Chapter 142: The Struggle for Jiangdong, The Bloodline of the Zouyu

Where is the most concealed place for True Persons to converse?

Very simple: within the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Inside the Foundation Establishment Realm, the 【Bi Feng】 winds blow year-round without dispersing; any soul or spiritual sense finds it difficult to remain for long, so conversations held here hardly need worry about being overheard.

Thus, at True Person Yu Zhi's suggestion, Lu Yang first offered his apologies to the other two True Persons, then transformed into light and retreated into the Foundation Establishment Realm; shortly after, he saw that outside the auspicious clouds formed by his own Dao Foundation, a long-tailed exotic beast with a tiger's body, a mythical lion's head, white fur, and black markings was walking toward him.

This was precisely Yu Zhi's Dao Foundation.

The moment the two made contact, the exotic beast dissolved into light and shadow and vanished, from which Yu Zhi's figure emerged; without a word, he immediately performed a deep bow to Lu Yang:

"Zouyu bloodline descendant 【Zhi】 pays respects to fellow Daoist."

"Zouyu..."

Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged, but behind his back, one hand silently began calculating; however, he discovered that the karmic weight of this name was unimaginably heavy!

"Fellow Daoist need not waste magic power; the karma of the Zouyu is too heavy to calculate so easily." Yu Zhi seemed to have guessed Lu Yang's thoughts and spoke frankly: "Since this concerns 【Cheng Tou Tu】, and you, fellow Daoist, are now the True Person with the greatest hope of ascending to the position, I will naturally explain all the related karma in detail."

Having said this, his expression suddenly turned solemn: "The Zouyu is the former incarnation of Tian Wu!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Yang's eyebrows instantly arched.

This was only possible because they were within the Foundation Establishment Realm; had the two still been in the present world, this single sentence alone would have stirred karma, causing those with intent to feel an inexplicable resonance.

"Zouyu... Tian Wu."

Lu Yang quickly understood Yu Zhi's meaning, yet could not help feeling astonished: "The Jiangdong Dao Court... actually had more than one ruling house, with dynasties rising and falling?"

This was simply absurd!

Lu Yang could not comprehend it at all; a power like the Jiangdong Dao Court, guarded by a Nascent Soul expert and surely possessing more than one Golden Core True Person, could actually undergo a change of dynasty?

"This matter... involves many hidden secrets." Yu Zhi sighed: "In short, our Zouyu clan were the original rulers of the former Jiangdong Dao Court; Tian Wu rose to power later. Had the great tribulation of the previous millennium not fallen upon Jiangdong, our Zouyu clan might have already achieved an unparalleled hegemony..."

Speaking to this point, Yu Zhi could not help but reveal an expression of bitter hatred.

"... n short, since then, our clan was forced to flee far away, while our former foundations were carved up by various factions."

"Tian Wu seized the foundations of Jiangdong, the Sword Pavilion took the treasured vaults, and the Holy Sect—ah, the elders of the Holy Sect, in their boundless compassion, took us in."

Yu Zhi spoke very tactfully, his tone full of gratitude.

However, since everyone present was from the Holy Sect, Lu Yang naturally understood the subtext; after all, it was common knowledge that what the Holy Sect valued most was talent worthy of a billion uses.

As for the final Pure Land—

"【Cheng Tou Tu】?"

"Indeed." Yu Zhi nodded: "【Cheng Tou Tu】 was the fruit position of our clan in former times, and also the most important one, yet it was lost within the Pure Land."

"The Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land used great magic power to forcibly seal 【Cheng Tou Tu】; had the last imperial descendant of our clan not destroyed himself along with his enemy on his deathbed, voluntarily erasing all cultivation methods and Dao Foundations related to that fruit position, thereby causing the position to vanish from the world and become nearly impossible to prove again, the Pure Land would likely have gained another Bodhisattva by now."

"... o?"

Lu Yang narrowed his eyes slightly: "Surely Fellow Daoist Yu does not mean that, seeing my Foundation Establishment attracted a response from 【Cheng Tou Tu】, you have come specifically to pledge loyalty?"

"Exactly so!"

Yu Zhi's face was filled with emotion: "Although our Zouyu clan currently resides in Jiangbei, generation after generation has never ceased longing for our homeland, hoping that one day we may return to Jiangdong."

"And now, another great millennial tribulation approaches."

"I am here representing the Zouyu clan to pledge our loyalty to you, fellow Daoist."

"If you, fellow Daoist, can truly rise with the wind, borrow the karmic fortune of the great tribulation, and prove 【Cheng Tou Tu】, then our Zouyu clan can also revive once more and regain control of the Jiangdong region..."

By the end of his speech, Yu Zhi had become quite excited.

Lu Yang kept nodding repeatedly as he listened, cooperating by displaying a smile on his face, and even clapping twice at key moments, yet he remained silent throughout.

Gradually, Yu Zhi realized what was happening.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan Tu?"

Yu Zhi spoke, but seeing Lu Yang still wearing a smile, the latter suddenly changed the subject: "Fellow Daoist Yu Zhi, how long has your Zouyu clan been part of the Holy Sect?"

Hearing this, Yu Zhi paused in surprise: "It has been several thousand years."

"Then you are veterans of the old Holy Sect." Lu Yang nodded, then stared straight at Yu Zhi: "In all these years, have you learned nothing at all?"

Only then did Yu Zhi suddenly understand.

The next second, he hurriedly took a Daoist scripture from his sleeve: "I heard that fellow Daoist favors array formations and talisman arts, so I have specially brought this volume as a gift..."

"Brother Yu is too polite!"

Lu Yang burst into hearty laughter, and while accepting the scripture, he affectionately patted Yu Zhi on the shoulder; Yu Zhi could only force a smile while cursing inwardly:

Truly a True Person of the Holy Sect!

Always refusing to release the eagle until the rabbit is seen; if I had known this, why would I have said so much? I should have just offered the benefits directly, and he would have treated me closer than his own brother!

The next second, Lu Yang put away the scripture, approached with an eager smile, and said: "Speaking of which, Brother Yu, how many Foundation Establishment True Persons does your lineage have? Are there any at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment? If so, could you invite a senior to come and lend me a hand? I will surely offer generous rewards in the future!"

You really have no shame!

Yu Zhi decisively shook his head: "Our clan is not what it once was; nowadays we have only one ancestor at the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment, but alas, his lifespan is nearly exhausted, so he cannot be lightly moved..."

"Oh."

Lu Yang's expression rapidly turned cold: "Fellow Daoist Yu, I am currently burdened with the important mission of exterminating the Shenwu Sect; let us discuss other matters later."

Facing the Holy Sect's characteristic trait of turning its face and denying acquaintance, Yu Zhi, being an old True Person of the Holy Sect himself, was long accustomed to it; thus, he simply cupped his hands and said: "Then let us discuss the details later; after all, our Zouyu clan are the former imperial descendants of Jiangdong and the old masters of 【Cheng Tou Tu】; you will need us, fellow Daoist."

Having spoken, he voluntarily retreated out of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Lu Yang remained where he was, his face showing an expression of contemplation: "One 【Cheng Tou Tu】, yet its karma involves not only the Pure Land but also connects to Jiangdong..."

With such heavy karma, 【Cheng Tou Tu】 is likely no ordinary fruit position.

Lu Yang had already detected hints of this from his own innate divine ability; ordinary innate divine abilities probably would not possess so many profound mysteries as his.

"Very well, there is no rush."

Lu Yang saw the situation clearly; naturally, he could not believe Yu Zhi's words of pledging loyalty. The other party clearly had other schemes and merely needed his assistance.

Although Yu Zhi spoke with extravagant flair, acting as though Lu Yang must obtain their support to ascend to the Golden Core, Lu Yang's heart was bright: in this relationship, he was the one holding the initiative; it was they who sought his help, not he who sought theirs.

If he did not take this opportunity to extort them heavily, he would not deserve to be called a member of the Holy Sect!

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly felt a stir in his heart; he sensed that the originally calm web of karma suddenly rippled, and a certain karmic thread underwent a change.

"... ure enough, they have come."

Instantly casting the matter of the Zouyu to the back of his mind, Lu Yang curled the corner of his mouth slightly and gazed toward the far northern lands... He had known the other party would not let this opportunity slip.

Arhat Fu Long!

"While I hid within the Holy Sect, he naturally had no recourse; but now that I have emerged, how could he sit idly by? This was likely within True Person Master Chongguang's expectations as well."

The Holy Sect does not raise useless people.

Since True Person Master Chongguang had invested capital, he naturally wished to see a return; Lu Yang must prove his capabilities to him before he would continue investing.

And Arhat Fu Long was the touchstone he had given Lu Yang!

The next second, Lu Yang suddenly raised his eyebrows, because near Arhat Fu Long, he sensed another familiar karmic connection that left a deep impression.

"... s it him?"

—Guang Ming had also come.

(End of Chapter)