Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: On Protracted War

Time always passed quickly.

This was especially true for Lü Yang, who was determined to hole up in the Stain Sect. He refused to stick his head out, no matter what storms raged outside, making it practically impossible for him to run into any trouble.

「Time flew by.」

Inside a Quiet Chamber on Luofeng Mountain, a Daoist Scripture lay open before Lü Yang. The Prophetic Orrery between his brows shimmered with a brilliant light, and his handsome face was a mask of indecision.

”Wrong... No, right, right, right... Wrong, wrong... Right...?”

After a long while, Lü Yang’s eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of pupils that shone with a brilliant red light. Within their depths, countless runes seemed to be faintly swirling.

Almost instantly, a graceful figure appeared at his side.

The moment Su Nu appeared, she immediately bowed low. Parting her lips, she said in a soft, gentle voice, ”This servant greets you, Master. Congratulations on achieving Major Mastery of your ability!”

”How long was I in seclusion?”

”You have been in seclusion for over five years, Master.”

”Five years...”

Lü Yang was a little surprised—not because the time was long, but because it was so short. He had expected to spend at least several decades on this endeavor.

After all, the text he had chosen to comprehend before his seclusion was none other than the Array Talisman Daoist Scripture he had acquired from Master Yu Chong during a previous conversation. It was called the Pingrong Wanquan Book, and it comprehensively covered the four arts of arrays, talismans, pills, and artifacts. Not only was the content vast, but it reached as high as the Fourth Grade.

One could only imagine how difficult it was to comprehend such a Daoist Scripture.

Having spent twenty years comprehending arrays in a past life, Lü Yang had assumed this undertaking would take a similar amount of time. The results, however, showed his rate of comprehension was far faster than he had anticipated.

’Looks like my talent isn’t half bad after all.’

’With my talent, plus a little insignificant help from the Prophetic Orrery, I should be able to make some decent progress in another few decades.’

Then, with a single step, Lü Yang entered his Foundation Establishment Realm.

After devouring the Merit and Fortune of the Divine Martial Sect, Lü Yang’s Imperial Dragonrise Foundation had undergone a new transformation, granting him a mysterious sense of awareness.

’My fortuitous opportunity...’

Lü Yang looked up and gazed into the distance. Bolstered by his enhanced Fortune, he could now vaguely perceive where the opportunity to break through to the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment lay.

’...It’s actually Overseas?’

Lü Yang’s expression shifted. To break through to the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, one needed to absorb one of the Heavenly Stems or Earthly Branches and refine it into an Innate Divine Technique. This was not something that could be obtained just anywhere.

Even the Stain Sect did not possess such resources.

This was because the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches came into being according to the whims of fate. If left unclaimed for a short time, they would return to Heaven and Earth. Even a Golden Core Perfected Lord would find it difficult to contain one.

Therefore, cultivators from any sect or faction who sought a Heavenly Stem or Earthly Branch for their breakthrough had no choice but to travel. This was one of the reasons why various powers fought for territory; after all, the larger one’s domain, the greater the chance a Heavenly Stem or Earthly Branch would manifest within it.

’It seems I have no choice but to make this trip Overseas.’

At this thought, Lü Yang turned his gaze to Su Nu. ”What’s the situation outside the Sect? What about Fulong? Has that bald donkey not returned to the Pure Land yet?”

”He has not, Master...”

As she said this, a strange expression appeared on Su Nu’s face. ”Not only has he not returned, but that bald donkey has been loitering near the Stain Sect almost every day for the past five years.”

”Oh?”

An interested expression crossed Lü Yang’s face. ”Is he waiting for me? It seems the old monk can’t let it go. He thinks I’ll come out to fight him again?”

Su Nu nodded and continued, ”Indeed. In recent years, your reputation has grown, Master. Many Perfected Persons now see you as an expert at manipulating karmic links and Fate. For a cultivator in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment to toy with one in the Mid-phase is a rare feat, even within the Stain Sect.”

”They all say you’re... uhm.” Su Nu abruptly shut her mouth.

Her hesitation only piqued Lü Yang’s curiosity. ”What do they say? That my Abilities are vast? That my schemes are heaven-defying? That I’m a peerless prodigy who can defeat those of a higher realm?”

”Well...”

Su Nu glanced cautiously at Lü Yang and whispered, ”They say you are deeply versed in the Dao of self-preservation, that you act with extreme prudence, and that you’re a... cowardly turtle.”

Seeing Lü Yang’s expression gradually darken, Su Nu’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

Finally, she knelt down obediently and fell silent.

.......

「One day later.」

Lü Yang emerged from the Quiet Chamber looking refreshed and invigorated. He let his Qi trace show, and a moment later, a figure sensed it, tore through the void, and landed on Luofeng Mountain.

It was none other than Perfected Yin Shan.

The moment he landed, he smiled and offered a salute. ”Congratulations, Junior Brother, on destroying the Divine Martial Sect and plundering all its Merit and Fortune. I imagine the Mid-phase is within your grasp.”

”You flatter me, Senior Brother. I still have a long way to go.”

Lü Yang shook his head. ”That bald donkey Fulong is still alive, and our karmic links have yet to be severed. To be on the safe side, I plan to wait a few more decades before going out to seek my opportunity.”

”Hmm...”

Hearing this, Perfected Yin Shan gave Lü Yang a long, hard look. He looked as if he wanted to say something but held his tongue, clearly thinking that Lü Yang was being overly cautious, not at all like a young man.

It was true that Arhat Fulong and Lü Yang now had a blood feud, but a Foundation-Stage Cultivator could conceal their karmic links. As long as Lü Yang was reasonably careful, even after leaving the Stain Sect, Arhat Fulong most likely wouldn’t be able to do a thing to him. And yet, Lü Yang insisted on hiding in the Sect. He was just too prudent.

Lü Yang saw right through Perfected Yin Shan’s thoughts.

However, he had a different perspective. ’He’s right, even if I leave the Stain Sect, with my skills, Arhat Fulong most likely wouldn’t be able to touch me.’

’But why should I take the risk?’

’A high probability he can’t touch me means there’s a low probability he *can*. Why would I gamble on that small chance of death when I can have a guaranteed victory by staying put?’

Just then, a streak of Spirit Light descended into the Sea of Clouds.

”Lü Yang! Come on out!”

The next second, the Spirit Light burst apart, and a voice boomed in all directions. It was Arhat Fulong, his voice filled with an endless stream of curses and taunts.

Then, the Spirit Light dissipated, revealing a woman’s garment—the Rainbow Cloud Clothing. It drifted brazenly down toward Luofeng Mountain, drawing gazes from many of the Stain Sect’s Perfected Persons. Some were looks of mockery, some of veiled sarcasm, and some of admiration. Lü Yang, however, accepted it all with perfect composure.

”Su Nu, this is for you.”

Lü Yang snatched the Rainbow Cloud Clothing from the air and instantly began the Refining process. He then called over Su Nu, who was still trembling slightly, and casually tossed it to her.

”Thank you, Master!” Su Nu’s face lit up with surprised delight.

Watching this, Perfected Yin Shan could only sigh to himself. This Junior Brother Yuan Tu was as shameless as they came—truly worthy of being designated by their Senior Brother as a future pillar of the Stain Sect.

Lü Yang then turned around, smiled, and took out a Storage Bag.

”To be honest, Senior Brother, after I plundered the Divine Martial Sect and obtained its treasury, I went straight into seclusion. I haven’t had a chance to properly sort through it.”

Sighing, Lü Yang stuffed the Storage Bag into Perfected Yin Shan’s hands. ”Senior Brother, you are Master Chong Guang’s right-hand man. This treasury from the Divine Martial Sect is a complete mess, full of worthless junk. Why don’t you take it to your residence first for a thorough inventory? Once you’ve made sure everything is in order, you can submit it to the Sect.”

Perfected Yin Shan accepted the Storage Bag, shaking his head. ”Wouldn’t that be improper?”

”Just think of it as sharing the Sect’s burdens!”

Lü Yang was insistent, and Perfected Yin Shan only feigned reluctance before accepting. Only then did Lü Yang smile and ask, ”I wonder, where might those two Perfected Persons from the Divine Martial Sect be now?”

”Perfected Huan Wu and Xuanwu?”

Perfected Yin Shan paused, thinking for a moment. ”The Divine Martial Sect’s Fortune and Merit have been exhausted, and its disciples have scattered to the winds. Naturally, the two of them fled Overseas.”

At this, Perfected Yin Shan’s eyes lit up. ”Are you planning to feed the Abi Sword, Junior Brother?”

”That’s the idea.”

Lü Yang nodded. ”Unfortunately, those Perfected Persons from the Divine Martial Sect have fled Overseas and will be difficult to find. Do you have a way, Senior Brother?”

Having just accepted Lü Yang’s Storage Bag, Perfected Yin Shan naturally couldn’t refuse. He immediately laughed and said, ”What’s so difficult about that? Leave it to me!”

After he spoke, Perfected Yin Shan looked at Lü Yang with even greater satisfaction.

He had to admit, he’d expected Lü Yang to ask for help dealing with Arhat Fulong... in which case, he would have been forced to sternly refuse.

After all, the current Arhat Fulong was a madman on the brink of death.

One did not provoke such a person, and he had no desire to be the one to try.

But Perfected Huan Wu and Xuanwu? Two cultivators in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment from a minor, dilapidated sect? Perfected Yin Shan could capture them with ease. For him, it would be a trivial matter!