Chapter 66: Digging a Pit

At Hao Ran Academy, the moment Lu Yang departed, Ji Xiongying arrived silently.

"Bookworm, have you seen that immortal?"

Upon entering, Ji Xiongying was slightly startled; he had not expected Wang Boyuan, who had been so spirited just a few months ago, to suddenly look so disheveled.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing." Wang Boyuan took another swig of wine and smiled: "If you mean the one who fought you, I have indeed seen him."

"He was quite interested in my 'Fate-Gazing Art'; I am truly honored."

"Stop wasting words!" Ji Xiongying sneered, throwing the scripture he obtained from his 'miraculous encounter' directly in front of Wang Boyuan: "He can fulfill our grand ambitions!"

"Immortals exist in this world, immortal and deathless; kill them and eat their flesh, and you can achieve eternal life!" Ji Xiongying shouted loudly: "Are you not determined to establish peace for ten thousand generations? Just kill that immortal, we divide and consume his flesh, and we can dwell in eternal life; at that time, we can create a world of peace that will never fall!"

"A world of peace..."

Wang Boyuan murmured softly, yet he showed none of the excitement Ji Xiongying imagined; he merely shook his head, then said calmly: "Then let us try."

"Good! It is a deal!"

Ji Xiongying saw that Wang Boyuan's attitude was off, as if hiding something, but he had no patience to dwell on it; as long as Wang Boyuan was willing to act, that was enough.

Meanwhile, inside Tianjing City.

By now, Lu Yang had regained his composure, for he suddenly understood one thing: if it were truly a Foundation Establishment True Person, there would be no need to make things so complicated.

Because this time was different from Skeleton Mountain.

At Skeleton Mountain, the Yinshan True Person hiding behind the scenes did not actually intend to kill him; he merely used him as bait, but this time was different.

This time, someone clearly wanted to kill him!

The reason they have not acted yet is probably because his true body is still hidden deep within layers of formations, having sent only a projection to scout the way.

This indicates that the person behind the scenes definitely has not reached Foundation Establishment, because if they were at Foundation Establishment, they would have no need for such caution; they could simply slap him down, and he would certainly die. Considering this angle, although the opponent can manipulate cause and effect, their strength is likely only at the peak of Qi Condensation.

'Something is strange...'

Able to manipulate cause and effect, yet not at Foundation Establishment?

One must know that calculating cause and effect and manipulating cause and effect, though differing by only one character, are worlds apart; they are the dividing line between Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation.

Calculating cause and effect merely allows one to foresee a little.

But manipulating cause and effect can truly make the situation develop according to one's own will; in theory, only a Foundation Establishment True Person can do such a thing.

Therefore, 'able to manipulate cause and effect, yet not at Foundation Establishment' should be impossible.

Unless...

"Foundation Establishment, reincarnated?"

Lu Yang frowned; after eliminating all impossible guesses, the only answer surfaced: "There is a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Secret Realm!?"

Yes, the calamity of the Sage Thief!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt a wave of absurdity; what kind of thing is this? The calamity of his Sage Thief reaching perfection is actually a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator coming to cause trouble?

That can't be right!

By the heavens above, this humble Daoist has always been kind to others; how could I have provoked a Foundation Establishment cultivator?

'... Ah.'

The next second, Lu Yang suddenly widened his eyes.

'Yun Miaozhen, Yu Shu Yushu Jiange?'

There are only two Foundation Establishment cultivators in this life who might have a grudge against him; one is the Master of Bu Tian Peak, but he is in the prime of his life and absolutely not at the stage where he needs to reincarnate.

The other is Yu Shu Yushu Jiange.

And given the scale of Yu Shu Yushu Jiange, having a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator is quite normal; because there was already a grudge, was he drawn here by the calamity of the Sage Thief?

That can't be so ridiculous, can it?

Thinking of this, Lu Yang instantly broke out in a cold sweat, so shocked that he almost immediately left the Secret Realm to report to Yinshan True Person that there were bad people inside the Secret Realm...

But in the end, he restrained the impulse to leave the Secret Realm, because he suddenly remembered the final step of the 'Death and Subsequent Transformation' secret technique he had previously deduced, intended for cultivating the Great Yin Transformation Corpse Liberation True Method, which was exactly lacking the soul of a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator to help perfect it!

On the other hand, his Sage Thief cultivation was not yet complete.

If he reported it now and Yinshan True Person cleared the area, then everything would be gone; setting aside the Foundation Establishment soul, the Sage Thief would certainly be ruined.

'Though it is a calamity, it is also an opportunity!'

As the saying goes, misfortune and fortune depend on each other!

A hundred causes must have an effect; there is reward and there is retribution; as long as he can cross this calamity by his own power, then the calamity will transform into a vast opportunity!

Moreover, he did not lack a chance of victory.

Before, the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light; knowing nothing about them, it was naturally a ten-death-no-survival situation... but now that he knows the truth, it is different!

He could simply turn the enemy's plan against them!

'Since that reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator is plotting against me in the dark, this so-called Martial Dao Heavenly Man was probably created by him; I knew there was something wrong with this...'

'... He wants to lure me out!'

'And now I have only sent one projection; he must not be satisfied with that. Yes, that is why Ji Xiongying suddenly appeared and fought a great battle with me.'

'Unless something unexpected happens, he must have a backup plan; most likely, he wants to destroy this projection of mine, thereby luring me out of my secluded cave dwelling and away from the protection of the formations. However, Ji Xiongying is no match for this projection of mine; to kill me... he can only join forces with other Heavenly Men to act!'

Understood! Everything is understood!

Lu Yang's expression did not change, yet in his heart he had already sorted out the elder of the Yun family's scheme almost completely, and his understanding of cause and effect had grown even deeper.

'This is Foundation Establishment.'

Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely risk their lives against each other; therefore, most attacks are made through cause and effect; whoever can calculate the other's cause and effect holds an overwhelming advantage!

'If he wants to kill, then I will let him kill!'

Lu Yang pondered for a long time and quickly came up with a countermeasure, because he actually also intended to fight the Martial Dao Heavenly Men, using this to bring the Martial Dao back to the right path.

But not by creating a Fifth Step.

This judgment by the Elder Ancestor of the Yun family was very accurate; with Lu Yang's current cultivation and vision, even with the help of the Bright Dao Jade Slip, it would be impossible to take the fifth step.

However, to break the deadlock, one does not actually need to create a new realm; it is only necessary to make people "believe" that he has created a new realm.

After all, the key to the Sage Thief lies in theft.

And deceiving the world to steal a reputation requires no genuine substance.

"First, I need a new identity."

Since he wants everyone to believe he has created a new realm, he needs to make them convinced; for this, a background with sufficient prestige is indispensable.

"My true name... hmm, let's call it Deva Indra!"

"I have lived for over a thousand years and am the only immortal in this world; I have long reached the limit of this world and am now seeking a method to break through."

"The reason I communicate and fight with the Martial Dao Heavens is because I believe that when a person's cultivation reaches the world's extreme, to advance further, they must fight each other, kill each other, and sublimate to the utmost amidst life and death, thereby breaking the shackles of heaven and earth!"

"I call this realm Shattering the Void!"

"After Shattering the Void, one can ascend lightly; thus, no one would know what happened, nor could anyone describe the mystery of this realm."

"After all, everyone who reaches this realm never returns; no one is there to speak from experience..."

The unknown brings fear, and it also brings hope.

"I don't even need to describe this realm in detail; I just need to fight a great battle, demonstrate it publicly, and the rest they will imagine themselves..."

This is a huge trap!

The fourth step of the Martial Dao is already a dead end; Foundation Establishment is impossible, yet human hearts are endless, and the Martial Dao Heavens need a goal to pursue even more.

And this goal, Lu Yang will give them!

As long as he puts on a sufficiently spectacular performance before everyone, making the so-called "Shattering the Void" seem ethereal yet credible.

If no one believes it, even if it is real, it is fake.

If someone believes it, even if it is fake, it is real!

(End of this chapter)