375: What do you take me for?

"Tell me in detail."

"Yes!" Murong Jingyang organized his thoughts and recounted the rumors he had heard recently within the Cultivator circles of the Northern Territory.

The heart of the matter was not the Duan Family itself, but the backer behind them—the Five Elements True Person, Yun Chenzi!

At some unknown point, rumors had begun to quietly spread throughout the Outer Domain.

These rumors were aimed directly at Yun Chenzi, specifically regarding his path to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Reportedly, what Yun Chenzi sought was not the "Five Elements as One" that outsiders assumed, but the more mysterious "Five Elements into Yin and Yang." He intended to use the Great Dao of Yin and Yang as his foundation to charge toward the rank of Nascent Soul True Monarch!

The rumors also exposed in great detail several key trump cards and secret arrangements Yun Chenzi had prepared for his upcoming attempt at the Nascent Soul Realm!

For instance, in the soon-to-open Xuanling Secret Realm, the "xuan yin jade marrow," which contained the essence of extreme Yin, was something Yun Chenzi was determined to obtain and would not allow anyone else to touch!

There was also a wisp of the "Essence of Li Fire" that he had spent a hundred years of hard work cultivating within the core fire veins of the Qingming Blessed Land. It was specifically meant to harmonize the extreme Yin energy of the "xuan yin jade marrow" to balance Yin and Yang.

Even the fact that he had accidentally obtained a fragment of an array diagram recording the "Yin-Yang Creation Array" during his early travels in the Profound Spirit Domain was dug up.

It was said that this array had an extraordinary Origin; once completed, it could evolve the creation of Yin and Yang and significantly enhance one's comprehension of the Dao of Yin and Yang. It was the crucial step in Yun Chenzi's final "Five Elements into Yin and Yang"!

All of this information was extremely private. Unless one knew Yun Chenzi very well, it would be nearly impossible to find out!

But now, it had been intentionally leaked by someone with hidden motives, revealing Yun Chenzi's trump cards one by one before everyone's eyes.

As expected, once the news broke, it was like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day, causing a massive uproar in the Outer Domain.

However, perhaps out of fear of the Qingming Immortal Sect or concern about retaliation from Yun Chenzi himself, there wasn't much public discussion about it.

Furthermore, the vast majority of Cultivators didn't even understand what Laws were, let alone the difference between the "Five Elements" and "Yin and Yang"; they just knew it was something incredibly impressive.

But what the hell did that have to do with them?

They were struggling just to stay alive every day; who cared about the petty schemes of these immortal clans?

While these low-level Cultivators didn't care, the Golden Core level forces understood exactly what this implied.

Especially those Cultivators at the same Realm as Yun Chenzi. They had already suspected he had other plans but could never find a flaw.

But with this reminder, and by connecting the dots, they instantly understood Yun Chenzi's ultimate goal, and their wariness of him reached its peak.

However, even more people were gloating.

They were incredibly curious: who exactly had spread this news?

This series of rumors had practically stripped Yun Chenzi bare. Wasn't this a deathly offense?

Who would be so bold!

"Who else could it be but the Zhuge Family!"

After listening to Murong Jingyang's description, Lu Ming barely had to think; the name instantly popped into his head.

Setting aside who might hold such a deep grudge against Yun Chenzi, the ability to grasp his core secrets so accurately and in such detail was simply not something an ordinary power or Cultivator could achieve.

Moreover, since this involved the fundamental secrets of his path, Yun Chenzi would never speak of it lightly and would surely guard it strictly.

To have the ability to bypass layers of protection and dig up these secrets so thoroughly, who else in the entire Xuanling Outer Domain could do it besides the Zhuge Family's Heavenly Secret Karma Art?

"But how did they end up clashing with Yun Chenzi?"

This doubt rose in Lu Ming's mind for less than a second before he already had the answer.

Then, Lu Ming became somewhat speechless.

"How does it seem... probably... maybe... likely because of me?"

That's right. When Yun Chenzi had exiled Zhuge Mingyi into the void, it was only meant as a slight punishment, with no intention of taking his life.

But who could have expected that Zhuge Mingyi would run into him? Following the philosophy of "don't let a good thing go to waste when it's delivered to your door," Lu Ming had conveniently dealt with him.

Right now, Zhuge Mingyi was still serving as a King Yama inside his human emperor banner!

But the Zhuge Family didn't know that!

Although, given their style of doing things, they must have deduced the cause and effect.

But as it happened, Lu Ming was an absolute bug on the level of Karma; there was no way the Zhuge Family could trace him.

So, following the line of succession of those who had direct karmic links with Zhuge Mingyi, who else was there besides Yun Chenzi?

Thus, it seemed perfectly logical for the Zhuge Family to pin this debt on Yun Chenzi.

"Holy crap, if I weren't the one who actually did it, I'd probably believe this deduction myself!"

The corner of Lu Ming's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

It turned out he really did have a Conan-like constitution—trouble followed him wherever he went!

When Li Daoxuan ran into him, hundreds of years of bitter cultivation went down the drain. Not only did he lose his life, but even his Divine Soul had to work for him after death.

Yun Chenzi seemingly hadn't provoked him, yet through a series of coincidences, he had ended up clashing with the Zhuge Family because of him. As a result, he had been "doxxed," and the secrets of his Nascent Soul path were completely exposed!

Thinking of this, Lu Ming suddenly froze.

"No way..."

He suddenly thought of the "Three Tribulations and Five Calamities" that one must cross to achieve the Nascent Soul Realm.

"Could it be... that I am also one of Yun Chenzi's 'Human Tribulations'?"

Previously, Li Daoxuan's "Human Tribulation" had fallen on him, and now Yun Chenzi's predicament seemed to have been caused by him as well.

The "Tribulations" of two consecutive Golden Core Great Perfections seemed to be related to him; this was hard to explain as a mere coincidence!

"Could I have been targeted by the Heavenly Dao?"

Lu Ming's mind raced through many thoughts in an instant, and then he couldn't help but want to curse.

"What do you take me for! A Cleaner?"

He didn't actually mind being a Cleaner; after all, doing work for the Heavenly Dao wasn't something to be ashamed of!

But the problem was!

"Give me some damn wages!"

No rewards at all, yet he was expected to do this and that!

This was wanting the horse to run without giving it grass—purely exploiting his labor for free!

It's enough to make one tremble with rage. Do honest people deserve to be bullied like this!

"As expected, there's not a single good thing in this damn place. Capitalism is rampant, and even a kind and honest person like me has been corrupted!"

Being exploited for free by the Heavenly Dao made Lu Ming feel like he had lost a hundred million.

But what could he do? He was helpless!

However, cursing aside, he also knew he couldn't do anything to the Heavenly Dao.

After all, the Heavenly Dao was never a specific person or object; it was just an abstract concept of the world's order.

So, trying to bargain was truly impossible!

In fact, even if he could, Lu Ming wouldn't dare to actually ask for benefits.

If he were labeled with "maliciously demanding wages," he wouldn't have a good time!

"Fine, if I'm being exploited, then so be it!"

Lu Ming quickly recognized the reality and adjusted his mindset.