Chapter 71: You Can Achieve Greatness!

At the very moment Lu Yang reported to Yinshan True Person, the Yun family's ancient ancestor suddenly felt a shiver run through his body, as if great disaster were imminent.

"Is that your avatar?"

The Yun family's ancient ancestor pinched his fingers in calculation and instantly understood the cause and effect; immediately, despair surfaced on his face: "The doom was inevitable."

His reincarnation this time was primarily about secrecy.

Only because the Zhang Sect of the Yushu Jiange concealed the heavenly patterns did he avoid detection; but once discovered, even the Zhang Sect of the Yushu Jiange could not save him.

In other words, his final desperate gamble had utterly failed—the Zhang Sect's mission was unfulfilled, and returning to Foundation Establishment was now impossible; without him, the Yun family's status in the Yushu Jiange would inevitably plummet, no longer the lofty Foundation Establishment immortal clan, and even face imminent annihilation.

"No, there's still a chance!"

The Yun family's ancient ancestor turned his gaze toward Lu Yang, and suddenly a terrifying killing intent flashed in his eyes—his hatred for Lu Yang could not be washed away by all the waters of three rivers.

The next instant, his expression turned resolute.

With a single thought, the Taiyi Jin Hua swirling around him reversed at high speed, finally converging entirely into his fingertip, forming a sharp sword qi.

This sword qi was a divine technique named "Ding Yuan Yi Zhan Yu Shi Tong."

Though the sword qi appeared ordinary, it could directly lock onto the target's karmic thread; once launched, as long as the target's karma remained unbroken, the sword qi would never dissipate.

In ancient times, the Wu Gui Dao was exterminated entirely by the Daidezhang Sect of the Xuan Shu Yushu Jiange, a Jin Dan True Person using this technique—leaving not a single survivor; even because the Wu Gui Dao retained a secret realm legacy, its karma unbroken, the sword qi endured for a thousand years.

Yet this sword strike could not be unleashed by an ordinary cultivator.

Because it involved karma, only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could wield it; and since the Yun family's ancient ancestor had fallen from Foundation Establishment, to unleash this sword, he must sacrifice his very life.

In other words, he now intended to die alongside his enemy!

"With the Jiutian Yi concealing heavenly patterns, if I sacrifice my life to slay this demon, then reincarnate anew, perhaps I still have a glimmer of hope to escape death."

Though he had already undergone a second reincarnation, forcing a third before reclaiming Foundation Establishment would inflict severe damage to his cultivation; even if he truly escaped, he would inevitably be trapped by the mystery of the womb, reduced to an ordinary mortal, forever losing transcendence.

"At least, first kill you!"

The Yun family's ancient ancestor stared fixedly at Lu Yang, then activated his divine technique—his entire essence, energy, and spirit exploded apart, all flowing into the sharp sword qi he had condensed.

"Cut!"

With a roar, the sword qi shot forth, descending directly toward Lu Yang's location; instantly, Lu Yang felt an intense sense of peril.

"Want to fight me to the death?"

Lu Yang's mind stirred, and his figure vanished entirely into the Saintly Form behind him; then he commanded the Saintly Form to extend two colossal hands toward the sword qi.

The two entangled—the Saintly Form's hands were shredded by the sword qi, flesh and bone torn apart, while the sword qi was likewise torn away in large chunks by the hands; yet on the sword qi's side, since Lu Yang's karma remained unbroken, the sword qi immediately absorbed heaven and earth to restore itself, the torn sections instantly healing.

On the other side, the Saintly Form suffered the same fate.

After all, it was merely a manifestation drawn by Lu Yang's energy, not a true physical form; as soon as he channeled his magic power, the missing flesh and blood regenerated instantly.

Both sides remained locked in stalemate.

Seeing this, the Yun family's ancient ancestor sighed, yet made no hesitation—he now had no body, only a soul remaining in the world.

Before the Sacred Sect's True Person arrived, reincarnating as soon as possible was the best course.

At that moment, the Yun family's ancient ancestor suddenly felt a chilling dread sweep over his heart; he turned back and saw Lu Yang smirking at him from afar:

"Why so eager to leave, Elder?"

The next instant, he saw Lu Yang holding a cluster of his own qi, drawing a circular light, using the qi to project his image.

"No good!"

The Yun family's ancient ancestor's pupils shrank instantly; stunned and furious, he could not fathom it: "The Xuan Yin She Xing Da Fa… how did he capture my qi?"

The Xuan Yin She Xing Da Fa could kill an enemy from afar once it captured their qi; the Yun family's ancient ancestor had long foreseen that Lu Yang had mastered this technique, so during combat he meticulously concealed his qi, leaving Lu Yang no chance to capture it—this should have been foolproof.

But he never imagined his qi had still been captured by Lu Yang!

And now, with his body gone and only his soul remaining, if this technique struck him, he would instantly be obliterated, with no chance of reincarnation!

"Heavenly Lord, save me!"

In desperation, the Yun family's ancient ancestor halted reincarnation and activated the Jiutian Yi with his soul, attempting to block Lu Yang's Xuan Yin She Xing Da Fa.

"Too late!"

Lu Yang waved his hand, severing the Yun family's ancient ancestor's image within the circular light; the ancient ancestor immediately braced himself, preparing to resist.

Then, nothing happened.

The Yun family's ancient ancestor blinked, frozen in place—the expected remote curse of the Xuan Yin She Xing Da Fa never came, as if it were fake.

"No—!"

It was fake! He was buying time!

The Yun family's ancient ancestor suddenly realized—he dared not linger, waved his hand to open a black passage, and his soul surged toward it.

Yet in that instant, a vast qi surged into the Cultivation Secret Realm!

"Seal Heaven and Earth!"

A grand voice echoed throughout the secret realm—imperial decree—and the black passage the Yun family's ancient ancestor had just opened instantly sealed shut.

"No—!!!"

The black passage was the path of reincarnation; seeing this, the Yun family's ancient ancestor screamed, his soul violently trembling, his face twisted in fury toward Lu Yang: "You tricked me?!"

"What can you do to me?"

Lu Yang smiled faintly; outside the secret realm, another giant hand reached in, grasped the sword qi entangled with him, and crushed it with a simple squeeze.

No matter how powerful the technique, it remains useless against a higher ontological rank.

"【This】 is Foundation Establishment…"

Lu Yang sighed inwardly; even after witnessing it many times, the crushing dominance of a Foundation Establishment True Person over a Qi Condensation cultivator still filled him with awe.

The next instant, Yinshan True Person appeared beside Lu Yang.

"Well done."

Yinshan True Person praised him, then turned to gaze at the Yun family's ancient ancestor's soul, laughing loudly: "So it's you, old fool Yun Qingchuan."

"Yin Mountain."

The Cloud Family Ancestor's eyes rolled, as if he still wanted to say something, but before he could speak, Yin Mountain True Person raised a hand and struck his soul.

Boom!

The next second, Yin Mountain True Person completely erased all of the Cloud Family Ancestor's consciousness, leaving only an empty soul held in Yin Mountain True Person's hand.

After all, he had fallen from the Foundation Establishment position; although the soul retained some residual status, it could not compare to a true Foundation Establishment True Person. Moreover, after the Skeleton Mountain incident, Yin Mountain True Person's cultivation had also improved, now reaching the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, making him far beyond the Cloud Family Ancestor's reach.

Buzz!

With the Cloud Family Ancestor dead, the Qiu Tian Yi had no master. Yin Mountain True Person naturally did not stand on ceremony, immediately suppressing and seizing it, holding it in hand to examine.

"What a treasure, truly a great treasure."

The Cloud Family Ancestor could use this treasure to conceal heavenly secrets and enter the Reincarnation Secret Realm without anyone noticing, proving its supreme quality, which made even Yin Mountain True Person unable to resist feeling tempted.

However, this matter concerns the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange, and it involves the soul of a Foundation Establishment True Person. According to sect rules, he must report it for the Zhang Sect to decide. Yet once reported, this extraordinary treasure could no longer be hidden and would inevitably become a target for all; with his current strength and status, he might not be able to keep it.

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said:

"Senior Brother, this junior dares to make an unreasonable request. May I borrow the soul of that righteous Foundation Establishment cultivator? Within ten years, I will return it exactly as is."

"Oh? You want this old villain's soul?"

Yin Mountain True Person raised an eyebrow, then shook his head, saying, "You certainly dare to think big. However, since this concerns the Yushu Jiange, once I report it, the Zhang Sect will surely inquire, and at that time, neither the soul nor the magical treasure can be kept."

"However, there is not entirely no way to find a workaround."

At this point, Yin Mountain True Person suddenly shifted his tone, looking at Lu Yang with a half-smile: "Many things, as long as they are not weighed, a thousand pounds can be treated as four ounces."

"If you help me conceal this matter, with no one reporting and no one pursuing, then both the soul and the magical treasure can remain."

Hearing this, Lu Yang was stunned, then showed a look of confusion: "Conceal what matter?"

"... Good! Truly worthy of being a disciple of our Holy Sect; you can accomplish great things!"

The two exchanged a glance, understanding each other without words.

The next second, Yin Mountain True Person tossed the Cloud Family Ancestor's soul into Lu Yang's hand, then put away the Qiu Tian Yi, and finally drifted away.

(End of this chapter)