Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 362: Chapter 362: First Encounter with the Dao Court

「Several days later. The Southern Border.」

Lü Yang, a streak of Sword Light, raced onward but came to an abrupt halt at the very edge of the Southern Border. He recalled his Sword Light and stood among the clouds, gazing far into the distance.

A moment later, a Jade Scroll appeared in his hand.

The Jade Scroll had been bestowed upon him by Demon-Vanquishing Perfected. In addition to intelligence on the Perfected Persons of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, it contained another piece of information that he considered extremely important:

’I can’t believe it... I searched high and low for this to no avail, and now it just falls into my lap!’

The Ten Thousand Poison Sect in the Southern Border actually had a lead on Xin Metal!

’The Ten Thousand Poison Sect has a Holy Pool that can gather Moonlight and transform it into Emperor’s Liquid. If a full bottle is collected and then refined, it can be turned into Xin Metal...’

’Incredible!’

’The pool is called the Moon Worshiping Pool. The Ten Thousand Poison Sect used a Secret Technique to cultivate it for many years, only succeeding a little over a decade ago. It’s an Upper Grade Feng Shui treasure land!’

As he read this, Lü Yang’s eyes suddenly lit up.

’This Ten Thousand Poison Sect... is courting death!’

’Such a Feng Shui treasure land should belong only to the virtuous. And looking at the world, as an Immortal Spirit—Heaven’s favorite, no less—I’m the obvious choice!’

’The reason I had little hope for the sixty-year Seeking Gold was that nurturing an Immortal Spirit takes far too long. The final step, in particular, is a slow and patient process with almost no shortcuts. However, the boon of a Feng Shui treasure land would undoubtedly boost the nurturing efficiency tremendously!’

’Still... I need to plan this carefully. After all, the Southern Border is completely different from the Northern Border.’

The Ten Thousand Poison Sect was also much smarter than the Divine Martial Sect. The Divine Martial Sect had been completely swindled by the Sword Pavilion, naively believing their promises and foolishly setting up shop in the Northern Border.

But the Ten Thousand Poison Sect would never trust the Saint Sect.

Thus, aside from the Saint Sect, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect had secretly found another backer. And for that very reason, their development far outstripped that of the Divine Martial Sect.

That other backer was none other than the Dao Court!

RUMBLE—!

Just as Lü Yang was lost in thought, a dark light surged in the distant clouds. The endless white clouds instantly transformed into a dark, oppressive mass that blotted out the sky as it rolled toward him.

At the heart of the roiling dark clouds, a grand military formation was revealed. Within its encampments, blades and spears stood like a forest, and countless soldiers and generals went about their duties. Their Qi linked together, sealing off heaven and earth. Like a great wall, it blocked Lü Yang’s path to the Southern Border. A large banner fluttered in the center of the formation, displaying two large words:

”Zhen Nan.”

Beneath the great banner, a Longma pawed the air. A man with a martial bearing sat astride it, dragging a long spear behind him that left a blazing trail in its wake.

He stood there amidst the clouds and boomed with laughter. ”And which Perfected Person from the Sword Pavilion might you be?”

’The Southern King, Wu Taian...’

The Jade Scroll had already detailed the Dao Court’s deployments in the Southern Border. This Southern King was no ordinary man; he was a genuine blood descendant from the direct lineage of Celestial Wu.

In the Dao Court, bloodlines possessed true, Mighty Power.

Many of the Dao Court’s officials might possess Fake Realms, making them slightly weaker than other Cultivators of the same Realm, but the Royal Family was a different matter entirely.

The Royal Family of the Dao Court had always cultivated on their own merits; their Official Positions were merely for show.

Take this Southern King, for example. As a Marquis of the Dao Court, his rank placed him at Foundation Establishment Perfection, but even without his Official Position, his personal Cultivation was still at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!

’On par with Summon, back in the day...’

Even so, Lü Yang felt no fear. This was still the South, after all. Unless the Dao Court had gone completely mad, they wouldn’t dare attack and kill him here.

”I am Minghe, here on my master’s orders to travel to the Southern Border.”

Lü Yang stood upon the clouds and clasped his hands in a salute. ”I wonder why the Southern King has appeared here. Are you perhaps in league with the Ten Thousand Poison Sect and wish to bar my way?”

’A Sword Pavilion lunatic, just as I thought!’

The Southern King cursed inwardly, but his smile never faltered. ”My young friend, you misunderstand. I am stationed here to defend against the Demon Sect of the Southern Border...”

—This was a lie.

In truth, it was an open secret throughout the Dao Court. The Southern King’s presence here, his covert attempts to recruit the Ten Thousand Poison Sect—it was all to guard against one party: the Sword Pavilion.

After all, everyone knew the Sword Pavilion’s reputation.

If you didn’t guard against them, they might suddenly charge into the East one day, go on a rampage in Dao Court territory, and then have the gall to tell you they were bringing salvation to the masses!

As the two of them spoke, far off on a distant mountain peak, two other Cultivators were observing Lü Yang. Judging by their auras, they were also at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The two had rather unsettling appearances.

One of them appeared handsome at first glance, but when he opened his mouth, there was no red tongue or white teeth—only a vicious-looking Gu Insect.

The Cultivator beside him was even stranger. His face was a smooth, blank canvas, utterly devoid of features or orifices. In his palm, he held a human-faced Gu Insect that was fused to his flesh. All his speech and the circulation of his Mana emanated from this insect.

From their appearances alone, it was clear they were Perfected Persons from the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.

One was named Hui Gu, the other Long Wu.

”Is that him? Yan Xiao?”

Master Long Wu spoke first. ”Our mole in the Sword Pavilion reported that although he just reached Foundation Establishment, he’s a Sword Cultivator with extraordinary Cultivation.”

”Do you think the Southern King can stop him?”

Master Hui Gu shook his head. ”The Dao Court won’t risk bad blood with the Sword Pavilion. Unless our Holy Sect is willing to give up the Southern Border, the Dao Court will never intervene.”

”Then what’s the plan?”

Master Long Wu frowned. ”The Moon Worshiping Pool is finally ready, and the refining of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Gu has reached its final stage. We can’t possibly give up now.”

Upon hearing this, the Gu Insect in Master Hui Gu’s palm let out a sharp hiss, and a ruthless edge entered his tone. ”He who hesitates is lost. The man only just reached Foundation Establishment. If we join forces, we can take him down. No need to kill him—just trap him. We can hold him for a year or so, and that will be that.”

”Makes sense!”

Master Long Wu nodded and smiled. ”You and I are both at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment. Dealing with a junior who just broke through shouldn’t lead to any surprises.”

Meanwhile, in the distance, the Southern King had already moved to clear the path.

”Since you insist on going to the Southern Border, my friend, I won’t keep you. But be warned, the Southern Border is a wild and treacherous place, the domain of the Demon Dao. You must be extremely careful.”

”Thank you for your concern, Prince.”

Lü Yang clasped his hands and watched the Southern King’s army retreat into the distance.

’This Prince... is up to no good. He deliberately appeared with such fanfare just to expose my position, making it impossible for me to slip in undetected.’

’But it’s not a big deal. I never planned on sneaking in to begin with.’

’After all, I’m now a Great Sword Cultivator at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. Unless a Perfected Lord shows up, I have nothing to fear as long as I don’t run into someone at Foundation Establishment Perfection!’

’Besides, this is just a clone. What’s there to be afraid of?’

’It’s a perfect chance to test my blade!’

The next moment, Lü Yang mounted his Sword Light and brazenly charged into the Southern Border. Master Long Wu and Master Hui Gu, who witnessed this, paled in shock.

”The nerve!”

The two of them had assumed Lü Yang would enter the Southern Border stealthily. Their plan was to follow him, lure him deeper into their territory, find a remote location, conceal all Karma Links, and then trap him. They never imagined he would be so audacious as to fly directly into the Southern Border, disdaining even to hide his presence!