"This art is called Stealing Heaven's Secrets."
After getting Lu Yang's approval, Zhao Xuhe took out a jade slip, injected his memories into it, and handed it to Lu Yang. It was a brief introduction to the effects of the secret art for Foundation Establishment he had mentioned. Lu Yang swept it with his spiritual sense and a look of amazement immediately appeared on his face.
The moment Lu Yang saw this art, "Stealing Heaven's Secrets," he knew it was created by a master from the Saint Sect, because every line carried the unique style of the Saint Sect.
The so-called Stealing Heaven's Secrets, as the name implied, was to first find a cultivator of the opposite sex whose age, talent, and cultivation level were comparable to one's own. Then, one would become Dao companions with them. Through continuous cultivation, one would gradually plant their own aura into the other's body, replacing their Qi seed.
Once successful, the other person would no longer be cultivating their own Qi seed, but the Qi seed of the art's user. At that point, no matter what fortuitous encounters the other person had, or what breakthroughs they achieved, it would all be stolen by the user in the end.
A lifetime of cultivation would be nothing but making a wedding dress for another. Sinister, vicious, treating talent as a mere resource. So very classic.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang glanced at Zhao Xuhe again, suddenly recalling that in his second-to-last life, he had heard that Zhao Xuhe had become Dao companions with Fairy Feixia.
‘So that’s how it was. No wonder they both perished after failing to break through to Foundation Establishment.’
‘Looking at it now, it's likely that Zhao Xuhe killed Fairy Feixia first, and only then died from failing his Foundation Establishment. His scheme was all for naught in the end.’
While Lu Yang was grumbling inwardly, he also felt a secret chill. From his perspective, the preparations of the Zhao Xuhe from his second-to-last life were absolutely comprehensive. He had used almost every resource he could.
In that second-to-last life, after Zhao Xuhe and Fairy Feixia became Dao companions, he had risen to prominence through Skull Mountain. Not only did he break through to the Perfection of Qi Refining, but he also obtained two Foundation Establishment wondrous objects. If one considered this "Stealing Heaven's Secrets" art, Fairy Feixia's share was actually also in Zhao Xuhe's pocket.
By all accounts, Zhao Xuhe had prepared a full three methods to break through to Foundation Establishment! And the result? He still failed.
"Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment, the Great Dao's immortal foundation… Without establishing a foundation, one is ultimately a mediocre mortal. No wonder only Foundation Establishment cultivators are worthy of being called Daoist Masters."
"Foundation Establishment is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the heavens."
After sighing, Lu Yang looked back at the jade slip in his hand.
"What does Junior Brother think?"
Zhao Xuhe looked expectant.
"With this as collateral, Junior Brother, lend me thirty thousand contribution points. The term is three months. In three months, I will definitely pay back the money."
"If I don't pay it off, the secret art will be yours to settle the debt."
"But even if I do pay it off, I will still give the secret art to you, Junior Brother, as a token of my gratitude for your timely help in getting me through this difficult time!"
Zhao Xuhe spoke with great magnanimity, but Lu Yang only sneered inwardly.
‘It sounds like as long as I'm willing to lend the money, this Stealing Heaven's Secrets art is mine, and I won't lose out either way… In reality, that's not the case at all!’
The key wasn't the secret art, nor was it the loan. It was the three-month time limit. Because as long as he lent the money, if Zhao Xuhe encountered any crisis within these three months, he would have to intervene.
Otherwise, he wouldn't get his money back. So this loan wasn't a loan of money, but of a person! Zhao Xuhe clearly wanted to use this secret art for Foundation Establishment to tie him down, forcing him to pay for his future adventures and the karma he would incur!
In short, this was a sugar-coated bullet. And yet, because it concerned Foundation Establishment, he couldn't refuse.
"But what if I want the secret art, but not the responsibility..."
Lu Yang looked at the jade slip in his hand, thinking of a way to eat the sugar coating and throw the bullet back, for example, by sending Zhao Xuhe to become brothers with Liu Xin. But soon, Lu Yang rejected this plan in his mind.
Just as he had taken Ouyang Haoze as a banner spirit but failed to obtain the Divine Martial Sect's cultivation techniques from him, the cultivation world had plenty of ways to prevent techniques and divine abilities from being leaked. Since Zhao Xuhe dared to come to him, he was surely prepared. The chance of success was too low.
Lu Yang was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "...
Forget it."
"I can agree to Senior Brother's loan, but I have a condition. If Senior Brother cannot accept this condition, I would rather give up the secret art."
Zhao Xuhe was overjoyed upon hearing this.
"Junior Brother, please speak!"
"The condition is simple."
Lu Yang said softly, "Senior Brother, you must give me the true copy of the secret art. Otherwise, what if Senior Brother changes his mind later and doesn't give it to me?"
"Of course, you can place a restriction on the true copy of the secret art, one that will cause it to self-destruct if opened without authorization. You can come and remove the restriction after three months. With your magical power, Senior Brother, the restriction can last at least eighty years. This way, I can be at ease, and you can be at ease. What do you think, Senior Brother?"
Zhao Xuhe thought about it. It seemed there was nothing wrong with that? The only problem was his limited magical power, which meant the restriction would automatically dissolve after eighty years when his magical power was exhausted.
But by then, it would be far too late. One had to know, the lifespan of a Qi Refining cultivator was around one hundred and fifty years. And once they passed one hundred, their essence, qi, and spirit would weaken, leaving basically no hope of breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
Lu Yang was already over twenty this year. In eighty years, he would definitely be over a hundred, with one foot in the grave. Even if he obtained the secret art for Foundation Establishment, it would be of no use.
After all, this life was almost over, what could he use to establish a foundation? The next life? The more Zhao Xuhe thought about it, the more he felt that Lu Yang's well-thought-out plan was a win-win, successfully concluding the deal while avoiding mutual suspicion!
"Junior Brother's request is perfectly reasonable. Let's do it like that!"
Zhao Xuhe nodded decisively, took out another jade slip, first condensed his magical power to carve a restriction on it, and then handed it to Lu Yang. Seeing this, Lu Yang naturally accepted it with a wide smile. For a time, both host and guest were perfectly content.
"From now on, Zhao Xuhe is useless to me."
"If he can come back alive, then so be it. If he really causes some trouble, I won't get involved. At worst, I'll just wait eighty years to see the secret art."
"Either way, I don't lose out."
After sending Zhao Xuhe off, Lu Yang hummed a little tune and happily began to arrange the market. After all, this market was now his means of securing his life and livelihood.
Moreover, the Hundred Skeletons Returning to True Grand Formation within the market was a seventh-grade formation, whereas his Bloodwash Heavenly River Sword Formation Diagram was only ninth-grade, its power relying entirely on the Heavenly Demon Transforming Blood Divine Light.
Therefore, if he could thoroughly study the Hundred Skeletons Returning to True Grand Formation, his own attainments in formations would benefit greatly by analogy. Soon, time passed. In the blink of an eye, another month had gone by.
Lu Yang was startled awake from his meditation, suddenly feeling a fragrant breeze on his face. He then saw a graceful and beautiful figure walk into the Blood-Robed Pavilion.
"Senior Sister."
Lu Yang broke into a smile and said, "You wouldn't come here without a reason. Could it be that Senior Sister has had another breakthrough in your understanding of formations and wishes to exchange pointers with me?"
"How many times have I told you, just call me Feixia."
Fairy Feixia shot Lu Yang an annoyed glance, habitually sat down in his lap, and then said in a soft, gentle voice, "Someone from the Saint Sect has come."
"Didn't they come a while ago?"
Lu Yang said nonchalantly, "I already said last time, I just want to cultivate in peace and have no intention of stirring up trouble. I'm not interested in that Witch Ghost Secret Realm."
"The person who came this time is different."
As soon as Fairy Feixia said this, Lu Yang's eyes narrowed.
"... Who is it?"
"It's Second Senior Brother."
Fairy Feixia's expression was serious.
"The Second Senior Brother of the Three Rivers Society, a True Disciple at the Perfection of Qi Refining. This time, he personally sent me to deliver the message."
Hearing this, Lu Yang's face gradually darkened. Because if he remembered correctly, the Three Rivers Society, this major faction within the Saint Sect... its founder seemed to be a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master, right?