Chapter 322: The Influence of the Non-Existent Heaven

Jiangnan, the Ten Thousand People Pit.

As a 【Wonder】 deployed by the Holy Sect into the Jiangnan region, the so-called Ten Thousand People Pit is no small place, but a territory spanning thousands of li in every direction.

Its scale matches that of the 【Qing Kingdom】 exactly.

The reason it is named the Ten Thousand People Pit is that this territory is a pit as deep as an abyss, where thick Yin Sha Qi layers upon layers within the pit.

The entire Ten Thousand People Pit has ten layers; the Yin Sha of each layer is stronger than the one above, and it breeds countless poisonous insects and fierce monsters. Within the pit, bolstered by Yin Sha, they can corrupt Spiritual Qi, their power being thirty percent greater than outside the pit, and with Yin Sha concealing them inside, they are not easily detected by Divine Sense.

Such a perilous place is very much in the style of the Holy Sect.

Unlike the 【Qing Kingdom】 set up by the Dao Court, the Holy Sect never intended to occupy Jiangnan, but simply to disgust people, turning this place into a dead zone.

However, although that is the case, it does not mean there are no people here.

On the contrary, the very bottom of the Ten Thousand People Pit actually gathers a large number of cultivators; besides the Holy Sect, there are also major and minor sects of Jiangbei, and even scattered cultivators flocking together.

These cultivators have even jointly established a market.

The reason is very simple: resources.

"Jiangnan is after all prosperous; under the rule of the Yushu Jiange, the hundred arts of cultivation are incredibly developed, making it extremely suitable for resale and speculation. This is a highly profitable industry."

Accompanied by a glow of formation light, Lu Yang stepped out.

Of course, this is not his true body; his true body remains inside Yun Miaoqing's body to this day. What came from afar is merely his Immortal Fetus Clone.

Since transmitting the news that "The Jin Dan True Person of the Yushu Jiange is about to attack the Ten Thousand People Pit" to Master Chongguang, Lu Yang obtained an opportunity to enter the Ten Thousand People Pit. However, what surprised him was that the Ten Thousand People Pit did not seem to enter a state of war readiness because of his news, as if knowing nothing about it.

"Interesting."

Lu Yang strolled through the market, not rushing to find the greatest target of this journey, the 【Qi of Metal of the Shen】, but instead spreading his Divine Sense to observe the surroundings.

Soon, voices swarmed towards him.

And as he expected, the one appearing with the highest frequency and discussed the most was the 【Non-Existent Heaven】, which has been expanding recently and is gradually covering Guan Qiankun.

After all, the temptation of this thing is too astonishing.

Break the tribulation and clear the trial; if you succeed, you gain a divine ability. If you lose, you will not die; at most, you lose some merit and fate, and after cultivating for a few months, you return.

More importantly—

"That first trial is too tempting!"

"The 【Heaven and Earth Clashing Dragon and Tiger Yin Yang Great Formation】 of the Sky-Mending Peak of the Holy Sect, and the top-tier configuration at that! The taste of over a hundred 【Heavenly Maidens】 is truly..."

"My grand-uncle has become completely obsessed recently."

"Isn't it? My True Person is too. He isn't thinking about breaking the tribulation, just going in to experience the Holy Sect's play. It's a pity I haven't reached Foundation Establishment yet."

Lu Yang listened with a strange expression. Obviously, for those with no hope on the Dao path and insufficient will, the 【Heaven and Earth Clashing Dragon and Tiger Yin Yang Great Formation】 strikes directly at their weak points. They cannot withstand the trial, and over time, some even prefer to stay within it rather than come out.

Of course, Foundation Establishment True Persons who do this are a minority.

Most are scattered cultivators.

And True Persons with truly firm Dao hearts, even if they cannot overcome the 【Heaven and Earth Clashing Dragon and Tiger Yin Yang Great Formation】, will not sink into depravity, but will ponder hard on methods to break it.

Thanks to this, Lu Yang discovered that the number of Dual Cultivation Arts had risen significantly.

"Indeed, where there is demand, there is a market."

Lu Yang sighed, yet doubt arose in his heart: 'Do the True Lords simply let the 【Non-Existent Heaven】 expand like this without caring at all?'

However, soon, he heard another conversation.

"Although that is the case, everyone should not be too complacent about that 【Non-Existent Heaven】. My elder says this is very likely a backup plan for the resurrection of the Primordial True Person."

"Primordial True Person?"

"The one from five thousand years ago... In short, several Foundation Establishment True Persons seem to have received warnings not to break too many tribulations in the 【Non-Existent Heaven】."

"Think about it: if you break the tribulation in the identity of the 'Primordial True Person', when you finally come out, is it you, or is it him?"

"It might be that in the end, you become the Primordial True Person borrowing your body to be reborn! The methods of those Great True Persons are treacherous and cannot be imagined by us."

"But, brother, how is 'breaking too many tribulations' defined? How many tribulations count as too many?"

"I reckon breaking one tribulation, breaking two tribulations, is no problem."

"But once it reaches three tribulations, or even four, the risk is very high, although that one must break five tribulations to advance to True Lord."

"But who knows?"

"If it were me, I would say one or two more tribulations. On the surface, it's five tribulations, but in reality, as long as three are broken, it counts as success, specifically used to trap those honest people..."

"Hiss! May I ask, brother, which sect do you come from?"

"This humble one is a disciple of the Holy Sect."

"Oh, oh, that is no longer strange."

Conversations of this sort spread widely throughout the market, causing Lu Yang to narrow his eyes, knowing that someone must be deliberately promoting and spreading them.

The world is vast; indeed, one cannot underestimate anyone. If I can deduce these things, others can deduce them too. In this way, nearly all Foundation Establishment cultivators will be wary of the 【Non-Existent Heaven】. If that Primordial True Person wishes to resurrect in this manner, it will likely be a long time coming.

'Is this the reason the True Lords are at ease with him?'

'I suppose so. Let alone the Primordial True Person is not a True Lord, even if he were, what? East, west, south, north, a mere True Lord cannot stir up any big waves.'

In this world, scattered cultivators truly have a difficult path.

Foundation Establishment is one thing, but True Lords truly have no hope at all. Suo Huan and the Primordial are typical examples. With no one above you, what do you use to advance?

'However... did the Primordial True Person not foresee these things?'

Lu Yang was somewhat doubtful; the Primordial True Person was once tricked to death by True Lords back then, so he should have a fairly accurate estimate of the True Lords' methods.

'Foundation Establishment True Persons are after all a quite massive group. No one knows if someone, blinded by greed, will risk everything to break five tribulations. True Lords cannot completely control every Foundation Establishment True Person in the world. As long as the Primordial True Person is determined, he should still be able to find a flaw.'

'Moreover, the True Lords are not a monolithic block either.'

'Not to mention anything else, if Mu Changsheng compromises slightly and accepts some restrictive measures, at least the Holy Sect should be very willing to accept a True Lord.'

'This is... a game!'

Lu Yang gradually gained enlightenment: 'The Primordial True Person, Mu Changsheng, is playing a game with all the True Lords of the world, daring to take a risk to forge a Jin Dan Dao path!'

In thought, Lu Yang had stopped before a building.

This place was called 【Secret Archive Street】.

As the name suggests, this area was discreet within the marketplace, a venue exclusively used for "fencing stolen goods," accessible only to Foundation Establishment True Persons.

Yet the fact that the marketplace had dedicated an entire street for such illicit trade meant it operated under the Saint Sect's backing; according to Lu Yang's intelligence, the one behind it was a Foundation Establishment early-stage Saint Sect True Person named 【Qi He】, over five hundred years old, nearing the end of his second life.

"Bang!"

Without hesitation, Lu Yang entered the shop at the very back of 【Secret Archive Street】, pushed open the door, and instantly a cluster of dark light descended upon him.

Yet Lu Yang's expression did not change.

The 【Wanjin Gong】 activated, golden radiance like armor enveloping his body; the dark light fell upon him but left not a single mark.

Immediately after, Lu Yang saw an old Daoist Priest deep within the shop.

He had white hair and a weathered face, his brow heavy with age; though he still possessed spiritual powers, he was clearly severely corroded by 【Beifeng】.

As Lu Yang stepped into the shop, he immediately threw a token onto the table:

"I want intelligence on the Ten Thousand Graves area and anything related to Cheng Tian Gang and Di Sha."

This True Person Qi He was the covert agent left by Master Chongguang at the Ten Thousand Graves, tasked daily with gathering intelligence on Jiangnan and the Ten Thousand Graves and reporting back to the Saint Sect.

This was also Lu Yang's deal with Master Chongguang.

He informed Master Chongguang of the Yushu Jiange's movements, and in return, Master Chongguang shared intelligence on the Ten Thousand Graves with him, allowing him to search for 【Shenjin Qi】.

'Once I obtain 【Shenjin Qi】, I leave immediately!'

In his view, the Xuan Ling Realm, the Ten Thousand Graves, the Holy-Demon Great War—all were irrelevant; the true priority was the progress of his Immortal Spirit's current life's cultivation!

(End of Chapter)