Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 580: Chapter 580: The Secret of the Unfalling Grotto Heaven

Bao Lian Hidden Buddha stood with dignity in Lü Yang’s Grotto Heaven, yet the radiance emanating from her body could not be fully concealed even by the Grotto Heaven itself.

At this moment, Lü Yang was still lost in thought.

’Seeking Dao Immortal Technique... What is that? Seeking Gold, Seeking Dao... Could it be something related to ascending to Master of Dao? Is it connected to the cultivation of a Golden Core Perfected Lord?’

Lü Yang subconsciously reviewed the memories of Fortune and True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde. However, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde was clearly ignorant of this matter. Fortune, on the other hand, seemed to have some insight; the only thing that was clear was the knowledge that after becoming a Golden Core Perfected Lord, one must forge their own path.

’Regardless, I must be careful...’

Lü Yang’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

SQUELCH.

The sound of tearing flesh suddenly erupted from Lü Yang’s body. He didn’t even have time to react. His pupils contracted as his Dharma Body was torn apart!

It was Bao Lian Hidden Buddha!

In that single instant, she had flown over and, with a casual point of her finger, shattered Lü Yang’s physical form. She was poised and elegant, as if it had taken no effort at all!

Almost simultaneously, Progenitor Tingyou made his move. He cast out a swath of Illusionary Colors that enveloped himself, Summon, and Lü Yang’s exploded Dharma Body, causing them all to turn ethereal. Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s relentless follow-up attack hit nothing but air, forcing her to halt in the distance.

Immediately after, Summon also acted.

He opened his palm, and Spirit Light gathered, then a clear, cold spring gushed forth. The surging water poured directly onto Lü Yang’s newly reformed Dharma Body.

”Hahh...!”

In an instant, Lü Yang, whose complexion had been somewhat pale, had his Primordial Qi restored. The look he now gave Bao Lian Hidden Buddha was filled with trepidation.

’What was that?’

Lü Yang was certain that wasn’t the profound mystery of the Fruit of Hairpin-Brace Metal, and it was even less its conceptual manifestation. It was some kind of higher-level technique that originated from the Fruit!

Not only was it powerful, but its Position was also extremely high!

If not for that, it would have been impossible for her to so easily break through the protection he had set up with the Engraving Laws. After all, theoretically, she shouldn’t have been able to touch him.

’But... this is how it should be! Although True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde said that Combat between Perfected Lords is all about their Fruits, what could someone with his level of Cultivation and techniques possibly understand? Bao Lian Hidden Buddha is a true veteran Perfected Lord. I can actually learn something from her...’

At this thought, a fire ignited in Lü Yang’s heart.

In his eyes, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha had become a great treasure trove. He desperately wanted to obtain her Gold Attribute and study her Knowledge.

’Unfortunately, the Gold Attribute of a Golden Core Perfected Lord isn’t easy to get, and it’s even harder to process.’

Perfected Lords are different from those at Foundation Establishment. A Foundation Establishment Gold Attribute can be just a sliver, but a Perfected Lord’s Gold Attribute is fused with their Soul. To obtain it, one has no choice but to suppress their Soul.

But suppressing the Soul of a Perfected Lord? Easier said than done.

It could even be said to be nearly impossible!

So far, all the True Monarch Gold Attributes Lü Yang had obtained were acquired by overpowering them from a lower position while they were in the process of reincarnating. There was no other way.

As for the Heaven-Mending Skill, that was even more difficult.

And unless it was a last resort, Lü Yang truly did not want to use the Heaven-Mending Skill against a Bodhisattva of the Pure Land. Heaven knows if the Bhagavat would possess her as a result...

Thinking of this, Lü Yang could only sigh.

With his two most effective methods of learning Knowledge now useless, Lü Yang could only rub his hands together and choose the stupidest method to deal with the situation.

Get beaten up!

As long as you don’t die, you’ll naturally learn many things after getting hit enough times.

RUMBLE!

In the next second, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha attacked again. With the same graceful, fluid movements, like a startled swan or a swimming dragon, she instantly appeared before Lü Yang.

Lü Yang still couldn’t react at all. He could only watch with wide eyes as Bao Lian Hidden Buddha once again effortlessly crushed his newly reassembled Dharma Body. Seeing this, the already-prepared Progenitor Tingyou and Summon were about to use the same trick again to help Lü Yang quickly recover.

”The same trick... you really think you can use it twice?”

Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s gaze was icy. ”A Fruit of illusion and reality... it is, after all, an Outer Dao. Even if your talent is exceptional, you can’t make bricks without straw.”

Before her voice had even faded, a Splendid Light descended!

In an instant, Progenitor Tingyou’s body trembled violently. The state of untouchable nothingness granted by his Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven, which made him impervious to all techniques, had been forcibly broken!

A pure suppression of Position!

At this moment, three True Treasures could be seen circling behind Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s head, blooming with Splendid Light and making her presence feel more transcendent than ever before.

”You’ve forced me to reveal my Immortal Technique. No one will escape.”

”Amitabha... Today, I shall send you all to see the Bhagavat! In the future, there will be Lotus Platforms for you before the Bhagavat’s throne. Consider it me helping you achieve your final Fruit.”

RUMBLE!

With another loud rumble, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s figure vanished again. As if crossing through time itself, she reappeared before Lü Yang, ready for the kill.

Her movements were extremely poised; she was clearly full of confidence. After all, if Progenitor Tingyou and Summon hadn’t interrupted her from pressing her advantage the first two times, Lü Yang would have already been severely wounded again and again, forced to reincarnate in a daze. This time would naturally be no different. He was, in the end, just a newly promoted upstart...

WHOOSH—!

The whistling sound of wind rushed past Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s fingertips, causing her to freeze for a split second. This time, she had actually missed her target.

’How is that possible!’

Only then did astonishment finally appear in Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s eyes. It was only the third time—how could he possibly have dodged her attack?

In the next second, a calm voice came from the distance. It was Lü Yang, who, after reforming his Dharma Body, had dodged Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s fatal blow and had then put distance between them, bringing Progenitor Tingyou and Summon with him. His eyes burned like torches, and raging flames blazed endlessly around his body.

”Once you see through it, it’s actually nothing special.”

At this moment, Lü Yang’s eyes seemed to transform into the sun and moon, shining so brightly that an ominous premonition arose in Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s heart.

’He saw through it?’

’Impossible! Ever since I perfected it, my Seeking Dao Immortal Technique has never been revealed to another person. Even if someone could see through it, they shouldn’t be able to do so in just three moves!’

However, in the next second, Lü Yang confirmed her fears.

”It’s karmic links, right?”

Lü Yang grinned. ”You’re not actually fast. You’re just attacking by following the karmic link of me being grievously injured... I see traces of the Fruit of Rampart Earth in it.”

Anyone else would have indeed found it difficult to discover... but he was different.

Because he had once been to the Pseudo-History and had personally experienced the feeling of being influenced by ”future possibilities,” he was highly sensitive to similar techniques.

Two exchanges were enough for him to perceive the truth.

Gold Qi lies hidden, its form is ruined, its function is finished, and it is rendered useless—this is the Fruit of Hairpin-Brace Metal.

It inherently contains the concept of predetermined karmic links that cannot be altered.

Of course, one could only say it was tangentially related, a subtle connection. In reality, it was extremely far from the fundamental profound mystery and conceptualization of the Fruit of Hairpin-Brace Metal.

Therefore, Lü Yang guessed that Bao Lian Hidden Buddha must have also comprehended the Fruit of Rampart Earth for many years to have been able to deduce such an exquisite Dharma Gate for using karmic links based on it. More importantly, this Dharma Gate had clearly broken free from the shackles of the Fruit of Hairpin-Brace Metal, forming a system of its own!

Thinking of this, Lü Yang was suddenly thrilled!

’She possesses a Fruit, but doesn’t rely on it completely. Instead, she borrows the profound mysteries of the Fruit, supplements it with her own Cultivation, and finally proves a profound Dharma Gate unique to herself!’

’This is the Seeking Dao Immortal Technique!’

’If you want to seek the Dao, this must be the way! After all, I’ve never heard that the four Masters of Dao also require Fruits. If you don’t break out of the mold, how can it be considered seeking the Dao?’

’The secret to the Middle Stage of Golden Core probably lies in this as well!’

’In the Early Stage of Golden Core, the Grotto Heaven claims a Fruit, but it also becomes dependent on it. Only by breaking free and forming your own system can you transcend the Fruit and keep your Grotto Heaven from collapsing!’