Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 593: Chapter 593: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, the Oriole Behind

He cursed, but in a flash, the Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch grabbed the still-reeling Dao Yan Immortal Monarch and retreated with the speed of a thunderclap.

RUMBLE!

Without the slightest hesitation, he threw out a wave of water and fire to block Lü Yang and his three protectors, then vanished in a streak of Flying Light.

Lü Yang saw this but didn’t give chase. Instead, he sat down cross-legged on the spot and had Progenitor Tingyou and the other two stand guard. He had been on high alert the entire time; the moment he relaxed, his previously mended Dharma Body cracked open once more. Light of water and fire flowed out, gnawing at the wound and widening it like vermin.

’This is a bit tricky...’

Lü Yang’s brow furrowed. The Water and Fire Tribulation had afflicted him both inside and out, clinging to his Dharma Body like a poison fused to his very bones. Even if he were to abandon this physical form, he wouldn’t be able to erase its imprint.

Clearly, this wasn’t simply rooted in his physical body.

’It’s more like it’s rooted in my very being, binding the concept of the Water and Fire Tribulation to me. As long as I’m alive, I can’t escape it.’

’Still, it’s not all bad...’

As Lü Yang pondered, Summon walked to his side. With a single thought, the Fruit of Spring Water erupted in a splendid light, and its core mystery emerged:

Shared Drink!

The splendid light shone upon Lü Yang, feeling like an endless stream of cool spring water, immediately bringing a soothing chill to his pain-wracked body.

The deep furrow in his brow began to ease.

Summon, however, slowly began to frown. On his own body, visible imprints of water and fire had begun to appear.

Seeing this, Lü Yang immediately severed the connection to the light. ”That’s enough.”

Shared Drink was the core mystery of the Fruit of Spring Water. Its effect was simple: it allowed its target and the Master of the Fruit Position to share their conditions with one another.

In short, it shared the damage.

Furthermore, the Fruit of Spring Water was considered most auspicious when paired with the Fruit of Celestial Fire—a phenomenon known as ”Illumination”—which pushed this damage-sharing effect to its absolute limit.

If Summon were willing, he could take on grievous injuries himself to allow Lü Yang to instantly recover to his peak condition!

”There’s no need for that.”

Lü Yang shook his head. ”This injury from the water and fire is no simple matter. If we share the burden, we can recover slowly. If I gave it all to you, I’m afraid it would damage your Grotto Heaven.”

Besides, this was also an opportunity.

If he returned completely unharmed, it would dash the hopes of many schemers.

He had to return half-dead, which would incite those with ulterior motives to make their move. It would force them to take desperate risks, giving him the perfect chance to wipe them all out in one fell swoop!

’Hmph... trying to set me up?’

Lü Yang sneered internally. As he was now, unless it was a cultivator at the Late Stage of Golden Core or a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord setting the trap, he was confident he could handle anything thrown at him!

”Perfect. I’ll use this opportunity to refine my first True Treasure.”

”The Myriad-Soul Banner!”

Lü Yang closed his eyes. It would have been a struggle before, but now that Summon had shouldered part of his injuries, he could free up the necessary attention for the task.

The Fruit Position from the Ten Thousand Martial Realm was something he was determined to obtain on this trip.

That was why even though he could have escaped the moment he broke through the Array, he chose to stay and forcefully kill the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

And now, the reward had come.

With the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva dead, Lü Yang seized the Outer Dao Fruit Position of the Imperial Decree from the Ten Thousand Martial Realm and merged it into his Celestial Pillar Profound Grotto Heaven.

At that moment, he was completely immersed in the satisfaction of feeling a fundamental flaw being filled.

’Incredible!’

At the same time, the Fruit of Celestial Fire seemed to stir, proactively reaching out toward him as if it wanted a piece of the Imperial Decree Fruit Position.

After all, just as Lü Yang had expected, the Imperial Decree Fruit Position was incredibly compatible with the Fruit of Celestial Fire. Their concepts were complementary. Lü Yang could clearly sense that if he chose to feed it to the Fruit of Celestial Fire, it would favor him even more, becoming completely inseparable from him.

But... what was the point?

’More favor just means getting a few more of the Fruit Position’s mysteries, and I already have that. Giving it to you would be a total waste. I’m better off feeding it to myself...’

As for it being unable to leave me.

Heh, as if you could leave me now anyway. ’Fruit of Celestial Fire, I have already claimed you. From now on, you will do my bidding!’

”Get lost!”

With a single thought, Lü Yang suppressed the Fruit of Celestial Fire’s stirring. ’Are you kidding me? I risked my life for this. Why would I give it to you?’

’It’s all mine!’

Soon, the Imperial Decree Fruit Position was completely integrated into Lü Yang’s Grotto Heaven. Sensing the Imperial Decree’s disappearance, the Fruit of Celestial Fire grew even more frantic.

RUMBLE!

For a moment, endless celestial light surged forth. The Fruit of Celestial Fire even took the initiative to extend a sliver of its own conceptual imprint into Lü Yang’s Grotto Heaven, causing his eyes to light up instantly.

”...Slash!”

As the word fell, a Sword Light flashed, instantly severing the conceptual imprint that the Fruit of Celestial Fire had sent in. It then drifted down into his Grotto Heaven.

Lü Yang was overjoyed at the sight. To refine a True Treasure, the most crucial step was to extract a conceptual imprint from a Fruit Position. It was a step he had been utterly unable to complete before. Yet now, by devouring an Outer Dao Fruit, he had, by a strange twist of fate, completed the most difficult part!

”No wonder... no wonder!”

’No wonder World Purger Fei Xue said that devouring an Outer Dao Fruit could help me rapidly advance my cultivation. I never expected this kind of side effect. Truly surprising.’

After a long moment, Lü Yang let out a long, slow breath of Muddy Qi.

WHOOSH...!

With the breath fully exhaled, he opened his eyes and took the Myriad-Soul Banner in hand. At the same time, he fused the freshly severed conceptual imprint of the Fruit of Celestial Fire with it.

Through his spiritual sense, Lü Yang clearly witnessed a dramatic change in the Myriad-Soul Banner. Its already considerable internal space expanded further, manifesting a sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers with a reality that rivaled a Grotto Heaven. The rolling black qi within grew so dense it began to show a hint of purple.

A True Treasure, forged as naturally as water carving a channel!

”Excellent, excellent!”

Lü Yang smiled with satisfaction. He felt that the Myriad-Soul Banner, which was already full of profound mysteries, had now developed countless new wonders, completely breaking free of its original limitations.

”I won’t be calling it the Myriad-Soul Banner anymore.”

’The name is too easily misunderstood. It makes me sound like some Demonic Cultivator who murders people to refine their souls, and as if this is some evil treasure used to steal True Spirits and enslave the masses.’

”I founded the Righteous Qi Dao. You are the very gate to my sect.”

”That being the case, your purpose must naturally be to promote the Righteous Dao, to bring Enlightenment to all beings, to make them understand what the Righteous Dao is, and then to practice it themselves.”

”Therefore—”

At this, Lü Yang chuckled as the Banner in his hand unfurled. ”—from this day forward, you are the sect-guarding Supreme Treasure of my Righteous Qi Dao.”

”The Banner of Righteous Teachings!”

’All who enter my banner shall become pillars of my Righteous Dao! And I, with the support of these step... I mean, these pillars, will climb step by step by step to the very top!’

The next second, Lü Yang retracted his aura.

He then raised his head, his eyes shining bright as if his gaze could pierce through the Outer Heaven Sea of Light. ”The Stain Sect... truly worthy of the name. They’re all a bunch of treacherous fucking bastards!”

The Pure Land deceived the Stain Sect and set up this death trap?

Perhaps the Pure Land really did plan it that way. But you’re telling me the Stain Sect didn’t notice?

I don’t believe it for a second!

Thinking of this, Lü Yang couldn’t help but grit his teeth and curse inwardly. ’I’d bet my life they were just playing along, deliberately using me as bait to go fishing!’

........

「In an unknown region of the Outer Heaven Sea of Light.」

The Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch and Dao Yan Immortal Monarch transformed into streaks of light, anchoring their coordinates in the Sea of Light and traversing it at will. They should have been able to return to the Celestial Mansion in a matter of moments.

However, the next second—

”Guests have come from afar... and they will be hunted down, no matter the distance.”

”My fellow Daoists, since you’ve come all this way, why be in such a hurry to leave?”

Accompanied by a gentle chuckle, the two Immortal Monarchs came to a halt. Their faces turned uglier than ever as their gazes fixed on the graceful silhouette blocking their path.

It was none other than World Purger Fei Xue!