Chapter 48: Foundation Establishment Fixes Karmic Consequences

Blood-Robed Tower, another morning dawned.

Fairy Feixia leaned against the tower balcony; sunlight pierced through her thin, wind-swaying robes, casting a bewitching silhouette that sparked endless fantasies.

"In these past days, thank you, Junior Brother Lu."

The two had just finished a night of exchange; thanks to Lu Yang's exhaustive instruction, Fairy Feixia had reached her limit and would find it difficult to progress further in the short term.

"Today, I intend to leave the market town."

Turning back, Fairy Feixia stared straight at Lu Yang: "My state of mind is inferior to yours, Junior Brother, and my talent likewise falls short, yet I am unwilling to fade into mediocrity among mortals."

"After Feixia departs, meeting you again may be a distant prospect." Fairy Feixia raised her gaze, her appearance pitiable; suddenly, she sighed softly: "The future may hold the path of the Dao in sight, or I may bury my bones in a foreign land; the immortal path is lonely. Moreover, within the Holy Sect, Feixia only hopes that when the time comes, I may still see an old friend."

Having spoken, Fairy Feixia offered Lu Yang a charming smile.

Her beautiful face, her clear and lovely smile, seemed to open her heart to Lu Yang for the first time: "Junior Brother... are you willing to be that old friend of Feixia's?"

"..." Lu Yang remained silent for a long time.

A peerless woman gazing at him with lingering affection was like a vast net, thread by thread winding around him, enough to make any man lose his senses.

However, Lu Yang held back.

He calmly raised his hand: "You are always welcome to return for tea, Senior Sister."

Dismiss the guest.

In an instant, the light in Fairy Feixia's eyes flickered; it was impossible to tell whether it was disappointment or helplessness; immediately, she withdrew her smile and became cold and distant once more.

"This humble one takes her leave."

As her words fell, a streak of escape light shaped like colorful clouds soared into the sky and vanished at the horizon.

Only after the other had departed did Lu Yang exhale, turn, and return to the meditation chamber of the Blood-Robed Tower, hide within the formation, and grasp the Primordial Hunyuan One Qi Divine Talisman.

Finally, his body's trembling ceased.

"Damn it, this must be a Foundation Establishment True Person plotting against me!"

Regarding Fairy Feixia, Lu Yang had always pursued physical pleasure without emotional attachment; they were merely purely exchanging knowledge and learning; dual cultivation was simply a method of learning.

Yet just now, he had actually been moved!

Regarding Fairy Feixia, he had once been confused and infatuated, nearly saying "I am willing" several times; this emotion was clearly wrong and fundamentally inconsistent with his true heart!

With the experience of several past lives, Lu Yang quickly drew a conclusion: "That Foundation Establishment True Person behind the scenes is growing impatient and has begun using crude methods; they are using Fairy Feixia as bait to forcibly bind me to her... wanting to fish me out of the market town!"

"Secluded cultivation... I must enter secluded cultivation!"

Upon thinking this, Lu Yang immediately announced a death-seclusion to the outside world, refusing to see outsiders for a short time, minimizing the risk of his karmic ties being entangled by others.

"..."

Outside the market town of Skeleton Mountain, atop a cliff, a figure stood with hands clasped behind his back, while behind him stood a blood-robed youth with a respectful expression.

The next second, the figure with hands behind his back laughed: "An ordinary disciple, without any background, yet capable of producing such a person with an unshakable Dao heart; truly rare. I cast spells several times to fish him out, yet he did not bite the bait. Second Brother, I truly do not know whether to say your judgment is good or bad."

"Please forgive me, Senior Brother."

The blood-robed youth bowed respectfully, his tone also somewhat helpless: "My original intention was merely to find a cannon fodder; I simply did not expect that even shallow waters could produce a dragon..."

The blood-robed youth was named "Luo Wuya," the "Second Senior Brother" of the Sanhe Association.

His cultivation was at the peak of Qi Condensation, and he also mastered a great divine ability; he was the strongest figure of the Holy Sect openly present at Skeleton Mountain, a true my lord.

And the person before whom he could show such respect was none other than the figure with hands behind his back; his identity was obvious.

The Sanhe Association, the Association Head!

His Dao title was "Yinshan"; after successfully achieving Foundation Establishment ten years ago, he instantly became a high-ranking member of the Holy Sect and, with the Sect Master's approval, established the Yinshan lineage within the Sea of Clouds.

"However, Senior Brother, I still cannot understand; must it necessarily be a disciple of the Holy Sect?"

"Second Brother, you do not know."

True Person Yinshan shook his head: "The Ancient Wraith-Ghost Dao was a major Modaoda Sect; its secret realm carries heavy karmic consequences; even I am unwilling to lightly become entangled in it."

In this world, karmic consequences exist everywhere.

If one gains benefits and forms karmic ties, one must repay them.

The Ancient Wraith-Ghost Dao set up a secret realm precisely to seek a person of great fortune, planting karmic ties through the sect's inheritance to seek an opportunity for the revival of their Dao lineage.

"If I were to act personally, finding the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm would be effortless; indeed, I would not even need to search, as the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm would reveal itself on its own. However, in that case, the karmic consequences of the Wraith-Ghost Dao would fall upon me; at that time, I do not know how many troublesome matters would arise, hindering my cultivation..."

To put it plainly, True Person Yinshan simply wanted the goods without paying the price.

"Therefore, I need someone to open the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm for me. Since the Wraith-Ghost Dao is a major Modaoda Sect, selecting a disciple of the Holy Sect is most suitable."

"I originally selected that 'Blood-Robed Tower Master,' and specially drew numerous formidable enemies toward him. As long as he was willing to step out of the market town, I would act as his backing, helping him slay his enemies and accumulate fortune; once the fortune was sufficient, the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm would be attracted by his fortune and emerge..."

If Lu Yang were here, hearing these words, he would certainly feel a sense of familiarity.

Because that was exactly how Xiao Shuye died back then.

An artificially created Child of Destiny, appearing to have heaven-shaking luck, invincible in attack and undefeated in battle, was in reality merely bait used by a Foundation Establishment True Person to fish out opportunities.

And once the opportunity was fished out, the bait was no longer useful.

Behind True Person Yinshan, the blood-robed youth Luo Wuya lowered his head deeply, feeling a hidden shudder of fear at the terrifying methods by which the Foundation Establishment True Person manipulated karmic fate.

"..."

Suddenly, True Person Yinshan shook his head: "Since that 'Blood-Robed Tower Master' is unwilling to cooperate, let us change to another; it is not as if he is indispensable."

Speaking thus, True Person Yinshan chuckled lightly: "Second Brother, do you recall how the Ancient Wraith-Ghost Dao was destroyed?"

"I know; it was the Yushu Yushu Jiange."

Luo Wuya nodded: "The Zhang Sect of that generation, a Jin Dan True Lord, slashed out a sword on the Seven Stars Cliff of the Yushu Jiange, and the Wraith-Ghost Dao's mountain gate immediately sank into the earth..."

"Correct; it was merely a single sword strike."

True Person Yinshan sighed: "During the peak of the Ancient Wraith-Ghost Dao, there were no fewer than two dozen Foundation Establishment True Persons, and even a fourth-grade formation suppressing their fortune."

"Even so, they still could not withstand a single sword strike by a Jin Dan True Lord from tens of thousands of li away."

"Indeed, that sword strike still remains within the Wraith-Ghost Dao's secret realm to this day!"

Speaking thus, Yinshan True Person's eyes revealed a trace of wariness: "The True Lord's decree: sword qi dwells in the world; as long as the Wraith-Ghost Path is not extinguished, the sword qi naturally will not be extinguished either."

This was also the reason he refused to descend and act personally.

The sword qi of a Jin Dan True Lord, moreover, originates from the head of the Righteous Path, the Yuchu Yushu Jiange; what if he ran off to open the secret realm, and the sword qi within casually slew him?

Thus, it was safer to find a stone to test the path.

"That sword qi and the Wraith-Ghost secret realm have been entangled for countless years, long since merged into one; therefore, since there is no way to open the Wraith-Ghost secret realm through the Holy Sect disciples, changing direction to lure a Yuchu Yushu Jiange disciple over to obtain that sword qi yields the same effect."

Speaking thus, Yinshan True Person's gaze shifted, and he finally departed the market.

Almost simultaneously, Lu Yang, who was in seclusion within the market, suddenly felt his body grow light, as if an infinite burden had been lifted, and he revealed a look of astonishment.

(End of this chapter)