Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Above the Sky Dome Sea of Clouds, light and color oscillated as Abilities roared past.

On the Dao Altar, Forbidden Arrays were awakened one after another. Wu Cang personally took charge of the Main Array. Behind him, a towering tree rose from the ground, its branches and trunk merging as one with the Grand Ward.

[Coiling Dragon Treasure Fir Tree]!

This was Wu Cang’s Innate Ability. The tree bore three Magic Fruits in three colors: red, azure, and gold. At this moment, the red fruit fell, transforming into a ball of raging fire that burned through the Cloud Sea.

Besides this, Wu Cang did not forget to form Daoist Hand Seals. His vigorous Mana was injected into his Dantian, then surged from bottom to top, passing through the Ming Hall, crossing the Heavy Tower, and finally reflecting a crimson radiance from between his lips and teeth. With an open mouth and a spit, he set off a prairie-consuming inferno that poured straight ahead.

[No Rushing South]!

As the saying goes, fire relies on wood to be born; when fire is strong, wood must burn. This Ability augmented Wu Cang’s Innate Ability, immediately spawning the Spiritual Fire method that made him famous.

[Celestial Furnace Separation Fire]!

RUMBLE!

Looking over, the firelight was extremely intense. It first showed an azure blue like the sky, and then collapsed, turning into a dazzling, blazing white light.

This expanse of light covered the heavens and earth, blocking the incoming Master Xiao Hai and Ye Guyue like a bursting dam. The expressions of the two instantly changed slightly. If Ye Guyue was still considered calm, Master Xiao Hai felt his scalp tingle. Without a word, he took out an Artifact from his sleeve.

It was a miniature boat.

The Superior Sentient Artifact, [Territorial Expansion Ship]! Its Profound Mysterious nature could break through obstacles and escape predicaments. Now, summoned by Master Xiao Hai, it immediately rolled up sky-filling waves.

In the next second, Master Xiao Hai disappeared.

Riding the waves just like that, he escaped to safety, fleeing out of that blazing white light. Only a corner of his Vestment Robe was caught in the firelight and burned to ash.

Only after landing elsewhere did he form Daoist Hand Seals.

In an instant, the previously cloudless Sky Dome suddenly gathered dark clouds. Then, accompanied by a dragon’s roar, rolling rainwater crashed down like swords and blades!

He thought, "[Long Xingyu]!"

A Ren Shui Divine Technique that moved clouds and distributed rain. Master Xiao Hai clearly intended to use the Water Element to counter the Fire Technique. However, what he entirely failed to expect was that when the rain he conjured fell onto Wu Cang’s [Celestial Furnace Separation Fire], not only did it fail to diminish the fire’s intensity, but it acted like pouring oil on fire, making it burn even more fiercely!

"A Loose Cultivator’s mindset, as expected!"

Seeing this scene, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, hiding in the dark, immediately shook his head and laughed. "Although Daoist Wu Cang uses a Fire Technique, what he cultivates is the Wood Element."

Water overcomes fire, but that also depends on the situation.

And Wu Cang was that special exception. The [Celestial Furnace Separation Fire] used wood to generate fire. Attempting to suppress it with the Water Element would only use water to generate wood, which would instead boost the might of the Ability!

This was also Wu Cang’s trump card.

After all, no matter what, he was a Saint Sect Zhenren. Although he had the blemish of being a Loose Cultivator on his initial resume, being able to join the Stain Sect meant he certainly possessed some methods.

Sure enough, Master Xiao Hai’s activation of [Long Xingyu] and the torrential curtain of rain that obscured their vision were of no use at all. The ever-intensifying [Celestial Furnace Separation Fire] pierced straight through the clouds. Wherever it passed, clouds and mist rose, further aggravating the haziness of the battlefield, but it also struck right at Ye Guyue’s heart.

BOOM!

In an instant, Ye Guyue appeared to be "caught off guard" and took this blazing white fire head-on. Her graceful body immediately melted like ice and snow within the firelight.

Almost simultaneously, a palm reached out out of thin air.

"Great opportunity!"

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak’s eyes brightened. The moment he struck, a mountain-occupying, ridge-dominating, entirely white, and majestic fierce tiger had already manifested behind him.

Geng Metal Divine Technique, [Mountain Monarch]!

ROAR!

With a tiger’s roar, rolling winds and sands fell from the heavens. Formless and intangible, yet weighing over ten thousand catties, the sound also carried a Profound Mysterious power sufficient to shake Abilities.

In an instant, Ye Guyue, who originally wanted to cast spells to resist, was hit squarely by the Master of Heaven Mending Peak. All Abilities relaxed for a moment under that tiger’s roar, and she thus lost the best tactical opening in Combat. By the time she recovered, a Vast Ocean-like water vapor had already been viciously injected into her body.

Seeing this scene, Ye Guyue hurriedly changed her Daoist Hand Seals.

She brought her fingers together to perform a Finger Technique, and then lightly swiped across the Spiritual Treasure in her hand, the [Nine-Child Mother Celestial Demon Sword]. This immediately coated the sword’s blade in a layer of golden-white light.

Zishui Divine Technique, [Ji Jinhui]!

Among the Earthly Branches, Zi Water was Yang Water. Therefore, the essence of this Ability was "Water aiding Golden Radiance." When facing the Water Element, it could conversely increase her Sword Qi.

This was also her subconscious choice when facing the Vast Ocean-like water vapor unleashed by the Master of Heaven Mending Peak.

However, what made her expression slightly change was that although the Ability was unleashed, its effect was minuscule. The Master of Heaven Mending Peak was almost entirely unaffected by the Ability!

"Heh... cheap trick!"

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak sneered. Why was it useless? Very simple. Because this Vast Ocean-like water vapor only looked like the Water Element; in essence, it was something entirely different.

Shen Metal Divine Technique, [Chiru Fish]!

This Ability was very similar to Wu Cang’s [Celestial Furnace Separation Fire]. Although it belonged to the Metal Element, its intention was metal generating water, so what it displayed was the radiance of the Water Element instead.

But no matter what, Shen Metal was Shen Metal.

Therefore, it was naturally unaffected by [Ji Jinhui]. In his eyes, Ye Guyue hastily using this Ability to face the enemy actually made her lose her final chance.

Thinking of this, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak immediately formed Daoist Hand Seals and pushed the Ability to the Extreme. Like closing palms together, he wrapped Ye Guyue within three inches of his palm.

"Take this!"

Looking over, there was only the Vast Ocean filling the sky.

Within the mighty waves, merfolk could be seen shuttling back and forth. They possessed human faces and sounded like mandarin ducks. Just like that, they suppressed the heavily injured Ye Guyue at the bottom of the Vast Ocean.

"Ah...!"

At this moment, Ye Guyue’s "furious" roar rang out as she activated the two Abilities, [Master of Weapons] and [Ji Jinhui], at full force, attempting to break free and escape.

He thought, "It’s done!"

Seeing this scene, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak felt wild joy in his heart. After all, in his view, as long as Ye Guyue was suppressed, this Combat would have no suspense left.

He thought, "I have won!"

However, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, who had placed his entire Heart Spirit on Ye Guyue, subconsciously ignored that the entire battlefield was now shrouded in mist.

This was caused by the Combat between Master Xiao Hai and Wu Cang.

[Long Xingyu] drove the Ren Water, and [No Rushing South] spawned the Li Fire. Water and fire clashed, which created this heaven-filling, earth-covering massive fog phenomenon.

Because it was a collision of Abilities, the Mana within this cloud mist also surged, having the effect of blocking Spiritual perception. This made it difficult for all parties on the battlefield to see each other clearly. This was originally a major taboo in Combat... However, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak now believed victory was within his grasp, so naturally, he didn’t care about this minor detail.

So what if he couldn’t see clearly for a moment?

Could there really be a Great Trueman at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment secretly hiding in the dark, just waiting to pop out at this time to fish in troubled waters and launch a sneak attack?

........

"You two don’t have an Imperial Decree Jade Token for protection."

On the Magic Altar, Minor Metal calmly watched Wu Cang and Tuanxu, who had fallen into a stupor. Three Heart Demon Divine Techniques took the field together, instantly causing the two of them to start drooling.

"It’s just a pity that neither is a Great Trueman.

"If I want to condense a fourth Heart Demon Divine Technique now, I must encroach upon a Great Trueman. One Mid-phase and one Early Stage aren’t enough to fill my stomach."

Thinking of this, he looked up toward the direction of the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, completely unaffected by the heavy fog.

After all, this level of mist could only deceive Lower Cultivators who weren’t even Great Truemen. To someone at Foundation Establishment Perfection, it was simply not worth mentioning.

"Ye Guyue dying... is also a good thing.

"After all, this makes it easier to ask for reinforcements from the Sword Pavilion. And given Ye Guyue’s status and the Sword Pavilion’s aristocratic style, they will inevitably send a capable Great Trueman.

"Once the Sword Pavilion sends someone over, Chen Taihe will be useless.

"When the time comes, with Fortune’s personality, he will definitely send Great Undertaking over. That way, I’ll have a talent at Foundation Establishment Perfection, which will be enough for the Great Success of Heart Demon."

At this thought, faint black Qi suddenly surfaced in the depths of Minor Metal’s eyes, and the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.

"But before that, I still have to stall Chen Taihe’s footsteps. I can’t let him press the attack and kill Master Xiao Hai alongside her."

In the next second, Minor Metal compressed an Ability between his lips and teeth.

[Five Poison Heart]!

The Heart Demon Divine Technique was formless and intangible. It silently swept past the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, sank into Ye Guyue’s body, and then issued its final command:

"Detonate yourself."