Chapter 37: The Taiyin Metamorphic Corpse-Explosion True Method

"This 'Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method' is a bit difficult."

After a night of secluded cultivation, Lyu Yang looked at the divine manual before him, his brow furrowed. "Great Divine Abilities are not for those without immense magical power; they are the pinnacle of divine abilities."

So-called Great Divine Abilities were not actually a grade of ability, but rather a method of application.

To put it simply, by combining several compatible high-tier divine abilities to unleash power dozens of times greater than a single ability, one achieved a Great Divine Ability.

The "Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method" was exactly like this. To master this Great Divine Ability, one first had to learn three high-tier divine abilities: the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Method, and the Taiwei Imperial Decree Talisman. Each of these three abilities was extremely difficult to cultivate; without immense heavenly providence, they were nearly impossible to master.

This was a common trait among all Great Divine Abilities.

It wasn't something you could master just because you wanted to. First, it required comprehension; second, luck; and third, merit. Missing any one of these would result in failure at the final hurdle.

Take the first ability, the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light.

This single ability alone had stalled countless practitioners. After all, cultivating through skin-stripping was equivalent to severing one's own path to immortality; even if mastered, it was meaningless.

As for the second ability, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Method, it didn't have such a massive side effect, but its difficulty lay in external requirements. To master it, one had to use a "Profound Feminine Lunar Precious Jade" as a medium. Without this rare treasure, no matter how high your cultivation or how great your comprehension, you could not succeed.

And yet, the "Profound Feminine Lunar Precious Jade" was extremely rare.

How rare? To put it in a single sentence: it was not in the Saint Sect's exchange catalog. Even if you had enough contribution points, you couldn't buy it.

Given the vast resources of the Saint Sect, the fact that such a wonder was unavailable spoke volumes.

It was clear that mastering this ability depended entirely on a cultivator's providence. Without that luck, searching the entire world would be in vain.

Therefore, Lyu Yang gave it a single glance and decisively abandoned it, turning his attention to the third ability: the Taiwei Imperial Decree Talisman.

However, to his frustration, although this ability required no precious external objects and had no massive side effects, it was simply too difficult.

Lyu Yang studied it all night, but his gains were minimal.

"It's a bit like a formation, and a bit like a talisman, yet it's categorized as a divine ability. Whether you can learn it depends entirely on comprehension; if you can't, you just can't."

Thinking of this, Lyu Yang scratched his hair in frustration.

"I fought my way through formations that were just as hard. How long can a mere divine ability hold me back? At worst, I'll spend another twenty years, and sooner or later, I'll master you!"

The reason Lyu Yang was so determined to tackle the "Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method" was primarily because this Great Divine Ability was simply too enticing to let go.

Not to mention how powerful the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light was, the Profound Yin Form-Seizing Great Method was equally domineering. As long as one captured a person's aura and used that aura to condense a "Soul Shadow," one could kill them directly by slaying the shadow, even if the two parties were separated by thousands of miles.

The Taiwei Imperial Decree Talisman was even more absurd.

Once the talisman was mastered, it did not strike the physical body or kill the soul; instead, it specialized in calculating the karma of heaven and earth. No matter your background, it could trace your lineage back eighteen generations with absolute clarity.

Of course, the most powerful aspect was the unification of the three abilities.

This was also the effect of the "Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method" that most excited Lyu Yang: it increased a cultivator's chance of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

For this alone, Lyu Yang was determined to obtain it!

***

Time flew by like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

Inside the Blood Clothing Tower, Lyu Yang leaned against the railing, gazing at the sky. He silently circulated the "Nine Transformations Dragon Decisive Method," his breathing exhaling clouds and mists that transformed into various wondrous phenomena.

The Eighth Transformation: The Mirage Transformation!

Although the spiritual veins of Skeleton Mountain were insufficient, Lyu Yang had plenty of money. He had stockpiled a vast amount of spirit stones beforehand, so his cultivation had not been delayed.

Despite five years of bitter cultivation yielding no progress in the Taiwei Imperial Decree Talisman, he had experienced a sudden moment of enlightenment while studying divine abilities. His true qi had spontaneously broken through a bottleneck. By the time he regained his senses, the Qi Seed within his dantian had undergone another metamorphosis, faintly manifesting the shape of a dragon.

Qi Refinement Level Eight!

"Although the jump from Level Seven to Level Eight isn't as exaggerated as the jump from Level Six to Level Seven, my true qi and magical power have nearly multiplied several times over."

"Ultimately, realm is the foundation!"

"What does it matter if I lack Great Divine Abilities? With my current strength, even a core disciple at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement could be killed by me across realms!"

"Besides, there is still the Ninth Transformation..."

Lyu Yang's heart burned with excitement. The Ninth Transformation, the "Flying Fish Transformation," could break through bottlenecks. In other words, once he reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he could immediately strike for the Great Perfection stage!

"The immortal path is in sight! This deserves a celebration!"

At this thought, Lyu Yang's mood instantly brightened. The gloom of failing to master the Taiwei Imperial Decree Talisman vanished, and he walked out of the quiet room with a smile.

Before doing so, however, Lyu Yang first performed the Qi Concealment Technique.

In the next second, his newly broken, surging aura was completely retracted, returning him to the level of Qi Refinement Level Seven—just slightly stronger than he had been five years ago.

"Strike the enemy with thirty percent, but keep seventy percent as a trump card. You can never have too many of those."

Not long after, the Saint Sect disciples under the jurisdiction of the Blood Clothing Tower swarmed in. Upon seeing Lyu Yang, they each performed a formal, respectful salute without a word.

"Congratulations to the Tower Master on exiting seclusion!"

"Rise," Lyu Yang said with a casual wave, then asked, "During my five years of seclusion, has there been any trouble near Skeleton Mountain?"

"Reporting to the Tower Master, there has been none."

An elderly Saint Sect disciple took the initiative to speak. "There was only one instance: disciples from the Divine Martial Sect of the Northern Border came to provoke us, but they were sent away by Fairy Feixia."

"What about the Profound Feminine Lunar Precious Jade? Any news?"

"None yet..."

After learning about the changes over the past five years, Lyu Yang dismissed the crowd. He intended to enter another period of seclusion until the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic paths brought the Foundation Establishment opportunity.

However, just then, a streak of light like a colorful cloud suddenly descended beside the Blood Clothing Tower.

"Junior Brother Lyu, please grant me a moment."

Hearing this, Lyu Yang swept his spiritual sense out, then hurriedly rose to greet her, smiling. "It is a trouble to have Senior Sister come in person; I should be the one visiting you."

"Junior Brother, something has happened."

Fairy Feixia's expression was grave as she spoke solemnly, "Recently, the geomantic instruments have revealed that the corpse tide, which was supposed to erupt in fifteen years, has been moved forward."

"At this moment, tens of thousands of zombies are heading toward the market city!"

"Such an anomaly occurred without any prior warning; there must be a mastermind behind it. I suspect it is likely those barbarians from the Divine Martial Sect of the Northern Border."

"What?"

Lyu Yang frowned. Seeing Fairy Feixia staring intently at him, his frown deepened. "Does Senior Sister need my assistance?"

"Indeed. Is Junior Brother willing to brave the corpse tide with me?"

Fairy Feixia smiled. "The corpse tide is a crisis, but it is also an opportunity. No matter who the mastermind is, the ability to trigger the tide early must rely on a rare treasure."

"If you and I join forces, perhaps we can seize it and achieve a great destiny."

"Even if an accident occurs and we are caught in the tide, with our cultivation, the risk is not great!"

As she spoke, Fairy Feixia's eyes sparkled with spirit, looking incredibly high-spirited.

However, Lyu Yang shook his head.

"My apologies, Senior Sister... I am not like you. My strength is low, and I haven't mastered any great divine abilities—only a few formations. It is better that I stay behind to guard the area."

No matter how small the risk, it was still a risk.

A gentleman does not stand under a collapsing wall. Currently, as long as he cultivated step-by-step, he was guaranteed to reach the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement. Why take unnecessary risks?

It wasn't worth it!

His primary goal in this life was to break through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement. If he wanted to act recklessly, he would do so after the breakthrough. Until then, he should act with caution.

"Junior Brother, you don't intend to go?" Seeing Lyu Yang's refusal, Fairy Feixia's elegant brows furrowed slightly. Her usual cold demeanor gave way to a look of distress that made one feel a sense of pity. "The immortal path is short. To achieve anything, one must burn their bridges... I thought you understood this principle."

Lyu Yang's Dao heart was like iron, unmoving. "Times have changed. I ask for Senior Sister's understanding."

"Junior Brother, you have changed."

Fairy Feixia shook her head in disappointment. "In that case, stay and guard the market city. However, when the time comes, the opportunity will not be yours to share."

"..."

Lyu Yang smiled at her words but did not respond.

To be honest, he felt that Fairy Feixia didn't quite act like a typical Saint Sect disciple. How should he put it? She possessed a certain naivety that suggested she had never been truly beaten down by the Saint Sect.

With a corpse tide present, even if you obtained a massive opportunity, wouldn't you ultimately have to flee back to the market city I am guarding?

When that time comes, and you say the opportunity isn't mine? Don't blame me for saying that you all fought bravely, only to sacrifice yourselves on the front lines against the tide.