Chapter 186: Karmic Cause and Effect of Abi

Overseas, upon a boundless sea.

Lu Yang rode his escape light, yet saw a brilliant pillar of fortune burning fiercely above his head, then transforming into an intangible intuition that guided his path forward.

These were the merits and fortune of the Divine Martial Gate.

In his past life, he used these merits and fortune to find the Biyang Cultivation World; however, in this life he has broken through, so these merits and fortune can be put to other uses.

The next second, a red light floated out from Lu Yang's sleeve, finally manifesting a form: a petite, delicate little girl in a red padded jacket with her hair in a bun, landing on Lu Yang's knee and snuggling affectionately into his embrace: "Master is going to find the Old Master, isn't he?"

"Correct."

Lu Yang patted the little girl's small head and smiled: "Your karmic ties are heavy; now, drawn by the Heaven and Earth's killing intent, they have revealed themselves prematurely."

This was Lu Yang's new discovery.

When he first accepted the 【Abyss Sword】, Lu Yang also inherited a karmic tie from the original owner of the 【Abyss Sword】, a Great True Person at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

Having obtained a Spiritual Treasure, one must in the future guide the other's reincarnated body back from the cycle of rebirth; alas, this karmic tie seems extremely troublesome, causing the previous sword owners of the 【Abyss Sword】 to die because of it, otherwise this superior Spiritual Treasure would not have been ignored by the Holy Sect.

And as Lu Yang broke through to the mid-stage, this karmic tie arrived.

"It shouldn't have been this fast originally, but first, I broke through to mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and second, the Heaven and Earth's killing intent pushed it, causing the karmic tie to arise early."

Driven by karma, he had to go.

If he did not go, regardless of whether the sword spirit of the 【Abyss Sword】 was willing or not, it would leave him under the influence of karma, and might even counterattack his fortune.

This was the insidious nature of the Heaven and Earth's killing intent.

It does not directly create karma, but instead utilizes other karmic ties, leaving no trace.

Although Lu Yang's strength had risen in this life, the corresponding dangers would also become more terrible; without unexpected events, he would still die miserably overseas.

However, for no unexpected events to occur was impossible.

"Come then, all of you, come..."

Looking at the increasingly crimson 【Danger】 above his head, Lu Yang grinned; the True Person's handwritten letter in his embrace was the greatest unexpected event of this overseas journey!

Whoever comes, it is a death sentence!

Moments later, as the merits and fortune of the Divine Martial Gate were mostly consumed, the heavenly mechanism gradually became clear; Lu Yang immediately calculated with his fingers, and the entire story was clear in his mind.

The next second, Lu Yang raised his eyebrows: "Truly, they aren't even pretending anymore..."

The reincarnation place of the original owner of the 【Abyss Sword】, that Great True Person, was not only located in a barren land overseas, but was actually connected to the Dao Court?

"... Hmm?"

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly felt something and raised his head, gazing into the distance, only to see a magnificent sword light rushing toward him.

Overseas, Star Constellation Sea.

The spiritual energy environment here was far more hostile than the Turbulent Sea where the Biyang Cultivation World was located; it was a desolate land with absolutely no soil for cultivators.

Yet, in such a dangerous place, a massive ship as large as a mountain stood tall; magical light like the rising sun rippled from the bow, suppressing the sea and calming the waves, stabilizing the spiritual energy wherever it passed, and on the massive ship, one could see dense figures darting about, each clad in armor and holding sharp weapons.

"Grand Marshal, everything is ready."

As the messenger returned with the report, a burly man wearing a three-beam silver crown and a green robe at the bow immediately showed an excited expression.

In the Jiangdong Dao Court, clothing indicated official rank.

A three-beam crown and a green silk robe indicated that this burly man's official position was fifth rank, only one step away from the red silk robe of a fourth-rank official in the court.

In fact, this was indeed the case.

This man's name was Ying Tongshou, currently serving as the Martial Virtue General, commanding the Wave-Suppressing Naval Army; with the support of a fifth-rank position, his cultivation would not be weaker than early-stage Foundation Establishment.

"Issue the order."

Ying Tongshou's expression was grave: "Blockade the Star Constellation Sea; do not let anyone enter. Do not forget, we have come here on a secret order from Your Majesty!"

"If the calculations of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau are correct, the 【Blood Demon Island】 will fall into this Star Constellation Sea in three days; as long as we enter first, retrieve the soul of that Blood Demon True Person, and bring it back to Jiangdong, then under the influence of karmic ties, that Yuan Tu True Person of the Mo Sect will have no choice but to come to Jiangdong."

"Grand Marshal, this mission is not easy..."

Beside Ying Tongshou, his deputy, hearing this, still felt uneasy: "The Grand Marshal is only a fifth-rank official; rashly entering the Blood Demon Island might be dangerous."

"You need not worry about that."

Hearing this, Ying Tongshou immediately smiled: "Precisely because I am only a fifth-rank official, at early-stage Foundation Establishment, and unknown, no one will notice me once I set sail."

"But once we are at sea, that is another matter."

As the words fell, Ying Tongshou took a sheet of gold foil from his chest; the deputy looked closely and immediately showed surprise—this was an imperial edict for promotion!

"The Grand Marshal is being promoted?" The deputy looked delighted.

"Correct!" Ying Tongshou's expression was proud: "Your Majesty sent a secret edict long ago, promoting me to fourth-rank Guangwei General; at that time, I will be at mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation!"

This was the Dao Court system: once the official rank was reached, cultivation would follow closely behind; even if a second ago you were a common soldier at the first layer of Qi Refining, a second later with a second-rank position, you could instantly become a Great True Person at the perfect stage of Foundation Establishment... Of course, the result of doing so was eighty percent likely to be body explosion and death.

Because official positions also required merits and fortune to support them.

Simply put, without that fate, even if the position was given to you, you could not hold it; instead of rising rapidly, you would suffer a counterattack.

This was also the brilliance of the Dao Court system.

For any Dao Court official, only by protecting the realm and securing the people could merits and fortune be accumulated; therefore, whether to promote or not, one only needed to ask the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to take a look.

More merits meant you had frequent achievements.

Fewer merits meant you were an unkind official.

This was also why the Dao Court was listed among the Righteous Paths; to put it bluntly, in the four directions of East, West, South, and North, the lands under the Dao Court's rule were the most stable.

However, just then—

"Boom!"

The loud roar was like thunder rolling across the sky; accompanied by spiritual energy exploding toward the clouds, it turned into surging spiritual tides sweeping in all directions, reflecting five-colored light under the dome of the sky.

"What is happening?"

Ying Tongshou's expression immediately became stern; then, the messenger who had just left came running back, stumbling and crawling, saying: "Grand Marshal, someone is engaging in a magical duel!"

"... A magical duel?"

Hearing this, Ying Tongshou was momentarily stunned; before he could continue asking, another explosion rang out, its sound seemingly closer than the previous one. The spiritual tide even whipped up layers of waves that crashed thunderously onto the Fu Bo flagship where the Dao Court's naval forces were stationed, causing the ship's treasure light to tremble violently.

Seeing this scene, Ying Tongshou's expression grew even more grave:

"Early Foundation Establishment... no, Mid-stage!"

"To possess such might, he is likely no ordinary overseas native, but one from the interior lands; even compared to a Zhiwei Heavenly Official, he is not far behind."

The more he sensed, the more alarmed Ying Tongshou became:

"Just what kind of divine being is this?"

Before his words finished, a third explosion sounded.

This time, Ying Tongshou finally saw the two opposing sides clashing above the horizon: a crimson and a white brilliant light, the explosion arising from their collision.

"Descendant of the Witches and Ghosts, accept death!"

A clear voice rang out; the blazing white sword light in the sky descended to strike again, while the crimson escape light spun around and vanished into thin air.

Boom!

The sword light plunged into the sea surface, instantly carving out a bottomless vortex that churned the currents in all directions; the countless fish and shrimp that perished because of it were beyond counting.

Not far away, Lu Yang materialized, his face calm and indifferent.

On the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner in his hand, the figure of Patriarch Tingyou also quietly appeared, his expression filled with guilt: "Yu Shu Sword Cultivator... I have implicated you."

"It is a trivial matter; Patriarch, do not blame yourself."

What fear did Lu Yang have left now? He wished even more would come; it would serve as perfect bait, waiting for the karmic ties to gather so he could trap and slaughter them all!

(End of this chapter)