The Invisible Giant Hand of the [Celestial Court]
If this were back in that wretched place, the Immortal Nexus, Lu Yang would absolutely never dare to have such thoughts. After all, his own journey to attain the golden core and ascend to his position had been extremely arduous.
However, in the [Celestial Court], it was a different matter entirely.
Because dao fruits in the [Celestial Court] can be bought!
Although the price is astronomical, I happen to have a project in hand that can accumulate funds rapidly. Given time, it might not be impossible to afford one.
Besides, I don't need him to hold it for a long time. Even if he can hold it for a single breath, as long as he can use it to become an orthodox perfected lord of the [Celestial Court], my [Disciple Becomes the Master's Standard] talent will activate, synchronizing all the perfected lord-level dao comprehension corresponding to that dao fruit, turning it into my own foundation.
With this thought, Lu Yang's heart burned with anticipation.
Meanwhile, with the second additional issuance, the explosive popularity of the Carefree Talisman swept through the first to fifth layers of the [Celestial Court]. Countless stories of overnight riches were born from it.
A large number of cultivators began to enter the market.
Soon, the Carefree Talismans on the market were once again snapped up in a frenzy. The price climbed like a soaring giant dragon, further igniting the enthusiasm of the cultivators.
After all, no one would turn down money.
However, as the scale grew larger, this storm became more and more exaggerated, finally reaching the heavens and alarming the immortal lords on the upper layers of the [Celestial Court].
Eighth Layer of the [Celestial Court].
Apart from the ninth layer, which served as the dao domain of Immortal Venerable Taiyin, the eighth layer was the decision-making level of the [Celestial Court], a place used by the major immortal lords for discussions.
At this moment, inside a grand hall on the eighth layer.
As streaks of divine sense broke through the void and lit up the dao platforms, the originally empty hall instantly manifested one towering figure after another.
Except for the Taiyin seat which remained empty.
Immortal lords governing the other five dao lineages of the [Celestial Court]—Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Shaoyin, and Jueyin—were all present. Their number had clearly exceeded ten.
"There has been a lot of activity in the lower realms recently."
"Have you heard? Those Unorthodox cultivators in the lower realms seem to have come up with something new recently called the Carefree Talisman. The price has been speculated quite high."
"Still talking about the lower realms? Shaoyin is dead! Daoyan is also dead!"
"Qingyang, you seem very sad. Were you close to them?"
"Close my ass! I heard they were going to the Immortal Nexus to execute a mission as the vanguard, so I heavily invested in their immortal talismans. Now I've lost everything!"
An immortal lord said angrily. His name was Qingyang, and he was also a Taiyang position immortal lord. However, unlike Immortal Lord Daoyan, he was in the intermediate position of Taiyang Residing in the Spring.
In the [Celestial Court], a dao lineage was divided into Governing Heaven and Residing in the Spring.
Governing Heaven was above, Residing in the Spring was below. This was a watershed. Then, within the same position, there was a distinction between primary position and intermediate position, which was another watershed.
And the intermediate position of Residing in the Spring was the trashiest position in a dao lineage. Placed in the Immortal Nexus, it would be a fourth-grade perfected lord, only slightly stronger than an Unorthodox perfected lord.
So for Immortal Lord Qingyang, his biggest dream was for the price of the Qingyang Immortal Talisman he issued to skyrocket, allowing him to afford a dao fruit of the primary position of Residing in the Spring. For this, he had invested a lot of money in immortal talismans under various immortal lords' names, especially Immortal Lord Shaoyin and Immortal Lord Daoyan.
But now, not only was it all gone, but it even affected his own Qingyang Immortal Talisman.
Although he could still make new immortal talismans, the drop in value meant he had to make up for it with quantity, significantly increasing the energy and cost required.
After all, unlike Unorthodox immortal talismans, the immortal talismans of Orthodox immortal lords contained a trace of dao fruit concept. In large amounts, they were helpful to a perfected lord's cultivation; otherwise, they wouldn't have such a high price, and these perfected lords wouldn't need to hoard immortal talismans issued by others.
Thinking of this, Immortal Lord Qingyang sighed again.
Seeing him like this, another immortal lord laughed. "Qingyang, if you've lost too badly recently, I think you should pay more attention to the lower realms."
"What do you mean?"
Immortal Lord Qingyang was stunned. Then he saw the speaking immortal lord wave his hand, and a streak of divine sense explained the recent sudden emergence of the Carefree Talisman in detail.
"I have to admit, a talent has appeared in the Unorthodox Alliance."
"I checked. The other party is a newcomer, quite capable. He's a first-generation Unorthodox perfected lord who attained the dao himself, more powerful than those we raised domestically."
"This Carefree Talisman..."
Immortal Lord Qingyang pondered carefully for a moment, then smiled. "Interesting. Speculating on the price? Can it really be speculated to the same price as an Orthodox immortal talisman?"
"In my opinion, it's very possible."
"At least [Daoyan]'s immortal talisman has already been surpassed by it. Shaoyin is just a matter of time. And this result will inevitably further boost market confidence."
"However, the essence of this Carefree Talisman is still Unorthodox. Its value cannot compare to our Orthodox immortal talismans which contain dao fruit concepts. It's rising so rapidly now only because enough people are entering the market. It can't last forever. Once it reaches a critical point, I believe it will crash immediately."
"So what?"
"Whether the price of this thing crashes or not is actually up to us. As long as we coordinate well, we can completely take this opportunity to make a huge profit."
Immortal Lord Qingyang's eyes grew brighter and brighter:
"After all, an immortal talisman is endorsed by the immortal lord behind it. The stronger the immortal lord's strength and the deeper their cultivation, the higher the value of the immortal talisman naturally is."
"So, wanting to suppress the price of this Carefree Talisman and make it crash is actually very simple. As long as any one of us steps out and publicly defeats that Unorthodox perfected lord who issued the Carefree Talisman, humiliating him severely, the price of the Carefree Talisman will inevitably crash that very night."
"And this timing is up to us."
"Before that, we can completely go with the flow and actively promote the growth of the Carefree Talisman... The higher its price, the more we earn!"
"Wait until we collect the money and leave the market, then strike down its price."
"However, this is an Unorthodox immortal talisman after all. Although it will fall below the issue price, it will definitely rebound afterward. We can just buy another batch when it's at rock bottom."
"When it rebounds, whether we resell it or hold it for a long term... it will be enough to easily manipulate this newly arrived Unorthodox perfected lord."
Amidst the words, an opportunity took shape.
For the immortal lords of the [Celestial Court], these were customary methods. Every once in a while, they would use similar methods to harvest the lower layers.
Every time the immortal lords of the upper layers were short on cash, they would use this invisible giant hand. The effect was tried and true.
"Not bad, not bad."
The immortal lords present nodded one after another, approving of this plan.
Finally, the leader of this meeting, an old man who looked kind and benevolent with white hair and a youthful face, spoke up. He smiled at Immortal Lord Qingyang:
"Qingyang, I'm at ease when you handle things."
"Then let's do it this way. However, with Shaoyin and Daoyan fallen, we still need to focus our energy on military matters recently. You handle this matter."
"This subordinate accepts the order!"
Immortal Lord Qingyang hurriedly cupped his hands in agreement.
After all, the old man was named [Duxuan]. Despite his appearance, he was actually the head of the subordinates under Immortal Venerable Taiyin, the veritable second-in-command of the [Celestial Court].
An immortal lord of the Taiyang Governing Heaven intermediate position.
If not for the fact that the Taiyang Governing Heaven primary position belonged to a supreme dao fruit and couldn't be bought even with great dao immortal talismans, this Immortal Lord Duxuan might also be an Immortal Venerable.
Soon, the meeting ended, and streaks of divine sense withdrew.
…
Sixth Layer of the [Celestial Court]. Immortal Lord Qingyang opened his eyes inside his seclusion cave abode, his gaze burning: "Being of the same Taiyang lineage, it seems there is still some sentiment."
"Immortal Lord Duxuan knows that I've hurt my vitality and lost too much this time, so he deliberately gave me a chance to make a huge profit through that Carefree Talisman in the lower layers. Moreover, with Daoyan dead... the Taiyang Residing in the Spring primary position is vacant. Immortal Lord Duxuan might even have thoughts of letting me replace him."
Thinking of this, Immortal Lord Qingyang instantly became excited.
Looking at the price of the Carefree Talisman again, he only hated himself for not paying attention to the lower layers earlier and buying late. Otherwise, buying earlier, wouldn't he have earned even more?
"Time waits for no one, I must invest heavily!"
Chapter 612: Conditions for Void Attainment
In the second year after Lu Yang entered the [Celestial Court], the fervor stirred up by the Carefree Talisman had not ceased.
Two years ago today, the exchange rate between the Carefree Talisman and the Unorthodox immortal talisman was 1:5. However, two years later, the ratio had reached an astonishing 1:482.
Nearly five hundred times!
This exchange rate was enough to drive cultivators who hadn't bought Carefree Talismans or had left the market early crazy, leading more and more people to choose to enter the market.
Then, a piece of news intensified the fervor once again.
The sixth layer of the [Celestial Court]—a place even the Unorthodox Alliance couldn't enter, inhabited only by orthodox immortal lords, their families, and servants, the people above people—also entered the market.
A large number of orthodox immortal talismans entered the market to purchase Carefree Talismans. This recognition from the upper layers made everyone even more certain of the Carefree Talisman's value. It was no longer seen as an immortal talisman of an Unorthodox immortal lord, but as a potential stock comparable to Orthodox immortal talismans, with even greater room for appreciation.
All this was naturally the operation of Immortal Lord Qingyang.
For this purpose, he contacted a full four friendly immortal lords to act together, buying Carefree Talismans and hyping up public opinion, causing the bubble to inflate further.
500, 600, 700...
The increasingly higher exchange rate and price further ignited the enthusiasm of cultivators. Countless people firmly believed that the Carefree Talisman would rise forever.
Of course, there were also clear-headed people.
…
"The upper layers are intervening... This is time for harvest."
Unorthodox Alliance.
Banshan once again convened a high-level meeting. Seven Unorthodox perfected lords gathered together, discussing animatedly. "Prepare yourselves, we're selling immediately."
"Alliance Leader, are we really selling?"
An Unorthodox perfected lord gritted his teeth. "It's been rising for two years. Even if there's a possibility of falling, it shouldn't fall within the next month at least, right?"
"Why not wait a bit longer?"
"We can't wait."
Banshan shook his head. "We are not people of the upper layers. We don't know the plans of those Orthodox immortal lords. Without insider information, on what basis can you speculate on currency against others?"
"Sell now!"
"At least we've earned a lot in the past two years. If we selling everything now, buying back when it crashes in the future, and waiting for it to rebound will allow us to make another small profit."
To be the leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, Banshan was definitely not a useless person. Since he was very young, the patriarch of his lineage had earnestly educated him—as an Unorthodox perfected lord, in this wretched place called the [Celestial Court], don't think about cultivation or fighting techniques. Focus your mind on making money.
"After all, you are an Unorthodox perfected lord."
"As long as you have this stature, mere Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators are easy picking. But against an orthodox perfected lord, even if you risk your life, you definitely can't beat them."
"Then what are you working hard for?"
"As for Unorthodox perfected lords like you—if you are richer than them, instead of fighting, isn't it better to spend money to hire an orthodox immortal lord to kill them?"
This was the survival method of Unorthodox perfected lords in the [Celestial Court]!
Therefore, for a long time, Banshan might have been trash at fighting, insufficient in dao comprehension, and had a weak foundation, but facing profits and risks, his mind remained clear.
"Listen to me, sell all Carefree Talismans!"
Banshan's tough decision made several Unorthodox perfected lords frown. "Why not discuss it with Fellow Daoist Ming He first and hear his thoughts?"
"Ming He? What thoughts can he have?"
Banshan sneered. "Of course he will continue to promote the Carefree Talisman and refuse to let us sell. After all, the more valuable the Carefree Talisman is, the more assets he has."
"Don't forget, he is never a member of the Unorthodox Alliance. He is not of one heart with us."
"But it's still rising..."
"No buts!" As his voice fell, Banshan made the final decision directly. "Do as I say. Sell all Carefree Talismans held by the alliance immediately."
"Banshan, you will regret this."
"Everyone, I am the Alliance Leader!"
Bang!
…
Lu Yang was naturally unaware of the dispute occurring within the Unorthodox Alliance. He didn't even spend much thought on the skyrocketing Carefree Talisman.
At this moment, he was doing something big.
Righteous Dao Mountain Gate, within the Transforming Righteous Dao Banner.
Lu Yang and Patriarch Nether Whisper sat facing each other. Patriarch Nether Whisper moved while speaking softly, "Yes, right here... lighter, don't use too much force."
"That's right, you can go deeper here."
"Heavier here is better."
"Right here, there! There!"
Under Patriarch Nether Whisper's hands-on guidance, numerous concepts interwove and piled up before Lu Yang's eyes, finally outlining a vague shape.
However, in the next second, a soft cracking sound was heard.
The concept collapsed, and iridescent colors poured out like a flood from a broken dam, causing the soon-to-be-formed profound wonder to dissipate. Seeing this scene, Lu Yang couldn't help but frown:
"Still a bit short."
For the past two years, Lu Yang hadn't been idle.
He had been experimenting with his previous thoughts on "void attainment" with the assistance of Patriarch Nether Whisper. Relying on his earth-shattering wisdom, he had gained a lot.
"So-called void attainment is actually like weaving a net—weaving and combining different concepts together, finally forming a brand-new existence. However, concepts easily conflict with each other. Finding complementary concepts is extremely difficult, and formal weaving requires heaven-reaching dao comprehension."
Even this wasn't all.
Relying on my earth-shattering wisdom, spending two years, I've almost solved these difficulties. But the problem is—everything seems like a castle in the air.
The piled-up concepts always collapsed.
No matter how many optimizations were made or how many times the weaving plan was modified, the result was always collapse. However, as for the reason, Lu Yang had some clues:
Eighty percent is because the number of true treasures is insufficient... Just like a house needs several pillars to support it, a void attainment dao fruit also needs pillars. Perhaps these are the true treasures corresponding to the concepts. I only have one true treasure in hand now, so I cannot support the void attainment dao fruit.
And after long experimentation, gradually, Lu Yang had an intuition:
To attain a dao fruit through void attainment, three true treasures are probably not enough... Or rather, combining three true treasures can at most form a [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method].
In Lu Yang's view, the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] was a lower tier of void attainment.
To go a step further and reach the level of void attainment, the number of true treasures must be increased... and Lu Yang guessed this number should be five.
I need five true treasures!
Five elements form heaven and earth; divine abilities also need five paths to be considered complete. Void attainment should be the same; five true treasures can support the framework of a dao fruit!
This was definitely not a coincidence.
In Lu Yang's view, this seemed more like some deeper level of concept. The number five had corresponding manifestations in the Immortal Nexus and even the entire outer heaven light sea.
Unfortunately, devouring Unorthodox dao fruits doesn't increase one's own dao comprehension or allow refining of true treasures. I must devour Unorthodox dao that are compatible with my own dao fruit, like the Myriad Martial World Realm and Mystic Spirit World Realm. Otherwise, I wouldn't have to do anything; I could just swallow those few perfected lords of the Unorthodox Alliance and run, and I'd have everything...
Of course, nothing was absolute.
Void attainment needing five true treasures was just his guess. Although it was very reasonable, there are no small matters in cultivation. Sometimes a miss is as good as a mile.
"It's best to verify it."
With this thought, Lu Yang's eyes flashed slightly. "I've been out for two years; it's time to go back and take a look... It's also a good time to find a senior with qualifications to ask about this."
Although in the [Celestial Court], Lu Yang had always been concerned about the Immortal Nexus.
And with the existence of the [Marionette], even separated by boundless void, Lu Yang could cross the outer heaven light sea and easily observe the scenes within the Immortal Nexus.
Therefore, he was well aware that after he left, the Old Dragon Lord had taken action to preserve the foundation of the [Righteous Dao] in Jiangxi.
Meanwhile, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue had built a straw hut in Jiangnan, stubbornly camping [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao].
The changing situation forced the three Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land to choose to flee overseas.
Two years passed, and a new balance had been born.
The turmoil Lu Yang stirred up in the past had also gradually subsided.
"Although it would be better to ask Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue about this kind of thing, those from the Saint Sect... are unreliable. On the contrary, the Old Dragon Lord, having no backing, is more valuable to talk to!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 613: Dialogue with the Dragon Lord, The Saint Sect's Reputation!
Immortal Nexus, Jiangxi.
Although only two years had passed, Jiangxi had already undergone subtle changes compared to the time under the Pure Land's rule. The number of cultivators began to increase gradually.
And in the center of Jiangxi.
The former Dragon Palace had been moved here. The Old Dragon Lord coiled within it but restrained the dragon clan under his command— not replacing the [Righteous Dao].
The result was that the entire Jiangxi was currently still managed by the old subordinates Lu Yang left behind—the cultivators of the former Incense Divine Dao and the Imperial City Division. The Old Dragon Lord and even the entire dragon clan had been elevated to positions of honor. Both sides had reached a delicate balance, neither interfering with the other in normal circumstances.
At this moment, inside the main hall of the [Righteous Dao].
Xiao Shan, dressed in luxurious clothes and looking solemn, sat upright. After Lu Yang left, as the second person in the Incense Divine Dao, he naturally shouldered the heavy responsibility.
The Imperial City Division, originally in turmoil due to Lu Yang's disappearance, also returned to calm under his iron-fisted governance.
After that, there were also a few Incense Deity with no discernment who came to "urge him to ascend,"—wanting to put a yellow robe on him (make him emperor)—but he had them all beaten to death with sticks.
All because Xiao Shan firmly believed:
"My Lord is absolutely not dead!"
"As early as the year my Lord seek golden core, I voluntarily allowed myself to be refined by him. If my Lord truly died, I would undoubtedly die too and follow him."
"Since I'm not dead, my Lord must be fine."
"So before my Lord returns, I must look after Jiangxi for him. Otherwise, I would be disregarding my Lord's cultivation of me and his trust over the years..."
Xiao Shan kept his eyes closed tight, silently refining incense fire.
Behind him, Lu Yang listened to the many distracting thoughts in Xiao Shan's heart while sighing with emotion: "Loyalty worthy of praise. I didn't misjudge you back then."
[Marionette], activate!
In the next second, Lu Yang's figure overlapped with Xiao Shan. Immediately, "Xiao Shan" opened his eyes and exhaled a deep breath of turbid air.
Apologies, let me borrow your physical body for a moment...
He hadn't used [Marionette] for a long time. However, now that his main body was far away in the outer heavens, he could only return through this method.
Then Lu Yang stood up, formed hand seals, and flew straight toward the Dragon Palace on a streak of light. At the same time, he mustered his spiritual power, and a heavenly voice burst from his mouth, crashing into the Dragon Palace: "Senior Dragon Lord, Junior Lu Yang has a request. Please show yourself for a meeting."
Instantly, deep within the Dragon Palace, a divine sense quickly awakened.
Lu Yang. He came back?
The Old Dragon Lord looked out. After seeing "Xiao Shan," he first frowned, then pinched his fingers to calculate for a moment, revealing intense curiosity.
I can't calculate it.
No matter how I look, this demon is that Xiao Shan. But how could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dare to lie to me? Could it be some powerful puppet secret technique?
Thinking of this, the Old Dragon Lord immediately released his divine sense.
In the next second, Lu Yang felt the world spin. When he looked again, he had already fallen deep into the Dragon Palace, and a robust middle-aged man walked toward him.
Needless to say, just the difference in stature radiating from the middle-aged man confirmed his identity to Lu Yang.
"Junior Lu Yang greets the Old Dragon Lord."
"...Perfected Lord Yuji Siming?"
The Old Dragon Lord frowned tightly. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist fled to the outer heavens back then, and there was no news. I wonder what exactly happened?"
"It's a long story..."
Lu Yang didn't shy away and frankly explained the karma of going to the outer heavens to seek a breakthrough, being ambushed by the Pure Land, and attacked by Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao.
Only then did the Old Dragon Lord believe most of it.
A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn't possibly know the secrets between perfected lords, let alone speak so clearly... It seems it really is that Perfected Lord Yuji Siming.
Thinking of this, a smile finally appeared on the Old Dragon Lord's face, and he proactively returned the greeting. "Fellow Daoist indeed has extraordinary means, able to return to the mortal world while far away in the outer heavens. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, this old man has looked after the land of Jiangxi well for you. Those bald donkeys from the Pure Land attacked several times but were driven back by this old man."
"Many thanks for Senior's protection."
Lu Yang smiled slightly and proactively showed his goodwill—acknowledging the Old Dragon Lord's favor. Hearing this, the smile on the Old Dragon Lord's face became even more sincere.
"May I ask Fellow Daoist, what is the matter for coming specifically to find this old man this time?"
"I came to ask about the Dao."
Lu Yang didn't drag things out and went straight to the topic. "Junior's cultivation has increased recently, but I am troubled by the void attainment of the dao fruit, so I came to ask Senior."
"...Void attainment?"
Hearing these words, the Old Dragon Lord instantly narrowed his eyes, slightly startled in his heart: This doesn't look like aiming too high, but rather truly having gained something.
Is this person's talent so high? It's been less than ten years since he attained golden core and ascended to his position. It is said he has already refined his first true treasure, and now he has actually comprehended void attainment? Is the supreme dao fruit really that powerful? Why didn't I feel this back then... Or is this person truly a peerless genius one in ten thousand?
After a moment of silence, the Old Dragon Lord said in a low voice:
"If the void attainment Fellow Daoist speaks of is a step further than the [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method]... then this old man does know a little and can try to resolve Fellow Daoist's doubts."
"Many thanks, Senior!"
Lu Yang cupped his hands upon hearing this, then impatiently asked, "May I ask Senior... does so-called void attainment require the support of five true treasures to succeed?"
Hiss!
As soon as these words came out, the Old Dragon Lord instantly sucked in a breath of cold air in his heart: It's not fake; he really comprehended it, and it's not just scratching the surface!
"...It is indeed five."
The Old Dragon Lord said in a deep voice, "Generally speaking, constructing a [Dao-Seeking Immortal Method] with three true treasures to maintain the grotto-heaven from falling is already the limit of cultivation. To condense a fourth, or even a fifth true treasure, the difficulty is extremely high, like a heavenly chasm. Rumor has it that only a supreme dao fruit can achieve it smoothly."
I guessed it right!
Lu Yang was slightly delighted in his heart and hurriedly continued to ask, "What is the significance of attaining a dao fruit through void attainment? What help does it provide for breaking through the Nascent Soul? Please teach me, Senior."
Old Dragon Lord: "..."
You really dare to ask!
The Old Dragon Lord bared his teeth, then waved his large hand, sealing the surrounding karma, before whispering, "This old man also only heard it through rumors..."
"Fellow Daoist, after hearing it, do not spread it carelessly."
Lu Yang's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
Is he going to drop some real knowledge?
"Junior understands!" Without any hesitation, Lu Yang took a few steps to the front of the Old Dragon Lord and similarly cast a technique to isolate karma. "Please guide me, Senior."
"...As far as I know, attaining a dao fruit through void attainment should originally be cultivation available only after the Late Stage of the Golden Core, after becoming a Great Perfected Lord. Use the dao fruit attained through void attainment to swallow the original dao fruit. From then on, mighty power belongs to oneself, no longer bound or limited by any external force. Flawless and complete—that is the Golden Core perfection!"
In an instant, Lu Yang was suddenly enlightened.
Golden Core perfection... So this is the Golden Core perfection! No wonder... Hmm?
Suddenly, Lu Yang frowned slightly:
Great Perfected Lords at the Late Stage of the Golden Core all achieve their status with multiple dao fruits. Does one need to swallow all the dao fruits?
The Old Dragon Lord glanced at Lu Yang upon hearing this.
As expected of someone from the Saint Sect, he reacting so quickly.
"...That's right."
The Old Dragon Lord nodded slightly. "So those Great Perfected Lords who achieved their stature by gathering the power of many—despite looking majestic—actually have no hope of breaking through perfection."
Because to attain a perfection, one must swallow the other dao fruits. But one's own Great Perfected Lord stature is supported by other perfected lords. Once the other party chooses to rebel, the stature falls.
Let alone attaining a perfection, even the Late Stage cannot be maintained. Instead, it's like trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice.
How insidious!
Lu Yang's eyes twitched slightly as he listened, then he glanced at the Old Dragon Lord again... This person has stayed in the Middle Stage of the Golden Core for countless years; he might actually be ambitious!
Because he wants to breakthrough to the Golden Core perfection, he has stayed in the Middle Stage of the Golden Core, seeking a method to monopolize other dao fruits to achieve the stature of a Great Perfected Lord?
No wonder [Sky-Shrouding] is full of confidence, aiming for the Dao Lord... because he really has a chance!
On the contrary, this so-called method of achieving Great Perfected Lord status by gathering the power of many seems to allow one to go a step further, but in reality, it completely cuts off their immortal path upward.
How vicious!
"Where did this method originally come from?"
Before his voice fell, Lu Yang realized he had asked a stupid question.
Hearing this, the Old Dragon Lord looked at him with a strange expression, then gave the answer he expected: "Where else could it have come from?"
"Of course, it's the Saint Sect."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 614: Is the Carefree Talisman Going to Crash?
Retracting his consciousness from the Immortal Nexus, Lu Yang frowned tightly.
Only after a long time did he couldn't help but curse in a low voice within his heart:
What a bastard!
He didn't dare to say it out loud.
After all, heaven knew if the Saint Sect ancestor was watching him. If he cursed out loud and the ancestor heard it—what if he made his life difficult?
Up to this point, Lu Yang had figured it out—Back then, he was plotted against by the Pure Land, ambushed by Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao, and finally chose to flee to the [Celestial Court]. Behind this, there was very likely a mastermind, and this mastermind, unexpectedly, was his most respected Saint Sect ancestor.
This is wanting me to cause trouble in the [Celestial Court].
Lu Yang sighed in his heart: The thousand-year great tribulation is approaching. The Saint Sect ancestor threw me behind enemy lines to sabotage. In a sense, he thinks highly of me.
Besides, this was also beneficial to him.
After all, the Six Qi Dao Fruits of the Celestial Court and the Immortal Nexus were like two sides of Yin and Yang, complementing each other. Moreover, the Celestial Court followed rules, which was truly a good place for him to develop.
I do the tasks, I bear the risks.
The Celestial Court gives the benefits, the Celestial Court compensates for losses.
The ancestor is indeed the ancestor. After this set of schemes, he doesn't need to pay anything himself, and I still have to thank him when I return.
However, on second thought, this could be considered the Saint Sect style.
I gave you the opportunity. If you can't get it and die, you can only blame yourself for lacking ability. The Saint Sect doesn't raise trash; only those who compete and survive are Saint Sect people.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang began to inspect himself internally again.
In the past two years, he had absorbed a large amount of dao comprehension relying on [Disciple Becomes the Master's Standard], only lacking a critical point. He felt he could refine a second true treasure soon.
This critical point is perfected lord-level dao comprehension.
I need a disciple to achieve the status of an Orthodox immortal lord of the [Celestial Court], preferably of the Taiyang lineage, so I can synchronize their dao comprehension and go a step further.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang finally shifted his attention.
How is the market for the Carefree Talisman?
To cultivate an Orthodox immortal lord of the [Celestial Court] in a short time, the Carefree Talisman, which had skyrocketed in value, was the key. He had high hopes for this.
However, he soon frowned.
"Growth rate... declined."
Originally, after the upper-layer immortal lords entered the market, the exchange rate of the Carefree Talisman shot straight towards the 900 mark. But the closer it got to 900, the slower the growth rate became.
Although it was still rising, Lu Yang had already seen something was wrong.
"It's approaching saturation."
Lu Yang stroked his chin. Given the current popularity of the Carefree Talisman, the decline in growth was certainly not because people woke up and felt the Carefree Talisman was going to fall.
But because the idle capital were empty.
"1:854. This exchange rate has absorbed almost all the idle capital below the sixth layer of the Celestial Court. Even cultivators above the sixth layer should have invested a lot."
In other words—no one had money anymore.
The vast majority of cultivators had exchanged their Unorthodox immortal talismans for Carefree Talismans, so even if they wanted to continue raising the price, they didn't have that much money.
"It's about to reach the end."
"Under these circumstances, unless cultivators above the sixth layer are also dragged in, bringing Orthodox immortal talismans into the battle, it will be difficult for the price of the Carefree Talisman to rise further."
Thinking of this, Lu Yang's eyes brightened slightly.
"After rising to this point, there is obviously a problem. It should be the immortal lords above the sixth layer intervening, wanting to use the Carefree Talisman to harvest a wave of leeks?"
If that were truly the case, then perhaps it would come soon.
"I can see that the Carefree Talisman is approaching its limit. I believe the perfected lords above the sixth layer can also see it clearly. Unless unexpected, they are about to close the net soon."
At this moment, someone must already be selling Carefree Talismans.
However, the other party should be doing it very carefully, shipping in batches to avoid triggering a crash in advance... Once they finished shipping, it would be the beginning of the thunderclap.
The problem was, how would they make the price crash?
Let nature take its course? That would be too passive. Since they had left the market, they naturally wanted to trigger a crash immediately; otherwise, if the price continued to rise, wouldn't they earn less?
"They want to pit me big this time..."
Lu Yang sneered, stroking the Carefree Talisman in his hand: "...Perfect. Since you came, then don't leave. Leave all your money behind!"
In the next second, Lu Yang suddenly felt something and looked up:
"...Ha!"
As he expected.
…
Unorthodox Alliance, Outside Mengwei City.
At this moment, thousands of rays of brilliance fell from above the sixth layer, accompanied by a towering figure. Like the rising sun patrolling the sky, it hung with a boom above Mengwei City.
"Ah! It's an Immortal Lord!"
"Immortal Lord descends!?"
Instantly, the endless light made the cultivators in Mengwei City cover their eyes, shedding scalding tears amidst the burning pain.
At the same time, from the sixth layer of the Celestial Court downwards, concepts appeared in the sky of every layer. A large number of immortal talismans were spent to buy a full-screen broadcast below the sixth layer. Iridescent colors interwove in each layer, steaming the sea of clouds, and finally projected and announced everything happening in Mengwei City.
"I am Qingyang!"
Above the dome of the sky, Immortal Lord Qingyang's gaze was calm—his voice like thunder. Lu Yang could see the reason for the Carefree Talisman's slowed growth, and naturally, he could see it too.
So he was very clear:
The leeks have grown enough; it's time to harvest.
Now, the exchange rate of the Carefree Talisman to the Unorthodox immortal talisman was over eight hundred times. This was already the standard that an immortal talisman issued by a mid-stage immortal lord of the [Celestial Court] could reach.
Extremely overvalued.
Under these circumstances, unless there was new good news and new retail investors entering the market, a crash was destined. Even the Immortal Venerable couldn't save it.
If not harvest now, then when?
"Where is Fellow Daoist Ming He?"
With this thought, Immortal Lord Qingyang continued immediately, "Fellow Daoist trespassed into the [Celestial Court] and issued the Carefree Talisman. You need to come with me to the sixth layer to accept an investigation."
This was a casual excuse.
The key was not the investigation, but destroying cultivators' confidence in the Carefree Talisman, letting them see clearly the fact that behind it was merely an Unorthodox perfected lord.
If the other party went with him, the market would inevitably sell off on a large scale in panic, and the Carefree Talisman would crash.
If the other party didn't go with him, then he would attack directly, beating the other party into a dead dog in public. In the end, the speed of the Carefree Talisman's crash would only be faster.
For this reason, Immortal Lord Qingyang specifically purchased the full-screen live broadcast below the sixth layer, just to drive down the price of the Carefree Talisman at the fastest speed.
At the same time, smart people had already realized his sinister intentions.
Inside the Unorthodox Alliance.
"Carefree Talisman, it's finished!"
Banshan sighed deeply. "It was indeed premeditated. An upper-layer immortal lord personally taking action... Fellow Daoist Ming He probably won't even be able to afford the residency fee in the future."
Soon, similar news spread rapidly.
"Was the Carefree Talisman originally refined by an Unorthodox perfected lord? I saw the quality was so good, I thought it was an Orthodox immortal lord... Unorthodox perfected lords aren't worth anything!"
"Fake news! It's all fake news!"
"Don't be afraid, just normal fluctuations, just a technical adjustment... So what if it's an Unorthodox perfected lord? Might not necessarily be incomparable to an Orthodox immortal lord!"
"Sell! I want to sell everything!"
At this moment, everyone had the same thought:
The Carefree Talisman is going to crash!
And amidst this rapidly spreading storm of falling prices, Lu Yang walked out of the seclusion hall and looked toward Immortal Lord Qingyang in the sky.
(End of Chapter)
Author note:I've read everyone's feedback over the past few days.
Regarding this new map, the Celestial Court, I actually put a lot of thought into it. First, obviously, I wanted to ride the wave of popularity. Second, there are deeper lore settings involved, which I can use to further reveal the worldview. However, limited by my writing ability, and the fact that I intentionally slowed down the pacing, some readers might find it to be "filler" or uninteresting.
I have reflected deeply on this.
The "filler" is unavoidable; I can't advance the main plot in every single chapter, as setup is always necessary. However, I will try my best to condense the less important parts, such as the details regarding "capitalist cultivation."
Although I can't cut off the existing designs—and the Celestial Court arc is still quite long and very important—I will make up for this issue with more updates.
(End of Note)
Chapter 615: Defeating an Immortal Lord in Battle!
At this very moment, as Lu Yang walked out of his seclusion and came face-to-face with Immortal Lord Qingyang, the cultivators below the sixth layer had already begun to go crazy...
The exchange rate, which had originally soared to 854, suddenly began to plummet.
844, 830, 800, 750... More and more people started selling the Carefree Talismans in their hands, but there were also red-eyed people who chose to hold on grimly.
"The fight hasn't even started yet."
"Even if he is an Unorthodox perfected lord, he might not necessarily lose to an Orthodox immortal lord. As long as he can withstand it and draw, the price of the Carefree Talisman will rise back!"
"Hold on."
"As long as that Perfected Lord Ming He can win, everything will be fine."
"Trust me, the price drop of the Carefree Talisman now is not a crisis, but an excellent window of opportunity to buy at the bottom. As long as we seize it and buy in large quantities at this time, once Perfected Lord Ming He wins—even if he just doesn't lose—the Carefree Talisman will immediately skyrocket, and our assets will multiply several times over!"
In an instant, countless gazes converged.
In the entire [Celestial Court], cultivators from the first to the sixth layer all widened their eyes, watching Lu Yang and Immortal Lord Qingyang. The resulting concept almost covered the universe.
Meanwhile, above Mengwei City.
Feeling the converging concept of [Money], Immortal Lord Qingyang nodded with satisfaction: The final step. After the harvest is complete, I can return to the sixth layer.
This time he had made a fortune.
Not only did he recoup the previous losses from the Daoyan Immortal Talisman and the Shaoyin Immortal Talisman in one go, but he also pushed his savings to an exaggerated figure.
Wait until I suppress this Perfected Lord Ming He with an invincible and domineering posture. While the Carefree Talisman crashes, my Qingyang Immortal Talisman will definitely see a certain increase. Then I'll borrow a bit more from the Heaven and Earth Immortal Bank, and I should be able to gather enough money to buy the [Taiyang Residing in the Spring Primary Position].
Good days are coming!
Thinking of this, Immortal Lord Qingyang immediately looked at Lu Yang below and sneered. "Since Fellow Daoist has come out, then come with me to the sixth layer."
"Immortal Lord is mistaken."
Lu Yang shook his head upon hearing this. "Since I created the Carefree Talisman, I have never evaded taxes or paid less than owed. I have not violated any rules."
"Why do I need to go to the sixth layer for investigation?"
It seems he is unwilling...
Seeing Lu Yang retort, Immortal Lord Qingyang was not surprised. After all, with the current price of the Carefree Talisman, if it were him, he wouldn't be willing to sit back and watch it collapse either.
No matter how desperate, one would want to take a gamble.
Pity, it's all in vain.
After all, a mere Unorthodox immortal lord, although having some means, is ultimately just Unorthodox—a big player to be harvested. And he also wants to make money?
As his voice fell, Immortal Lord Qingyang reached out directly:
"Stubborn and foolish. Since you openly resist arrest, I will personally take action and escort you to the sixth layer!"
Boom!!
rumble!
Instantly, as Immortal Lord Qingyang's spiritual power surged, the concept belonging to the Taiyang lineage erupted with a bang, instantly covering Mengwei City below along with it.
"Hiss!"
At this moment, the cultivators filling the city, including the seven Unorthodox perfected lords like Banshan, all sucked in a breath of cold air. The spiritual power concepts all over their bodies dissipated instantly.
Taiyang Residing in the Spring, its qi dissolves Yin.
Governing killing, commanding silence.
Spiritual Extinction!
Under the shroud of Immortal Lord Qingyang's spiritual power, the spiritual qi inside and outside the entire Unorthodox Alliance dried up completely, instantly plunging into an dharma ending age where spiritual qi was extinguished.
In addition, from Unorthodox perfected lords down to Qi Refining cultivators, their stature, divine abilities, and spiritual power also fell layer by layer. Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators were directly demoted to mortals, and although Unorthodox perfected lords weren't stripped of their stature because of this, they were still strugling—their aura withered to the extreme.
In the next second, Immortal Lord Qingyang's palm fell.
This palm gathered cold air, gathering clouds and capturing rain. White cloud dust rose wherever it passed, clearly intending to severely injure Lu Yang with one palm strike.
"Bang!"
A deafening loud noise, like a heavy hammer striking the price of the Carefree Talisman, caused the already tottering Carefree Talisman to plummet again.
At the same time, inside the Unorthodox Alliance.
Seeing this, Banshan also sighed deeply, thinking to himself: As expected... Ming He is finished!
The Carefree Talisman is also finished!
On the other side, the other Unorthodox perfected lords of the Unorthodox Alliance also looked like they had survived a disaster: "Alliance Leader... indeed possesses miraculous foresight. The sixth layer really took action."
"Fortunately, we sold early."
"Understand now?"
Hearing this, Banshan looked at everyone proudly and smiled. "You people, without investment vision, don't rashly speculate on other immortal talismans."
"Obediently work overtime in the Unorthodox Alliance to produce uniform Unorthodox immortal talismans. Although the money comes slowly, at least you won't lose. Moreover, you reap what you sow. Don't always think about making quick money; otherwise, you'll only end up like those bankrupt cultivators outside—losing everything."
After speaking, Banshan shook his head again.
The masters of the sixth layer were still masters after all. When an Orthodox immortal lord took action, how could a mere Unorthodox cultivator withstand it? From now on, the Carefree Talisman would be reduced to waste paper—
"Is that all your strength?"
A calm voice drifted out indifferently from the smoke and dust generated by Immortal Lord Qingyang's strike. In the next second, a streak of magnificent light rolled up the sky-filling smoke clouds.
Soon, the smoke clouds dispersed.
Within the magnificent light, Lu Yang stood with his hands behind his back. His figure seemed illusory and dreamlike. Although he was clearly standing there, he appeared transcendent and unworldly, floating like an immortal.
Safe and sound!
In an instant, the entire sixth layer fell into a dead silence. The Carefree Talisman, which had been close to crashing, also suddenly stopped falling. Everyone widened their eyes.
...Not good!
Immortal Lord Qingyang's eyelids twitched slightly, realizing something was wrong. He immediately shouted in a magnificent voice, "Audacious! A mere Unorthodox cultivator dares to speak wildly in front of me?"
Before his voice fell, he circulated all his spiritual power. Spreading his palm, a treasure seal overflowing with flowing light and color was held in his palm.
This treasure was named [Great Transformation Frost-Subduing Seal].
Usually, as a true treasure of the Taiyang lineage, it was hidden within the dao fruit. At critical moments, he needed to spend a huge sum to rent it out temporarily for use.
But he couldn't care about that now.
I must suppress this person as quickly as possible; otherwise, the Carefree Talisman will rebound. Then how much money will I lose from my previous sell-off?
Just thinking about it made Immortal Lord Qingyang's heart ache.
And the more this was so, the heavier the chill in his eyes became, finally turning into killing intent. Even if he had to kill Lu Yang, he would not hesitate!
"Boom!"
In the next second, Immortal Lord Qingyang deployed the true treasure with all his might, mobilizing the Taiyang profound wonder, mixing concepts, and draining all his spiritual power to thunderously crashed down towards Lu Yang.
Instantly, cold air rolled between heaven and earth, and smoke and dust filled the sky, swallowing Lu Yang's figure again. Even the [Money] concept converging in the sky fluctuated violently, as if turning into wave after wave, rising and falling, tugging at the emotions of all cultivators.
"Will he win?"
"No, no need to win. Just not losing is enough... As long as he doesn't lose, the Carefree Talisman can rise back, and I can make a huge profit from 'buying the dip' immediately!"
Soon, the result was revealed.
The concept dispersed. Lu Yang still stood calmly in place, his figure always shrouded in a layer of thin mist. Even the corners of his clothes were not damaged in the slightest.
Seeing this scene, Immortal Lord Qingyang was instantly stunned.
"Impossible..."
Before his voice fell, Lu Yang's figure had already appeared in front of him. Pointing with his fingers, rolling sword qi instantly pierced through Immortal Lord Qingyang's chest.
"Nothing is impossible."
If it were a normal battle, Immortal Lord Qingyang naturally couldn't be defeated by Lu Yang like this. However, to severely injure Lu Yang with one blow just now, he had drained all his spiritual power.
At this moment, he had no time to recover and was completely powerless to resist Lu Yang's sword qi. He could only watch helplessly as it pierced his chest.
"No—!"
At this moment, Immortal Lord Qingyang didn't even have time to care about Lu Yang in front of him or the injuries on his body. Instead, he immediately took out the jade slip used for trading.
Buy! Buy heavily into the Carefree Talisman!
As expected, the price rebounded... Regardless, buy it even at a high rebound price!
If he didn't buy now, he wouldn't be able to earn this money!
And because of the defeat in this battle, the Qingyang Immortal Talisman he issued would inevitably plummet as a result. The money he earned from speculating on the Carefree Talisman before might all be lost!
(End of Chapter)