Chapter 569: The Right Choice
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
Thousands upon thousands of bolts of lightning. A golden light shield.
In the sea of violent lightning, the pale golden sword defense swayed at first and then it became firmer and firmer. The lightning and thunder from the sky were still dense and heavy, but they could no longer approach the two people under the protection of the sword defense. In the face of the supreme enemy in the immortal dreamland, this Non-Phase Master and disciple duo were actually able to withstand!
The power fusion tactic was actually much stronger than expected. After Wang Lu handed over the control of his golden core to his Master, the defensive power of her Non-Phase Sword Defense actually more than doubled! It was as if in the one hundred and tenth layer plus of Non-Phase Sword Method, the improvement of strength could result in non-linear power output...
Unfortunately, due to her spirit root limitation, she has yet to break through Jindan Stage. If she had the cultivation base of Yuanying or even Deity Stage, and then cooperated with Wang Lu using this against-the-heaven defensive method, perhaps they could even ignore the real divine tribulation...
She was indeed worthy to inherit the inheritance of Ouyang Shang—in more than one hundred years she had painstakingly developed this against the heaven defensive method, among which, there were myriad of profoundness that caused people to sigh with emotion. As Wang Lu closely embraced his Master, he was very clear on the response toward how her Master controlled the magical power, but his biggest take on this experience was: Although he doesn't understand it, it seems pretty awesome!
It had been more than twenty years since he started his Non-Phase Method cultivation, and that system had been deeply imprinted in his golden core, so his attainment could be considered as profound. However, compared to how his Master used her Non-Phase Method right now, Wang Lu felt that as if he was just a layman. Let alone referencing it for future use, many of them were even difficult for him to understand! For example, although he knew that Wang Wu had two golden cores of her own, and understood that Wang Wu could control more than one golden cores because there was a special skill to coordinate the operation of more than one golden cores in Non-Phase Method… but he didn't expect that, even after including his golden core into her system, she still could simultaneously control three golden cores without any difficulty!
This was the accumulation gap of their one hundred years of cultivation time difference… Wang Wu was initially already amazing in her understanding of immortal path, and after she received the inheritance of Ouyang Shang, perhaps no one in Nine Regions could compare to her. And as the one being regarded as her cultivation root, how could Non-Phase Method be that simple?
However, Wang Lu did not regret that he fused primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi in reaching Jindan Stage. Although Non-Phase Method was good, it was ultimately other people's thing. Wang Wu had her own hardships to take Non-Phase Method as her core, but it was not necessary for him to imitate it. Moreover, when it came to aptitude and perception… he was not necessarily inferior to her. After all, she was able to deduce the more than one hundred and tenth layer of Non-Phase Method because of the inheritance that he had left her.
As time went by, the bolts of lightning from the Heaven grew stronger and stronger, but Non-Phase Sword Defense remained firm and unbroken. During the body fusion with his Master, Wang Lu's golden core was controlled by his Master. Although there were many things he didn't understand about the principle of the one hundred and tenth layer of Non-Phase Method, during this operation, his golden core gradually changed.
The first was inflation.
Wang Wu relied on the cooperation of three golden cores to strengthen the sword defense, symbolizing the most stable three bodies structure, the triangle. However, in fact, there was a great difference between the three golden cores. Wang Wu's two golden cores were at the peak level; the quality and also the quantity of magical power was far superior to that of Wang Lu's middle-level golden core. Thus, theoretically, this triangle was not stable.
However, as Wang Wu used Non-Phase Method to link the three golden cores, with true qi unceasingly operating, Wang Lu could clearly feel that the three golden cores were rapidly equalizing… Wang Wu's two golden core began to shrink and dim while his own golden core rapidly expanded and shine more brightly.
On the path of immortal cultivation, there was no theory of empowerment. Even if they wanted to, the predecessors could not hasten their juniors' development. However, at this time, Wang Lu actually enjoyed this development hastening process. Under the nourishment of Wang Wu's two golden cores, he was advancing toward high-level Jindan at an astonishing speed. Moreover, the process was unexpectedly smooth and steady, completely without the foundation instability that would easily occur in this kind of situation.
However, the cost of this seemed to be a bit high. After this process happened for a while, Wang Wu's Jindan Stage seemed to vaguely fall from the previously peak Jindan Stage. Wang Lu was not sure whether this decline in strength would cause permanent damage or not, in any case, for Peak Jindan Stage, a small level often meant more than ten years of hard work, let alone for Wang Wu whose spirit root qualification was below average?
"Master, take it easy…"
But Wang Wu said, "Only when the three golden cores are fully equal could Non-Phase Sword Defense bring out its strongest defense. Right now, the most important thing is to maintain life, so you got this cheap. Later when we get back, remember to give me the reimbursement."
"... At this critical moment, you are still thinking about money?"
"If you give me quicker, I won't have to think about it."
"... Fine, later on, when the moment comes, I will give you two million spirit stones as a medical nutrition fee. So, be sure to hold it."
"Relax, I am the number one Jindan in Nine Regions, ooh what the hell!"
Halfway through their conversation, the Heaven was already impatient with this deadlock. An unprecedented purple-blue thunderbolt struck down, making the footing of both Wang Lu and Wang Wu to be unstable, nearly making them stumble.
"Whoa, she's really pissed off now. That was a bit stronger than expected…" As Wang Wu spoke, a slight tinge of blood appeared on the side her lips. That thunderbolt that struck them just now was too ruthless that it unexpectedly injured her.
However, the bigger problem was that, the attack power and endurance of Heaven were actually higher than expected. Originally, Wang Wu's three golden cores' balanced set up was able to withstand the attack, but now it might not necessarily be so.
Although it was possible to further weaken herself to further improve Wang Lu so that the three golden core could become more balanced, if she kept reducing the power of her cores, the level of her golden cores would drop, and the difference between peak Jindan and high-level Jindan was not small, such that once dropped, the comprehensive defense might not improve.
Many thoughts raced through her mind, but for a while, Wang Wu still couldn't come up with a better way. This three golden cores balancing set up ignored the advancement through pills—moreover, with how poor she was, where could she come up with elixirs? As for weapons and equipments, she was even more desolate. Apart from her bamboo sword, she had no other things. As for the Sword of Mount Kun in Wang Lu's hand, although it could be borrowed… it probably couldn't survive the confrontation between her Non-Phase Sword Defense and the thunderbolts from Heaven. Liu Li's Skybreaker actually could withstand this, but she couldn't withstand its side effects.
While hesitating, Wang Wu suddenly heard the voice of Wang Lu.
"Don't worry, wait a moment."
The next moment, Wang Wu was surprised to discover that the golden core that belonged to Wang Lu in the three golden cores formation grew up at an alarming rate. Moreover, it was not relying on external nurturing, but it a growth from within!
"Wang Lu, what are you doing?" Wang Wu vaguely noticed that something was wrong, so she immediately asked him through primordial spirit.
"I have too much Innate vitality so I burnt it a bit."
"Bastard! Who told you to do this!" Wang Wu anxiously blurted out in anger. The burning of innate vitality in exchange for a short burst of energy like the Heaven Burning Blood Technique was a completely evil path. Doing it while one was still in early cultivation was okay. However, in Jindan Stage or higher, only by burning innate vitality, the effects are quite limited. In order to achieve the expected results, the innate vitality that needed to be burned usually had to be hundreds of years for one time, but how much lifespan do Jindan Stage cultivators have? How could he afford to burn it in this way?
No matter how lucky Wang Lu was and how long his lifespan he was born with, after being burnt in this way for a time, he would surely die young....she had been trying so hard to support the sword defense, was it all for watching him die so young?
"Don't worry, innate vitality is just for the ignition trigger, I only burned one year. It's mainly to stimulate the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi.
Wang Lu slowly and unhurriedly explained.
His golden core was the combination of Non-Phase Method and primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi, what was really strengthened was only the part which belongs to Non-Phase Method, the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi was practically tantamount to being suppressed!
On the whole, the growth of Non-Phase part of his golden core was very advantageous. However, for Wang Lu himself, this meant there was an internal imbalance in his golden core. Of course, it was not that big of a deal in itself because Non-Phase Method was very tolerant and could completely accommodate this imbalance.
However, primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi could not tolerate this. This method that was passed on to him by the ancient sword demon paid particular attention to 'advancing courageously', and 'overwhelming everything'. Previously, it had already taken a lot of effort from Wang Lu to fuse it into his golden core so that it could coexist with his Non-Phase Method. Now that the Non-Phase Method was advancing greatly, primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi was very eager to try.
And now, Wang Lu was ready to stimulate his primal chaos vital force part of the golden core. If it was properly executed, he could take this opportunity to push his Jindan to high level and even peak level in one stroke. Although the risk of this was not small—if he failed, his Jindan was likely to break, and in this case, there would be many problems, like the instability of his iron foundation, method downgrade, and other problems...
However, he could not afford to worry too much.
This golden core inflation process only took a few breaths of time. Catalyzed by the burning of innate vitality, the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi part of the golden core fiercely erupted and crazily inflated that it overwhelmed the other part of golden core. In an instant, it was as if there was a living thing in his golden core.
Many cultivators had said that, immortal level method itself was like a living creature. Wang Lu didn't realize it when his cultivation base was still shallow, but now he gradually realized it.
And with the rapid growth of his primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi part, Wang Lu's golden core rank also rose, jumping a bit from high-level golden core, and now was about to touch the edge of peak golden core!
Climbing up from the initial middle-level Jindan to this point, it had taken Wang Lu only about two hours. In the future, it would be very difficult for him to encounter such a chance. However, Wang Lu did not even have the time to comment the changes, but instead, he immediately asked, "Hehe, what do you think, Little Wu, is it enough?"
"... Hmm, that's enough." Wang Wu softly gave her answer, but she seemed to be distracted.
"Hey, this is not a good time to be distracted, okay?"
Wang Wu, of course, knew that it was not a good time to be distracted at this time. At present, her three golden cores weren't maintained at the same peak level, so the defensive power of her Non-Phase Sword Defense could be improved to an unprecedented level. And after that particularly fierce thunderbolt strike, she vaguely felt that Heaven was already in the 'spent force' situation. This was undoubtedly a good time to change from defensive to offensive, and to break the stalemate situation to decide the outcome. However… just now, the words from Wang Lu that kid had struck something deep within her that she could not help but care.
'What do you think, Little Wu…'
Little Wu? Who allowed him to call her like that?
Of course, Wang Wu didn't care about maintaining the Master's dignity and the likes. Usually, when she quarreled with Wang Lu in Non-Phase Peak, it was not a few times Wang Lu had spurted out words like cheap and slut at her, and Wang Wu didn't mind it. But… the way he said those words just now, seemed like a deja vu to her.
It was not clear why there was such a feeling… As early as more than one hundred years ago, she had given up all her fantasies and never allowed herself to wander weakly into unrealistic things. When Wang Lu had just entered the sect, some people did mention that some of his characteristics were similar to that person, but at the time, she immediately dismissed it.
That person had already long passed away. When he sacrificed himself, it was not for the future generations to be so weak that they only rely on the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Those who live were burdened with heavy responsibilities, which could not be casually thrown aside.
But now, feeling the strong arms and solid chest of the man behind her, she really could not resist the palpitation hidden deep within her heart.
"Hey, I'd like to ask you something… do you still remember that you once made a promise to me?"
Wang Lu frowned, is this woman mad? What's the use in asking this silly question instead of rushing to reinforce the Non-Phase Sword Defense against the increasingly powerful thunderbolt bombardment?
Promise? Of course, there's is a promise. Not long ago just before this child bestowing ritual, I promised to use big-tool-good-skill dominance to do you till you fall in love with me...
However, just when Wang Lu was about to speak, he suddenly realized that the woman in his arms had become unprecedentedly soft and affectionate.
Although he had already long recognized that, as a woman, his Master was actually quite beautiful—unlike that otaku girl who devoted almost all her time to immortal cultivation more than one hundred years ago... Today's Wang Wu, as long as she didn't open her mouth, was a beautiful and graceful woman. However, she was, after all, a sword cultivator, thus, when fighting, her body was stronger than steel, and there was no such thing as this weak feeling.
Suddenly, Wang Lu seemed to have a realization, and he could no longer hold back the palpitation in his heart, which drove him to speak softly.
"I promise a person that I will definitely come back."
"It's really you?"
Wang Wu suddenly turned around. Her eyes were filled with incredulity and indescribable bliss.
However, at that moment, Wang Lu was horrified. Because at the same time, the faint golden light shield on top of their head swayed and then collapsed! As Wang Wu's mind went into shock, the sword defense was out of control!
And Heaven would not let this opportunity go. A black lightning bolt went straight from the sky toward them.
Suddenly, Wang Lu felt that all of his fine hairs uncontrollably stood on end. However, Wang Wu, who also felt the pressure of this destructive force, angrily roared instead, "Don't get in the way!"
A golden sword light bloomed out of her fingertips, and the three-golden-cores-powered Non-Phase Sword Defense began to unfold. But in the end, it was still a step too late.
After a loud booming sound, the thunderbolt dissipated, and there was a raging wildfire everywhere around them. However, the dark clouds that brewed out those thunderbolts gradually faded away. Obviously, this meant that Heaven had used up her power and thus it was difficult to sustain those clouds anymore.
However, at the same time, Wang Wu actually weakly slumped down, and moreover, blood flowed out of her seven orifices. And inside her Jade Mansion, two golden cores broke on the spot.
A cultivator well-known for her perfect defense, who had never been careless before, eventually suffered a major blow. The power of the thunderbolt just now was comparable to a full power attack of a Supreme level cultivator, and Wang Wu, even if she was in a good condition, needed to be prepared in advance to be able to deal with it, let alone hastily prop up her sword defense?
When her Non-Phase Sword Defense shattered, she deliberately used her two golden cores to cover Wang Lu, so that the latter was not hurt at all. For the reaction at that critical instant, she had done it perfectly.
It was just that, she herself could not go on.
"Wang Wu, you…" Wang Lu took a deep breath and hugged the person in his arms. His golden core, which had just returned to his control, was running wild as he squeezed out every bit of its potential and poured it into her body as life force, trying to repair her injury and mend her golden cores.
Of course, after the golden core was broken, so hoping to mend it again was just a fantasy. In particular, being shattered by the violent destructive force like this was almost equal to the death of a cultivator. However, how could Wang Lu let her die? Even if he exhausted all possibilities, even if he knew perfectly well that everything might be in vain, he had no hesitation.
As the breathing of the woman in his arms grew weaker and weaker, Wang Lu unconsciously tightened his arms. "Don't sleep, you promise me to hold on! Even I could fulfill my promise, how could you, as the Master, not able to do it?"
At the same, he burned his innate vitality again. Although any theory he learned in Teng Cloud Hall told him that burning innate vitality at this time was meaningless, Wang Lu was willing to gamble on that one in a million chance of a miracle. If enough vitality was burned, perhaps it might cause qualitative change?
At this moment, the woman in his arms opened her eyes gently, stretched out her shivering hand, and then laid her cold fingertips on Wang Lu's arm. "Stop… hear me out first."
As soon as her voice fell, Wang Lu felt that his golden core was out of his control, and even the burning of his innate vitality was forcibly stopped and extinguished.
Looking into the woman's eyes, Wang Lu felt that he was washed with ethereal feeling—all his impulsive thoughts were expelled, and his thinking became clear and his mind calmed down.
"I had actually fantasized that when he comes back to me, he would come in colorful clouds, and then tells me that I did good… But people can't live in fantasy. I knew that he was dead, and human could not rise from the dead. Life is so precious, otherwise, who else would cherish it? But, I never imagined that you… actually did it."
Wang Wu tried to laugh a bit, but it was as if it affected her injury, which caused her to frown and unable to continue her next words.
Wang Lu immediately injected his magical power into her, and to his surprise, her faint breathing seemed to really recover a bit under the magical power infusion!
This was probably the magical effect of the refined body of the number one Jindan in Nine Regions. If it were other people, let alone Jindan, even a Daoist Master of Deity Stage might have been turned to ashes!
While feeling both surprise and amazement, he continued magical power infusion without reservation. Although it only had little effect, after all, it did have an effect!
The woman struggled anxiously in his arms, and her mouth began to open, seemingly wanting to say something. However, Wang Lu immediately covered it.
"Don't talk… I didn't burn my innate vitality, merely infusing some magical power. At most, my golden core would drop one or two level, but this is the thing that comes along with the rare encounter, so no need to worry!"
Wang Wu struggled for a while, but under Wang Lu's stubborn insistence, she really had nothing to say.
Right at that moment, suddenly, there was a buzzing sound from the sky above their head. Wang Lu was shocked: Is the battle not over yet?
Whatever! If you want to come then come, bring it on! In any case, the other party was already in a spent force situation, so it didn't matter if he was attacked—his body defense alone should be able to withstand for several rounds!
However, the next moment, he saw something unexpected. A young human figure descended from the sky under the illumination of a light beam. Slowly and unhurriedly, it landed down next to him. When that tiny body landed on the charred soil, it immediately gave off a cry of excitement.
"A baby!"
Wang Lu was shocked. Why did a baby appear at this time? Could it be...
The child bestowed by the Heaven?
What the hell? Just now, we've just been in a 'you die I live' kind of situation, but now she inexplicably bestowed out a child? Is Heaven blind?
However, soon, Wang Lu found out that the baby's back was red and the crying quickly weakened. After gawking for a while, he immediately realized that the baby was poisoned by the fire poison.
Just now, after the black thunderbolt struck down from the sky and smashed by Non-Phase Sword Defense, the scattered energy spread around and turned the land under their feet into the scorched ground. For a Daoist Master of Jindan Stage, the fire poison contained within the scorched ground was irrelevant, but for a newborn life, it was a deadly poison.
Of course, it was not difficult to save the baby. Wang Lu only needed to lift out his hand and he would be able to get rid of the fire poison. However, the problem was that, he now had more important person to save, and in this process, he could not afford to be distracted.
On the one hand, an inexplicably Heaven blessed child, on the other hand, a woman who had been with him for decades, which involved two generations of love. Even using his knee to think, he had already known which one was more important to him.
Therefore, Wang Lu cast his glance at the child, and then took back his gaze, completely ignoring it. He now devoted all his attention to the person in his arms.
His action was very decisive, but at that moment, there was a faint sigh coming from the sky.
"Protect the adult or protect the young… Unexpectedly, there's still a man in this world who chose to protect the adult person. Perhaps men in this world are not without a redeeming quality."
With that, the clouds in the sky completely dissipated, and the sun shone through. The land was full of vitality, and the flowers and plants grew thickly on the scorched ground. In mere moments, there was a sea of life!