Chapter 37: Great Yin Metamorphosis Corpse-Release True Art

"This 'Great Yin Metamorphosis Corpse-Release True Art' is somewhat difficult."

After a night of secluded cultivation, Lu Yang gazed at the divine technique manual before him, his brows tightly furrowed: "Great Divine Techniques cannot be performed without great magic power; they represent the pinnacle of divine techniques."

The so-called Great Divine Technique is actually not a grade of technique, but rather a method of application.

In short, combining several mutually compatible high-grade divine techniques to unleash dozens of times their original power is what is called a Great Divine Technique.

The 'Great Yin Metamorphosis Corpse-Release True Art' is exactly like this; to refine this Great Divine Technique, one must first learn three high-grade divine techniques: the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art, and the Taiwei Edict-Granting Treasure Register. Each of these three techniques is extremely difficult to cultivate, and without tremendous opportunity, they are nearly impossible to master.

This is a common trait of all Great Divine Techniques.

It is not something you can cultivate just because you want to; first, you need comprehension, second, you need luck, and third, you need merit. Lacking any one of these will only lead to failure.

Take the first technique, the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light.

This single technique has stalled countless cultivators; after all, cultivating by peeling off one's skin is equivalent to cutting off one's own path to immortality, and even if mastered, it would be meaningless.

As for the second technique, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art does not have such severe side effects; its difficulty lies mainly in external requirements. To master this technique, one must use a 'Profound Yin Taiyin Jade' as a medium. Without this rare treasure, no matter how high your cultivation or how good your comprehension, you cannot succeed.

Yet the 'Profound Yin Taiyin Jade' is exceedingly rare.

How rare? One sentence suffices to describe it: this item does not appear in the Holy Sect's exchange catalog. Even if you have contribution points, you cannot buy it.

Given the vast resources of the Holy Sect, the fact that they do not possess such a rare object speaks volumes.

Thus, mastering this technique depends entirely on a cultivator's opportunity and luck; without that luck, searching the entire world would be futile.

Therefore, Lu Yang glanced at it once and decisively gave up, turning instead to study the third technique, the Taiwei Edict-Granting Treasure Register.

However, to his helplessness, although this technique required no precious external items and had no major side effects, it was simply too difficult.

Lu Yang studied it all night with little gain.

"It resembles an array formation somewhat, and also resembles talismans, yet it is classified under divine techniques. Whether one can learn it depends entirely on comprehension; if you cannot learn it, you simply cannot."

Thinking this, Lu Yang scratched his head again, unwilling to accept defeat.

"I managed to grind through array formations which are that difficult; can a mere divine technique stop me for long? At worst, I'll spend another twenty years; sooner or later, I will master you!"

The reason Lu Yang was so determined to grind through the 'Great Yin Metamorphosis Corpse-Release True Art' was mainly because this Great Divine Technique was simply too attractive; he could not bear to give it up.

Not to mention how powerful the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light is, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Art is equally domineering: as long as one captures a person's qi signature, then condenses that qi signature into a 'soul shadow', one can kill the target directly by slaying the 'soul shadow'. Even if the two parties are separated by a thousand li, the target is still doomed.

The Taiwei Edict-Granting Treasure Register is even more absurd.

Once the Treasure Register is formed, it does not slash the flesh nor kill the soul; it specifically breaks through merit and luck. Even a child of destiny hit by this divine technique would turn into an unlucky fool.

Of course, the most powerful aspect is the combination of all three techniques.

This is also the effect of the 'Great Yin Metamorphosis Corpse-Release True Art' that moves Lu Yang's heart the most: it increases a cultivator's chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment!

Just this single point makes Lu Yang determined to obtain this Great Divine Technique!

Time flies, 阴 like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

Inside the Blood Robe Tower, Lu Yang leaned against the railing gazing at the sky, silently circulating the 'Nine Transformations Dragon Transformation Art', inhaling and exhaling clouds and mist between breaths, transforming and manifesting various strange phenomena and wondrous sights.

The Eighth Transformation, the Illusory Mirage Transformation!

Although the spiritual vein of Skeleton Mountain was not ideal, Lu Yang had plenty of money and had stockpiled a large quantity of spirit stones beforehand, so his cultivation did not stagnate because of it.

After five years of bitter cultivation, although his progress on the Taiwei Edict-Granting Treasure Register remained nonexistent, while studying the divine technique he suddenly experienced a stroke of inspiration, and his true qi spontaneously broke through a bottleneck. By the time he came to his senses, the qi seed within his dantian had transformed once again, faintly manifesting a dragon shape.

Eighth Layer of Qi Condensation!

"Although the improvement from the Seventh Layer to the Eighth Layer of Qi Condensation isn't as exaggerated as from the Sixth to the Seventh, my true qi and magic power have still increased nearly several-fold."

"In the end, realm is the foundation!"

"So what if I don't have a Great Divine Technique? With my current strength, even against a core disciple in the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, I can cross realms and kill them!"

"Not to mention there is still the Ninth Transformation."

Lu Yang's heart burned with excitement; the Ninth Transformation, the 'Flying Fish Transformation', could break through bottlenecks. In other words, immediately after breaking through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Condensation, he could charge straight toward Great Perfection!

"The path to immortality is in sight; this deserves a celebration!"

Thinking this, Lu Yang's mood instantly improved greatly, the gloom of failing to cultivate the Taiwei Edict-Granting Treasure Register swept away completely, and he cheerfully walked out of the quiet room.

However, before that, Lu Yang first cast the Qi-Concealing Art once.

The next second, his surging qi signature from the recent breakthrough was entirely concealed, returning to the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation, just slightly stronger than his level five years ago.

"Reveal three parts when attacking, keep seven parts as a trump card—one can never have too many of these."

Not long after, disciples of the Holy Sect under the Blood Robe Tower's jurisdiction swarmed over one after another; upon seeing Lu Yang, they immediately performed deep bows without saying a word.

"Congratulations, Tower Master, on exiting seclusion!"

"Rise." Lu Yang waved his hand casually, then asked: "During these five years of my seclusion, has there been any trouble near Skeleton Mountain?"

"Replying to the Tower Master, there has been none."

An elderly-looking disciple of the Holy Sect voluntarily spoke up: "There was only one instance; a disciple from the Northern Frontier Divine Martial Sect came to provoke us but was sent away by Fairy Feixia."

"What about the Profound Yin Taiyin Jade? Any news?"

"None yet..."

After understanding the changes over the past five years, Lu Yang dismissed the crowd, planning to enter seclusion again until the opportunity for Foundation Establishment during the upcoming Righteous-Demonic War appeared.

However, just at that moment, a streak of colorful rosy light suddenly landed beside the Blood Robe Tower.

"Junior Brother Lu, please grant an audience."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang swept out his spiritual sense, then hurriedly stood up to welcome the visitor, smiling: "Troubling Senior Sister to come in person; I should have been the one to visit you."

"Junior Brother, something has happened."

Seeing Fairy Feixia's serious expression, she spoke solemnly: "Recently, using the Earth-Viewing Instrument, we discovered that the zombie tide, which was supposed to erupt in fifteen years, has arrived early."

"Right now, over ten thousand zombies are heading toward the market town!"

"Such an anomaly occurred without any prior signs; there must be a mastermind behind it. I suspect it is very likely those barbarians from the Northern Frontier Divine Martial Sect."

"What?"

Hearing this, Lu Yang frowned, and upon noticing Fairy Feixia staring straight at him, his frown deepened: "Does Senior Sister need my assistance?"

"Indeed, will Junior Brother accompany me to charge into the zombie tide?"

Fairy Feixia smiled: "The zombie tide is a crisis, but also an opportunity. Whoever the mastermind is, being able to trigger the zombie tide early must rely on a rare treasure."

"If we join forces, perhaps we can seize it and create an opportunity for ourselves."

"Even if an accident occurs and we become trapped in the zombie tide, with our cultivation levels, the risk is not great!"

Speaking thus, Fairy Feixia's eyebrows flew upward, her face radiant, appearing extremely high-spirited.

However, Lu Yang shook his head.

"Apologies, Senior Sister... Junior Brother is not like you; my strength is lowly, I haven't learned any divine techniques, and only understand a bit of array formations. It would be better for me to stay and hold the fort."

No matter how small the risk, it is still a risk.

A gentleman does not stand beneath a dangerous wall. Right now, as long as I cultivate step by step, I will definitely break through to the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation; why take risks and fight for my life?

It is not worth it!

The primary goal of this life is to break through to the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation; if I want to take risks, I will do so after breaking through. Until then, I should act cautiously.

"Junior Brother, you do not intend to go?" Seeing Lu Yang refuse, Fairy Feixia immediately furrowed her delicate brows; usually cold and aloof, showing such a troubled expression made one feel pity for her: "The Dao of Immortality is short; to achieve anything, one must burn one's boats... I thought you understood this principle."

Lu Yang's Dao heart was like iron, unmoving: "Times are different now; please understand, Senior Sister."

"Junior Brother, you have changed."

Fairy Feixia shook her head in disappointment: "Since that is the case, you stay to guard the market town. However, when the time comes, there will be no share of the opportunity for you."

"..."

Hearing this, Lu Yang smiled but did not answer.

To be honest, he actually felt Fairy Feixia did not seem quite like a disciple of the Holy Sect. How to put it? She possessed a kind of innocence, as if she had never been beaten down by the Holy Sect.

With the zombie tide present, even if you obtain a tremendous opportunity, won't you eventually have to flee back to the market town where I am stationed?

By that time, if you say the opportunity is not mine to share, then do not blame me for saying that you fought bravely and ultimately sacrificed yourselves on the front lines resisting the zombie tide.

(End of Chapter)