Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain, Where Fortune and Misfortune Coexist

The search for the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches is the most profound part of a Foundation-Stage Cultivator’s breakthrough. It hinges on one’s fortune, but it also tests the depth of their Cultivation.

Many Perfected Persons, even when fortune smiles upon them, lack the necessary depth of Cultivation. Their grasp of karmic links is too shallow, so they can only follow their fortune’s guidance and act on instinct. In the end, they often botch the attempt. It is a classic case of squandering a heaven-sent opportunity, only to suffer for it later. The result is that their fortune is spent, yet they fail to obtain the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches they desire.

However, those with deeper Cultivation were another story.

A Perfected Person with profound Cultivation could follow the trail of their fortune to deduce the underlying karmic links, allowing them to calculate the precise method for obtaining the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and ensuring they wouldn’t go astray.

Lü Yang’s Cultivation was undoubtedly insufficient.

After all, his current Cultivation had been bolstered by Qi Pills. Though it met the required standard, it was far from exceptional, and his skill in deducing karma links was not yet advanced enough.

’Fortunately, I still have the Prophetic Orrery.’

Lü Yang opened the Dharma Eye on his brow. The Prophetic Orrery cast down the Light of Bing Fire, illuminating the world around him and making plain the karmic links that had previously been obscure.

This Divination Artifact had been of immense help to Lü Yang. Though it wasn’t an Artifact of Magical Combat, he had escaped danger several times almost entirely thanks to its deductive powers. Otherwise, he would have suffered greatly just dealing with Arhat Fulong, to say nothing of the Master of Heaven Mending Peak.

Soon, a look of realization dawned on Lü Yang’s face.

’So that’s how it is. My opportunity this time is a mountain formed from the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches... called the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain! And it’s right on the edge of the Four Seas Sect’s territory.’

’All I have to do is find it and refine it.’

At this thought, Lü Yang opened his palm. The Emperor’s Golden Seal of Tushita activated on its own, revealing to him the form of his next Innate Divine Technique.

’Lost Magnet!’

’The Overseas Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain corresponds perfectly to this technique. The deduction must be correct... but this mountain won’t be so easy to refine.’

It was just like his previous search for the Earth of Wu.

Back then, in the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm, the Earth of Wu had manifested as a conceptual existence that could not be taken without special methods. It was the same this time.

’This mountain has long been claimed by the Four Seas Sect. A Dragon King has declared that he will wait for the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain to fully mature and then refine it into a Superior Sentient Artifact. If I go rashly to take it, I’ll inevitably clash with the Four Seas Sect. This is my Tribulation... If I can’t break through it, I won’t be able to seize this opportunity!’

’But how am I supposed to break through this Tribulation?’

’Trying to snatch it openly is out of the question. My only chance is to first find a way to conceal my qi trace, sneak in, and refine the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain.’

’But how can I sneak in?’

At this thought, Lü Yang glanced again at the Array Formation Pill that sealed Sui Ying. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he couldn’t help but clap his hands and laugh aloud.

”Karmic links are truly wondrous!”

’I just so happen to have a Dragon King. If I refine this Dragon King, in its entirety, into my Dharma Body, I can use the profound mystery of the All Phenomena to create a draconic qi trace!’

The Dharma Body was profound. Its All Phenomena aspect could absorb and integrate external objects, encompassing all things. Whatever was refined into it, the Dharma Body could naturally replicate that object’s qi trace and appearance. Therefore, by refining a Dragon King, he could disguise himself as a pure-blooded draconic descendant and use that identity to infiltrate the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain!

With this, he no longer hesitated.

CRACK!

Lü Yang closed his fist, instantly crushing the Array Formation Pill. Sui Ying, sealed within, was killed on the spot without so much as a grunt.

He then uncurled his fingers. An endless torrent of blood poured from his palm, each drop as heavy as a mountain and shimmering with a brilliant golden Splendid Light. This was the blood of a Dragon Monarch’s scion; even a single drop possessed divine properties. Mixed within the gore were shattered scales, claws, and horns.

All of it was poured over the Heavenly Qian Totalizing All Manifestations Dharma Body.

As the Dragon Blood washed over it, the Dharma Body’s qi trace grew even more terrifying. At some point, a small, coiling dragon had even appeared, winding around one of its six arms.

The next moment, the Dharma Body transformed.

In the blink of an eye, the three-headed, six-armed, green-faced, and fanged form was gone. In its place stood a True Dragon, inhaling and exhaling billowing clouds with every breath!

”Excellent, excellent, excellent!”

Lü Yang sensed the change in his Dharma Body’s qi trace and smiled in satisfaction. With the power of this Dharma Body, disguising himself as a Dragon King would be more than sufficient.

’However, there are drawbacks.’

’After all, I killed Sui Ying and am using his death to infiltrate the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain. Once I’m exposed, old grudges and this new offense will surely make the Tribulation that much more intense.’

Lü Yang began his calculations, assisted by the Prophetic Orrery.

’To refine the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain... will take at least forty-nine days. It’s impossible to completely fool the Four Seas Sect. Conflict is bound to erupt in the last seven days.’

This was unavoidable.

’So be it. It will just come down to a test of strength.’

Lü Yang’s expression was calm. With his current abilities, as long as no Great Truemen or Perfected Lords intervened, there were few at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment who could match him in a fight.

’A Perfected Lord is unlikely to intervene... As for a Great Trueman, if I break through, I might just be able to put up a fight.’

After all, with the Emperor’s Golden Seal of Tushita, once he reached Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection, he could immediately borrow a third Innate Divine Technique. He would be no different from a Great Trueman!

’Even if I lack that final, qualitative leap and can’t win, I should still have no problem escaping with my life.’

’Unfortunately, I have to do this myself. I can’t have a clone do it for me.’

After all, this was a matter concerning his Dao path. A clone could help with tasks, but it couldn’t help with his Cultivation. Only his true body could accomplish the Refining of the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain.

As for that Ang Xiao the Sun Veiler?

To be honest, Lü Yang was still terrified, deathly afraid that the Perfected Lord would once again use the Veil of the Trees to follow him undetected. But as he considered it, he felt a sense of resignation.

’In any case, the Centome only works after I die. Besides that, I have nothing on me that a Late-stage Golden Core Great True Monarch would covet. Even if that snake Ang Xiao really is lying in wait for me outside the Sea of Clouds, so be it... The Great Dao lies ahead, I can’t just refuse to walk the path!’

Besides, there was no guarantee the man was still following him.

’If I’m going to be afraid of this and afraid of that, what’s the point of even cultivating? I might as well go home and raise pigs!’

’Besides, I have my own cheat code!’

...

「Overseas, Four Seas Sect.」

As the sole hegemon of the Overseas region, the Four Seas Sect was situated on an incredibly vast archipelago. The eastern island was the location of the Dragon Palace, the residence of the Dragon Monarch.

And now, in the deepest part of the Dragon Palace...

An indescribable cloud of qi coiled within the palace hall. Golden serpents of lightning danced wildly within it, flashing intermittently, and a towering black shadow could be faintly seen weaving through the maelstrom.

Suddenly, the shadow’s movements froze.

”Hm?”

Following a soft sound of surprise, the cloud of qi was parted by a blazing fire, revealing a pair of golden eyes as large as mountains. A deep voice rumbled like rolling thunder in the heavens:

”Who dares kill my scion?”

The Dragon Monarch remained calm, not truly angered. He had far too many offspring, after all. One or two less was of no real consequence, and he never paid them much mind.

However, killing his offspring was, after all, a slight against his prestige.

If he showed no reaction, he feared others would follow suit, and that would be a real nuisance. Thus, he had already resolved to make an example of the perpetrator.

Moreover, his bloodline sense told him the deceased was a Dragon King, which piqued his curiosity. He immediately sent out his Divine Sense to probe the karma links and began to silently perform his calculations. Before long, a thread of causality stretched all the way from the Overseas to the mainland, finally landing on a location that gave him pause.

North, the Sea of Clouds, the Stain Sect.

”Forget it. I will not lower myself to bicker with a junior.”

It was only one Dragon King, not truly important. At worst, he would just have to put in a little extra effort and sire a few more next year. He could always cultivate a new one.

However, the Dragon Monarch soon narrowed his golden eyes.

”No... The threads of tribulation are tangled here, fortune and disaster intertwined. This person still has karmic links with my scion?”

”The Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain?”