Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 585: Chapter 585: Initial Appearance of the Great Calamity

”Come back!”

As the words fell, Lü Yang pushed the Divine Effect of [Deprive] to its absolute limit, seizing control of the Celestial Observation Mirror to prevent the other party from destroying the evidence.

Sensing that something was wrong, the figure in the mirror grew even more surprised, its once-hazy face gradually becoming clear. To Lü Yang’s surprise, however, he had never seen this face before. He tried to deduce its karmic links but came up with nothing, as if the person existed without cause or effect.

’...An Outer Heaven Cultivator?’

Lü Yang understood at once. Only an Outer Heaven Cultivator—and one who had never come into contact with this broken place before—would exhibit such a strange phenomenon.

As Lü Yang pondered, the figure in the mirror suddenly moved. An androgynous voice drifted out, ”Excellent, excellent. Worthy of the Immortal Pivot, truly a land that produces outstanding talents.”

Immortal Pivot?

In an instant, Lü Yang’s pupils constricted. But the figure in the mirror had already formed a Daoist Hand Seal and struck out at him from afar. A blinding light erupted from its palm!

In that moment, Lü Yang felt as if he were seeing a magnificent sun hanging before his eyes. Yet despite the blazing light, what followed was a bone-deep chill. Wherever it passed, Lü Yang’s Mana fell silent, and the Illusionary Colors formed from his own concepts withered away.

’Is this... another kind of concept?’

Seeing this, Lü Yang could no longer suppress his curiosity. The concept the figure in the mirror was displaying was something he had never seen before!

At this thought, he stopped holding back.

Unleashing his Mana to its fullest, he pushed the concept of [Deprive] to its extreme and clawed at the mirror’s surface, causing the thoughts of the figure within to destabilize.

In the end, it was just an image.

If the other party’s true body were here, there might have been a chance for a proper Combat. But how could a mere image possibly withstand Lü Yang’s [Deprive]?

”Mine. It’s all mine!”

The next second, as the figure in the mirror dissipated, the concept it had just displayed was completely stolen by Lü Yang. A flood of understanding washed over him:

’The Sun governs the affairs of the Celestial Master, its Qi transforms and circulates the Innate. The Qi of Heaven is stern, the Earth Qi is still. Cold descends upon the great void, and the Yang Qi is no longer in command...’

BOOM!

In an instant, Lü Yang felt a slight sting between his brows and broke free from that Profound Mysterious concept. Light immediately blossomed in his eyes:

’...Good stuff!’

After Depriving that concept, Lü Yang clearly sensed that his [Celestial Pillar Profound Grotto Heaven] had actually made a minuscule amount of progress!

This was simply incredible!

One had to understand that once a Grotto Heaven was condensed, it was nearly fully formed and difficult to develop further. The only way was to find an Outer Dao Fruit Position for the Grotto Heaven to Swallow.

’An Outer Dao Fruit Position?’

Lü Yang thought for a moment, then shook his head. ’No, that’s not right. It’s not an Outer Dao Fruit Position. The concept behind it is comparable to that of an orthodox Fruit! It’s not something a common Outer Dao can compare to... What’s behind it? An Outer Realm that’s on par with this broken place? Does such an Outer Realm really exist?’

Lü Yang was stunned!

A super Outer Realm whose scale could very well far exceed the Profound Spirit Realm, the Ten Thousand Martial Realm, and even the Seven Luminaries Heaven—one that could even be compared to this broken place!

’This doesn’t make sense.’

’It’s been over thirty years since I restarted, and in all my previous restarts, I never encountered anything like this. Why has it appeared in this life, of all times?’

Lü Yang thought it over and over and concluded there was only one possibility.

’Is it because there are more Perfected Lords?’

’Because I attained the [Fruit of Celestial Fire] and Summon attained the [Fruit of Spring Water], the number of Perfected Lords increased, causing a fluctuation in the Qi trace, and that’s what attracted attention from Beyond the Heavens?’

Lü Yang stroked his chin, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

The sudden appearance of a super Outer Realm made him involuntarily think of another term he had heard of in previous lives but never witnessed:

The Millennial Calamity.

’Previously, when the [Bao Lian Hidden Buddha] tried to scare me with the Millennial Calamity, I thought she was just being an alarmist. But now, it seems that might not be the case.’

At the same time, this also resolved another of Lü Yang’s doubts. ’No wonder... I was saying that as time went on, it became harder and harder to become a Perfected Lord. Besides the Stain Sect, none of the other factions seemed to have any intention of cultivating new Perfected Lords. Now it seems the number of Perfected Lords might be the benchmark for the calamity!’

The Outer Heaven Sea of Light is Boundless, and encounters are rare on ordinary days.

However, when the number of Perfected Lords in an Outer Realm exceeds a certain Critical Point, it immediately attracts a super Outer Realm of the same level, thereby triggering a Millennial Calamity.

During the calamity, Perfected Lords will fall.

And only when enough of them have died, and the number of Perfected Lords drops back below the Critical Point, will the calamity end. The two sides will separate once more, awaiting the next calamity...

”...Is that possible?”

Lü Yang fell into deep thought. The above was just his speculation, and there were bound to be inaccuracies, but the general line of logic was probably correct.

The key is the number of Perfected Lords!

’None of the factions want new Perfected Lords to emerge because they don’t want to trigger the calamity. After all, no one knows if they’ll be the one to die in it...’

The more Lü Yang thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Then, he looked at the shattered mirror in his hand. According to Han Qingyun’s memories, he had accidentally found this Celestial Observation Mirror three months ago.

Three months ago—not long after he attained the [Fruit of Celestial Fire]!

”...Interesting.”

For a moment, Lü Yang actually grew excited. Just as he had told the [Bao Lian Hidden Buddha] before, he did not fear the arrival of the Millennial Calamity.

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

’Once you reach the True Monarch Realm, if you want to advance quickly, there’s no other way than to use your Grotto Heaven to Swallow Outer Dao Fruit Positions and carve a path to the Great Dao by Killing through the Outer Heavens!’

Thinking of this, Lü Yang’s thoughts turned to another matter. ’Speaking of which, that [Fate] Fruit from the Profound Spirit Realm seems to be a good match for me. If I could get it and Swallow it, it would be of great benefit. I just don’t know if the Sword Pavilion has already used it.’

’Besides that, there’s also the Stain Sect’s Ten Thousand Martial Realm.’

He had already cultivated [Heaven], a Second-Grade Cultivation Skill, and was fully capable of making the [Ten Thousand Martial Realm] his own and integrating it into his Grotto Heaven.

’The Ten Thousand Martial Realm and the Profound Spirit Realm... they might be the key to rapidly increasing my Cultivation in a short amount of time!’

At this thought, the look in Lü Yang’s eyes changed abruptly:

’Before, I might not have been in a hurry. I could have been like a frog in slowly boiling water... But if the Millennial Calamity is truly approaching, I don’t have time to wait.’

Lü Yang flicked his sleeves and stood up, having already made his decision.

First, the Stain Sect!

’Inside the Sword Pavilion, Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected can’t call the shots and might even be marginalized. Not to mention, my ancestor has an enemy there in [True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde].’

It wouldn’t be safe to go there rashly.

In comparison, the Stain Sect was much more reliable. World Purger Fei Xue held absolute authority there and had clearly shown him goodwill. Lü Yang felt they could probably talk.

Besides, he had many things he wanted to ask World Purger Fei Xue. Now that Minor Metal had ascended, he believed it wouldn’t be long before this Perfected Lord—hailed as the greatest in Combat for five thousand years—would break through to the Late Stage of Golden Core. The amount of Knowledge he could learn from her was surely immeasurable!