Chapter 394: Take Everything
Although Lü Yang could guess at how frustrated the Immortal Spirit Upper Chapter was, he didn’t know the full details.
At this moment, he had already withdrawn his gaze, no longer paying attention to Mu Changsheng in the Simulation Realm, and even decisively severed his connection with the Yun Family’s Ancestor.
The reason was simple.
’Just for a moment there, I actually had the thought of manipulating the Yun Family’s Ancestor, recruiting Mu Changsheng, and absorbing him into the Myriad-Soul Banner...’
This thought alone was enough for Lü Yang to sever the connection.
Whether he was being paranoid or just overreacting, it didn’t matter. A Primal Daoist was a problem far too great for him to handle at his current level.
Only a Perfected Lord could possibly control such a being.
"The secrets of the Master of Dao, Mu Changsheng... none of it matters! The only thing that’s real is my own power. The most pressing matter right now is to keep getting stronger!"
Lü Yang took a deep breath and sat formally within the Li Hen Heaven.
Without him even needing to will it, vast amounts of Incense began to converge on him. He then discovered, to his surprise, that there was even more of it than he’d expected!
’That’s right. The White Lotus Sect worshipped so many Divine Monarchs and Divine Venerables besides the Mother of Non-Birth, siphoning off huge amounts of Incense. Now that I’ve slain them all and gathered that Incense, a rough estimate suggests... it’s probably enough to support two more existences at Foundation Establishment Perfection!’
This was a pleasant surprise.
Since the White Lotus Sect had such a foundation of Incense, then the comparable City God System and the Imperial Family’s Ancestral Temple must have reserves that were just as substantial.
In other words:
’In fact, if I just repeat the process and manage to Deprive the other two major powers in the Seven Luminaries Heaven of their Incense foundations, I can gather a total of nine beings at Foundation Establishment Perfection.’
At this thought, however, Lü Yang’s expression gradually grew calm.
’But doing it that way... is too slow.’
The White Lotus Sect was already the smallest of the three powers, yet it still took him a full decade to Deprive it of its foundation. The remaining two would be even more difficult.
’The Age of Great Struggle that Master Chong Guang initiated only lasts for sixty years. Once that time is up and All the True Monarchs return, what use will my Fake Golden Position be then?’
He had to maximize the benefits of his Fake Golden Position *before* All the True Monarchs returned!
Moreover, he had to consider his next life.
The Incense and Candle Divine Dao was built entirely on the Fruits of the Seven Luminaries Heaven. But if he reincarnated and left this realm, would these Banner Spirits still be able to generate Incense?
If not, wouldn’t all his efforts have been for nothing?
As this occurred to him, an even bolder idea suddenly surfaced in Lü Yang’s mind: ’Perhaps... there’s another way to solve all these problems.’
.......
「Seven Luminaries Heaven, Central State Celestial Capital City.」
This was the very heart of the Central State, the center of the City God System, and the location of the Imperial Family’s Ancestral Temple. At this moment, two consciousnesses awakened one after the other.
"Non-Birth just... vanished for a moment."
Of the two consciousnesses, one was naturally the lord of all City Gods under Heaven, the Capital City God Wuning, whose Incense Fire Divine Talisman was the [Heaven-Receiving, Country-Reflecting, People-Overseeing, Blessing-Increasing, and Spirit-Enlightening King].
The other was the Grand Ancestor of the Great Yan Court, who was worshipped in the Imperial Family’s Ancestral Temple.
Yan Taizu, the Capital City God, and the Mother of Non-Birth. These three Incense Fire Great Gods, all at Foundation Establishment Perfection, were the ones who had single-handedly shaped the Seven Luminaries Heaven into what it was today.
Thus, they paid the closest attention to one another. Probing with their Divine Sense, they immediately sensed a shift in the Incense across the realm. The more they probed, the more alarmed they grew. They discovered that all the Incense that had once belonged to the White Lotus Sect had, without exception, been redirected to a new object of faith.
"What is going on?"
Yan Taizu was inwardly puzzled and felt a growing sense of unease. After all, Incense Fire Great Gods like him prized stability above all else; what they dreaded most were unexpected variables.
"Something’s not right!"
The Capital City God’s expression was equally grave. His gaze followed the threads of Incense and soon fell upon a figure seated in the center of the Cloud Sea, drawing in and exhaling vast quantities of it.
Who was that?
It was a handsome young Daoist, his body wreathed in an endless torrent of Incense. His mere seated presence seemed to drain the color from the world.
To look upon him, it was as if one weren’t seeing a person, but a vast and boundless vista of the Sun, Moon, Mountains, and Rivers. One couldn’t help but have one’s entire vision captivated by him. More importantly, the Incense swirling around him was of an unbelievable magnitude! The entire sum of the White Lotus Sect’s Incense was converging upon his body!
"He’s insane!"
The Capital City God was the first to speak. "The Power of Incense contains countless impurities and stray thoughts. The more one uses, the greater the assault on one’s own mind. It has to be dispersed."
Otherwise, why would the City God System even exist?
If not for this drawback, why wouldn’t he have everyone in the world worship him alone as the Capital City God, instead of appointing so many other City Gods to share the burden of the Incense?
Yet this person before them seemed completely unconcerned by the assault of the Incense!
Why?
"No, wait..."
On the other side, Yan Taizu sensed there was more to it. "That Daoist... he’s not alone. Inside his body? It looks like there are others helping him!"
At these words, the Capital City God’s heart stirred. He focused Incense into his eyes and channeled his Abilities toward the Li Hen Heaven. Only then could he finally see the scene within clearly. Amidst layers of mountain ranges, three figures sat cross-legged. They were the ones truly bearing the burden of the White Lotus Sect’s Incense.
Progenitor Tingyou, the Banner Spirit Mother of Non-Birth, and Long Yue.
Upon seeing this, the expressions of both Yan Taizu and the Capital City God changed drastically. Yan Taizu, in particular, couldn’t help but say in a grim voice, "This is utter madness!"
The Capital City God, for his part, furrowed his brow. "What is he trying to do?"
How could one personally empower an Incense Fire Great God?
Isn’t he afraid that the Incense Fire Great Gods he personally cultivates will betray him?
Besides, what’s the point of creating so many Incense Fire Great Gods? They can’t actually fight each other; a conflict would inevitably implicate the mortal populace, resulting in mutual destruction.
What’s the point, other than creating rivals to fight with you over Incense?
"Haaa..."
Meanwhile, Lü Yang, who had once again manifested a human form from the Li Hen Heaven, let out a long, slow breath of Muddy Qi, a sharp glint appearing in the depths of his eyes.
’Success or failure, it all comes down to this...’
Up until now, Lü Yang had always considered himself just an ordinary person.
He had some talent, but not enough.
He had some willpower, but he also felt fear.
He had some skill, but it was far from sufficient.
’Master Chong Guang said that a person must rely on themselves, but I’ve come to feel that human strength has its limits.’
Of his ten lifetimes of cultivation, this was the one in which he felt it most deeply.
For all his scheming, he had lost his Immortal Spirit Body, been scared half to death by the Bhagavat, and finally been forced to flee his home. At every turn, he had been left with no other choice.
He would make a plan, only to be forced to change it.
He would set a goal, only to be forced to abandon it.
As satisfying as it was to lord over the weak, it was ultimately a form of escapism. Afterward, he would only feel empty and lost, with no sense of accomplishment. And besides, he hadn’t changed a thing.
He was still the same stray dog, plotted against by Heaven and Earth to the point of death, targeted by the Buddha’s Son sent by the Bhagavat, and finally forced to flee his home in a pathetic, desperate state!
At this thought, Lü Yang made his decision.
’...I’ll risk it all!’
He was going to refine the entire Seven Luminaries Heaven into his Myriad-Soul Banner!
Not just the Incense of mortals—he also wanted the very source of the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, the Fruit Position Prototype of the Seven Luminaries Heaven itself!
He would pack it all up and take it with him!