Chapter 129: Another Person in the Foundation Establishment Realm!
To be precise, at this moment, there was no Star World Realm anymore, only a wonder that had thoroughly merged into the world, presenting a landscape of mountains and rivers.
[Ten Thousand Gu Cave]!
Above this mountain cave, a mass of golden auspicious clouds was rolling and surging. Thunderous sounds rang out from time to time, and the light and shadow of a True Dragon faintly appeared within the clouds.
As it breathed in the heaven and earth and exhaled spiritual qi, the scale of this auspicious cloud was also constantly expanding.
It wasn’t until it expanded to a range of over a thousand li that the auspicious cloud barely stopped its movements. Hanging high in the sky, it displayed an artistic conception of perfection, ease, and flawlessness.
This was the [Imperial Dragon Sovereign Dao Foundation].
The auspicious cloud currently covering a thousand li was merely a manifestation of the Dao Foundation borrowing qi to reveal its image. The true Dao Foundation, along with Lu Yang’s main body, was actually located in the vast Foundation Establishment Realm.
“What a Foundation Establishment Realm…”
Whether one reached Foundation Establishment or not was ultimately a difference between heaven and earth. Although he had already gathered ten out of ten winning odds before the breakthrough, killed Qi Refining cultivators like cutting grass, and appeared not much different from a Foundation Establishment Perfected One in the eyes of Qin Tianhe and the others, after truly stepping into this realm, everything he thought, felt, and perceived was still earth-shaking.
Boom!
Lu Yang’s eyes opened and closed, seeming to flash with light and electricity. In the next instant, within his vision, a burst of startling thunder really exploded in the land covered by the auspicious cloud!
A single thought moves heaven and earth; it is truly so!
This didn’t even require him to consume much mana. It was like lifting a pen to draw on paper; simply done with a wave of the hand, what effort was needed?
Once stepping into Foundation Establishment, Lu Yang was blessed with sudden insight and understood much for no reason, including various secrets of Foundation Establishment. Parts that were difficult to fathom in the past were now suddenly enlightened. Looking around the Foundation Establishment Realm at this moment, he frowned slightly: “No wonder Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones live for three hundred years; this place is not a blessed land…”
Foundation Establishment Realm—every Qi Refining cultivator covets it thirstily.
However, after truly stepping inside, Lu Yang discovered that this place was fundamentally not some Grotto-Heaven or Blessed Land. On the contrary, this place was a perilous land rare in the world!
“When building the Dao Foundation, thousands of heart demons come to disturb…”
Initially, Lu Yang thought that as his Dao Foundation was established, these formless heart demons would vanish like smoke. However, in reality, it was not so.
“Named [Heart Demon], but actually just a false title.”
Only after truly reaching Foundation Establishment could one see through the appearance of the heart demon and learn the true face of this thing… It was actually a gust of wind, a great wind that never dispersed in the Foundation Establishment Realm all year round.
“Its name is [Bi]…”
This wind was treacherous. It blew in from the fontanel, penetrated the dantian, struck the nine orifices directly, and dissipated the soul. Just one round trip of blowing could cause one’s soul to scatter!
Only a Dao Foundation could reduce the damage of this Bi wind. Therefore, for cultivators breaking through to Foundation Establishment, if the first step of ascension failed, there was still hope to survive. But if the second step of building the foundation failed, death was certain. Because if the Dao Foundation was not built, the soul had nothing to rely on, and facing the Bi wind meant only a dead end!
Previously viewing it as a heart demon was merely being blinded by a single leaf.
However, what was even more terrifying was that even if the Dao Foundation was built, the protection of the Dao Foundation only reduced the damage of the Bi Wind, not completely immunizing against it.
Over a long time, it would still wear down the soul.
This time limit was three hundred years!
“A Foundation Establishment Perfected One lives for three hundred years in one lifetime, not because a Perfected One only has a heavenly lifespan of three hundred years, but because after three hundred years, the soul can hardly bear the wear and tear of the Bi wind!”
“So once three hundred years pass, one must reincarnate.”
“After reincarnation, using the profundity of Samsara to repair the damage to one’s soul caused by the Bi wind, one can then re-ascend to the Foundation Establishment Realm and enjoy another three hundred years of heavenly lifespan.”
This was an unsolvable problem.
Without stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm, the heavenly lifespan was at most one hundred and fifty. Yet stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm, under the attrition of the Bi wind, the lifespan would be three hundred years at most.
Under these circumstances, one could imagine that the number of Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones would definitely not be too large. However, as long as the inheritances of the major Immortal Sects under heaven were orderly and there was a massive scale of Qi Refining disciples as a base, the number of Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones probably wouldn’t be too small either, at least maintaining a certain level.
Not to mention that Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones could reincarnate and start over.
It’s simply like a planned, deliberate control!?
A terrifying guess suddenly jumped into Lu Yang’s heart, but he instantly dismissed it. Don’t think too much, don’t delve too deeply; sometimes it’s best to be blissfully ignorant.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang hurriedly shifted his thoughts:
“Speaking of which, after this Foundation Establishment, I seem to have become a ‘blank slate’ again.”
Before Foundation Establishment, he had a body full of Great Divine Abilities, plus the Blood Sun Sword Pellet and the Myriad Spirits Banner—he could be called fully equipped. However, after Foundation Establishment, the situation underwent huge changes.
First was the Blood Sun Sword Pellet. It was already declared scrapped when casting the [Twelve Celestial Fiend Secret Demon Tribulation Light] previously. But even if he still kept it, it was of little use to the current him. After all, once he unfurled his Dao Foundation, with auspicious clouds covering a thousand li, the Blood Sun Sword Pellet compared to it was simply like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Although the Myriad Spirits Banner still had some use, it wasn’t significant.
After all, Protector God Su Nü counted as a Foundation Establishment no matter what. Even if her usefulness to the current him was greatly weakened, using her as a shield was still feasible.
As for Great Divine Abilities, they weren’t useless either.
It was just that compared to the advantage during the Qi Refining stage, Great Divine Abilities were standard equipment for Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones and were nothing special anymore. It was difficult for them to give him a lead over others.
“No rush, take it slow. There are still a few opportunities.”
Lu Yang’s thoughts turned quickly, and he soon remembered that supreme heavenly secret treasure in the hands of the Yun Family Ancestor. The Yun Family Ancestor could even use it to deceive the senses of a Perfected Lord!
“Such a supreme treasure should be used by me, lest a bright pearl gathers dust!”
Restraining his thoughts, Lu Yang then turned his Divine Sense to the outside world. The auspicious clouds covering a thousand li gradually converged, dissolving their form and merging into his mouth and nose.
Looking back, Lu Yang realized he had already landed in the sky. Behind him was the Saint Sect’s Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea. Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue’s Law Body filled the sky and covered the earth. Opposite were the Perfected Lords of the Pure Land and the Dao Court. At this moment, the gazes of a full three Perfected Lords landed on him almost simultaneously!
In the next second, voices rang in Lu Yang’s ears.
“Congratulations, little friend. From now on, there is another Perfected One in the Foundation Establishment Realm.”
“Little friend is a young and talented achiever, rare in the world. Unfortunately, you have fallen deep into the Demonic Path; it is truly a waste of talent. If you enter my Dao Court, you could at least hold a Duty Position…”
A Duty Position in the Dao Court was equivalent to Foundation Establishment.
The Dao Court cultivated the “Acting on Behalf of Heaven Dao.” Official rank was the realm. Twelve Duty Positions were conferred, each shepherding a Great Province, all being the outstanding ones among Foundation Establishment.
Presumably, a Duty Position holder would be at least in the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. If it was a Duty Position close to the central hub of the Dao Court, it might even be a Grand Perfected One at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!
Before Lu Yang could respond to this, another voice floated over:
“Amitabha. Benefactor has cultivated the [Imperial Dragon Sovereign Dao Foundation], which has a destined affinity with my Pure Land. If you are willing to convert, you will definitely be able to verify a Bodhisattva Fruit in the future…”
Bodhisattva? Perfected Lord!?
Lu Yang’s pupils shrank abruptly. A Bodhisattva of the Pure Land was a Golden Core Perfected Lord. Was this promising that as long as he joined the Pure Land, he would have hope of verifying a Golden Core Perfected Lord status?
At this moment, Lu Yang’s heart beat excitedly.
However, he still unhesitatingly put on an appearance of unyielding loyalty, turning a deaf ear to the solicitation of the two Perfected Lords.
In the next second, a copious spiritual thought descended from the sky, directly blowing away the many voices by his ears. He saw Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue smiling at him:
“You did well in this Dao Seizing War. Worthy of being a disciple of my Saint Sect.”
“…Milord flatters me.”
Lu Yang bowed respectfully. Then he glanced at the two Perfected Lords of the Pure Land and Dao Court in the distance, who had actually never spoken openly from beginning to end.
Was it really them soliciting me just now?
Recalling the Saint Sect’s consistent style of doing things, Lu Yang had reason to suspect— Damn it, could it be the gutter-rat Saint Sect Perfected Lord want to bait me?
Translation Notes:
The Bi Wind (赑风): The concept of the Bi Wind (pronounced Bì Fēng) is deeply rooted in Daoist cultivation lore and was popularized by the classic novel Journey to the West. In the story, Patriarch Subhuti warns Sun Wukong of the “Three Calamities” (Thunder, Yin Fire, and Bi Wind) sent by Heaven to destroy Immortals who defy the natural order of life and death.
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