For Lü Yang, this was an unprecedented experience.
He was "ascending."
In some profound and mysterious realm, his position was constantly climbing toward a "higher place," and everything in the mortal world grew increasingly insignificant to him.
’Is this the perspective of a Foundation-Stage Cultivator?’
’Is this... Ascension?!’
Lü Yang had an epiphany. No wonder most Foundation-Stage Cultivators were so elusive, transcending the mortal world. Perhaps this "height" was one of the reasons.
At the same time, he recalled his previous combat with Yun Miaozhen and the "Gloden Flower" she had cast at the end. That Legendary Technique had given him a similar feeling, though not as "high" as this. ’Thinking back now, a Legendary Technique is probably a simulation of Foundation Establishment.’
No wonder it was said that mastering a Legendary Technique could increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment.
It was like the difference between climbing a mountain from the base versus from halfway up. With different starting lines, the difficulty of reaching the summit was naturally different.
The next second, Lü Yang’s spirit was violently shaken.
Immediately after, he felt as if he had landed in a place so dark he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. It seemed to contain everything, yet it was also void and empty. His spiritual perception struggled to expand.
Soon, however, the situation changed.
"You beasts! You bunch of beasts!"
Along with a furious roar, a burst of colorful light erupted in the strange realm. Surrounding it, pillars of black Qi that reached the heavens sealed off all directions.
Both the colorful light and the black qi felt as heavy as mountains to Lü Yang. But from the looks of it, the colorful light was clearly pinned in place by the black Qi. As time passed, large swathes of it were even being eroded, and the once-powerful roar grew weaker and weaker.
’Is this... a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators?’
Lü Yang was filled with shock and uncertainty. He also understood that he was just hitching a ride with Perfected Yin Shan and couldn’t truly witness this great battle between Perfected Persons.
However, relying on the experience from his past lives, he still made a judgment.
’That colorful light is probably the Perfected Person from the Divine Martial Sect... I get it! This is another setup! Only this time, the bait is the entire Skull Mountains!’
Thinking of this, everything suddenly clicked into place for Lü Yang.
Because everything before him solved a puzzle that had long baffled him.
It was obvious that Perfected Yin Shan was fishing in the Skull Mountains for the Wu Ghost Secret Realm. And from his words, it was highly likely related to his own cultivation.
But from beginning to end, Perfected Yin Shan was the only Foundation-Stage Cultivator in the Skull Mountains.
Where were the Foundation-Stage Cultivators from the Divine Martial Sect?
At first, Lü Yang thought Perfected Yin Shan’s methods were so brilliant that he could lay his trap without the Divine Martial Sect’s Perfected Persons noticing. But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.
In fact, it was the complete opposite.
’This Perfected Person probably didn’t hide it at all. Instead, he openly manipulated the karmic links for the sole purpose of luring out the Divine Martial Sect’s Foundation-Stage Cultivators!’
Perfected Yin Shan was in the Skull Mountains, using Lü as bait.
And the Stain Sect was using the entire Northern Border—and Perfected Yin Shan—as bait to fish! Now, the fish had taken the hook. All the Foundation-Stage Cultivators from the Divine Martial Sect had fallen into the trap!
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!
In an instant, Heaven and Earth trembled. A Foundation-Stage Cultivator from the Divine Martial Sect shouted, "Demon Sect, do you truly intend to wipe out the lineage of my Divine Martial Sect?"
"What do you think?"
A Perfected Person from the Stain Sect sneered, "Let me guess, are you pinning your hopes on that bunch of lunatics from the Celestial Sword Pavilion? Let me tell you, they aren’t coming!"
"As far back as ten years ago, during the battle at the Jiangnan Mass Grave, our supreme leader reached an agreement with the Sword Pavilion’s Sect Leader. The Northern Border belongs to our sect, and the Southern Border goes to the Sword Pavilion. So today, our Stain Sect will destroy your Divine Martial Sect, and in the future, the Sword Pavilion will destroy the Poison Sect of the southern frontier. It’s a one-for-one trade. No one loses out."
"What... Impossible! Chong Guang, you’re lying to me!"
Facing the furious accusation from the Divine Martial Sect cultivator, Perfected Chong Guang let out a derisive laugh. "Fine, believe I’m lying. In any case, after today, there will be no more Divine Martial Sect!"
"You... Die!"
In an instant, the colorful light flared, finally transforming into five brilliant Qi traces. Instead of attacking together, they scattered, fleeing rapidly in all directions.
"Scatter! Escape! Try to get back to the Sect..."
"Escape? Wishful thinking!"
It was Perfected Chong Guang again. The Foundation-Stage Cultivator from the Stain Sect seemed particularly domineering at this moment, laughing boisterously. "In Heaven or on Earth, there is nowhere for you to run!"
BOOM!
With a deafening crash, all of Lü Yang’s senses were severed, and he fainted. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he slowly regained consciousness, feeling as if he were in a dream.
"You’re awake?"
A voice sounded by his ear. Lü Yang’s pupils contracted as he became fully awake. He looked around and found he was back in the forests of the Skull Mountains.
Beside him, Perfected Yin Shan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him with a faint, unreadable smile.
"Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Without a second word, Lü Yang immediately performed a grand salute.
"Rise."
Perfected Yin Shan raised a hand and chuckled. "You have rendered me a great service by helping me obtain the Wu Ghost Secret Realm. Therefore, there are a few things I’ll advise you on."
"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother," Lü Yang said respectfully.
"First, I previously forcibly raised your Fortune and helped you seize the Fortune of others. Although this allowed you to advance by leaps and bounds in a short time, the future consequences are severe."
Perfected Yin Shan paused deliberately after speaking. Seeing Lü Yang’s expression remain unchanged, completely unflappable, he nodded slightly and continued, "Therefore, according to my calculations, your luck will be extremely poor for the next thirty years. It’s best you don’t cultivate or go out, otherwise you risk death."
"I will heed your teachings."
Lü Yang dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction. After all, though he had lost thirty years of luck, Perfected Yin Shan had gained an entire Wu Ghost Secret Realm.
’Until you reach Foundation Establishment, you’re just a chess piece... How could a chess piece dare to be dissatisfied?’
’When a Foundation-Stage Cultivator is willing to use you, that in itself is a blessing!’
The fact that Perfected Yin Shan was even willing to warn him was a sign of favor, considering he had joined the Sanhe Association and was, in a sense, one of his own subordinates.
Seeing Lü Yang being so "perceptive," Perfected Yin Shan was quite pleased. He smiled and said, "In any case, you helped me succeed, which counts as a great merit."
"As the one in charge of the Sanhe Association, I always reward meritorious service."
"I see you’ve already broken through to the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining. The next step is nothing more than Foundation Establishment... How about this: I’ll bestow upon you a Foundation Establishment Helper. What do you think?"
At these words, Lü Yang’s eyes widened in an instant.
Foundation Establishment Helper!?
’That’s it... In the life before my last one, Zhao Xuhe most likely obtained his first Foundation Establishment Helper this way. But now, I’ve replaced him...’
No wonder he had been stationed at the Market for so long, even sending people to gather information daily, yet hadn’t seen a single shadow of a Foundation Establishment Helper. ’Thinking about it now, that was probably just a rumor deliberately spread by the Zhao Xuhe of that life to deceive interested parties and muddy the waters.’
Lü Yang’s thoughts raced, filled with excitement and longing.
In the end, however, his expression gradually calmed. After closing his eyes in thought for a moment, he actually shook his head and said, "Senior Brother, may I ask for a different reward?"
"...Oh?"
This time, Perfected Yin Shan was genuinely surprised. "Are you sure? This ’Ascension Order’ in my hand can increase the probability of Foundation Establishment by at least ten percent."
"I’m sure."
Lü Yang nodded. A Foundation Establishment Helper was incredibly precious, but he knew very well that with his Fortune damaged for the next thirty years, he wouldn’t be able to hold onto it!
For him now, a Foundation Establishment Helper was not an opportunity, but the root of disaster. It could very well lead to his untimely death... a hint of which could be seen from Zhao Xuhe’s fate in that past life. Therefore, with great willpower, Lü Yang forcibly suppressed the greed in his heart.
’For me, there’s no need to rush...’
’I’ve only just reached the Final-phase of Qi Refining. I still have a lot of room to grow, like with Legendary Techniques... I can just as well come back for a Foundation Establishment Helper in a few lifetimes...’
Lü Yang’s firm answer made Perfected Yin Shan fall silent.
To be honest, he hadn’t planned on paying much attention to Lü Yang at first. It was mainly because he saw Lü Yang break through two layers in a row, understood how to assess situations, and was a member of the Sanhe Association that he developed some thoughts of nurturing him.
After a moment, he spoke again. "What reward do you want to switch to?"
Lü Yang answered without hesitation, "I want an artifact that can enhance my Dao Wisdom."
After all, for his Legendary Technique, the Lunar Shedding Technique, he was still missing the Heaven Divination Talisman, which he had yet to master. And that part just so happened to heavily rely on Dao Wisdom.
If you couldn’t get it, you just couldn’t get it.
So, without an artifact to enhance his Dao Wisdom, Lü Yang estimated that it would be almost impossible for him to master this technique, even in a few more lifetimes.