Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: What the Hell, This Is a Nascent Soul!?

High above the island, two factions were still in a standoff.

The leader of the Shenxiao Sect was a graceful and charming Daoist nun in a Daoist robe. At this moment, her lovely face was etched with fury as she stared daggers at the group before her.

Opposite them, the leader of the Cyan Thunder Sect was a white-browed old Daoist with an air of transcendent grace. He held an azure Dharma Pearl in his palm and sneered, ”Lady Xiao, is there anyone in this half of the Chaotic Flow Sea who doesn’t know your master is dead, and you’re all that’s left of the Shenxiao Sect?”

”Today, no one can save you!”

”You should know, the Shenxiao Sect was founded by a renegade from my Cyan Thunder Sect. We’ve let you run free for so many years. It’s time to return to the original source!”

As his voice fell, the crowd behind him roared in agreement.

The Daoist nun known as Lady Xiao was so furious her pretty face flushed red and her chest heaved. ”Shameless! The Cyan Thunder Sect is the one that split off from my Shenxiao Sect!”

”It is only because my Shenxiao Sect has declined that you’ve managed to gain an advantage.”

”You disciples who betray your masters and ancestors! Now that you’ve gained a bit of power, you think you can destroy my Shenxiao Sect? Do you really think my Gui Water Shenxiao Grand Array is a pushover?”

With that, Lady Xiao immediately performed a finger technique.

In an instant, the sound of rushing water echoed from the heavens above. Beams of light from the array interwove, finally coalescing into a vast ocean that covered the sky!

These waters flowed through the air, looking both real and illusory, their waves constantly churning. Upon closer inspection, every current was a leaping bolt of lightning. The rumbling thunder merged with the sound of crashing waves, causing the mortals below to tremble as if facing the might of Heaven itself.

”What a magnificent Gui Water Shenxiao Grand Array...”

The white-browed elder’s expression turned wary at the sight, but even deeper than his wariness was a thick layer of greed. A cold smirk immediately lifted the corner of his mouth.

”...A pity. Now!”

The white-browed elder bellowed, and the Grand Array, which had been on the verge of fully forming, suddenly stalled. Then, the light from one of the array’s core points swiftly dimmed.

Lady Xiao’s pupils shrank at the sight.

Then, she turned in disbelief to one of the people controlling the Main Array below. ”Junior Brother Liu... you colluded with the Cyan Thunder Sect and betrayed our Sect!?”

The one who sabotaged the array was her youngest junior brother, Liu Chi.

When their master had taken him in, he had praised him as the future hope for the Shenxiao Sect’s revival. He had always taken meticulous care of him, sparing no effort.

Yet now, in the Sect’s moment of crisis, he had chosen to open the Mountain Protection Grand Array, becoming the first to betray them!

”The Cyan Thunder Sect is the true orthodox lineage of Shenxiao. How could my actions be called a betrayal?”

A man with a refined, scholarly appearance stepped forward, spouting nonsense. He even deliberately let his claim that ”the Cyan Thunder Sect is the true lineage” echo in all directions.

This was part of his deal with the Cyan Thunder Sect.

He had originally joined the Shenxiao Sect thinking its long history meant it possessed profound Daoist techniques. But as time went on, he grew more and more dissatisfied.

Because the Shenxiao Sect was in decline.

Especially after Lady Xiao’s master, that famous Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, disappeared, the Shenxiao Sect became nothing more than a sinking ship in his eyes.

And with his aptitude—a Mutated Thunder Spirit Root—how could he stay on a sinking ship until he died? A fine bird chooses a tree to perch on; naturally, he had to find another path.

”Hahaha! Well done!”

At the same time, the white-browed elder burst out laughing. ”Liu Chi, rest assured! After today, you will be an Elder of my Cyan Thunder Sect. Now, everyone, with me...”

The white-browed elder hadn’t even uttered the word ”kill” before his voice abruptly cut off.

For a woman with a graceful figure and stunning beauty had suddenly appeared before him. Her beautiful, clear eyes glanced at him nonchalantly.

With just a single glance, the white-browed elder’s expression froze. Immediately after, cracks began to spread rapidly across his body.

BOOM!

With an explosion, his Spiritual Qi dissipated, and his life was extinguished.

”A few Late-phase Qi Refining Cultivators shouldn’t waste their breath here. Send out someone who can actually make decisions. Where is your sect’s Perfected Person?”

Lü Yang spoke coolly, his Divine Sense possessing Su Nu.

At the same time, he made up his mind. ’If more than three Foundation-Stage Cultivators appear, I’ll immediately detonate Su Nu and run for it. Better to avoid getting entangled in major karmic links.’

However, he soon realized that the crowd’s reaction was... off.

”Elder... Elder...”

”That Cultivator killed the Elder!”

”Who is he?”

The disciples of the Cyan Thunder Sect stared with wide eyes, completely stupefied, as if they couldn’t believe what had just happened before them.

”You... You’re finished!” one of the Cyan Thunder Sect disciples finally snapped out of it. He pointed at Su Nu and snarled, ”The Elder was Ancestor Master Qingting’s favorite disciple, and an appointed outer elder of the Immortal Alliance! You killed him! The Immortal Alliance and Ancestor Master Qingting will hunt you to the ends of the earth!”

’Su Nu was the one who killed him, what’s that got to do with me?’

Lü Yang wasn’t flustered at all. Instead, he focused on another part of the disciple’s statement. ’Ancestor Master Qingting? Could that be the Cyan Thunder Sect’s Perfected Lord?’

Just then, a voice suddenly boomed:

”Who dares to kill my beloved disciple!?”

The voice, like a furious wave crashing through the sky, reverberated from hundreds of miles away. Then, a figure constructed entirely of True Qi was seen speeding toward them.

Such was its power that the entire island began to tremble slightly, even before the figure drew close.

Lady Xiao’s expression, in particular, filled with despair. If it were only the white-browed elder, she would have had the confidence to fight him with her Gui Water Shenxiao Grand Array.

However, even with the Grand Array’s support, she was no match for Ancestor Master Qingting, who was in the Nascent Soul Realm!

’Is it truly Heaven’s will to destroy my Shenxiao Sect?’

The next second, the figure arrived. Its gaze fell upon Lü Yang’s form, and without a word, it unleashed a vast ocean of shimmering water-light.

Lü Yang saw this and immediately smiled.

”Final-phase of Qi Refining? I’ll give you points for courage!”

As his voice fell, Lü Yang simply grabbed the figure and held it in his hand like a dead dog. Only then did he turn back to the people of the Cyan Thunder Sect.

”Stop sending these small-fry. Where are your Foundation-Stage Cultivators?”

He was met with a sea of stupefied gazes.

”Ancestor Master Qingting... This is impossible!”

”He subdued the Ancestor Master with one hand!?”

In an instant, several Cyan Thunder Sect disciples fell to their knees in mid-air, their faces a twisted mask of laughing and crying, clearly unable to accept reality.

Seeing this, Lü Yang finally put two and two together.

He looked at the Final-phase Qi Refiner in his hand and saw that the man was also terrified. Before Lü Yang could even speak, the figure hurriedly begged for mercy.

”Upper Cultivator, spare my life! This lowly one, Qing Ting, greets the Upper Cultivator!”

Lü Yang’s mouth hung open for a moment before he said in a low voice, ”...You’re Qing Ting? The Ancestor Master of the Cyan Thunder Sect?”

”Yes, yes... May I ask the Upper Cultivator, is there a problem?”

’This is a huge problem!’

Lü Yang wore an expression of complete disbelief. ”Isn’t the fucking Cyan Thunder Sect a Golden Core Sect?”

Hearing this, Ancestor Master Qingting quickly shook his head. ”Upper Cultivator, you’ve misunderstood.”

’Oh, a misunderstanding? That explains it...’

The next second, Ancestor Master Qingting said with a hint of pride, ”This lowly one successfully completed Nascent Soul Formation a few days ago. The Cyan Thunder Sect is now a Nascent Soul Sect!”

”...A Nascent Soul? You?”

Only then did Lü Yang remember that this fellow in his hand didn’t actually have a physical body. His form was composed entirely of True Qi, and his core was a brilliantly shining root shimmering with Spirit Light.

’You call *this* a Nascent Soul?’

Although he had never truly seen a Master of Dao, Lü Yang had heard a few words about them during his conversations with Perfected Chong Guang, and the impression they left was profound.

”A Nascent Soul is the truth of the infinite, the essence of Two and Five. It harvests the origin of Father Qian and merges with the Qi of Palace Kun. It projects its consciousness into Heaven and Earth, blending with them completely, achieving Enlightenment in the wondrous methods of the Dao, and completes its nurturing. The essence of Two and Five is man’s innate nature; the truth of the infinite is man’s destiny. When these two wondrously combine, only then is a Nascent Soul born.”

But this thing in his hand... to put it bluntly, it was just a strand of Upper Grade True Qi that happened to look like an infant!

’This is a fucking Nascent Soul?’

’You almost had me fooled!’

Lü Yang’s expression shifted as he carefully examined the Ancestor Master Qingting in his hand. Suddenly, his eyebrows raised slightly. He realized that Ancestor Master Qingting’s state was somewhat familiar.

It possessed consciousness, but its essence was just a strand of True Qi.

”...Primal Qi!?”

Instantly, Lü Yang’s expression became a mixture of shock and uncertainty.

Primal Qi... that was the unique technique of the Primal Daoist, the original owner of the Myriad-Soul Banner and creator of the Manual of Primal Qi!