Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Deep Bliss Pure Land, Great Leiyin Temple.

Within the temple were Rui Palace Pearl Palaces and Majestic Pavilions and Towers. Auspicious mists filled the heavens and rainbow clouds radiated light. Slaughter Towers were visible amidst the fragrance of divine flowers. It was the greatest of the eighty-four thousand temples in the West.

Within Leiyin Temple, the Great Heroic Treasure Hall was vast and boundless—a Jiezimixu. It housed countless Lotus Platforms, each bearing a Golden Statue. Behind every Golden Statue stood an Arhat, and below were innumerable monks, disciples, and followers. On a normal day, the hall would be filled with the joyous and harmonious sounds of scripture chanting, Dharma sermons, and Dao discussions.

But today, the Great Heroic Treasure Hall was desolate and cold.

Countless monks and disciples were gathered, yet they were trapped in an eerie silence. The expressions of all the Monks were so unnervingly uniform that at a glance, they seemed to be a single person.

Soon, a Flying Light descended.

Bhumba Bodhisattva emerged from within and landed on a Nine-Grade Lotus Platform at the head of the hall. Her spiritual perception instantly connected with the other Bodhisattvas.

Bao Lian Hidden Buddha.

Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva.

Together with her, Bhumba Bodhisattva, they were the three great Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land. Under the Bhagavat, they were the de facto rulers of the Pure Land.

What about Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva, you ask?

That one is of the Outer Dao. How could they be the same?

At the very least, when the three great Bodhisattvas held council, they never invited this Bodhisattva. And this Bodhisattva was sensible enough to always remain in silent meditation.

Now, however, the situation had changed.

On her Lotus Platform, Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s face was filled with anger.

"Are you saying... Dragon and Snake is actually an avatar of Ang Xiao?"

This Pure Land Bodhisattva was born with alluring eyes, and a seductive charm was etched into her very bones. Even her anger was enough to send one’s imagination wild, filling the heart with countless distracting thoughts.

The greatest daily task for the Arhats, Novice Monks, disciples, and believers under her was to cultivate their minds by visualizing her. Only when one could look directly at this female Bodhisattva without a change in expression, seeing her as nothing more than a beautiful skeleton, and remain unmoved, would their mental cultivation be considered a success. Only then would they be qualified to officially enter her Dao Lineage.

"Amitabha..."

On another platform, Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva also recited the Buddha’s Name, his expression grave. "Mere words are not proof. Where did you get this information?"

"It comes from the Stain Sect."

Bhumba Bodhisattva did not dare to delay and directly summoned Yuan Tu, whom she had brought with her. "This man has achieved enlightenment. His thoughts and beliefs are no different from our own."

"Oh?"

Instantly, the three Bodhisattvas fixed their gazes upon Yuan Tu. But Yuan Tu, having already been granted Enlightenment, had a clear conscience and met their gazes without flinching.

In that single glance, they exchanged spiritual perceptions and memories. In the end, it was Venerable Victory Treasure Pestle Bodhisattva who spoke first, questioning in a low voice, "Did that mysterious residual thought truly perish? Is it not possible this is a deliberate scheme, using Yuan Tu’s mouth to turn us against Ang Xiao?"

"It’s not impossible."

"We must investigate!"

As soon as the words fell, the three Bodhisattvas opened their Buddha eyes in unison, their gazes piercing straight into Yuan Tu’s Spiritual Space. Yuan Tu did not shy away, allowing the three Bodhisattvas to inspect him freely.

A long while later, the three Bodhisattvas retracted their Divine Sense.

Yuan Tu let out a muffled grunt. His Spiritual Space was clearly too small to withstand the spiritual perception of three Bodhisattvas, and the inspection had left him with considerable injuries.

But the result was beyond doubt.

"There are no issues. His Spiritual Space is completely normal."

"So, that mysterious residual thought is really dead... Can you divine who it was?"

"I cannot. There are no karmic links whatsoever. It must have been a True Monarch’s Residual Thought, and an ancient one at that. It has been dead for too long, its karmic links severed long ago. It’s understandable that it cannot be traced."

"A dying man’s words are true."

"So... what it said is very likely true?"

"True or not, we must be on guard. If Dragon and Snake is truly one of Ang Xiao’s schemes, it could very well affect our quest to attain the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth."

As she spoke, a grim expression crossed Bao Lian Hidden Buddha’s face. She had placed high hopes on Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva, waiting for him to attain the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth and attach it to her Grotto Heaven, thereby helping her break through to the Late Stage of Golden Core. But now, an unforeseen Variable had appeared out of nowhere.

For a moment, the three Bodhisattvas looked at each other in dismay.

After a moment of silence, a low curse—one that could be read as helpless, resentful, or perhaps even embarrassed—finally broke the tranquility of the great Dharma hall.

"It’s the fucking Stain Sect again..."

It never ends!

Thankfully, there was only one Ang Xiao. If another beast from the Stain Sect was hiding in the shadows and plotting against them, it would be enough to drive them mad.

...

’The plan was a great success!’

Overseas, a smile appeared on Lü Yang’s face as he listened to Si Chou’s feedback. He had just learned that Yuan Tu had delivered the message "according to plan."

He would never tamper with Yuan Tu directly, of course. ’After all, once Yuan Tu was linked to Unity, he was effectively under the Bhagavat’s watch. Any tampering would be easily discovered by the Bhagavat.’

’So the key was actually Si Chou.’

’As a Master of Dao’s residual thought, Si Chou’s concealment techniques were already superb. In my Previous Life, if it hadn’t been for the World Honored One’s Avatar, he would have never been discovered hiding in my Spiritual Space.’

’And in this life, he’s even more ridiculous... because he has been washed by the Centome! He’s a standard case of being without cause or effect. In the Previous Life, the Bhagavat was able to dig him out. But this time, as long as he wishes to hide, the Bhagavat himself could descend to the mortal world and still not find him.’

The Centome was just that incredible.

If it weren’t for that, Lü Yang would never have let Yuan Tu be "Enlightened" and sent to the Pure Land. After all, a plan like this could easily crash and burn.

But now, everything was fine.

’With Si Chou watching over him, Yuan Tu can’t cause any trouble. And for the sake of the Earthly Buddha Country, the Pure Land will pour all its resources into cultivating him for me.’

This was a classic case of borrowing a hen to lay eggs!

He wouldn’t have to spend a single cent. He could just sit back and wait for the Pure Land to do the cultivating, then coordinate with Si Chou from the inside. Once Yuan Tu was ripe, he would just need to swoop in and harvest the fruit.

’With this, Ang Xiao’s schemes in the Pure Land are basically ruined. He can forget about the Fruit of Pewter Metal and the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth.’

’Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva has also been dealt with.’

’All that’s left are the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire and the Fruit of Long-Flow Water. The former involves Master Chong Guang, while the latter concerns this life’s Fellow Daoist Suo Huan.’

At the same time, Ang Xiao was down to a single trump card: his True Monarch Level avatar.

That was also easy to solve.

’I just need to help Master Chong Guang with Seeking Gold!’

A smile touched Lü Yang’s eyes. ’Perfect. I’ll use Master Chong Guang to get World Purger Fei Xue involved. I refuse to believe Ang Xiao won’t play his avatar trump card then.’

’As for the problem with the Fruit of Long-Flow Water, that’s even easier. I’ll just have the Fellow Daoist Suo Huan in the Righteous Banner absorb his current-life self. Maybe I can even imitate World Purger Fei Xue and disguise the Fruit of Spring Water as the Fruit of Long-Flow Water to give him a huge surprise at the critical moment...’

’Of course, I can’t actually let Master Chong Guang succeed.’

’It can’t be helped. Master Chong Guang will just have to suffer a little in this life. I let him succeed at Seeking Gold once in the Previous Life, and he had his moment of glory. This life, he can consider it paying me back with interest...’

With that, Ang Xiao’s trump cards could be declared completely broken.

Then, he would have Fortune retake control of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, set the Earth of Chen back on the right path, and borrow the power of the Netherworld to see if he could trap and kill Ang Xiao once and for all!