Chapter 145: Chapter 145: I’ll Bomb Both of Them All the Same

“The Master of Heaven Mending Peak…”

The [Prophetic Orrery] between his brows bloomed with a Splendid Light, reflecting karmic links and Lü Yang’s face, which was lit with an indescribable look of pleasant surprise.

’…An unexpected bonus?’

His plan had been to transform Zhao Xuhe into a Merit Nuclear Bomb. He was just waiting for Arhat Fulong to show up so he could detonate it and deliver a devastating blow.

Like the Golden Core Sword Qi, this move could only be used once. He’d been regretting that he had to use it on Arhat Fulong, with no way to include the Master of Heaven Mending Peak. But as it turned out, Arhat Fulong had gone and found the Master of Heaven Mending Peak himself and even invited him to come along. Wasn’t that a godsend!

’This is perfect!’

At this thought, the corners of Lü Yang’s mouth lifted into a smile. So what if they joined forces? ’It doesn’t matter. I’ll just blow them both up!’

’Senior Brother Zhao, it’s all up to you…’

The next second, Lü Yang’s lips moved slightly as he spoke, his voice empowered by his Innate Ability. “Zhao Xuhe of the Stain Sect may now establish his Great Dao Foundation!”

[Justification]!

With that single proclamation, the Position of Foundation Establishment was bestowed upon the Qi Refiner. In an instant, an invisible top-down power violently elevated Zhao Xuhe’s Position by a full level.

A breakthrough to Foundation Establishment would immediately increase his chances of success by ten percent!

……..

「Several days later.」

Inside the Skull Mountains Marketplace, Zhao Xuhe sat in a Quiet Chamber, his face filled with pleasant surprise.

“I never thought the Wu Ghost Sect incident would lead to such an opportunity. For the Lay Line of the Skull Mountains to willingly accept me as its master… this is truly a great stroke of luck.”

With the empowerment of the Lay Line, plus the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis technique, the Ascension Order gifted by Perfected Yin Shan, and a Legendary Technique, his chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment were now forty percent. Normally, a mere forty percent would be far too low, but at this point, Zhao Xuhe felt he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

“I have to risk it!”

At this thought, Zhao Xuhe felt a slight pain between his brows as he perceived the so-called “past-life memories of Perfected Panlong.” A dark look suddenly flashed in his eyes.

The past-life memories he once believed in without a doubt now seemed more and more fake.

Many details didn’t add up. They were all about cultivation, with very few mundane matters, and they were fragmented and disjointed, unable to stand up to any scrutiny.

“Perfected Panlong…”

Zhao Xuhe took a deep breath. His intuition told him that this Foundation-Stage Cultivator was definitely plotting against him. A strong sense of crisis made him increasingly tense.

He had to break through immediately!

’The Perfected Persons from the Stain Sect are watching over this place. If I break through now, that Perfected Panlong might not dare to make a move against me even if he shows up…’

The more Zhao Xuhe thought about it, the more he felt that breaking through now was the best choice.

Invisibly, this thought was amplified again and again until he quickly made up his mind.

“This is it!”

With that resolution, Zhao Xuhe hesitated no longer. The Qi trace throughout his body immediately began to erupt, and empowered by the Lay Line, he slowly began to ascend toward the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Almost at the same time—

“He’s here!”

In the Northern Border, inside the Divine Martial Sect, Arhat Fulong’s eyes snapped open. He sensed a karmic link from the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis suddenly rising in the direction of the Skull Mountains.

“So that’s Zhao Xuhe?” Arhat Fulong performed a quick divination with his fingers, a cold smirk appearing on his lips. “Trying to use this person to lure me out and have the people from the Stain Sect ambush me… A good idea, but you’re still too young. You don’t understand the gap between the Mid-phase and the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.”

For a Foundation-Stage Cultivator, every step is a chasm!

Mid-phase and Early Stage of Foundation Establishment might seem like a small difference, but in a real fight, he was confident he could win even against four or five of them!

Not to mention, just to be safe, he had even invited the Master of Heaven Mending Peak to assist him.

At this thought, Arhat Fulong hesitated no more. A gleam of Divine Power Radiance appeared at his fingertip as he activated his Innate Ability to summon the Master of Heaven Mending Peak.

Soon, a figure materialized within the Divine Power Radiance.

Arhat Fulong looked closely, only to see that the newcomer was a blurry figure completely shrouded in mist, their appearance and Qi trace both indiscernible.

“…I must trouble you this time, Daoist.”

Arhat Fulong was not surprised. Even within the Stain Sect, one needed to hide their face when colluding with outsiders to deal with a fellow Perfected Person from their own sect.

’Although, knowing this old fox’s personality, he probably won’t even make a move until he sees I have the upper hand…’

But the fact that he came was enough.

As long as he intercepted the other Perfected Persons from the Stain Sect and let him face Lü Yang one-on-one, he could go all out and annihilate Lü Yang within ten moves!

Immediately after, two rays of Splendid Light descended from the sky. One of them revealed a figure: it was Perfected Huan Wu, who had previously obtained the [She Li Golden Body] and had recovered from most of his injuries. He was carrying the Divine Martial Sect’s Treasure, the [Divine Martial Binding Flood Dragon Halberd], his face filled with resolute killing intent.

Landing behind him was another Perfected Person from the Divine Martial Sect, Xuanwu.

Seeing this, Fulong immediately smiled. “Benefactor, have you made your decision?”

“…I have.”

Perfected Huan Wu nodded. “This time, Xuanwu and I will act together to support you, Saint Monk. We only hope that you can slay that Yuan Tu and protect the Divine Martial Sect.”

Of course, Arhat Fulong had no intention of protecting the Divine Martial Sect, nor did he have the ability to do so.

However, that didn’t stop him from lying through his teeth. In any case, once Lü Yang was dead, the Divine Martial Sect would be useless to him. He could just wash his hands of the matter and leave.

Thus, upon hearing this, he immediately put on a serious expression and said solemnly, “Promoting the True Skill is a responsibility I cannot shirk.”

—Everything was ready.

With the two Perfected Persons from the Divine Martial Sect and the Master of Heaven Mending Peak assisting him, even if Lü Yang had really set a trap, it would be useless in the face of absolute power.

How could he possibly lose?

The next second, Arhat Fulong activated his Abilities again, and he and the others vanished from the spot.

……..

「Meanwhile, Zhao Xuhe had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm.」

Unlike Lü Yang in the past, even with the Ascension Order to unlock the Ninefold Heaven and Earth Pass, this step was still incredibly difficult for him, and he was already drenched in sweat.

However, everything could still be considered to be going smoothly.

But just as he was preparing to construct his Dao Foundation, the Foundation Establishment Realm suddenly erupted in a Splendid Light. Then, he saw a familiar figure walking toward him.

“Amitabha, Benefactor…”

Before the newly arrived Arhat Fulong could finish speaking, Zhao Xuhe instantly realized what was happening. He pointed at him and gritted his teeth. “Perfected Panlong! It really is you!”

“…Oh?”

Arhat Fulong raised an eyebrow. “It seems you are not completely ignorant, Benefactor. It is fitting that you enter my [Fulong Temple], cultivate the Silence Dao, and enjoy supreme bliss from now on.”

BOOM!

Before his voice had even faded, Arhat Fulong sensed four Qi traces belonging to Foundation-Stage Cultivators rising from within the Skull Mountains, and a smile of someone who had expected this appeared on his face.

Immediately after, four rays of Splendid Light flew into the Foundation Establishment Realm.

“Who’s there… It’s you!?”

Master Yu Chong was the first to speak. His eyes fell on Arhat Fulong, and after a moment of shock, a bone-deep killing intent filled his gaze.

He recognized Arhat Fulong!

As a descendant of the Zouyu Race, Master Yu Chong had long since hated this newly promoted Arhat from the Pure Land, who was used to seize the [Fruit of Rampart Earth], down to his very bones.

“Benefactor Yuan Tu, it’s been a while.”

Meanwhile, Arhat Fulong ignored him, his gaze instead fixed on Lü Yang, who for some reason was hiding behind the other Perfected Persons without saying a word.

The next second, Perfected Huan Wu and Master Xuanwu of the Divine Martial Sect both appeared. Along with the concealed Master of Heaven Mending Peak, they intercepted Master Yu Chong and the other two Saint Sect Zhenren, creating a dedicated battlefield for Lü Yang and Arhat Fulong—and trapping them both inside it.

Seeing this, Master Yu Chong’s expression changed drastically.

“Bastard! You dare, you bald donkey!?”

No one present was a fool. Even if they hadn’t reacted at first, they all understood now. This was clearly a premeditated killing field!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep