Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Book 2: Chapter 18: The Death of Ling Buyang

Vol 2 ch 18: The Death of Ling Buyang

Night.

In the spacious, brightly lit discussion hall of the Liu family.

Destiny Master Ling Buyang sat solemnly in the room, surrounded by bright red marks drawn in cinnabar, resembling talismans. Three destiny disks were positioned in front of him, representing heaven, earth, and man. At the four directions—east, south, west, and north—were placed the blood of four Source Beasts: the Dragon Serpent, Iron-Toothed Nether Tiger, Green-Winged Blackbird, and Phosphorescent Armored Turtle, representing the four guardian divine beasts.

Ling Buyang bit his finger and touched the disks lightly, causing them to emit a gentle glow. In an instant, countless waves of Heaven’s Fate Energy surged out.

With fate as his shield, his soul would be indestructible, invulnerable to harm.

After completing the ritual, he flicked a special long incense stick into the altar nearby. It ignited, releasing a thin wisp of pale blue smoke.

“Protect this *Returning Soul Incense*. Make sure it doesn’t go out… In the time it takes for this to burn, I will kill those two and return with ease!” Ling Buyang commanded.

“Yes!” Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng bowed in unison.

Ordinarily, Ling Buyang’s Dharma Aspect wasn’t exceptionally strong, and venturing too far risked losing himself in the vast world. With this anchor, paired with the guidance of fate, he could return easily. Should the incense be extinguished, his Dharma Aspect would be unable to return within a set time, and without his body’s nourishment, his soul would disintegrate, leading to his death.

“Go!”

With a low shout, Ling Buyang’s body, seated in meditation, remained motionless as a towering figure emerged behind him. It was an exact replica but shadowy and barely visible without the illumination of Heaven’s Fate Energy—it was his Dharma Aspect, formed from his soul’s power.

The moment it appeared, Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng felt a deep shiver in their souls, struggling to stay upright.

It was a soul-crushing pressure that only those with similar cultivation levels could resist.

Seeing their reactions, Ling Buyang nodded in satisfaction. His Dharma Aspect turned into an icy wind and vanished in an instant.

“So powerful… That man is as good as dead!” Liu Tianzheng finally exhaled, confidence flashing in his eyes.

Despite the current financial ruin of the Liu family and the near-total sale of its assets, they were now deeply aligned with Ling Buyang. If Zhang Xuan were killed and Ling returned, the Liu family’s rise would be assured, and they could even reach unprecedented heights.

With this, Liu Tianzheng was filled with hope and anticipation.

…

Zhang Xuan looked at the 30 or so techniques brought by Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong in the library and sighed.

The Divine Soul Realm was already the most challenging among the nine levels of the Source Pool Realm. Combined with the scarcity of techniques, even Heaven’s Path Order couldn’t deduce the most suitable method for him.

Clearly, finding more techniques was essential.

White Roc City’s available Divine Soul techniques, outside of the Academy and City Lord’s Mansion, might add up to no more than 50 if gathered from the Mo, Liu, and Wang families. Still, this number was insufficient for his needs.

“Never mind, I’ll pause my training and check on Sun Qiang.”

With that, he left the room and walked to where Sun Qiang was practicing in the courtyard.

“Young Master!” Sun Qiang rose quickly.

“Hmm, you’ve advanced from Energy Storing to Body Tempering already. Not bad…”

Zhang Xuan nodded, pointing as 2,000 units of Heaven’s Fate Energy entered Sun Qiang’s "Source Pool." “The space I created for you last time wasn’t fully stabilized due to insufficient Heaven’s Fate Energy. Now, it should be secure.”

As "ascenders," they naturally lacked a Source Pool. To aid Sun Qiang’s cultivation, Zhang Xuan had specially created a small space within him to act as one.

Though not particularly large, the 1,000 units of Heaven’s Fate Energy absorbed previously had been insufficient. Now, with 3,000 units, it formed a stabilizing pillar.

Zhang Xuan handed Sun Qiang written techniques for the Meridian Unclogging, Organs Easing, and Jade Bone stages. He pointed again, sending several streams of Heaven’s Path Source Energy into Sun Qiang’s meridians.

“If you encounter any blockages during cultivation, use my true energy to clear them.”

The Source World was fraught with danger, so Sun Qiang’s strength had to improve swiftly. Heaven’s Path Source Energy was perfect for unblocking meridians.

“Thank you, Young Master…” Sun Qiang’s voice quivered with gratitude.

“Continue your training.”

Without further words, Zhang Xuan returned to his room and soon appeared in the Xuan World.

Previously, due to insufficient Heaven’s Fate Energy, the Source Pools built for Nie Lingxi and others were only skeletal frameworks. Now, with enough energy, he could consolidate them and help them train more effectively.

Shortly after Zhang Xuan left, a chilling wind swept through the moonlit courtyard. The cold intensified as a shadowy figure emerged.

“Zhang Xuan, and that fat man—you will both die…”

Ling Buyang’s Dharma Aspect snorted and scanned the area.

The boisterous fat man who exposed him was training nearby. Streams of pure Source Energy were being rapidly refined and absorbed into his meridians, flowing into his dantian.

“Hmm? Zhang Xuan isn’t here?”

After surveying the area, Ling Buyang frowned. “Lucky today, it seems. But I’ll kill this one first as a down payment.”

His eyes locked onto Sun Qiang. Without wasting time, his massive Dharma Aspect lunged at the plump figure.

Sun Qiang, lost in a semi-dream state, envisioned himself standing atop a mountain of gold, surrounded by an endless supply of Source Coins. Just as he prepared to indulge, a cold voice shattered the illusion.

“Fat fool, you dared threaten me. Today is your day to die…”

“Ah…”

Startled, Sun Qiang saw Ling Buyang’s towering figure looming with crushing force.

“Ling Buyang, you coward! Ambushing me, where’s your honor? Fight me head-on!” Sun Qiang shouted.

“Fight you? You’re not worthy.”

With a sneer, Ling Buyang extended his hand to grab Sun Qiang. Suddenly, a gigantic presence, akin to a mountain, fell upon him.

“A Source Pool? How can a Source Pool be this immense?”

Ling Buyang was shocked.

Even in the talent-rich Zouyi Dynasty, where he was considered a genius, his Source Pool was only the size of a ping-pong ball. But this… resembled an entire mountain!

Could it be… a First Grade Source Pool? No, larger. Saint Grade, perhaps beyond!

A Saint Grade Source Pool talent, as an attendant…

Is this real?

Fear spread in Ling Buyang’s eyes. He had thought that killing the young man and his servant would go unnoticed. Now, facing a servant of such caliber, doubt crept in.

“Retreat…”

Panic-stricken, he turned to flee.

But before he could move, streams of true energy appeared, imbued with Heaven’s Path might, like dragons from the heavens.

“What is this?”

Ling Buyang froze, then screamed, “No, I surrender, I was wrong…”

The dragons tore through him, shredding his soul and devouring it with apparent relish.

“Ah…”

Sun Qiang jolted awake, drenched in sweat.

“Was that a dream?”

He looked around, still in the courtyard. Confused, his uncertainty quickly dissolved as a nourishing warmth spread from the true energy Zhang Xuan had left in him, boosting his soul and cultivation.

Crackling!

Within a few breaths, he broke through Body Tempering and advanced to the Meridian Unclogging stage.

Half an hour later, the power had fully settled. His soul was strong, and he had reached the Divine Soul stage, the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm!

“This…”

Sun Qiang blinked.

When did cultivation become so easy?

“It wasn’t a dream; it really happened!”

Realizing this, Sun Qiang swallowed. “Not only did I kill a Destiny Master, but I absorbed him?”

This could only mean one thing: he had defeated Ling Buyang and devoured his soul.

A practitioner at the Dharma Aspect stage, ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, whose cultivation resided in the soul—absorbing that was like receiving an entire infusion of power.

Not advancing rapidly would be strange.

“I’m in the Divine Soul stage, and Young Master hasn’t reached it yet. Heh!”

Picturing Zhang Xuan’s reaction, Sun Qiang chuckled.

Young Master would be astonished by his progress. Maybe they’d even spar to see who’s stronger…

Back at the Liu estate.

“Lord Xu Xin, when Lord Ling returns, you must put in a good word for me. Our Liu family truly put everything on the line to support him…”

Liu Tianzheng bowed.

“Rest assured, after this, my status will rise significantly. Your family, without question, will soar to the top in White Roc City!”

Xu Xin’s eyes glimmered.

“Thank you, Lord Xu…”

Liu Tianzheng exhaled in relief.

That stubborn girl, Liu Mingyue, would return now that her teacher was dead. He’d make her understand the cost of not listening to her elders!

“You’re welcome… What? How could this be?”

Suddenly, Xu Xin's voice trembled with fear.

“Lord Xu, what’s wrong?” Liu Tianzheng, noticing the alarm in his tone, looked over with confusion.

Xu Xin’s shaking hand pointed forward. “The Returning Soul Incense… It’s out!”

Liu Tianzheng’s gaze snapped to the altar. Sure enough, the incense that Ling Buyang had lit before leaving was now extinguished. Ling’s body sat unmoving at the center of the formation, breathless.

“Lord Ling… he’s… dead?”

Liu Tianzheng’s pupils shrank as a bone-chilling dread overtook him.

Author's Note

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