172: Chapter 173 The Five Deteriorations of Heaven and Man!

Heaven-sent opportunities, if not seized, will lead to calamity!

Thus, Feng Buping decided to team up with a few good friends for a robbery.

He had worked as a rogue Cultivator before, so he was familiar with such deeds.

Once he robbed this person, his pockets would be full.

Then, by purchasing a bottle of realm-breaking Medicinal Pills, wouldn't he reach the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!

However, this person was simply a prodigal son!

He spent tens of thousands of Spirit Stones on a pile of inexplicable Demonic Path forbidden Spells!

He watched helplessly as his Spirit Stones were completely depleted.

But when he wanted to torture and kill this person to vent his anger, he tragically discovered that he couldn't even catch up!

Feeling aggrieved, he could only slink back to his residence, intending to calm his mood through Cultivation.

At this moment, Feng Buping, who was sitting in his Cultivation chamber, operating his Cultivation Technique, suddenly changed his expression drastically.

A trace of confusion and panic flashed in his eyes, and an inexplicable emotion lingered in his heart, making him restless.

He didn't know why, but he always felt a bit agitated, preventing him from calming down.

Suddenly, he smelled a foul odor. Looking down, he saw a trace of dirt on his clothes at some unknown time.

Especially the sweat under both armpits, which was unbearably putrid.

Feng Buping frowned, extremely puzzled.

Logically, although Cultivators couldn't be said to be completely free of dust and dirt, they could maintain a clean body.

But why would this happen inexplicably?

Moreover, the foul odor continued to emanate, making people nauseous.

Suddenly, Feng Buping realized what it was.

He had wondered why this scene seemed so familiar.

The signs before his Revered Master's passing seemed to be exactly like this!

Filthy clothes, withered hair, sweating armpits, foul body odor, and a disinterest in his original seat.

He had once endured caring for his Revered Master to curry favor, and this scene was still fresh in his memory.

But... "At the end of life, the signs of impending death! This is... this is... the Five Signs of Heavenly Decay!"

Feng Buping's face was filled with horror, and he screamed.

The vital essence in his body flowed away like a tide, his face began to age, showing wrinkles and spots.

Feng Buping watched helplessly as he transformed from a middle-aged man into a decrepit old man.

Thud!

Feng Buping fell to the ground, his eyes filled with confusion and despair.

He couldn't understand why he had become like this.

Why, out of nowhere, did he experience the Five Signs of Heavenly Decay, and his Lifespan was about to run out?

Could it be that he had done too many evil deeds, and Heaven was coming to collect him?

Or perhaps... "Revered Master, this disciple knows his mistake..."

Feng Buping murmured softly, and finally, he completely turned into a withered corpse, devoid of breath.

In the subsequent period.

Dozens of Cultivators across various regions of the Southern Wilderness Region, whether they were high and mighty Foundation Establishment great Cultivators or unknown Qi Refining Cultivators.

No matter how revered their status as Family Old Ancestors, or how humble they were as merchants and servants, like ants.

Anyone chosen by Lu Ming experienced the Five Signs of Heavenly Decay.

Cause of death — all in!

...A few months later.

In the Cultivation chamber.

Lu Ming sat cross-legged on a futon, his hands clasped over his Dantian, his eyes closed as he circulated the 'Flourishing and Wither Calamity Crossing Scripture'.

With each inhale and exhale, wisps of faint green Qi lingered around his mouth and nose.

Transforming into streams of profound energy that circulated within his body.

Suddenly, Lu Ming, who was in Cultivation, abruptly opened his eyes.

Green, gray, and crimson colors intertwined and rotated in his eyes, appearing incredibly bizarre.

"Hoo~"

Lu Ming exhaled softly, and then his eyes returned to normal.

"Transcending Calamity Dark Light, finally... Cultivated to Perfection!"

Lu Ming formed a hand seal, and specks of green-gray light began to gather around his Dantian, gradually fusing together.

Finally, they transformed into a mysterious green-gray Dao pattern that landed in his hand.

The Dao pattern was complex and indistinct, but it exuded both vitality and decay.

The two intertwined and rotated, yet did not appear jarring.

"So this is a Divine Ability Dharma Seal? It's truly not easy!"

A glint of light flashed in Lu Ming's eyes.

Now, this Divine Ability was finally refined!

One must know that this was a Divine Ability that only Golden Core Stage Cultivators could Revered Master, yet he had managed to condense it prematurely during his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

However, this Divine Ability could not be used as he pleased; it had conditions and restrictions.

Firstly, it required a prior 'recharge'!

The more Lifespan 'recharged' into the Divine Ability, the greater its power when unleashed.

However, this was not without its cost.

Lu Ming initially 'recharged' six hundred years of Lifespan, and on his golden book alone, quite a few people were removed from the list.

Secondly, the Foundation of the Divine Ability lay within the Golden Core itself!

Only the strength of the Golden Core could withstand the imprint of the Divine Ability.

However, Lu Ming took an unconventional path, imprinting it in his Dantian before even forming a Golden Core.

Theoretically, the Dantian naturally could not withstand the strength of a Divine Ability.

He would constantly endure the pain of the Divine Ability's backlash, as well as the crisis of his Dantian shattering.

But fortunately, Lu Ming had many Fellow Daoists supporting him.

With their shared burden, Lu Ming suffered no ill effects whatsoever.

Fortunately, this trip to the black market netted quite a few new Fellow Daoists, so there was no shortage of resources.

However, with this, among the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators on the golden book, besides those few old friends, only [Zhu Zhengran] and [Chu Tianlin] remained.

The others had basically all died.

"The Divine Ability Dharma Seal behind this is the result of many Fellow Daoists sacrificing their lives; this kindness must be etched in my heart!"

After a moment of feigned compassion, Lu Ming retracted his gaze.

He examined the undulating Divine Ability Dharma Seal in his hand, falling into contemplation.

"I wonder what the actual effect of its activation will be..."

According to the Cultivation Technique's description, when activating 'Transcending Calamity Dark Light' against an opponent of the same stage, it required ten years of his Lifespan to reduce their Lifespan by one year.

Across stages, it was even more exaggerated, with the Lifespan backlash increasing a hundredfold.

Every ten years of Lifespan could only barely reduce the opponent's Lifespan by about ten days.

Lu Ming had 'pre-stored' six hundred years of Lifespan, which could directly take away sixty years of Lifespan from an opponent of the same stage.

As for fighting across stages, forget about it, it's not worth it!

It would be more effective to sacrifice the opponent to the Divine Ability.

However, the specific effect still needed to be tested on someone to find out!

Moreover, activating this Divine Ability did not require Lu Ming's main body to personally act; the Karma Clone could inherit most of Lu Ming's methods.

The Divine Ability was no exception; it only needed the golden book as a medium to be cast across space.

He just needed to send his Clone to pick an opponent.

Thinking of this, Lu Ming lowered his eyes slightly, his consciousness shifting to his Clone... In an unnamed mountain Peak.

The Clone sat cross-legged on the ground, its aura unusually strange.

After an unknown period, its aura finally returned to calm.

"After several months, the newly acquired Demonic Path forbidden Spells have all been initiated, and the harvest is quite substantial."

Lu Ming opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi.

During these days, while his main body was busy constructing the Divine Ability Dharma Seal, he, as the Clone, was not idle either.

He had Cultivated several Demonic Techniques and secret Spells obtained at the trade fair.

The Divine Soul secret Spell 'Fallen Soul Mysterious Light', the soul-searching secret Spell 'Taiyin Ghost Moon Soul Observing Method', the second-tier Demonic Path Spell 'Yin Sha Secret Thunder', and the burst secret technique 'Blood Origin Bloodburst Technique'.

All of them were now mastered. Although they were only considered Minor Achievements, with continuous practice in the future, they would eventually reach Perfection.

He also didn't neglect the hundred arts of Cultivation, even taking the time to create a second-generation 'Talisman Formation Plate'.

Now, the Talisman Formation Plate could carry second-tier Talismans, and its power was incomparable to before.

"My current methods are unimaginably numerous. Even against a true Foundation Establishment Peak or even higher Cultivator, I might not be without the power to fight!"

Lu Ming murmured in his heart.

After Cultivating these Demonic Techniques and secret Spells, his combat power was already extremely exaggerated.

Let alone facing opponents of the same stage, Lu Ming dared to bare his fangs even when fighting across stages.

At this moment, Lu Ming's ears twitched slightly.

He heard rumbling sounds coming from a great distance outside the mountain Peak.

Interspersed with the clanging of metal, it seemed someone was fighting?

Lu Ming's Divine Sense spread out. In his Divine Thought perception, two auras, one after another, broke through the air several miles away.

They were rapidly approaching the unnamed mountain Peak where Lu Ming was located.

"Hmm? It's him!"

Lu Ming's eyebrows raised slightly, revealing a look of surprise.

However, there was no panic in his heart, and he even felt a little like laughing.

"My hands are itching right now, and I just happen to need a sparring partner. Such a punching bag delivered right to my doorstep, it would be a waste not to hit him!"