Chapter 51: The Taiyi Golden Flower Pill Manual

Within the Skull Mountain marketplace, everyone witnessed Lu Yang and Yun Miaozhen vanish simultaneously. It was common knowledge that this was the power of the Glazed Dharma Sword currently suspended in mid-air.

Seeing this scene, Luo Wuya’s expression was heavy, yet his heart was secretly jubilant.

'A Foundation Establishment True Person is truly unpredictable. Senior Brother has actually hooked a big fish. The Heaven-Escaping Sword—that Spiritual Treasure has actually resurfaced!'

Among the one hundred and eight swords of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, this treasure ranked thirty-seventh, holding the first position of the Earthly Fiend count. Though not a Spiritual Treasure, it surpassed them; it contained a Mustard Seed Grotto-heaven. When fighting, one only needed to illuminate the opponent with sword light to shunt them into the grotto-heaven, thereby seizing all advantages of time and terrain.

Within the grotto-heaven, the cultivation base of a Sword Pavilion cultivator was supplemented by the realm, allowing them to perform ordinary divine abilities without consuming mana.

In contrast, once a non-Sword Pavilion cultivator fell into the grotto-heaven, they would first suffer a thirty percent reduction in true qi, followed by a thirty percent reduction in divine ability effectiveness, and finally a thirty percent reduction in the power of their Spiritual Treasures.

As one side rose and the other fell, the outcome was decided.

This was precisely why Yun Miaozhen remained full of confidence despite knowing Lu Yang was protected by dual formations; she knew dual formations could not withstand the seizure of the Heaven-Escaping Sword.

In fact, most elemental objects of the Five Elements could not block the Heaven-Escaping Sword.

The only way to block it with formations was to use formations involving similar spatial fluctuations, but such formations were far too rare. Even if they existed, they were not something a Grade 9 Formation Master could deploy.

"It seems this demon is destined to lose his head this time."

On the other side, Ouyang Feng, an elder of the Divine Martial Sect, clapped his hands and laughed. Although he could not take revenge personally, Lu Yang's death would settle his deep-seated hatred.

Hearing this, Luo Wuya could only shake his head without rebuttal, for he thought the same. If Lu Yang had dual formations, the battle might have been a fifty-fifty split, but falling into the Heaven-Escaping Sword meant certain death. Even if it were him, he would likely face peril.

'However... this also suits Senior Brother's intentions.'

'That Lu Yang was ungrateful and repeatedly defied the karma connected to Senior Brother. Senior Brother deliberately lured Yun Miaozhen here, likely with the intent of using a borrowed knife to kill...'

Thinking of this, Luo Wuya regained his composure.

Though they were both disciples of the Saint Sect, he had no intention of helping. He was merely waiting for Lu Yang to be killed so that Yun Miaozhen could seize his destiny and open the Wugui Secret Realm.

***

Meanwhile, inside the Heaven-Escaping Sword.

As the sword light shone down, the layers of formations failed to obstruct it. By the time Lu Yang regained his senses and his vision cleared, his surroundings had completely changed.

All he could see was a landscape ravaged by rampant sword qi.

As the sword qi descended, Lu Yang felt his true qi weaken by thirty percent, and his divine abilities felt significantly more sluggish—he knew this was the suppression within the grotto-heaven.

In the next second, the sky above brightened, and Yun Miaozhen stepped out.

"Initial Saint Demon, you are destined to meet this tribulation today. Submit to your punishment!"

Her clear, resonant voice descended from above, sounding like a celestial decree. The moment she spoke, Lu Yang felt as if the entire world had become his enemy, seeking to tear him into pieces.

Having spoken, Yun Miaozhen pushed up her Daoist crown. Instantly, a brilliant golden radiance appeared, illuminating the firmament. It then split into three: gold, silver, and jade lights. They coiled around her like swimming dragons, interconnected and interlocking, making her appear even more majestic and solemn.

Lu Yang’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Through several lifetimes of cultivation, he was no longer a stranger to the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion. After a moment of thought, he recognized the divine ability Yun Miaozhen was performing.

"That is the 'Taiyi Golden Radiance Dan Book'... the Great Divine Ability of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion!"

At this thought, alarm bells rang in Lu Yang's mind.

The "Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method" in his hands was also a Great Divine Ability; thus, he dared not underestimate the power of such techniques.

'This is going to be a fight for my life...' Lu Yang's thoughts raced.

As far as he knew, the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion's "Taiyi Golden Radiance Dan Book" could refine three lights—gold, silver, and jade—each of which was a high-tier divine ability.

To master this Great Divine Ability to perfection, one had to achieve "Three Radiances Converging at the Crown," refining the three lights into a single "Taiyi Golden Radiance." This unified light not only possessed all the effects of the three individual lights but also saw its power multiply, even providing a boost for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage!

'...Fortunately, her divine ability should not yet be perfected.'

As the saying goes, the Great Dao is singular. If the divine ability were perfected, Yun Miaozhen would not have split it into three lights, but would instead possess only a single Taiyi Golden Radiance.

'Perhaps this is my chance...'

Just then, Yun Miaozhen struck. She spread her sleeves, and the golden radiance surrounding her moved according to her will, sweeping toward Lu Yang.

Lu Yang immediately retreated. The golden light was called "Divine Light," driven by the mind; if the mind faltered, one would self-combust. If even a speck of it touched him, a mental fire would erupt from within, causing his body to glow gold even as it burned. Without a method to suppress it, he would surely turn to ash in moments.

"Go!"

With a thought, Lu Yang's Heaven-Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light roared upward. A massive wave of blood-red light forcibly held back the descending golden radiance, and the two sides reached a stalemate in the air.

Seeing this, Yun Miaozhen lightly pressed her brow.

In the next second, a sword pill emerged, flying like a streak of lightning. It vanished in an instant, only to reappear directly above Lu Yang's head, striking downward—

*Clang! Clang!*

As the sword qi roared down, Lu Yang's Blood-Sun Sword Pill was isolated outside the grotto-heaven. He could only sigh as he manifested a Wind-Thunder Treasure Mirror behind his head.

The Taixiao Mirror!

The mirror surface shook, and instantly, wind and thunder followed. The "Taixiao Wind-Thunder Qi" within the mirror instantly summoned bolts of lightning and howling sinister winds, forcibly restraining Yun Miaozhen's sword pill. It acted like a vortex, trapping it and continuously eroding the sword qi upon the pill.

Yun Miaozhen was not flustered; instead, she gave a cold smile.

Though decisive, she was not reckless. Before coming to the marketplace and attacking Lu Yang, she had already thoroughly investigated his information.

The formations and the Taixiao Mirror were both within her expectations.

Having used the Heaven-Escaping Sword to bypass the formations and the sword pill to pin down the Taixiao Mirror, Yun Miaozhen felt victory was in her grasp. She decided to end it now.

In the next second, Yun Miaozhen shook the silver and jade lights beside her. These two were the "Qi Light" and the "Essence Light." The former could break all worldly qi, and the latter could sever steel and bone. As they shook together, they merged into a crystal-clear, translucent sword light that slashed toward Lu Yang!

'As expected of a true disciple of the Sword Pavilion...'

Lu Yang could only sigh. Yun Miaozhen was clearly no flower from a greenhouse; her tactical execution and timing were precise.

Under these circumstances, she also possessed a Great Divine Ability.

Though not yet perfected, she was only one step away from the final fusion; at the very least, she had mastered all three component divine abilities.

In comparison, Lu Yang's mastery of the "Lunar Metamorphosis Corpse-解 True Method" was far inferior.

His final ability, the "Taiwei Imperial Pardon Talisman," was still stuck at a bottleneck, unable to progress. He had not even gathered all three divine abilities, let alone mastered their fusion.

'In a battle of divine abilities, I am no match for her.'

Lu Yang recognized this clearly. Ultimately, he was not skilled in direct combat; his strength lay in using higher cultivation to bully the weak.

But now?

Yun Miaozhen was at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, and he was at the eighth. Forget being at the same realm—he was fighting a stronger enemy from a lower realm, which was completely against his style.

'If this were a few months ago, I would probably have had to choose to restart...'

However, a new variable had emerged.

In the next second, facing the two sword lights slashed by Yun Miaozhen, Lu Yang raised his hand and threw out two talismans in succession, which exploded in mid-air.

*Boom!*

With a massive roar, a bolt of lightning and a streak of sword qi roared forth, actually blocking Yun Miaozhen's descending sword light at the critical moment!

"A Grade 9 Talisman!?"

Yun Miaozhen's eyes twitched slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Only two. It is still a drop in the bucket. How many talismans could you possibly have?"

As a true disciple of the Sword Pavilion, she did not study talisman arts, but she was not unfamiliar with them. Even a Grade 9 talisman required a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator at least three days of uninterrupted, dedicated work to draw.

Therefore, she was certain that the number of talismans in Lu Yang's hands would not exceed the count of his fingers...

In the next second, Lu Yang waved his hand again.

Then, a scene occurred that left Yun Miaozhen dumbfounded. The second, the third, the fourth—dozens, then hundreds of talismans spread across the sky!

And behind the sea of talismans, Lu Yang shook the Myriad Spirit Banner. The banner spirits were still working overtime, rushing their production.

"How many can I have? Don't compare my output to your individual cultivator workshops. Let me show you the power of a black-hearted industrial assembly line!"

As his voice fell, the talismans moved in unison.

In an instant, sword qi and lightning intertwined, illuminating the entire grotto-heaven! And what was illuminated alongside it was Yun Miaozhen's face, twisted in utter shock!