Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Genuinely a Good Person?

South, outside the Mass Grave.

High in the sky, a magnificent, sprawling vessel was moored amongst the clouds, its entire form completely concealed by rays of Spirit Light.

On the vessel’s deck, a figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

It was none other than Demon-Vanquishing Perfected Ye Guangji.

Standing on either side of him were members of the Ye Family’s direct lineage—two cultivators at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, who were also old acquaintances of Lü Yang: Ye Guyue and Ye Xingfeng.

”Lord Uncle... I feel you are being far too scrupulous.”

Ye Xingfeng was the first to speak. ”The Profound Spirit Realm is, after all, a Great Realm Heaven that contains a Fruit. We should be trying to capture and control it, not just drive it away.”

”Indeed.”

Ye Guyue nodded as well. ”I know your concerns, Lord Uncle. You’re worried that if the Profound Spirit Realm attacks, it will cause a bit of damage in the South...”

”More than ’a bit’.”

Before Ye Guyue could finish, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected turned and interrupted her. ”Once the Profound Spirit Realm invades, they will inevitably engage in a massive slaughter for Qi Collection.”

”At that time, with the Mass Grave as the epicenter, how many of the ten billion people in the surrounding lands will have their families destroyed and their lives lost? How many wives and children will be torn from their families?”

Ye Guyue nodded, a look of understanding on her face. ”It would take decades for reincarnation to replenish such a population... That certainly isn’t ’a bit’.”

”But these are the karmic links they are meant to bear.”

”Isn’t this why the Sword Pavilion has nurtured the populace for all these years?”

”By using them as bait, we can capture all those Cultivators from the Profound Spirit Realm alive, and perhaps even counter-invade the Profound Spirit Realm itself. The rewards would be immense!”

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected didn’t reply, simply shaking his head. ”You don’t understand.”

Ye Guyue’s frown deepened.

”Lord Uncle... how could I not understand? Life, death, and reincarnation... Those mortals are ignorant and unenlightened. They can’t accept it, but surely you can, Lord Uncle?”

”And you can accept it?”

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected looked exasperated. ”If you were to die, and in your next life, you failed to pierce the veil of infancy and were no longer ’you’—could you truly accept that so easily?”

Ye Guyue’s face fell. ”How can that be the same thing!”

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected retorted, ”How is it different?”

”I am a Perfected Person!”

Ye Guyue’s expression was solemn, as if she were stating an ultimate truth. ”For mortals who cannot attain the truth, life is but an illusion, a grand dream of birth and death.”

”But we have already attained the truth and established our Dao Foundation. Naturally, we cannot be compared to mortals!”

After speaking, Ye Guyue looked at the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected with concern. ”Lord Uncle, what is wrong with you? Could it be that something has gone awry in your cultivation, giving rise to a Heart Demon?”

”...”

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected opened his mouth but said nothing. He could see that Ye Guyue’s concern was genuine, coming from the heart without a trace of falsehood.

And the more genuine it was, the more speechless it left him.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to answer. In the next moment, he looked out from the vessel, and Ye Guyue and Ye Xingfeng, sensing something as well, followed his gaze.

There, in the clouds, a streak of Flying Light was speeding toward them.

”Has the Demon Sect discovered us?”

Ye Guyue frowned, but Ye Xingfeng at her side shook his head. ”Its Qi trace is pure and righteous. It doesn’t seem like the Demon Sect. In fact, it carries the righteous aura of our Sword Pavilion.”

The next second, the Flying Light came to a halt before the vessel.

The light then parted, and a handsome, charismatic young man strode forth. An imposing Sword Qi emanated from between his brows, giving him the very picture of a righteous figure.

”I am Lü Yang, here to see the Sword Pavilion’s Upper Truth!”

Before the vessel, Lü Yang spoke with utmost sincerity. ”I am a Jiangbei Loose Cultivator, and I have come to report vital intelligence concerning the Jiangbei Demon Sect!”

Although he had no proof, Lü Yang suspected the Stain Sect was setting him up.

’Are they trying to use me as bait to lure away the people from the Profound Spirit Realm, then swoop in to do their own Qi Collection?’

Unfortunately, unless he gave up the Shen Metal, there was no escaping this trap. And since the Shen Metal was crucial to his cultivation, he couldn’t possibly give it up.

So, after thinking it over and over, Lü Yang made his decision.

’I’m throwing my lot in with the Sword Pavilion!’

’I had no choice in the past. Now I want to be a good person!’

With this thought, after leaving the Mass Grave, Lü Yang had immediately used the Yun Family’s Ancestor and the others to pinpoint the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s location and had rushed over.

’This is actually an opportunity!’

’A chance to truly join the Sword Pavilion!’

At this thought, Lü Yang presented his bargaining chip. ”I understand the rules of the Sword Pavilion. I am willing to undergo a cycle of reincarnation to wash away my karmic links before I join!”

”...Oh?”

Upon hearing this, Ye Guyue, who had been frowning and seemed about to speak, froze. Her gaze toward Lü Yang immediately filled with admiration.

”You... are very impressive!”

The Sword Pavilion has a set of rules for accepting Foundation-Stage Cultivators from outside the South.

Just as True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde once recruited Progenitor Tingyou, the first step to joining the Sword Pavilion is to be slain by the sword of a Master Sword Pavilion.

Once dead, one undergoes reincarnation.

The Sword Pavilion then uses a Secret Technique to guide the soul back, allowing it to be bound by the enigma of rebirth and severing all ties to its past life. Only then can one become a true member of the Sword Pavilion.

Only those recruited this way can receive the Sword Pavilion’s true teachings. However, what Perfected Person would ever willingly accept such a thing? Thus, in most cases, the Sword Pavilion’s recruitment is a forced transaction: they kill you, then guide you into the sect, which can be considered your good fortune.

Lü Yang was the first to ever volunteer for this.

How could Ye Guyue not be impressed?

Little did she know, such a reincarnation was of no consequence to Lü Yang. After all, it was just a Split Soul going through the process; what did that have to do with his Immortal Spirit Body?

For anyone else, a reincarnated Split Soul might develop its own consciousness and escape control.

But for Lü Yang, as long as he still possessed Puppet, his Split Soul would remain his shell, no matter how many times it reincarnated!

He could even use this opportunity to have the Sword Pavilion cleanse the Perfected Lord’s karmic links from his avatar, shaking off the potential gaze of a Perfected Lord in one fell swoop!

Lü Yang’s plan was perfect.

However, before he could say another word, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected suddenly waved a hand. ”There is no need for that. Cultivation is arduous... Do not speak so lightly of reincarnation.”

”Lord Uncle!” Ye Guyue immediately frowned.

But the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected paid her no mind and continued, ”As long as the intelligence you provide is valuable, and you sincerely wish to join, I can vouch for you.”

”...” Lü Yang was stunned.

’This Demon-Vanquishing Perfected... is so normal!’

’Is this for real?’

Though filled with doubt, Lü Yang showed no hesitation on his face. He directly took out the Metal Qi and then laid out all his speculations about the Stain Sect.

Although this was all speculation, judging others by his own cynical nature, Lü Yang felt it was highly probable.

”The Demon Sect is using the Shen Metal as bait to make us fight the Profound Spirit Realm, while they invade the realm themselves for Qi Collection, reaping the rewards while we’re busy...”

After hearing Lü Yang’s explanation, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s brow furrowed slightly.

Beside them, Ye Guyue’s face filled with indignation. ”To actually use people of our Righteous Dao as bait to seek greater rewards... Truly shameless!”

”...”

The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected shot her a glance upon hearing this, then turned his gaze back to Lü Yang. ”This intelligence is indeed very useful. You may follow me from now on.”

”Thank you, Senior!”

Without a second word, Lü Yang offered the Shen Metal. ”My virtue is insufficient to hold onto such a treasure. I offer it to you, Senior. Please accept it.”

’Right now, the Shen Metal still has the mark left on it by the Profound Spirit Realm. It’s useless for me to hold onto. I might as well give it to this Demon-Vanquishing Perfected and let him cleanse the mark for me... In any case, he has already reached Divine Power Perfection and doesn’t lack Spiritual Treasures. The Shen Metal is useless to him. Sooner or later, he’ll bestow it upon someone else. When that happens, I’ll find a way to get it back...’

In an instant, several schemes had already formed in Lü Yang’s mind.

However, in the next second, all those plans were shattered.

”That is not necessary.” The Demon-Vanquishing Perfected spoke with gravity. ”The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are a secret essential to cultivation. That you were able to obtain this Qi is your own fortunate opportunity. There is no need to force this offering on me.”

”I also understand your concerns.”

”For this battle, I will still need you to draw out the people from the Profound Spirit Realm. After it’s over, I will help you remove the mark left on the Shen Metal.”

At this, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected gave a gentle smile.

Lü Yang, on the other hand, could hardly believe what he was hearing. ’Could someone from this Broken Place actually say something so righteously noble?’

’A truly good person?’

’It has to be a plot!’