At the Vast Righteous Academy, no sooner had Lu Yang left than Ji Xiongjing quietly arrived.
"Bookworm, you've seen that immortal."
As soon as he entered, Ji Xiongjing was slightly startled. He had not expected that Wang Boyuan, who had been so full of vigor just a few months ago, would have become so disheveled.
"What happened to you?"
"... It is nothing."
Wang Boyuan took another gulp of wine and smiled, "If you're talking about the one you fought, I have indeed met him."
"He was quite interested in my 'Fortune Gazing Art'. I was rather honored."
"Cut the crap!"
Ji Xiongjing sneered, tossing the scripture he had obtained from his 'fortuitous encounter' directly in front of Wang Boyuan.
"He can fulfill our grand wish."
"There are immortals in this world, who do not age and do not die. If we kill them and eat their flesh, we can attain long life!"
Ji Xiongjing declared loudly.
"Isn't your ambition to usher in an era of peace for ten thousand generations? As long as we kill that immortal and share his flesh, we can live forever. Then we can create a peaceful world that will stand for ten thousand generations!"
"A peaceful world."
Wang Boyuan muttered in a low voice, but he did not show the excitement Ji Xiongjing had imagined. He just shook his head, then said calmly, "Then let's give it a try."
"Good! It's a deal!"
Ji Xiongjing could tell that Wang Boyuan's attitude was off, as if he had something on his mind, but he couldn't be bothered with it. As long as Wang Boyuan was willing to act, that was all that mattered. At the same time, within Heavenly Capital City.
Lu Yang had already regained his composure, because he had suddenly figured something out: if it were truly a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master, there would be no need for all this trouble. Because this time was different from Skull Mountain.
At Skull Mountain, Daoist Master Yinshan, who was hiding behind the scenes, never actually intended to kill him, but merely used him as bait. This time, however, was different. This time, someone clearly wanted to kill him!
The reason they hadn't acted yet was probably because his true body was still hiding within multiple layers of formations, and he had only sent out a clone to scout the path. This meant that the cultivation level of the person behind the scenes was definitely not at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
If it were, they would have no need for such caution. A single slap would come over, and he would die without a doubt. Considering it from this angle, although the other party could push karma, their strength was probably only at the Perfection level of Qi Refining.
'Something is strange.' Able to push karma, but not at Foundation Establishment? One had to know that calculating karma and pushing karma, though different by only a single word, were worlds apart.
It was the watershed between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining. Calculating karma was merely being able to know a little of the future. But pushing karma could truly make a situation develop according to one's own thoughts.
Logically speaking, only a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master could achieve such a thing. Therefore, 'able to push karma, but not at Foundation Establishment' should be impossible.
Unless...
"Foundation Establishment, reincarnated?"
Lu Yang frowned. After eliminating all impossible speculations, the only answer that remained floated to the surface.
"There's a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator in the secret realm!?"
That's right, the tribulation of The Sage's Theft! Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt a wave of absurdity. What was this?
The tribulation for his The Sage's Theft reaching Perfection was actually a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator coming to cause trouble?
Surely not!
Heavens above, this poor Daoist has always been kind to others, how could I have possibly provoked a Foundation Establishment cultivator... '...
Ah.'
The next second, Lu Yang's eyes suddenly widened. 'Yun Miaozhen, the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion?' In this life, there were only two Foundation Establishment cultivators who could hold a grudge against him.
One was the Heaven Mending Peak Master, but he was in the prime of his life and was definitely not at a point where he needed to reincarnate. The other was the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion. And given the scale of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, it was quite normal for them to have a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Because there was already a grudge, he was drawn here by the tribulation of The Sage's Theft? It couldn't be that ridiculous, could it?
At this thought, Lu Yang instantly broke out in a cold sweat, so shocked he almost left the secret realm on the spot and then reported to Daoist Master Yinshan that there was a bad guy in the secret realm. In the end, however, he resisted the urge to leave the secret realm.
It suddenly occurred to him that the secret art he had previously deduced for the final step of cultivating the Supreme Yin Corpse-Shedding Form Transformation True Art, 'transformation after death', was it not in need of a reincarnated Foundation Establishment soul to help perfect it? On the other hand, his The Sage's Theft was not yet perfected.
If he reported it now and Daoist Master Yinshan cleared the field, then he would be left with nothing. Setting aside the Foundation Establishment soul, The Sage's Theft would certainly fall short of success. 'Although it is a tribulation, it is also an opportunity!'
As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are intertwined! Every cause is bound to have an effect, and every deed will be repaid. As long as he could overcome this tribulation with his own power, then the tribulation would transform into a heaven-defying opportunity!
Besides, it was not as if he had no chance of winning. Before, the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light. He knew nothing about them, so his chances were nil.
But now that he knew the truth, things were different! He could very well turn the tables and use their own plot against them! 'That reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator is plotting against me in the dark.
This so-called Martial Dao Celestial was probably his creation. I knew there was something wrong with it.' '... He wants to lure me out!'
'And now that I've only sent out a clone, he's certainly not satisfied. That's right, that's why that Ji Xiongjing suddenly appeared to fight me.' 'If I'm not mistaken, he must have a follow-up plan.
He probably wants to destroy this clone of mine to lure my true body out of my cave residence and away from the protection of my formations. But Ji Xiongjing is no match for this clone of mine. To kill me... they can only join forces with the other Celestials!'
I understand!
I understand it all! Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged, but in his mind, he had already sorted out the Yun family's Old Ancestor's scheme. Vaguely, his comprehension of karma had also deepened.
'So this is Foundation Establishment...' Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely fought to the death, so most of their moves were made through karma. Whoever could calculate the opponent's karma would gain an overwhelming advantage!
'If he wants to kill, I'll let him kill!' Lu Yang pondered for a long time and quickly came up with a countermeasure. As it happened, he was also planning to fight the Martial Dao Celestials to pull the Martial Dao back onto the right track.
But not by creating a fifth step. On this point, the Yun family's Old Ancestor's judgment was very accurate. With Lu Yang's current cultivation level and perspective, even with the help of the Enlightenment Jade Slip, it was impossible for him to take the fifth step.
However, to break the predicament, he didn't actually need to create a new realm. He just needed to make people 'think' he had created a new realm. After all, the key to "The Sage's Theft" was theft.
And to deceive the world and steal a reputation, one didn't need any real substance. 'First, I need a new identity.' Since he wanted everyone to believe he had created a new realm, he needed to be convincing.
For that, a sufficiently impressive origin was indispensable. 'My true name... hmm, let's call it Di Shitian!' 'I have lived for over a thousand years.
I am the only immortal in this world and have already reached this world's limit. I am seeking a method to break through.'
'And the reason I communicate and fight with the Martial Dao Celestials is because I believe that when a person's cultivation reaches the world's apex, to advance further, they must fight and kill each other, sublimating to the extreme between life and death, thereby shattering the shackles of heaven and earth!' 'This realm, I shall call it Shattering the Void!'
'After Shattering the Void, a person can ascend gracefully. This way, no one will know what happened, much less be able to describe the mysteries of this realm.' 'After all, everyone who reached this realm never came back.
No one is around to speak of it.' The unknown brings fear, but it also brings hope. 'I don't even need to describe this realm in detail.
I just need to have a grand battle and demonstrate it in public. They will fill in the blanks themselves.' This was a huge pit!
The fourth step of the Martial Dao was already a dead end; Foundation Establishment was impossible. But the human heart knows no bounds, and the Martial Dao Celestials needed a goal to pursue even more. And this goal, Lu Yang would give them!
As long as he put on a spectacular enough performance in front of everyone, making the so-called 'Shattering the Void' seem ethereal yet tangibly believable. If no one believes it, even what is true becomes false. If people believe it, then no matter how fake it is, it becomes real!
(End of this chapter)