Chapter 378: Escaping is Shameful, But Useful
Zenith Cliff, in the Quiet Chamber.
Lü Yang sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s [Non-Killing Sword] placed before him. His Heart Spirit was completely immersed in the depths of his Spiritual Space.
And in his Spiritual Space, a golden light shimmered brilliantly.
The Hongyun Gold Attribute!
The [Centome] had drained this Gold Attribute of its Divine Marrow, leaving only a husk behind. But even so, it still exerted considerable pressure on Lü Yang.
The next second, Lü Yang opened his status panel.
This time, free from the interference of Heaven and Earth, he carefully and completely reviewed the Fortunate Life that the [Centome] had compiled.
A long while later, he opened his eyes.
"...Fuck!"
He couldn’t help but curse.
Only now did Lü Yang realize what a treasure trove he’d been sitting on without knowing it, having previously used the Hongyun Gold Attribute merely to disguise his identity.
As a Great Fortune-teller supported by Heaven and Earth, Hongyun had encountered countless opportunities and explored innumerable Secret Realms and perilous lands in his life. Setting everything else aside, this experience alone was priceless—it included knowledge on how to find Artifacts within a Secret Realm and methods to determine if a Secret Realm had a master.
And that was just the trivial stuff.
Lü Yang spent three full days sweeping through the memories with his Divine Sense before he finally managed to sort and categorize them into three main sections.
’First, there’s the Cultivation and knowledge!’
’As the Perfected Lord of the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire], Hongyun had a master’s grasp of the corresponding Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. His Cultivation in this area was practically at its apex.’
[Jia Wood], [Yi Wood].
[Earth of Chen], [Si Fire],
These four Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches—their Yin Yang Attributes, internal transformations, how to combine them... Hongyun’s memories contained a corresponding sea of knowledge on the subject!
’If I patiently integrate this knowledge, spend a few centuries earnestly comprehending it, and make it completely my own, maybe I too can pursue the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire]... Even if I can’t, trying to attain other Fruits related to these four Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches would likely be twice as effective with half the effort!’
Such a fortune was enough to make every Foundation Establishment cultivator in the world green with envy.
Not to mention it also included the two Secret Techniques from before, the Void Internal Observation of Heaven and Earth True Understanding and the Upper Bright Golden Cup Jade Light, both complete and without any flaws!
Of these two Secret Techniques, the latter’s ability to sense the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire] was of secondary importance.
For Lü Yang, the former was what mattered. It was a Secret Technique for creating a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land, which would be immensely useful for his cultivation in the Foundation Establishment Realm!
’I can’t believe the Secret Technique I traded away has now found its way back into my hands...’
This was karma!
Moreover, the versions traded away back then were incomplete ones that Hongyun had tampered with, but what he had now was the complete version, free of any hidden dangers!
"Hm? What’s this?"
Suddenly, Lü Yang felt a stir in his heart and looked at a page within the Void Internal Observation of Heaven and Earth True Understanding. It recorded a Secret Technique that Hongyun had personally deduced.
"[Little Blessed Land]?"
Lü Yang read it carefully, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.
The so-called [Little Blessed Land], as the name suggested, was the prototype of a Blessed Land. Not only could it be nurtured into a true Blessed Land, but more importantly, its requirements were extremely low.
It didn’t require a Cultivation at Foundation Establishment Perfection.
Someone at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment could refine one just the same!
’Although it can’t bolster my Cultivation like a true Blessed Land, a [Little Blessed Land] can be used to hide from disaster. Once I escape into it, not even an Immortal could find me!’
This point was especially crucial.
’As long as I can refine this [Little Blessed Land] and hide inside, I can evade the probing of Heaven and Earth. I won’t have to worry about them coming after me anymore!’
’Furthermore, the [Little Blessed Land] can also be used to evade the [Celestial Five Declines], drastically increasing the probability of reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection. It truly is a marvelous technique!’
Its only drawback was that it required a lot of Spiritual Materials.
’However, I just obtained the [Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm] from the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. Using it as a material is perfect; it will greatly reduce the other costs...’
Thinking of this, Lü Yang immediately made refining the [Little Blessed Land] his top priority.
Only then did he continue to examine Hongyun’s memories.
’Besides Cultivation and knowledge, the next category is the secrets of Heaven and Earth!’
Reading this, Lü Yang gritted his teeth again. ’No wonder Hongyun chose to betray Heaven and Earth in the end. He took the benefits from the millennial calamity but didn’t share any...’
Heaven and Earth doesn’t support you for free!
It was like an investment. After working so hard to raise you up, it naturally wanted to get back even more in return, to recoup its costs. Otherwise, wouldn’t the investment have been for nothing?
’The reason Heaven and Earth supported Hongyun in becoming a Perfected Lord was purely for the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire]. As an entity supported by Heaven and Earth, for every day Hongyun remained in his position, the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire] would be subtly influenced. And with each passing day, Heaven and Earth’s control over the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire] would grow.’
’However, doing so was a major taboo in the eyes of the Masters of Dao!’
’Hongyun realized this, which is why he chose betrayal. After all, with the four Masters of Dao suppressing Heaven and Earth, there was no future in following Heaven and Earth...’
The Saint Sect True Monarchs had always been very clear-headed when it came to such monumental matters of right and wrong.
They only follow the winner.
’Besides, after Hongyun became a Perfected Lord, Heaven and Earth stopped supporting him. With his thousand-year lifespan approaching its end, *that* was the real reason Hongyun decided to betray them...’
Middle Stage of Golden Core, Pocket World Falling.
To reach this step, one had to constantly strengthen their own Grotto Heaven, plundering external resources for it. But this ran completely contrary to the original intentions of Heaven and Earth.
If Heaven and Earth had chosen to continue supporting Hongyun, giving him a chance to glimpse a higher Realm instead of forcing him to start over after a thousand years, he might not have betrayed them. But when you work someone like a dog and then stop paying them, who the fuck is going to keep showing up for work?
Besides, the more Lü Yang looked at this strategy of Heaven and Earth, the more familiar it seemed.
’Isn’t this just throwing money around to capture the market, then turning hostile and harvesting the profits once you have a monopoly...?’
’If I had seen this earlier, I would have definitely been on guard against Heaven and Earth. I wouldn’t have been so late in realizing that the Bhagavat had his eyes on me...’
Alas, what’s past is past.
Lü Yang collected himself and looked at the third category. This was the part he valued the most.
’Five thousand years... Hongyun really didn’t live them for nothing!’
Sure, for five thousand years, Hongyun had died over and over again, living a life of untold misery.
But he had, in fact, realized there was a problem.
After all, compared to the first half of his life, the severe decline in his Fortune was something even a pig would have noticed.
Hongyun had even anticipated this before he fell from his Fruit, back when he betrayed Heaven and Earth.
And he had prepared a backup plan in advance.
’Opening Altar Cultivation Dao Ceremony!’
This was a Second-Grade Cultivation Skill, one that Hongyun had personally deduced and recorded.
That wasn’t the most important part. What was most important was that the coordinates of the Outer Realm corresponding to this Second-Grade Cultivation Skill were not recorded anywhere. Hongyun had discovered it alone, and only he knew of it!
Moreover, Hongyun had also taken measures with this Outer Realm to ensure it would not approach this world and be captured like the [Profound Spirit Realm].
’This... was the final escape route Hongyun prepared for himself!’
’Hongyun had arranged everything within the Cultivation Technique. With it, one could reincarnate into that Outer Realm.’
’If he truly couldn’t return to his position as a Perfected Lord, he would settle for the next best thing: flee to that Outer Realm, become its master, and then fight his way back... A pity. Though he had prepared numerous backup plans and contingencies, he was just too damned unlucky. In his past life and this one, he hadn’t been able to use a single one...’
After sorting through this segment of memory, Lü Yang’s impression of Hongyun changed dramatically.
Thinking about it carefully, his current situation was actually quite similar to Hongyun’s in the past. Both were targeted by Heaven and Earth, and both had a powerful enemy that was difficult to resist.
’I was just worrying about what to do next, but now I don’t have to think about it anymore.’
Hongyun had arranged everything; he just never had the chance to implement it.
But that was fine. When Lü Yang implemented the plan, he could bring the Hongyun Gold Attribute along to give it a sense of participation.
’I get it now. There are no real "fish ponds" in this godforsaken place. Even Heaven and Earth and the Masters of Dao will jump in to "blast fish." Trying to develop and grow strong here is just a pipe dream.’
To break the deadlock, the only way was to jump out.
To a real "fish pond"!
’Running away is shameful, but it works!’
Once the thought of fleeing took root, the world suddenly seemed vast and open. Lü Yang instantly felt the path ahead, once hazy and uncertain, become bright again.
That’s right, he would go Beyond the Heavens!
To hell with the Buddha’s Son, to hell with the Immortal Spirit! This daddy isn’t serving you anymore!
Just wait until I become a Perfected Lord Beyond the Heavens. Then I’ll come back and settle the score with every last one of you!