Chapter 79: Xuan Ming Fu Jun Assumes the Seat of the Netherworld

Time often waits for no one.

Just as Lu Yang pondered, the darkness surrounding the old man in yellow robes nearby had spread to his side, carrying a strong corrosive power.

Lu Yang raised his head and looked at the other with interest.

"So this is a Wugui?"

The Wugui Dao was an ancient major demonic sect; every disciple of the Wugui Dao at that time would refine a native Wugui as the foundation for future cultivation.

However, with the appearance of Jin Dan sword qi, the Wugui Dao was exterminated to its last member; these Wugui, no longer controlled by cultivators, began to wander the secret realm. According to the strength of the cultivator they served in life, the Wugui were classified into White Robes, Yellow Robes, Black Robes, and the most ferocious Red Robes Ghosts.

As for the living people within the secret realm, their origins were also complex.

Their ancestors were either servants once raised by the Wugui Dao, or disciples who decisively abandoned their cultivation when the Wugui Dao met its calamity.

This was because cultivation was strictly forbidden within the secret realm.

Since the Jin Dan sword qi aimed to destroy the legacy of the Wugui Dao, anyone stepping onto the path of cultivation, even at the first layer of Qi Condensation, would be slain by the sword qi.

This was why Lu Yang, being an outsider and a target of the sword qi's 'baiting', was not slain the moment he entered the secret realm; though in truth, it was much the same, for as long as the sword qi did not dissipate, his avatar could not leave the secret realm, which was no different from death.

And the fate of the Wugui Dao was even more bitterly ironic.

Since only mortals survived, and they could not cultivate, they instead became prey for the out-of-control Wugui, constantly captured and devoured.

Those who controlled ghosts were ultimately devoured by ghosts.

"Be that as it may, people can always find a way out in dire straits."

Although they could not step onto the path of cultivation, over a thousand years, the mortals of the secret realm, generation after generation, risking their lives, finally found a method to resist the Wugui.

That was 'Controlling Ghosts to Serve Yama'.

In short, it was using a secret technique to dedicate oneself to a Wugui; while being devoured by the Wugui, one could also borrow the Wugui's power.

"The cultivator who created this system called himself 'Ancestor Tingyou', and the Tingyou Sect he established has now become the only sect within the secret realm, deeply rooted, even having a systematic method of controlling ghosts, with different titles determined by the rank of the ghost controlled."

Those who control White Robe Ghosts are called 'Ghost Envoys'.

Those who control Yellow Robe Ghosts are called 'Rakshasas'.

Those who control Black Robe Ghosts are called 'Impermanences'.

As for the most ferocious Red Robe Ghosts, whoever can control one immediately becomes an elder of the Tingyou Sect, and within the secret realm is called 'Yama's Walker'.

"Quite a variety of tricks."

Although almost all cultivators walking this path of controlling ghosts do not live beyond a year or half a year, as long as they are alive, their strength is unquestionable.

At best, they can rival the peak of Qi Condensation.

And this Yellow Robe Ghost before him was at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.

However, what truly interested Lu Yang was that he actually sensed a trace of mysterious energy related to 'Status' from this Yellow Robe Ghost.

"It's a bit like... fragments of a Divine Ability?"

This feeling was like the superior abilities that composed a Great Divine Ability, only weakened countless times in level, thus appearing extremely faint.

Lu Yang reached out his hand, instantly caught the Yellow Robe Ghost in his palm, and refined it in an instant.

"Indeed related to Status, but not yet at the Foundation Establishment level."

"These Wugui wandering the Wugui Secret Realm should all be related to a certain Great Divine Ability, and these Wugui are fragments of that Great Divine Ability."

After pondering for a moment, Lu Yang took out the Myriad Spirits Banner.

Immediately, the Yellow Robe Ghost was directly sent onto the banner by him, transforming into a Banner Spirit... Gradually, an unusual expression appeared on Lu Yang's face.

"This is truly... an unexpected joy!"

The Wugui within the secret realm hide a trace of Status energy, suspected to be related to a Great Divine Ability, and his own Myriad Spirits Banner can turn these Wugui to his own use.

Lu Yang was greatly delighted, his thoughts racing; it proved he could completely subdue and refine all the Wugui in the secret realm one by one through the Myriad Spirits Banner, thereby reassembling these Status fragments, and perhaps finally condensing a Great Divine Ability that could help him break through to Foundation Establishment!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang's heart instantly burned with passion.

"The beings here have suffered from the harm of Wugui for a long time; I am a kind-hearted person, always compassionate, so I will reluctantly take in these Wugui and restore peace to this place."

Immediately, Lu Yang looked again at the youth who had fallen into a coma.

With his cultivation, searching the soul of a mortal would naturally leave no aftereffects; in fact, he even left behind a martial arts cultivation method as compensation.

"I am truly a great benefactor."

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the distant horizon.

Lu Yang looked up and saw a dark cloud, within which floated a black-robed Taoist, followed by two Duobao Tongzi and more than ten beautiful maids.

At a glance, he saw the Duobao Tongzi holding treasures to guard on both sides, while the beautiful maids either held fans and incense, or played flutes and pipes; behind them followed a long procession in black and white, holding suonas, gongs, and drums, playing music and dancing as they walked, a vast crowd, looking extremely grand.

"Hmm? Where are the Wugui here?"

The black-robed Taoist in the cloud fixed his gaze on Lu Yang, then frowned: "You are the mortal who sent the message? Where is the Ghost Envoy here?"

Hearing this, Lu Yang glanced at the other and said indifferently: "Dead."

According to the youth's memory obtained through soul search, that Ghost Envoy had long been killed by the Yellow Robe Ghost, which was why he had hidden in the ruins to avoid the Wugui's search.

Hearing this, the black-robed Taoist in the cloud frowned even deeper, then suddenly extended his hand and beckoned, causing the Duobao Tongzi beside him to take out a round mirror and shine it down upon Lu Yang from the sky. Seeing this, Lu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly, swept his spiritual sense, and instantly understood the mirror's function; he did not dodge or avoid, letting the mirror light fall upon him.

The next second, the black-robed Taoist revealed a cold sneer:

"I wondered who it was; turns out it's a wild fox from the outside world. It must be you who killed the Ghost Envoy and stole the Wugui here. It seems I cannot spare you today!"

"... Wild fox?"

Hearing this, Lu Yang felt it was utterly absurd; a heterodox path within a secret realm actually calling him a wild fox? It was simply turning the heavens upside down!

On the other side, the black-robed Taoist did not feel anything was wrong.

Although the Wugui Secret Realm was hidden from the world, it was not completely isolated; therefore, over the years, some scattered cultivators had accidentally entered the secret realm by chance.

The black-robed Taoist had seen quite a few.

However, scattered cultivators were weak and alone; their cultivation was at most the early stage of Qi Condensation, or at best the mid-stage, appearing far too feeble before the Tingyou Sect.

Over time, the black-robed Taoist naturally looked down on so-called cultivators from the outside world.

Therefore, facing Lu Yang now, he was full of confidence, not taking him seriously at all, thinking only of capturing him quickly to return and report his success.

The next second, the black-robed Daoist concentrated his mind and cycled his magic power.

His originally ruddy complexion instantly turned deathly pale, while only his lips became plump and red, growing even more vivid, revealing a strange Daoist essence.

The one he commanded was a black-clad ghost named "Hu Ming Luo"; as the name suggests, this witch ghost, once it locks onto a target, can divinate the target's name; then, when the black-robed Daoist calls out that name, the person whose name is called will immediately have their soul snatched away by the witch ghost, dying within a short time.

Relying on this witch ghost, he had always been invincible in magical duels with others.

This time was no different; he directly urged the witch ghost to begin divining the name of this wild fox Zen master before him, and almost simultaneously, Lu Yang also felt a sensation.

"Divining me?"

Lu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly: "Interesting. These witch ghosts, as fragments of great divine arts, have been tainted with a trace of status and aura, and they can actually involve causality."

As he spoke, he formed a magical seal with his fingers, obscuring the causality.

Although he considered that, relying on his own status, it would not matter what the opponent divined, a gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall, so there was no need to take the risk.

"How could this be!?"

Seeing that "Hu Ming Luo" had made no progress, the black-robed Daoist immediately panicked, unable to understand why his invincible witch ghost would encounter such a change.

Seeing this, Lu Yang shook his head: "Truly without any challenge; it is far inferior to the Foundation Establishment realm."

"But this is for the best; overthrowing the superior was never my way of acting anyway; I am actually more skilled at this kind of cross-realm killing that accommodates the lower from above."

On the other side, the black-robed Daoist seemed to suddenly think of something, then reached into his robes, and actually produced a deity statue carved from red wax; its appearance was majestic and solemn, and atop the crown on its head stood three long incense sticks; seeing this, the black-robed Daoist lit them without a second thought.

The next second, green flames began to burn behind the deity statue's head.

"Summon the Ancestor to appear!"

The black-robed Daoist bowed down; in an instant, rolling auspicious clouds drifted out from the three long incense sticks atop the statue's head, and the brows of the statue itself relaxed and opened up.

Immediately after, the sound of celestial music echoed, sweet rain fell from the sky, and golden lotuses surged from the earth; countless strange phenomena accompanied the statue, making it appear even more sacred and majestic, and even its facial features became vivid; though it was merely made of red wax, it seemed like a living person as it looked at Lu Yang and spoke in a booming voice:

"Who is this petty villain, daring to violate the Fanwo Sect's dominion?"

"..."

Lu Yang did not answer; he silently sized up the other party, his face showing a strange expression, because in the eyes of those with and without status, the appearance of the statue was vastly different.

Ordinary people looking at the statue could only see it as lifelike, like a living person.

However, in Lu Yang's eyes, the statue was still just that statue; what truly made it move was actually a beam of divine light appearing beneath his feet at this moment.

The divine light was profound, and within it, seven seal characters were clearly seen floating and sinking, constantly erupting with vast magic power.

Lu Yang immediately understood; this was the great divine art he had previously guessed, one that could only be condensed after gathering the ten thousand witch ghosts from the witch ghost secret realm!

Its name is:

【Xuan Ming Fu Jun Seals the Position of the Netherworld】!

(End of this chapter)