Xiao Shiye

Nearly three months later, in the earthfire furnace chamber.

Lu Yang trembled as he slowly rose to his feet.

No, rather than saying he stood, it would have been more fitting to say he floated. At that moment, he no longer had skin, flesh, sinews, or bones—he was merely a scarlet blood-shadow!

"I succeeded!"

The blood-shadow had no face. Only amid the swirling Radiance did a slightly distorted voice vibrate forth: "Eighty-one days. I've finally refined it!"

The next moment, the blood-shadow gradually drew in. The skin that had been peeled off and cast onto the floor flew over out of thin air, "dressing" the blood-shadow. Pale skin gradually filled with blood color, while shriveled flesh slowly plumped up. Before long, an unscathed Lu Yang appeared in the furnace chamber.

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

Compared with three months ago, however, Lu Yang's Aura was now far more immense. The vigorous true qi throughout his body had even vaguely condensed into a Qi Seed.

Qi Refining Seven Layers! Late Stage!

Perhaps the process of cultivating the divine ability had been too agonizing, an unimaginable tempering of his essence, qi, and spirit. That was why he had unexpectedly broken through his cultivation bottleneck.

More fortunately, this had happened before he formally completed the divine ability.

Had it happened afterward, then even breaking through the bottleneck would have been useless. Like now, his cultivation was permanently fixed at Qi Refining Seven Layers.

"But it's enough."

Lu Yang murmured softly. Possessing the Hundred Lives Book, he had never been bound by the achievements of a single lifetime. His goal was to make use of them in the next life.

"Let's test its power!"

At a thought from Lu Yang, an exquisite Sword Pellet immediately emerged from between his brows. Then his figure transformed into a streak of Blood Light and merged with it.

"Rumble!"

Outside Myriad Treasure Peak, the ground shook violently. The bustling crowd abruptly staggered, and several people fell flat on the ground.

"What's going on?"

"An Earth Dragon Turn? Impossible! With all the True Persons suppressing the Earth Vein, how could there be an Earth Dragon Turn?"

The disciples looked at one another. Then some of those with higher cultivation suddenly sensed something and instinctively looked in a certain direction, astonishment gradually surfacing in their eyes.

"Look!"

"That is—"

Everyone's gazes followed.

Then they all saw a long rainbow piercing the sun shoot out from a furnace chamber. In the blink of an eye, it leaped into the Vault Sky, and wherever it passed, the Cloud Sea churned.

Clang! Clang!

Crisp sword cries rang through the nine heavens. Intense red light dyed Myriad Treasure Peak blood-red, stirring the spiritual qi of heaven and earth until it became towering waves!

Amid such a tide of spiritual qi, most disciples could not even breathe it in and circulate it. They were nearly suffocating!

"Such a display... Qi Refining Late Stage?"

A disciple revealed an envious expression. "He has already condensed a Qi Seed. Once he completes the final step of nurturing and transformation, he will achieve perfection, and Foundation Establishment will be within sight from then on."

"I wonder which senior brother has broken through?"

"I've seen senior brothers at Qi Refining Late Stage before, but none possessed such spiritual pressure. That rainbow-like Sword Light must also be an extraordinary Dharma treasure..."

Meanwhile, above the Cloud Sea.

Lu Yang transformed into a blood-shadow, his qi united with the Sword Light. His spiritual sense spread in all directions, revealing every tiniest detail within a radius of more than ten li, as clearly as viewing the lines on his palm.

"At Qi Refining Late Stage, true qi sinks into the dantian and turns into a Qi Seed, bringing about a transformation in essence, qi, and spirit. If I still had a body, my physique should have undergone a qualitative leap by now. Being impervious to blades and spears would be nothing remarkable, and my true qi should have multiplied dozens of times over. Unfortunately, all I have left is spiritual sense..."

Lu Yang was lamenting when his brows suddenly rose.

"Who's there?"

Before Lu Yang's words had faded, his sword followed his will in an instant. The blood-red, rainbow-like Sword Light tore straight through the Cloud Sea, revealing a young and handsome figure.

"Senior Brother, don't attack! Don't attack!"

The man shouted loudly, but Lu Yang paid him no heed. The Sword Light pounced forward, and the man hurriedly produced a small flag, planting it in the air.

The next moment, the banner unfurled and transformed into a pair of flag gates.

The man ducked into one of the gates. After the Sword Light Lu Yang had split off pursued him inside, he emerged from the other gate, then reached out with a beckoning gesture.

The flag gates vanished, turning back into a small flag.

Lu Yang raised his brows. He discovered that the Sword Light he had split off had actually been trapped in some unknown place, allowing the other party to evade it.

"Interesting."

Lu Yang grinned. The Sword Pellet between his brows shook violently like muffled thunder rolling across the sky. In an instant, it divided into dozens, then hundreds, of Sword Lights like a peacock spreading its tail.

At this sight, the young man, who had been somewhat pleased with himself, immediately turned pale. He hurriedly took out the small flag treasure again to protect himself, shouting at the same time, "Senior Brother, I am Xiao Shiye. I came only to make your acquaintance and harbor no ill intent. Please withdraw your divine ability!"

"Xiao Shiye?"

Lu Yang froze upon hearing that. The Sword Lights that were about to erupt suddenly halted, suspended in midair and reflecting a face drenched in cold sweat.

That preselected cheat?

The next moment, Lu Yang withdrew his Sword Light, transformed into human form, and landed before Xiao Shiye. He laughed heartily. "Junior Brother, do not misunderstand. I was merely jesting with you just now!"

Xiao Shiye wiped the sweat from his forehead, inwardly grumbling that Lu Yang had clearly intended to get serious just now. Yet he too put on a brilliant smile and said eagerly, "Senior Brother's divine abilities are vast and your Dharma Power boundless. Xiao admires you deeply. Please do not refuse this small token of my esteem."

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

"How could I possibly accept this?"

Lu Yang shook his head even as he accepted the small flag. Only then did he see two words embroidered upon its surface in gold thread: "Void-Escaping."

"This treasure is called the Void-Escaping Flag."

Xiao Shiye introduced it of his own accord. "Before I entered the sect, I bought it from an antique shop. At first, it showed no sign of anything extraordinary. Only after entering the sect did I discover it was a rare treasure."

"The flag has two sides. When activated, it can transform into two flag gates: life and death."

"Among those of the same realm, as long as one enters through the death gate and exits through the life gate, no matter how great the danger, one can carve out a path to survival, untouched by calamity."

After hearing this, Lu Yang could not help but twitch his cheek.

Such a wondrous Dharma treasure had actually been casually bought by Xiao Shiye from some mortal antique shop before he had even entered the Sacred Sect to cultivate?

At that thought, Lu Yang's mind stirred. He focused his spiritual sense into his eyes.

After reaching Qi Refining Late Stage, his greatly increased spiritual sense naturally gained many marvelous uses. What Lu Yang was employing at that moment was a wondrous method called the Qi Observation Technique.

The result was that not looking would have been fine—but when he did look, Lu Yang nearly bulged his eyes out.

Because in his eyes, everything on Xiao Shiye's body—the Crane Cloak, boots, robes, crown, even the belt around his waist—blazed with Precious Light!

In terms of quality, they probably were not inferior to his Sword Pellet!

Even with Lu Yang's current temperament, he could not help feeling somewhat unbalanced.

After all, he had spent several months and a huge sum of Money to refine his Dharma treasure, while on Xiao Shiye's side, treasures like these seemed to be everywhere as though they cost nothing. It was hard not to turn green with envy.

"This man has incredible luck..."

If Lu Yang had previously believed Xiao Shiye had drawn the Merit Pool grand prize because there had been some shady backroom manipulation, he now changed his mind.

Could it be that Xiao Shiye was genuinely just lucky?

At that thought, Lu Yang's expression gradually became strange again.

With luck this great, following him would surely let one ride along into countless opportunities. Yet his cultivation was not high, which made robbing him especially easy...

This Xiao Shiye seemed to be quite a talent!