Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Ambushing Across Levels, All-Conquering

”Fellow Daoist He Fang?”

Above Gantang Dao of the Ganhai Li Clan, Master Xiao Hai watched as his Divine Power Radiance was shattered. He immediately grew tense, his solemn gaze fixed on the newcomer.

Then, he saw the Flying Light part.

From within emerged an old man, his hair white and his face wizened, yet his back was ramrod straight and his expression held a hint of excitement. The sight left Master Xiao Hai rooted to the spot.

”...The Yun Family Old Ghost?”

”What did you say!” The Yun Family’s Ancestor grew furious at his words. The Primordial Slaughter Talisman appeared in his hand, and the same Startled Swan Sword Qi from before materialized once more.

On the other side, Master Xiao Hai just sighed.

As he sighed, his grip on the trump card hidden up his sleeve loosened. Ninety percent of the killing intent in his heart dissipated.

This was a Master Sword Pavilion, after all!

Unless the Li Family was prepared to become fugitives in the North, they might dare to be disrespectful or even drive him away, but they would never dare to kill him.

”Fellow Daoist Yun, what business brings you to my Li Family?”

Master Xiao Hai’s expression was calm. Behind him, myriad Splendid Lights erupted from Gantang Dao, weaving into an Array that once again manifested an endless, emerald sea.

The newcomer had appeared with such fanfare, unleashing an incomparably stunning sword strike, that Master Xiao Hai hadn’t even considered it could be the Yun Family’s Ancestor. The reveal was a shock, but upon realizing who it was, he quickly regained his composure.

’How could I not know the extent of this old fossil’s abilities?’

’He’s all show and no go! He must have used some external object just now—a Spiritual Treasure, a Talisman, or something—to make a show of force!’

Faced with Master Xiao Hai’s firm stance, the Yun Family’s Ancestor flew into a rage.

”Why have I come? To investigate the recent demonic calamity, of course! I suspect someone in the Li Clan is colluding with the Demon Dao. Now come out and submit to questioning!”

As he spoke, the Sword Qi pulsing from the Primordial Slaughter Talisman in his hand grew even stronger.

But how could Master Xiao Hai agree to such an unreasonable demand? The Qi trace emanating from his body surged. ”Colluding with the Demon Dao? Fellow Daoist, you go too far!”

Meanwhile, inside the Li Clan’s territory on Gantang Dao.

With Master Xiao Hai having gone out to intercept the Yun Family’s Ancestor, the Li Family Patriarch, Li Qingyun, breathed a sigh of relief. But when he turned around, his expression froze.

For behind him, a young man in a Profound Robe had appeared out of nowhere. His hands were clasped behind his back and his expression was leisurely, but the moment he appeared, he seemed to become the center of Heaven and Earth. His dark eyes stared straight at Li Qingyun, an intangible gaze that pressed down on him like a great mountain.

’There’s another Perfected Person!?’

In that instant, a chill shot through Li Qingyun’s body and soul. Without a second thought, he dropped to his knees and bowed, shouting with all the strength he could muster, his voice nearly a roar:

”Greetings, Perfected Person!”

The sound boomed out, only to dissipate within three feet of Li Qingyun, not a whisper of it escaping. In return, he received only a mocking smile from the visitor.

Looking around, he saw that only the space he and the visitor occupied was clear; everything else was shrouded in mist, as if it no longer existed.

’Which Master Sword Pavilion is this? So insidious... This isn’t the Sword Pavilion’s style, is it?’

In Li Qingyun’s mind, whether a Master Sword Pavilion was doing good or evil, they were always direct and open about it. Their philosophy was: scheme all you want, I’ll just cut you down with my sword.

But this one was completely different!

Judging by his actions, he was clearly using the Ancestor outside as cannon fodder to draw their own Perfected Person’s attention, while he snuck in for a surprise attack!

’What a bastard... Huh?’

At the same time, Lü Yang was sizing up Li Qingyun with great interest.

Direct Combat had never been his style. Unless absolutely necessary, he much preferred fighting those at lower Realms than himself, or ambushing those at the same Realm.

Better for a fellow Daoist to die than for this humble Daoist to perish—that was the true way of a Saint Sect Zhenren.

So, although he had already decided to rob the Ganhai Li Clan, his cautious nature compelled him to send out the Yun Family’s Ancestor as cannon fodder to probe them first.

And he had indeed found something interesting.

At this thought, a quaint Copper Bell suddenly appeared in his hand. He smiled at Li Qingyun. ”Where did you get this?”

Li Qingyun looked up and saw the Copper Bell in Lü Yang’s hand. His heart sank. After all, this Decree Origin Bell was hidden in the deepest part of the clan’s treasury, sealed away with a Foundation Establishment Array. Yet now, it was in the other man’s grasp!

’This is bad...!’

Li Qingyun’s lips trembled. He lifted his head, about to explain instinctively, but his gaze met Lü Yang’s. Instantly, his consciousness sank.

Golden Talent: Puppet!

It was like a gentle breeze swept through, smoothing away all of Li Qingyun’s inner turmoil. The barely concealed terror on his face slowly faded, replaced by calm.

The next second, his expression returned to normal as he began to explain, ”We found this Artifact inside that Grotto Heaven Fragment. It should be the key to enter and exit. If you hold this Artifact, stand at the entrance to the Grotto Heaven Fragment, and shake it three times, a portal will open, allowing you to enter.”

”...Oh?”

Upon hearing this, Lü Yang’s eyes narrowed. ’A Grotto Heaven Fragment!? The Li Family had such dumb luck to stumble upon a fragment of a Grotto Heaven?’

In that instant, Lü Yang felt no joy, only an icy chill.

A minor clan, with only an Early Stage of Foundation Establishment cultivator, finds a Grotto Heaven Fragment left behind by a Perfected Lord and prospers because of it? The story just didn’t sound right to him.

It couldn’t be another trap, could it? Does the Sword Pavilion play these games too?

Just as Lü Yang was pondering this, a strand of Divine Sense descended from the sky, followed by an enraged cry, ”Who dares trespass in my home!?”

The next second, Master Xiao Hai descended from the heavens.

Almost simultaneously, Lü Yang looked up... and not just Lü Yang, but also Li Qingyun standing beside him, and every other member of the Li Clan on Gantang Dao.

”Are you talking to me?”

The same movement, a unified voice.

That simple question plunged Master Xiao Hai into an icy abyss. He stared in disbelief at his clansmen—their faces were familiar, yet they looked at him like strangers.

’What is this demonic art!?’

Shocked to his core, Master Xiao Hai was about to pull out the trump card hidden in his sleeve when he saw a towering, illusory figure manifest behind Lü Yang.

”Demon! What are you trying to do to me?”

...

”Xiao Hai greets Master!”

Having been affected by Puppet, the terror was gone from Master Xiao Hai’s face. Like Li Qingyun and the other Li Clan members, his expression was now one of utter loyalty.

Lü Yang stood in the hall, examining the Artifact that Master Xiao Hai had just voluntarily offered him.

It was another Talisman. A cursory glance suggested it was of the Fire Element and possessed considerable power. It was clearly the trump card he had been hiding up his sleeve.

To be fair, the Ganhai Li Clan’s hidden foundations were actually quite deep.

Besides this Talisman, they also had a Superior Sentient Artifact, the Territorial Expansion Ship, and the Clan Protection Grand Array. For a clan at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, this was a top-tier setup.

If Lü Yang had been foolish enough to attack them openly, allowing Master Xiao Hai to fully prepare and use all his methods, he would have actually been in some danger during a direct Combat. After all, the quality of the avatar he was using for this trip was too poor to handle a high output of Mana.

’Good thing I’m cautious!’

He had used misdirection, and as a result, Master Xiao Hai was easily subdued by Lü Yang before he could use anything, costing him very little effort.

”As expected, the best way to handle Combat is to attack from a higher Realm or with a sneak attack...”

Lü Yang mused to himself before his expression turned serious. He looked at Master Xiao Hai. ”Tell me everything about the Grotto Heaven Fragment your Li Family discovered.”