Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

The Stain Sect, at the Sea of Clouds.

Great Undertaking walked out of the seclusion hall and strolled along the Holy Fire Cliff.

As the core formation eye of the entire Sea of Clouds, the Holy Fire Cliff did not look large at first glance, but in reality, it was the result of countless folded and condensed spaces.

Soon, Great Undertaking arrived at a remote area of the Holy Fire Cliff.

He took a step forward, and the scene before him opened up. Looking around, the cliffs and the Cloud Sea were gone. In their place was a lake that stretched to the horizon.

The lake’s jade-green waves shimmered, reflecting a thousand mountains, yet there was nothing else—only a blank void. It was as if the reflection in the lake was the real world, and everything outside was nothingness. Great Undertaking walked toward the lake step by step and set foot on its surface. The next moment, he felt Heaven and Earth violently invert and flip upside down.

When he came to his senses, the scene had changed again.

He looked around and found himself encircled by a thousand mountains, with the sun and moon in the sky. Yet, it all felt strangely illusory, rippling with the lapping of water.

’I’m inside the lake now...’

Great Undertaking understood. The reflection in the lake was the Grotto Heaven of the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven. It was called the You God’s Profound Void Grotto Heaven, a place of profound and mysterious wonders.

The next second, he decisively cupped his fists.

"This Lower Cultivator pays his respects to the Perfected Lord."

As his voice fell, the shimmering water surged and its form wavered, gradually reflecting an illusory figure, like a simple ink mark adorning a scroll painting.

"What is it?"

The calm voice caused Great Undertaking to lower his head even further as he said respectfully, "By my master’s command, I implore the Perfected Lord to aid my master one last time."

The True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven was silent for a moment.

"...Your reason."

Great Undertaking did not dare to delay and immediately relayed the reason Lü Yang had prepared for him. "Ang Xiao has appeared and reversed the nature of the Earth of Chen. Minor Metal’s chances of Seeking Gold are now slim to none."

"However, my master is different."

"An Innate Divine Technique, once proven, is eternally proven. My master’s Abilities are unaffected by the changes to the Earth of Chen. In the world today, my master is the only one who can attain the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire!"

As his voice fell, the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven gave a cold laugh. "Yes, you are correct. But if even you can figure this out, how could Ang Xiao not understand? Would he allow Fortune to reclaim his destiny? In my view, Fortune has wasted away for five thousand years, and it’s eighty percent likely that Ang Xiao has been scheming in the shadows all along!"

"My master naturally understands this."

Great Undertaking sighed internally. The True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven’s meaning was simple: while he hoped Fortune would reclaim his destiny, he didn’t want to make an enemy of Ang Xiao over it.

This was also the way of the Stain Sect.

Thinking of this, he hurriedly continued to persuade him.

"There is no need for the Perfected Lord to exert great effort. As long as you are willing to entangle World Purger Fei Xue for a short while, rendering him unable to attend to other matters, you will buy my master enough time."

"Oh? You only need me to tie up Fei Xue?"

"Correct. As for Ang Xiao... the Perfected Lord can rest assured."

Great Undertaking said in a deep voice, "Although that man has sabotaged my master for several thousand years, my master is not without his own countermeasures. My master will naturally find a way to deal with him."

At these words, the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven instantly raised an eyebrow.

A moment later, he chuckled lightly. "Very well. Ang Xiao is difficult to provoke, but I can hold off Fei Xue for a bit. I’ll help Fortune one last time."

"Let me see the methods of the former True Monarch of Celestial Destiny."

"Do not disappoint me."

Great Undertaking bowed deeply in gratitude.

「Almost simultaneously, in a dense forest in the North.」

Fortune opened his eyes, looked at Lü Yang beside him, and a joyful expression appeared on his face. "Daoist, it is done... That old codger Chen Guanghan has agreed to act."

Lü Yang looked up upon hearing this.

’So the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven’s mortal name is Chen Guanghan... Excellent. Since he’s agreed to tie up Fei Xue, I have room to maneuver.’

Thinking of this, Lü Yang immediately stood up.

"Wait here for a moment, Daoist. I will be right back."

As his voice fell, he rode a streak of celestial light and vanished silently from the dense forest, speeding all the way toward the Jiangbei Qing Country.

Not long after, an angry roar echoed from within the Stain Sect.

"Hai Guang, what do you think you’re doing?"

RUMBLE!

Vast torrents of shimmering water surged as Heaven and Earth seemed to crumble. It was as if the universe itself was shattering. Two immense Celestial Rivers collided, and the resulting shockwaves were powerful enough to destroy entire continents.

Lü Yang watched from a distance as the Immortal Core Survival Guide appeared.

[No Pit. This isn’t a fake fight.]

Only then did he feel relieved.

It wasn’t a fake fight, which meant World Purger Fei Xue was truly tied up by the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven at this moment. For a while, he should be unable to pay attention to Minor Metal.

Of course, this "inability to pay attention" only meant that he could no longer spare a sliver of his focus to watch Minor Metal at all times. He needed to concentrate on the Combat. However, if someone truly tried to kill Minor Metal, World Purger Fei Xue would undoubtedly abandon his fight with the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven and rush over to intervene.

’But it’s not like I was planning to do anything to Master Chong Guang anyway.’

With a composed expression, Lü Yang went straight into the territory of the Qing Country. He had not come looking for Minor Metal with malicious intent. In fact, he was here specifically to deliver a heaven-sent opportunity.

........

「Qing Country, at the Fengtian Prefecture Government Office.」

Deep within the Government Office, in a Quiet Chamber, a young man in a Third-Grade Official Uniform was reviewing official documents, his brow slightly furrowed as if worried about the affairs of the state.

This person was the Qing Country’s Governor of Shun Dao Fengtian, the Champion Scholar, Zhong Xin.

However, this was merely a facade.

His true identity was that of Minor Metal, who had secretly obscured his karmic links to deceive everyone and reincarnate in secret. He was lying low in the Qing Country to prepare for Seeking Gold later on.

Unfortunately, his plans had recently met with an obstacle.

’Ang Xiao... the Earth of Chen...’

Minor Metal felt a weight in his heart, but his fighting spirit remained undiminished. He didn’t blame fate or others, but instead frantically searched for a way out of his current predicament, a way to break the stalemate.

If it were only the change in the Earth of Chen, he actually had a solution.

After all, his pursuit of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire was centered on the concept of ’reversal.’ Now, he merely had to reverse the Earth of Chen as well, which, on the contrary, perfectly aligned with the imagery of Seeking Gold.

The problem was Ang Xiao.

’A Late Stage of Golden Core cultivator with Five Elements Perfection... How could such a figure allow me to truly reverse the Earth of Chen? I’m afraid the Perfected Lord alone won’t be able to protect me.’

’But in that case, does that mean I have to go to the Sword Pavilion?’

After all, in this day and age, only True Monarch Gangxing of the Sword Pavilion was widely known to be in the Late Stage of Golden Core and could possibly block Ang Xiao’s edge.

If the other party were truly willing to help, Minor Metal wouldn’t even mind defecting from his Sect. But there were too many variables, and besides, the Sword Pavilion’s ways were known to all—they would never truly accept an outsider like him. So, the thought merely flashed through his mind before vanishing, replaced by a resolute decision:

’I can only give it my all and try.’

’At least there’s still Fortune out there. Compared to me, Fortune should be Ang Xiao’s true rival on the Dao. He can help draw some of the attention away from me.’

Thinking of this, Minor Metal couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.

Once upon a time, he had tried every means possible to eliminate Fortune. Yet now, Fortune being alive was actually more beneficial to him. Creation truly played tricks on people.

While Minor Metal was lost in his thoughts, he was completely unaware.

Right beside him, in the shadows untouched by the lamplight, a young man in a Profound Robe stood silently, his eyes staring intently at him.

’I can’t change the Earth of Chen for the entire world, but altering just one strand of it is no problem.’

"I’m sorry, Master. This is the last time."

Lü Yang sighed inwardly. He brazenly walked right up to Minor Metal, slowly extended a finger, and gently tapped him on the center of his brow.

Tribulation Wave, [Reform Technique]!

This Divine Effect of the True Treasure had the ability to eliminate old flaws and change conceptual imagery. At this moment, a conspicuous sword mark had appeared upon Minor Metal’s Earth God’s Divine Technique.