Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 581: Chapter 581: This Is the Emperor Fruit

At that moment, Lü Yang had an epiphany.

’I really do need to talk with my seniors more often to see the path ahead clearly. Now that I understand how to break through to the Mid-phase, this battle alone has made it all worthwhile...’

This kind of epiphany was priceless.

Had someone else simply pointed out this crucial piece of knowledge, it would have lacked that deep, soul-shaking resonance. One might understand the ”what” but not the ”why,” rendering it useless for one’s Cultivation.

True understanding only comes from one’s own enlightenment.

Unfortunately, the world wasn’t so forgiving. An increase in his understanding of the Dao didn’t immediately affect Lü Yang’s Cultivation level, making it impossible for him to break through in the heat of battle.

Thus, the danger remained. In fact, because Lü Yang had just revealed her greatest secret, the killing intent hidden deep within Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s eyes grew even more intense.

Although she had been prepared for her peers—other Perfected Lords—to study and devise countermeasures against her Seeking Dao Immortal Technique after using it in public, having someone see through its true nature so quickly would put her at a severe disadvantage against other Middle Stage of Golden Core Perfected Lords in the future. And this was all thanks to Lü Yang!

She would never quell the hatred in her heart until she killed this wretch!

At that moment, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha dropped all pretense of relying on speed. Her fingers moved, forming a Daoist Hand Seal.

”Dingyin Xunguo Immortal Technique!”

As her voice fell, a dazzling, auspicious radiance flared at her fingertips. It was so unimaginably brilliant that the light instantly reflected in Lü Yang’s eyes.

In that instant, a familiar sensation washed over him.

The pull of karmic links, a future set in stone!

’It’s nothing compared to the Fruit of Rampart Earth’s Zhi Gu Jin. It doesn’t directly establish a karmic link, but rather finds one that already exists on me.’

In short, it changes probability.

As long as a certain possibility existed for Lü Yang, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha could use her Dingyin Xunguo Immortal Technique to transform it into a certainty.

Take their battle so far, for instance. Because Bao Lian Hidden Buddha was at the Middle Stage of Golden Core while Lü Yang was only at the Early Stage, the probability of him getting injured in their exchanges was incredibly high. With her Immortal Technique, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha had simply turned those unrealized possibilities into reality!

’This technique is perfect for crushing weaker opponents!’

With the intuition of a Saint Sect True Monarch, Lü Yang instantly came to a conclusion: under the influence of this Immortal Technique, overcoming a stronger foe was nearly impossible!

After all, such underdog victories are low-probability events by nature.

And Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s True Skill was enough to completely snuff out that small chance.

’But by that same token, the lower the probability, the harder it must be for her to make it a reality. That’s why she hasn’t been able to kill me yet...’

Clarity dawned on Lü Yang.

If she could alter any possibility she wished, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha would have killed him with her very first strike. Why would she have waited until now?

’This means the probability of her killing me must be extremely low... so low that even with her Middle Stage of Golden Core Cultivation, she can’t force it into reality at full power. That’s why she has to injure me first and continuously weaken my condition, all to increase the probability of finally landing a killing blow.’

In a flash, Lü Yang sorted through his thoughts.

Meanwhile, the light from the Immortal Technique that Bao Lian Hidden Buddha had activated drifted over, unstoppable and unavoidable, enveloping him completely.

SPLURT!

In an instant, gaping wounds burst open all over Lü Yang’s Dharma Body as countless ”potential injuries” became horrifyingly real.

In that instant, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha clearly unleashed her full power, her Mana draining at a rapid rate. She was obviously trying to gravely injure Lü Yang as quickly as possible. Even if she couldn’t kill him, just making him unable to maintain his suppression of the two Bodhisattvas and the Grand Tutor and Grand Protector would allow her to reverse the situation.

At this moment, observers on all sides sensed the shift.

Watching Bao Lian Hidden Buddha unleash her full power, the pupils of many Perfected Lords contracted. They all wondered if they themselves could have blocked that attack.

SHIIING!

In the Sword Pavilion in the South, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had already gripped the Non-Killing Sword at his waist, but his Heaven-piercing Sword Qi was suppressed by another immense Qi trace.

”You mean to stop me?” the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected asked, his expression cold.

Within his body, the Fruit of Sword Dao he had just attained began to surge, and a terrifying Sword Intent capable of severing all things started to emanate from him.

”...Patience.”

From deep within the Sword Pavilion, a faintly resigned voice drifted out. ”That Demon Dragon won’t die... Besides, this is something he must experience.”

How could one dare to establish a sect on the mainland without the strength to back it up?

Meanwhile, in the North, within the Sea of Clouds, Minor Metal—who was preparing to act just as the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had—was also stopped by a graceful figure standing with her hands behind her back.

”Perfected Lord...” Minor Metal said, his expression uncomprehending.

”Just watch,” World Purger Fei Xue said with a faint smile. ”He possesses the Emperor Fruit, the Fruit of Celestial Fire. If he can’t even overcome a stronger opponent, what right does he have to the title of Supreme Venerable?”

As if to prove her right, Lü Yang, his body covered in wounds, suddenly lifted his head. The Engraving Laws mark between his brows looked as if it were about to shatter.

”Hm...?”

Instantly, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s heart sank.

’The profound mysteries of his Emperor Fruit... He’s pushing it to the absolute limit, the very edge of what he can currently control. What is he planning? And what could he possibly do to me?’

The next moment, Lü Yang moved.

SHIIING!

The Tribulation Wave left its sheath, its clear ring echoing in all directions. In that daze, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha—and even the Perfected Lords watching from afar—saw a vision.

They saw an Enchanted Sword.

An Enchanted Sword, its body covered in cracks traced with gold, yet it was never broken.

Unyielding Sword Intent!

The greater the adversity, the more powerful this Sword Intent became!

Almost simultaneously, within the Sword Pavilion, a Qi trace erupted from the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected. Without hesitation, he lent the full power of his Fruit of Sword Dao to Lü Yang.

Yet this was not the limit.

’Fruit of Sword Dao!’

In addition to the one the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had created through his Void Certificate, Lü Yang had one of his own. Blessed by two Fruits of Sword Dao, his Sword Qi was instantly pushed to its absolute apex.

Simultaneously, the Engraving Laws lit up.

The bonus from a Fruit of Sword Dao to a Sealed Title Sword Intent would be increased a hundredfold!

A hundredfold. This was Lü Yang’s limit, not the limit of the Engraving Laws. In time, as his Cultivation grew stronger, there would be fewer and fewer restrictions.

’But for now, this is more than enough.’

Lü Yang’s response to Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s Immortal Technique was simple: if he couldn’t defend, then he would attack! He would meet her power with his own, at its absolute strongest!

This was the power of an Emperor Fruit.

When you needed a special ability, it provided one. When you needed raw stats, it could use its abilities to make up for any deficit. It was, in a word, completely unfair.

The next moment, Lü Yang struck.

Almost simultaneously, a sword mark visible to the naked eye appeared in the sky, causing the Fruits of all observing cultivators to recede and the very stars to hide their light!

Even before that, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha had already formed a Daoist Hand Seal, trying to select a possibility where she would emerge completely unscathed to evade this sword strike.

However, the feedback she received was:

’No such possibility exists?’

Bao Lian Hidden Buddha froze for a moment, then quickly lowered her standards. ’I don’t need to be completely unscathed. A minor injury is fine, as long as I dodge this sword.’

Karmic Feedback: Absolutely impossible.

’...A grievous wound, then, to dodge this sword!’

Absolutely impossible.

For a moment, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s face turned deathly pale. Every karmic link, every one of the countless possibilities, all pointed to the exact same outcome:

”Slash!”

In that instant, All Phenomena fell silent.

The brilliant Sword Light engulfed everything. It ignored all special abilities, and with absolute, overwhelming power, it utterly crushed and shattered Bao Lian Hidden Buddha!