Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Secret of Mahayana

Holy Fire Cliff, Dharma Hall.

This was a pavilion built against the face of a cliff. It neither reached the heavens above nor touched the earth below, where Pure Spirit Qi and the Dense and Heavy Earth Element intertwined to form a splendid light.

It was known as the Pure and Muddy True Qi.

Within the range of this Qi, the pure essence from above and the murky essence from below constantly clashed. If a Qi Refiner were to wander into this place, the forces of heaven and earth would converge and instantly grind them to dust.

Even a Foundation-Stage Cultivator would have their Dharma Body shattered if they were so much as touched by this Primordial Qi. This showed just how formidable the defenses were, for only Daoist Techniques of great use to Foundation-Stage Cultivators were worthy of being stored here. Cultivation Techniques and Legendary Techniques simply couldn’t compare.

Legendary Techniques were out of the question, as they were only useful to Qi Refiners.

The nature of Cultivation Techniques was also unique. Strictly speaking, major powers like the Stain Sect, Sword Pavilion, Pure Land, and even the Dao Court weren’t worried about their techniques being leaked.

This was because they held the corresponding Fruits for each Cultivation Technique.

For example, although Lü Yang had learned the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis, the Pure Land remained unconcerned. This was because its corresponding Fruit, the Fruit of Rampart Earth, was held securely within the Pure Land.

As a result, the need to keep Cultivation Techniques secret was surprisingly low.

On the other hand, Daoist Techniques that were useful to Foundation-Stage Cultivators could be put to effect in Magical Combat, making every single one of them exceptionally precious.

’To be fair, I haven’t actually had a proper Combat with anyone so far...’

Lü Yang had a sheepish expression. Forget Combat; he usually only engaged in curb-stomp battles. His only recent fight against a cultivator of the same Realm had been with Wu Cang.

And Wu Cang, who had been a Loose Cultivator before joining the Stain Sect after his reincarnation... well, in the Stain Sect, his strength was hardly what you’d call ’unrivaled.’ A more accurate description would be ’a punching bag for everyone.’ You could tell as much from the crowd that had gathered outside Heaven Mending Peak, just waiting for him to emerge so they could ambush him.

However, this time was different. Qing Country, a Marvel of the North, was situated between the Dao Court and the Stain Sect, and wasn’t far from the Sword Pavilion either. Once a battle erupted, both of those powers were certain to send reinforcements.

Moreover, it wasn’t guaranteed that no one could divine the matter of the Chongguang Gold.

Even with World Purger Fei Xue watching over things, Golden Core cultivators wouldn’t interfere. However, it was still possible that they would send some Foundation-Stage Cultivators to stop the Chongguang Gold.

After all, the entire premise of the Chongguang Gold was to reverse the rules governing the Fruit within Qing Country.

So their opponents wouldn’t have to do much. All they needed to do was either defend the Marvel of Qing Country or find Perfected Chong Guang’s reincarnated body.

The latter was up to Perfected Chong Guang himself, but the former would depend on them.

If either side fell, it was game over for everyone.

In other words—

’This time, it looks like I’ll really have to fight for my life against experts of the same Realm.’ Lü Yang heaved a deep, reluctant sigh. He didn’t like it, but he had no choice.

’On the bright side, at least I’ll get to witness the entire Chongguang Gold process firsthand. I can use it to build up some experience for the future. If there are any major pitfalls on the path of Seeking Gold, Perfected Chong Guang can discover them for me. That’ll save me from making the same mistakes later due to my own inexperience.’

As he pondered, Lü Yang stepped into the Dharma Hall.

The next moment, Lü Yang’s vision went black. The Array Spirit of Holy Fire Cliff, a figure he had seen many times, materialized and walked gracefully toward him.

”Master Yuan Tu, it is my pleasure to serve you.”

Lü Yang clicked his tongue in amazement. Though he had studied it in private many times, he was still struck by the Array Spirit’s impressive form each time he saw it.

Then, the Array Spirit spoke respectfully, ”Please state your request. I will select a suitable Daoist Skill for you based on your personal qualifications.”

”Hmm...”

Lü Yang thought for a moment. ”I need a Daoist Skill that can perform Soul Searching on cultivators of my Realm, or even higher Realms,” he said. ”And the memories retrieved must be complete, with no gaps.”

This was naturally for the Mahayana First Grade True Qi.

However, because the Primal Daoist Evil was completely immune to Soul Searching, Lü Yang had been unable to extract the memories of the Mahayana First Grade True Qi from its Spiritual Space, which had been left behind by the Primal Daoist. He couldn’t even forcibly extract them.

That was why he had no choice but to seek help from the Dharma Hall.

”Now searching for a suitable Daoist Skill...”

Soon after Lü Yang stated his request, a light flashed in the Array Spirit’s beautiful eyes as she appeared to be searching for something. After a long moment, she raised her hand.

”I have found a suitable Daoist Skill.”

As her voice faded, a white light began to glow in the Array Spirit’s hand.

”You actually found one?”

A look of joy lit up Lü Yang’s face. He rushed forward and swept the technique with his Divine Sense, only to be stunned. ”...The Taiyin Celestial Human Transformation Technique?”

Lü Yang channeled his Divine Sense and quickly absorbed the entire Daoist Skill. His expression twisted into a strange grimace as he read the description. ”’Taiyin Manifestation, Celestial and Human Transformation... This technique can be used internally or externally. It can alter flesh and blood, reverse Yin and Yang... The target of this skill will take on the form of the Celestial Mother, possessing the virtue of nurturing all things...’”

Looking at the Daoist Skill, his entire face scrunched up, looking twisted.

’What the hell is this?’

”’By cultivating this technique, one can refine a ray of the Heavenly Mother’s Divine Light. Anyone caught within this light, regardless of their original gender, will be transformed into a maternal Taiyin form...’”

Simply put, it was a gender-swapping technique.

Just then, the Array Spirit explained, ”The souls of Foundation-Stage Cultivators are incredibly resilient, and their Spiritual Spaces are impervious to malevolent arts. Therefore, Soul Searching is impossible.”

”However, I detected that your proficiency is exceptionally high. Your Heaven-Mending Skill is powerful enough to absorb another person’s knowledge, even that of a Foundation-Stage Cultivator. That is why I specifically recommended this Daoist Technique to you.”

”All you have to do is use this Ability to transform the target, and then...”

”Stop, stop, stop!”

Lü Yang quickly cut off the Array Spirit’s vile explanation. His face darkened as he gritted his teeth. ”What kind of method is this? Isn’t there anything more... conventional?”

The Array Spirit immediately shook her head. ”No.”

”Are you sure you won’t choose this Daoist Skill?”

The Array Spirit tilted her head, looking perplexed. ”According to my calculations, this is the only method available at your current level of Cultivation that would allow you to Soul Search a cultivator of the same Realm.”

”This... this... *Sigh*!”

Lü Yang’s hands trembled as he heaved a sigh of resignation. ”You have a point. I trust the Array’s calculations. It seems there’s no other way.”

”You’re really making things difficult for me!”

「One hour later, on Luofeng Mountain.」

With a look of utter resignation, Lü Yang muttered a magic formula. He then conjured a ray of Celestial Mother’s Birth Profound Light and sent it down upon the Primal Daoist Evil, which was lying paralyzed on the ground.

”I’ve truly sacrificed too much for my Cultivation!”

He lamented, then summoned Chen Xin’an—who also cultivated the Heaven-Mending Skill, had achieved a similar level of proficiency, and had even used it to reach Foundation Establishment.

”It’s all yours. Get to it!”

Chen Xin’an: ”...???”

.......

「The next morning.」

Lü Yang emerged from his seclusion chamber. The Primal Daoist Evil had been completely refined into nothingness, and in the process, he had gained a full understanding of its condition.

’Truthfully, its days were numbered even if I hadn’t refined it. Its ability to persist in this world and possess combat strength beyond Foundation Establishment Perfection was entirely reliant on a sliver of Gold Attribute left behind when the Primal Daoist failed in his quest for Gold. However, World Purger Fei Xue extracted that very Gold Attribute...’

Beyond that, he also learned about the Mahayana First Grade True Qi.

The good news was that the Primal Daoist had indeed left behind a method to achieve Mahayana First Grade True Qi. The bad news was that Lü Yang no longer met the requirements to cultivate it.

”To achieve Mahayana First Grade True Qi... you actually need Gold Attribute!?”

Lü Yang’s face darkened. The so-called Mahayana First Grade True Qi wasn’t a complete inheritance, but rather a theoretical projection by the Primal Daoist—one that bordered on madness!

Use Gold Attribute for Cultivating True Qi!

Use Gold Attribute for Foundation Establishment!

Use Gold Attribute to refine Abilities!

And the most insane part of all, according to the Primal Daoist’s theory, was that the Dao Foundation ultimately built using the Mahayana First Grade True Qi wouldn’t lead to any known Fruit.

The only way to achieve Attainment with it was through ”Void Certificate”!

In the Primal Daoist’s view, the great Daos—like the Ascension Dao, the Heaven’s Mandate Dao, and the Joyful Nirvana Dao—had all been forged from nothingness by their respective Nascent Soul Daoist Lords!

Therefore, ”Void Certificate” was the one true path to the Nascent Soul Realm!

In his writings, the Primal Daoist was immensely proud of this conclusion, certain that his theory had allowed him to glimpse a fragment of the secrets held by the Nascent Soul Daoist Lords!