Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Heaven and Earth Foundation Establishment

”Mmmph...”

As soon as Lü Yang began circulating the Heaven-Mending Skill, Yun Miaqing immediately sensed something was amiss. An indescribable warmth spread from her dantian.

In the next second, the bottleneck that had troubled her for months—the one between the Third and Fourth Layers of Qi Refining, from the Early Stage to the Mid-phase—shattered. Yun Miaqing looked down at herself in joyful surprise before her gaze shifted to her older sister, Yun Miaozhen. Although her sister was already at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, she was, strictly speaking, also in the Mid-phase.

’I’m in the same realm as my sister now?’

In that instant, an indescribable sense of accomplishment washed over her, and Yun Miaqing couldn’t help but clutch her abdomen. Yun Miaozhen’s expression, however, grew even more rigid.

’It’s definitely a Spirit Sword Embryo!’

’If I fused with a Sword Embryo like that, the stimulation from its Sword Qi would break through bottlenecks... If I had been the one to get it, I would already be in the Late-phase of Qi Refining by now!’

’Why wasn’t it mine?’

Yun Miaozhen lowered her gaze, quickly suppressing her negative emotions and regaining her air of indifference. ”Alright, since you’ve gotten the Sword Embryo, let’s prepare to head back.”

Yun Miaqing was taken aback. ”But sister, I thought you hadn’t found a suitable Sword Embryo yet?”

”I’ve already found one.”

Yun Miaozhen shook her head and said calmly, ”We shouldn’t delay. Let’s head back first. After all, we aren’t within the sect’s grounds. It’s possible we could be attacked by the Demon Sect.”

The moment she heard ”Demon Sect,” Yun Miaqing’s expression tensed. For an ordinary disciple like her, the name of the Chu Sheng Demon Sect, a behemoth from the North, was terrifying. Besides, the North and South of the River had always been at odds. It wasn’t just that they didn’t live in peace; one might as well say they were irreconcilable enemies.

Lü Yang paid no mind to the changes in the outside world.

He was currently examining himself. ’Interesting. This is the first time I’ve ever cultivated through a complementary technique...’

The Heaven-Mending Skill was all about mending Heaven’s flaws with one’s own being to receive Heaven’s favor. Naturally, it also involved mutual benefit and supplementation. This was exactly the relationship he now had with Yun Miaqing. He was using his Position as an Immortal Spirit of the Foundation Establishment level to accelerate her cultivation, while ninety percent of her cultivation gains flowed back to him.

’Unfortunately, Yun Miaqing’s cultivation is too weak.’

Lü Yang shook his head. For her cultivation to be helpful in nurturing him, the Qi Refining realm was but a drop in the ocean. He would need a Foundation-Stage Cultivator at the very least.

Even if it was just a drop in the ocean, Yun Miaozhen would have actually been a better choice than Yun Miaqing.

But Lü Yang didn’t like her.

’I’m a good person, and good people should associate with other good people. A small difference in talent and cultivation means nothing to me.’

Besides, in Lü Yang’s opinion, the difference in talent between the Yun sisters wasn’t actually that significant.

At least, it wasn’t on the level of someone like Progenitor Tingyou, whose gap in talent was something human effort could never bridge. Yun Miaqing did have some talent; her aptitude wasn’t poor at all.

’Of course, the most important thing is that she’s met me now!’

Lü Yang was fully confident that even by taking a gradual approach to raising her cultivation and preserving her potential, he could help Yun Miaqing reach the Final-phase of Qi Refining within ten years.

Then, he went back to examining himself.

As an Immortal Spirit, his gestation was not yet complete. His essence was a strand of Heavenly Stem Qi. With just a brief calculation, he determined his own origin.

’I am... formed from Geng Metal Qi!’

Geng Metal, also known as Major Metal, wielded Heaven and Earth’s Authority of Killing and presided over matters of weapons and war in the mortal realm. In the heavens, it manifested as frost; on the earth, as Gold and Iron. It was the metal of the Yang attribute.

’How marvelous.’

Lü Yang was fascinated. As an Immortal Spirit, his Dao Foundation was naturally formed and nurtured by Heaven and Earth. It was innately compatible with Geng Metal Qi, and even his Abilities stemmed from it.

’The cultivation of an Immortal Spirit is the complete opposite of a human’s.’

’A human’s cultivation involves first condensing their Innate Ability, then continuously gathering Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to form four Innate Divine Techniques, and finally challenging the Gold-Seeking Gate.’

’However, Immortal Spirits are different. An Immortal Spirit starts with an Innate Divine Technique. They must first gather all four Innate Divine Techniques, and only then can they condense an Innate Ability... But the vast majority of Immortal Spirits never make it to the point of condensing their Innate Ability; they are either born prematurely or perish along the way.’

The concept was profoundly mysterious.

’If I had to make an analogy, it’s like a ten-month pregnancy... The Immortal Spirit is nourished by Heaven and Earth, gathers the four Innate Divine Techniques, and finally awakens its Innate Ability, separating from its ”womb.”’

During this process, all four Innate Divine Techniques are bestowed by Heaven and Earth.

If the four bestowed Innate Divine Techniques happen to align with a Fruit, then upon awakening its Innate Ability, it can immediately begin Seeking Gold and attempt to occupy that Fruit.

In other words—

’So-called Immortal Spirits are like beings specially created by Heaven and Earth for the sole purpose of occupying Fruits... There couldn’t be some hidden catch to this, could there?’

The more Lü Yang thought about it, the more horrified he became, and he suddenly shuddered.

’Never mind. It’s better not to dig too deep.’

Thinking this, Lü Yang quickly reigned in his thoughts and turned his attention to the Ability condensing within him.

This was an Ability that came with his Geng Metal Qi, a natural part of being a Geng Metal Immortal Spirit. It was called Master of Weapons, an Ability Lü Yang had seen Ye Guyue use before.

’Master of Weapons is formed from the Heavenly Stem Geng Metal and the Earthly Branch Shen Metal. Both are Yang-attribute metals, and their combination evolves the unyielding ferocity of metal to its absolute extreme, giving birth to Master of Weapons. This Innate Divine Technique has two uses, internal and external, corresponding to Geng Metal’s transformations between Heaven and Earth.’

’The internal use focuses on ”Weapons,” and can amplify the power of armaments.’

’The external use focuses on ”Revolution” [革, meaning change]. When unleashed, it can alter forms and appearances, turning the tangible into the intangible. It’s considered an Upper Grade means of nullifying Abilities and Artifacts...’

Lü Yang was carefully contemplating his own Divine Effect.

However, just at that moment, Lü Yang’s eyes snapped open. He felt a Divine Sense suddenly sweep over Yun Miaqing’s body, penetrate straight into her dantian, and land upon him.

Fortunately, he had already protected himself with the Tribulation Wave. Under the blessing of the Dongming’s Profound Mysterious, all his karmic links were concealed and his Karma Links unrevealed. Unless a Perfected Lord of the Golden Core was examining him in person, no one could possibly discover his origins. From the outside, he appeared to be nothing more than a slightly unusual Sword Embryo.

’Which Foundation Establishment cultivator is it?’

Lü Yang was startled at first, but he quickly calmed down after sensing that the other party’s Divine Sense wasn’t particularly strong—only at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.

’Nothing beats stomping noobs in the newbie village!’

’Let’s see who’s spying on me...’

Lü Yang was quite pleased. With a single thought, his Heavenly Qian Totalizing All Manifestations Dharma Body instantly emerged and shot away, following the trail of the other party’s Divine Sense.

........

「Meanwhile, within Hidden Sword Manor.」

Yun Miaozhen casually sent Yun Miaqing away, telling her to prepare the Flying Boat for their return to the Sword Pavilion. Afterward, she made her way to a secluded pavilion within the manor.

Inside the pavilion, a woman dressed in lavish robes was seated by the window.

”This disciple greets you, Master.”

Yun Miaozhen stepped forward and bowed respectfully. This was the greatest fortune of her life, a karmic link carried over from the origins of her past life: a Master at the Foundation Establishment realm!

Thanks to this connection, she had become the current favored daughter of the Yun Family, with the Ancestor placing great hopes in her. As long as she broke through to the Late-phase of Qi Refining, she would immediately be taught one of the Sword Pavilion’s Legendary Techniques. From there, her promotion to Direct Disciple and her attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment were all highly probable, and her future was bright indeed.

”Rise.”

The lavishly dressed woman made a graceful gesture with her hand, her gentle voice tinged with languor. Her name was Xiuxin, and she was an Honored Guest Elder of a different surname for the Ye Family, a major clan within the Sword Pavilion.

”Have you made your decision?”

”Reporting to Master, this disciple has made her decision.”

Yun Miaozhen said in a low voice, ”I must ask Master to cast a spell to link Miaqing’s Qi to mine. That way, I can send her to the Demon Sect and... help her achieve success in her cultivation.”