The instant Lu Yang reported to Daoist Master Yinshan, the Yun family's Old Ancestor inside the secret realm suddenly felt a shiver run through his entire body, as if a great disaster was about to befall him. ... It's that clone of yours.
The Yun family's Old Ancestor pinched his fingers to perform a divination and instantly understood the cause and effect. Immediately after, a trace of despair appeared on his face.
"In the end, it is a tribulation that cannot be escaped."
The most important part of his reincarnation this time was secrecy. He had relied entirely on the Sword Pavilion Sect Master to conceal the heavenly secrets, which was how he had avoided detection. But once discovered, not even the Sword Pavilion Sect Master could save him.
In other words, this final gamble where he had staked his life had failed completely. The Sect Master's mission was not completed, and there was no longer any hope of returning to the Foundation Establishment Realm. And without him, the Yun family's status in the Sword Pavilion would plummet.
They would no longer be the lofty Foundation Establishment immortal clan, and might even be on the verge of annihilation... ... No, there is still a chance! The Yun family's Old Ancestor looked at Lu Yang, a horrifying killing intent suddenly appearing in his eyes.
His hatred for Lu Yang was so immense that all the waters of the three rivers could not wash it clean. The next second, a look of grim determination appeared on his face.
With a single thought, the Supreme Taiyi Golden Flower that originally surrounded him rapidly flowed backward, finally gathering completely at his fingertip and transforming into a sharp sword qi. This sword qi was a divine ability called "One Slash to Settle the Origin, Enduring with the World."
Don't be fooled by the sword qi's ordinary appearance; in truth, it could directly lock onto an enemy's karma. Once the sword was unleashed, as long as the target's karma did not disperse, the sword qi would not dissipate.
In the past, the Witch Ghost Sect had been completely annihilated by the Sect Master of that generation's Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, a Golden Core True Monarch, using this very divine ability. Not a single person was left alive.
And because the Witch Ghost Sect had left behind a secret realm inheritance, their karma had not fully dispersed, so the sword qi had also persisted for a thousand years. However, this was not a slash that an ordinary cultivator could unleash. Because it involved karma, it could not be used by anyone below the Foundation Establishment Realm.
And since the Yun family's Old Ancestor had now fallen from his Foundation Establishment status, the only way for him to execute this slash was to sacrifice his life. In other words, he wanted to perish together with his enemy.
"With the 'Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument' to conceal the heavenly secrets, I will sacrifice my life to slay this Demon, then reincarnate. Perhaps there is still a sliver of hope to escape this predicament..."
Although this was already his second reincarnation, he was now being forced to begin a third one before even returning to the Foundation Establishment Realm. This would cause extremely severe wear on his Dao practice.
Even if he really managed to escape, in the future he would inevitably be trapped by the confusion of the womb, becoming a common mortal, never again to achieve transcendence. ... At the very least, I'll kill you first! The Yun family's Old Ancestor stared intently at Lu Yang, then activated the divine ability.
His entire body's essence, qi, and spirit violently disintegrated, all of it flowing into the sharp sword qi he had condensed.
Slash!
With a furious roar, the sword qi whistled out, falling directly towards Lu Yang's position. In an instant, Lu Yang felt an intense sense of crisis. You want to risk your life against me?
With a thought, Lu Yang's figure completely merged into the Sage's Aspect behind him. He then manipulated the Sage's Aspect to extend two sky-propping hands to grab the sword qi. The two became entangled.
The hands of the Sage's Aspect were mangled by the sword qi, flesh and bone torn apart, but the sword qi also had a large chunk forcibly torn off by its hands. However, on the sword qi's side, as long as Lu Yang's karma remained, the sword qi immediately absorbed the energy of heaven and earth to replenish itself.
The torn part of the sword qi instantly returned to its original state. On the other side, the Sage's Aspect was in a similar situation. After all, it was just a manifestation created by Lu Yang using qi, not a true physical entity.
The moment he circulated his magical power, he immediately regenerated the missing flesh and blood. The two sides were thus locked in a stalemate. Seeing this scene, the Yun family's Old Ancestor sighed, but he did not linger.
At this moment, he no longer had a physical body, with only a soul remaining in the world. Before the Daoist Master from the Saint Sect arrived, reincarnating as soon as possible was the best course of action. Just then, the Yun family's Old Ancestor suddenly felt a chill sweep through his heart.
Looking back, he saw Lu Yang in the distance, smirking at him: Senior, why the rush to leave? The next second, he saw that Lu Yang was holding a ball of his aura in his hand. Lu Yang then drew a circle of light and used the aura to project his figure within it. ...
Not good!
The Yun family's Old Ancestor's pupils instantly shrank. Amid his shock and anger, he was utterly bewildered.
"The Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art... how did he capture my aura?"
The Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art could kill enemies from a distance as long as one captured their aura. The Yun family's Old Ancestor had long since calculated that Lu Yang had learned this divine ability. Therefore, during their fight, he had paid extreme attention to concealing his aura, giving Lu Yang absolutely no chance to capture it.
It should have been foolproof... But he never expected that his aura would still be captured by Lu Yang! And in his current state, having lost his physical body with only his soul remaining, if this art were to strike him, his soul would likely scatter and dissipate immediately, with no chance of reincarnation!
For a moment, the Yun family's Old Ancestor had no choice but to postpone his reincarnation, instead activating the 'Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument' in his soul form, hoping to block Lu Yang's Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art.
Too late!
Lu Yang waved his hand, severing the image of the Yun family's Old Ancestor within the circle of light. The Yun family's Old Ancestor immediately focused his spirit, preparing to counter it. Then, nothing happened.
The Yun family's Old Ancestor blinked, stunned. The long-distance curse of the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art that he had imagined did not appear. It was as if it had been fake... ...
No!
It was fake! He was stalling for time! The Yun family's Old Ancestor was suddenly jolted awake.
Daring not to linger any longer, he waved his hand to open a black passage, and his soul was about to rush into it. However, in that very instant, a vast and powerful aura abruptly entered the Refining Arts Secret Realm! Heaven and Earth, be sealed!
A majestic voice resounded both inside and outside the secret realm, its words like law. The black passage that the Yun family's Old Ancestor had just opened was instantly sealed shut again.
No—!!!
That black passage was the path to reincarnation. Seeing this, the Yun family's Old Ancestor let out a wretched scream. His soul fluctuated violently as he looked at Lu Yang with a ferocious expression, "You dared to trick me!?"
What can you do to me? Lu Yang smiled faintly. Just then, another large hand reached in from outside the secret realm, grabbed the sword qi that was relentlessly entangled with him, and with a light pinch, crushed it to dust.
No matter how strong a divine ability was, it was still useless in the face of a higher status. 'So this is Foundation Establishment.' Lu Yang sighed in his heart.
Even though he had seen it many times, the way a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master could completely crush a Qi Refining cultivator still filled him with a sense of awe. The next second, Daoist Master Yinshan's figure appeared beside Lu Yang.
Well done.
Daoist Master Yinshan praised him, then turned to look at the Yun family's Old Ancestor's soul and laughed heartily.
"So it was you, Yun Qingchuan, you old scoundrel."
Yinshan...
The Yun family's Old Ancestor's eyes darted around, as if he wanted to say something more, but before he could speak, Daoist Master Yinshan raised his hand and brought a palm down on his soul.
Boom!
The next second, all of the Yun family's Old Ancestor's consciousness was erased by Daoist Master Yinshan, leaving only a blank soul held in his hand. Having fallen from the Foundation Establishment Realm, although his soul still retained a slight trace of its former status, it was no match for a true Foundation Establishment Daoist Master.
What's more, after the Skull Mountain incident, Daoist Master Yinshan's cultivation level had also improved. He was now in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, far beyond what the Yun family's Old Ancestor could compare to.
Buzz!
With the Yun family's Old Ancestor dead, the Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument was left without a master. Daoist Master Yinshan naturally didn't stand on ceremony, immediately seizing and suppressing it, holding it in his hand to examine it. A fine treasure, truly a fine treasure...
The Yun family's Old Ancestor was able to use this treasure to conceal the heavenly secrets and reincarnate into the secret realm without anyone noticing. This showed how high its quality was, tempting even Daoist Master Yinshan. However, this matter involved the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion and the soul of a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master.
According to the sect rules, he had to report it and let the Sect Master decide. But once he reported it, this wondrous treasure could no longer be hidden. It would surely become the target of all eyes, and with his strength and status, he might not be able to keep it...
Just then, Lu Yang suddenly stepped forward and bowed. Senior Brother, this junior brother dares to make an impertinent request... I wonder if I might borrow the soul of that righteous path Foundation Establishment cultivator for a time?
I will surely return it in its original state within ten years.
Oh?
You want this old scoundrel's soul? Daoist Master Yinshan raised an eyebrow, then shook his head.
"You certainly are audacious. However, this matter concerns the Sword Pavilion. After I report it, the Sect Master will surely ask about it. At that time, neither the soul nor the magical artifact can be kept."
However... it's not like there isn't a workaround. At this point, Daoist Master Yinshan suddenly changed the subject, looking at Lu Yang with a half-smile.
"Many things, if you don't put them on the scales, see a thousand pounds weigh but a few ounces."
If you help me conceal this matter, with no one reporting it and no one investigating, then both the soul and the magical artifact can be kept. Lu Yang was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then he revealed a puzzled expression.
"Conceal what matter?" ...
Good!
As expected of a disciple of my Saint Sect. You will accomplish great things! The two looked at each other, a tacit understanding passing between them.
The next second, Daoist Master Yinshan tossed the Yun family's Old Ancestor's soul into Lu Yang's hands. He then put away the Heaven-Scrutinizing Instrument and gracefully departed.
(End of this chapter)