Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Target, Liu Xin

[You were pinned to death by the Master of Heaven Mending Peak with a single finger.]

[Available Leaves of Centome: 95]

[Reopening a life, you may choose one item from your previous life’s harvests:]

A: Artifacts.

B: Cultivation.

C: Lifespan.

D: Trade all your harvests for a random Talent Skill based on your past life experiences]

”Those whose names I call, come and stand before me.”

Liu Xin’s voice echoed from the stage, but Lü Yang took a long time to regain his senses, as if his heart spirit still lingered on the previous life’s sword strike, driven by rage.

”An ant shaking a big tree, indeed....”

Lü Yang exhaled slowly. Though he had personally felt the vast gap between himself and a Foundation-Stage Cultivator, he was not discouraged. Instead, his will to fight only burned brighter.

With the Centome in hand, anything that failed to destroy him would only temper him.

It was merely a matter of starting over again.

With that thought, he opened the Centome interface once more. In his past life, he had poured everything into cultivation, yet he had achieved nothing beyond the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.

But he couldn’t choose cultivation this time.

As long as the hidden dangers of ”Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis” persisted, practicing it would be no different from strapping a time bomb to his body.

”I choose a talent.”

[Settling your past life rewards...]

[After your death, the deed of drawing your sword against a Foundation Establishment cultivator spread, and countless people mocked you as someone who wildly overestimated himself—unaware that you had actually made some progress.]

[Although you still failed to inflict the slightest harm, you miraculously broke through your swordsmanship bottleneck at the brink of death, forcing the Master of Heaven Mending Peak to exert a little more strength to crush you. Later, he remarked that while you were merely an ant, you were at least a competent one.]

[You have awakened the Purple Talent Skill: Got a Pair.]

[Got a Pair: No matter how terrifying the attack you encounter, as long as it remains within the limits of your capability, you can handle it skillfully twice.]

”What kind of talent is this?”

Lü Yang frowned. At first glance, it sounded like an unbeatable defense ability—but that phrase ”within your capability limits” definitely took the edge off.

Still, he let the thought drop. His main goal in selecting talent was to avoid the hidden threats of ”Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis.” If the talent turned out powerful, wonderful. If not—so be it. What mattered most was whether he could evade the Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s karmic calculations.

”If it really doesn’t work, I can only give up ’Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis’.....”

”Lü Yang.”

”....Here!”

Liu Xin’s call dragged him back to reality. Lü Yang stepped forward, and as always, Liu Xin assigned him to the Yin-Yang Unity Hall.

Then Lü Yang froze.

”Wait.....I remember—Liu Xin refined a powerful figure into my Myriad-Soul Banner. I think he was a true disciple of the Stain Sect.”

That shouldn’t be possible.

I merely practiced a cultivation technique and was hunted down through karmic threads—yet Liu Xin killed a true disciple?

Why is he still alive?

Lü Yang’s eyes sharpened as he stared at Liu Xin on the stage.

”Indeed, the only explanation is that he possesses a miraculous artifact capable of obscuring karma—making even a Foundation-Stage Cultivator unable to deduce anything about him!”

Lü Yang’s mind raced instantly.

He altered his strategy, repeating his actions from his first life: confronting Yu Suzhen publicly and successfully catching Liu Xin’s attention.

He obtained half of the Manual of Primal Qi from Liu Xin.

Then he went into secluded cultivation.

As expected, on a dark and windy night, Liu Xin arrived at his cave mansion, humming smugly.

”Junior Brother Lü, are you there?”

Lü Yang remained silent.

Liu Xin was not surprised. A cold smile curved his lips as he laid down array flags one by one.

The sound-blocking array and illusion array made sure that no one would knew what happened within. He had done this so many times before, and not once had anyone traced it back to him. Even karmic divination didn’t work.

He touched something inside his pocket and smiled confidently.

Even karmic divination would be useless!

Once the array was complete, Liu Xin unleashed his true Qi, slicing open the cave mansion’s barrier before stepping inside.

”Junior Brother Lü, no need to hide. Senior Brother values talent like yours.....!?”

His voice abruptly cut off.

Inside the cave, Lü Yang sat calmly on a mat, mocking smile in place—showing absolutely no signs of having cultivated the Manual of Primal Qi.

”...Something’s not right!”

Liu Xin’s pupils contracted, the banner flag already in hand—

But it was far too late.

A crimson flash erupted. Most of Liu Xin’s true Qi and flesh was instantly drained, and he collapsed to the ground!

Blood River Sword Array!

Lü Yang had laid the trap beforehand. Liu Xin’s break-in was simply walking willingly into a butcher’s knife.

”Senior Brother, I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

Looking upon Liu Xin’s fallen form, memories of his previous life’s betrayal surged forth. Lü Yang sneered.

Now it’s your turn to taste real cruelty.

”Who are you!?”

Completely powerless, Liu Xin was in utter disbelief. A newly-accepted disciple had plotted against him?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

”Are you a righteous-sect spy? Wait—don’t kill me—I’m useful! I have a Superior Daoist Scripture that can help you reach Foundation Establishment!”

In desperation, he flung out his greatest secret.

”And—an artifact that contains a true disciple of the Stain Sect. He knows countless secrets of the Stain Sect.....No—of the demonic sect.”

”If you spare me, they’re all yours.....”

Before he could finish, Lü Yang activated the Blood Transformation Divine Light, draining him into nothing but a hollow skin.

”Foolish. Killing you only means they’re already mine.”

”Even you’re mine.”

He pulled the Primal Qi Myriad-Soul Banner to his hand and waved it over Liu Xin’s corpse.

With knowledge from his past lives, he easily activated the artifact.

Liu Xin’s corpse turned into Qi and was sucked into the banner, circulating within for some time—until Lü Yang shook the banner again.

Liu Xin manifested anew.

This time, he had become the banner spirit of the Myriad-Soul Banner. Lü Yang had deliberately preserved his memories—

Thus, when he revived, he stared at Lü Yang in disbelief.

”Junior Brother Lü.....Impossible! How do you know how to activate the Myriad-Soul Banner?”

”What did you call me?”

Lü Yang’s voice turned cold.

”Do I need to teach you how a banner spirit addresses the Banner Master? Or would you prefer your soul scattered?”

”Spare me, great master! Liu Xin pays respects to the great master!”

His legs gave out instantly. Though he retained every memory from life, he could not summon even a flicker of hatred.

His entire being overflowed with devotion and obedience.

Such was the dominance of the Myriad-Soul Banner. Banner spirits might appear alive—but their free will had long been stripped away.