Chapter 291: Heaven and Earth Build the Dao Foundation

“Mmm…”

As Lu Yang circulated the [Heaven-Mending True Scripture], Yun Miaoqing immediately felt something was amiss. An indescribable warmth spread from her Dantian and lower abdomen.

The next second, the bottleneck between the Third Layer and Fourth Layer of Qi Refining—the barrier between the Initial Stage and the Middle Stage—that had troubled her for months shattered in response. Yun Miaoqing looked at herself in pleasant surprise, then looked at her sister Yun Miaozhen. Although her sister was already at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, strictly speaking, that was also the Middle Stage.

I’m in the same realm as my sister now.

In an instant, an indescribable sense of accomplishment welled up in her heart, causing Yun Miaoqing to instinctively cover her lower abdomen. Yun Miaozhen’s expression, however, grew increasingly stiff.

It’s definitely a Spirit Sword Embryo!

To merge with such a sword embryo and use sword Qi to stimulate the body can break through bottlenecks… If I had obtained it, I would probably be at the Late Stage of Qi Refining by now.

Why isn’t it mine?

Yun Miaozhen lowered her eyelids, quickly suppressing her negative emotions, and returned to a calm demeanor. “Alright, since you’ve obtained the sword embryo, prepare to go back.”

Yun Miaoqing was stunned. “Sister, haven’t you found a suitable sword embryo yet?”

“I have already found one.”

Yun Miaozhen shook her head and said calmly, “We shouldn’t delay. Let’s go back first. After all, this isn’t within the sect; we might be attacked by the Demonic Sect.”

Hearing the words “Demonic Sect,” Yun Miaoqing’s expression instantly became tense. For an ordinary disciple like her, the reputation of the Jiangbei giant, the Primordial Saint Sect, was still terrifying. Moreover, Jiangnan and Jiangbei had always been at odds. While they weren’t exactly at war, they were certainly irreconcilable enemies.

Lu Yang had no interest in observing the changes in the outside world.

At this moment, he was still examining himself. “Interesting. This is my first time cultivating through a technique of mutual supplementation…”

To mend heaven is to patch the deficiencies of heaven with one’s own body. Receiving the favor of heaven naturally meant mutual benefit and supplementation. Right now, he and Yun Miaoqing were in such a relationship. He used his stature as a Foundation Establishment [Immortal Spirit] to help Yun Miaoqing accelerate her cultivation, while nine-tenths of Yun Miaoqing’s cultivation gains belonged to him.

“Pity, Yun Miaoqing’s cultivation is too weak.”

Lu Yang shook his head. To be of any help in nurturing himself, Qi Refining was merely a drop in the bucket. At the very least, it had to be a Foundation Establishment Perfected One.

Although even a drop in the bucket helps, Yun Miaozhen was actually better than Yun Miaoqing in this regard.

But Lu Yang didn’t like her.

“I am a good person, and good people naturally deal with good people. As for a slight difference in talent and cultivation, it means nothing to me.”

Besides, in Lu Yang’s view, the talent gap between the Yun sisters wasn’t actually that large.

At least it hadn’t reached the level of [Patriarch Nether Whisper], where human effort could not make up for it at all. Yun Miaoqing actually had some talent; her aptitude wasn’t terrible.

“Of course, the more important thing is that she met me now!”

Lu Yang was fully confident. Even if they proceeded step by step, preserving potential while raising cultivation, he was confident he could get Yun Miaoqing to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining within ten years.

Immediately after, he continued to examine himself.

As an [Immortal Spirit], he hadn’t finished his incubation yet. His essence was a breath of [Heavenly Spirit] Qi. With just a slight calculation, he learned his roots.

“I am… transformed from Geng Metal Qi!”

Geng Metal, also known as [Shangzhang], governed the killing authority of heaven and earth and presided over military affairs in the human world. In the heavens, it was wind and frost; on earth, it was metal and iron. It was Metal of the Yang attribute.

“Truly wondrous.”

Lu Yang was intrigued. As an [Immortal Spirit], his Dao Foundation was naturally bred by heaven and earth, innately compatible with Geng Metal Qi. Even his divine ability came from this.

“The cultivation of an [Immortal Spirit] is the exact opposite of a human’s.”

“Human cultivation involves first condensing a Life-Bound essence, then constantly collecting [Heavenly Spirits] and [Earthly Fiends], gathering four Innate Divine Abilities, and finally challenging the gate of [Seeking Golden Core].”

“However, [Immortal Spirits] are different. [Immortal Spirits] start with Innate Divine Abilities. They first gather four Innate Divine Abilities, and only then can they condense a Life-Bound Divine Ability… But the vast majority of [Immortal Spirits] simply can’t last until they condense a Life-Bound Divine Ability. They either emerge prematurely or die halfway.”

This imagery was very profound.

“If I had to describe it, it’s like a ten-month pregnancy… The [Immortal Spirit] receives nourishment from heaven and earth, gathers four Innate Divine Abilities, and finally awakens its Life-Bound essence to break away from the mother’s body.”

During this process, the four Innate Divine Abilities were all bestowed by heaven and earth.

If the four bestowed talents happened to fit a Dao Fruit, and one awakened a Life-Bound Divine Ability, they could directly begin [Seeking Golden Core] and try to occupy the Dao Fruit.

In other words—

“The so-called [Immortal Spirit] seems like something spawned by heaven and earth specifically to occupy a Dao Fruit… Is there some problem behind this?”

Lu Yang felt a terrifying chill as he thought deeper, and suddenly shuddered.

Forget it, better not delve too deeply.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang quickly reigned in his thoughts and turned to look at the divine ability condensing within his body.

This was a divine ability he possessed naturally as a Geng Metal [Immortal Spirit], born of Geng Metal Qi. It was named [Master of Armaments]. Lu Yang had once seen [Ye Guyue] use it.

“[Master of Armaments]. Formed from the Heavenly Spirit [Geng Metal] and the Earthly Fiend [Shen Metal]. Both are metals of the Yang attribute. After combining, they evolve the rigidity and ferocity of Metal to the extreme, giving birth to [Master of Armaments]. This Innate Divine Ability has two usages, internal and external, corresponding to the heaven and earth variations of Geng Metal.”

“Internally applied to [Armaments], it can amplify the power of weapons.”

“Externally applied to [Change] (Ge), ‘Ge’ means change. When deployed, it can change form and appearance, turning the tangible into intangible. It can be called a superior method for dissolving divine abilities and spiritual treasures…”

Lu Yang was carefully comprehending his own divine wonders.

But just then.

“…Hm?”

Suddenly, Lu Yang opened his eyes. He felt a stream of Divine Sense suddenly sweep over Yun Miaoqing, penetrating straight into her Dantian and landing on him.

Fortunately, he had long protected himself with [Tribulation Wave]. With the blessing of the [Insight] wonder, his karma was hidden and heavenly secrets were obscured. Unless a Golden Core Perfected Lord was face-to-face, no one could figure out his roots. Looking from the outside, he was just a sword embryo with a bit of mystery.

“Which Foundation Establishment cultivator is it?”

Lu Yang was startled at first, but after sensing that the opponent’s Divine Sense wasn’t strong—only at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment—he quickly calmed down.

“Abusing noobs in the beginner village is always satisfying!”

“Let me see who is spying on me…”

Lu Yang was very satisfied. With a thought, the [Qian Heaven All-Governing Myriad Phenomena Dharma Body] instantly emerged and swiftly flew over, following the trace of the opponent’s Divine Sense.

Meanwhile, inside the [Hidden Sword Villa].

Yun Miaozhen casually sent Yun Miaoqing away, telling her to prepare the Flying Vessel for their return to the Sword Pavilion. Then, she arrived at a secluded attic within the villa.

Inside the attic, a woman dressed in luxurious robes was sitting by the window.

“Disciple greets Master.”

Yun Miaozhen stepped forward respectfully to bow. This was the greatest fortune of her life, and the karma brought by her roots from her previous life—a Foundation Establishment Master!

Thanks to this, she could become the Heaven’s Chosen Daughter of the Yun Family today, heavily favored by the [Ancestor of the Yun Family]. As long as she broke through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining, she would immediately be taught the Great Divine Abilities of the Sword Pavilion. After that, promoting to a True Disciple and charging towards Foundation Establishment were all very hopeful things. Her future was bright.

“Rise.”

The luxuriously robed woman raised her elegant hand slightly. Her soft voice carried a lazy tone. Her name was [Xiu Xin], and she was a foreign guest elder of the Ye Family, a major clan within the Sword Pavilion.

“Have you thought it through?”

“Answering Master, disciple has thought it through.”

Yun Miaozhen said in a deep voice, “I ask Master to cast the spell to link Miaoqing’s destiny with mine. Disciple will then send her into the Demonic Sect to help her achieve success in cultivation.”

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