Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Jumping Back and Forth, Playing Both Sides

Contacting the Perfected Fortune, however, required a bit more effort from Lü Yang than getting in touch with Minor Metal had.

Of course, it wasn’t truly difficult. Lü Yang just had to find a way to threaten one of the Perfected Fortune’s core interests. He wouldn’t even need to show himself; the Perfected Fortune would come looking for him.

Lü Yang’s method was quite simple. He used his [Puppet] ability to control a local Qi Refining Wanderer from the North, then remotely manipulated Xiao Shiye’s karmic links. This series of actions naturally alerted the Perfected Fortune, who was using Xiao Shiye as bait, and he predictably came calling.

Lü Yang’s plan was just as Minor Metal had suspected.

How could Lü Yang possibly sell information as important as the location of a Grotto Heaven Fragment to only one buyer? After all, the greatest advantage of intelligence is that it can be sold multiple times!

The next second, the void cracked open.

Seeing this, Lü Yang’s eyes lit up. ”Daoist...”

BOOM!

Before the word was even out, the Perfected Fortune had already circulated his Mana, smashing the Qi Refining Wanderer into a bloody pulp with a single palm strike. But soon after, two more figures appeared.

”Daoist, don’t you want to know...”

Before the first figure could finish speaking, it too was shattered by the Perfected Fortune. Fortunately, the second figure managed to finish the sentence: ”...about the news of your Grotto Heaven?”

As the words fell, the Perfected Fortune froze. He had rushed over after sensing someone tampering with Xiao Shiye’s karmic links, and upon seeing it was merely a Qi Refiner, he’d killed him without a second thought. Now, he stared intently and finally noticed the bizarre expressions on these so-called ”Qi Refining Wanderers.”

”...Who are you?”

The Perfected Fortune glanced at the sky, then with a wave of his sleeve, vanished from the spot, taking Lü Yang’s puppet with him. Moments later, a powerful Divine Sense tore through the air.

WHOOSH!

The immense Divine Sense swept through the area like a gale scattering fallen leaves, but it found nothing. At last, it slowly coalesced into an ice-cold, beautiful silhouette.

World Purger Fei Xue!

’A pity... He was fast enough to get away.’

The Perfected Fortune had, after all, once been a Saint Sect True Monarch. Unless she ran into him face-to-face, she would have a hard time tracking him down if he was determined to hide.

At this thought, World Purger Fei Xue suddenly broke into a radiant smile, a flicker of keen interest in her beautiful eyes. ’By the looks of it, has that person really sold his wares to two families, and now he’s come to talk with Fortune? That could work to my advantage. If I just wait here, I might be able to catch him...’

.......

「North, in a remote mountain forest.」

The location was nestled among towering mountains and steep ridges, concealed by layer upon layer of Arrays. Each was a Superior Array designed to obscure Karma Links, completely severing all karmic connections to the area.

The next second, the void cracked open.

The Perfected Fortune brought the Qi Refining Wanderer under Lü Yang’s control directly into the Array. Then, just like Minor Metal, the first thing he did was perform a Soul Searching.

’Just as expected of an Elder First Saint.’

Lü Yang’s expression remained calm; he was already used to this.

Only after the Soul Searching yielded no results did the Perfected Fortune finally begin to see Lü Yang in a new light. He looked at the puppet and said, ”My Grotto Heaven—do you know its name?”

This was the final test.

Lü Yang didn’t drag it out. He answered immediately, ”Long Brilliance Treasure Light Grotto Heaven!”

As the name was spoken, the Perfected Fortune let out a long, turbid breath. Only an Elder First Saint or someone who had truly seen his Grotto Heaven could know that name.

”What do you want?”

Clearly, the Perfected Fortune understood that there is no love or hate in this world without a reason. Since Lü Yang had sought him out, he naturally wanted something in return.

Furthermore, he was different from Minor Metal. As the current Interim Sect Leader of the Saint Sect, Minor Metal already held a dominant position. He had room to maneuver and the capital to deliberate and negotiate. The Perfected Fortune, however, had squandered five thousand years and had long since been backed into a corner.

That was why his attitude was so straightforward.

Seeing that the Perfected Fortune was being direct, Lü Yang also cut straight to the chase. ”I want the Quasi-Essence Artifact you left behind in the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm, and that Primal Daoist Evil!”

”...Just who are you?”

At these words, the Perfected Fortune’s expression grew even more grim, his brow deeply furrowed. His arrangements in the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm were supposed to be a secret.

’How did this information get out?’

The Quasi-Essence Artifact he had left in the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm, the Emperor’s Golden Seal of Tushita, was actually a failed gambit. He had once planned to use it to achieve a Fake Golden Position.

Unfortunately, achieving a Fake Golden Position was far too difficult. Even after he’d used the talents of the entire Azure Sun Cultivation Realm to refine it, the Emperor’s Golden Seal of Tushita remained a Quasi-Essence Artifact, unable to fully transform into a True Treasure. Its Divine Effect was limited to deducing Abilities, which, for him, wasn’t exactly what one would call vital.

At the very least, one could say it was completely useless.

Therefore, when Lü Yang now asked for this Quasi-Essence Artifact, the Perfected Fortune—aside from his astonishment that the secret had been leaked—felt no great reluctance to part with it.

”But... how can I trust you?”

The Perfected Fortune gave a cold smile. ”As for that Grotto Heaven Fragment you mentioned, did you think I was unaware? Isn’t it the one submerged in the waters of Jiangnan Gantang Dao!”

At this, Lü Yang’s eyebrow twitched.

But he quickly figured it out. In his Previous Life, the Perfected Fortune had managed to return to Foundation Establishment Perfection and even Refined a Blessed Land, so he must have found the Grotto Heaven Fragment.

It seemed he had discovered clues to its whereabouts long ago.

’But why didn’t he go for it immediately?’

With this thought, Lü Yang’s composure returned. He chuckled and said, ”It seems you have your own doubts, Daoist. You suspect there’s a problem with that Grotto Heaven Fragment, don’t you?”

’As he should!’

The Perfected Fortune was a Saint Sect True Monarch, after all. How could he not understand that behind every great opportunity lies a hidden trap? The problem was, he had no other choice!

”...”

Lü Yang’s words left the Perfected Fortune wanting to argue, but he was rendered speechless. This was, after all, the greatest worry that had plagued his mind lately.

However, the pressure from Minor Metal was simply too immense. As the former master of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, he could even faintly sense its favor toward him gradually diminishing, stripped away piece by piece by Minor Metal. If this continued, his position would truly be usurped!

His options were limited.

That was why, just a short while ago, he had already resolved to make a trip to the South to retrieve the Grotto Heaven Fragment. Even if it was poisoned bait, he would have to swallow it!

However, Lü Yang’s appearance had changed his plans.

”What else do you know?”

Under the Perfected Fortune’s intense gaze, Lü Yang directly used his Divine Sense to imprint a copy of the *Void Internal Observation of Heaven and Earth True Understanding* that he had obtained from the Grotto Heaven.

Although Ang Xiao had erased all of Master Xiao Hai’s memories of the technique, Lü Yang had been borrowing Master Xiao Hai’s body at the time and had memorized everything. ’So Master Xiao Hai forgot. What does that have to do with me?’

”This is...!?”

The moment he saw the *Void Internal Observation of Heaven and Earth True Understanding*, excitement flared in the Perfected Fortune’s eyes. He felt that the Dharma Gate before him was uncannily familiar.

”I have another, related Dharma Gate.”

Lü Yang said calmly, ”That one is even more important. It’s a Secret Technique used to connect with the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire. I believe you’d be more interested in that, wouldn’t you?”

At his words, the Perfected Fortune immediately closed his eyes.

Lü Yang, however, smiled. He knew that unlike his deal with Minor Metal, this time he held all the cards in his transaction with the Perfected Fortune.

”You will come with me to the Overseas, Daoist.”

Lü Yang spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. ”In addition to the Emperor’s Golden Seal of Tushita, you must also help me subdue that Primal Daoist Evil.”

After all, he couldn’t handle that Daoist Remnant on his own.

”...Fine.” The Perfected Fortune understood he had lost the upper hand, so he didn’t try to bargain. He gave a crisp nod, agreeing to Lü Yang’s terms.

The deal was concluded to perfection, with both parties satisfied.

After they exchanged Flying Spirit Letters to stay in contact, the Perfected Fortune watched Lü Yang’s puppet depart, unable to stop a stream of doubts from rising in his mind.

’Just which Saint Sect Zhenren is this person?’

’Could he be bait dangled by Minor Metal? Even if he isn’t, given the Saint Sect’s methods, selling information to two parties is standard practice, and backstabbing an ally is even more common...’

’He’s not going to turn right around and contact Minor Metal, is he?’

......

”Hello? Hello?”

「Sea of Clouds, Holy Fire Cliff.」

Minor Metal stared at the Flying Spirit Letter in his hand with a bizarre expression as Lü Yang’s handwriting rapidly materialized on its surface:

”Interim Sect Leader, I have a golden opportunity to trap and kill the Perfected Fortune.”

”Are you interested?”