Chapter 49: Half a Point Not Up to Man

"It seems the Foundation Establishment True Person pulling the strings has finally given up!"

Lu Yang looked up at the sky; only because he possessed the Primordial Hunyuan One Qi Divine Talisman and had experience from several past lives could he vaguely perceive the shift in fate.

This feeling of a clear Dao heart and boundless horizons truly hadn't been experienced in a long time.

"Excellent, excellent!"

Discovering the Foundation Establishment True Person had stopped plotting against him, Lu Yang instantly felt much more at ease; what satisfied him even more was that his other project had made great progress.

Lu Yang took out the Primordial One Qi Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, then summoned his Primordial One Qi doppelganger.

The Ten Thousand Spirits Banner was very special; although it contained a mustard-seed space, only things related to the Primordial Dao Scripture, such as the Primordial One Qi doppelganger, could enter it.

As the doppelganger entered, Lu Yang instantly felt a flicker before his eyes.

The next second, a vast, boundless scroll slowly unfurled before Lu Yang's eyes, like a comic strip, with a Banner Spirit in every frame.

These portraits each had their own merits; some depicted landscapes and households, others remote islands overseas, some imperial palaces and forbidden cities, others heavenly courts and immortal palaces; within each portrait, a Banner Spirit radiating spiritual light moved about, either eating, drinking, playing, or sitting in meditation, looking just like a True Person.

Although he had seen it many times before, every viewing still made Lu Yang sigh:

"These portraits are likely formed from the Banner Spirits' memories before they became spirits; letting the Banner Spirits live within the paintings to maintain their consciousness and prevent them from scattering—what an amazing treasure!"

With a thought from Lu Yang, the scene within the painting instantly changed.

All the Banner Spirits were gathered in one place; the original scenes of landscapes and households transformed into a massive factory and an assembly line.

At first, the Banner Spirits were still somewhat dazed.

However, quickly, Liu Xin, the strongest among the Banner Spirits, regained his senses first, walked briskly to Lu Yang's side, and respectfully said, "This subordinate greets the Master."

"How is the work going?"

"Replying to the Master, we have produced one hundred and thirty-two Jin Guang Talismans, one hundred and fifty-three Five Thunder Talismans, and two hundred and ten Sword Qi Talismans; please, Master, review them."

As the words fell, Liu Xin held up a thick stack of talismans and handed them over.

"Well done, but..."

Lu Yang swept his spiritual sense over them, satisfiedly put the talismans away, but quickly scowled: "... who gave you permission to let them go back to rest?"

Since he had exchanged talisman techniques with the Fairy Feixia, he had entrusted the production of three low-grade talismans to the Banner Spirits inside the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner; therefore, the Banner Spirits should have been drawing talismans day and night, year-round without rest, yet when he just came in to inspect, he found everyone resting.

How could this be allowed? This is deceiving Heaven!

As a Banner Spirit, if you dare to rest today, what will you dare to do tomorrow? I simply dare not think! This corrupt trend must be nipped in the bud!

Thinking this, Lu Yang narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice:

"Senior Brother Liu, I am very happy that you could organize the Banner Spirits to draw so many talismans, but I very much dislike that you let all the Banner Spirits go rest."

"Replying to the Master, this subordinate was forced into this."

Hearing this, Liu Xin hurriedly explained: "The art of drawing talismans requires a living person to use magic power as a brush and spiritual wisdom as ink; however, Banner Spirits are people who are seemingly alive but actually dead."

"Though they possess magic power, their spiritual wisdom diminishes with every use."

"If they draw talismans for a long time without being allowed to sleep and recuperate, one day they will exhaust all their spiritual wisdom, ultimately causing them to scatter without cause."

"So what?"

Lu Yang's response left Liu Xin momentarily stunned.

"The Ten Thousand Spirits Banner lacks nothing but Banner Spirits; if they get exhausted and scatter without cause, that is just fine; I will go fetch a new one, which will yield higher efficiency."

"Oh right, scattered Banner Spirits can also be used to feed other Banner Spirits."

"Since the Banner Spirits can endure hardship, they can endure even more hardship."

"You Banner Spirits were born to work for me; Banner Spirits that cannot work for me have no value in existence; just let them scatter on their own."

Lu Yang spoke in a calm tone, but Liu Xin listened with a trembling heart.

'Beast... what a beast!'

Watching Lu Yang's utilization of the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, Liu Xin felt he himself was a great benefactor, having previously only summoned the Banner Spirits during magical duels.

And Lu Yang, keenly perceiving his emotion, smiled gently: "Senior Brother Liu, I believe you also understand how fierce the competition among Banner Spirits is now; to be honest, if it weren't for the few ties of fellow disciples between us, I wouldn't have entrusted you with full responsibility for this matter; you should learn to be grateful."

"Otherwise, think about it: using this Banner Spirit is using one, using that Banner Spirit is also using one; why should I use you?"

"Is it not because we are fellow disciples? My current success is largely due to you; rest assured, as long as you work seriously, I certainly will not treat you poorly."

Liu Xin: "..."

While Lu Yang was inspecting the work inside the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, in another secret chamber of the Blood-Robed Tower, Yun Miaoqing was currently caught in a struggle between heaven and man.

"How could this be..."

Her expression was unclear whether it was joy or shock, and on her neck, the token symbolizing her identity as a disciple of the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange was emitting light.

This was a communication spiritual light!

As long as one circulated magic power to contact it, one could communicate with the person on the other side of the spiritual light; she simply never expected her token to have this function!

But why had no one contacted her before?

The next second, Yun Miaoqing heard a familiar voice sound in her ear: "Miaoqing? Good, you are not dead; it seems you still have a bit of fate."

"You are... Sister!?"

Yun Miaoqing opened her beautiful eyes wide, revealing a look of shock.

The reason she had previously extended an olive branch to Lu Yang was partly because she was convinced of Lu Yang's character, and partly because she had full confidence in her own background.

As long as Lu Yang was willing to reform and turn from evil to good, she could get the Yushu Jiange to accept Lu Yang.

Because the Yun family she belonged to had once produced a Zhang Sect of the Yushu Jiange, a Jin Dan True Lord; although now fallen, it was still a great immortal clan within the Yushu Jiange.

However, she herself was not valued by the family; what was truly valued was her sister—Yun Miaozhen, a direct disciple of the Yushu Jiange, cultivating the Taiyi Golden Flower Scripture, devoted entirely to hard cultivation, even refusing to take pills to force growth, and one of the very few direct disciples to achieve great supernatural powers in the late Qi Refining stage.

To describe her with the phrase "Heaven's Favorite Daughter" was no exaggeration.

Yun Miaoqing and Yun Miaozhen, although their names differed by only one character and they were biological sisters, their talents and aptitudes were as different as clouds and mud.

"Where are you now?"

The spiritual light shimmered, and a cold voice emerged from it: "Your fate is naturally insufficient, which is why you suffered the calamity of being trapped in the Xianmo Sect; now that it is complete, you should emerge from the tribulation."

Can I return to Yushu Jiange now?

Yun Miaoqing was briefly stunned, then immense joy surged within her; she quickly said, "I am in the Blood Robe Tower of the Skull Mountain Market. Sister, have you come to fetch me?"

"Blood Robe Tower?"

Yun Miaozhen paused slightly, then said, "Did that Blood Robe Tower Master drain your essence? Very well, I will slay him for you; that will count as your merit completed."

Upon hearing this, Yun Miaoqing was instantly stunned and quickly said, "Sister, you misunderstand. Although Daoist Brother Lu hails from the Demonic Sect, he is no villain; on the contrary, his heart leans toward the Righteous Path, and his talent is superb. I feel that rather than slaying him, we should persuade him to abandon evil and return to righteousness, which would also aid the Righteous Path."

Before Yun Miaoqing's words had finished, a sharp rebuke cut her off directly.

"Absurd!"

The next second, outside the Skull Mountain Market, a tall woman in a white robe and crane-feather cloak, with sword-light hidden in her beautiful eyes and a valiant bearing, suddenly crushed the jade talisman in her hand.

Beside the woman, a middle-aged man frowned and asked, "What is wrong?"

"Miaoqing is beyond saving!"

Yun Miaozhen shook her head and sighed, "She pleaded for a demon's sake; I fear she is already trapped in calamity, unable to extricate herself, with no hope of escaping the tribulation."

"Then what does Junior Sister intend to do?"

"Go to the Mo Sect Market!"

As the words fell, an inexplicable rage suddenly arose in Yun Miaozhen's heart.

Yun Miaoqing is her own younger sister, resembling her seven-tenths in appearance; now she has been drained by a demon. Is not that scene as if she herself had been...

Thinking of this, Yun Miaozhen felt utterly unwell and instinctively drew her legs together.

Immediately, a streak of killing intent flashed across her exquisite, beautiful face: "A demon has bewitched my sister; if I do not slay him with my own hands, my thoughts will not be clear!"

(End of this chapter)