Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

"It’s the [Fruit of Roadside Earth]!"

Lü Yang returned to the Current World, the look of surprise in his eyes yet to fade. The moment he saw the [Fruit of Roadside Earth], he’d had a sudden realization.

"The person who just sensed my gaze must have been Emperor Jia You."

Lü Yang’s expression grew excited as he had an epiphany. ’So that’s how it is. The waves in the [Sea of Suffering] are actually ripples created by each [Fruit].’

The stronger the [Fruit], the larger the waves.

’Of course, the [Fruits] are only one part of it. A Great Dao manifested from a Void Certificate should also be able to leave waves in the [Sea of Suffering]. I just didn’t notice it before.’

This made Lü Yang think of the [Celestial Human Residual Consciousness].

’It seems that to enter the [Human World], the first trial of the [Celestial Human Residual Consciousness], one must gain the ability to access the [Sea of Suffering]. Otherwise, entry is impossible.’

Lü Yang knew this from personal experience. If he hadn’t been able to access the [Sea of Suffering] back then, he would have been stopped before the [Human World]. The same was true for Demon Subduing Zhenren; he needed that mysterious Soul called [Dragon Map] to help him access the [Sea of Suffering] so he could enter the [Human World].

In other words—

’In the Ancient Era, perhaps accessing the [Sea of Suffering] was a more fundamental ability. Or rather, an ability that Foundation-Stage Cultivators were supposed to master!’

This wasn’t just a random guess from Lü Yang.

’If you think about it, a Cultivator accesses the [Sea of Suffering], Pursues the Dao within it, and eventually finds a [Fruit]... Isn’t that just Seeking Gold?’

In that instant, Lü Yang had a flash of insight.

The next second, he recalled the *Skill of Perfect Vitality*. A passage he previously couldn’t see, limited by his Cultivation, was now strikingly clear:

’It’s just as I thought!’

’Long ago, in the Ancient Era before the Pocket World Technique was even created, accessing the [Sea of Suffering] was a fundamental requirement for all at Foundation Establishment Perfection who aimed for Seeking Gold.’

’Only by reaching the level where one could access the [Sea of Suffering] could they chase the waves that best suited them, find the [Fruit] most compatible with them, and then merge with it to attain the status of a Perfected Lord... That’s why in that era, every Perfected Lord was a true chosen one of Heaven!’

After all, for a Foundation-Stage Cultivator to access the [Sea of Suffering] was incredibly difficult.

From this perspective, the Pocket World Technique was undoubtedly more advanced. The corresponding Third-Grade Foundation Methods even allowed Foundation-Stage Cultivators to lock onto a [Fruit] without Pursuing the Dao.

But what was the price?

’A Cultivator’s Cultivation was substantially suppressed!’

At this thought, Lü Yang’s expression changed slightly, a horrifying realization dawning on him.

’In the Ancient Era, even Foundation-Stage Cultivators, by virtue of being able to access the [Sea of Suffering], must have had an extremely profound understanding of the Great Dao.’

’You have to understand, that’s the [Sea of Suffering]—a sea of infinite phenomena. To Pursue the Dao within it, one would need a certain degree of comprehension of all phenomena. Their Cultivation would have to be all-encompassing, able to embrace everything, just so they could distinguish the good from the bad and select a suitable [Fruit].’

’But what about now?’

’They rely on the Pocket World Technique and Cultivation Techniques that directly lock onto a [Fruit] for Seeking Gold. No other comprehensions are needed—only the Cultivation corresponding to that specific [Fruit] is required.’

This made things easier, to be sure.

But without a doubt, a Cultivator’s potential was also lowered. At the very least, among those in the same realm, the Cultivation of a Perfected Lord from the Ancient Era was absolutely superior to that of one from the current age!

Of course, in the early stages, Cultivation doesn’t provide a significant boost to combat strength.

So in terms of combat strength, a True Monarch of Cave Heaven Technique would certainly be a bit stronger... However, the further one progresses and the higher one’s realm, the more important Cultivation becomes.

And that’s when the trouble would start.

’A skyscraper is built from the ground up. If the initial foundation isn’t laid properly, any subsequent improvements will require a thousand times the effort.’

But where would a Perfected Lord find so much time?

After all, a Perfected Lord at the Early Stage of Golden Core only has a lifespan of a thousand years! There’s simply no time to go back and polish their foundation to improve their Cultivation. It’s a dead end.

’Unless... they use the Pocket World Technique to break through to the Middle Stage of Golden Core.’

So long as the Pocket World doesn’t fall, they are immortal. From then on, they no longer have to worry about their lifespan and can focus on improving their Cultivation. There’s just one tiny drawback:

They become bound to their [Fruit].

According to [Ang Xiao], by using the Pocket World Technique to break through to the Middle Stage of Golden Core, no matter what they do afterward, their chances of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm will forever be capped at ten percent.

’Fuck, it’s a series of traps!’

At this moment, Lü Yang was so impressed by the mastermind who designed all this that he could only prostrate in admiration.

Under this system, the more determined one’s Dao Heart and the more one desires to ascend to the Nascent Soul realm, the easier it is to fall into the Pocket World Technique’s trap, and from there, be doomed beyond redemption.

’It must be the work of that old undying bastard from the [Saint Sect]... What a monster!’

Lü Yang sighed with endless emotion. This was indeed in line with the style of that old bastard from the [Saint Sect]—utterly silent and insidious, killing you without you ever knowing how you died.

And for all this, the Cultivators of the world probably even had to thank him!

After all, factually speaking, the appearance of the Pocket World Technique and Third-Grade Foundation Methods had indeed greatly increased the number of Perfected Lords, giving many people the opportunity to advance.

Take [True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde], for example.

Thinking of this, Lü Yang suddenly felt his head grow heavy, and his heart turned solemn. ’A historical truth that has already been buried... This is practically forbidden knowledge!’

’If I hadn’t learned from [Ang Xiao] that using the Pocket World Technique to break through to the Mid-phase would affect one’s Nascent Soul Path, I’m afraid that even if I had discovered the secret of Pursuing the Dao in the [Sea of Suffering], I would never have connected it to the old bastard’s scheme. This knowledge probably can’t be spread carelessly.’

If it got out, it would likely attract the attention of that old bastard from the [Saint Sect]!

Of course, if used correctly, it could perhaps serve as a trump card.

Lü Yang gradually reined in his thoughts, not daring to probe any further into the secrets of the Pocket World Technique. Instead, he turned his attention to another, equally critical matter.

"I saw the [Fruit of Roadside Earth]."

"But as far as I know, the [Fruit of Roadside Earth], being a [Fruit] of the Dao Court, should have been sealed by the [Immortal Dao Law] and become the Dao Court’s private property..."

His gaze gradually brightened.

’Unless... the [Immortal Dao Law] only seals the [Fruit]’s manifestation in the Current World, while the true Fruit Position Essence cannot be taken out of the [Sea of Suffering]!’

This was a major discovery!

Because Lü Yang immediately made the connection to the [Fruit of Rampart Earth]!

’The [Unity] that the Bhagavat used to seal the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] was originally copied from the Dao Court, so its effect should be similar to the [Immortal Dao Law]!’

In other words:

’If the [Immortal Dao Law] can’t seal it, then [Unity] certainly can’t either.’

Lü Yang mused, trying his best to suppress the excitement in his heart.

’So... even though the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] is currently in the Pure Land, as long as I want to, I can actually find its essence directly within the [Sea of Suffering]!’

This changed everything!

The Pure Land was a place that not even a Perfected Lord could force their way into. Even if they succeeded, they would definitely attract the world’s attention. But the [Sea of Suffering] didn’t have so many restrictions.

’As long as I can find the location of the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] in the [Sea of Suffering], and then find the [Celestial Human Residual Consciousness], I can have Yuan Tu go through the [Sea of Suffering] to claim the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] first. By taking him by surprise and immediately escaping into the [Celestial Human Residual Consciousness] upon success, I can exploit the time difference and maybe catch the Bhagavat completely off guard!’

Of course, the plan was still very rudimentary at this stage.

After all, Lü Yang hadn’t yet found the specific location of the [Fruit of Rampart Earth], nor did he know if the Bhagavat had left some powerful countermeasures in the [Sea of Suffering].

But regardless, compared to his previous helplessness against the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] and the Bhagavat, he now had a course of action that was, at least in theory, truly viable!