Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The North Is Too Dangerous

The appearance of ”Conversion to the Right Path” immediately sparked an idea in Lü Yang’s mind.

As he saw it, the scripture itself was nothing special. The power was entirely in the hands of the Pure Land; its usefulness depended on whether they were willing to respond.

With this in mind, he immediately summoned a Qi Refining Disciple.

Then, he handed the scripture to him.

After all, the Pure Land’s scriptures were known to be treacherous. Heaven knew what hidden dangers they might contain, so he certainly couldn’t be the one to use it.

It was better to leave it to a trustworthy candidate.

He then began setting up arrays around the Qi Refining Disciple. A God-Trapping Array, a Soul-locking Array... Layer upon layer of Array Patterns encircled the disciple.

Finally, Lü Yang cast one of his Abilities.

”Star Concealment!”

This Ability could perfectly conceal all karmic links and Qi traces. Under its cover, the arrays were completely hidden. At a glance, everything looked perfectly normal.

That’s right. He was chumming the waters.

’The ”Conversion to the Right Path” scripture can summon the spiritual perception of a Pure Land Venerable. To use something so wonderful merely for converting to the Pure Land is an outrageous waste of a divine treasure!’

At this, Lü Yang couldn’t help but lament, ”The Demonic Cultivators in the North are just pathetic! So narrow-minded. They say you become like those you associate with. These Demonic Cultivators have been under the Stain Sect’s dominion for so long, yet they haven’t learned a single thing from us? They’re hopeless, rotten wood that can’t be carved!”

’The spiritual perception of a Pure Land Venerable...’

’It’s equivalent to a Great Trueman’s Split Soul Thought. It can be used as an ingredient to refine a top-grade Divine Soul Elixir, or used in Artifact Refining to significantly enhance an Artifact’s Spiritual nature.’

’If I can get a few of these to feed to the Abi Sword, it might even evolve again!’

After all, even the Abi Sword’s original master, Blood Demon Zhenren, was only at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment—roughly the same level as a Pure Land Venerable.

As a result, he had only ever used weaker Perfected Persons from the Mid-phase and Early Stages of Foundation Establishment to temper the Abi Sword.

The Abi Sword had never tasted a Great Trueman!

It was easy to imagine that if he could devour several of the Pure Land Venerable’s spiritual perceptions and use them to temper his blade, the Abi Sword would undergo a massive upgrade!

It might even gain an additional Divine Effect!

This thought motivated Lü Yang even more.

Soon, everything was ready. At Lü Yang’s signal, the Qi Refining Disciple tremblingly began to recite the ”Conversion to the Right Path” scripture.

SHIMMER!

The next moment, a ray of Buddha Light slowly emerged from his chanting voice. It then fanned out like a peacock’s tail, revealing a boundless vista of the Pure Land. Within this land, a Lotus Platform hung high in the air, and upon it sat a majestic and solemn Dharma Body, perfect with all thirty-two auspicious signs.

’It worked!’

From his hiding place, Lü Yang’s face lit up with excitement. He immediately activated his Magic Formulas. The countless God-Trapping and Soul-locking Arrays in the area instantly flared to life, trapping the divine manifestation!

”Amitabha. I am Venerable Weimotuo... Hmm?”

Before the Dharma Body could finish speaking, it froze. It realized that this wisp of its spiritual perception had been inexplicably severed from its main body the moment it appeared.

’This is bad!’

The thought had barely formed when a silent, colorless, shadowless, and formless Magical Sword drifted into the back of its head and pierced out from between its brows.

SSSHK!

In the next second, Lü Yang’s sword obliterated Venerable Weimotuo’s spiritual perception. He then carefully collected the dissipating remnants.

”Bring in another one. Do we have any captives from Treasure Division Cliff?”

With one successful attempt under his belt, Lü Yang found the second time much easier. He even optimized the ”bait,” switching to a Qi Refining Disciple from Duo Bao Child’s sect.

This would be far more convincing.

......

「In a mountain forest in the North.」

PFFT!

A mouthful of hot blood sprayed out, instantly evaporating as it hit the ground. An old monk with white hair and a white beard stared apprehensively in the direction of Qing Country.

’Something... is wrong!’

Venerable Weimotuo’s heart went cold. If even Lü Yang didn’t believe his ability to counter the Mighty Virtuous King was a coincidence, how could Weimotuo himself not sense that something was amiss?

First, the three Mighty Virtuous Kings he had painstakingly created had run right into their perfect counter. Not only had they accomplished nothing, but the backlash had even left him with a minor injury.

Then, he’d sensed someone reciting ”Conversion to the Right Path.” Their cultivation seemed to be only at the Qi Refining Stage, likely a new convert recruited by Duobao. So, to probe the situation in Qing Country, he had sent a wisp of his Divine Sense, only for it to lose contact the moment it arrived.

”...I’ve been set up!”

Realizing this, Venerable Weimotuo no longer dared to entertain any thoughts of converting Lü Yang. The entire North now seemed like a giant trap.

But in the next moment, he felt another summons.

”Someone’s calling for me again?”

Venerable Weimotuo was puzzled. He probed the connection and, just like before, found it was a Qi Refining Disciple. He couldn’t detect anything unusual in the vicinity.

’This person... seems to be one of Duobao’s disciples?’

Venerable Weimotuo probed the connection several more times before his eyes finally lit up. ’Duobao joined the Pure Land long ago,’ he reasoned. ’His disciple should be fine.’

With that thought, he immediately sent out a wisp of his spiritual perception.

On the other end, Lü Yang was ecstatic and immediately reeled in his catch.

”...It’s gone again?”

Another wisp of spiritual perception vanished. Venerable Weimotuo’s mind reeled. The loss itself was negligible to him, but the humiliation was immense.

’Are they taking me for a fool?’

A moment later, yet another summons came. This time, Venerable Weimotuo decided to get serious. He directly projected a wisp of his spiritual perception at the Foundation Establishment Level!

”Let’s see just who is behind this...”

BOOM!

On the other end, Lü Yang himself was stunned that the Pure Land Venerable had actually fallen for it again. Without a moment’s hesitation, he activated the array to capture the projection.

The next second, the projected spiritual perception vanished once more. Venerable Weimotuo swayed on his feet. He was already injured from the backlash of a Secret Technique, and now, after losing several wisps of spiritual perception and then a major one, he had sustained a truly significant injury.

However, the shock also jolted him to his senses.

”...No! How could I have done something so foolish, damaging my own Cultivation...? My Merit and Fortune have been drained, my Spirit Platform is clouded... Have I been tainted by Tribulation Qi?!”

Venerable Weimotuo hurriedly sat down cross-legged.

A passage from the Enlightenment Mahayana Sutra flowed from his lips, cleansing his Spirit Platform and swiftly suppressing the torrent of stray thoughts that had just emerged.

Yet, his mind was still filled with questions.

’When did it happen?’

’I haven’t done anything to diminish my Merit, so there’s no way I’d incur heavenly punishment. How could my mind suddenly be clouded by Tribulation Qi? It makes no sense!’

’No, it’s not necessarily Tribulation Qi... It could be something else. A Perfected Lord could use such methods, but with a Bodhisattva watching over me, how could I have been ensnared? Unless... the attacker isn’t a Bodhisattva? Someone at Foundation Establishment Perfection? No, even more than that! There must also be a Supreme Treasure involved, one that affects one’s cultivation Fruit?’

The more Venerable Weimotuo thought about it, the more horrified he became.

’The North is too dangerous... I have to return to the Pure Land!’

With this in mind, Venerable Weimotuo was about to get up and leave. Just then, a hand reached out cordially, helping him to his feet.

”Thank you.”

”You’re welcome.”

Venerable Weimotuo’s body instantly went rigid.

’What just happened?’

’For Heaven’s sake, I’m a Venerable of the Pure Land, a Great Arhat! Returning to the Pure Land should only take a single thought, so why did I just stand up?’

’And whose hand is this?’

Weimotuo turned his head to look behind him. A pair of eyes came into view, suffused with a golden light. They were faint, yet not dim, like the lamps in a temple hall.