Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 535: Chapter 535: Unwilling! Unbelieving! Unyielding

After a brief silence, Ang Xiao spoke.

”This is truly... a Tribulation.”

His tone was flat, but the one speaking was not his own tattered spiritual perception. It was the Soul of the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva, currently held in Lü Yang’s grasp!

In an instant, Lü Yang’s pupils shrank!

The next second, however, the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva—or rather, Ang Xiao—made his move. A brilliant, golden splendor suddenly flared to life on his body.

This splendor mingled with the light of the sun and moon and gathered the Yin and Yang Qi—the very manifestation of the Fruit of Pewter Metal.

However, this Fruit was countered by Lü Yang’s Fruit of Celestial Fire. The moment Ang Xiao used it, not only did he fail to escape, but his predicament grew even more dire.

But the next second, Lü Yang saw a second display of Illusionary Colors appear, reflecting the image of shifting valleys and hidden, coiling dragons and snakes. It was the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth. The two Illusionary Colors intertwined, forming the manifestation of ”Earth of Yang, Fire Extinguishing and Gold Generating,” turning the counter against him into a supportive cycle!

RUMBLE!

With a tremendous roar, Ang Xiao summoned a streak of Flying Light and, in the blink of an eye, escaped from Lü Yang’s palm, landing in the distance. He had actually managed to get away!

Lü Yang was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a light laugh.

”...Well, I’ve learned something new.”

This wasn’t a gap in their Cultivation Realm, but a matter of pure Cultivation. Ang Xiao had relied solely on his profound Cultivation to forge a path to survival from a desperate situation!

’I knew the Variable was with Ang Xiao... Worthy of a Bhagavat.’

Lü Yang glanced to the side and saw that the Fruit of Rampart Earth, which had just reversed everything, was now dim. It dissipated like smoke, quickly vanishing from the Current World.

Meanwhile, Ang Xiao stretched his limbs freely. The manifestations of the Fruit of Pewter Metal and the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth intertwined into a Splendid Light above his head. These manifestations were not infinite, however; their respective Fruits were currently in the Netherworld, so once this power was used up, it would be gone for good.

Still, Ang Xiao remained confident.

’Strictly speaking, the power I can wield now is inferior to this Demon Dragon’s, but my superior Cultivation is more than enough to cover all my disadvantages.’

There was no doubt that he was very weak at the moment.

His true body was trapped in the Netherworld, and his Veil of the Trees was practically useless. It might still work on Foundation Establishment cultivators, but against a Golden Core, it was like a tickle. He couldn’t hope to rely on it in Combat.

The only things he could use were the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva’s own Outer Dao Fruit Position and the limited manifestations of the Fruit of Pewter Metal and the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth. And they were just manifestations, not the Profound Mysterious. If he had the fundamental Profound Mysterious of the Fruits, his chances of victory would be ten out of ten. As it stood, they were probably only six out of ten.

’This shows that the Fruit of Rampart Earth has its limits...’

If it could truly alter karmic links and reverse the Current World at will, couldn’t one just establish the cause of ”Lü Yang dies a violent death” and then simply wait for it to happen?

It must be fraught with restrictions.

The same conclusion Ang Xiao reached, Lü Yang could reach as well. In fact, because he had once cultivated the Fruit of Rampart Earth, his judgment was even more precise.

’Zhi Gu Jin—to change the cause of the past to achieve the fruit of the present. This is a Profound Mysterious that can change history! But this change in karmic links must meet certain conditions, just like my Fruit of Celestial Fire... The condition is probably related to the number of witnesses. The more people who know about something, the harder it is to change!’

Lü Yang’s reasoning was simple:

’My Fruit of Celestial Fire is the same. The rules it establishes cannot conflict with each other. Therefore, the karmic links altered by the Fruit of Rampart Earth shouldn’t be able to either!’

After all, the more people who witness an existing karmic link, the more solid it becomes, as immovable as a great boulder. If a modified karmic link conflicts with an existing one, the modified link will inevitably be crushed unless a Mighty Power strong enough to suppress the conflict is present.

WHOOSH...!

Having thoroughly sorted through his thoughts, Lü Yang’s mind calmed. He looked at Ang Xiao with placid eyes, then suddenly spoke in a low voice.

”Senior, are you just going to let the Bhagavat command you like this?”

”Not exactly.”

Ang Xiao shook his head. ”You want to reverse the Earth of Chen. You and I were already great enemies. This particular karmic link was simply exploited by the Bhagavat.”

Lü Yang smiled calmly.

To be honest, neither the Earth of Chen nor Ang Xiao had anything to do with him in this lifetime. He had every reason to wash his hands of the whole affair.

After all, Ang Xiao had made it perfectly clear: their karmic links existed only because Lü Yang could reverse the Earth of Chen. If he simply gave up on that, their fundamental conflict would vanish. They could easily turn hostility into friendship. It would just mean a bit more suffering for Master Chong Guang.

’But... I am unwilling!’

Lü Yang shook his head, not for any noble reason, but for a very simple, personal one: those who are Ruling the World can only ever move forward.

To retreat is to weaken the manifestation.

The Fruit of Celestial Fire is tyrannical; it never compromises. Even if no one under Heaven cultivated it, it would never lower its standards for those who are Seeking Gold.

How could such a Fruit accept someone who compromises?

In other words, while Ang Xiao’s words seemed to offer a mutually beneficial solution, they were in fact a malicious attempt to sabotage his path to attaining the Fruit of Celestial Fire!

’Fine... let’s test it, then.’

Lü Yang took a step forward.

He recalled a time, long ago, when he was only in the Late-phase of Qi Refining. He had faced the Master of Heaven Mending Peak just like this, brazenly drawing his sword. Now, however, the memory of that feeling had grown dim.

’Looking back.’

This Broken Place has long been a pool of stagnant water... Thinking back, across ten lifetimes of Cultivation, he had met many brilliant figures, each a paramount hero of their era.

Progenitor Tingyou, Master Chong Guang, Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, Fellow Daoist Suo Huan, the Primal Daoist... To be blunt, their talent, temperament, and ability were all superior to his own. Yet not a single one of them ever truly succeeded in Seeking Gold. The most they achieved was an Outer Dao Fruit Position, like No Heaven.

It was not a matter of ability, but of fortune.

Tingyou scraped by for a thousand years; Master Chong Guang reincarnated filled with hatred; Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected sacrificed himself to his sword; Fellow Daoist Suo Huan died with regrets; the Primal Daoist’s schemes all came to naught. Not a single one of them met a good end!

Is it truly so irresistible?

The great figures in Heaven, the lofty Perfected Lords and Masters of Dao... is the game they have laid out truly impossible to overturn? Must one resign to being nothing more than a chess piece?

’I don’t believe it.’

Lü Yang continued forward.

Raging flames began to erupt from his body, the firelight coiling into a ring behind his head. It bloomed into a halo, casting a fiery glow over almost half of the West.

”...”

At that moment, Ang Xiao said nothing. He just looked at Lü Yang, meeting his impassive eyes, and seemed to see raging flames within them.

Suddenly, he sighed.

”You’re a lot like me.”

Young and reckless, ignorant of the immensity of the world. Blessed with a bit of talent, your ambitions reach for the heavens. Only after you’ve truly grown do you understand the cruel realities of this world.

He grew up. He understood.

And so, he sought out the Netherworld. He, the first peerless prodigy in the world to attain an Emperor Fruit, chose to feign his death and vanish without a trace.

But Lü Yang hadn’t.

’There is no second Netherworld for you to hide in, yet you insist on attaining the Fruit of Celestial Fire. And you want to do it openly, Seeking it under the watchful eyes of all.’

A dead end.

Even if you succeed, you’ll be nothing more than a meteor streaking across the sky, a flower that blooms for a single night. What meaning is there in that?

Ang Xiao drew back his thoughts, the ripples of emotion in his eyes fading back to calm. He had his own Dao to walk; a flicker of sentimentality would not change his resolve.

BOOM!

The next second, Heaven and Earth trembled violently!

Within Lü Yang, the experiences of ten lifetimes became kindling, igniting a raging inferno. He took the final step—toward Ang Xiao, toward the Pure Land, toward all under heaven—and declared:

”I do not submit!”