Chapter 129: Another One in the Foundation Establishment Realm!

In the Star Realm, to be precise, there was no longer a sky above; only a spectacle remained, one that had completely merged with heaven and earth, manifesting as mountains and rivers.

【Ten Thousand Gu Cave】!

Above this mountain cave, a mass of golden auspicious clouds churned and surged, occasionally emitting thunderous peals, while the shadowy form of a true dragon flickered within the clouds.

As it inhaled and exhaled the heavens and earth, breathing in spiritual energy, the scale of these auspicious clouds continued to expand.

Only after expanding to cover a range of over a thousand li did the auspicious clouds finally halt, hanging high in the sky, radiating an intent of perfect completeness and self-contained flawlessness.

This was the 【Myriad Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】!

At this moment, the auspicious clouds covering a thousand li were merely the Dao Foundation manifesting an image by borrowing qi; the true Dao Foundation, along with Lu Yang's main body, was located within the vast Foundation Establishment Realm.

"What a magnificent Foundation Establishment Realm."

Whether one had established a foundation or not was ultimately a difference between heaven and earth; although he had gathered ten parts of certainty before breaking through, killing Qi Refining cultivators like cutting grass, and appearing no different from a Foundation Establishment True Person in the eyes of Qin Tianhe and others, only after truly stepping into this realm did his thoughts and perceptions, and everything he felt, change as if the world had turned upside down.

"Boom!"

Lu Yang's eyes opened and closed; light and electricity seemed to flash within them, yet in the next instant, within his field of vision, a terrifying thunderclap truly exploded where the auspicious clouds hovered!

A single thought moves heaven and earth; it is nothing more than this!

This did not even require him to consume much magic power; it was just like lifting a brush to paint on paper, a casual act that required what effort?

Having stepped into Foundation Establishment in one morning, Lu Yang experienced a sudden enlightenment, spontaneously comprehending many things, including various secrets of Foundation Establishment; parts that were previously difficult to fathom now became clear. Gazing around the Foundation Establishment Realm, however, he frowned slightly: "No wonder Foundation Establishment True Persons live for three hundred years; this place is not a blessed land."

The Foundation Establishment Realm was something every Qi Refining cultivator coveted.

Yet after truly stepping inside, Lu Yang discovered this was no cave heaven or blessed land; on the contrary, this place was a perilous ground rarely found in the ages!

"When constructing the Dao Foundation, ten thousand heart demons come to disturb."

Initially, Lu Yang thought that once his Dao Foundation was built, these formless heart demons would vanish like smoke, but in reality, it was not so.

"Named 【Heart Demons】, it is actually just an empty title."

Only after truly establishing the foundation could one see through the exterior of the heart demons and learn their true nature: it was actually a wind, a great wind that blew year-round within the Foundation Establishment Realm without dispersing.

"Its name is 【Bi】."

This wind was bizarre; blowing in through the fontanelle, penetrating the dantian, striking directly at the nine orifices, and dissipating the soul. Blowing back and forth just once could cause one's soul to fly apart and scatter!

Only the Dao Foundation could reduce the damage from this Bi wind; therefore, cultivators who broke through to Foundation Establishment still had hope of survival if the first step of ascending failed, but if the second step of establishing the foundation failed, death was certain, simply because without a formed Dao Foundation, the soul had nothing to rely upon, and facing the Bi wind meant certain death!

Previously viewing it as heart demons was merely being blinded by a single leaf.

What was even more terrifying was that even after constructing the Dao Foundation, having its protection only reduced the damage from the Bi wind rather than granting complete immunity.

Over time, it would still erode the soul.

This time limit was three hundred years!

"Foundation Establishment True Persons live for three hundred years in one lifetime, not because True Persons have a heavenly lifespan of only three hundred years, but because after three hundred years, the soul can no longer withstand the erosion of the Bi wind!"

"Therefore, once three hundred years pass, one must reincarnate."

"After reincarnation, relying on the mystery of samsara to make up for the damage the Bi wind inflicted on one's soul, one can then re-ascend to the Foundation Establishment Realm and enjoy another three hundred years of heavenly lifespan."

This was an unsolvable dilemma.

Without stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm, the heavenly lifespan was at most one hundred and fifty years; yet after stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm, under the erosion of the Bi wind, the lifespan was exactly three hundred years, no more.

Under such circumstances, it was conceivable that the number of Foundation Establishment True Persons would absolutely not be too large; however, as long as the great immortal sects under heaven maintained orderly succession and had a massive base of Qi Refining disciples to support them, the number of Foundation Establishment True Persons would likely not be too small either, at least maintaining a certain level.

Not to mention that Foundation Establishment True Persons could also reincarnate and start over.

'It's almost like a planned, deliberate control!?'

A guess that was terrifying upon careful thought suddenly leaped into Lu Yang's mind, only to be instantly dismissed; he would not think too much or delve too deep, for some matters were best left vaguely understood.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang quickly shifted his thoughts:

"Come to think of it, after establishing my foundation, I seem to have become a blank slate again."

Before establishing his foundation, he possessed great divine abilities, along with the Blood Sun Sword Pellet and the Myriad Souls Banner, making him fully equipped; yet after establishing his foundation, the situation had undergone tremendous changes.

First, the Blood Sun Sword Pellet had already been declared ruined when he previously unleashed the 【Twelve Capital Divine Fiend Calamity Light】; even if it had remained, it would be useless to him now, after all, with his Dao Foundation unfurled and auspicious clouds spanning a thousand li, the Blood Sun Sword Pellet compared to it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

Although the Myriad Souls Banner still had some use, it was not much.

After all, the Dharma Protector Spirit Lady Su counted as a Foundation Establishment expert; even though her utility was greatly diminished for him now, using her as a shield was still feasible.

As for the great divine abilities, they were not useless either.

It was just that compared to the advantages he had during Qi Refining, great divine abilities, being standard equipment for Foundation Establishment True Persons, were nothing remarkable anymore and would hardly allow him to stay ahead of others.

"No rush, take it slow; there are still a few opportunities."

Lu Yang's mind raced, and he soon recalled that heavenly treasure held by the Patriarch of the Yun family; the Patriarch of the Yun family could even use it to deceive the perception of a True Person!

"Such a supreme treasure ought to be used by me, lest a bright pearl be covered in dust!"

Restraining his thoughts, Lu Yang then turned his spiritual sense outward; the auspicious clouds covering a thousand li gradually converged, dissolving their form and entering through his nose and mouth.

Looking back, Lu Yang realized he had landed in the sky; behind him was the Holy Sect's cloud sea touching the heavens, where True Person Qingcheng Qingcheng Feixue's Dharma Body filled the space between heaven and earth, while opposite him stood the True Persons of the Pure Land and the Dao Court. At this moment, the gazes of fully three True Persons almost simultaneously fell upon him!

The next second, voices rang in Lu Yang's ears.

"Congratulations, young friend; from now on, there is one more True Person within the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"Young friend, you are a talented youth rare in the world; pity that you are deeply entrenched in the demonic path, truly a waste of talent. If you join my Dao Court, you could at least be appointed to a Duty Post."

A Duty Post of the Dao Court was equivalent to Foundation Establishment.

The Dao Court cultivated the "Path of Patrolling on Behalf of Heaven," where official rank was cultivation realm; they conferred twelve Duty Posts, each governing a great province, all being outstanding figures among Foundation Establishment experts.

Presumably, a Duty Post holder would be at least at the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment; if it was a Duty Post near the Dao Court's hub, it might even be a Great True Person at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!

Before Lu Yang could respond to this, another voice drifted over lightly:

"Amitabha, benefactor, you have cultivated the 【Myriad Chariots Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】; this shows you have affinity with my Pure Land. If you are willing to take refuge, in the future you will certainly attain the fruit of a Bodhisattva."

Bodhisattva? True Person!?

Lu Yang's pupils contracted sharply; a Bodhisattva of the Pure Land was a Golden Core True Person; were they promising that if he joined the Pure Land, he would have hope of attaining the status of a Golden Core True Person?

At this moment, Lu Yang's heart pounded with excitement.

Nevertheless, he without hesitation put on an appearance of unwavering loyalty, turning a deaf ear to the recruitment attempts of the two True Persons.

The next second, a mighty spiritual sense descended from the sky, directly blowing away the many voices around his ears; there, True Person Qingcheng Qingcheng Feixue was smiling at him:

"You performed well in this Battle for the Dao this time; you are indeed a disciple of my Holy Sect."

"... our Excellency overpraises me."

Lu Yang bowed respectfully, then glanced toward the two True Persons of the Pure Land and Dao Court in the distance, who had actually never spoken openly from start to finish.

Had they really been recruiting him just now?

Recalling the Holy Sect's consistent style of handling affairs, Lu Yang had reason to suspect: Damn it, could it be that those bloody Holy Sect True Persons were fishing for him?

(End of Chapter)