Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 590: Chapter 590: A Trap?

In that instant, Lü Yang’s Spiritual Sense screamed a warning.

Without a shred of hesitation, he immediately tried to connect with the Heaven-Reaching Hall and return to the Stain Sect. It wasn’t that he was a coward; he just wanted to ask World Purger Fei Xue to accompany him.

Soon, however, his expression darkened.

’The connection... it’s been severed!’

Lü Yang looked up, his brow furrowed. Although his connection to the Stain Sect was cut, the radiance of his Fruit of Celestial Fire still shone upon him.

Thanks to this, his power had not diminished in the slightest.

’This place should be quite far from that broken place. Theoretically, the Fruit of Celestial Fire shouldn’t be able to reach me here, but there’s something strange about the location of that broken place...’

Lü Yang had a sudden realization. The location of that broken place was exceptionally special; it seemed to be the hub of the entire Outer Heaven Sea of Light, connecting to all realms. That was why the Power of a Fruit Position could extend from its home realm to any corner of the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, allowing a Perfected Lord to maintain their full strength even Beyond the Heavens.

’...Immortal Pivot.’

At this moment, Lü Yang recalled what he had heard before—the name the figure in the Celestial Observation Mirror had used for the broken place. Immortal Pivot. The name was quite fitting.

Lü Yang’s contemplation did not last long.

Because in the next second, a massive hand forged entirely from the Duality of Life and Death Profound Light suddenly shot out from the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, ruthlessly grabbing for Lü Yang.

”BOOM!”

As the giant hand descended, thunder crackled in its palm. The rolling Thunder Sound shook the very Soul. There were no flashy displays or grand manifestations, only the purest form of power!

If Lü Yang didn’t flee from this palm strike, he would have two choices: either reveal his own manifestation prematurely and use its conceptual rules to counter the attack, or meet it head-on with Mana in a direct clash of raw power. Either option would expose some of his capabilities. With the enemy hidden and him in the open, he would be forced into a passive position.

Yet Lü Yang stood tall, completely unafraid:

”A fine strike!”

As his voice fell, he formed a Finger Technique with one hand, holding a Sword Point before his chest. A sliver of golden light gleamed at his fingertips before suddenly erupting into boundless radiance.

This was a ray of Sword Light!

Being Beyond the Heavens, Lü Yang actually felt less constrained. He thrust his Sword Point forward, and a brilliant, indestructible Sword Light tore the massive hand apart in an instant!

Wherever the Sword Light passed, it blazed with the splendor of a high sun and the brilliance of a distant sea. For a moment, it even suppressed the inherent glow of the Duality of Life and Death Profound Light, causing Heaven and Earth to dim abruptly before lighting up once more. In that fleeting shift from dark back to light, the massive Profound Light hand had already burst apart.

”BANG!”

The shattered hand dissolved into a rain of light that fell back into the Outer Heaven Sea of Light. The residual Sword Qi pierced through the void, blasting two figures out from within the Sea of Light.

”WHOOSH!”

At the same time, the Mighty Power of the Fruit of Celestial Fire descended. The Engraving Laws appeared on Lü Yang’s brow, and a towering blaze of fire enveloped him, making him appear all the more divine.

”...As expected of the Immortal Pivot True Monarch.”

In the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, just outside the Ten Thousand Martial Realm, the man standing slightly in front of the two figures Lü Yang had blasted out let out a sigh of admiration:

”Not to mention he holds an Emperor Fruit.”

At the same time, the other man standing behind him also spoke. The Qi traces of both men were revealed, causing Lü Yang’s eyes to narrow.

Their Positions were on par with a Perfected Lord, yet he had never seen their manifestations before.

In a flash, Lü Yang understood everything. It was a trap! From Han Qingyun to the Celestial Observation Mirror, it had all been a trap!

’First, they used the Celestial Observation Mirror to induce Han Qingyun to join my Righteous Qi Dao. Then, they let me discover the Celestial Observation Mirror, which led me to notice the strange manifestation within it. To find answers, I inevitably went to the Stain Sect. After learning the secrets of the thousand-year calamity, I would naturally seek ways to increase my strength...’

The result was this trap laid here: the Ten Thousand Martial Realm!

’As an Outer Dao Fruit Position, the Ten Thousand Martial Realm is undoubtedly a perfect match for my Fruit of Celestial Fire. The Pure Land, having studied it as well, would naturally have been able to deduce this.’

”...The Pure Land actually colluded with Outer Heaven Cultivators?”

”The Celestial Mansion?”

Lü Yang lowered his gaze, looking toward the Ten thousand Martial Realm. A ray of Buddha Light was slowly rising from it, and from within that light, two more figures emerged.

One of them had a compassionate face and a dignified bearing. His kasaya seemed to be draped with the sun and moon, dotted with myriad stars. The surging Power of his Fruit Position was of the same origin as the Heaven that Lü Yang had cultivated—the unique Qi trace of the Ten thousand Martial Realm. His entire being was wreathed in a manifestation that seemed to stabilize the Qi of all living beings.

Lü Yang traced the karmic links, and the man’s identity immediately flooded his mind.

’Within the Ten Thousand Martial Realm, all beings have a Life Star that manifests their innate status and Qi. From this, an Outer Dao Fruit Position named ”Imperial Decree” was born.’

And the Monk who had attained this Fruit Position was named Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva!

’He was formerly the Great Supreme, the Arhat from the Pure Land with the best chance of achieving the rank of Bodhisattva, but he mysteriously vanished. To think he was here all along, executing a secret plan...’

The other Bodhisattva was also unfamiliar.

Unlike Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, a Splendid Light also rose from this Bodhisattva’s head, stirring the great void and, just like Lü Yang, manifesting a Fruit Position.

The Fruit of Pine-Cedar Wood!

’It’s the third Bodhisattva of the Pure Land—the one I forced back into seclusion along with the Bhumba Bodhisattva using the Engraving Laws!’

Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva!

At this thought, Lü Yang’s expression grew heavier, but not because of the two Bodhisattvas from the Pure Land. One had an Outer Dao Fruit and the other was only in the Early Stage; they weren’t a significant threat.

The real trouble was the two Outer Heaven Cultivators.

Lü Yang’s gaze swept over them as he silently assessed his enemies’ combat strength. ’One of them has a Qi trace similar to the Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s—Middle Stage of Golden Core, equivalent to a Second-grade True Monarch. The other one I briefly clashed with in the Celestial Observation Mirror. His strength is less than mine, so he counts as a Third-class True Monarch.’

’Add the two Bodhisattvas to the mix...’

’All things considered, it’s not a hopeless situation. The only real threat is the Second-grade True Monarch from the Celestial Mansion. The rest are nothing to worry about...’

”BOOM!”

In the next second, the Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva suddenly raised his hand. With the Ten Thousand Martial Realm at its center, Buddha Light erupted throughout the surrounding Outer Heaven Sea of Light.

’A Third Grade... no, a Second Grade Array!’

Lü Yang’s eyes narrowed. Array Patterns condensed within the Sea of Light as the brilliant Buddha Light manifested visions of Slaughter Towers, Relic Towers, temples, and Zen Forests.

Lü Yang recognized the scene.

’An Earthly Buddha Country!?’

That was right. The Array that had appeared was remarkably similar to the Earthly Buddha Country he had seen in the West in his Previous Life, only it lacked the Fruit of Rampart Earth to anchor it.

Under the enhancement of this Array, the Qi trace of the originally weakest Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva surged, breaking through the baseline of a Fifth Grade True Monarch and reaching the Fourth Grade. Meanwhile, the Qi trace of the Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva also climbed steadily, faintly reaching the upper echelons of a Third-class True Monarch.

”...What a grand display.”

Lü Yang’s expression was indifferent as he shook his head. ”I’ve tried my best to underestimate the depravity of you Monks, but you manage to shatter my expectations every time.”

”Colluding with Outer Heaven Cultivators, the very enemies of the coming thousand-year calamity.”

”Are you trying to make yourselves enemies of the entire Five Domains of the World?”

”Amitabha.”

The Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva chanted the Buddha’s Name but did not answer Lü Yang. Instead, he turned to the two Outer Heaven Cultivators who had arrived with them.

”Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch, Dao Yan Immortal Monarch, we will take only his Soul and True Spirit. The rest belongs to you.”

”Hahaha, excellent!”

At these words, the two Outer Heaven Cultivators roared with laughter. The man whom the Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva had called Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch sneered:

”I came this time for Dao Yan’s sake. Since this man has attained the Fruit of Celestial Fire, after we kill him and seize its manifestation, Dao Yan should be able to attain the Heavenly Master Position of the Sun Lineage when he returns. He’ll be a true Sun Immortal Monarch then.”

”Thank you for your guidance, my lord!”

Hearing this, the other Outer Heaven Cultivator, Dao Yan Immortal Monarch, was overjoyed. He hastily cupped his hands in thanks, then turned to glare at Lü Yang like a tiger stalking its prey.

In just a few words, the four of them had already decided Lü Yang’s fate.

But Lü Yang merely smiled. Even though he had been plotted against and was trapped in a grand array, he remained perfectly calm. As his lips parted, his voice echoed throughout the cosmos:

”A pack of useless curs, and you think you can kill me?”