Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Centome’s Changes

After seeing off the two Perfected Lords from the Pure Land and the Dao Court, World Purger Fei Xue turned her gaze to Lü Yang. Her eyes, as large as the sun and moon, seemed to be pondering something.

”...Heh. It is a joyous occasion for the Sect to welcome a new Perfected Person.”

As she finished speaking, World Purger Fei Xue smiled sweetly and released Lü Yang from her palm. ”Go see Perfected Chong Guang. On your way, announce your new status to all the sects in the North.”

With that, the magnificent Form that filled Heaven and Earth, stretching for tens of thousands of miles, dissipated.

Lü Yang let out a long breath of Muddy Qi. He then saw Qin Tianhe, Xu Xin, Daoist Jiao Long, and the other Direct Disciples carefully flying toward him.

”I greet your Perfected Person!”

Compared to before the Battle for the Dao, the Position of all the Direct Disciples had improved significantly.

This was especially true for Chongming; Lü Yang could tell with a single glance that he had at least a fifty percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment.

”Rise.”

Lü Yang raised his hand and smiled. ”This is the border between the East, West, and North regions. It’s a long journey back to the Sect. Do you need me to see you part of the way?”

”Thank you for your generous offer, Perfected Person.” Xu Xin quickly shook his head. ”We must head to the front lines, so we won’t be returning... but perhaps the young master is in need?”

At this, Chongming’s face soured. ”I don’t need it!”

”As you wish.”

Lü Yang chuckled, not putting on any airs. After all, any of the Direct Disciples present might one day become a Foundation-Stage Cultivator just like him.

Even within the Stain Sect, Direct Disciples held a certain status. Though they were often treated as assets to be utilized, they weren’t disposable cannon fodder. A Perfected Person would treat them with some care, not completely disregarding whether they lived or died.

Nevertheless, a thick wall still separated a Perfected Person from those beneath them.

Thus, after meeting Lü Yang and paying their respects, the Direct Disciples departed one by one in streaks of light. Only Chongming remained, looking at Lü Yang with a helpless expression.

”Is there something else?” Lü Yang asked, a puzzled look on his face.

”Perfected Person...”

Chongming lowered his head and said in a low voice, ”That Eight Trigrams Plate was a gift from my father. It can conceal Karma Links and is this disciple’s personal protective artifact. I must ask the Perfected Person to return it...”

Lü Yang froze for a moment, then an expression of dawning realization crossed his face.

He then reached into his robes, produced the Eight Trigrams Plate he had borrowed from Chongming to divine the Dao Court’s location, and handed it back.

”My apologies. It completely slipped my mind.”

”Not at all, thank you, Perfected Person...”

As Chongming respectfully accepted the Eight Trigrams Plate, he cursed inwardly, ’If I hadn’t spoken up, this Perfected Person would have just kept my artifact for himself!’

’He might have even feigned ignorance if I hadn’t brought up my father, Perfected Chong Guang!’

’How utterly shameless!’

Seeing Lü Yang’s completely normal expression, as if his conscience were clear, Chongming felt a mix of resentment and helplessness. ’Truly a Perfected Person of our Stain Sect, through and through.’

A moment later, Lü Yang watched Chongming depart with a look of regret. He did not, however, rush back to the Stain Sect. Instead, he turned his attention to the Centome. It had actually changed the moment he succeeded in his Foundation Establishment, but with the Perfected Lord present, he hadn’t dared to react.

Now was the perfect time to inspect the changes.

The next second, with a flicker of thought from Lü Yang, his information on the [Centome] appeared. It had changed significantly.

[Name: Lü Yang]

[Lifespan: 35]

[Cultivation: Early-phase of Foundation Establishment]

[Talent Skill: Cultivation Genius (White), Got a Pair (Purple)]

[Dao Foundation: Imperial Dragonrise Foundation]

[Abilities: None]

[Artifacts: Blood Sun Sword Pill (scrapped), Primal Qi (Upper-Grade Rare Treasure), Myriad-Soul Banner (Lower-Grade Spiritual Treasure)]

[Available Leaves of Centome: 93]

[Anchor Point Number: 1]

Lü Yang’s gaze immediately fell on the newly added [Anchor Point Number]. This was the gift from the [Centome] for breaking through to Foundation Establishment.

’A chance to save my progress!’

’This way, when I restart, I won’t have to go all the way back to the day I joined the Sect. I can choose which anchor point to restart from.’

’The strategic possibilities are so much greater now!’

’For instance, my current anchor point is the Stain Sect beginning. In my next life, I could go to the Sword Pavilion and set a new anchor point there to start from!’

Lü Yang needed to consider the specifics carefully, however, so he didn’t rush to use the anchor point. He continued to examine the panel instead.

Besides the Anchor Point Number, the Technique entry on his panel had been replaced by Dao Foundation. Even more shockingly, the Abilities section had been completely wiped clean.

’In other words, even Legendary Techniques aren’t that important to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They’re just common methods for Combat...

That makes sense. How quickly can a Foundation-Stage Cultivator master a Legendary Technique? You get what you pay for. It’s only natural that something easy to master wouldn’t be that valuable.’

’This is where having the backing of a Sect really shows its advantages.’

’I have the legacy of the Wu Ghost Sect and was personally taught by Progenitor Tingyou. When I get back to the Sea of Clouds, I’ll probably receive guidance from the Stain Sect’s Perfected Persons as well.’

’Isn’t that a much brighter future than that of some miserable Loose Cultivator?’

At this thought, Lü Yang lingered no more. He turned, summoned his golden auspicious cloud once again, and soared through the air toward the Stain Sect.

In an instant, a Qi Tide spanning a thousand miles surged across the heavens.

After all, Lü Yang dared not forget World Purger Fei Xue’s command.

He made no effort to conceal his Qi trace, his passage roaring like the tide and flashing like lightning as he traversed the sky like the sun and moon on their daily course.

Almost simultaneously, throughout the entire North, the Foundation-Stage Cultivators in sects large and small under Stain Sect rule, and even those of the Immortal Race, all sensed it. They looked up at the heavens, their eyes filled with envy. ”The Stain Sect has produced another one. And judging by the sheer might of his Magical Power, he’s likely another prodigy of his generation.”

Stain Sect, Sea of Clouds.

On Holy Fire Cliff, Perfected Chong Guang was in meditative breathing when he suddenly snapped awake. After a quick calculation with his fingers, a pleased smile graced his features.

”Good! Excellent!”

As he spoke, Perfected Chong Guang flicked his sleeve. With a thunderous snap of his fingers, his immense Magical Power struck a Giant Bell on the summit of Holy Fire Cliff.

Instantly, the chime of the great bell echoed throughout the Cloud Sea.

As the sound of the bell spread, the first to react were the Inner Sect Four Peaks. The four Peak Masters were jolted from their seclusion almost simultaneously.

In the past, the Stain Sect’s Perfected Persons were usually elusive, rarely showing themselves unless absolutely necessary.

Now, however, upon hearing the bell, every Perfected Person in seclusion within the Sect revealed their Qi trace. They transformed into streams of pure Qi and Splendid Light, piercing through the cloud-topped peaks and soaring into the heavens!

The sudden activity caused the entire Cloud Sea to tremble.

Countless Qi Refining Disciples fell to their knees, their faces filled with awe. At the same time, they communicated secretly amongst themselves, trying to figure out what was going on.

Meanwhile, in the Northern Border, the Divine Martial Sect—already in steep decline—was utterly terrified.

After the Skull Mountains incident, the Divine Martial Sect had suffered grievous losses and was practically a sitting duck. The Stain Sect had left it standing purely as a training ground for its disciples.

This sudden eruption of Qi traces from the Stain Sect’s many Perfected Persons led the remaining cultivators of the Divine Martial Sect to believe that their doomsday had finally come.

Shocked and enraged, they revealed themselves, their faces grimly determined, ready to fight to the death. They were plunged into confusion only when they realized not a single Perfected Person from the Stain Sect had actually arrived.

Sea of Clouds, Heaven Mending Peak.

”Father, what’s happening?”

”...After so many years, someone has reached Foundation Establishment.”

In response to his daughter Chen Shuqian’s question, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak fell silent for a moment. He stepped out of his secluded Cave Mansion and looked up at the golden auspicious cloud that stretched for a thousand miles.

His expression was complex.

’The Panlong legacy? Who is this person? He hid himself from me, and even from Panlong itself. To reach Foundation Establishment while shouldering such immense karmic links... what kind of person is he?’

’And if he has the Panlong legacy... then what happened to Zhao Xuhe?’

The more the Master of Heaven Mending Peak thought, the more something felt wrong. The karmic links he had once divined so clearly now seemed muddled and obscure.

He felt a profound sense of apprehension toward this newly-ascended Perfected Person of the Stain Sect.

Thinking of this, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak even felt a sliver of relief.

’At least I haven’t come into conflict with this new Perfected Person over the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis. There’s no great feud between us.’