Lu Yang had long coveted the Fruit Position treasure, the [Same Fate and Changed Fortune Talisman Book]. After all, it was the most domineering treasure he had ever seen.
With fate as the brush and merit as the ink, any characters inscribed upon the talisman book would directly invoke the power of heaven and earth to come to fruition.
This was already a technique at the level of a True Person, far beyond what ordinary Fruit Position treasures could compare to. It was evident just how much effort Daoist Hong Yun had poured into its refinement back in the day.
"May I know fellow Daoist's name?"
"Yuan Tu."
As soon as Lu Yang finished speaking, Hong Ju immediately extended a finger and lightly tapped the [Same Fate and Changed Fortune Talisman Book]. In almost an instant, a short line of text appeared.
[Yuan Tu's cultivation is complete; he may seek the Qi of Geng Metal]
The next second, Lu Yang noticed the meritorious fate on Hong Ju's body drastically drop, while a vague sense arose within himself.
'It worked!'
Lu Yang was thrilled. With the help of the [Same Fate and Changed Fortune Talisman Book], he directly fulfilled the merit and fate requirements needed to seek the second Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend.
Strictly speaking, it was Hong Ju who paid the price on his behalf. As a naturally-born Immortal Spirit in this lifetime, Lu Yang didn't suffer from cultivation bottlenecks like other cultivators. As long as he found the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend and integrated them into his Immortal Spirit body, he could naturally break through!
"Thank you, fellow Daoist."
Seeing this, Lu Yang smiled in satisfaction. True to his word, he imprinted the secret technique "Upper Hao Golden Lamp and Jade Light" with his divine sense and handed it over to Hong Ju.
"No need for thanks, it's just my duty."
Hong Ju accepted the secret technique and, after a brief glance, smiled. His gaze toward Lu Yang softened—what a straightforward person.
He didn't retaliate!
At this thought, Hong Ju's expression grew slightly odd. Divine light began to shimmer around him as his divine sense locked onto Lu Yang.
He intended to go back on his word.
"Fellow Daoist... have you told anyone else about this method?"
"Never."
Lu Yang replied indifferently. At the same time, divine light blossomed around him—two gold and one pink hue, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance that drifted around them.
[Essence of All Flowers]!
Seeing this, Hong Ju's expression immediately shifted, as if recalling the time he was utterly humiliated by hundreds of celestial maidens in [No Existence Heaven].
This divine ability from [No Existence Heaven] was a heart-bewitching technique. At its peak, it could charm not just living beings but even the dead. As it unfolded now, it penetrated everything, making Hong Ju momentarily feel a reluctance to harm this fellow Daoist before him.
".Break!"
In the next moment, Hong Ju activated his divine powers and let out a thunderous roar, dispersing Lu Yang's influence. After all, he was still a Great True Person at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
"Divine ability bestowed by [No Existence Heaven]?" Hong Ju narrowed his eyes, a chilling aura in his gaze.
His words carried a hint of killing intent, but Lu Yang remained calm: "What's this, fellow Daoist? Are you planning to keep this avatar of mine here as a guest?"
'Avatar?'
Hong Ju was taken aback, then frowned slightly and asked tentatively, "Your avatar is so subtle that I couldn't detect it... What wondrous method is this?"
Lu Yang calmly replied, "The Secret Record of Immortal Embryo's Worldly Abode."
"Tsk!"
All the divine radiance around Hong Ju suddenly receded, and his expression turned warm, his smile blooming: "If you had such a miraculous method, you should've said so earlier."
Since Lu Yang could name the secret avatar technique "Secret Record of Immortal Embryo's Worldly Abode", Hong Ju believed him mostly. With a superior spiritual treasure as the embryo, such avatars could truly act like normal humans, roaming the world on behalf of the original body. Even if destroyed, the caster would remain unharmed.
In that case, there was no need to offend him.
Better not to pluck the grass if you can't pull out the roots—Hong Ju, also a True Person of the Holy Sect, took the initiative to make amends. He even offered Lu Yang a spiritual treasure.
"A token of apology, fellow Daoist—please don't decline!"
Looking down, Lu Yang saw it was a mid-grade spiritual treasure, radiating divine light. If he integrated it with a Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend, it might even become a top-grade one!
"Then I shall accept it respectfully."
"Take care, fellow Daoist!"
With Hong Ju's warm send-off, Lu Yang exited the forest and rode a beam of light, speeding off. Only when he was tens of thousands of miles away did he stop amidst the clouds.
"Hmph, playing games with me?"
He weighed the spiritual treasure Hong Ju had given him in his hand, then sneered coldly and tossed the valuable item off the clouds!
Only after that did he transform into light and leave again.
Not long after Lu Yang departed, Hong Ju silently appeared, holding the very same spiritual treasure he had gifted Lu Yang.
'This person must be from our Holy Sect—no easy target.'
Hong Ju sighed. He was confident Lu Yang hadn't seen through his trick. The reason Lu Yang discarded the treasure like trash was simply out of caution.
That couldn't be helped.
If Lu Yang had truly discovered something, there might have been a flaw to exploit. But when it's merely cautiousness—that kind of personality leaves little room for weakness.
".So be it."
With that, his figure dissipated into the breeze.
Jiangnan, Hidden Sword Villa.
Lu Yang's true body opened his eyes. He showed no remorse for discarding a spiritual treasure that might've reached top-grade status. He even tossed the thought aside immediately.
Though he hadn't noticed anything suspicious, nor was aware Hong Ju had secretly tracked him afterward, it didn't stop him from believing the treasure was a time bomb. In fact, not just the treasure—even his avatar was a potential bomb in his eyes.
What if someone traced the avatar to find his true body?
Thus, he had no intention of letting the avatar return. Instead, he sealed it away in a hidden location, planning to awaken it only when needed.
Just then, the door suddenly opened.
The usually cold-faced True Person Xiu Xin walked into the chamber. Her expression softened like thawing spring snow, and her beautiful eyes shimmered with tears.
"Master... a message has arrived from the Sword Pavilion."
"Oh?"
Raising an eyebrow, Lu Yang looked at the flying message talisman handed over by True Person Xiu Xin. Its content was simple—a summoning for all Foundation Establishment cultivators under the Sword Pavilion.
It was signed by [Dangmo].
Lu Yang quickly dredged up this name from the depths of his memory. In a previous lifetime, this Sword Pavilion True Person was the one who conquered the mass grave in Jiangnan!
If that's the case—
"The Sword Pavilion is finally making a move on the mass grave?"
At that moment, Lu Yang suddenly sensed a faint reaction from the direction of his sealed avatar, causing him to narrow his eyes.
'My opportunity... the Qi of Geng Metal.'
Comparing it to the avatar's location, Lu Yang did a quick calculation and his expression grew odd: '…It's toward the mass grave? Is the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiend condensing there?'
An opportunity?
No—something felt off!
Lu Yang immediately raised his vigilance. With the [Tribulation Wave] in hand, he skillfully used the [Clairvoyance] divine power to scan himself.
'Whew... luckily, I'm not being misled.'
With that, any urge to rush to the mass grave dissipated: 'No rush. Better to let a puppet scout ahead first.'