Chapter 422: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, While the Oriole Lurks Behind

Sword Pavilion, before the Jade Pivot Hall.

As Lü Yang continuously infused his sword intent, the radiance upon that piece of luminous jade gradually condensed, manifesting densely packed lines of script, each imprinting itself into his heart.

『Newly Refined Dao-Feather Nirvana Sword Formula』

Immediately after, a name surfaced within his mind, resonating with his 【Sword Intent】—complementing and echoing one another perfectly, as if fish taking to water!

‘When this sword art is combined with my 【Sword Intent】, the sword light I release may not be strong at first, yet it triumphs in its endlessness—like boundless grass upon the plains, like refined steel born of a thousand tempers. If the enemy cannot shatter it in an instant, they can only watch as it grows stronger and stronger.’

It was indeed a sword art perfectly suited for him.

‘If I temper my 【Sword Intent】 through this technique, then one day, when I reach the realm of the Demon-Suppressing True Person, perhaps it could be called the 【Unyielding Sword Intent】.’

However, that was not something achievable overnight.

The tempering of sword intent required not only diligence and practice, but also the irrigation of experience and conviction—these needed a long passage of time to finally bear fruit.

‘No matter what, the goal of this journey has already been achieved.’

Just as Lü Yang felt satisfied and was about to withdraw his consciousness from his avatar—allowing it to act autonomously—suddenly, the 【Puppet on Strings】 transmitted a disturbance.

“Hmm.”

【Netherworld】, an unspeakable place.

Within the boundless River of Souls, a faint soul drifted about. Its consciousness, while reincarnating, was gradually being veiled in shadow.

—The Mystery of the Womb.—

For reincarnated Foundation Establishment cultivators, this was the most taboo phenomenon, the manifestation of the might of the 【Netherworld】, and one of the greatest obstacles that every Foundation Establishment True Person had to pass through upon rebirth.

Although, in theory, Foundation Establishment True Persons possessed five lifetimes of longevity, in practice the Mystery of the Womb grew heavier with each rebirth: in the early stage one awakened in the second life, in the middle stage the third, in the late stage the fourth, and only upon reaching perfection could one remain lucid through all five.

And this was already the fourth life of the Yun Family’s Old Ancestor.

His second life had reached old age; after dying of natural causes, he was reborn within the Secret Realm of Law Refinement—that counted as one life. Now, to escape that realm, he had undergone yet another reincarnation.

Thus, his Mystery of the Womb was exceptionally profound.

Yet the Yun Family Old Ancestor was not panicked. With a single thought, a ritual artifact emerged within his soul, dispersing the shadows of the womb.

‘【Heavenly Inquiry Instrument】.’

This heavenly secret treasure had once fallen into Lü Yang’s hands. Its wondrous name was 【All-Clarity】—besides deducing causality, it could also aid a reincarnating Foundation Establishment cultivator in swiftly regaining consciousness.

‘Fortunate indeed that I still possess the Heavenly Treasure bestowed by the True Person.’

The Old Ancestor’s thoughts turned rapidly: ‘What a pity that Mu Changsheng remains so obstinate… This task entrusted by Evil-Banishing True Person has not been completed smoothly.’

At that thought, a trace of concern appeared in his mind.

Yet just then, darkness suddenly fell before his eyes. He looked up—and all he could see was a vast hand obscuring his vision.

“Truly, fortune favors me without effort.”

“To dare wield a spiritual treasure here, shining light upon the 【Netherworld】 while reincarnating within the River of Souls—are you so eager to make yourself stand out?”

The next instant, the Yun Family Old Ancestor lost consciousness.

At the same moment, before the River of Souls, 【Ang Xiao】 stood shrouded in mist, only a full, white-jade-like hand exposed outside the fog. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

That very hand now grasped the Old Ancestor’s soul.

“Boom!”

In an instant, countless bolts of lightning crashed down upon his hand, blasting one charred hole after another into his flesh amid deafening thunder.

Yet 【Ang Xiao】 did not cease.

“A Foundation Establishment soul only—I’ve not severed it from the cycle of rebirth, merely made… a few adjustments. That’s hardly enough for them to lay blame on me.”

With those words, 【Ang Xiao】 activated his mana.

Though the soul of a Foundation Establishment True Person was tightly guarded—even a Golden Core True Lord would find it difficult to search—injecting a strand of memory, conversely, was not impossible.

Soon, around the Yun Family Old Ancestor’s Sea of Consciousness, a fragment of false memory appeared from nothingness—detailing how he had persuaded Mu Changsheng within the Secret Realm of Law Refinement through eloquence alone, obtained the crucial Method of Consciousness Separation, and then retired in triumph.

Ordinarily, such means were feeble—false memories could not truly enter the Sea of Consciousness, their flaws too many. Even an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily detect the falsehood.

But the caster here was 【Ang Xiao】.

【Obstruction of Knowledge and View】—activate!

Quickly, the Old Ancestor’s soul fluctuations calmed under 【Ang Xiao】’s art. When he awoke, the forged memory would be accepted as truth, every inconsistency naturally ignored.

Having finished, 【Ang Xiao】 released the soul and let the mist roll back over his wounded hand.

“A great work, complete. The rest, I leave to you.”

【Ang Xiao】 turned his gaze toward another soul bathed in Buddhist light. “【White Wax Gold】 has fallen into the 【Netherworld】—I shall aid you in slaying the Demon-Suppressing True Person.”

Bodhisattva Guang Ming smiled faintly. “A monk speaks no lies. Senior need only wait in peace.”

“This time, the Demon-Suppressing True Person is doomed!”

Their eyes met, and both laughed softly.

Now that all True Lords in the world were in seclusion, and they were even scheming through the power of the 【Netherworld】 itself, their plan could be called flawless—without accident, victory was assured!

Jiangbei, Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds.

Lü Yang, stroking his chin with interest, watched the state of the Yun Family Old Ancestor through the 【Puppet on Strings】, a playful smile curling his lips.

Although the Old Ancestor had lost consciousness midway—and thus Lü Yang did not hear the conversation between 【Ang Xiao】 and Bodhisattva Guang Ming—it did not hinder his deduction. After all, who else could meddle with a Foundation Establishment soul within the 【Netherworld】? Even a fool could guess it was 【Ang Xiao】!

‘What is he plotting?’

At this moment, due to the 【Obstruction of Knowledge and View】, the Old Ancestor failed to notice the flaws in the memory forced into his Sea of Consciousness by Ang Xiao.

However, Lü Yang was unaffected.

Because the memory had been stuffed in, Lü Yang did not even need to perform a soul search to see through it—it was plain before him. His expression gradually turned odd.

‘The Method of Consciousness Separation?’

‘No—it’s only a clever imitation!’

Regarding that method, there were only two versions in the world today.

One was the imitation created by Ancestor Ting You, brilliant yet perilous, with a death rate of ninety percent—Lü Yang himself dared not attempt it without the 【Divining Fortune Drawing Lots】.

The other was the original by Mu Changsheng.

Yet, according to Ancestor Ting You, the risk of consciousness separation could never be fully removed; at best, Mu Changsheng had reduced the death rate to fifty percent.

But the memory in the Old Ancestor’s mind differed greatly.

‘This “Method of Consciousness Separation” claims a hundred percent success rate? No—it only appears certain to succeed, but in truth ensures certain death!’

【Ang Xiao】’s trap!

Whom did he intend to ensnare?

This method of scheming through a cultivation art immediately reminded Lü Yang of Suohuan and that 『Myriad Spirits Returning to the Void Dao Scripture』—wasn’t it exactly the same trick?

This was truly—

‘A golden opportunity!’

At that thought, Lü Yang’s spirit blazed. Since it involved 【Ang Xiao】, no matter what scheme he was brewing, Lü Yang must find a way to disrupt it!

—Yesterday, after taking medicine, I felt much better. Today, three updates first; tomorrow, I’ll return to four!—

(End of this chapter)