Chapter 174: Who Wants to Kill Me!?

Immortal Alliance Headquarters.

As a force that had dominated the Biyang Cultivation World for three thousand years, with its system and rule deeply ingrained in people’s hearts, the scale of the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters was nothing short of magnificent.

Jade towers and crystal palaces, pavilions and terraces.

Here, cultivators at the Nascent Soul, Spirit Refining, and even Void Returning stages—rarely seen in the outside world—could be seen everywhere, yet at this moment, they had all gathered together.

At this moment, these high and mighty great cultivators, who normally stood above all, wore expressions of fear as they stared fixedly at the grand hall where the Integration-stage cultivators usually secluded themselves.

More precisely, they were looking at the figure standing in the center of the hall, hands clasped behind his back, eyes filled with interest as he sized up the crowd.

Just then, Guang Ming took the initiative to step forward.

“Greetings, Alliance Leader!”

His loud voice echoed in all directions.

Although no one knew Guang Ming, with someone taking the lead, others quickly followed suit, and the scattered greetings swiftly grew louder:

“Greetings, Alliance Leader!”

Seeing this, Lü Yang immediately swept his divine sense over the crowd.

Who was sincere, and who was pretending, was now all laid bare before his eyes.

However, Lü Yang did not care what the people of the Immortal Alliance thought of him.

In fact, the Primordial Saint Sect had never concerned itself with the opinions of its subordinate sects.

After all, the reputation of the Saint Sect was well known to all.

To make others willingly submit was not just hopeless—it was simply impossible.

Moreover, after ruling for so long, the Immortal Alliance naturally had its own die-hard loyalists.

Thus, before summoning everyone, Lü Yang had already carried out a thorough purge.

After all, if they made things difficult for him, they could not blame him for making things easy for them—by ending them.

Those who now stood before him had already given up resistance.

This was the first step of the Saint Sect’s method of controlling subordinate forces—use absolute strength to establish one’s position and eliminate all thoughts of resistance.

The second step was to state his stance.

“This time, with the Immortal Alliance facing great upheaval, the great cultivators have entrusted this seat to temporarily manage the Alliance, but I lack practical experience, so I must rely on your full cooperation.”

With this single sentence, he set the tone.

Rest assured, I will not touch your power or status, nor will I interfere randomly.

The benefits you hold today will still be yours tomorrow!

As these words fell, the expressions of several Void Returning cultivators immediately relaxed considerably.

Then came the third step.

In any organization, there were bound to be factions.

Where there were factions, there were conflicts of interest.

If there were no conflicts, then create some.

Then stir up contradictions.

What Lü Yang needed to do was to draw separate “big pies” for each faction based on their interests.

Then make these pies conflict with each other.

This way, in their scramble for benefits, they would fight among themselves.

Lü Yang could then step in as mediator and naturally become the true authority.

So after reassuring the crowd, Lü Yang met with several Void Returning cultivators one by one.

He had plenty of bargaining chips.

After all, the Alliance’s resources had previously been concentrated in the hands of the Integration-stage cultivators.

Now, all of it belonged to him.

Perfect for drawing pies.

As a result, within just three short months, the already disunited cultivators began to engage in infighting.

They competed to show their loyalty, eager to gain Lü Yang’s favor.

With this foundation laid, they could hardly refuse any request Lü Yang put forward.

Thus, in the third month of taking over the Immortal Alliance, Lü Yang opened up access to cultivation methods.

He had even prepared a slogan:

“Equality for All, Freedom to Cultivate!”

In the Biyang Cultivation World, cultivation methods required innate spiritual roots to practice.

However, the methods Lü Yang provided could be easily learned by anyone, spiritual roots or not.

From now on, cultivators with spiritual roots and those without would naturally form opposing factions.

Internal struggles would erupt, with both sides fighting for dominance.

Regardless of right or wrong, they would oppose anything proposed by their opponents.

Everything would be judged not by merit, but by factional stance.

And to overpower their rivals, they could only unite more firmly around Lü Yang.

This was the fourth step, and also the final step.

To expand high-level conflicts throughout the entire force, plunging it into complete chaos, making any future development or progress impossible.

Lü Yang called this the Four-Step Strategy of the Primordial Saint Sect.

Any force that went through this process would never rise again.

It would be reduced to nothing more than a subsidiary of the Saint Sect.

Inside a quiet chamber at the Immortal Alliance headquarters.

Lü Yang held his breath and focused.

With the Immortal Alliance’s rule over the Sea of Chaos overturned, he finally extracted a wisp of hazy smoke from the Foundation Establishment Realm.

“.It’s done!”

Though the smoke was hazy, it carried an unprecedented heaviness, as if it bore the thoughts and wills of countless beings.

This was Wu Earth, the Life Governor of All Things, the Celestial Pole’s 【Zhuo Wei】!

As Lü Yang toppled the old system of the Immortal Alliance, this invisible “mountain” had finally materialized into Qi, obediently settling in his palm.

“So unbelievably smooth.”

Lü Yang sighed.

It had been a long time since things had gone this smoothly for him.

Now that he had acquired the Wu Earth Qi, he could attempt to break through to the mid-stage at any moment!

However, the 【Yin Fire】 that awaited him at the mid-stage was not to be underestimated.

To break through rashly would be far too risky.

To be safe, he decided to return to the Saint Sect and consult with True Person Chong Guang to see if there were any methods to avoid disaster.

It would be more prudent to prepare thoroughly before attempting the breakthrough.

“In that case, you are no longer of any use.”

Lü Yang took out the 【Sanjiu Soul-Dissolving Gourd】 and gave it a gentle shake.

The twelve Integration-stage cultivators of the Immortal Alliance were immediately shaken out, falling to the ground in a sorry state.

Without giving them a chance to wake up, Lü Yang directly summoned the 【Abi Sword】.

Whoosh, whoosh—!

Sword light flashed.

In an instant, the twelve Integration-stage cultivators were decapitated.

Although their true spirits had not dissipated and could possibly return from the 【Imperial Palace Golden Talisman Doushuai True Decree】 given enough time, their pseudo-Foundation Establishment flesh and Qi had been completely drained by the 【Abi Sword】.

The next moment, Lü Yang’s face lit up with delight.

Twelve pseudo-Foundation Establishment cultivators, though inferior to true Foundation Establishment, had still enhanced the sword’s power.

Unexpectedly, this had granted the 【Abi Sword】 a new ability!

This brand-new ability was called 【Stepping on Danger】.

However, what surprised Lü Yang was that this was not an offensive ability, but an auxiliary one.

It allowed the sword wielder to sense their own life-threatening crises in advance.

“This overlaps with the Heaven-Seeking Instrument.”

Lü Yang frowned slightly.

With the Heaven-Seeking Instrument protecting him, he could already sense any karmic entanglements.

He had little use for 【Stepping on Danger】.

While pondering, Lü Yang casually activated the 【Abi Sword】.

However, in the next moment—

As the sword light bathed his entire body, the 【Stepping on Danger】 ability activated.

Lü Yang felt his mind suddenly elevate.

Then he saw the top of his own head.

【Danger】!

A massive crimson character floated above him.

It existed outside of karma, yet hovered high above, filling him with an unprecedented sense of danger.

“What is... this!?”

Lü Yang had thought there were no fatal karmic threads on him.

Yet the scene revealed through 【Stepping on Danger】 made his expression change drastically.

Indeed, there were no deadly karmic entanglements on him.

Because the danger came from Heaven and Earth!

Karma was merely the result of entangled fates between people.

When a person harbored killing intent, karma was born.

But when Heaven harbored killing intent, how could anyone detect it?

This was completely different from the Heavenly Punishment that had occurred when he detonated the Skeleton Mountain’s leyline.

Heavenly Punishment was a punishment—a declaration from Heaven to all beings about what must not be done.

Its display was grand and well-known, and could even be calculated.

But the Heavenly Killing intent that appeared now showed no such signs.

Heaven and Earth were merciless, treating all beings as straw dogs.

It was like a species being naturally eliminated from the food chain, going extinct without a trace.

Heaven’s killing intent was the same—subtle, silent, and seemingly inevitable.

Suddenly, Lü Yang felt something and looked up at the sky.

In a trance, he seemed to see a lantern.

A golden lamp radiating light.

A jade platform blooming brightly.

It illuminated neither the sun nor the moon, brightening Heaven and Earth in ways unseen.

It hung high in the firmament.

【Overturned Lamp Fire】

“.Hong Yun!?”

In an instant, Lü Yang finally realized the truth.

In this world, the only one capable of wielding the 【Overturned Lamp Fire】 was Hong Yun, the reincarnated Golden Core True Lord, who had once held this position of authority!

“It must at least be a Fruit Position Treasure... and it involves karma and fate, otherwise it couldn’t have catalyzed such a Heaven-and-Earth killing intent aimed specifically at me!”

Hong Yun wants to kill me!?