Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 594: Chapter 594: Who Is the Bait, Who Is the Fisherman?

「In the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, deep within the Void.」

”Who are you!?”

The Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch looked horrified. He had never expected someone to appear out of thin air and intercept them in the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, which should have been completely clear.

In that instant, his blood ran cold.

’This ”Immortal Core Demon infighting” is a complete sham! It’s all a trap, a deliberate setup to lure us in. They want to strike first before the thousand-year tribulation!’

’No, that’s not right. The infighting must have been real. The desire of those bald-headed bastards to kill that Perfected Lord with the Emperor Fruit was definitely genuine. It’s just that they had a backup plan, ensuring they wouldn’t lose out regardless of the outcome... Those animals! They were probably planning to backstab their allies from the very beginning!’

The Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch’s guess was spot on.

’The Bhagavat... He’s truly incredible!’

Looking at the two Celestial Mansion Immortal Monarchs before her, World Purger Fei Xue’s face was filled with emotion. A deep wariness surfaced in her usually unyielding, beautiful eyes.

’Just look at this plot.’

’The best-case scenario was for the Pure Land to successfully kill Lü Yang. Then, she would arrive a step too late, and neither the Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch nor the Dao Yan Immortal Monarch would be able to escape.’

’A slightly worse scenario was failing to kill Lü Yang, but the Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch and Dao Yan Immortal Monarch would still be unable to escape.’

’The worst-case scenario, the one playing out right now, was that the Pure Land would lose an Outer Path Bodhisattva... but frankly, that wasn’t a significant loss.’

’Yet in every scenario, the final outcome would have been advantageous to the Bhagavat’s side. They claimed to be colluding with Outer Heaven Cultivators, but in reality, they were just setting others up. They never truly betrayed the stance of this ”broken place.” If everything had gone smoothly, they would have achieved their goals while leaving no room for complaint.’

’If this scheme had any flaw...’

’...it was that the forces deployed were too weak.’

’One cultivator at the Middle Stage of Golden Core, two at the Early Stage, and one from the Outer Dao. Such a lineup might work against an ordinary Perfected Lord, but it was obviously not enough to deal with Lü Yang.’

’Besides, it didn’t quite align with the Immortal Pivot’s ”fine tradition” of using overwhelming force to bully the weak.’

’If it were me, I’d at least have acted personally, or I would have invited a Great Perfected Lord at the Late Stage of Golden Core to ensure an absolutely overwhelming advantage.’

’...Hmm!?’

As this thought struck her, a cold light flashed in World Purger Fei Xue’s eyes. She snapped her head up, gazing toward the distant Sea of Light where the Immortal Pivot resided.

’Something’s wrong!’

’If even I could figure this out, how could the Bhagavat have missed it?’

’Especially since this was the Bhagavat—a notoriously shameless man who never shied away from using overwhelming force. Why would he send such a weak lineup against Lü Yang?’

’This lineup... it was meant for me!’

In an instant, understanding dawned on World Purger Fei Xue:

’These two Celestial Mansion Immortal Monarchs were indeed served up for me to handle, but they were also meant to tie me down, to keep me from paying attention to what was happening elsewhere.’

In truth, although Lü Yang had seemed to be in a perilous situation fighting one against four, World Purger Fei Xue had been watching from the shadows the entire time. She would never have let him fall into real danger. But now, she had left to intercept the Lesser Yin Immortal Monarch and the Dao Yan Immortal Monarch. This was likely the moment of greatest peril for Lü Yang!

The true killing move had only just begun!

At this thought, World Purger Fei Xue’s mind raced. ’Who could it be? The Bao Lian Hidden Buddha? Or is the Bhagavat himself stepping in?’

’No, that’s not it. None of those options are certain enough.’

’A cultivator at the Middle Stage of Golden Core could certainly suppress Lü Yang, but killing him would be difficult. If Lü Yang was determined to flee, he couldn’t be stopped. Only a Great Perfected Lord could guarantee success.’

’With the Bhagavat’s penchant for meticulous planning, how could he possibly leave anything to chance?’

’In this grand scheme, who was the real bait? Who was the real fish? And who was the fisherman, rod in hand, poised to reap the final reward?’

”...Ha!”

After a moment of silence, World Purger Fei Xue suddenly let out a clear laugh. ”I really underestimated you. Terminally ill you may be, but you are, after all, someone who was on the path to becoming a Great Perfected Lord!”

......

「The Outer Heaven Sea of Light.」

Lü Yang held the newly refined True Treasure, the Banner of Righteous Teachings, a hint of surprise on his face. ”This True Treasure... its quality is surprisingly high!”

Lü Yang had always known the Myriad-Soul Banner was powerful. It was an evolving Supreme Treasure whose Divine Effects were dictated entirely by the quality and quantity of the Banner Spirits it contained. When he first obtained it, it was merely on par with an Artifact, and Lü Yang had thought it would soon become obsolete.

Just like his old Abi Sword.

However, as the number of Banner Spirits increased and their Realms improved, it naturally advanced to the level of a Spiritual Treasure, eventually even becoming a Superior Sentient Artifact.

As Lü Yang advanced, the banner had never once failed to keep pace.

And after Summon, Empress Xiao, and Progenitor Tingyou became Perfected Lords, the Spiritual Treasure’s profound power reached its zenith, seemingly transcending the limits of a Spiritual Treasure.

’This is definitely not something Mu Changsheng could have refined.’

Lü Yang rubbed his chin. ’It is, after all, a Supreme Treasure meant to house a Fruit Position Prototype. There was likely interference from a Heavenly God, just like with the Tribulation Wave I refined all those years ago.’

The Tribulation Wave was only successfully refined back then thanks to Ang Xiao’s interference. It was so powerful that Lü Yang still uses it to this day. The Myriad-Soul Banner was likely a similar case. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain its Position and profound power, which are clearly superior to a normal Spiritual Treasure. It might even contain some hidden measure left behind by a Heavenly God.

’Of course, mine certainly doesn’t anymore.’

’After all, it has been cleansed by the Centome and now refined into a True Treasure. It has been thoroughly imprinted with my own essence and mark.’

As he mulled this over, Lü Yang suddenly looked up. ’Strange... something isn’t right!’

’How long has it been?’

’Logically, the Saint Sect should have discovered the problem by now. The Heaven-Reaching Hall ought to have contacted me again to guide me back.’

’Why the silence?’

In a flash, Lü Yang’s intuition as a Saint Sect True Monarch kicked in, and he reached the same conclusion as World Purger Fei Xue:

’Damn it, the Bhagavat is after me again!’

For a moment, Lü Yang decided to leave this region of the Sea of Light immediately. But in the next second, his expression turned grim.

Because nothing happened.

Travel in the Outer Heaven Sea of Light was guided primarily by Divine Sense. As long as one locked onto a set of coordinates, one could travel there in a single thought. In theory, it should be impossible to be intercepted mid-journey. The only exception was if someone used a Great Magical Power or a Legendary Technique to sever the connection, blockading the path and trapping a person within the Sea of Light.

’And what did it take to wield such Great Magical Power and Legendary Techniques?’

’Late Stage of Golden Core!’

Having sorted out his thoughts, Lü Yang let out a long breath. Then, as if in answer to his suspicions, a sound suddenly drifted from the distance:

”TOC... TOC... TOC...”

Footsteps echoed faintly from within the boundless Sea of Light. They were steady and calm, like a majestic mountain approaching, unhurried and deliberate.

The next second, the Sea of Light dimmed.

The newcomer’s arrival drained all color from this part of the Outer Heaven Sea of Light, plunging Heaven and Earth into a void and transforming it into the surface of a chaotic abyss. The figure walked upon that abyssal surface.

Lü Yang looked over and saw that the newcomer was dressed simply, with a noble and handsome bearing. He wore a casual smile, looking like a wealthy young lord out for a stroll in the country. An ornate enchanted sword hung at his waist. It emitted no discernible divine aura, yet the moment Lü Yang’s Divine Sense touched it, he felt a sharp, needle-like pain.

This wasn’t a deliberate act on the man’s part.

It was simply the natural reaction of his Divine Sense upon contact, much like how a finger will inevitably bleed if brushed against the edge of a sharpened blade.

”Hooo...!”

The man made no attempt to hide his karmic links. Seeing this, Lü Yang surprisingly grew calm. He simply looked at the newcomer with a strange, indescribable expression:

”I never expected it would be you, Senior...”

Although he had never truly met the man in person, Lü Yang was still able to deduce his identity.

The man had always been incredibly discreet. Even with the experience of ten lifetimes, Lü Yang had almost never seen him make a move, having only heard a few rumors about him.

Coercing the Dragon Monarch. Dominating the Overseas with his sword.

Only once had World Purger Fei Xue forced his hand, testing his condition. Afterward, the news that he was ”terminally ill” spread throughout the lands.

Even Ang Xiao looked down on him.

Over time, no one took him seriously anymore. They believed he was a walking corpse, powerless to engage in combat, and not worth paying any mind to.

And yet, here he was.

His smile was gentle and his demeanor refined, yet his Qi trace enveloped the cosmos. The surrounding Outer Heaven Sea of Light paled in his presence. How did this look like a man who was terminally ill in any way?

Lü Yang sighed deeply:

”...From the Sword Pavilion, True Monarch Gangxing!”