Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Ganhai Li Clan

As a Perfected Person of the Sword Pavilion with an impeccable pedigree, the Ancestor was an absolute juggernaut to the minor Qi Refining powers of the outside world, no matter how weak he might be.

Therefore, not long after his words went out, the various sects had all arrived.

”Dan Yuan Sect, Ten Thousand Array Hall, Spirit Treasure Institute, Beast Taming Sect, Daoist Talisman Sect, Wine Immortal Sect, Spirit Plant Valley... Good heavens, this is practically a full house for the Hundred Skills of Cultivation!”

This was enough to make Lü Yang’s skin crawl. According to the Ancestor, these powers were all, to some extent, propped up by the Sword Pavilion. The entire South was filled with such factions—all profoundly skilled in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, yet inept at Combat. As a result, they could only seek refuge under the Sword Pavilion’s rule.

This was evident from the political landscape of the South.

In the North, there were not only Foundation Establishment Sects but also one or two Golden Core Sects. But the South? There wasn’t a single Golden Core Sect!

This method of governance had its pros and cons.

The drawback, naturally, was the lack of subordinates. The Sword Pavilion always had to handle matters in the South by itself. In the North, however, the Stain Sect could at least issue orders to summon the various cultivators of the region.

But the advantages were also significant. By having the entire South support the Sword Pavilion alone, the sect’s power had grown to an absurd level. It also made the South incredibly wealthy. In terms of resource cultivation and utilization, it could utterly dominate the other three regions.

As a result, Lü Yang soon received an avalanche of gifts, filling his coffers to the brim.

’Thirteen sects. With the Geng Metal Spiritual Objects scraped together from thirteen whole sects, I’ve finally managed to push my Immortal Spirit’s nurturing progress to seventy percent!’

With the final thirty percent, he would reach Early-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Then, he would only need to find one of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to integrate into his Immortal Spirit Body, and he would naturally break through to the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment without any bottleneck!

’It pays to be Heaven’s favorite,’ Lü Yang couldn’t help but reflect.

Of course, achieving such a breakthrough was also due to his own unique nature. Despite still being in the nurturing stage, he could actively seek out resources on his own.

Most Immortal Spirits at this stage were still muddled and ignorant, like infants, relying entirely on Heaven to be spoon-fed. Forget finding their own resources; they were lucky just to survive infancy. Those that did live were typically born prematurely, making it impossible for them to be nurtured to the level of Foundation Establishment Perfection.

’This final thirty percent... where can I find it?’

Lü Yang sat at his desk, flipping through the scrolls in his hand. His eyebrows raised slightly. ”The Ganhai Li Clan... did this faction not send anyone?”

”Hmm...”

Master Xiuxin said, ”The Ganhai Li Clan is the only Foundation Establishment Immortal Race within a ten-thousand-li radius.”

”This family started out in maritime transport. They had a fortuitous encounter in some ruins and unearthed a Superior Sentient Artifact called the [Territorial Expansion Ship]. Relying on this artifact, they traveled between the North and South of the River, accumulating vast resources until they finally produced a Foundation-Stage Cultivator. With that, they were officially recognized as an Immortal Race.”

Lü Yang immediately understood.

After all, as a Foundation Establishment Immortal Race, they naturally had more confidence than those minor Qi Refining factions. The Ancestor alone was not enough to intimidate them.

’Too bad for them, I’m still short on Geng Metal Spiritual Objects.’

However, if Master Xiuxin’s intelligence was correct, then this Ganhai Li Clan was really something; they weren’t an opponent the Ancestor could handle casually.

’Looks like I’ll have to make a move myself!’

At this thought, Lü Yang immediately ended his cultivation session with Master Xiuxin. With a beckoning gesture, a figure appeared in the room.

It was a man who looked identical to Lü Yang—handsome, with sharp features and a dignified appearance. Only his eyes were vacant, revealing at a glance that he was not a living being.

The Immortal Embryo Avatar!

’Although it’s crudely made due to material limitations and nowhere near as good as the avatars from my past life—it’ll have to be scrapped after a short while—it’s still better than nothing.’

Lü Yang formed a series of Magic Formulas, and his Dharma Body quickly merged with the Immortal Embryo Avatar. He then connected to his Immortal Spirit Body, and a Divine Power Radiance lit up at his fingertips. It was the Geng Metal Divine Technique, [Master of Weapons]. As long as he didn’t reveal his Dharma Body, he now looked for all the world like a Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator.

The only flaw was that the avatar was too fragile to withstand his immense Mana.

Therefore, he couldn’t engage in prolonged Combat with it.

Thinking of this, Lü Yang swept his sleeve across the desk.

The next second, three sheets of yellow paper shimmering with Spirit Light flew out and landed in Lü Yang’s palm. Each sheet radiated a sharp Sword Qi.

The Primordial Slaughter Talisman!

These were the fruits of his labor over the past few days: Fifth Grade Foundation Establishment Talismans. They required only a small amount of Mana to activate and wouldn’t destabilize the avatar.

’That said, this can’t go on forever. I hope this Ganhai Li Clan is rich enough for me to plunder some more Spiritual Materials. Especially that Superior Sentient Artifact, the [Territorial Expansion Ship], that Master Xiuxin mentioned. If I can get my hands on it, I can refine a true Upper Grade Immortal Embryo.’

The current one was simply not up to the task.

To truly obtain an Immortal Embryo Avatar that could replace his main body, roam the world, and freely engage in Combat, he needed to use a Superior Sentient Artifact as the core material.

........

「South, Gantang Dao.」

This was a port, with one side facing the hinterlands of the South and the other facing the Great Dragon River. Beyond the port lay a boundless, vast ocean that stretched to the horizon.

The Ganhai Li Clan had resided here for generations.

Inside a great hall, a young, dignified-looking man stood before a window, gazing blankly at the endless ocean beyond the port.

He was the pillar of the Ganhai Li Clan, the Foundation-Stage Cultivator, Master Xiao Hai.

Behind him stood a stern and solemn middle-aged man. He was the current Patriarch of the Li Family, standing by respectfully.

”Perfected Person, the letter from the Yun Family... are we really not going to reply?”

The Li Family Patriarch looked nervous. The Sword Pavilion was the sole juggernaut in the South; openly refusing a Master of the Sword Pavilion was deeply unsettling.

”Just a declining family. Searching for a Demon? It’s blatant extortion. Pay them no mind.” Master Xiao Hai shook his head in disdain. ”Besides, I know that Ancestor of the Yun Family. He doesn’t have many years left. Even if we don’t go, he won’t have the guts to come looking for us.”

”Besides, the Sword Pavilion... Hmph!”

At the mention of that name, Master Xiao Hai’s face filled with unconcealed resentment. ”We, the Li Family, have been conducting Sea Fishing for them for ten full generations now!”

”Even for mortals, after ten generations of accumulation, their family fortune should be substantial, right?”

”But where’s the Money?”

The Money their Li Family had worked so hard to earn, the resources that should have been used to support their clansmen and aid their cultivation—who took it all in the end?

Master Xiao Hai didn’t elaborate, just gave a cold smile. For ten generations, the Li Family had toiled and striven for prosperity. Yet, after ten generations of hardship, there was still endless hardship to come. If they hadn’t luckily stumbled upon a heavenly opportunity, would there even be a Ganhai Li Clan? They’d likely still be a minor Qi Refining family!

”Forget it... Compared to that old fossil, ’that place’ is more important.”

Master Xiao Hai’s tone grew heavy. Hearing this, the Li Family Patriarch’s expression also turned solemn. Between the two of them, ’that place’ was a location that needed no explanation.

’That place’ was where the Li Family had made its fortune.

The Superior Sentient Artifact, the [Territorial Expansion Ship], which had allowed the Li Family to build its current enterprise, came from ’that place’. And after years of inquiries and speculation, Master Xiao Hai had now basically reached a conclusion.

’That place’ was, in all likelihood, a Grotto Heaven Fragment left behind by a fallen Perfected Lord! For some reason, it had remained in the Current World, undiscovered until now!

Ever since this discovery, almost everyone in the Li Family who knew about ’that place’ had been silenced. Only Master Xiao Hai and the Li Family Patriarch were left with the knowledge. They never spoke of it plainly, and when discussing the things within, they mostly used code words to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from deducing the truth.

’That will be the greatest opportunity for my Li Family to rise!’

’Given time, if we can fully develop that Grotto Heaven Fragment, my Li Family will surely leap to become the greatest power in the South, second only to the Sword Pavilion!’

Thinking this, Master Xiao Hai was about to give a few more instructions.

But just then, his expression suddenly changed.

The Li Family Patriarch reacted a moment slower. Only after a beat did he see a streak of Flying Light speeding towards them from beyond the sky, accompanied by the sharp ringing of a sword!

”Who goes there!”

Master Xiao Hai shot into the air almost instantly. A shimmering, jade-green light emerged from behind his head, swelling rapidly in the wind and transforming in an instant into colossal, sky-filling waves.

But the next second, a sword rang out!

A flash of Sword Light slashed down, tearing right through the vast ocean of jade waves Master Xiao Hai had unfurled. A voice, sharp and resolute, echoed in all directions:

”Where is the Perfected Person of the Ganhai Li Clan? Come out and see me!”