Soon, another month passed. Inside the cave residence, Lu Yang sat cross-legged on a Meditation Cushion. A ball of churning white Qi could be seen in his palm.
After a long while, Lu Yang gently tossed it outward.
Boom!
After a loud bang, the white Qi rapidly expanded and reformed into a human shape, revealing a face identical to Lu Yang's, but the aura around its body was completely different.
This was because the aura of Lu Yang's true body was as ethereal as an immortal's, the Dao-like charm that only superior True Qi possessed, belonging to a true cultivator. But the Lu Yang formed from the white Qi before him had a sky-high blood qi.
His every move seemed to carry the weight of a thousand catties, and his square, handsome face exuded an air of authority without being angry.
"Not bad, not bad."
Looking at the 'Innate Primordial Qi clone' he had painstakingly refined for a month, Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction.
"I never thought the Martial Dao could be used like this."
Generally speaking, an Innate Primordial Qi clone is incapable of making breakthroughs. This is because its essence is a ball of white Qi, gathering and dispersing unpredictably, making it impossible to cultivate. It was just like when Lu Yang previously cultivated the Heavenly Demon Transforming Blood Divine Light, ultimately transforming his body into a blood shadow.
However, the Martial Dao changed all of this. Without following the path of immortal cultivation, the Martial Dao was purely about nourishing and refining blood qi. It turned out to be perfectly suited for the Innate Primordial Qi clone, allowing it to break through the shackles of being unable to cultivate!
"Unfortunately, I still don't quite understand how to take the fourth step."
At this moment, the 'Innate Primordial Qi clone' only had the strength of the third step of the Martial Dao. Although Lu Yang had deduced the fourth step, he had yet to find the correct path. So for this trip out, Lu Yang planned to go to Heavenly Capital City first.
He planned to meet the 'Sage Heart Scholar' Wang Boyuan, the one who created the fourth step of the Martial Dao. Perhaps he could get some inspiration from him.
"I'll let you go out and venture forth for me."
With a thought from Lu Yang, the Innate Primordial Qi clone immediately disintegrated on the spot, transforming into a streak of white Qi that disappeared over the horizon, flying towards Heavenly Capital City.
"He's finally made a move!"
Almost at the same time, inside the Wei family residence in Heavenly Capital City, the now ten-year-old 'Wei Yun' suddenly looked up at the sky, a bright light flashing in his black eyes. However, the next second, he frowned.
"No, it's a clone."
Looking at the divination result, the Yun family's Old Ancestor gritted his teeth in anger. After waiting bitterly for ten years and expending great effort to push karma, he had only managed to lure out a clone. Wasn't that little Demon the least bit anxious?
Demonic Sects had always emphasized bravery and diligence, yet such a steady old turtle had suddenly appeared. The Yun family's Old Ancestor felt this was a tricky situation for the first time. However, he quickly adjusted his plan.
Since you sent out a clone, I'll find a way to destroy your clone and see if your true body can still sit still! Of course, he wouldn't act personally, as that would only alert the enemy. The best method was still to have the martial artists within the secret realm kill Lu Yang's clone.
In the process, they could also learn the truth about the secret realm and rise up in resistance. Of course, the resistance would certainly not succeed. The Yun family's Old Ancestor didn't care whether they succeeded or not.
What was important was the process of resistance, having these martial artists fight their way out of the secret realm. That was the real key. As long as they left the secret realm, even if they died, their souls would enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Even if the Dao Lord himself took action, it would be impossible to capture them and bring them back. Although they would lose their lives, they would gain freedom. When they reincarnated, these hundreds of millions of souls could fill the great net of karma between heaven and earth.
For him, this would be an immense amount of merit.
"It just so happens that I can have that person take action."
Thinking this, the Yun family's Old Ancestor immediately formed a hand seal and pushed karma.
"What secret is hidden within this Heavenly Scripture?"
Heavenly Capital City, within the imperial palace, one of the seven Martial Dao Celestials of the current age, the 'Martial Guardian King' Ji Xiongjing, frowned deeply as he studied a golden book before him. The Heavenly Scripture has four volumes. Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism each hold one of the first three.
According to legend, the last volume was lost among the common people and vanished without a trace. However, no one knew that it had actually been secretly acquired by the Great Zhou imperial family.
It was precisely by relying on this Heavenly Scripture that Ji Xiongjing was able to complete the three steps of the Martial Dao by the age of thirty.
Furthermore, after the 'Sage Heart Scholar' Wang Boyuan announced the method for the fourth step of the Martial Dao, he created his own "Authority Over the Realm", condensing the power of the entire nation to bless himself, and finally broke through successfully, becoming a Celestial Grandmaster. However, the more he studied the Heavenly Scripture, the more worried he became.
"Where did the Heavenly Scripture come from?"
"All things must have an origin. The Heavenly Scripture is so profound; if someone truly created it, that person could only be an immortal from the legends."
Thinking of this, boundless ambition instantly arose in Ji Xiongjing's heart. Because even after becoming a Martial Dao Celestial, he discovered that his lifespan hadn't increased at all and was still the same as an ordinary person's. How could he accept this?
"I want long life! I want to live for ten thousand years!"
"I want to become an immortal...!"
A hint of blood-red gradually flashed in Ji Xiongjing's eyes. His already strong desires were now being deliberately stirred, and it was at this crucial moment— "Who goes there!" Suddenly, Ji Xiongjing raised his head.
His 'Authority Over the Realm' allowed him to sense the changes in the entire Great Zhou's national fortune, and the capital of Great Zhou, Heavenly Capital City, was practically his domain. At this moment, he sensed a distinct 'foreign object' intruding into his domain. With a thought from Ji Xiongjing, the power of the entire nation instantly blessed his body.
At this moment, it was as if hundreds of millions of Great Zhou citizens were lifting his body, allowing him to break through the shackle that prevented martial artists from flying, and soar straight into the depths of the cloudy sky. Then he saw a figure.
The newcomer's robes fluttered as he stood upon the void, clouds churning beneath his feet. He looked as ethereal as a divine immortal, only the gaze he directed at him held a hint of surprise.
"You can actually fly?"
Lu Yang looked at the martial artist before him, pinched his fingers to make a quick calculation, and immediately understood Ji Xiongjing's identity.
"So that's how it is. A Celestial has indeed broken through the shackles of the Martial Dao."
Ji Xiongjing also stared at Lu Yang, frowning.
"Your qi isn't condensed, your blood isn't pure, only your spiritual will is barely passable. It seems you are a Rogue Cultivator who has taken an unorthodox path. Yet you can fly. Could it be you've obtained some secret art... Forget it. Once I've captured you, I will naturally learn the whole story!"
After speaking, Ji Xiongjing attacked directly! In the past, although he was domineering, he wouldn't act so indiscriminately. But at this moment, he was filled with anxiety due to his unfulfilled desires.
Furthermore, in his eyes, Lu Yang was not a Martial Dao Celestial. Not being a Celestial meant he was not qualified to speak with him as an equal. Since that was the case, he might as well just capture him and vent some of the fire in his heart.
"Get over here!"
The next second, Ji Xiongjing's figure moved, and he instantly appeared in front of Lu Yang. His five fingers reached for his neck, the airflow at his fingertips creating a shrill explosive sound. Lu Yang and Ji Xiongjing were inches apart.
He could even faintly hear the sound coming from inside his body, like a great river rushing. That was his blood qi surging. The sound of his beating heart was like a heavenly drum being struck.
What kind of powerful physique could support such blood qi?
"Definitely comparable to the Perfection stage of the Qi Refining Realm."
Lu Yang was inwardly astonished. In terms of physical toughness alone, Ji Xiongjing even surpassed him with his minor completion of The Sage's Theft. He could simply be described as inhuman.
"But it seems that's all there is to his physique."
Puchi!
The next second, blood splattered. As if struck by a heavy blow, Ji Xiongjing's figure retreated explosively. He looked at Lu Yang in utter horror, while a 'white line' was gradually dissipating between the two of them.
Just now, it was this 'white line' that had sliced open his palm.
"What kind of martial art is this?"
"Sword Qi Talisman."
Under Ji Xiongjing's shocked gaze, Lu Yang just smiled calmly, then took out a yellow paper covered in scrawls and set it on fire— Boom! In an instant, Ji Xiongjing felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows, and the same sword qi that had just torn through the flesh of his palm erupted from the burning talisman!
Under the brilliant sword qi, a dumbfounded face was illuminated. Wha-what the hell!?
(End of this chapter)