Chapter 187: Junior Brother, You Are Still Too Kind-Hearted

True Person Shangxuan moved very quickly.

Although he was already a sword cultivator at the peak of the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment, possessing two innate divine abilities and a high-grade spiritual sword, alas, two fists cannot fight against four hands.

After all, no matter how strong he was, he was not a Great True Person; even at the peak of the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment, he was still merely at the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment. Moreover, he was not a direct disciple of a True Lord from one of the four major powers. Thus, facing a siege by more than ten True Persons of the Foundation Establishment realm, he could only feel utterly aggrieved and let out a few howls like a defeated dog:

"If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!"

"Bastards... you bastards!"

Amidst cries of agony, True Person Shangxuan took a seal strike from True Person Yinshan on his back, was pierced straight through the front by Yu Chan, and had his spiritual sense shattered into pieces by Hanxiang.

His entire body was furthermore battered and bruised by the magic treasures and divine abilities of other Jiangbei True Persons at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Finally, a divine ability crashed down with a thunderous roar.

【Embrace and Guard the Mountain】!

With no power to resist whatsoever, True Person Shangxuan fell directly to the ground; the brilliant light of his divine abilities scattered instantly, his eyes tightly shut, clearly having lost consciousness.

As for the two sword cultivators at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, the Master of Profound Gold Sword and the Master of Profound Silver Sword, the situation was even more straightforward; they did not even require Lu Yang and the others to act. Having just witnessed the "methods of the Holy Sect," the various Jiangbei cultivators swarmed forward without any suspense and captured both of them on the spot.

"Well done."

With a calm expression, Lu Yang sent True Person Shangxuan and the two sword masters, Profound Gold and Profound Silver, one by one into 【Embrace and Guard the Mountain】 to suppress them: "Everyone has worked hard this time."

Having spoken, he took out a stack of jade slips.

He infused a strand of spiritual sense into each jade slip and then distributed them directly to the Jiangbei cultivators present: "Everyone has contributed merit this time; take these and use them."

"This is..."

A Foundation Establishment True Person from a small sect took a jade slip, swept it with his spiritual sense, and his expression immediately became excited: "The Daoist Art of 【Myriad Treasures River】 from Treasure Distribution Cliff?"

"I've given them to you; just accept them."

Lu Yang's tone was flat: "There are also the divine abilities and cultivation methods of the Shangxuan Sword Sect; wait until I extract them through interrogation, and every Daoist friend who acted this time will receive a share."

"Since you all took risks to act, I will not treat you poorly." As his voice fell, Lu Yang waved his large hand, directly tossing the high-grade spiritual swords of True Person Shangxuan, the Master of Profound Gold Sword, and the Master of Profound Silver Sword to the three Foundation Establishment True Persons who had contributed the most, making the eyes of the others turn red with envy.

Their previous caution was instantly thrown to the nine heavens beyond the clouds.

Divine abilities! Cultivation methods! Spiritual treasures!

The sects from which the people present hailed were not large to begin with, and some were simply rogue cultivators; therefore, obtaining these items amounted to sudden wealth for them.

What else was there to say?

If the Jiangbei True Persons had previously harbored some inclination to drag their feet, now all of that was gone, leaving only hearts full of fervor and fighting spirit.

Nothing less than this could demonstrate their loyalty!

The kindness of the Holy Sect can never be fully repaid!

"As for them..." Speaking thus, Lu Yang looked again at the three—True Person Shangxuan and the others—and shook his head: "It has not been easy for these three to cultivate to this point."

"Our Holy Sect has always treated captives generously."

"Here is the plan: after I finish interrogating them, feed their Dao foundations to my 【Agni Sword】, refine their corpses into demonic corpses, and send their souls to the Dharma Refining Secret Realm to reincarnate."

Upon hearing this, True Person Yinshan frowned tightly, then sighed: "Junior brother, you are still too kind-hearted."

Lu Yang also wore an expression of helplessness: "Alas, I cannot change this habit."

The two spoke back and forth as if stating the obvious, but nearby, Hanxiang felt increasingly chilled in her heart the more she heard, and even Yu Chan's eye corners twitched slightly.

Is this fucking kindness?

Is there some misunderstanding in the Holy Sect's definition of kindness?

Little did they know that in the eyes of Lu Yang and True Person Yinshan, allowing someone's soul to reincarnate and start anew—if this isn't kind-heartedness, then what is?

Moreover, after they reincarnate, they might even be able to return to the Foundation Establishment realm?

By then, we can harvest another wave.

Immediately afterward, Lu Yang grabbed the three—True Person Shangxuan and the others—and walked into a secret chamber, took out the Myriad Souls Banner, summoned Chen Chen Xinan, and unleashed the Profound Light of the Heavenly Mother's Transformation and Birth.

One day later.

Lu Yang dismissed Chen Chen Xinan, whose face was the color of pickled vegetables, and with a casual sword strike, slaughtered the three who were no longer in human form, then proceeded to tally his gains.

First was the 【Agni Sword】.

One cultivator at the peak of the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment and two at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment—such a massive amount of resources fed entirely to the 【Agni Sword】 resulted in feedback of such absurd mysticism.

"According to the feedback from 【Human Butcher】, the Dao foundations and cultivation methods of these three sword cultivators all belong to the Metal element. After slaying them, the 【Agni Sword】's suppression of the Metal element has reached fifty percent. In other words, any divine ability or Daoist art of the Metal element will have its power reduced by fifty percent when facing the 【Agni Sword】!"

This could already be called the bane of sword cultivators.

It is especially suitable for ambushing sword cultivators who are completely unaware of this, causing them to overestimate the power of their divine abilities; if used well, it can even kill unexpectedly!

Besides this, there was the memory of True Person Shangxuan.

"So there really is a cultivation method from the Sword Pavilion!"

This was Lu Yang's other major gain; the Shangxuan Sword Sect, having received support from the Yushu Sword Pavilion, had indeed obtained a secret transmission method from the Sword Pavilion.

Its name was—.

"It is not a cultivation method, but a secret art for refining swords; one can use this method in conjunction with a Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha to refine a high-grade spiritual treasure called the 【Formless Sword】."

"So that's how it is."

Lu Yang stroked his chin, finally resolving a doubt in his heart:

"This True Person Shangxuan was never in secluded cultivation to break through to the late stage; he was in secluded cultivation to refine a sword. I was wondering where he got the foundation to dare to break through to the late stage."

The Late Stage of Foundation Establishment is a massive chasm!

Even within the Holy Sect, a figure like the Peak Master of Senior Butian died and lost his Dao when attempting to break through to the late stage; how could a mere True Person Shangxuan possess the ability to break through to the late stage?

According to True Person Shangxuan's memories, he had indeed obtained a Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha suitable for him, but knowing he had no possibility of using it to achieve the status of a Great True Person, he planned to use this Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha to refine the 【Formless Sword】, thereby enhancing his combat power to contribute better in the great battle to come.

"However, now all of this has benefited me."

Lu Yang smiled slightly, but soon his expression turned serious; he then took out a small jade bottle from True Person Shangxuan's storage bag.

Inside the bottle was the Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha that True Person Shangxuan had obtained.

It was a wisp of Xin Metal Qi.

Xin Metal resides in the Heavenly Gang position, named 【Master Chongguang】!

"... coincidence?"

Lu Yang did not believe it!

Was there a backup plan left behind by True Person Master Chongguang behind this? Was True Person Shangxuan obtaining this Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha and refining the 【Formless Sword】 all part of his calculation?

For a moment, countless doubts arose in Lu Yang's heart.

Unfortunately, at this moment, all heavenly machinations and karmic ties had been suppressed by True Person Qingcheng Qingcheng Feixue, making calculation impossible for anyone; thus, he could only guess and had no way to deduce or verify.

"Could I have ruined True Person Master Chongguang's good plans?"

Originally, as a cultivator at the peak of the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment and the stabilizing pillar of 【Qing State】, True Person Shangxuan was almost impossible to harm, given his displayed strength.

However, True Person Master Chongguang probably never expected that Lu Yang, relying on a technique of teleportation combined with Daoist arts and divine abilities, would forcibly move the entire Shangxuan Sword Sect to Jiangbei, creating an excellent opportunity to fight many with few, after which they swarmed forward and literally piled this sword cultivator to death.

"It's because I'm too outstanding!"

Thinking thus, Lu Yang couldn't help but sigh, though he was not alarmed: "It can still be remedied; anyway, the item is in my hands, so it makes no difference if I refine it myself..."

"... oreover, this also gives the enemy a little time to react."

Thinking thus, Lu Yang glanced again in the direction of Zhalong Pass; he knew very well that his mission for going south this time was not truly to destroy 【Qing State】.

His mission was to apply pressure.

What he needed to do was to engage in a tug-of-war with 【Qing State】, creating sufficient external contradictions, thereby creating opportunities for True Person Master Chongguang, who had reincarnated within 【Qing State】.

The destruction of the Shangxuan Sword Sect should be enough to trigger panic on the side of 【Qing State】.

At that time, what kind of reaction will they make?

And how will True Person Master Chongguang act?

(End of Chapter)