Chapter 149: On Protracted War

Time always passes quickly.

Especially when Lu Yang was wholeheartedly holed up in the Holy Sect, refusing to stick his head out no matter how the wind blew and rain fell outside, it became even more impossible for him to encounter any trouble.

Time flew by.

Inside the meditation chamber at Luofeng Mountain, a Daoist scripture lay before Lu Yang; the 【Sky-Exploring Instrument】 in his brow shimmered with brilliant colors, while his handsome face was filled with conflicted expression.

"Wrong... right, right, right... wrong, wrong, right...?"

After quite some time had passed like this, Lu Yang suddenly opened his eyes, revealing pupils blazing with crimson light, within which countless runes seemed to circulate faintly.

Almost simultaneously, a graceful and beautiful figure appeared beside him.

As soon as Su Nü manifested, she immediately bowed low, her vermilion lips parting slightly as she spoke in a soft, gentle voice: "This servant greets Master, and congratulates Master on the great completion of your divine ability!"

"How long have I been in seclusion?"

"Replying to Master, you have been in seclusion for over five years."

"Five years..."

Lu Yang felt somewhat surprised, not because it was long, but because it was too short; he had originally thought this time would require at least several decades.

After all, before entering seclusion, what he had chosen to comprehend was nothing other than the formation and talisman Daoist scripture he had plucked from True Person Yu Xi during their previous conversation, named the "Complete Book of Pacifying the Rong," which contained all four arts of formations, talismans, elixirs, and treasures, boasting not only a vast quantity but also reaching up to the Fourth Grade at its peak.

With such a Daoist scripture, the difficulty of comprehension was self-evident.

Having experienced twenty years of studying formations in his previous life, Lu Yang had originally assumed this time would be similar, yet the speed of his comprehension far exceeded expectations.

"It seems my talent is still quite good."

"Relying on my talent, plus the trivial assistance provided by the 【Sky-Exploring Instrument】, I should achieve some success within another few decades."

Immediately afterward, Lu Yang stepped directly into the Foundation Establishment realm.

After devouring the merit and karma qi of the Shenwu Sect, Lu Yang's 【Myriad Vehicles Dragon-Riding Dao Foundation】 had undergone a new transformation, granting him a strange sensation.

"My opportunity..."

Lu Yang raised his head and gazed into the distance; after receiving the blessing of fortune, he could now faintly calculate where the opportunity for him to break through to the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment lay.

"... t's actually overseas?"

Lu Yang's expression shifted; breaking through to the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment required containing a Celestial Gang or Earthly Sha and refining it into an innate divine ability, which was not something one could find just anywhere.

Even within the Holy Sect, there were no such resources available.

This was because Celestial Gang and Earthly Sha were born in response to fate; if no one claimed them within a short period, they would return to heaven and earth, and even a Golden Core True Person could not retain them.

Therefore, regardless of which sect or faction a cultivator belonged to, if they wished to seek out Celestial Gang or Earthly Sha to break through, they could only venture out to travel; this was also one of the reasons various forces fought over territory, for the larger your domain, the higher the probability that Celestial Gang and Earthly Sha would manifest within it.

"It seems this trip overseas is unavoidable."

Thinking of this, Lu Yang shifted his gaze and looked at Su Nü again: "What is the situation outside the sect? What about Fu Long? Has that bald donkey not returned to the Pure Land yet?"

"Replying to Master, no..."

Speaking to this point, Su Nü's expression became somewhat strange: "Not only has he not returned, but in fact, that bald donkey has been wandering near the Holy Sect almost every day for the past five years."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Lu Yang showed an interested expression: "Is he waiting for me? It seems the old monk is unwilling to accept defeat, thinking I will go out and fight him again?"

Su Nü nodded and continued: "In fact, in recent years, Master's reputation has grown greater and greater; many True Persons regard you as an expert in manipulating karma and fate, toying with those at the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment while only being at the Early Stage yourself—a feat rarely seen even within the Holy Sect."

"They all say you are... um." Su Nü suddenly clamped her mouth shut.

Seeing this, Lu Yang became even more interested and asked curiously: "What do they say about me? That my divine abilities are vast? That my wisdom reaches the heavens? That I am an unparalleled genius capable of overcoming superiors?"

"This..."

Su Nü cautiously glanced at Lu Yang and whispered: "They say you are deeply versed in the way of preserving your life, that you act with stability, and that you are a head-retracting turtle..."

Watching Lu Yang's expression gradually darken, Su Nü's voice grew smaller and smaller.

Finally, she honestly knelt before Lu Yang, bowing her swan-like slender neck and nodding vigorously, daring not to speak another word.

One day later.

Lu Yang walked out of the meditation chamber feeling refreshed and clear-headed, releasing his qi mechanism; shortly after, a figure sensed it, tore through the void, and landed on Luofeng Mountain.

It was none other than True Person Yinshan.

As soon as he landed, he smiled and cupped his hands: "Congratulations, Junior Brother, on destroying the Shenwu Sect and sweeping away all their merit and karma qi; it seems the Mid Stage is within sight."

"Senior Brother praises me excessively; it is still too early."

Lu Yang shook his head: "That bald donkey Fu Long is still alive, and the karma has not been eliminated; to be safe, I plan to wait a few more decades before going out to seek opportunities."

"Hmm..."

Hearing this, True Person Yinshan looked deeply at Lu Yang, wanting to speak but holding back; clearly, he felt Lu Yang was being overly cautious, unlike a young person at all.

Although Arhat Fu Long indeed bore a blood-deep hatred toward Lu Yang now, a Foundation Establishment True Person could conceal their karma; as long as Lu Yang was slightly careful, even if he left the Holy Sect, Arhat Fu Long would most likely be unable to do anything to him, yet Lu Yang insisted on hiding within the Holy Sect, which was truly too stable.

Lu Yang saw through True Person Yinshan's thoughts at a glance.

However, for him, there was another consideration: Indeed, even if he left the Holy Sect, with his abilities, Arhat Fu Long would most likely be unable to do anything to him.

But why should he take the risk?

"Most likely unable to do anything" meant, in other words, there was a twenty percent chance they could kill him; when one could win steadily, why gamble on that twenty percent chance?

Just then, a ray of spiritual light fell into the sea of clouds connecting to the sky.

"Lu Yang! Come out!"

The next second, the spiritual light exploded, and a voice resounded in all directions; it was none other than the cursing of Arhat Fu Long, with endless provocations and taunts.

Immediately after, the spiritual light scattered, revealing a rainbow-colored robe, clearly a woman's garment, which fell blatantly toward Luofeng Mountain, drawing the gazes of many True Persons from the Holy Sect, some mocking, some subtly satirizing, others admiring, while Lu Yang simply accepted it openly.

"Su Nü, this is for you."

Lu Yang grabbed the rainbow-colored robe, refined it instantly, then summoned Su Nü, whose body was still somewhat weak, and casually tossed it to her.

"Thank you, Master!" Seeing this, Su Nü's face immediately lit up with joy.

True Person Yinshan, standing nearby, could only sigh inwardly at how thick-skinned this Junior Brother Yuan Tu was; truly, he was the future pillar of the Holy Sect designated by Senior Brother.

Then, Lu Yang turned around, smiling as he took out a storage bag.

"To be honest, Junior Brother previously ransacked the Shenwu Sect, and after obtaining their treasury, entered seclusion without having time to carefully organize it."

Sighing, Lu Yang stuffed the storage bag into True Person Yinshan's arms: "Senior Brother is the right-hand man of Senior Uncle Master Chongguang; since the Shenwu Sect's treasury is chaotic and full of waste, it would be better to send it to Senior Brother's residence first for a detailed count, ensuring there are no issues before handing it over to the Holy Sect."

True Person Yinshan accepted the storage bag while shaking his head: "Is this appropriate?"

"It is merely sharing the burden for the Holy Sect!"

With Lu Yang insisting, True Person Yinshan half-pushingly, half-acceptingly took it, after which Lu Yang smiled and asked: "I wonder where those two True Persons from the Shenwu Sect are now?"

"Huanwu and Xuanwu?"

True Person Yinshan paused, thought briefly, and said: "With the Shenwu Sect's fortune and merit completely scattered, their disciples dispersed like monkeys when the tree falls; naturally, they have fled far overseas."

Speaking to this point, True Person Yinshan's eyes brightened slightly: "Does Junior Brother intend to sacrifice to the 【Avici Sword】?"

"That is the idea."

Lu Yang nodded: "Unfortunately, the True Persons of the Shenwu Sect have escaped overseas and are hard to locate; does Senior Brother have any methods?"

Having just accepted Lu Yang's storage bag, True Person Yinshan naturally could not refuse, so he immediately laughed: "How could this be difficult? Leave this matter to Senior Brother!"

After speaking, True Person Yinshan looked at Lu Yang with even greater satisfaction.

To be fair, he had originally thought Lu Yang would ask him to help deal with Arhat Fu Long... in that case, he would have had to refuse sternly.

After all, the current Arhat Fu Long was simply a madman on the verge of death.

Such a person was not to be trifled with, and he was unwilling to trifle with him either.

But Huanwu and Xuanwu? Two Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators from a declining minor sect; True Person Yinshan could easily capture them with a single hand—this was merely a trivial effort!

(End of Chapter)