Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Here to Annihilate the Sect

With Perfected Yin Shan’s willing retreat, the tense atmosphere inside Dragon-Crushing Pass eased considerably. The Profound Iron Sword Master, who had come as reinforcements, was treated with the utmost courtesy.

The Perfected Person known as the Profound Iron Sword Master was not handsome; his face was quite plain. Now that he had withdrawn his Sword Intent, he lacked the sharp aura typical of a Sword Cultivator. At first glance, he looked like an old farmer. Only the Black Iron Longsword at his waist faintly emanated a sharp intent that would make a Foundation-Stage Cultivator’s heart tremble.

”Fellow Daoist Xuan Tie!”

Five Elements Zhenren was the first to approach, exclaiming, ”It is fortunate you arrived in time, Fellow Daoist. Otherwise, I fear Dragon-Crushing Pass would have been breached by the Demon Sect today.”

After speaking, he glanced again at the longsword at the Profound Iron Sword Master’s waist.

”Profound Gold, Profound Silver, Profound Iron... The more common the material, the sharper the Sword Intent. The Profound Iron Sword is indeed the greatest of the Upper Profound Sword Sect’s three Profound Swords!”

”You flatter me.”

The Profound Iron Sword Master waved his hand dismissively, but it was clear from his expression that he was enjoying the praise. After all, who doesn’t like a compliment? Besides, he knew his contribution had been significant.

At the same time, Zhong Xin approached with a smile as well. ”When I learned the Demon Sect was heading south, I immediately sent a message to the Upper Profound Sword Sect requesting aid. I originally thought it would take much longer. Thanks to the Profound Iron Sword Master’s profound Cultivation and remarkably fast Sword Escape, we were ultimately able to turn the tide.”

”Please, come in. I have prepared a banquet to welcome you and wash away the dust of your travels.”

The Profound Iron Sword Master did not stand on ceremony. He followed Zhong Xin, and the group of Foundation-Stage Cultivators entered the hall. The atmosphere immediately grew lively.

”The leader you encountered outside the city earlier—was that Yuan Tu?”

The Profound Iron Sword Master’s gaze was sharp as he spoke in a low voice, ”After Junior Brother Profound Gold returned, he told me about this man. I could see his Sword Heart was wavering, and it was because of him.”

”It’s a shame he retreated willingly and we never crossed blades.”

”Otherwise, I would have wielded my Profound Iron Sword and cut him down on the battlefield. When Junior Brother Profound Gold heard the news, his wavering Sword Heart might have had a chance to recover.”

At this, the Profound Iron Sword Master sighed again, seeming quite regretful.

Then he noticed that the banquet, which had been so lively just a moment ago, had somehow fallen silent. Duo Bao Child and the others were staring intently at him.

’...What’s wrong?’

”There’s something you don’t know, Fellow Daoist,” Five Elements Zhenren sighed. ”The man outside just now wasn’t that Fierce Demon, merely one of his companions.”

”Speaking of that Fierce Demon, I initially suspected he was from a True Monarch’s Direct Lineage, just out to build his reputation. So after our defeat, I went to great lengths to investigate him.” With that, Five Elements Zhenren took out a Jade Scroll. ”I didn’t expect much, but what I found... it makes me wonder if he’s the reincarnation of a Perfected Lord!”

”Fellow Daoist, do you know how old that Fierce Demon is?”

The Profound Iron Sword Master was taken aback, then said cautiously, ”I heard from the Profound Gold Sword Master that he’s at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection. Can it be that he has just entered his second life?”

He felt his own guess was already quite bold.

After all, it takes an ordinary Cultivator a hundred years to reach Foundation Establishment. Then they must condense their Innate Divine Technique and search for the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. In the blink of an eye, their first life is over.

To reach the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment in one’s first life is to be a true prodigy, to say nothing of reaching Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection with two Innate Divine Techniques. To cultivate to such a Realm, one must have surely lived through at least one reincarnation. For example, the Sect Leader of his own Upper Profound Sword Sect was already in the twilight of his third life.

To his surprise, however, Five Elements Zhenren shook his head.

”A second life? As far as I know, that Fierce Demon has been cultivating for less than a century! Forget a second life, he hasn’t even lived through half of his first!”

At these words, the Profound Iron Sword Master was instantly struck dumb.

’Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection... in just a century?’

’What kind of joke is this!’

After a long moment, he finally exhaled deeply and forced a smile. ”Cultivating quickly doesn’t mean much. If you advance too fast, your foundation is unstable. His Abilities are probably nothing special...”

As he spoke, the Profound Iron Sword Master trailed off and shut his mouth.

After all, he had heard the Profound Gold Sword Master mention that this man had slain the Dragon-Fishing Elder, a cultivator at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, right under everyone’s noses.

No matter how one looked at it, that counted as having powerful Abilities.

”So what if his Abilities are powerful?”

The Profound Iron Sword Master gripped the Profound Iron Sword at his waist. ”We Sword Cultivators have always roamed the world with our blades. If he were standing before me, I would still try to cut him down with a single blow!”

At this, a hint of pride showed in the Profound Iron Sword Master’s eyes. ”This Profound Iron Sword of mine was bestowed by the Sword Pavilion in the South. It is not just a Superior Sentient Artifact; it contains a Divine Effect called Breaking Barrier, which can slice through any obstruction. Let him have ten thousand Abilities—I can break them all with a single slash!”

”PFFT...!”

Duo Bao Child, standing nearby, let out a noise as if trying to suppress a laugh. The Profound Iron Sword Master immediately shot him a furious glare, his tone icy. ”What are you laughing at?”

”Fellow Daoist, Fellow Daoist, calm yourself...”

Five Elements Zhenren hurried forward to restrain the Profound Iron Sword Master, whispering, ”The Profound Iron Sword is certainly sharp, but that Fierce Demon possesses even more powerful Spiritual Treasures!”

”I saw it with my own two eyes. He has at least three Superior Sentient Artifacts. Two are Magical Swords—one seems to have three Divine Effects, and the other has one. On top of that, he has a Protective Sentient Artifact. And there may be other methods he simply hasn’t revealed...”

The more the Profound Iron Sword Master listened, the more speechless he became.

’A Magical Sword with three Divine Effects? At least three Superior Sentient Artifacts?’

Thinking of this, he glanced down at his Profound Iron Sword—an item he had treasured for years, yet it possessed only a single Divine Effect. A surge of frustration welled up in his chest.

”Damn these Second Generation Immortals!”

The Profound Iron Sword Master gritted his teeth. ”For Sword Cultivators like us, the sword is merely an external tool! The true key is one’s comprehension of Sword Intent! That’s something these Second Generation Immortals can never grasp!”

”You’re mistaken again, Fellow Daoist.”

Five Elements Zhenren sighed. ”According to my investigation, the man has no powerful backing. He has reached this point one step at a time, relying solely on his own talent and hard work.”

The Profound Iron Sword Master: ”...”

There was no comeback for that.

Just then, Zhong Xin, seated at the head of the table, finally spoke. ”That may be so, but he is ultimately not at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. We still have ways of dealing with him.”

”...That’s right!” At these words, the Profound Iron Sword Master’s spirits finally lifted. ”With the help of the Sword Pavilion, our Sect Leader recently found his third Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch. He is currently in seclusion, preparing to break through to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. When that happens, no matter what kind of genius that man is, he won’t be able to withstand a single strike from our Sect Leader!”

Hearing this, everyone present looked re-energized.

Only Zhong Xin remained cautious. He lowered his voice and asked, ”With Fellow Daoist Xuan Tie here providing reinforcements, isn’t the Upper Profound Sword Sect left vulnerable? Are its defenses secure?”

”Rest assured, Champion Scholar!”

The Profound Iron Sword Master said confidently, ”Profound Gold and Profound Silver, two Perfected Persons at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, are still holding down the fort on the mountain. Any petty intruders are not worth mentioning.”

”What danger could there be?”

”Wait...” Five Elements Zhenren suddenly frowned. ”That Fierce Demon didn’t appear this time. Could he have secretly gone to your sect’s mountain?”

”After all, your opponents must be aware of the threat Fellow Daoist Shangxuan poses.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Profound Iron Sword Master’s expression changed dramatically.

However, another voice quickly chimed in, ”Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

Everyone turned toward the voice.

It was none other than Duo Bao Child.

”Don’t you all forget, Dragon-Crushing Pass is still standing!” Duo Bao Child said eloquently. ”The pass suppresses all Spiritual Qi, so no one can just tear through space to cross the region.”

”And if he tried to travel by Flying Light, it would be impossible to get past us undetected.”

”Taking a huge step back, let’s say the Array was damaged during the Demon’s assault and that Fierce Demon slipped past. Unless he could annihilate the entire Upper Profound Sword Sect so completely that not a single message could be sent, wouldn’t he become a sitting duck the moment we went to reinforce them?”

”Think about it, everyone. Could he do that? Would he even dare?”

”The Sect Leader of the Upper Profound Sword Sect is at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection, the same Cultivation Realm as that Fierce Demon. Are you saying that if he were attacked, he wouldn’t even be able to get a message out?”

”Well...”

Duo Bao Child’s reasoning was sound and convincing. Even Five Elements Zhenren, who had first raised the doubt, felt that he had probably been worrying for nothing.

........

「Qing Country, Profound Sword Mountain.」

True to its name, this was the location of the Upper Profound Sword Sect’s main gate. The mountain was named Profound Sword Mountain because it was shaped like a sharp sword piercing the heavens.

The founding ancestor of the Upper Profound Sword Sect had chosen this location for its excellent Feng Shui and its auspicious nature, which was said to produce heroes. He established the sect here, hoping that generations of disciples could use it as a base to nurture a Lay Line within the mountain. With the support of a Lay Line, the Upper Profound Sword Sect’s foundation would be truly secure.

Just like the Wu Ghost Sect of old.

A thousand years ago, the Wu Ghost Sect controlled the Vast Skull Mountains Ley Line, and even a Perfected Lord would have hesitated to act against them. This showed just how important a Lay Line was to a major power.

’Fortunately, it seems this place has yet to birth a Lay Line...’

At the foot of Profound Sword Mountain, a handsome young man in white robes and a Profound Cloak, his wide sleeves fluttering, casually admired the mountain scenery.

”Halt!”

The young man walked all the way to the main gate before two disciples of the Upper Profound Sword Sect emerged on streaks of Flying Light to block his path. With stern expressions, they demanded:

”Who are you? What is your business?”

”I am Lü Yang. Would you be so kind as to announce me?” Lü Yang clasped his hands in a perfectly courteous gesture and smiled. ”I have come to slaughter the sect and wipe it from existence.”