Blood Garment Pavilion Master

The Divine Martial Sect's invasion ended as abruptly as that.

The moment Ouyang Haoze died, Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan did not even dare linger. Without another word, they turned and fled, as though some flood dragon or savage beast were chasing them from behind.

In stark contrast to the Divine Martial Sect's panicked rout, the marketplace was filled with jubilation.

After all, following this battle, Skull Mountain Market had become as solid as a fortress. So long as no Foundation Establishment True Person intervened, the Divine Martial Sect would find it difficult to shake this turtle shell.

As for the Corpse Tide, it was nothing more than a scab and rash—not worth mentioning.

In short: safety!

A safe marketplace was bound to become a center of money. One could easily imagine that trade here would grow even more frequent in the future, and opportunities to make money would multiply as well.

The good days were still ahead!

But the bustle belonged to everyone else. Lu Yang only found them noisy.

At that moment, he was still immersed in the lingering palpitations from before, unable to recover for a long while.

For a long time now—or rather, ever since Xiao Shiye had been reeled in by Daoist Hongyun—Foundation Establishment True Persons had become an inescapable shadow in Lu Yang's heart.

When he realized that another Foundation Establishment True Person might be plotting against him, the joy of having just slain Ouyang Haoze was instantly swept away. He instinctively clutched the Primordial Primordial-Breath Divine Talisman around his neck. Only after confirming that it was still operating did his raised heart settle slightly.

"The Divine Talisman is still working. That means he still can't calculate me."

Even so, the Primordial Primordial-Breath Divine Talisman's effects had their limits.

Strictly speaking, it did not sever Karma. It merely obscured it, draping a false thread of Karma over Lu Yang to protect him.

After all, completely severing Karma would be far too conspicuous.

Thus, when a Foundation Establishment True Person calculated him, they would not find nothing. Instead, they would calculate a result that was flawless—and entirely false.

The advantage was that it was more covert. The disadvantage was that it could not completely block the influence of a Foundation Establishment True Person.

At this thought, Lu Yang already had an answer in his heart. So he was not targeting me specifically. I was merely swept in by accident?

That also explained the Mysterious Female Yin Jade.

It was not that fortune had smiled upon him. Someone had deliberately delivered that item into his hands, intending to use him to achieve some unspeakable purpose.

What purpose?

Lu Yang's gaze shifted toward Ouyang Haoze's corpse. With a sweep of the Ten Thousand Spirit Banner in his hand, he drew over the body that had been cleaved in two.

Perhaps he could obtain some clues from this man.

Besides, as a true disciple of the Divine Martial Sect, Ouyang Haoze's collection was surely substantial!

Before long, Ouyang Haoze's corpse was refined into the Ten Thousand Spirit Banner. Unfortunately, the body had been split in half, so the true spirit extracted from it was incomplete.

When the Ten Thousand Spirit Banner recorded a Banner Spirit, whether it could preserve the Banner Spirit's combat strength, memories, and consciousness from life generally depended on the corpse's integrity. The more perfectly preserved the body, the closer the Banner Spirit would be to its living state—like Liu Xin. As for Ouyang Haoze, Lu Yang could only barely retain seventy percent of his former state.

Even so, he still learned many secrets.

"So this was the Divine Martial Sect's true aim."

"There is a secret realm within Skull Mountain, left behind by the ancient Witch Ghost Sect. The yin energy in the Earth Vein beneath Skull Mountain leaks out from that secret realm."

"The Divine Martial Sect wanted to monopolize the secret realm, which was why they planned to remove the Sacred Sect's marketplace here."

"This is good news. If I report it to the Sacred Sect, I will definitely receive plenty of Contribution Points, and the Sacred Sect will also send people here to provide support."

"Although monopolizing this information would bring greater benefits... why should I monopolize it?"

"Since I have no intention of venturing into that Witch Ghost Secret Realm anyway, I might as well hand it to the Sacred Sect, steadily earn a batch of Contribution Points, and watch others fight to the death!"

With that, Lu Yang finally relaxed.

Now that he knew a Foundation Establishment True Person was secretly plotting around Skull Mountain, he became even more determined to hide in the marketplace and never leave.

Next, Lu Yang began dealing with Ouyang Haoze's belongings.

However, just as he picked up Ouyang Haoze's Storage Pouch, a Round Mirror trembled as it floated over. After drawing close, it affectionately rubbed against his hand.

It was none other than the Taixiao Mirror.

This Spiritual Treasure was like an eager little dog. It circled Lu Yang while hopping twice from time to time, every movement brimming with the desire to pledge allegiance.

"Are you abandoning the light for the dark?"

Lu Yang was somewhat surprised. Honestly, for such an intensely yang Spiritual Treasure to defect to a demonic cultivator like him, Ouyang Haoze must truly have hurt it deeply.

Seeing that Lu Yang's attention had finally fallen upon it, the Taixiao Mirror first reflected the Storage Pouch in his hand, then swayed from side to side. A voice then rang out in Lu Yang's mind, carrying a childish lilt, like a child who had only just been born and learned to speak:

"They... no good!"

Then, the Taixiao Mirror erupted with intense light of its own and bobbed up and down. Its voice changed, filled with innate pride and self-confidence:

"I... good!"

It was recommending itself.

Lu Yang's gaze grew increasingly astonished. Though he had long known that Spiritual Treasures possessed their own intelligence and were wondrous beyond compare, this was the first time he had witnessed it himself.

"Fine. Then I'll use you first."

Lu Yang beckoned with his hand, and the Taixiao Mirror immediately descended of its own accord. With its cooperation, he swiftly gained complete command of every aspect of this Spiritual Treasure.

"Good! Truly a fine treasure!"

Lu Yang's face was full of delight. A Spiritual Treasure truly lived up to its name!

As everyone knew, Qi Refining Great Perfection referred to cultivators who had nurtured the Qi Seed within their bodies to its limit, thereby transforming it into a strand of Perfected True Qi.

For instance, once his Nine Transformations Dragon Art reached Qi Refining Great Perfection, it would transform into a strand of True Dragon Sha.

In other words, Perfected True Qi was the mark of Qi Refining Great Perfection and its greatest means of suppressing all Qi Refining cultivators below completion.

Yet the Taixiao Mirror, this Spiritual Treasure, had been born with a strand of Perfected True Qi called Taixiao Wind-Thunder Breath!

In other words, as long as one wielded this Spiritual Treasure, even with only Qi Refining First Layer cultivation, one could rival Qi Refining Great Perfection while activating it!

"However, there seem to be quite a few restrictions within this Spiritual Treasure."

Lu Yang examined the Taixiao Mirror. Treasures were meant to serve people, and even the righteous path was no exception. The Taixiao Mirror clearly retained numerous restrictions limiting its actions.

Thus, if he used this Spiritual Treasure before disciples of the Divine Martial Sect, perhaps all they needed to do was form a Dharma Seal, and the Taixiao Mirror would fly back on its own.

This had nothing to do with the Taixiao Mirror's will. It was entirely a safeguard left behind by the person who had refined it.

"It would be far too wasteful if I cannot use such a Spiritual Treasure."

Lu Yang pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up. Although his attainment in formations was not enough to break the restrictions within the mirror, that did not mean there was no compromise.

The next moment, Lu Yang shook the Ten Thousand Spirit Banner and summoned Ouyang Haoze once more. He then refined him into a strand of Primordial Breath and sent it into the Taixiao Mirror. Lu Yang would control Ouyang Haoze, and Ouyang Haoze would control the Taixiao Mirror, thereby bypassing the restrictions within it.

Rumble!

In an instant, the Taixiao Mirror in Lu Yang's hand erupted with dazzling Precious Light. The faint sound of wind and thunder could be heard within the light, and its power had clearly reached Qi Refining Completion!

"...It really works!"

Lu Yang laughed heartily, then suspended the Taixiao Mirror behind his head. For a moment, even the Precious Light it emitted turned scarlet, stained with his color.

"Not bad! Not bad!"

Lu Yang laughed freely. Only then did he put away the Taixiao Mirror and open Ouyang Haoze's Storage Pouch. In an instant, the surging Spiritual Qi made him narrow his eyes.

A vast quantity of spirit stones was piled within!

Besides that, there were all manner of precious pills, magical treasures, and materials. Lu Yang made a rough calculation: selling them to the Sacred Sect would fetch at least thirty thousand Contribution Points.

"This is truly a windfall. Unfortunately, there likely will not be another chance in the future."

After all, with Ouyang Haoze as a lesson, no one below Foundation Establishment would likely dare to break into the formation again.

Once word of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm spreads, Skull Mountain will be plunged into another storm of blood and gore. There must be a Foundation Establishment True Person plotting behind the scenes.

But as long as I do not leave and do not get caught up in this dispute, what can he do to me unless he acts personally?

Lu Yang made up his mind. He then put everything away, parted the formation, and rode a beam of escaping light back to the marketplace, landing atop the pavilion of the Blood Garment Pavilion.

From that day onward, Skull Mountain fell into an eerie calm.

The Divine Martial Sect continued to dispatch additional manpower, while reinforcements from the First Saint Sect arrived one after another. Yet on the surface, there was not the slightest ripple; only undercurrents surged in the shadows.

Under such circumstances, Lu Yang's deeds somehow spread far and wide, becoming known to all.

Ten years ago, he had joined the Sacred Sect as a mortal, made a fortune speculating on Death Substitute Puppets, secluded himself for ten years and broke through to Qi Refining Late Stage, then became a formation master and slew a Divine Martial Sect true disciple in formation—an inspiring commoner's rise all the way to Qi Refining Great Perfection. It was nearly like administering a shot of strength to every ordinary Sacred Sect disciple.

Gradually, out of reverence, many people no longer even mentioned Lu Yang's name.

In its place came another honorific:

Blood Garment Pavilion Master!