Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Enemy Attack

”Lu Yuanchun! Scoundrel!”

When the Grand array of the Market split open, Fairy Feixia’s eyes burned with fury. Yet, unlike Lu Yuanchun, she rushed straight back into the Market in a flash of flying light.

”Junior Brother, join forces with me!”

Landing beside Lü Yang, she faced the breach head-on. ”We must not let the Divine Martial Sect break into the Market...”

Lü Yang’s gaze flickered toward her—surprised. Blood lined her lips, her Qi was unstable; she was clearly injured. If she fled with Lu Yuanchun, she might still survive... Yet she chose to stay.

Could she be an insider?

To Lü Yang, there were no good people in the Stain Sect. Fairy Feixia sensed his wariness and let out a weary sigh.

”There is no escape.”

She lowered her voice. ”The Divine Martial Sect has laid this trap for a long time. Running means certain death.”

”Defending and holding out for rescue... that is our only sliver of hope!”

Even with her explanation, Lü Yang remained doubtful. ”If that is true, why does Senior Brother Lu flee? Why doesn’t he stay?”

”Because he has the Jade!”

Fairy Feixia’s voice trembled with rage. ”The Lunar Goddess Jade was a trap from the start. But Lu Yuanchun coveted it—he seized it, dragged us directly into the ambush, and abandoned Senior Brother Chen to die just to save himself!”

”So he runs because he fears punishment?”

Lü Yang finally understood. Lu Yuanchun knew exactly how vile his actions were. If he stayed near Fairy Feixia, he would eventually be exposed—or silenced by his own guilt.

From the horizon, blood-red light surged like burning clouds, and a burly, armored figure stepped forth—the very embodiment of savagery.

”Demons! Today is your death day!”

”It’s ’Divine Fist’ Wu Zhichong!”

Fairy Feixia’s face turned solemn. ”Ninth Layer Qi Refining, half a step from Great Perfection. Junior Brother—do not underestimate him. It was his punch that shattered Senior Brother Chen’s body...”

Her warning was cut short—Wu Zhichong blurred forward like a launched spear, fist drawn back like a taut bow.

”Die!”

The punch detonated the air—sound howling like thunder. The square-shaped seal descended, a crushing mountain of force.

Boom!

Fairy Feixia darted ahead. Clouds of rainbow-tinged energy circled her sleeves, surging outward to meet the attack. Waves of colored mist exploded violently, stopping the punch at the Market’s boundary—yet her Qixia Smoke Veil dimmed drastically.

She winced. Years of effort refining that Artifact... nearly undone.

Another streak of light descended—Lu Yuanchun, now desperate, chased by a stern-faced cultivator.

”’Mountain Moving’ Duanmu Yuan...” Fairy Feixia’s brows knit tight. Another Late-phase Qi Refiner of the Divine Martial Sect—no weaker than her.

”Senior Brother Lu—if you want to live, come back! Fight with me!”

Her voice was hard and urgent. They still had three Late-phase Qi Refining cultivators here. Even if Lü Yang was only capable of handling lower-stage enemies, that was enough. With her and Lu Yuanchun blocking the two powerhouses, they might just hold...

”...Very well! Then fight to the death—and buy me time!”

Lu Yuanchun inhaled sharply and ignited his essence blood. Crimson radiance flooded from his skull, his aura soaring wildly. Fairy Feixia dared to hope—

”The Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s favored disciple... he must have a trump card. With my help, we might truly hold on...”

”Stop him!”

Wu Zhichong hurled forward once more. Fairy Feixia threw herself in front of Duanmu Yuan, shouting toward Lü Yang:

”Junior Brother Lü—strike now! Stop Wu Zhichong and we still have a chance—!”

Lü Yang didn’t move.

Lu Yuanchun’s lip curled in a silent sneer.

Lü Yang? Just some nobody who happened to reach Late-phase Qi Refining. What can he possibly do?

He had already judged the final outcome. Even if they repelled the attackers, the zombie tide—once it rushed through the breach—would doom them all.

So why stay?

He made his move.

”Behold my divine might!”

Fairy Feixia brightened—until she saw the blood shadow twist.

”Blood Shadow Escape Technique!”

Lu Yuanchun vanished into a blood streak—fleeing far beyond Skull Mountain.

Fairy Feixia froze. She had underestimated the depths of his shamelessness.

But the heavens suddenly dimmed—an icy voice booming from above.

”Trying to flee? Stay.”

In an instant, Lu Yuanchun’s blood escape was bisected mid-flight—forced back toward Skull Mountain. His horrified scream followed:

”Final-phase Qi Refining!?”

Despair swallowed him. With the Lunar Goddess Jade he could have turned his fate around—he could have replaced Zhao Xuhe as his master’s favored heir.

Now everything collapsed around him.

Lü Yang’s voice suddenly drifted to his ears:

”Senior Brother Lu, return to the Market...”

”What use is that now...?”

He did not even look at Lü Yang. Death was absolute—inside or outside the Market.

But Lü Yang’s sleeves rose, dozens of Array Patterns flaring outward—shattering the Divine Martial Sect’s miniature binding array.

Boom!

The Grand array sealed shut, light curtaining the Market fully once more.

”...Ah?”

Lu Yuanchun’s pupils shrank. With blood-soaked desperation, he turned around and bolted back—

”Brother Lü, save me!!!”