Chapter 20: Xiao Shiye

Three months later, in the Earth-Fire Furnace Chamber.

Lu Yang stood up slowly, his body trembling.

It was inaccurate to say he was standing; "drifting" might be more appropriate, for at this moment, he possessed no flesh, skin, or bone, but was instead a crimson shadow of blood!

"I have succeeded."

The blood shadow had no face; only amidst the swirling radiance did a slightly distorted voice vibrate forth: "Ninety-nine, eighty-one days... finally, it is refined!"

In the next second, the blood shadow gradually retracted. The skin that had been peeled off the ground flew through the air, "worn" onto the blood shadow. Pale skin was gradually filled with blood-red vitality, and the shriveled flesh slowly plumped up. Before long, an intact Lu Yang appeared in the furnace chamber.

At first glance, he was no different from an ordinary person.

In fact, compared to three months ago, Lu Yang's aura was even more massive; his vigorous true qi had even faintly condensed into an "Aura Seed."

Qi Refinement Level Seven! Late Stage!

Perhaps the process of cultivating a divine ability was too painful, serving as an unimaginable tempering of essence, spirit, and soul, which had caused him to unexpectedly break through his cultivation bottleneck.

Even more fortunate was that this happened before he had officially mastered the divine ability.

Had it been after mastering the ability, breaking the bottleneck would have been useless; for instance, right now, his cultivation was permanently stuck at Qi Refinement Level Seven.

"But it is enough..."

Lu Yang murmured softly. Possessing the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], he would never be fixated on the achievements of a single lifetime; how to utilize them in the next life was his true goal.

"Let us test its power!"

With a single thought from Lu Yang, a magnificent sword pill emerged from his brow, and his figure transformed into a streak of blood-light, merging with the sword pill.

*Rumble!*

Outside Wanbao Peak, following a violent tremor of the ground, the originally bustling crowds suddenly staggered, and several people fell directly to the ground.

"What is happening?"

"An earthquake... impossible. With the various True Persons suppressing the ley lines, how could there be an earthquake?"

The disciples looked at one another in confusion. Among them, a disciple with higher cultivation suddenly felt something, instinctively looking in a certain direction, his eyes gradually filling with astonishment.

"Look!"

"That is..."

The crowd's gaze followed.

Immediately after, everyone saw a sun-piercing rainbow burst out from a furnace chamber, leaping into the heavens in the blink of an eye, causing the sea of clouds to surge in its wake.

*Clang! Clang!*

The crisp ringing of a sword echoed through the nine heavens. An intense red light dyed all of Wanbao Peak blood-red, triggering a tidal wave of heaven and earth spiritual energy!

Caught in such a surge of spiritual energy, most disciples were unable to even breathe, feeling as if they were suffocating!

"Such momentum... Late-stage Qi Refinement?"

A disciple showed a look of envy: "He has already formed an Aura Seed. He only awaits the final step of nourishment to achieve perfection, and from then on, Foundation Establishment will be within reach..."

"I wonder which Senior Brother has broken through?"

"I have seen Late-stage Qi Refinement Senior Brothers before, but none possessed such spiritual pressure. That rainbow-like sword light is likely an extraordinary magic treasure..."

Meanwhile, above the sea of clouds.

Lu Yang’s body was a blood shadow, his qi merged with the sword light. His spiritual sense expanded in all directions, making everything within a ten-mile radius as clear as the patterns on a palm.

"Late-stage Qi Refinement: true qi sinks into the dantian, transforming into an Aura Seed, triggering a metamorphosis of essence, qi, and spirit. If I still had a physical body, my physique would likely undergo a qualitative leap right now—being impervious to blades and spears would be trivial, and my true qi would likely increase dozens of times over. Unfortunately, only my spiritual sense remains..."

As Lu Yang was lamenting, his eyebrows suddenly twitched.

"Who goes there?"

Before Lu Yang's voice could even fade, his sword moved with his mind. The blood-red, rainbow-like sword light tore directly through the sea of clouds, revealing a young, handsome figure.

"Senior Brother, do not strike! Do not strike!"

The man shouted loudly, but Lu Yang paid no heed. As the sword light lunged forward, the man hurriedly took out a small flag and planted it in the air.

In the next second, the flag fluttered and transformed into a pair of "Flag Gates."

The man ducked into one side of the gate. Only after Lu Yang's split sword light chased in after him did the man emerge from the other gate, immediately reaching out with a beckoning gesture.

The Flag Gates vanished, reverting back into a small flag.

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow, discovering that his split sword light had actually been trapped in some mysterious place, allowing the opponent to evade it.

"Interesting..."

Lu Yang grinned. The sword pill at his brow vibrated violently, sounding like muffled thunder in the sky, and in an instant, it branched out into dozens or even hundreds of sword lights, like a peacock spreading its tail.

Seeing this, the young man, who had been somewhat smug, suddenly paled. He hurriedly took out the small flag treasure again to protect himself, while shouting loudly: "This Senior Brother, I am Xiao Shiye! I came merely to make your acquaintance and harbor no ill intent. Please, Senior Brother, withdraw your divine ability!"

"Xiao Shiye?"

Lu Yang froze for a moment. The sword lights that were about to erupt suddenly halted, suspended in mid-air, reflecting a face drenched in cold sweat.

*That designated plant?*

In the next second, Lu Yang withdrew his sword light, transformed back into human form, and landed in front of Xiao Shiye, laughing heartily: "Junior Brother, do not misunderstand! I was merely playing a trick!"

Hearing this, Xiao Shiye wiped the sweat from his forehead, grumbling inwardly that Lu Yang had clearly intended to go for real just now. However, his face displayed a brilliant smile as he said eagerly, "Senior Brother possesses immense divine abilities and boundless magic power. I am in awe. Please do not refuse these small gifts."

As he spoke, he casually handed over the small flag in his hand.

"How can I possibly accept this..."

Lu Yang shook his head while accepting the flag. Only then did he see two words embroidered in gold thread on the surface: "Void Escape."

"This treasure is called the Void Escape Flag," Xiao Shiye introduced proactively. "I purchased it from an antique shop before joining the sect. It didn't seem special at first, but after entering the sect, I discovered it to be a wondrous treasure."

"The flag has two sides. Once activated, it can transform into the Gates of Life and Death."

"Within the same cultivation realm, as long as one enters through the Gate of Death and exits through the Gate of Life, one can find a way out even in the face of great danger, untouched by calamity."

Lu Yang's face twitched uncontrollably upon hearing this.

Such a miraculous magic treasure was actually something this Xiao Shiye had casually bought from a mortal antique shop before even entering the Holy Sect to cultivate?

At this thought, Lu Yang's mind moved, and he concentrated his spiritual sense into his eyes.

At the Late-stage of Qi Refinement, the massive increase in spiritual sense naturally brought many uses. Lu Yang was currently using a marvelous technique called "Qi Observation."

It was fine not to look, but once he did, Lu Yang's eyes nearly bulged out.

Because in his vision, from Xiao Shiye's crane-feather cloak, boots, robes, and headgear, even down to his waist belt, everything was radiating treasure light!

In terms of quality, they were likely no inferior to his own sword pill!

Even with Lu Yang's current temperament, he couldn't help but feel a sense of imbalance.

After all, the magic treasure he had spent months and a fortune to refine was something Xiao Shiye seemed to find everywhere as if it cost nothing. It was hard not to feel envious.

"This man has incredible providence..."

If Lu Yang previously thought Xiao Shiye winning the Grand Prize of the Merit Pool was due to some behind-the-scenes manipulation, he had now changed his mind.

Could it really just be that his luck was that good?

Thinking of this, Lu Yang's expression gradually became strange.

With such high providence, one could say that as long as they followed him, they would surely stumble upon many opportunities. And since his cultivation was not high, he would be exceptionally easy to rob...

This Xiao Shiye... seems to be quite a talent!

(End of Chapter)