Chapter 66: Digging a Pit

At Haoran Academy, no sooner had Lu Yang departed than Ji Xiongying arrived quietly.

"Bookworm, have you seen that immortal?"

Upon entering, Ji Xiongying was slightly startled; he had not expected Wang Poyuan, who was so high-spirited just a few months ago, to suddenly appear in such a slovenly state.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Wang Poyuan poured another mouthful of wine down his throat and smiled: "If you are referring to the one who fought you, then yes, I have indeed met him."

"He took quite an interest in my 'Fate-Gazing Technique,' which is truly an honor."

"Cut the nonsense!" Ji Xiongying sneered coldly and tossed the scripture he had obtained from his 'fortuitous encounter' directly in front of Wang Poyuan: "He can fulfill the grand wish shared by you and me!"

"Immortals exist in this world; they are ageless and deathless. Kill one, eat their flesh, and you can attain immortality!" Ji Xiongying declared loudly: "Is your ambition not to bring peace for ten thousand ages? If we kill that immortal and share his flesh, we can live forever, and at that time, we can create a peaceful world that will never fall for ten thousand ages!"

"A peaceful world..."

Wang Poyuan murmured in a low voice, yet he did not show the excitement Ji Xiongying had imagined; he merely shook his head and then said indifferently: "Then let us give it a try."

"Good! It is a deal!"

Ji Xiongying noticed that Wang Poyuan's attitude was off, as if he were hiding some concern, but he could not be bothered to dwell on it; as long as Wang Poyuan was willing to act, that was enough.

At the same time, within Tianjing City.

By now, Lu Yang had regained his composure, for he had suddenly realized something: if the opponent were truly a Foundation Establishment True Person, there would be no need for such trouble.

For this situation was different from the one at Skeleton Mountain.

At Skeleton Mountain, Daoist Yinshan, who lurked behind the scenes, had never intended to kill him, merely using him as bait; however, this time was different.

This time, someone clearly wanted to kill him!

The reason they had not acted yet was likely because his true body was still hidden within layers of arrays, and only an external avatar had been sent out to scout the path.

This indicated that the cultivation base of the person behind the scenes definitely had not reached Foundation Establishment, for if it had, there would be no need for caution; they could simply slap him down, and he would surely die. Considering this, although the opponent could manipulate karma, their strength was likely only at the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation.

'This is somewhat strange...'

Able to manipulate karma, yet not at Foundation Establishment?

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

Calculating karma merely allows for a slight foreknowledge.

However, manipulating karma can truly make situations develop according to one's own wishes; logically, only a Foundation Establishment True Person should be capable of such a feat.

Therefore, 'being able to manipulate karma yet not being at Foundation Establishment' should be impossible.

Unless it is...

"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!?"

Of course, it was the tribulation of the Saint Thief!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt a sense of absurdity; what was this, that the tribulation for his Saint Thief technique reaching completion was a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator coming to cause trouble?

Surely not!

Heaven above, this poor Daoist has always been kind to others; how could I possibly have offended a Foundation Establishment cultivator?

'... h.'

The next second, Lu Yang suddenly widened his eyes.

'Yun Yun Miaozhen, Yushujiange?'

In this life, there were only two Foundation Establishment cultivators who might hold a grudge against him: one was the Peak Master of Senior Butian, but that person was in the prime of life and absolutely not at the point of needing to reincarnate.

The other was Yushujiange.

Given the scale of Yushujiange, it was quite normal for them to have a reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivator; since there was already a grudge, could it be that they were drawn here by the tribulation of the Saint Thief?

It couldn't be that absurd, could it?

Thinking of this, Lu Yang instantly broke out in a cold sweat, so shocked that he nearly left the Secret Realm on the spot to report to Daoist Yinshan that there were bad people inside the Secret Realm.

However, in the end, he restrained the impulse to leave the Secret Realm, for he suddenly remembered that the final step of the 'Death Followed by Transformation' secret technique, which he had previously deduced and prepared to use for cultivating the Great Dharma of Corpse Liberation via Taiyin Metamorphosis, was precisely lacking a reincarnated Foundation Establishment soul to help perfect it.

On the other hand, his Saint Thief technique had not yet been completed.

If he reported it now and Daoist Yinshan cleared the area, then there would be nothing left; aside from the Foundation Establishment soul, the Saint Thief technique would inevitably fail at the last step.

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

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

Every cause must have an effect; there is repayment for every debt. As long as he could overcome this tribulation with his own strength, the tribulation would transform into a heaven-showering opportunity!

Moreover, he was not without a chance of victory.

Previously, the enemy was in the shadows while he was in the light, and he knew nothing about them, so naturally, it was a situation of certain death... but now that he knew the truth, the situation was different!

He could simply turn their scheme against them!

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

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

'And now, since I have only sent out one avatar, he is certainly not satisfied; that is why Ji Xiongying suddenly appeared to fight me.'

'Barring any accidents, he must have a follow-up plan, most likely intending to destroy this avatar of mine to lure me out of my secluded cave dwelling and away from the protection of the arrays. However, Ji Xiongying is not a match for this avatar of mine; if he wants to kill me... he can only join forces with other Heavenly Humans to act together!'

Understood! Everything is understood!

Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged, yet in his heart, he had already sorted out most of the schemes of the Yun family ancestor, and his understanding of karma had become even more profound.

'This is Foundation Establishment.'

Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely risk their lives in direct combat; therefore, most attacks are launched through karma. Whoever can calculate the other's karma gains an overwhelming advantage!

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

After pondering for a long time, Lu Yang quickly devised a countermeasure, for he had actually been planning to fight the Martial Dao Heavenly Humans anyway, using this opportunity to steer the Martial Dao back onto the right path.

However, not by creating a fifth step.

On this point, the Yun family ancestor's judgment was accurate; with Lu Yang's current cultivation base and perspective, even with the help of the Mingdao Jade Slip, it was impossible to create a fifth step.

Yet, to break the deadlock, there was no need to actually create a new realm; one only needed to make people 'believe' that he had created a new realm.

After all, the key to the 'Saint Thief' lies in theft.

And deceiving the world to steal a reputation never requires any genuine substance.

'First, I need a new identity.'

Since he wanted everyone to believe he had created a new realm, he needed to make them convinced; for this, a background with sufficiently high prestige was indispensable.

'My true name... hmm, let it be Di Shi Tian!'

'I have lived for over a thousand years; I am the only immortal in this world, having already reached the limit of this world, and I am currently seeking a method to break through.'

'The reason I communicate and battle with the Martial Dao Heavenly Humans is because I believe that when one's cultivation reaches the极致 of this world, to advance further, one must fight each other, kill each other, achieve ultimate sublimation between life and death, and thereby shatter the shackles of heaven and earth!'

'This realm, I shall call it Shattering the Void!'

'After Shattering the Void, one can ascend lightly; thus, no one will know what happened, nor can anyone describe the mysteries of this realm.'

'After all, everyone who reaches this realm never returns; no one appears to explain it...'

The unknown brings fear, but it also brings hope.

'I do not even need to describe this realm in detail; I only need to stage a great battle and demonstrate it before everyone, and the rest they will fill in with their own imaginations...'

This was a huge pit!

The fourth step of the Martial Dao was already a dead end; Foundation Establishment was impossible, yet human desire knows no bounds, and the Martial Dao Heavenly Humans needed a goal to pursue even more.

And this goal, Lu Yang would give them!

As long as he performed a sufficiently spectacular show before everyone, making the so-called 'Shattering the Void' appear ethereal yet tangibly credible.

If no one believes it, even the truth is false.

If someone believes it, even the falsehood is true!

(End of Chapter)