Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 905: Chapter 900: Emperor Ying

What was happening in the outside world was of no concern to Lü Yang at the moment.

He had already returned to Emperor Ying, the fragment of Celestial Human Residual Consciousness that had served as his final safe house in his previous life. Inside the spacious attic, no one else was in sight. Golden tiles covered the roof, while jade pillars supported the beams. Clear windows on all four sides let in the morning light, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. The tables, chairs, and other furnishings were meticulously arranged, as if someone had lived here not long ago.

”TAP, TAP, TAP.”

Lü Yang walked slowly through the attic, his footsteps echoing softly. Previously, he had only dared to wander the periphery, never truly entering the center. The reason was simple—he was afraid of dying.

”According to my experience in Nourishing Life Master, the rewards obtained in the previous trial of the Celestial Human Residual Consciousness play a crucial role in the subsequent one,” he reasoned. ”For example, the Dao Heart obtained in Human World can be used to bear the knowledge of the Fruit Position Book from Nourishing Life Master. If the Dao Heart doesn’t reach Perfection, one can’t read the Fruit Position Book, or they’ll max out after reading just a few volumes. If that happens, it’d be impossible to weave imagery using the World Heaven Seed. Emperor Ying likely follows the same logic.”

If not for this, he wouldn’t have waited until he finished weaving the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder and successfully completed the Ascension Ceremony before coming to challenge the trial.

Soon, Lü Yang arrived at the desk in the center of the attic. The desk was completely empty. Behind it sat a large, quaint Master’s Chair, seemingly placed there intentionally to invite visitors to take a seat.

[No Pit, safe to use.]

Lü Yang subconsciously scanned it with the Immortal Core Survival Guide. Ever since obtaining this Talent Skill, he would scan everything he encountered. Seeing that there was no issue, he slowly sat down.

However, the moment he sat on the chair, he was astonished to find his vision gradually clouded by an inescapable, Boundless darkness. In the blink of an eye, the world spun around him. By the time he regained his senses, he realized he had left the attic and landed in a dim spatial realm. It was bizarre and deeply resembled the Void Land.

”What...?”

”I can’t speak?” he thought.

Lü Yang instinctively tried to look around, but the sensory feedback was extremely peculiar—his body seemed to have vanished. He couldn’t feel his head, and his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—all seven orifices—were sealed. The darkness before him wasn’t because something was covering him; it was simply because he could no longer see. All his senses were blocked. Only his Spiritual perception remained connected to an inexplicable place, so he hastily extended it toward that direction.

”SNAP!”

The next second, the moment he extended his Spiritual perception, all the darkness receded like a shattered illusion. Lü Yang stood blankly inside the attic. Behind him was the ordinary chair, and before him was the empty desk.

He had stood up... The moment he left the Master’s Chair, he broke free from the darkness. Yet, when he sat back down in the Master’s Chair—the darkness descended once more.

”I see, it’s some sort of safety mechanism,” he realized. ”It seems the Dark Land is the trial of Emperor Ying, and the Spiritual perception connection is the way to escape.”

At this thought, Lü Yang felt a sense of disbelief. It was simply too humane. He couldn’t imagine that a Secret Realm in a Broken Place like the Void Sea of Light would actually provide a safe way out.

Soon, Lü Yang began observing the Dark Land again.

”What does it want me to do?” he pondered. ”Right, the Fruit... The final reward of Nourishing Life Master is the Pseudo-Emptiness Attainment Position cultivated using the World Heaven Seed, which can eventually evolve into the Great Dao. The Breaking the Situation Technique must be hidden within it.”

With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately tried to sense the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder. Soon, a vague sensation surfaced in his mind, though it felt as if it were separated by a layer of gauze.

”It’s because of this Dark Land. It seems capable of shielding my connection with the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder to a certain extent. Thank goodness the designer actually had some humanity, allowing me to connect to the outside world with my Spiritual perception. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t even be able to sense the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder, and I’d be trapped here until I died.”

Gradually, Lü Yang’s Heart Spirit stirred.

”I see it!”

A brilliant golden glow suddenly lit up in the once-invisible Dark Land, tearing through the void. It was the manifestation of the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder’s Mighty Power.

However, in the next second, the golden light shifted.

”RUMBLE!”

Accompanied by a loud boom echoing in his ears, the scene before Lü Yang changed once more. The Dark Land, which should have been completely silent, suddenly produced a sound.

”This is...” Lü Yang found that he could speak again. Not only that, but the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder also responded to his call. It now danced in the palm of his hand, its golden lightning spreading out like a spider web.

”Something’s not right,” he thought.

Lü Yang frowned slightly. He had extremely high attainments in the Dao of Arcane Body and possessed a very clear sense of his own self. Although he seemed to have returned to normal at this moment, according to his senses, everything—whether it was the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder, his Dharma Body, or his other belongings—exuded a sense of illusion.

Fortunately, verifying it was simple.

”Grandmaster?” he called out inwardly.

Lü Yang immediately reached out to the Righteous Banner, but this time, there was no response from within. It was as if no Banner Spirit had ever existed inside it to begin with.

”Just as I thought. It’s fake.”

Right at that moment, the sound of footsteps rang out. Soon, a figure wearing a Profound Robe and a black mask emerged, his hair tied with an ink-black ribbon. The man stood with his hands behind his back, the eyes behind his mask as calm as the ocean as he appraised Lü Yang. However, to Lü Yang’s great surprise, a Fruit was also hovering at the center of the man’s forehead. Pitch-black lightning spread out from that Fruit, striking awe into anyone who beheld it.

”The Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder!?”

Lü Yang was confident he wasn’t mistaken; that was indeed the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder. Although the color of the lightning differed from his original version, the Profound Mysterious imagery was practically identical!

The next second, a sense of realization welled up in his heart. It was a response from Emperor Ying, and its message contained only a single sentence: ”You must defeat the opponent before you to open a path through Chaos.”

”Chaos... Is that the name of this Dark Land?” he mused.

Lü Yang didn’t rush to attack. Instead, he subconsciously pondered the meaning behind Emperor Ying’s hint. The Profound Robed Man also refrained from attacking. Afterwards, Lü Yang earnestly observed the man again. Seemingly having discovered something, he confidently walked toward the Profound Robed Man. When he closed in to a certain distance, the figure finally spoke.

”Ho, ho... Instead of running away, you’re approaching me of your own volition? Commendable courage.”

On the other side, Lü Yang also revealed a smile.

”Hmm... It shouldn’t be much of a problem,” he concluded. ”As expected, Emperor Ying and Nourishing Life Master are connected, but that’s as far as it goes. This person before me has only replicated my Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder. It seems the trial only tests the Fruit. He hasn’t replicated my Dao of Arcane Body or my True Treasure, yet those two are my true trump cards. The Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder is merely an experimental piece, a supporting act... Under these circumstances, engaging in Combat with me is no different from courting death!”

”I even played World Purger Fei Xue to his death once!”

At this thought, Lü Yang’s confidence soared. He possessed absolute certainty that at the Middle Stage of Golden Core, he was invincible. No matter who came, they wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

”I will win!”