Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 689: Chapter 684: The Dumbfounded Blood Demon Zhenren

Ang Xiao’s words left Si Chou completely stunned.

After all, according to Fellow Daoist Lü, this person was supposed to be a disciple of the First Saint, purebred and of proper stock. So how had he suddenly gotten tangled up with those sword-swingers?

For a moment, Si Chou’s thoughts were in chaos.

But in the next instant, he snapped back to his senses, immediately breaking free of the Illusion Barrier that had silently clouded his vision. A Daoist Hand Seal was already formed in his hands.

The next second, a brilliant heavenly light blazed down again, igniting the sky like a fierce fire shaped like a scorching sun. It caused the Cloud Sea to steam and evaporate in its wake. Before Si Chou could react, the light was already upon him, seeping into his flesh and causing his entire body to smolder with white smoke as if he were on fire.

RUMBLE!

Clearly, Ang Xiao’s shocking words were just a front. In reality, he had secretly cast the Veil of the Trees, waiting for the ruse to succeed so he could launch a surprise attack on Si Chou.

Fortunately, Si Chou was incredibly quick to react.

In a flash, as the light of an Ability flared, Si Chou, who had been a hair’s breadth from Ang Xiao, instantly blurred.

The distance between the two seemed to stretch to infinity. ℯℯ𝑙.

Thus, the heavenly light, which was powerful enough to completely incinerate Yuan Tu’s physical body, only struck for an instant before Si Chou used an Ability to pull away, flying far into the distance.

Separation!

Once he had stabilized his position, Si Chou cast Differentiation, ”expelling” all the injuries from his body and restoring his Dharma Body to its perfect state.

Ang Xiao raised an eyebrow at the sight:

”Not bad.”

Si Chou’s brow furrowed at his words, but he remained silent.

However, Ang Xiao wasn’t about to let him off the hook, continuing with a smile:

”Fellow Daoist, you seemed convinced I was a Saint Sect Zhenren. That’s why you were startled when I spoke like a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, which is how you fell into my trap.”

”But what made you so sure I was a Saint Sect Zhenren? Do you know who I am? Who told you?”

”Don’t tell me... are you and Fortune working together?”

Lü Yang’s plan had met its Waterloo right from the start.

Because even he hadn’t expected Ang Xiao to be so perceptive that he could accurately guess the truth from a single verbal probe.

But such is life. When does anything ever go perfectly?

Flaws and imperfections are everywhere.

The only question is whether there’s a way to fix them.

Fortunately—the man Lü Yang had entrusted with this mission, Si Chou, was a veteran with more than enough experience... especially when it came to dealing with animals.

Thus, he let a flicker of confusion show with perfect naturalness:

”You weren’t sent by Fortune?”

That one sentence gave Ang Xiao pause. He had thought he’d uncovered the truth, but now his confident guess was instantly shaken.

’He thinks I’m one of Fortune’s people?’

’That’s not impossible. After all, it was indeed Fortune who used the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire to stir Heaven and Earth’s Killing Intent to make me kill him. Could I have guessed wrong?’

For a moment, doubt bloomed in Ang Xiao’s heart, but his face betrayed nothing. Instead, he laughed. ”It has come to this, Fellow Daoist. Why continue the act and pretend you don’t know? Fortune used you to lure me into a trap. I’m sure an inescapable net has been laid. Go on, make your move!”

”What...”

At these words, Si Chou’s expression changed dramatically. Then, without a word of reply to Ang Xiao, he summoned a beam of Flying Light and simply fled!

However, this very reaction made Ang Xiao raise an eyebrow.

Because this action was perfectly in line with the Stain Sect’s style. After all, if one were truly ignorant of the situation but then learned that an inescapable trap had been laid...

...why wouldn’t they run?

A war of words was the most useless thing of all.

If Si Chou had chosen to continue their conversation, then no matter what he said, Ang Xiao would have concluded that he was, in fact, in league with Fortune.

But no, Si Chou turned and ran.

This, in turn, sparked genuine doubt in Ang Xiao’s mind:

’Did I really guess wrong?’

As his mind raced, he mounted his Flying Light and gave chase to Si Chou, calling out in a booming voice, ”Fellow Daoist, are you trying to lead me into the real trap?”

Si Chou just fled faster.

Seeing this, Ang Xiao finally changed his tune, sending a telepathic message: ”Fellow Daoist, if you truly have no connection to Fortune, then perhaps you and I can cooperate.”

Si Chou did not reply, only continuing to flee.

At this, Ang Xiao finally reached a conclusion: ’He’s afraid to cooperate, afraid to talk, and only wants to get away. It seems he really isn’t connected to Fortune.’

’Not only is there no connection, they probably hold a grudge against each other. He’s terrified of Fortune’s reputation as a reincarnated Perfected Lord, yet he doesn’t know who I am, which is why he’s so intent on running... Anyone scared of Fortune can’t be a major figure, but this person does have some unusual abilities.’

’Could it be... just a remnant will?’

Ang Xiao mused to himself, ’That’s right. It must just be a remnant will. The original body was powerful, at least a Perfected Lord, but this remnant didn’t inherit much of that power.’

A clear picture of Si Chou was quickly forming in his mind.

The remnant will of some Perfected Lord!

It wasn’t an unheard-of situation. The ”portable grandpa” trope was a classic, after all. Plenty of them tended to pop up after each millennial calamity; they weren’t exactly rare.

Once he saw through it, Ang Xiao immediately lost interest.

After all, even now, he still hadn’t figured it out: where exactly was the mastermind’s trap?

At that moment.

RUMBLE!

In an instant, the sky turned scarlet. A rift into the Foundation Establishment Realm tore open, and an island suffused with crimson light sailed out, plummeting toward the two of them.

.......

Blood Demon Zhenren decided it was time to act.

He had been awake for some time, roused by a shift in karmic links. Ever since waking, he had been observing the Combat taking place in the Current World.

’Two cultivators at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment... Master Xiao Hai, Yuan Tu?’

Blood Demon Zhenren quickly concluded, ’Just a couple of nobodies. But one of them has my Abi Sword, which ties him to me through a great karmic link.’

He then proceeded to divine the karmic links.

The result: as long as he killed that Master Xiao Hai, he could completely erase the heavenly punishment upon him in one fell swoop. This was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!

As he mulled it over, Blood Demon Zhenren began to hesitate.

’Could it be dangerous?’

But he quickly pulled himself together. ’Are you kidding me? I’m a Great Trueman at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. What danger could there possibly be in dealing with a Mid-phase cultivator?’

’They’re not reincarnated Perfected Lords, are they?’

’A bunch of nobodies. Have they ever even seen a Great Trueman in their entire lives?’

’No need to hesitate. Today, I’ll really open their eyes for them!’

At this thought, Blood Demon Zhenren no longer hesitated. With a single Heart Thought, he steered the entire Blood Demon Island, breaking through the Foundation Establishment Realm and charging toward Ang Xiao!

And then he froze.

Because the very instant he appeared, Ang Xiao, still thinking that Fortune’s trap had finally been sprung, lifted his head and stared right at him from a distance.

For that one glance, Ang Xiao truly used an Ability. He borrowed Master Xiao Hai’s eyes, and his main body in the Netherworld looked over in sync, instantly pinning Blood Demon Zhenren to the spot. His mouth fell open as if he had seen a ghost, a thousand thoughts coalescing into a single sound:

”Huh?”