vessels all extended from the deepest part of the palace. Following them inside, one could see that both the pillars and walls were entirely built from pale white skeletons, wrapped in pulsating blood vessels that wriggled silently like living things.
Terrifying, eerie, grotesque.
This was the form his physical body had taken after Corpse Dissolution—no longer humanoid, shifting endlessly into countless indescribable shapes, as if embodying chaos itself.
"I didn't expect the [Corpse Dissolution Immortal] to have one final hurdle!" Lü Yang exclaimed in surprise. The physical transformation wasn't the end—cultivators had to rein in their rampaging bodies to truly master them!
Failure to control the body would result in becoming a monstrous entity of flesh and blood with its own rank.
Yet, by this stage, most cultivators would already be in a state of delirium, hovering between life and death, half-conscious—how could they possibly retain the ability to control their bodies?
"The difficulty is absurdly high... Luckily, I'm a step ahead."
With the help of his Guardian Deity Su Nu, he had successfully cultivated the 《Heavenly Silkworm Secret》 a month prior, transforming his spiritual awareness into divine sense.
With divine sense bolstering him, controlling his physical body was child's play.
At this moment, with a mere thought from Lü Yang, the massive palace of flesh and blood immediately began to collapse. The chaotic anomalies returned to order under his will.
In the end, all that remained was an extraordinarily handsome Daoist.
Clad in white robes, the Daoist had black hair that writhed like living dragons, and his entire being exuded an ethereal aura that seemed to transcend the mundane world.
[Corpse Dissolution Immortal]—achieved!
Lü Yang's soul merged into his physical body, and in an instant, spirit and flesh became one. The corners of his lips curled slightly as his rank instantly soared to unimaginable heights.
Looking up at the sky, Lü Yang could now clearly see the lofty 'Foundation Establishment Realm.' If that realm were likened to a mountaintop, he stood less than a hundred steps away—even closer than Ancestor Nether Whisper had been, perhaps even higher.
Yet, despite this proximity, the grandeur of the 'Foundation Establishment Realm' still left him in awe.
Close, but not the same.
No matter how near one got to the 'Foundation Establishment Realm,' even if only a single step remained, failing to step in and truly establish one's Dao Foundation meant an insurmountable gap between immortal and mortal.
"Lamenting the brevity of my life, envying the endless flow of the Yangtze..."
Just then, a streak of spiritual light shot through the sky from the direction of the Saint Sect. Catching it, Lü Yang found a token materializing in his hand.
Ascension Token!
As he had anticipated, after their agreement regarding the [Heavenly Corpse Sha], True Person Yinshan no longer had any reason to withhold a mere Foundation Establishment treasure.
"...Everything is ready!"
At this moment, Lü Yang was filled with resolve.
There was no time like the present—he would charge toward Foundation Establishment now!
With this thought, Lü Yang decisively took a step toward the 'Foundation Establishment Realm.' In the next instant, he entered it!
He had ascended in a single stride!
"So much easier than last time..."
In his previous life, he had only possessed the rank of [Saint's Theft]. The ascent alone had consumed over half of his true qi. This time, however, was entirely different.
Third-grade true qi, [Corpse Dissolution Immortal], and [Saint's Theft], combined with Foundation Establishment divine sense and the Ascension Token breaking through the nine layers of heavenly barriers—Lü Yang had entered the 'Foundation Establishment Realm' with almost no effort, leaving him ample true qi to construct his Dao Foundation, unlike the dire straits of his past life.
"Next comes the invasion of heart demons..."
Lü Yang acted swiftly. The moment he entered the 'Foundation Establishment Realm,' he summoned Su Nu. The [Yama Palace] instantly reassembled, unleashing tremendous power.
Guardian Deity!
With Su Nu by his side, Lü Yang effectively wielded the rank of Foundation Establishment in advance, using it to shield himself against most of the heart demons in the 'Foundation Establishment Realm.'
"Eighty percent... Indeed, much easier than thirty percent..."
Lü Yang remained calm and composed. His third-grade true qi, [True Dragon Sha], surged forth, coiling at his feet as its scales parted, exhaling countless wisps of cloud vapor.
Clouds follow the dragon!
The 《Nine Transformations Dragon Art》 evolved further into the 《Myriad Chariots Dragon Ascension Treasure Scroll》. The Dao Foundation constructed from this would take the form of a majestic carriage crowned by a canopy.
Riding the dragon, pulling the carriage of myriad chariots to ascend!
Soon, as the cloud vapor condensed and the radiance withdrew, the silhouette of a carriage gradually took shape, causing Lü Yang's aura to grow increasingly lofty and ethereal.
Yet, Lü Yang's brow gradually furrowed.
"Something's not right..."
His sensitivity to karma was exceptionally sharp. The closer he got to Foundation Establishment, the more his heart pounded with unease, shadows creeping into his mind.
The once imperceptible threads of karma now wrapped around him with startling clarity. The higher he climbed toward Foundation Establishment, the more he felt like a moth darting into flames—or a butterfly ensnared in a spider's web. This sensation twisted Lü Yang's expression into something increasingly grim, and a sudden realization struck him:
"Someone is scheming against me!"
Who?
True Person Chongguang, True Person Yinshan, the Mending Heaven Peak Master, even Ancestor Nether Whisper... In an instant, every person Lü Yang knew flashed through his mind.
No, that couldn't be!
"Ancestor Nether Whisper was killed by Golden Core sword qi—there's no way he could have revived. The Mending Heaven Peak Master was severely injured; three months wouldn't be enough for a full recovery."
"As for True Person Chongguang and True Person Yinshan, they're even less likely."
In the next moment, a name finally leaped to the forefront of Lü Yang's mind—someone so peculiar in circumstance that he had overlooked them until now.
Suddenly, Lü Yang exhaled a long, heavy breath and ceased his pondering. Not because he had given up on uncovering the truth, but because at this point, knowing the truth would change nothing.
Lü Yang gazed into the distance, and within the vast expanse of the 'Foundation Establishment Realm,' a figure slowly approached.
The newcomer moved with unhurried grace, each step firm and resolute. The sound of his footsteps reverberated through the 'Foundation Establishment Realm' like the tolling of a great bell, clear and resonant as a dragon's cry.
At first glance, the figure was far away, yet within a few steps, he stood right before Lü Yang. Wherever he passed, golden lotuses bloomed, and thunderous chants of Buddhist hymns filled the air. Merely standing in front of Lü Yang was enough to fix his gaze irresistibly upon him.
"...It really is you."
Lü Yang's voice was icy as he stared unblinkingly at the newcomer. The man had a full forehead, wore golden monastic robes, and held a nine-ringed staff in his hand.
He appeared youthful, with lips red as cinnabar and teeth white as jade, his countenance radiating compassion.
Yet, the ferocious little dragon writhing in his grasp was the polar opposite—savage and menacing, its golden eyes brimming with murderous intent as it glared at Lü Yang.
In the next instant, Lü Yang felt the space around him freeze.
The small dragon let out a low growl, its unblinking golden pupils capturing Lü Yang's surroundings within its gaze, trapping him within those eyes.
Dragon pupils, golden eyes—framing heaven and earth!
Lü Yang's expression remained unchanged, but his tone was frigid as he uttered two words:
"True Person Panlong!"
With the other's appearance, the deeply hidden threads of karma finally revealed themselves. The newcomer was none other than True Person Panlong—whom Lü Yang had assumed long dead!