Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Summon

Master Miaoyin gazed at the handsome young man in the mirror, her expression impassive, but her mind was racing as she prepared for his questions.

After all, this Suo Huan Zhenren was no ordinary person.

Strictly speaking, he was an Outer Heaven Cultivator. It was just that the Outer Realm he belonged to had been destroyed, shattered by the Perfected Lords and completely absorbed into this world.

He was the only one who had escaped.

If Lü Yang were here right now, he would surely recognize the man. He and Minor Metal had discussed this matter in the past—an unexpected incident from a Battle for the Dao.

The Perfected Lords of the Sword Pavilion, the Stain Sect, the Dao Court, and the Pure Land had joined forces to seize an Outer Realm. Foundation-Stage Cultivators entered the fray, and only after a great war was the realm finally taken. That Outer Realm had even been on the verge of coalescing a Fruit Position before a Perfected Lord intervened. Only the Child of Destiny, chosen by the realm itself, managed to escape.

And that Child of Destiny was Suo Huan.

Ever since, he had roamed the Overseas, constantly hunting and killing disciples from the Four Great Forces who ventured out to sea. Most people believed he was doing this for revenge.

Master Miaoyin, however, knew that wasn’t the truth.

This Outer Heaven Cultivator’s ambitions were vast. He hunted the disciples of the Four Great Forces not for revenge, but for Qi Collection! He was doing it to ascend to a higher realm, for the sake of Seeking Gold!

After all, when it came to the essence of this world, the disciples of the Four Great Forces were definitely top-tier. This was especially true for their Foundation-Stage Cultivators. Even a Loose Cultivator like Wu Cang undeniably possessed a measure of talent, making him a perfect target for Qi Collection.

If that was true for Wu Cang, it was even more so for Lü Yang.

After all, the name Yuan Tu now had some renown Overseas, and his notoriety for publicly one-upping the Sword Pavilion Fairy was also spreading rapidly.

Therefore, Suo Huan quickly caught on.

However, he showed no sign of temptation. Instead, his face filled with apprehension:

”You mean that Master Yuan Tu? He caused quite a stir Overseas not long ago. I almost got involved myself... That one is off-limits.”

The ”stir” Suo Huan mentioned was, of course, the trap Lü Yang had set while Overseas. Under the influence of Heaven and Earth’s Killing Intent, Suo Huan, who was also Overseas at the time, had nearly been drawn in. It was only because he had no karmic links with Lü Yang that he never truly entered the fray. Otherwise, he would have been long dead by now.

”Don’t worry.”

Seeing his hesitation, Master Miaoyin quickly said, ”You saw the battle between Perfected Lords earlier. World Purger Fei Xue was severely injured and is about to seal his Grotto Heaven to recuperate.”

”When that happens, he’ll no longer have a Perfected Lord backing him.”

”Besides, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.”

At this, Master Miaoyin’s tone grew more alluring:

”Kill Yuan Tu, and your Spirit Ruins Blessed Land is guaranteed to reach Perfection in its Qi Collection. Then, when you attempt Seeking Gold, you’ll have a chance to resurrect your Outer Realm!”

”...”

Master Miaoyin’s words sent Suo Huan, on the other side of the mirror, into deep thought. The Spirit Ruins Blessed Land she mentioned was his greatest asset, the key to his dominance Overseas.

The Spirit Ruins Blessed Land was the seed of his former Outer Realm, which had coalesced just before its destruction. It was the realm’s Fruit Position Prototype. Ever since his escape, he had been using the Qi Collection Technique, hoping to have his Spirit Ruins Blessed Land swallow a Heaven and Earth Fruit Position.

If he succeeded, not only could his former Outer Realm—his homeland—be resurrected, but his own Cultivation would also rise with it. He would not only achieve the rank of Perfected Lord but also gain an entire Outer Realm as his personal domain, instantly becoming one of the foremost among their ranks.

”This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You should understand that.”

Master Miaoyin was confident she understood Suo Huan’s thoughts. After all, he had killed so many cultivators from the mainland, and he always needed to offload the Spiritual Materials and Sentient Artifacts he couldn’t use.

And she was one of his fences.

As a result, the two had been dealing with each other in secret for a long time and knew each other well. Otherwise, Master Miaoyin wouldn’t have chosen to approach him.

”So?”

Master Miaoyin pressed, and this time, Suo Huan finally responded. ”To offer something for nothing means you’re up to no good. Fellow Daoist Miaoyin, what do you want out of this?”

”I want you to protect me during my tribulation!”

Master Miaoyin said in a solemn voice, ”I am already at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection. I have found my Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. The only thing left is Crossing the Celestial Thunder Tribulation, and I am not confident I can survive it.”

”I just need you to open your Spirit Ruins Blessed Land and let me face my tribulation inside it. This will weaken the power of the Celestial Thunder Tribulation. As for any damage to your Blessed Land, I will naturally compensate you with Yuan Tu afterward. Given his aptitude, the Qi collected from killing him will be more than enough to cover all your losses.”

”Besides, if I successfully break through, I can help you kill Yuan Tu.”

Master Miaoyin laid out her bargaining chips. Suo Huan considered them for a moment, then shook his head. ”...We kill Yuan Tu first. Then you can enter the Blessed Land.”

”Deal!”

This was within Master Miaoyin’s expectations, so she nodded decisively. ”Then we kill Yuan Tu first. But I need you to sign a Unity Contract with me.”

”That’s the only way to ensure neither of us goes back on their word.”

”That’s only fair.” ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Suo Huan nodded without protest. Only then did Master Miaoyin’s expression relax. She changed the subject, a bright smile appearing on her face:

”Speaking of deals... how much longer for our other transaction?”

”A Celestial Water and Kan Union Treasure Pill... The corresponding Spiritual Materials aren’t easy to find. I asked you to search for them for me Overseas. Have you found any clues after all these years?”

Suo Huan smiled at her words. ”What a coincidence.”

”Your call came at the perfect time, Fellow Daoist. I’ve had my eye on a target for a long time, one who fits your requirements perfectly. By my calculations, it’s about time for them to walk into my trap.”

”Oh?”

Master Miaoyin was taken aback. The next moment, the other side of the mirror suddenly blurred violently—a distortion caused by an eruption of Spiritual Qi.

”...They’re here, right on cue!”

Soon, Suo Huan’s gleeful laugh echoed from the mirror. A moment later, he turned the mirror to reveal a Grand Ward whose Splendid Light soared to the heavens.

The Grand Ward was like a brightly shining dome, suppressing a vast stretch of the sea beneath it. The once-surging seawater within its bounds instantly became as solid as rock. No matter how powerful the Abilities used, they could not stir a single wave. It was truly an Array designed specifically to counter the Water Element.

The next second—

”ROAR!”

An earth-shaking dragon’s roar erupted from beneath the sea. The waves exploded upward, and from them leaped the body of a True Dragon, as majestic as a mountain.

This True Dragon was none other than Sui Ying, the Mid-phase Foundation Establishment Dragon King who had previously been lured to the mainland, attracted by Minor Metal’s Dongyang Blessed Land. It was this very dragon who had joined forces with Lü Yang to repel Ye Guyue, and in doing so, had received half a share of Shade Dragon Water from him.

But now, it looked utterly wretched.

’I thought that by going to the mainland and getting half of the Shade Dragon Water, I would just need to refine it into a Qi Pill to greatly advance my Daoist Cultivation.’

’I never expected to fall into a trap instead.’

At this thought, Sui Ying opened its cavernous maw, and a thunderous roar boomed out:

”Suo Huan! You dare trap me in an array!?”

Hearing this, Suo Huan just smiled faintly. While holding the Enchanted Mirror to give Master Miaoyin a real-time view, he flicked his sleeves and stepped into the Grand Ward.

”Fellow Daoist Sui Ying, you are mistaken.”

”I’ve been in the Overseas for over six hundred years now, and we’ve met quite a few times. Surely you know my methods by now, Fellow Daoist?”

”Is there anything I wouldn’t dare to do?”

His words were spoken with a smile, but they carried a shudder-inducing chill that made the roaring Sui Ying falter. It recognized the stark killing intent in Suo Huan’s voice.