Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Lü Yang began to seriously study Empress Xiao’s Incense and Candle Divine Dao.

’In my opinion, the Incense and Candle Divine Dao actually has great potential. To put it simply, it can be understood as a lower-tier substitute for the Fruit of Thunderbolt Fire.’

Both of them buffed one’s subordinates.

However, the buff from the Fruit of Thunderbolt Fire could share one’s own Golden Core Position. In comparison, the Incense and Candle Divine Dao could only buff subordinates to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Not to mention, the buff from the Fruit of Thunderbolt Fire was unrestricted, while the Incense and Candle Divine Dao had the requirement of believers. Therefore, the difference in their actual performance was enormous. Empress Xiao had thus become the Perfected Lord with the least presence in the Righteous Banner. In most cases, Lü Yang didn’t even dare let her take action.

He was afraid she’d die by accident.

However, Empress Xiao was quite open-minded about it. Although her power was limited, she was still a Perfected Lord, so she was content enjoying her days inside the Righteous Banner.

In short, she’d gotten a bit lazy.

Lü Yang, however, wouldn’t allow her to just coast. ’Even though the Banner Spirits in the Righteous Banner are all my brothers, those who don’t work hard are not my brothers.’

More importantly—

’I can currently use the Banner Spirit Sea tactic to unleash the ”All Evil Beheaded” Talent Skill because I can invoke the Mighty Power of the Fruit of Thunderbolt Fire to buff the Banner Spirits.’

’But what about the future?’

’Just because I wield the Fruit of Celestial Fire now doesn’t mean I will in the future. What isn’t mine will never truly be mine. I must prepare for the future.’

After all, the ”All Evil Beheaded” Talent Skill was just too effective when combined with the Banner Spirit Sea. Lü Yang was truly reluctant to give it up. That being the case, he naturally had to find a way to make it a permanent ability. So, after much thought, he set his sights on Empress Xiao and her Incense and Candle Divine Dao.

”Understand?”

Thinking of this, Lü Yang solemnly patted Empress Xiao’s head. ”In short, I plan to carry out a secondary development on your Incense and Candle Divine Dao.”

Lü Yang’s brows furrowed at the sight.

But what kind of person was he? He had been through countless battles over so many lifetimes, so he quickly regained his composure and continued, ”I’ve already arranged everything.”

”The key lies in the Fruit Position Profound Mysterious.”

”The foundation of an Outer Dao Fruit Position is still too weak. If you want to advance further, the only way is to have the Incense and Candle Divine Dao give birth to its own unique Profound Mysterious.”

Empress Xiao nodded vigorously upon hearing this and stammered:

”I... I’ve thought about this too, but for an Outer Dao Fruit to give birth to a Profound Mysterious is as difficult as ascending to Heaven. I... I really don’t have the talent to achieve it.”

After speaking, she raised her beautiful eyes, looking up at Lü Yang pitifully as her throat twitched slightly.

”Hiss... I know that too.”

”That’s why I asked the Ancestral Master to design a method. We’ll use an external approach to add another layer of ’imagery’ to the Incense and Candle Divine Dao.”

Empress Xiao was overjoyed. ”What imagery?”

”A ’binding’ imagery.”

Lü Yang said in a low voice, ”To put it simply, we will bind the Incense and Candle Divine Dao to me, thereby using me to forcibly elevate its Position.”

”This isn’t difficult for the Incense and Candle Divine Dao. After all, it elevates itself through the Power of Faith, which is quite compatible with a ’binding’ imagery. It’s just that before, the believers under the Incense and Candle Divine Dao were directed at you. From now on, I need you to transfer the object of their faith to me.”

”No problem!”

Lü Yang raised an eyebrow at the sight:

”You’re unsettling my Dao Heart. Don’t do it again.”

”I was wrong~”

Empress Xiao obediently apologized, then said timidly, ”Then... Your Majesty, when do you plan to develop the Incense and Candle Divine Dao? I am ready at any time.”

”When? Right now!”

Lü Yang shot Empress Xiao a fierce glare. Seeing this, Empress Xiao hurriedly knelt on the ground, raised her hands, and parted her crimson lips, presenting the image of a flower ready to be plucked.

........

「Three days later.」

Within the Void Sea of Light, a temporary Secret Realm that had been created floated amidst the Duality of Life and Death Profound Light. The shaking, which had continued unabated for days, finally began to subside.

Lü Yang sat on a cattail cushion, one arm wrapped around the bonelessly soft Empress Xiao—a perfect handful. His other hand was open, palm up. A shimmering, ever-changing ball of light floated there, which he could manipulate at will, rolling it into a ball or flattening it. Amidst the swirling Splendid Light, the scent of Sandalwood Incense wafted out. This was the Incense and Candle Divine Dao.

”Go!”

The next second, under Lü Yang’s control, the Incense and Candle Divine Dao immediately descended into the Righteous Banner and began to reap the faith of the Banner Spirits on a massive scale.

The faith of the Banner Spirits was beyond question and extremely pure.

After Lü Yang collected this Power of Faith, he used the ’binding’ imagery he had added to forcibly enhance its intensity through his own high-level Position.

Then, he returned it to them.

RUMBLE!

In an instant, the Banner Spirits within the Righteous Banner, whose Qi traces had originally been weak, actually underwent a qualitative change. The return of a massive amount of Power of Faith caused their Qi traces to surge.

’Unfortunately, it’s still missing the Fruit Position Profound Mysterious.’

Lü Yang’s brow furrowed slightly. Without the Fruit Position Profound Mysterious, it was missing the most critical step. The Banner Spirits, even enhanced to this degree, still couldn’t touch the Mighty Power of a Perfected Lord.

At this thought, Lü Yang changed his Daoist Hand Seal. Instead of dispersing the Power of Faith, he gathered all the Power of Incense generated by the Banner Spirit Sea.

’A change in quantity leads to a change in quality.’

’This massive amount of Power of Incense, after being bound to my Position, can completely act as my avatar, or even become an extension of my own limbs.’

’Because the Incense and Candle Divine Dao is completely bound to me, it can call upon my Mighty Power as long as I approve.’

’This way, even if my true self doesn’t take the field, I can just send out the Banner Spirits to form an Incense Fire God, and it can engage in Combat on my behalf.’

Lü Yang’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

’This technique... is a bit like Ang Xiao’s Earth-Walking Avatar! If I combine it with the Righteous Banner, it becomes a perfect Substitute Body.’

Because Banner Spirits are immortal.

Even if all the deployed Banner Spirits were annihilated, as long as their True Spirits within the banner did not scatter, he could simply regenerate them. It would cost him nothing more than a bit of Mana.

’The Incense and Candle Divine Dao itself doesn’t need to be that strong. As long as it can borrow power, that’s enough. The Ancestral Master’s line of thinking was correct after all. And it’s perfect to use in the upcoming battle!’

Thinking of this, Lü Yang suddenly tightened his hold on Empress Xiao. ”For this battle, I need you to give it your all.”

Hearing this, Empress Xiao’s tone was soft and enchanting. ”Yes, Your Majesty~”

........

Time flew. On the fourth day, a streak of light tore through the sky, finally landing at the former site of the Seven Luminaries Heaven. Two figures in magnificent robes emerged from it.

It was none other than Emperor Jia You and the Daoist Court Grand Tutor.

The Grand Tutor, who wielded the Fruit of Post-Road Earth, had come specifically to see Lü Yang under Emperor Jia You’s orders, but all they found was a trembling Secret Realm.

”This is...?”

Emperor Jia You frowned at the sight, then circulated his Mana to send a voice transmission: ”Daoist, I have brought the Fruit of Post-Road Earth. I ask that you show yourself.”

Soon, a reply came from within the Secret Realm:

”Just a moment, almost done! I’m a little busy right now, trying my best to cultivate... Daoist, please wait a bit... Don’t come in yet, whatever you do, don’t come in!”