Chapter 205: Evolution of the Abominable Sword

Ye Gu fled, and Lu Yang's attention shifted to Sui Ying; the two exchanged glances, each seeing wariness and urgency in the other's eyes.

The wariness naturally stemmed from their respective strengths; with Lu Yang already exposed and having lost the element of surprise, defeating this True Dragon King seemed unrealistic, and the same applied to Sui Ying. As for the urgency, it was because the recent clash had been too loud, attracting some genuine powerful enemies.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang immediately spoke:

"Split it in two?"

Hearing this, Sui Ying's golden eyes shifted, yet he did not hesitate, nodding at once: "Agreed!"

As soon as the words fell, both appeared simultaneously, each grabbing a corner of the 【Yin Dragon Water】, then tearing together to split this spiritual embryo in half!

The next second, Sui Ying's figure vanished into the distance.

Lu Yang stored his half of the 【Yin Dragon Water】, then formed hand seals with his fingers, once again using 【Star Concealment】 to hide his form and aura, likewise disappearing from the spot.

Only after a moment did a streak of escape light arrive.

Sweeping over with spiritual sense, the newcomer saw only the ruins left after a great battle, causing a slight shock in their heart, for what met their eyes was clearly a vast and magnificent spectacle.

Aside from the ground covered in a web of cracks, the mountain forest had been sliced away by more than half as if by an invisible blade, while the clouds in the dome of heaven had been forcibly split from the center outward, revealing a massive sword scar like a heavenly moat, into which cloud qi continued to rush even now.

One could imagine the power of that single sword strike.

Thinking of this, the owner of the escape light felt somewhat fortunate to have arrived a bit late; otherwise, how could they possibly have withstood such a strike?

Immediately after, the escape light circled the area a few more times, and finding nothing, decisively gave up, speeding off toward the next location of opportunity.

Meanwhile, Lu Yang found a mountain forest to rest temporarily.

"Half a piece of 【Yin Dragon Water】 should still be usable."

Although torn in half, the value of the 【Yin Dragon Water】 as a spiritual embryo had dropped drastically, no longer sufficient for refining magic treasures or elixirs.

However, Lu Yang did not mind.

After all, he was never skilled in artifact forging or pill refining; his sole reason for seizing this spiritual embryo was to nourish the 【Abominable Sword】, using it as consumable material.

"Master!"

Soon, as Lu Yang raised the Abominable Sword, spiritual light flickered upon it, and the sword spirit, a young girl dressed in a red cotton jacket, leaped out joyfully.

She could not be more satisfied with Lu Yang as her sword master; not only did he kill a few Foundation Establishment cultivators every now and then to let her taste blood, but he also fed her such superior spiritual embryos. She had thought her old master, Blood Demon True Person, was formidable, but compared to Lu Yang, he seemed weak and incompetent.

"Eat it." Lu Yang pressed down on the sword spirit's head.

"Ah-woo!"

The sword spirit's mouth suddenly split wide, devouring the 【Yin Dragon Water】 in one bite, then patting her bulging belly before turning into light and flying back into the sword.

The next second, the aura of the Abominable Sword changed.

Just as Lu Yang expected, with half of the 【Yin Dragon Water】 consumed, the Abominable Sword, which was already nearing its limit, truly began to generate a fourth profound mystery!

In an instant, brilliant colors appeared one after another on the Abominable Sword.

【Human Butcher】, 【Treading Danger】, and 【Famous Weapon】—these three divine mysteries clustered around the sword blade like stars surrounding the moon, jointly catalyzing the fourth divine mystery.

Moments later, a brand-new radiance emerged, and with it, karma manifested.

Lu Yang counted on his fingers, and information about the new divine mystery immediately surfaced in his heart.

Its name was: 【Dragon Stripping】!

This divine ability was extremely insidious; it created an additional sword light on the Abominable Sword, yet it was not a physical entity but a phantom image, incapable of harming anyone physically.

This was because this differentiated sword light specialized in severing merit and fortune!

Thus, being struck by the Abominable Sword would no longer mean mere injury; one's merit and fortune would also suffer damage. If slashed repeatedly, the effect would be no different from heavenly punishment!

For instance, regarding Ye Gu just now: if the Abominable Sword at that time had possessed the 【Dragon Stripping】 divine mystery, Ye Gu would not have calmly and rationally turned to flee; instead, calamity qi would have clouded his mind, driving him to clash head-on with single-minded determination, disregarding the consequences of failure, inevitably resulting in his death by Lu Yang's sword!

"Incredible, truly incredible..."

For a moment, Lu Yang found the Abominable Sword simply irresistible, especially after condensing the fourth divine mystery, when its aura became even more transcendent.

In short, it was growing closer and closer to the 【Imperial Palace Golden Seal Tushita True Edict】!

"The 【Imperial Palace Golden Seal Tushita True Edict】 is a half-true treasure refined by Daoist Hong Yun; if the Abominable Sword can gather five divine mysteries, it might be nearly there!"

Just as Lu Yang was excited, Ancestor Ting You quietly manifested.

"Something is not quite right..."

A voice of doubt interrupted Lu Yang's thoughts, bringing him back to calmness; he turned to look at Ancestor Ting You: "May I ask, Ancestor, what is not right?"

"This divine mystery is incorrect."

Ancestor Ting You frowned and said: "【Yin Dragon Water】 belongs to Chen Earth, the utmost yin earth, the tomb repository of water, yet your 【Abominable Sword】 is formed from Geng Metal qi."

"Logically, when a Geng Metal artifact encounters water and earth, it becomes buried and silent; with metal cold and water chilled, there is a risk of drowning. Although your Abominable Sword consuming it did not cause damage, the resulting divine mystery should not have been too strong... yet this 【Dragon Stripping】 clearly exceeds expectations, indicating the two did not repel each other."

"They even harmonized."

Speaking thus, Ancestor Ting You's face was filled with confusion: "But Geng Metal is yang metal, while Chen Earth is yin earth; when yang metal meets yin earth, they should not harmonize..."

"How can this be?"

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly felt a slight stir in his heart.

The next second, the Formless Sword unexpectedly leaped from his sleeve; the Xin Metal qi refined within it fluctuated violently, triggering resonant sword hums.

"Junior Uncle Master Chongguang... is looking for me?"

Lu Yang immediately understood; this strand of Xin Metal qi was likely the former body shell that True Person Master Chongguang had deliberately left behind after reincarnating as an immortal spirit.

It was normal for there to be a resonance between the two.

"But just because you call, must I go?"

Lu Yang sneered, guessing that even if True Person Master Chongguang were still alive, he must be extremely weak now, and this summons likely meant he had encountered trouble.

Wanting me to shield him from disaster again?

While Lu Yang was still pondering, his eyebrows suddenly lifted; although he was hidden, he was constantly using the Heaven-Exploring Instrument to deduce, with Bing Fire light illuminating all six directions and eight sides.

At this moment, he spotted an anomaly.

He saw that within the blessed land, besides the 【Yin Dragon Water】, the other three innate divine abilities had also been taken away one by one, causing the entire blessed land to tremble violently.

This shift was like removing the main beams from a house, forcing a vast expanse of golden light to manifest at the center of the blessed land, in the void of darkness, to replace the four innate divine abilities and prop up the land; however, this was limited to the central region, as the outer periphery of the blessed land had already begun to collapse.

"This is forcing people toward the center... forcing me to go?"

Lu Yang's expression turned grave; not everyone was so greedy; some True Persons, knowing their own strength was insufficient, had merely grabbed some benefits at the periphery and hidden themselves.

But now, they could no longer hide.

With the blessed land collapsing from the edges, the habitable zone shrank; anyone located in these collapsing zones risked being directly suppressed and killed by the power of the blessed land!

"What an open scheme!" Lu Yang clapped his hands and laughed.

True Person Qingcheng Qingcheng Feixue had ordered a strict investigation, making it impossible for him to leave the blessed land; yet as long as he remained within it, he had to go to the center to meet Master Chongguang.

As for that patch of golden light at the center of the blessed land, Lu Yang had also guessed its origin.

It was True Person Master Chongguang's innate divine ability.

【Cave-Bright Flying Scenery Map】!

"If True Person Master Chongguang is truly still alive, his soul must be within it; moreover, this innate divine ability has voluntarily emerged to forcibly maintain the existence of the blessed land..."

"It seems his Dao heart is firm, and he has not given up yet."

Just then, the Dharma Eye in Lu Yang's眉心 suddenly twitched; under the illumination of Bing Fire light, he actually saw several streaks of escape light speeding toward him from the periphery.

One escape light led while three followed behind; clearly, someone was being pursued.

Judging by their auras, all four were at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment; the leader, fighting three alone, managed to hold steady without losing only thanks to a body adorned with brilliant, magnificent treasures.

Lu Yang focused his gaze, and a strange expression immediately appeared on his face, for the one being pursued at the front was none other than Master Chongguang's son, Chong Ming!

(End of Chapter)