Chapter 90: Refining the Guardian Deity

Initial Saint Sect, Heaven-Mending Peak.

The instant Xiao Shiye drew the Colorful Merit Fish and refined it, Yu Suzhen moved; the Heaven-Stealing Device activated, and Xiao Shiye was instantly drained to death.

Naturally, the vast cultivation fortune of the Colorful Merit Fish, capable of elevating a mortal to the peak of Qi Condensation overnight, was also easily and joyfully accepted by Yu Suzhen.

In an instant, Yu Suzhen's cultivation surged violently!

All of this happened too fast; even Yu Suzhen herself hadn't reacted, yet this did not hinder her rapture. Could this be her opportunity?

"Am I about to ascend in a single step?"

The very second Yu Suzhen formed this thought, a familiar sensation suddenly spread from her dantian and rapidly swept through her entire body.

Is this the Heaven-Stealing Device!?

In that moment, Yu Suzhen's delicate face changed abruptly; she sensed with disbelief that the qi mechanism which should have broken through to the peak of Qi Condensation began to recede at an even faster rate.

She knew this feeling better than anyone; in this period she had surpassed countless disciples and created countless cauldrons, yet only now did she discover she herself was someone else's cauldron! But when? Who had acted on her without her knowing?

Soon, a sense of weakness surfaced in her heart.

Extreme joy begets sorrow; terror replaced her rapture. This sensation of being slowly drained to death by someone made Yu Suzhen's pretty face contort, and she could not help but speak loudly:

"W-wait, wait..."

Before her words ended, the suction force suddenly doubled.

The next second, Yu Suzhen's qi mechanism plummeted to the bottom; her entire true qi, cultivation, fortune, and even her soul were drained and flowed out beyond the Saint Sect.

Almost simultaneously, two rifts suddenly appeared within Yu Suzhen's cave dwelling.

Immediately, two figures were seen stepping out from the rifts, one after the other; their gazes landed on Yu Suzhen's corpse at once.

"A step too late..." Daoist Hong Yun Daoist's expression was calm, only his pair of bone-chillingly cold eyes revealing just how furious he was. The next second, he turned his head, his gaze fixing straight on the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak: "Chen Taihe, do you wish to fight me?"

Within the entire Saint Sect, everyone knew his state.

Whoever dared to snatch the bait he used to fish for fortune was equivalent to cutting his lifespan and would inevitably face his most ferocious retaliation.

Therefore, on this point, even Master Chongguang, who had the greatest conflict with him, dared not act.

After all, his status was too high.

Even now, though not what it once was, he was incomparable to ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, Daoist Hong Yun Daoist never expected that the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak, with whom he had only had minor verbal disputes, would actually obscure causality and commit such a great deed!

"Daoist Hong Yun Daoist, please calm down."

Compared to the furious Daoist Hong Yun, the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak appeared quite calm: "The one who acted was that junior who previously took the causality of the Panlong inheritance."

"Follow this qi mechanism; you and I can pursue it and perhaps retrieve that Colorful Merit Fish. Although it will inevitably suffer some damage, it is still better than having nothing... Of course, if Daoist insists on fighting me, I would not mind witnessing the prowess of the former True Lord."

The Master of Heaven-Mending Peak likewise did not intend to offend Daoist Hong Yun Daoist to death.

After all, he only wanted to sell a favor to Master Chongguang, so as long as Daoist Hong Yun Daoist's gains were reduced, there was no need to truly leave him with nothing.

In this way, he would not be regarded by Daoist Hong Yun Daoist as a thorn in the eye or a splinter in the flesh.

At most, the relationship between the two would deteriorate; anyway, it was not good to begin with, and with Master Chongguang as a great enemy ahead, there was actually no major issue.

Everything was within his plan.

The Master of Heaven-Mending Peak smiled calmly, then calculated with his fingers; soon he found the direction where Lu Yang was located, immediately took a step, crossed the void, and pursued.

Seeing this, Daoist Hong Yun Daoist gritted his teeth slightly but could only follow closely behind.

Meanwhile, within the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm.

As a streak of light shot through the void, Lu Yang suddenly opened his eyes; while revealing joy, he also looked gravely toward the direction of the Initial Saint Sect.

"Old thing... indeed had evil designs against me!"

Lu Yang exhaled a breath but did not panic; the fact that the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak and Daoist Hong Yun Daoist would pursue was also within his expectations; rather, it suited his intentions perfectly!

Thinking of this, Lu Yang looked at the Primordial Hunyuan One-Qi Divine Talisman in his arms.

The next second, he removed this supreme treasure capable of obscuring causality, voluntarily broke free from its protection, and instead drove it into the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm!

"At this point, there is no meaning in hiding my causality anymore; rather, the causality of the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm needs to be concealed. Once the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak arrives, if he fails to calculate that this is the Wraith-Ghost Secret Realm and recklessly opens it, that Jin Dan sword qi within the realm can give him a severe blow..."

Thinking of this, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in Lu Yang's eyes.

"Although the Saint Sect's foundation is far beyond what the Wraith-Ghost Path can compare to, and the Master of Heaven-Mending Peak is a peak master who might possess life-saving treasures at the Jin Dan level..."

"... but with a single strike of Jin Dan sword qi, he cannot remain unscathed."

"By then, if I can refine the Foundation Establishment Guardian Deity, I can just beat the drowning dog and wash away the shame of being pressed to death by his single finger in the previous life."

Thinking of this, Lu Yang dared not slacken.

"Begin refining the Guardian Deity immediately!"

The Heaven-Stealing Device activated; the light in his hand dispersed, revealing Yu Suzhen's bewildered soul, along with the vast cultivation and fortune belonging to the Colorful Merit Fish.

The next second, Lu Yang unfurled the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner; black light shimmered upon the banner, and ten thousand wraiths roared together, including eight red-robed ghosts required to cultivate the 【Xuanming Prefect Capturing the Nether Seat】. As the banner waved, the 【Yanma Hall】 once manifested by Ancestor You, which had been heard in the past, reappeared.

"Great Avatar Universal Assembly Divine Art!"

Lu Yang formed the hand seals, his movements unceasing; his immense spiritual consciousness transformed into a giant hand that wrapped Yu Suzhen's soul within it, grabbed it, and refined it in an instant.

"Ah—!"

Yu Suzhen's wail immediately sounded, yet quickly weakened, then transformed into a ball of spiritual light, recondensing into a new soul.

The new soul was identical to Yu Suzhen, yet inside and out it had been completely reforged by Lu Yang; now its eyes were lifeless as it looked at Lu Yang.

Soon, the soul gradually solidified.

The originally naked, delicate body was finally covered by thin gauze; the snow-white robes bloomed like lotuses, and a pair of small, exquisite bare feet hung suspended in midair.

Normally, at this step, the Guardian Deity would be considered refined.

However, Lu Yang was still not at ease; after all, he intended for the other party to falsely hold Foundation Establishment, but if it were too strong and escaped his control, what then?

Such matters could not go unguarded.

After all, he did not want to one day hear the words, "What a Yu Suzhen! Truly, the world is full of heroes," for that would truly be a great spectacle.

Therefore, he did not stop; instead, he shook the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner, drawing the Dharma Protector God back into the banner, while simultaneously inscribing a vast number of self-destruction prohibitions onto Yu Suzhen's soul. With triple safeguards, the moment the other harbored thoughts of betrayal, they would instantly face eternal ruin, ensuring Lu Yang would not suffer backlash.

Thus, a moment passed.

As Lu Yang formed the hand seal, Yu Suzhen's dazed eyes suddenly brightened; like the finishing touch on a dragon's eyes, her stalled thoughts resumed their operation at that very instant.

The next second, she looked at Lu Yang.

Her plump, delicate body slowly knelt down, her Bai Xi forehead pressed tightly against the ground, and her clear, melodious voice was filled with obedience: "This servant greets Master."

Seeing this, Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction: "You are no longer the soul of the past; from now on, you shall be called Su Nu."

As a Dharma Protector God, with the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner and the self-destruction prohibitions in place, Su Nu's life and death now rested at the whim of his thought; there was no need to worry about her stabbing him in the back during battle.

"Return to your station."

With a mere thought, Su Nu, who had already been refined into a Dharma Protector God, instantly floated up, descended into the 【Yanmo Hall】, and took her seat upon the main throne.

Immediately after, Lu Yang poured the fate of the Colorful Merit Fish into the 【Yanmo Hall】.

The fate burned like fire, just as if tempering refined iron, gradually melting and forging the 【Yanmo Hall】, which had originally been merely a simple assembly, into a single whole.

However, just at this moment—

"Boom!"

Hearing a tremendous roar, Lu Yang suddenly raised his head; his gaze pierced through the Wraith Ghost Secret Realm to the sky above Skeleton Mountain, where a void rift suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

The Peak Master of Mending Heaven and Daoist Daoist Hong Yun stepped out.

The great enemy has arrived!

(End of this chapter)