Chapter 55: Emergence of the Witch Ghost, the True Person Reels in the Line
Although Ming Chan was a rogue cultivator, he had received the teachings of the Buddhist sect, so he had some understanding of Foundation Establishment True Persons and was even more aware of the terror of this realm.
The so-called "Foundation Establishment" was merely a term used in the Immortal sects; in the Buddhist sect, it had another name, called "Lotus Platform."
Cultivators established their Dao foundation and were called "True Persons," while those who studied Buddhism sat upon the Lotus Platform and were called "Arhats."
Although the names differed, the results were essentially the same.
"An Arhat... There is an Arhat behind Skeleton Mountain!"
"Damn it, what opportunity! It's all fake! Clearly, there's an Arhat luring people; even if there is some opportunity, it's already predetermined by that Arhat!"
"Amitabha... damn!"
At this moment, Ming Chan had completely lost the demeanor of a Buddhist monk, reverting to his old habits in panic, spewing profanities incessantly.
After all, before he practiced Buddhism, he was just a mountain bandit.
It's quite laughable; every time he killed someone and robbed the road, he would bow to a Buddha statue, never expecting that one day he would actually receive a Buddhist opportunity.
The opportunity even said it was the merit he had accumulated over several lifetimes.
So he put down the butcher's knife and became a Buddha on the spot.
Since then, everything Ming Chan did went smoothly; he easily broke through to the peak of Qi Refining, just one step away from Foundation Establishment.
However, now, he only felt fear.
The three-lifetime merit and overwhelming luck that had always been favorable seemed to have lost their effect at this moment, only frantically warning him in the dark.
Danger! Certain death! Run quickly!
As Ming Chan fled, he gradually stopped, sweat pouring from his bald head, looking around to find that it was still the same as when he started.
What is this place again?
Was I really escaping just now?
"I..."
With confusion, the Buddhist light in Ming Chan's eyes gradually extinguished, and he unexpectedly went into a deviation, losing the vitality of the Dharma body he had cultivated for decades.
He died.
From beginning to end, the Foundation Establishment True Person didn't even appear; just a slight influence on the web of karma caused him to die naturally and inevitably.
Meanwhile, outside the Skeleton Mountain market.
Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng were also drenched in sweat; they didn't flee, not because they reacted slower than Ming Chan, but because they knew escaping was useless.
Facing a Foundation Establishment True Person, could you still escape?
Rogue cultivators were just inexperienced.
Especially Yun Zhiqiu, as Lü Yang broke through, he only felt that the originally clouded spiritual platform suddenly cleared, followed by intense panic surging in his heart.
What am I doing? What did I just do?
At this moment, a figure quietly appeared.
It was a young man in a black robe, with a gloomy appearance and a pale complexion, seemingly just an ordinary Taoist priest commonly seen in the mortal world.
"...Greetings, Senior!"
Without any hesitation, Yun Zhiqiu immediately sheathed his sword and saluted.
The True Person of Yinshan ignored him, only gazing intently at the Skeleton Mountain below, where a black flame was slowly rising from the earth's veins.
On the other side, Lü Yang also had a sudden realization.
"Witch Ghost Secret Realm..."
The karma and fate in the dark told him that as he broke through, his fortune reached its peak, causing the Witch Ghost Secret Realm to sense it and choose to emerge for him.
"...It really is fishing!"
The next second, the Witch Ghost Secret Realm, which had been continuously sending him a sense of intimacy, suddenly paused, followed by intense anger and fear erupting.
This was the emotion of the secret realm's spirit.
The fish had taken the bait.
"Come here."
The True Person of Yinshan slowly spoke; without displaying any divine power, just this one sentence caused the emerging Witch Ghost Secret Realm to uncontrollably fly towards him.
Then Lü Yang couldn't help but curse inwardly: "Damn it!"
Because within the opened secret realm, there was a blazing sword aura crouching like a tiger, seemingly waiting to deliver a fatal blow to those outside!
Clang—!
The next second, Lü Yang's thoughts froze, his gaze locked onto a sword aura that seemed to see through his entire being.
"Golden Core Sword Aura..."
The True Person of Yinshan took a step back, shielding Lü Yang in front of him—this was why he was always unwilling to act personally and chose to hide behind the scenes.
In an instant, the True Person of Yinshan felt fortunate; after all, if he had personally opened the Witch Ghost Secret Realm, he would be the unlucky one locked by the sword aura now.
In the face of Golden Core Sword Aura, there was no difference between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining; it was all a matter of one sword.
However, unexpectedly, the sword aura didn't strike.
Lü Yang only felt that the newly cultivated perfect True Qi, the third-grade "True Dragon Qi," trembled slightly, seemingly resonating with the sword aura in the secret realm.
The two sides were thus in a stalemate.
"...Hmm?"
Seeing this scene, even the True Person of Yinshan let out a light "huh," looking at Lü Yang with some surprise, obviously not expecting such a variable.
No one knew how much time passed.
Lü Yang seemed to have passed some kind of test by the sword aura; the opponent no longer struck but directly dissipated on the spot, transforming into rolling spiritual energy returning to the heavens and earth.
"Ugh!"
Only then did Lü Yang suddenly come to his senses, his stagnant thoughts resuming, his whole body instantly drenched in sweat, as if he had just been fished out of water.
"The Nine Transformations Dragon Art, the inheritance of True Person Panlong? You're lucky; True Person Panlong is not a demonic cultivator."
"This Golden Core Sword Aura targets demonic cultivators; if you had cultivated our sect's technique, you would have died without a doubt. Fortunately, you practiced the Nine Transformations Dragon Art."
The True Person of Yinshan looked at Lü Yang with some surprise but didn't care too much; after all, the quality of the bait didn't matter, and Lü Yang's life or death was insignificant to him.
Whether the fish was caught was the key; since the Witch Ghost Secret Realm had emerged, his purpose was achieved.
It was time to reel in the line.
The True Person of Yinshan raised his hand and grabbed; the just-emerged Witch Ghost Secret Realm, with black flames soaring into the clouds, immediately disappeared, turning into a stream of light falling into his palm.
"Good, good, a perfect Heavenly Corpse Fiend!"
The True Person of Yinshan looked satisfied; the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment realm had its mysteries, requiring the Qi of Earth Fiends, and the Heavenly Corpse Fiend was the top among Earth Fiends.
With this item, his breakthrough to mid-Foundation Establishment was certain!
At this moment, Lü Yang suddenly stepped forward, knelt on one knee without a word, and said loudly: "Congratulations, Senior Brother, on obtaining this opportunity; the Great Dao is now within reach!"
Not far away, Luo Wuya, the second senior brother of the Three Rivers Society, immediately changed his expression.
Damn it, he got ahead!
No wonder this kid could stand out among ordinary disciples; truly worthy of being a disciple of our sect, a shameless flatterer... Luo Wuya cursed Lü Yang inwardly while quickly stepping forward: "Congratulations, Senior Brother, may your immortal life last a thousand years!"
"Hahaha, a thousand years is the lifespan of a Golden Core; I can't afford that, can't afford that..."
Although he said so, the True Person of Yinshan was obviously enjoying it, wishing Lü Yang and Luo Wuya would say more.
In the end, even Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng forced themselves to offer a few congratulations.
However, upon hearing this, the True Person of Yinshan looked playfully at Ouyang Feng: "The Divine Martial Sect openly challenges our sect, and you still dare to speak in front of me?"
Ouyang Feng's scalp instantly tingled, trembling as he said: "You can't kill me! I... our Divine Martial Sect also has a True Person..."
"From now on, there won't be."
The True Person of Yinshan casually said something that made Ouyang Feng's liver and gallbladder split: "Since I can appear here, the Divine Martial Sect's fate is already over."
"This... this is impossible! Our Divine Martial Sect..."
Before Ouyang Feng could finish his sentence, his entire body's blood and energy suddenly went berserk; in his shock and anger, he couldn't suppress his mind, only able to widen his eyes—
Boom!!!
With a loud bang, Ouyang Feng, a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining, exploded, turning into a sky full of light rain, quietly merging into the heavens and earth!
Only after the light rain ceased did the True Person of Yinshan look away, seeing Yun Zhiqiu from the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion drenched in sweat; however, in the end, he didn't act, merely waving his sleeve and disappearing with Luo Wuya and Lü Yang, leaving behind a silent Skeleton Mountain.