Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Making Peace

”My apologies, Senior, but I am not a disciple of the Stain Sect.”

Lü Yang shook his head in response to Perfected Chong Guang’s question. ”I am merely a Rogue Cultivator who was lucky enough to receive the heritage of the Ancient Wu Ghost Sect.”

”...Oh?”

Upon hearing this, Perfected Chong Guang’s brow furrowed, and his previously amiable expression began to shift.

The very next second, however, Lü Yang changed his tune.

”However, I am quite willing to join the Stain Sect. I can even leave a copy of the Wu Ghost Sect heritage for the sect. Please, consider it a welcoming gift from me.”

At these words, Perfected Chong Guang’s brow immediately smoothed over.

”Hahaha, there’s no need for such courtesy, Daoist!”

’It seems this Perfected Person made quite a few enemies in the Stain Sect in his past life. So many that after reincarnating, he wants to completely sever ties with it, unwilling to bear the karmic links of his former self.’

With this in mind, Perfected Chong Guang relaxed. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for Perfected Persons in the Stain Sect to sever ties with their past lives and pretend to be newcomers. It was hardly anything strange. He immediately laughed heartily. ”Our sect naturally welcomes you with open arms, Daoist. I wonder, what are your intentions?”

”I wish to stand guard in the Northern Border.”

Lü Yang replied without the slightest hesitation, ”As a newcomer to the Stain Sect, I wish to be stationed at the Skull Mountains to fend off the Divine Martial Sect in the north. I will return to the sect to report on my duties after my task is complete.”

”...Excellent!”

Perfected Chong Guang nodded in satisfaction, his gaze toward Lü Yang growing more appreciative. ”Very well, then it shall be as you wish, Daoist.”

To be honest, he didn’t actually care about Lü Yang’s true identity at all.

Although he was over ninety percent certain that Lü Yang was a reincarnated Perfected Person from the Stain Sect, it wouldn’t matter even if he wasn’t. What mattered was the value Lü Yang displayed.

Was he useful to the Stain Sect?

As long as he was useful, everyone was willing to turn a blind eye to many things.

Lü Yang’s proactive offer to ”stand guard in the Northern Border” was, without a doubt, a demonstration of his value. That attitude was what truly satisfied Perfected Chong Guang.

’There’s no doubt about it. He must be a reincarnated Perfected Person from my Stain Sect...’

At the same time, seeing Perfected Chong Guang agree so readily, Lü Yang let out a sigh of relief. After all, with his current cultivation, he truly didn’t dare return to the Stain Sect’s main grounds.

Although both Perfected Chong Guang and the Master of Heaven Mending Peak were convinced he was a reincarnated Perfected Person, Lü Yang knew that this supposed identity of his wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny. If he were to alarm one of the Golden-Core Perfected Lords within the Stain Sect, a single sweep of their sense would surely expose him. His only option then would be to start over.

So, the current outcome was for the best, for everyone involved.

Just then, the void beside Perfected Chong Guang split open, and a man in black robes stepped out. It was none other than Perfected Yin Shan, a familiar face to Lü Yang.

”Yin Shan?” Perfected Chong Guang asked in surprise. ”What are you doing here?”

”Forgive my interruption, Senior Brother.”

Perfected Yin Shan glanced at Lü Yang before cupping his hands in a salute. ”Daoist, my name is Yin Shan. I have come today with an impudent request.”

”These Vast Skull Mountains were once refined by the Wu Ghost Sect, giving them exceptionally unique Lay Lines. They connect to the Wu Ghost Sect’s Secret Realm and, after being nourished by thousands of Wu Ghosts for a millennium, should have produced a Celestial Corpse Fiend. This item is in the Earth Evil Position, corresponding to Chen Earth. It is vital to my cultivation, so I must ask you to part with it, Daoist.”

As soon as he spoke, Perfected Chong Guang’s expression changed slightly.

Lü Yang, however, was stunned for a moment before it dawned on him. This was the very thing Perfected Yin Shan had schemed so hard to obtain from the Secret Realm in his past life.

’Something vital to the cultivation of a Foundation-Stage Cultivator?’

Upon hearing this, Lü Yang extended his perception into the Lay Lines of the Skull Mountains. Sure enough, deep within them, he sensed a supremely yin and yielding strand of incomparably murky and unfathomable Yellow Springs Qi.

’So this is the Celestial Corpse Fiend?’

The Wu Ghost Sect heritage he possessed also contained an overview of cultivation for Foundation-Stage Cultivators, but the information was so vast that Lü Yang hadn’t yet had time to examine it closely.

Thinking this, Lü Yang made a mental note of the item while saying with a smile, ”This is a simple matter. I can certainly agree to give it to you, Daoist. However, the item is situated deep within the Lay Lines and cannot be disturbed recklessly. It needs to be extracted slowly... It will likely take about thirty years to refine a single strand.”

”That is no issue.” Perfected Yin Shan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

A mere thirty years was but the blink of an eye for a cultivator. As long as he could use the Celestial Corpse Fiend to break through to the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, that amount of time meant nothing to him.

”Excellent!”

Perfected Chong Guang was overjoyed to see this and sent a private transmission, ”Thank you for helping Yin Shan, Daoist. After this, you need not worry about the Heaven Mending affair.”

The implication was clear: he would mediate on Lü Yang’s behalf.

In Lü Yang’s opinion, he didn’t need to worry about the threat from the Master of Heaven Mending Peak for the next thirty to fifty years anyway. By the time the Peak Master recovered, Lü Yang would have long since achieved Foundation Establishment.

However, since Perfected Chong Guang was offering this favor, he certainly couldn’t refuse it. He immediately cupped his hands in gratitude.

For a time, all the three were perfectly content.

They chatted amicably for a long time before Perfected Chong Guang finally left, taking the Master of Heaven Mending Peak with him. Lü Yang, in turn, returned to his loyal Skull Mountains Marketplace.

’Such a familiar place...’

Lü Yang transformed into a streak of light and made straight for the Blood Robe Tower—his base from his past life—to enter seclusion. In an instant, his immense spiritual perception swept across the entire Market.

Sensing his spiritual perception, the entire Market erupted with excitement.

”Greetings, Perfected Person!”

Countless people bowed respectfully, their voices filled with both reverence and fervor. Among the crowd, Lü Yang even spotted a woman of peerless, nation-toppling beauty.

’She’s here too? This early?’

Lü Yang wore a strange expression, for the woman who stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens was none other than Fairy Feixia, with whom he’d shared a deep connection in his previous life.

Her expression was as cold as ice, and she seemed to offer no pleasantries to anyone.

But Lü Yang knew that if one peeled back that indifferent exterior and walked into her heart, they would be able to fully appreciate the warmth hidden beneath the ice.

”...”

Averting his gaze, Lü Yang had no thoughts of rekindling an old flame. Their relationship in his past life had been one of mutual convenience, and they had parted amicably.

In this life, he had more important things to do.

With that thought, Lü Yang waved his hand to dismiss the crowd, chose a Quiet Chamber, and with a shake of his Myriad-Soul Banner, summoned his Avatar Guardian, Su Nu.

”This servant greets you, Master.”

”Kneel.”

At Lü Yang’s command, Su Nu immediately prostrated herself, her tight-fitting robe tracing the graceful curve of her voluptuous body as she pressed it to the floor.

However, Lü Yang paid no mind to the magnificent, rolling peaks before his eyes. Instead, he focused on studying Su Nu’s body.

After all, this Avatar Guardian had been thrown into battle the moment he finished refining her, and he had not yet had the chance to appreciate her many mysteries, which now required deeper research.

”An Avatar Guardian can bear karmic links on one’s behalf.”

With a single thought, Lü Yang gathered all the lingering remnants of Progenitor Tingyou’s will and the entire Wu Ghost Sect heritage, bundled them up, and threw them directly at Su Nu.

The next moment, Lü Yang looked up toward the heavens.

By accepting the heritage, he had originally forged karmic links with the Wu Ghost Sect and, by extension, that distant Golden-Core Perfected Lord. Now, however, those karmic links had been transferred.

They now rested on Su Nu.

’Come to think of it, the karmic links of the Wu Ghost Sect aren’t as terrifying as I imagined. Otherwise, that Perfected Lord from the Sword Pavilion would have already slapped me to death...’

Lü Yang mused internally, ’It makes sense. The Wu Ghost Sect is only a Foundation Establishment Sect. The one who truly gave that Perfected Lord pause was Progenitor Tingyou alone. Now that Progenitor Tingyou is dead, I’m just a minor figure, and Guardian Su Nu’s path of cultivation is severed. How could we possibly attract the attention of a Perfected Lord?’

At most, it might attract the karmic targeting of that Sword Qi.

However, that Sword Qi has already dissipated in this life. Even if carrying the Wu Ghost Sect’s karmic links would cause it to target me, that would be a problem for my next life.

And even then, he had a way to deal with it.

’Once I use the Centome... the things I choose to carry over when I restart—my Cultivation, Talent Skills, and even Artifacts—cannot be traced back to any karmic links!’

Lü Yang had personally tested this long ago. No matter who tried to scry into the Cultivation he brought with him through the Centome, or how they went about it, all karmic links were severed on the first day of his new life. It was causeless, effect-less, and utterly untraceable. All the myriad karmic links of a past life were washed clean by the Centome upon restarting.

Of course, this was limited only to the parts he selected with the Centome.

Cultivation, Artifacts, and Talent Skills.

Take the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis, for example. Although no one could deduce the origin of his cultivation after he chose to bring it over, the cultivation technique itself was not concealed.

The result was that he had nearly been pinpointed by the Master of Heaven Mending Peak right after restarting.

’If I can break through to Foundation Establishment in this life, then so be it. If not... I’ll choose to bring an Artifact in my next life!’

At this thought, Lü Yang looked down at the Myriad-Soul Banner in his hand. He planned to transfer his Avatar Guardian, and even the thousands of Wu Ghosts of the Wu Ghost Sect, completely into the banner.

Since it was called the Myriad-Soul Banner, the True Spirits within it should, by logic, be considered part of the Artifact itself.

In that case, he might be able to use the power of the Centome to sever his ties to the Wu Ghost Sect, while simultaneously claiming benefits like the Yama Hall for himself.

’First, I’ll test if this is viable.’

’If it doesn’t work, then worst-case, I’ll just hide inside the Stain Sect after I restart and never come out. I refuse to believe that Sword Qi can slash its way into the Stain Sect’s Sea of Clouds!’