Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 728: Chapter 723: The Secret of Magic

Lü Yang had gone to great lengths when it came to Ang Xiao.

This included having him translate the ancient text, which was a calculated move. Ultimately, the goal was to deliberately reveal a few weaknesses to that old beast.

’After all, based on the persona I’ve built—the reincarnation of a Master of Dao—it’s impossible that I wouldn’t recognize these ancient texts. Yet I still took the initiative and asked him to translate... He’s bound to be suspicious. In fact, he must have been suspicious for a long time. I don’t really resemble the reincarnation of a Master of Dao in any way.’

The biggest weakness was his Cultivation.

In Lü Yang’s eyes, his level of Cultivation was like a firefly next to the bright moon compared to Ang Xiao’s. It was far too easy for Ang Xiao to spot the discrepancy.

That’s why he needed to do the exact opposite.

’If I act all mysterious and deliberately try to imitate the speech and mannerisms of a Master of Dao, it would only backfire and convince Ang Xiao that I’m just bluffing.’

’That’s why I have to do the opposite.’

’Instead of pretending to be a Master of Dao at all, I’ll actively display my side as a novice Perfected Lord. This will actually make Ang Xiao uncertain about my true identity.’

After all, a lesser cultivator impersonating a Master of Dao would surely be riddled with flaws. But a Master of Dao impersonating a lesser cultivator? That would be seamless. The more convincing the act, the more plausible it becomes!

As for the Soul of the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva, Lü Yang wasn’t worried either.

For one, Ang Xiao was the one who brought this thing over. If the Bhagavat could sense it, he would have already located the Celestial Human Residual Consciousness by now.

For another, this thing was different from a Fruit.

’In my previous life, the main reason I was possessed by the Bhagavat was that I absorbed a Fruit he had tainted. It wasn’t clean, and that’s how I met my downfall.’

’But this life is different. I’m only using the Soul of the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva as a material for refining the Great Mighty Spirit Qi. It’s just like Artifact Refining; what’s useful is the Soul itself, and I would never leave its consciousness intact. Once I’ve done that, how could the Bhagavat possibly possess me?’

It’s foolproof. Absolutely foolproof!

As for the Immortal Core Survival Guide, there was no rush to scan it. The Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva was still alive, so scanning it now would surely lead to a trap.

’I’ll check it out after I’m done with the refining.’

With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately formed a Daoist Hand Seal. With a point of his finger, he broke the seal on the Jade Box and retrieved the Soul of the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva.

He didn’t rush to begin the process. Instead, he first took out the Great Mighty Spirit Qi and began to study it intently.

’Come to think of it, the refining method for this Magic is quite similar to the magic used in the Qi Refinement Stage. Both involve taking an external object and refining it into a usable form.’

’For the Magic of an Ancient Golden Core and the magic of a Qi Refiner to be so similar in principle can’t be a coincidence... Looked at this way, does it mean the Pocket World Technique didn’t introduce many changes at the Qi Refining level? In other words, Ancient Qi Refining and Modern Qi Refining are actually quite similar?’

’Now that’s interesting.’

’From this angle, could it be that in Ancient Times, the method for cultivating a Magic was to start refining it during Qi Refining and continue all the way until one became a Perfected Lord?’

It was very likely!

This would explain one of his lingering questions: if refining a Magic was so troublesome, wouldn’t a practitioner be a blank slate the moment they formed their Ancient Golden Core?

But now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

The orthodox ancient method must have been to begin refining one’s Magic during Qi Refining. The Magic would then grow stronger with one’s Realm, and upon achieving the Golden Core, it would undergo a final sublimation, its Abilities forming naturally.

There would be no need to spend extra time refining it.

A moment later, Lü Yang opened his eyes. With a single thought, he summoned a Flying Light and departed, arriving in the deepest part of the Taihuang Realm.

This was the core of the entire realm.

Before him was a sea of molten magma, like a great sun. Even a Perfected Person at Foundation Establishment Perfection would feel an intense, scorching heat just by approaching it.

Yet, upon Lü Yang’s arrival, this great sun displayed an unprecedented affinity for him. Even the roiling heat parted automatically as he drew near.

Lü Yang smiled faintly at the sight.

”I suppose we’re fated to meet,” he said. ”Very well. I wish to borrow the power of your realm to refine a treasure. Open yourself and let me enter.”

VMMMM!

As his voice fell, the core of the Taihuang Realm opened a path, allowing Lü Yang to enter unimpeded while letting out a continuous, joyous hum.

’This place is the quintessence of fire and the core of a realm. It’s the most suitable location for refining the Soul of the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva and imprinting it with my mark. It is, after all, a True Monarch’s Soul. For me to use this Outer Realm as a furnace and all its life as fuel... I’m giving it due respect... even if it’s merely from an Outer Dao.’

At this thought, Lü Yang immediately took out the Soul.

Soon, the True Monarch’s Soul was devoured by the endless flames. Lü Yang continuously formed hand seals and signs, channeling streams of Mana into the Soul.

Soon, the Soul began to change shape.

Its original consciousness had long since been refined into nothingness, leaving only the pure substance of the Soul. Under Lü Yang’s refining, it gradually began to glow with a dim, dark light.

The next second, the dark light shot into the air.

”BOOM!”

With a tremendous roar, the dark light pierced through the void. It plunged into emptiness at one point only to emerge from another, connecting end to end and linking with itself.

It finally formed a Dark Light Magic Ring.

Lü Yang nodded slightly at the sight. ”And so, the framework is complete. In another forty-nine years, the initial refining should be finished.”

”Even though I’ve just started refining it, and On the Grade, it’s at most at the level of the Ten Precepts, ranking as Initial Truth, it’s still not to be underestimated in Golden Core Combat.”

Just as Realms have different levels, Magic naturally has different grades.

According to the Great Mighty Spirit Qi, the grade is mainly determined by the number of Dharma Rings infused into the Magic. The more Dharma Rings, the more perfect the refining.

’It can be roughly divided into three grades: the Ten Precepts of the Profound Scripture of the First Truth, the Three Hundred Middlemost Wondrous Virtues, and the Miao Dao Celestial Immortal Thousand Two Hundred Grand Rites. It’s said that if it can be refined to the Third Grade, achieving Perfect Magic, it can even strike down a Great Perfected Lord in the Late Stage of Golden Core and banish them into eternal oblivion.’

Thinking of this, a look of anticipation surfaced in his eyes.

’If this technique reaches perfection, a line in the scripture praises it thus: ”It resides in the utmost mystery of the Jade Void, its profundity supreme; its power is not limited to upholding righteousness and dispelling evil, for it is born of the True and Orthodox One.”’

”A perfect fit for me, the Master of Righteous Qi!”

Seeing that the Magic’s refining process was stabilizing, Lü Yang withdrew some of his focus and took out the Jiaoxu Celestial Gate Star Core he had obtained previously.

’Time to refine the Life Form Body!’

Lü Yang was greatly looking forward to his second Life Form Body. After all, it was related to the Fruit of Blade-Edge Metal and his ability to return to the Immortal Pivot.

With that in mind, Lü Yang immediately gathered his Spiritual Essence to its peak.

The next second, the Skill of Perfect Vitality began to circulate. The Jiaoxu Celestial Gate Star Core, which had looked like a piece of jade stone, instantly melted into a pool of jade-like liquid.

Immediately after, the jade liquid expanded and reshaped itself, finally transforming into a young Daoist with sharp brows, bright eyes, and a dashing, high-spirited air.

It was the very image of Demon Subduing Zhenren.

At the same time, a golden, sword-shaped mark of light appeared between Lü Yang’s brows. He drew it out with one finger and gently pressed it onto the forehead of the new body, right over its Mud Ball Palace.

”Slash!”

With a flicker of his thoughts, his Fruit of Blade-Edge Metal Dao Foundation and all five of his Abilities followed the sword-shaped mark, imprinting themselves completely within the Life Form Body.