Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The 7th Lifetime

[You have failed your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and perished, your Dao extinguished.]

[Available Leaves of Centome: 94]

[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 rang out from the stage, but Lü Yang was completely oblivious, his Heart Spirit still focused on the Centome’s interface. He only snapped out of it after a long moment.

’I choose Cultivation.’

The next moment, his empty body was flooded with boundless Qi. His previous life’s cultivation at the Great Perfection of the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining returned, along with all his techniques: the Heavenfiend Lifeblood Offering Radiance, the Yin Curse, the Heaven Divination Talisman, Theft to Sainthood... a satisfied sigh escaped Lü Yang’s lips.

’Heaven Divination Talisman, Imperial Decree of Pardon...’

In the next instant, Lü Yang circulated the Heaven Divination Talisman, empowering it with the Position of Theft to Sainthood and shrouding his own karmic links in an illusory layer.

He had not wasted a single moment of his hundred years of arduous cultivation in his previous life.

With the help of the Chat Jade Scroll, his mastery of both Arrays and Talisman Art had reached the Seventh Grade, which was essentially the limit for a Qi Refiner.

Talisman Art, in particular, was his main focus.

His greatest achievement was successfully recreating the Primal Qi Divine Talisman from his past life, a tool used to obscure celestial secrets. This version retained thirty percent of the original’s effectiveness.

’It’s enough for now.’

’After all, the original was created by a Foundation-Stage Cultivator and empowered by a Foundation Establishment Position. It’s unrealistic for me to perfectly recreate it. Thirty percent is already quite good...’

RUMBLE!

The next moment, Lü Yang felt a stir in the Great Net of Karma Links. It was as if an immense Qi trace was sweeping through, following the karmic thread of Perfected Panlong’s inheritance and tracing it back to him. Lü Yang instantly recognized the owner of the Qi trace—it was none other than the Master of Heaven Mending Peak!

’Such a fast reaction!’

’In my past few lives, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak took years to find me, but now he’s tracked me down almost instantly. Is it because my cultivation is higher?’

’But... things are different now!’

Lü Yang centered himself. Since he had chosen Cultivation and inherited the karmic links of Perfected Panlong, he had expected to be tracked down by the Master of Heaven Mending Peak.

This time, however, things were drastically different.

He had a Position!

When a Foundation-Stage Cultivator performed Divination on a mortal without a Position, they would never fail. However, once the target possessed a Position, the difficulty of the Divination skyrocketed.

”Hmph! You court death, junior!”

Through the Great Net of Karma Links, Lü Yang heard the Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s slightly enraged voice echoing thunderously. He had clearly noticed Lü Yang’s attempt to obscure the celestial secrets and had even seen through him, determining that Lü Yang was not a Foundation-Stage Cultivator, but a Qi Refiner who possessed a Position.

The next second, Lü Yang felt the Master of Heaven Mending Peak get serious.

A boundless Divine Sense swept over, directly shattering the layer of illusory karmic links he had set up and chasing straight to his true source. It would lock onto him in less than a quarter of an hour.

’So strong... far too strong...’

Lü Yang marveled inwardly, but he didn’t panic. The Master of Heaven Mending Peak needed a quarter of an hour to lock onto him, but what he needed to do wouldn’t even take that long.

The next instant, Lü Yang moved.

He left his Primal Qi Avatar behind as his true body slipped away under a veil of concealment. He then went directly to Liu Xin and took the genuine Divine Talisman.

With Lü Yang’s current Cultivation, overpowering Liu Xin—who was still only in the Mid-phase of Qi Refining—was effortless. Liu Xin never suspected a thing. Furthermore, to avoid tipping anyone off, Lü Yang even replaced the Divine Talisman with a simplified version of his own making.

”Who is it!?”

Almost immediately after he took the genuine Divine Talisman, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak shattered Lü Yang’s defenses and began to brute-force his search through the Great Net of Karma Links.

However, he found nothing.

This experience of being played for a fool sent the Master of Heaven Mending Peak into a rage, but no matter how he tried to divine the celestial secrets, he could not find the culprit.

This strange development made the Master of Heaven Mending Peak fall silent. After a long pause, he spoke again, ”Fortune, was that you?”

”Huh?”

Within the Stain Sect, a devastatingly handsome Daoist with an ethereal air opened his eyes, a helpless look on his face. ”Don’t you dare slander me, Old Monster Chen.”

”Hmph! It must have been you!”

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak seemed convinced that the Perfected Fortune was behind all this and sneered, ”Before his death, Panlong entrusted his inheritance to me. We agreed that I would designate the successor. How dare you use a junior to secretly snatch it away? Do you really think I’m intimidated by your status and wouldn’t dare to make a move?”

After hearing this, the Perfected Fortune’s eyes narrowed slightly. ”Panlong’s inheritance was snatched away?”

”Stop playing dumb with me,” the Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s voice continued. ”This matter between us isn’t over. A reincarnated Perfected Lord... is not a Perfected Lord, after all!”

Soon, the fluctuations on the Great Net of Karma Links dissipated.

Evidently, although the Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s words were fierce, he still had reservations and didn’t dare to act directly. The Perfected Fortune, however, still felt rather vexed.

He had been peacefully cultivating in his Cave Mansion, only to provoke a powerful rival out of the blue. After all, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak was a preeminent figure among the Stain Sect’s Foundation-Stage Cultivators, not someone to be trifled with.

Naturally, his mood soured. At the same time, however, his curiosity was piqued.

’Who is scheming against me?’

The Perfected Fortune pinched his fingers to perform a divination but came up with nothing. He couldn’t help but frown. ’If it wasn’t a scheme... was it an unintentional mistake? Did I get dragged into this by accident?’

’Interesting!’

’Going by what Heaven Mending said, some junior made off with Panlong’s inheritance, and he still hasn’t figured out who? What junior has such audacity?’

The more the Perfected Fortune thought about it, the more curious he became.

’Unfortunately, this junior seems to have a karma veil, so ordinary divination methods won’t work... But using the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire for a mere junior is overkill. The cost outweighs the benefit... Never mind. I have more important things to do.’

With that thought, the Perfected Fortune shifted his attention elsewhere.

Almost at the same time, a disciple within the Stain Sect suddenly raised his head. His once-muddled thoughts became clear, and he took on a heroic air.

His name was Xiao Shiye.

...

’Truly terrifying...’

Inside the Yin-Yang Unity Hall, Lü Yang had already been lured into a Cave Mansion by Yu Suzhen, exactly as it had happened in his previous lives. Liu Xin was also already waiting at the entrance.

Originally, this was the part where he would turn the tables and kill Yu Suzhen.

But this time, Lü Yang had a different idea.

’In this life, I’m going to cultivate the Lunar Shedding Technique, which means I’m destined to ’die’ once anyway. If that’s the case, I might as well die here.’

This time, Lü Yang planned to let Yu Suzhen plunder his Qi!

In addition, he also planned to use Yu Suzhen to test a question he had. Whether this idea was right or wrong would determine his goal for this life.

And that was the Bond of Devouring Fate!

This Foundation Establishment Technique allowed him to plant his Qi trace in a woman through dual cultivation, effectively making her a stepping stone for his own progress.

And Lü Yang’s question was simple: ’Can this technique be used indirectly?’

Because this Technique had its limitation: if he used it himself, he could only use it on women, such as Fairy Feixia, Fairy Qinghe, and others.

But both Fairy Feixia and Fairy Qinghe had limited talent and strength, falling far short of his requirements.

The only one who met the requirements, Yun Miaozhen, was far away in the Sword Pavilion.

In comparison, the men were a different story.

Liu Xin, Zhao Xuhe, Xiao Shiye—each one more significant than the last. They could all be considered Foundation Seeds, blessed with profound fortune, and they were right there, within his reach.

Thus, Lü Yang came up with a plan.

’If the Bond of Devouring Fate can be used indirectly, I can use it on Yu Suzhen first, turning her into my puppet. Then, I’ll have her learn the technique and use it to cultivate with chosen ones like Liu Xin, Zhao Xuhe, and Xiao Shiye. That way, can’t I indirectly use the Bond of Devouring Fate on them?’

’Back then, the Perfected Fortune nearly scared me to death. This life is the perfect chance for some payback.’

’He created Xiao Shiye, a Son of Destiny who surpasses countless disciples. Well, I’ll create a Daughter of Destiny, Yu Suzhen, who will surpass even Xiao!’