Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

’This entire scheme was set up for Ang Xiao!’

At that moment, Lü Yang’s thoughts became clearer than ever before. Countless clues clicked into place, and he finally understood the whole story from beginning to end.

’The cause... was the Profound Spirit Realm!’

’To swallow the Profound Spirit Realm, the Saint Sect True Monarch took the lead, with other Perfected Lords following suit. Many Perfected Lords went Beyond the Heavens to destroy the Profound Spirit Realm.’

Only one person wasn’t invited.

Ang Xiao!

’Being in the Netherworld, Ang Xiao naturally couldn’t go to the Profound Spirit Realm with all the other Perfected Lords, so he had no way of knowing what they were doing Beyond the Heavens.’

’If I’m not mistaken, not only did the Perfected Lords kill the Supreme Venerable of the Profound Spirit Realm, but World Purger Fei Xue probably took the opportunity to reveal Ang Xiao’s identity to them! That’s what led to the Celestial Court being split into four pieces. Those four fragments were the bait to lure Ang Xiao!’

’And the result was just as expected.’

’Ang Xiao fell for the trap. He willingly entered a Celestial Court Fragment, and the consciousness he used to observe the Current World was sealed, severing his connection to it!’

’And then...’

Thinking of this, Lü Yang looked toward the North again. He knew about the arrangements Minor Metal had made for Seeking Gold, but the timing was too early for Minor Metal.

In other words—

’...it’s Fortune!’

To be Seeking Gold so brazenly in the North, he must have had the tacit approval of Minor Metal and World Purger Fei Xue. This was definitely beyond Ang Xiao’s expectations!

’This matter should be viewed in three layers.’

’The first layer is the trap set by Minor Metal and World Purger Fei Xue using the Celestial Court Fragment. In fact, Ang Xiao might have anticipated this.’

’Therefore, the second layer is the trap Ang Xiao laid on top of that foundation.’

’As for that trap, it’s most likely in the Grotto Heaven Fragment at the bottom of the water in Gantang Dao. If Minor Metal and World Purger Fei Xue thought they had trapped Ang Xiao’s consciousness and swaggered into that Grotto Heaven Fragment, they would have fallen right into it. Even if they didn’t die, they’d be severely wounded!’

’And on top of that is the third layer.’

At this thought, Lü Yang couldn’t help but clap his hands and laugh.

’Not only did Minor Metal and World Purger Fei Xue not go to that Grotto Heaven Fragment, they even chose to pull the rug out from under him, directly allowing Fortune to go Seeking Gold!’

That was the killing blow!

This was because the action offered no benefit to Minor Metal, but it was enough to deal a fatal strike to Ang Xiao—a classic case of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.

’However, Ang Xiao must have realized something was wrong.’

’Because he discovered he couldn’t leave the South Celestial Gate and sensed the existence of a trap, he became desperate to contact his original body in the outside world.’

’So he appeared before me.’

Under the blessing of Dongming’s Divine Effect, Lü Yang’s thoughts grew even sharper.

’His words just now were partly a test, partly an offer of cooperation, but in the end, his one fundamental goal was this: to get me to kill him!’

’Whether it was provoking me or deliberately arousing my rebellious spirit, they were all just methods. What he wanted was the result: to use my hand to commit suicide!’

The influence of the Netherworld was everywhere.

As long as one was in this world, their Soul would inevitably enter the Netherworld after death. This was the key for this strand of Ang Xiao’s consciousness to return.

’As for himself... he probably can’t commit suicide.’

This was also Lü Yang’s guess.

Otherwise, why would Ang Xiao go to such trouble to use his hand to return to the Netherworld? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just slit his own throat? There must be a Perfected Lord’s influence at play!

Thinking of this, Lü Yang controlled his Split Self inside the South Celestial Gate and tentatively reached out a hand.

"Urgh...!"

His movement stopped abruptly, unable to proceed. Just a moment ago, he had been planning to self-destruct, but the action was forbidden.

’...Just as I thought!’

Lü Yang looked up, as if seeing an invisible Mighty Power enveloping the entire South Celestial Gate like a great net, forming a line of Script:

[Suicide is forbidden in this place!]

’This is... the Mighty Power of a Fruit from the Profound Spirit Realm! A Perfected Lord exerted their influence, leaving this rule within the South Celestial Gate!’

This completely locked down Ang Xiao’s ability to commit suicide and return to the Netherworld!

This was definitely not the work of World Purger Fei Xue.

More importantly, this rule was hidden extremely deep. At the very least, Ang Xiao didn’t notice anything amiss from the outside; otherwise, he would have realized something was wrong.

And this layer of concealment was a completely different type of method.

In addition, the seal isolating the South Celestial Gate from the outside world also didn’t seem like World Purger Fei Xue’s handiwork. It was clearly done by someone else.

’Three... at least three Perfected Lords have acted in this matter!’

’Enemies everywhere, truly enemies everywhere... Ang Xiao wasn’t just schemed against by World Purger Fei Xue alone, but by all the Perfected Lords in the world!’

For a moment, Lü Yang was truly overcome with emotion.

’Every single one of these people who became Perfected Lords is a formidable character. Even someone like Ang Xiao could be overturned by a single misstep!’

Fortune wasn’t shackled by the Earth of Chen. Once he succeeded in Seeking Gold and regained control of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, he would surely dismantle all of Ang Xiao’s plans, causing him to fall from his position at the Late Stage of Golden Core. This was a feud of the Great Dao, a matter of life and death! To prevent this, Ang Xiao would likely stop at nothing.

Could Fortune succeed?

’It’s difficult...’

Lü Yang shook his head internally. It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in Fortune, but that he had too much confidence in Ang Xiao. The caliber of this Great Perfected Lord at the Late Stage of Golden Core was simply too high.

But there was no denying it.

After being schemed against like this, Fortune had already seized the initiative. If his chances of Seeking Gold were hopeless before, he now had at least a thirty percent chance of success!

’...There’s just one problem.’

What about Minor Metal?

In this scheme against Ang Xiao, World Purger Fei Xue and Minor Metal had clearly put in a great deal of effort, yet from the looks of it, Fortune was the one who stood to gain the most.

What was in it for them?

........

「South, Gantang Dao, Long Brilliance Treasure Light Grotto Heaven.」

Just as Fortune was Seeking Gold, drawing the attention of all the Perfected Lords in the world, a man with an ordinary face but a sharp, soaring spirit in his eyes arrived calmly at this place.

His body overflowed with brilliant light.

The myriad lights converged upon him into a pure beam of Abilities, like a bright yellow lamp flame, illuminating the bottom of the lake and revealing the Grotto Heaven’s form.

"It seems this is the place."

The man smiled faintly and walked into the Grotto Heaven without hesitation.

Inside the Grotto Heaven, a towering giant serpent formed from Si Fire stretched its body languidly. The palace gates at the serpent’s head were wide open, revealing the scene within.

The scene inside the palace was exceedingly simple: a Go board and two cattail mats.

An ethereal figure was already seated on the inner mat. Seeing this, the man didn’t pause, walking directly to the outer mat and calmly sitting down.

"Milord, Minor Metal pays his respects."

Minor Metal’s expression was calm as he studied the figure across the Go board, a person completely shrouded in mist.

"Impressive."

The mist churned, and a voice that was neither male nor female, neither old nor young—a voice whose gender and age were impossible to define—emerged, carrying a hint of admiration.

"The Stain Sect truly produces an endless stream of talent."

Originally, Ang Xiao had been lying in ambush within the Grotto Heaven, waiting for Minor Metal and World Purger Fei Xue to take the bait, but he received a warning from his Split Self inside the South Celestial Gate.

Only then did he realize with a start the changes in the outside world.

Undeniably, he was now caught in a dilemma. He still had ways to stop Fortune from Seeking Gold, but it would certainly come at a great cost.

Thinking of this, Ang Xiao had the same question as Lü Yang.

"You went to great lengths to ruin my plans, only to end up helping Fortune... What is it that you truly want?"

"Only to seek the Dao."

Minor Metal’s expression was serene. "The Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire can no longer be attained. Milord, you are at the Late Stage of Golden Core, after all. If you truly wish to salvage the situation, there are still ways."

"But Milord clearly has higher aspirations and is unwilling to pay the price."

"Everything depends on your choice, Milord. If you can find another path for me to attain a Golden Position, then I can naturally help you resolve this situation."

Ang Xiao fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then the reason became clear to him.

"Haha, hahaha! So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is! This wasn’t your plan, it was Xue Feihong’s! You’ve been cast aside as a pawn!"

World Purger Fei Xue only wants a Perfected Lord of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire. As for who it is, she doesn’t care!

This person could be Minor Metal, or it could be Fortune.

She didn’t approve of Fortune before because he hadn’t returned to his position in five thousand years, so she had given up on him. That’s why she invested her efforts in Minor Metal.

But now, things were different.

Fortune traded with Lü Yang for the Void Internal Observation of Heaven and Earth True Understanding and the Upper Bright Golden Cup Jade Light, reclaiming the foundation he needed to return to his former position.

More importantly, he didn’t have the hidden danger of the Earth of Chen.

"Compared to you, Fortune’s hope of Seeking Gold is undoubtedly greater. No wonder Xue Feihong sees you as a disposable pawn, and no wonder you’ve come to find me alone!"

Hearing this, Minor Metal cupped his hands. "Milord’s insight is sharp."

Faced with Ang Xiao’s intentional or unintentional taunts, his expression remained composed. The sharp spirit in his eyes wasn’t diminished in the slightest, remaining as imposing as a blade’s edge.

"It simply means I must rely on myself."