Chapter 302: Trading with Chong Guang

Hidden Sword Villa, inside a pavilion.

Lu Yang sat upright on a prayer mat. Radiant light spilled from his body, finally reflecting onto him and transforming into intricate golden patterns branded onto his flesh and blood.

Innate Divine Ability, [Unyielding Metal]!

This was not a divine ability he obtained by refining Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends, but one he borrowed in advance by deducing his Dao path using the power of [Tribulation Wave]’s Law Upholder ability.

“[Shen Metal] is stubborn and dull metal. It must be refined by fire to become swords and halberds. This Qi is in the position of Earthly Branch and, like [Geng Metal], belongs to Yang Metal. Its light is extremely sharp and difficult to destroy. After blessing the Dharma Body, neither knife cuts, axe blows, nor heavenly lightning strikes can damage it. Thus, it is called [Unyielding Metal]…”

Rumble.

The next second, as the Innate Divine Ability descended, Lu Yang’s aura surged violently, boldly breaking the shackles of the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment and entering directly into the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment!

“Finally achieved something…”

Lu Yang opened his eyes and nodded with satisfaction. After three years, his Immortal Spirit main body had finally reached perfection in the Initial Stage, and with the Law Upholder, it was comparable to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Looking back, these three years were truly not fit for humans.

Immediately destroying the clone after leaving Gantang Channel, burying all the looted Geng Metal spiritual objects, daring not to take even one for fear of implicating the main body…

Lu Yang had always been decisive. He directly abandoned all his gains from the Sea-Farer Li Clan and spent three years recollecting Geng Metal spiritual objects. Only then did he complete the final step of incubating his Immortal Spirit main body in the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment not long ago. At the same time, he confirmed something that greatly relieved him:

That [Sky-shrouding] is probably not free either.

If his guess wasn’t wrong, there was an eighty percent chance he couldn’t leave the Netherworld!

In the previous life, the reason he could run around like a ghost was mostly because he refined the [Dao Sin] formed after Martial Uncle Chong Guang’s failed [Seeking Golden Core].

Just like Lu Yang now, having a clone naturally allowed him to walk the world in his stead.

However, at this point in time, he obviously didn’t have such means yet, so his perception of the physical world was limited. At the very least, he was definitely not omniscient and omnipotent.

Otherwise, why would the [Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue] of the previous life dare to wrestle with him?

Besides [Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue] indeed being audacious and possessing extraordinary strength, another factor was that [Sky-shrouding] was heavily restricted in the Netherworld.

Aside from this, there was one more thing that exceeded Lu Yang’s expectations.

That was the Jiangnan Ten-Thousand-Man Pit.

When I was in the Saint Sect, less than a month after restarting, the Sword Pavilion attacked and occupied the Jiangnan Ten-Thousand-Man Pit, causing the price of [Substitute Death Yin Puppets] to skyrocket.

However, in this life, perhaps due to my prior letter warning Martial Uncle Chong Guang, the Saint Sect strengthened its defenses at the Jiangnan Ten-Thousand-Man Pit. So the Sword Pavilion delayed their move, and there seemed to be other considerations. As a result, after dragging on for three whole years, a fight actually hasn’t broken out.

This was also a good thing.

After all, if the fight started too early, it would be hard for him to get a share. Now that he had recovered to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, he could be considered somewhat qualified to participate.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang finally took out a flying letter spiritual book.

This one was a pair with the flying letter spiritual book he sent to the Saint Sect. The two resonated with each other, allowing direct communication by writing on them.

Over the past three years, Martial Uncle Chong Guang has tried to contact me more than once.

Seems he’s very curious about me.

Lu Yang didn’t reply immediately but waited for three years. On one hand, it was naturally because his cultivation hadn’t succeeded yet. On the other hand, he was deliberately keeping him in suspense.

Things obtained easily are not cherished.

Only by playing hard to get can one hold the initiative.

Having said that, Lu Yang didn’t activate the spiritual book in his hand immediately. instead, with a thought, his Divine Sense locked onto a mortal city thousands of miles away.

Then he randomly found a Qi Refining rogue cultivator in the city.

Immediately after, he delivered the spiritual book to the rogue cultivator and then activated [Marionette] to control him directly, creating a layer of karmic firewall.

Although Martial Uncle Chong Guang has relatively high moral standards within the Saint Sect, that’s only relative. Besides, he has a Perfected Lord behind him! Heaven knows if he’s just waiting for me. Once I make contact, [Perfected Lord Feixue] might immediately tear through the void, grab me, and refine me instantly…

In this regard, Lu Yang had to admit that [Marionette] was truly useful.

But not because of its [Hypnosis] effect, because fundamentally, that effect was just for bullying the weak—a higher realm picking on a lower realm.

The key lay in severing karma.

No one could trace back to Lu Yang, the puppeteer, through the karma of the [Marionette]. This was the reason he could successfully hide behind the scenes.

Otherwise, when he saw [Sky-shrouding] three years ago, he would have been forced to restart.

Cheats are the best!

Lu Yang sighed with emotion, then controlled the Qi Refining rogue cultivator across the [Marionette] firewall to activate the flying letter spiritual book in his hand.

Almost simultaneously.

Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, Sacred Fire Cliff.

Chong Guang, who was originally regulating his breath, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the flying letter that had been silent for a full three years. A look of interest appeared in his eyes.

Finally couldn’t hold back anymore?

The next second, he swept his sleeve, accepting the communication request from Lu Yang. At the same time, he immediately followed the connection between the spiritual books to calculate karma!

The result was naturally nothing.

Immediately after, a message appeared before his eyes through the spiritual book:

[I know a secret that concerns not only the cultivation of “Overturned Lamp Flame” but also that “[Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light].” I wonder if you are interested?]

Chong Guang raised his eyebrows slightly upon seeing this.

Just from these words, he knew the other party wasn’t an ordinary person. After all, not everyone could know the honorable title [Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light].

After pondering for a moment, he waved his hand and wrote three words:

[What secret?]

Soon, a reply came:

[I want a superior Spirit Treasure!]

Chong Guang’s expression instantly became peculiar. He rubbed his chin with interest. Asking for benefits first when encountering something—could this really be a Perfected One from my Saint Sect?

[Naturally, I have superior Spirit Treasures, but how do I give one to you?]

[That is a problem you need to solve. However, my secret involves a Grotto-Heaven fragment left behind after the fall of that “[Perfected Lord Heavenly Fortune Bright Light]”…]

“…”

Chong Guang’s expression deepened. The next second, a clear and beautiful figure appeared in the hall. With a wave of her hand, the spiritual book landed in her grasp.

“Sorry to trouble you, Perfected Lord.”

Only then did Chong Guang smile. The one holding the spiritual book now was none other than [Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue], who had come out of seclusion immediately after receiving Chong Guang’s message!

[Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue] didn’t calculate karma at all. Instead, she violently traced the connection between the two spiritual books, locking onto a location in Jiangnan in an instant. Then she reached out and grabbed… Instantly! The void shattered, and a figure was grabbed directly by her across space!

However, the moment they saw that person, both of them let out a gasp of surprise.

Looking down, they saw that the captured figure was none other than the Qi Refining rogue cultivator Lu Yang had randomly selected and controlled with [Marionette].

As expected, they played dirty… Bastard!

Far away in Jiangnan, Lu Yang’s main body shook his head helplessly, his heart unmoved. He knew careful sailing allows one to navigate the ship for ten thousand years. These bunch of bastar of the Saint Sect had no martial ethics!

Especially Chong Guang, it was ridiculous!

It was just a trade negotiation, yet he actually invited [Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue] to act directly. If he hadn’t been vigilant, he would have been forced to restart by now!

“It seems… Fellow Daoist prefers face-to-face communication?”

Lu Yang smiled faintly at Chong Guang through the [Marionette]. But in the next second, he felt a magnificent force land on the rogue cultivator.

Without a word, direct Soul Search!

However, Lu Yang remained calm and composed. After all, the Qi Refining rogue cultivator’s memories had nothing to do with him. No matter how they searched, there would be no result.

After a long time, that magnificent force dissipated.

[Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue]’s beautiful eyes burned brightly. Clearly, she had developed immense curiosity about Lu Yang, looking as if she wished to dissect him directly.

Seeing this, Lu Yang spread his hands: “Can we talk now?”

As his voice fell, Perfected One Chong Guang finally laughed. Then he gave Lu Yang a deep look: “Interesting… It seems Fellow Daoist is indeed a Perfected One of my Saint Sect.”

And judging by this style, probably not an ordinary Saint Sect Perfected One at that!

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