Chapter 38: Divine Martial Gate

At dusk, inside the Blood-Robed Tower.

The setting sun was like blood. As another circulation of his art came to an end, Lu Yang slowly refined the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his dantian, then transformed it into true qi that flowed through his limbs and meridians.

Qi coursed through his meridians like a dragon returning to the sea.

"Almost there. Once I cultivate the final Flying Fish Transformation and merge all nine transformations into one, I'll be able to fully refine the third-grade true qi of the Nine Transformations Dragon Art — 'True Dragon Fiend'."

"Once I cultivate 'True Dragon Fiend,' it'll be about time for the Great Righteous-Demonic War to begin. I can make a perfect transition, and head into the Skeleton Mountain Foundation Establishment opportunity in my strongest state. Only the Foundation Establishment opportunity is worth risking my life for — everything else is an illusion."

Having finished today's cultivation, Lu Yang stepped out of the quiet chamber.

Outside the quiet chamber, a striking woman with sharp, piercing eyes had long been waiting. The moment she saw Lu Yang, she stepped forward and handed him a jade slip.

"Dao Brother, today's movements of the corpse tide have been delivered."

Lu Yang took the jade slip and gave a faint smile. "Many thanks, Daoist Friend Yun."

This woman was none other than Yun Miaoqing.

She had originally been a disciple of the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange. Although Lu Yang had long since mastered the Divine Firmament Sword-Controlling True Art, out of consideration for the bond from a past life, he had still bought her.

To be fair, his original intent had been that, since the two of them had in fact engaged in dual cultivation in a past life, as long as it didn't hinder him, he didn't mind doing a good deed and giving Yun Miaoqing a hand. Staying with him was better than being bought by another Holy Sect disciple and used as a cauldron until she was sucked dry into a husk.

But unexpectedly, this decision gave him a pleasant surprise.

Perhaps because in this life he had never dual-cultivated with Yun Miaoqing, and instead treated her with respectful courtesy, focusing only on bitter cultivation, Yun Miaoqing's goodwill toward him had actually increased greatly.

"Dao Brother, you're a good person. Why stay in the Initial Holy Demon Sect?"

Yun Miaoqing walked to Lu Yang's side and said softly, "Right now the corpse tide is erupting. Why doesn't Senior Brother fake his death and come with me to the Yushu Jiange to take refuge in the righteous path?"

Saying this, Yun Miaoqing looked at Lu Yang, her beautiful eyes subtly brimming with affection.

In her most desperate, most helpless moment, it was the man before her who had pulled her out of the sea of suffering. Not only had he not laid a finger on her, he had given her a place to belong.

Though born of the Demon Sect, he was a true gentleman.

Not to mention that over the past ten years, she had watched with her own eyes as he grew step by step to where he was now — high cultivation, strong talent, and most importantly, extremely handsome.

If he could join the Yushu Jiange, perhaps he could be with her—

Thinking about it, a sudden flush rose on Yun Miaoqing's pretty face, as if something had crossed her mind.

This demeanor reminded Lu Yang of how, in her previous lives, she had faced him defiantly and shouted "demon!" at him. For a moment, he found it quite amusing.

Of course, he had no interest in romance.

What truly mattered to him was that Yun Miaoqing's status within the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange seemed to be no small matter — she had actually claimed that as long as she recommended him, the Yushu Jiange would surely take him in.

"Cultivating in the Holy Sect is like walking on thin ice. If possible, I'd still like to go to a sect with better customs."

Yun Miaoqing might well be the stepping stone for his future defection to the righteous path.

"How are Senior Sister Feixia and the others?"

"Those demonic cultivators were still at Jueyin Ridge a few days ago, crushing the corpse tide. Some mysterious expert even made a move, but they repelled him and then went in pursuit."

Yun Miaoqing handed over another jade slip.

Lu Yang took the jade slip. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, the full scene of that day was immediately reflected in his mind.

"I see. So the early eruption of the corpse tide really does have someone behind it — disciples of the Divine Martial Sect? And the strange treasure they used to catalyze the corpse tide—"

Seeing this, Lu Yang suddenly froze, then shot to his feet.

"Mysterious Feminine Grand Yin Jade!?"

Indeed, the intelligence clearly showed that the mastermind behind the corpse tide's eruption — a disciple of the Divine Martial Sect — actually had in his possession a thumb-sized Mysterious Feminine Grand Yin Jade!

"If I can obtain this jade, I can immediately cultivate the Grand Yin Shape-Capturing Great Art. Given time, even the Grand Yin Corpse-Refinement True Art won't be a dream. Considering the rarity of the jade, this is probably the only chance in this life. Once I let it go, I might miss it forever."

"But… not in this life. Next life, perhaps. If I miss it, I miss it!"

Lu Yang's expression darkened, and he sat back down. Despite the unexpected discovery of the Grand Yin Jade he had long dreamed of, he felt not the slightest joy.

He only felt a chill to the bone, his heart filled with vigilance.

"Whatever I want, it just shows up at my door — how could there be such luck under heaven? After all, I'm not some child of destiny like Xiao Shiye."

Besides, Xiao Shiye's luck was granted by someone else!

"Could it be that Fortunate Daoist again?"

At the thought that all of this might once more be a Foundation Establishment True Person manipulating karma and scheming in the shadows, Lu Yang immediately made up his mind.

"I'm not going out!"

The current situation at Skeleton Mountain was treacherous. Staying in the market town to oversee the array was the safest option. As long as no Foundation Establishment True Person made a move, he would be as steady as Mount Taishan.

"Besides, even if I don't go out, it doesn't mean I have no chance of getting the jade."

Isn't there still Immortal Feixia and the others?

After all, the intelligence said they had gone in pursuit. As long as they could seize the jade and then flee back to the market town, wouldn't his chance arrive?

Thinking of this, Lu Yang couldn't help but sincerely root for Immortal Feixia from the bottom of his heart.

Time flew by.

Another day, inside the Blood-Robed Tower.

Lu Yang was meditating and refining qi when he suddenly sensed something. He mounted a beam of escape light and went outside the tower, gazing far into the distance toward the outskirts of the market town.

"Boom boom boom!"

In the distant sky, thunderous explosions accompanied by spreading mushroom clouds rapidly advanced toward the market town from the edge of the horizon. It was clearly a chase of escape lights, and at the very front was Immortal Feixia's unmistakably distinctive rainbow-colored escape light.

"One is missing?"

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow. The Skeleton Mountain market town had four late Qi-Refining cultivators in total, including himself: Immortal Feixia, Lu Yuanchun, and one unnamed senior brother.

Yet at this moment, Lu Yang could only see the figures of Immortal Feixia and Lu Yuanchun.

"Raise the array."

Lu Yang remained unhurried. At his command, the Holy Sect disciples within the market town immediately took their positions. Array flags flew, and in an instant a grand formation rose up.

Hundred-Bones Returning-to-True Grand Array!

This formation ranks as Seventh Grade, the pinnacle of Qi Condensation-level arrays; with Lu Yang commanding it, even a cultivator at the peak of Qi Condensation could fight.

However, in the next second, a sudden anomaly erupted!

Lu Yuanchun was seen suddenly producing a token, chanting a spell and activating it, directly opening the originally sealed great formation and creating a gap.

"Now!"

Almost simultaneously, a shout of extreme excitement rang out from outside the market, followed by several streaks of spiritual light flying forth, transforming into formation flags distributed in all directions.

Immediately, a miniature formation appeared over the gap Lu Yuanchun had opened, fixing it in place so that Lu Yang could not close it!

"Divine Martial Gate"

Lu Yang frowned slightly and immediately recognized the attackers; clearly, the Divine Martial Gate had been lying in ambush outside the market for a long time, waiting for exactly this opportunity.

Now that the formation had been forcibly pried open, the Divine Martial Gate could use this to slaughter their way into the market!

Yet Lu Yuanchun, the mastermind behind all this, merely cast a cold glance at the market before rising on a flight of light and departing in the opposite direction!

He clearly understood what he had done, but he did not care; indeed, he had done it deliberately, treating the market as a pawn to be sacrificed so he could escape. After all, for the Divine Martial Gate, seizing this excellent opportunity to annihilate the Skull Mountain Market in one stroke was better than continuing to hunt him down.

As for the Holy Sect disciples within the market?

Consider it their bad luck!

(End of this chapter)