Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 558: Chapter 558: The Immortal Dao Law’s Trap

RUMBLE!

As Lü Yang reeled in shock from the Dao Court’s practice of raising cultivators like livestock, the battle in the heavens raged on. An invisible net had already enveloped the Fruit of Celestial Fire.

But just then, Hongtian made his move.

He suddenly strode forward, blocking the massive net’s path. His voice descended from the highest heavens, drifting straight into the Imperial Palace of the Immortal Court below:

”Your Majesty wishes to kill me?”

His calm question was met with silence. The only response was the great net, meant to capture the Fruit of Celestial Fire, which only moved faster.

Below, Lü Yang narrowed his eyes. ’This isn’t a hopeless situation yet... Hongtian is the Pseudo-History version of me, so he should have almost all of my techniques. If that’s the case, he must know *that* move... Besides, in this Pseudo-History, Progenitor Tingyou—the Yama Daoist Lord—is on his side...’

Everything was unfolding just as he expected.

The next second, having received no reply, Hongtian heaved a long sigh. A golden light suddenly erupted from his body, connecting Heaven and Earth and illuminating the stars.

Fake Golden Position!

Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, high above the boundless Sea of Suffering, another Fruit appeared alongside the Fruit of Celestial Fire: the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire!

In the process, Hongtian’s Qi trace skyrocketed, allowing him to leap across the chasm between the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core realms. A small lamp materialized in his hand. The flame within flickered, looking faint, but it carried the conceptual weight of piercing through all shadows. He raised it high, and in an instant, it flared and combusted.

BOOM!

Instantly, the fiery light filled the sky, yet wherever it passed, it left only boundless darkness. The great net formed by the Immortal Court’s Celestial Kingdom Supreme Technique was swallowed into the gloom.

”Oh? What is this...?”

Down below, Lü Yang’s eyes lit up. He suddenly realized that Hongtian’s method for Fake Holding the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire was vastly different from his own.

’That lamp... it seems to be a Grotto Heaven!’

’I rely on Yama Hall, but he’s using a Grotto Heaven he refined back when he was still at the True Monarch Position.’

The latter’s Fake Holding was undoubtedly more effective.

Furthermore, Hongtian had once been a Perfected Lord of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire. Under the Fake Holding, he was now displaying a profoundly mysterious image that Lü Yang had never seen before.

Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire: illuminating the sun and moon but not the earth, brightening the time before Heaven and Earth are clear.

Therefore, its light not only represented brilliance but also contained the deepest darkness. It could both pierce the gloom and command that same gloom for its own use!

’If it were me Fake Holding the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, I would either just smash into my enemy with the Fruit itself, or I’d use its most superficial fiery aspect to attack. Hongtian, on the other hand... his method is truly miraculous. This must be the true Fruit Position Imagery of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire!’

Lü Yang smiled in satisfaction. He’d learned something new!

Putting everything else aside, just learning this method of applying the imagery of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire made this trip more than worth it.

Meanwhile, within the Foundation Establishment Realm, as Hongtian held the lamp high, the darkness created by the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire fell like a curtain, completely concealing the net that had ensnared the Fruit of Celestial Fire.

As long as the flame burned, the darkness would not disperse.

Under these conditions, the Fruit of Celestial Fire was about to break free from its bonds. The feeling of it being close to the mortal world rapidly faded, and it once again became lofty and ethereal—

”Hmph... The desperate struggle of a trapped beast!”

Finally, a cold sneer echoed from within the Immortal Court.

Almost simultaneously, a Holy Decree shot out from the Immortal Court, bursting with splendid light: [Deprive Hongtian of the position of State Preceptor. Effective today, he is demoted to a commoner, never to be employed again!]

RUMBLE!

In an instant, the Qi trace of the once-exalted Hongtian reversed. His status crumbled, and the very steps beneath his feet, condensed from the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Directions, began to shake violently!

’Here it comes!’

Lü Yang watched intently, sitting up straight with gleaming eyes. ’A direct demotion from the Immortal Dao Law... I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to escape this move, either...’

Hongtian was the State Preceptor in the Immortal Court.

I, on the other hand, rule a Pseudo-Dynasty within the Dao Court.

The former isn’t truly the sole authority, and while I am, my legal authority is illegitimate. Therefore, both of us could potentially be demoted.

’How will you handle this?’

As Lü Yang watched, Hongtian merely smiled faintly. He held the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire before his chest and, empowered by its light, let out a soft laugh:

[This is a lawless decree! I will not obey!]

The next second, from various corners of the Immortal Court, two more pillars of splendor erupted from the ground. They were the Fruit of Long-Flow Water and the Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth. At the same time, their Daoist voices rang out:

”We reject this lawless decree!”

Lü Yang’s eyes narrowed. He knew these were the Pseudo-History counterparts of Primal Daoist Mu Changsheng and Progenitor Tingyou, both of whom were already Perfected Lords in this reality!

’I get it. So this is his method... He sent two Perfected Lords of the Yama Dao into the Immortal Court’s system. With the Position and karmic links of a Perfected Lord, their standing within the Immortal Court is undeniable, enough to grant them partial control over the Celestial Kingdom Supreme Technique. They can then use that to counter the Immortal Court’s demotion...’

Instantly, intense disappointment flooded Lü Yang’s eyes.

It was a good method. It didn’t address the root cause, but it treated the symptoms—enough to stop Hongtian’s current downward spiral and buy him precious time.

But the problem was—

’Damn it, I can’t use this method!’

’First of all, I can’t find two Perfected Lords in the Current World to help me seize control of the Immortal Dao Law. And second, it would be useless even if I could.’

Because when the time comes, my opponent will be the Daoist Court Daoist Lord!

At that point, forget two Golden Core Perfected Lords; even if every Perfected Lord in the entire world came to help me, it would be impossible to contest control with the Daoist Court Daoist Lord!

Lü Yang suppressed his disappointment and continued to watch.

Regardless, he had at least confirmed that the Dao Court had a hidden method to demote him. He would have to find a countermeasure in the future. The pressing question was... was there anything else?

’I managed to predict the demotion, and Hongtian handled it smoothly, which means it wasn’t the final trump card... The Immortal Court should be playing its killing blow now!’

Just as Lü Yang expected.

Seeing that the demotion from the Celestial Kingdom Supreme Technique was being jointly resisted by Hongtian and the two Perfected Lords of the Yama Dao, another voice emanated from the Imperial Palace of the Immortal Court:

[State Preceptor Hongtian has violated the court’s order and defied the laws of Heaven. All of his Cultivation is hereby confiscated!]

At this, Hongtian froze.

Meanwhile, Lü Yang, watching from below, was also stunned. A chill shot straight up his spine. ’So that’s how it is... I can’t believe they can even do that!’

Confiscating his Cultivation!

Lü Yang looked up at the sky to see the imagery around Hongtian, which had been perfectly attuned to the Fruit of Celestial Fire, dissolving piece by piece. The Abilities surrounding him also dimmed rapidly.

His Cultivation was disappearing!

All the Cultivation he had once gained from the Celestial Kingdom Supreme Technique was now flowing back to its source. No matter how hard Hongtian tried to recall them, the memories were already lost to him.

The most direct consequence was that his five Abilities and his very Talent and Destiny began to run rampant. The Fruit of Celestial Fire, once so intimate with him, now rejected him outright. In all of Heaven and Earth, he was suddenly a pariah, completely and utterly alone!

This was the Immortal Court’s killing blow!

For a moment, Lü Yang didn’t know whether to feel joy or sorrow. He was joyous because he had finally learned of the massive trap the Dao Court had hidden in the shadows.

He was sorrowful because:

’Is this really the end of the line?’

Lü Yang looked up, his gaze fixed on Hongtian. No one could have anticipated the Immortal Court’s method of confiscating Cultivation, so it was clear Hongtian hadn’t been prepared for it either.

In that instant, Lü Yang mentally reviewed all of his own trump cards.

’If this were me, would I have a way to counter it?’

’I think so... but not by Fake Holding the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire. If I had Fake Held the Fruit of Celestial Fire from the very beginning, I might have had a way to get my Cultivation back after it was deprived.’

But that would only work if he knew in advance that the Dao Court had such a trick up its sleeve. Hongtian obviously hadn’t had that chance.

’Is this it...?’

Just as that thought crossed Lü Yang’s mind—

”...It is not yet decided!”

Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, Hongtian abruptly raised his head. A brilliant glow capable of piercing through any gloom appeared in the depths of his eyes, followed by the high-pitched, ringing cry of a sword!