Primordial Saint Sect, Heaven Mending Peak. The very moment Xiao Shiye drew the Rainbow Merit Fish and began refining it, Yu Suzhen made her move, activating Stealing Heaven's Secrets.
And the vast cultivation level and fortune from the Rainbow Merit Fish, which could allow a mortal to reach the Perfection of Qi Refining overnight, were naturally accepted with a smile by Yu Suzhen. In an instant, Yu Suzhen's cultivation level soared! Everything happened so fast that even Yu Suzhen herself could not react.
However, this did not stop her ecstatic joy. Could this be her opportunity?
"Am I going to ascend to heaven in a single step?"
The very next second this thought appeared in Yu Suzhen's mind, a familiar sensation suddenly spread from her Dantian, quickly sweeping through her entire body. This is Stealing Heaven's Secrets? For a moment, Yu Suzhen's lovely face changed drastically.
She incredulously sensed her aura, which should have been breaking through to the Perfection of Qi Refining, begin to fall back at an even faster rate. She was all too familiar with this feeling. During this time, she had controlled countless disciples and created countless puppets, but only at this moment did she realize she was also someone else's puppet!
But when?
Who had acted against her without her even knowing? Soon, a feeling of weakness washed over her. Joy turned to sorrow, and terror replaced ecstasy.
The feeling of having her cultivation level slowly plundered twisted Yu Suzhen's pretty face, and she could not help but cry out: "Wait, wait a moment." Before her voice could fall, the suction force suddenly doubled. In the next second, Yu Suzhen's aura plummeted to rock bottom.
Her True Qi, cultivation level, fortune, and even her soul were drained away, flowing out of the Saint Sect. Almost simultaneously, two fissures suddenly appeared inside Yu Suzhen's cave residence. Immediately after, two figures, one after the other, strolled out from the fissures.
Their gazes fell upon Yu Suzhen's corpse at the first moment.
"A step too late."
Daoist Hongyun's expression was calm, but his pair of bone-chillingly cold eyes revealed the extent of his fury at this moment. The next second, he turned his head, his gaze fixed squarely on the Heaven Mending Peak Master: "Chen Taihe, do you want to fight me?" Throughout the entire Saint Sect, everyone knew of his condition.
No matter who it was, anyone who dared to snatch the bait he used to fish for fortune was tantamount to shortening his lifespan, and they would surely face his most ferocious retaliation. Therefore, on this point, even Daoist Master Chongguang, who had the greatest conflict with him, did not dare to act. After all, his status was too high.
Even though he was not what he once was, he was still not someone an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could compare to. However, Daoist Hongyun had never expected that the Heaven Mending Peak Master, with whom he had only had some minor squabbles, would actually conceal karma and do something so drastic!
"Daoist friend Hongyun, please calm down."
Compared to the furious Hongyun, the Heaven Mending Peak Master appeared quite calm.
"The one who acted was that junior who previously took the karma of the Coiling Dragon inheritance."
"If we follow this trail of aura, we might still be able to retrieve that Rainbow Merit Fish. Although it will surely be diminished, it's better than getting nothing at all. Of course, if Daoist friend insists on a battle, I don't mind witnessing the style of a former True Monarch."
The Heaven Mending Peak Master likewise had no intention of offending Daoist Hongyun to the point of no return. After all, he just wanted to do Chongguang a favor, so he only needed to reduce Daoist Hongyun's gains. There was no need to make him end up with nothing.
This way, he would not be seen as a thorn in Daoist Hongyun's side, a pain in his flesh. At most, the relationship between them would worsen, which was not great to begin with. Plus, with the great enemy Chongguang in front, it was not a major issue.
Everything was within his plan. The Heaven Mending Peak Master smiled indifferently, then pinched his fingers to make a calculation and quickly found Lu Yang's direction. He immediately took a step, crossing the void in pursuit.
Seeing this, Daoist Hongyun gritted his teeth slightly but could only follow closely behind. Meanwhile, inside the Witch Ghost Secret Realm. As a stream of light shuttled through the void and arrived, Lu Yang abruptly opened his eyes.
A look of joy appeared, but at the same time, he glanced gravely in the direction of the Primordial Saint Sect.
"Old bastard... you really are plotting against me!"
Lu Yang let out a breath, but he was not flustered. That the Heaven Mending Peak Master and Daoist Hongyun would chase after him was within his expectations. In fact, it was exactly what he wanted!
Thinking of this, Lu Yang looked at the Innate Primordial-Unity Qi Divine Talisman in his arms. The next second, he took off this supreme treasure that could conceal karma, actively leaving its protection, and instead sent it into the Witch Ghost Secret Realm!
"At this point, there's no meaning in hiding my karma anymore. Instead, the karma of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm needs to be concealed. Once the Heaven Mending Peak Master arrives and fails to calculate that this is the Witch Ghost Secret Realm, if he opens it rashly, the Golden Core sword qi inside the secret realm can give him a nasty surprise."
Thinking of this, a ruthless glint flashed through Lu Yang's eyes.
"Although the foundation of the Saint Sect is far beyond what the Witch Ghost Dao can compare to, and the Heaven Mending Peak Master is the master of a peak, he might have a life-saving item of the Golden Core level."
"But after taking a strike from a Golden Core sword qi, it's impossible for him to be completely unscathed."
"At that time, if I can successfully refine a Foundation Establishment guardian god, I can take the opportunity to beat a dog in the water and avenge the humiliation of being crushed to death by his single finger in my past life."
Thinking of this, Lu Yang dared not delay.
"Begin refining the guardian god immediately!"
Stealing Heaven's Secrets activated. The stream of light in his hand dispersed, revealing Yu Suzhen's dazed soul, as well as the vast cultivation level and fortune belonging to the Rainbow Merit Fish. The next second, Lu Yang unfurled the Myriad Spirits Banner.
A black light shimmered on it, and tens of thousands of Witch Ghosts roared in unison. Among them were the eight red-robed ghosts required to cultivate the Mysterious Underworld Palace Lord Seizing the Nether Position. As the flag banner swayed, the Yama Demon Hall once displayed by the Listening Nether Patriarch reappeared.
"Great All-Gathering Clone Divine Art!"
Lu Yang formed a hand seal, his movements unceasing. His vast spiritual sense transformed into a great hand, enveloping Yu Suzhen's soul, grasping it, and refining it in an instant.
"Ah—!"
Yu Suzhen's mournful wail rang out, but it quickly weakened. Then, it transformed into a ball of spiritual light, re-condensing into a new soul. The brand new soul was identical to Yu Suzhen, but it had been completely re-refined by Lu Yang from the inside out.
At this moment, it stared at Lu Yang with vacant eyes. Soon, the soul gradually solidified. The originally naked, delicate body was finally covered by a thin gauze.
A snow-white dress bloomed like a lotus flower, and a pair of small, exquisite bare feet hovered in mid-air. Originally, at this step, the guardian god would be considered successfully refined. However, Lu Yang was still not at ease.
After all, he planned to have her feign the power of Foundation Establishment, but what if she became too strong and escaped his control? This was something he had to guard against. After all, he did not want to one day have to say, "What a Yu Suzhen, this world is truly full of countless heroes."
That would be a real disaster. Therefore, he did not stop. Instead, he shook the Myriad Spirits Banner and drew the guardian god back into it.
At the same time, he inscribed a large number of self-destruct restrictions onto Yu Suzhen's soul—a triple insurance. As soon as she had a single thought of betrayal, she would be doomed beyond recovery, ensuring Lu Yang would not suffer a backlash. Another moment passed like this.
As Lu Yang formed a hand seal, Yu Suzhen's vacant eyes suddenly lit up, like adding the pupils to a painted dragon. Her stalled thoughts began to function again at this moment. The next second, she looked at Lu Yang.
Her full, delicate body slowly knelt down, her fair forehead pressing tightly against the ground. Her crisp and pleasant voice was filled with obedience: "This slave greets Master." Seeing this, Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction.
"You are no longer the soul you once were. From now on, you will be called Sunü."
As a guardian god, and with the Myriad Spirits Banner and the self-destruct restrictions in place, Sunü's life and death were now within a single thought from him. There was no need to worry about her stabbing him in the back.
"... Return to your position."
With a thought from Lu Yang, Sunü, who had been refined into a guardian god, immediately floated up and landed inside the Yama Demon Hall, sitting gracefully on the main seat. Immediately after, Lu Yang threw the fortune of the Rainbow Merit Fish into the Yama Demon Hall.
The fortune was like fire, as if quenching refined iron, causing the originally simply pieced-together Yama Demon Hall to gradually be forged into a single entity. However, just at this moment— Boom! With a loud bang, Lu Yang suddenly raised his head.
His gaze pierced through the Witch Ghost Secret Realm and saw a fissure in the void suddenly appear above Skull Mountain. The Heaven Mending Peak Master and Daoist Hongyun strolled out. The great enemy has arrived