Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

In the Sword Pavilion, before the ancestral hall’s Jade Pivot.

As Lü Yang continuously poured his Sword Intent into it, the Splendid Light on the bright jade gradually condensed, revealing densely packed characters whose every stroke imprinted upon his mind.

Just-Refined Dao Feather Nirvana Sword Technique

Immediately, a name surfaced in his mind, resonating with his Sword Intent. They complemented each other perfectly, like a fish to water!

’When I use this Swordsmanship with my Sword Intent, the Sword Light it produces might not be powerful at first. Its strength, however, lies in its persistence—endless as prairie grass, resilient as crude iron tempered into fine steel. If you can’t shatter it in an instant, you can only watch as it grows stronger and stronger.’

It was indeed a swordsmanship that suited him perfectly.

’If I use this to hone my Sword Intent, and one day reach the Realm of Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, perhaps it could be called Unyielding Sword Intent.’

However, this was not something that could be achieved overnight.

Honing Sword Intent required not only diligent and arduous practice but also the nourishment of experience and conviction. All of this would take a long time to bear fruit.

’Regardless, the purpose of this trip has been achieved.’

Just as Lü Yang was feeling satisfied and about to withdraw his consciousness from his clone to let it act on its own... he suddenly felt a disturbance from his Puppet.

”Hm?”

......

The Netherworld. An indescribable place.

A single, faint Soul was journeying through the vast and boundless River of Soul, its consciousness gradually dimming as it prepared for reincarnation.

The Delusion of the Womb.

This was the greatest peril for a reincarnating Foundation Establishment cultivator, a manifestation of the Netherworld’s Mighty Power, and a great trial that every reincarnating Foundation-Stage Cultivator had to overcome.

Although Foundation-Stage Cultivators theoretically have a lifespan of five lifetimes, in practice, the Delusion of the Womb grows stronger with each subsequent life. A cultivator in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment can only awaken instantly in their second life, one in the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment can do so in their third, and one in the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment in their fourth. Only a cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection can remain fully conscious through all five lifetimes.

And this was already the Ancestor’s fourth life.

He had reached the end of his second life in old age, after which he reincarnated into the Simulation Realm for a third life. Now, in order to leave the Secret Realm, he had reincarnated again, beginning his fourth life.

Consequently, the Delusion of the Womb he faced was exceptionally strong.

However, the Ancestor felt little panic. With a single thought, a Magic Instrument appeared within his Soul, dispelling the Delusion of the Womb.

’The Prophetic Orrery!’

This Divination Artifact had once been in Lü Yang’s possession. Its Divine Effect was called All Clear, and in addition to divining karmic links, it could also help a reincarnating Foundation Establishment cultivator awaken quickly.

’Good thing I have the Divination Artifact bestowed by the Perfected Person...’

The Ancestor’s thoughts raced. ’It’s a shame that Mu Changsheng was so stubborn. The mission entrusted to me by Exorcist Zhenren wasn’t completed successfully...’

He grew worried again at this thought.

But just then, the Ancestor’s vision suddenly went dark. He looked up to see a massive hand blotting out everything.

”Just as I thought. Effortless.”

”To activate a Spiritual Treasure like this while in the River of Soul, on the verge of reincarnation... illuminating the Netherworld itself. You must have been worried you weren’t conspicuous enough.”

The next second, the Ancestor lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, before the River of Soul, Ang Xiao stood shrouded in mist, only a single, full palm as fair as jade visible.

It was this very hand that now held the Ancestor’s Soul.

”BOOM!”

In that instant, countless bolts of lightning struck his palm, their thunderous booms blasting one charred, bloody hole after another into his flesh.

But Ang Xiao did not stop.

”It’s only a Foundation Establishment Soul... It’s not as if I’m pulling it from the cycle of reincarnation completely. I’m just exerting some influence. They can’t do anything to me for something like this.”

As his voice fell, Ang Xiao immediately channeled his Mana.

Although Foundation-Stage Cultivators fiercely guard their Soul, making it difficult for even a Perfected Lord to perform Soul Searching, the reverse—implanting a memory—was possible.

Soon, a fabricated memory materialized around the Ancestor’s Spiritual Space. It detailed how he had used his silver tongue to persuade Mu Changsheng within the Simulation Realm, obtaining the crucial Consciousness Stripping Technique before making a successful retreat.

Ordinarily, such a method would be quite useless.

An implanted memory couldn’t truly enter the Spiritual Space and was full of flaws. Even a cultivator in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment could easily spot the inconsistencies.

Unfortunately for the Ancestor, the one casting the technique was Ang Xiao.

Veil of the Trees, activate!

Soon, Ang Xiao smoothed the fluctuations in the Ancestor’s Soul. When he awakened, he would accept this fabricated memory as truth.

He would naturally overlook all of its flaws.

After finishing all this, Ang Xiao finally let the Ancestor’s soul go. Then, the swirling mist once again concealed his scarred hand.

”Mission accomplished. The rest is up to you.”

Ang Xiao’s gaze shifted to a Soul on the other side, wreathed in Buddha Light. ”The Fruit of Pewter Metal has fallen into the Netherworld. I will help you kill Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.”

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming smiled faintly at his words. ”A monk does not tell lies. You need only wait patiently, Senior.”

”This time, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected will die without a doubt!”

As his voice fell, the two exchanged a smile.

With the world’s Perfected Lords in seclusion and their own plan leveraging the power of the Netherworld, their scheme was flawless. Barring any accidents, victory was assured!

......

North, Sea of Clouds.

Lü Yang stroked his chin with interest, a playful smile on his face as he checked the Ancestor’s status through his Puppet.

The Ancestor had lost consciousness halfway through, so Lü Yang hadn’t heard the details of the deal between Ang Xiao and Buddha’s Son Guang Ming. But that didn’t stop him from guessing. After all, who else would dare to attack a Foundation Establishment Soul in the Netherworld? It was a no-brainer that Ang Xiao was behind it!

’What is he planning?’

At that moment, due to the Veil of the Trees, the Ancestor was completely blind to the flaws in the memory Ang Xiao had forcibly stuffed into him—a memory that now floated just outside his Spiritual Space.

Lü Yang, however, was not affected.

Since it was a memory that had been forcibly implanted, Lü Yang didn’t even need to perform Soul Searching. He easily saw its contents, and a strange expression gradually crept onto his face.

’The Consciousness Stripping Technique?’

’No! It’s just a very convincing forgery...!’

As far as he knew, only two versions of the Consciousness Stripping Technique existed in the world.

One was the version imitated by Progenitor Tingyou through his astounding wisdom, which had a ninety-percent mortality rate. Lü Yang wouldn’t dare use it without his Divination Lottery.

The other was Mu Changsheng’s original version.

But according to Progenitor Tingyou, the risks of consciousness stripping could never be fully eliminated; Mu Changsheng had, at best, managed to reduce the mortality rate to fifty percent.

The version in the Ancestor’s memory, however, was different.

’This version of the Consciousness Stripping Technique has a one hundred percent success rate? No... it’s a Secret Technique that only appears to guarantee success, but is actually a death trap!’

A trap set by Ang Xiao!

Who was he trying to ensnare?

This method of setting a trap within a Cultivation Technique immediately reminded Lü Yang of Summon. Wasn’t the Ten Thousand Spirits Returning to Ruins Dao Scripture exactly like this?

This was really...

’A golden opportunity!’

At this thought, Lü Yang’s spirits soared. Since Ang Xiao was involved, then no matter what he was plotting, Lü Yang had to find a way to ruin it!