Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

No one expected Ang Xiao to appear here.

After all, the Old Dragon Monarch had only found this place thanks to five full years of deductions by True Monarch Gangxing. So how did Ang Xiao find it?

There was only one possibility.

’He’s been following us from the very beginning... We have a traitor in our midst!’

Almost instantly, the Old Dragon Monarch locked his spiritual perception onto Mu Changsheng, suspecting he was the one who had secretly colluded with Ang Xiao and led him here.

However, he quickly dismissed his suspicion.

Because the mole revealed himself.

"My lord! I’ve succeeded!"

The Celestial Python shouted with an excited expression. Immediately after, the Fruit of Sky-River Water folded in on itself, transforming into a crystal-clear, vermilion-cored Treasure Pearl.

The Fruit of Celestial Fire was sealed!

Meanwhile, the Old Dragon Monarch could hardly believe his eyes. After all his schemes and calculations, it turned out that his own direct descendant had betrayed him!?

Mu Changsheng, on the other hand, was not surprised at all. ’For the Celestial Python, he had worked so hard to attain the Fruit of Sky-River Water, an Emperor Fruit no less. His future was supposed to be bright, but then his Supreme position was devalued, and the Old Dragon Monarch used him as a tool-dragon to suppress the Fruit of Celestial Fire. It would be against all celestial principle for him *not* to rebel.’

It all boiled down to one thing.

’There’s no future following the Old Dragon Monarch... After all, what could the Celestial Python gain by staying with him? A lifespan of a thousand years, and then starting all over again?’

How could the Celestial Python be content with that!

’If the Old Dragon Monarch had brought the Celestial Python along when he broke through to become a Great Perfected Lord, allowing him to anchor himself to the Grotto Heaven and enjoy immortality, perhaps he wouldn’t have betrayed him.’

’Unfortunately, the Celestial Python cultivated the Fruit of Sky-River Water, and the Old Dragon Monarch had no need for a second Water Element cultivator to anchor to his domain. He didn’t care if the Celestial Python lived or died... No, that’s not right. In the Old Dragon Monarch’s eyes, the fact that the Celestial Python had managed to attain a Fruit and achieve the standing of a Golden Core Perfected Lord was already a blessing from Heaven.’

As a father, he had done all he could.

’However, the desires of living creatures are like a stone rolling down a mountain; once they start, they can never be stopped... The Old Dragon Monarch had clearly miscalculated on this point.’

When the Celestial Python was at Foundation Establishment, he wanted to attain a Fruit.

Now that he had reached the Golden Core, he naturally wanted to attain immortality.

The Old Dragon Monarch could not satisfy this desire; in fact, he had even caused him to lose the prestige of his Emperor Fruit’s Position. All of this was reason enough for the Celestial Python to rebel.

After all, what the Old Dragon Monarch couldn’t provide, Ang Xiao could.

The two of them hit it off immediately. Having lost his other Fruits, Ang Xiao needed other Perfected Lords to anchor to him if he wanted to quickly return to the level of a Great Perfected Lord.

And it wasn’t just the Celestial Python.

"Mu Changsheng!"

Ang Xiao’s voice thundered, "Lend me a hand! Afterward, I can let you observe my Void Attainment Position to help you pass the trial of the Nourishing Life Master!"

Mu Changsheng: "..."

At this moment, Mu Changsheng had only one thing to say to Ang Xiao: ’If you were going to try and win me over, you should have damn well said so earlier! Why didn’t you say so earlier?’

’If you had, would I have gone looking for that Nameless True Monarch and handed over the Fruit Position Book for No Heaven?’

’Now, even if I wanted to agree, I couldn’t. The Fruit Position Book is in someone else’s hands, and they have a fatal hold over me!’

That said, Mu Changsheng reacted quickly.

On the surface, he quickly made a show of betrayal, activating No Heaven as if to flee with the Celestial Python and escape the Old Dragon Monarch’s pursuit.

"ROAR—!"

In an instant, the Old Dragon Monarch’s furious roar echoed through the Sea of Suffering. As the dragon’s cry washed over them, everyone present felt a strange and inexplicable change.

Ang Xiao’s expression flickered.

Soon, everyone understood what was happening.

It started with a single, confused murmur, but it quickly grew into a chorus of voices rising and falling, finally erupting into a tsunami-like roar that shook the Sea of Suffering:

"Mama! Mama!"

"Someone is threatening Mama... Help Mama!"

Heaven and Earth Root!

Mu Changsheng bore the brunt of it. Despite having tried to evade it with No Heaven in advance, he couldn’t completely avoid being tainted by its profound and mysterious power when it arrived.

Then, he subconsciously opened his mouth:

"Mama... Ah, what the fuck!"

The next second, Mu Changsheng snapped back to awareness, his face instantly contorting as he realized what had happened... His consciousness had just been split.

He had a second personality.

And that personality saw the Old Dragon Monarch as its mother. It had even briefly taken over his body—his mouth had just been controlled by it!

Under the influence of the Heaven and Earth Root, this takeover became more pronounced. The second personality’s sentience seemed to be nourished, expanding rapidly. Soon, he found he had lost control of his arm, then half of his body, and his mouth once again irrepressibly cried out, "Mama!"

He tried to use No Heaven to erase this change.

But the next second, No Heaven, which had always been intimately connected to him, resisted. "You want to hurt Mama! You’re not worthy of being my master!"

Mu Changsheng: "..."

Finally, with all his might, he just managed to shout one thing to Ang Xiao:

"Help!"

Seeing this, Ang Xiao let out a light laugh. "Old Loach, why bother? Pitting the future of your race against me isn’t worth the cost."

As his voice fell, a plume of smoke spread out.

Veil of the Trees!

The smoke enveloped Mu Changsheng’s body, swiftly erasing all the changes. Though they both wielded Supreme Fruit Position Imagery, the Old Dragon Monarch was clearly not as skilled in its use as Ang Xiao.

"Alright, you two can go now."

Ang Xiao said in a low voice, "Celestial Python, you know where to hide. Take Mu Changsheng with you... I’ll hold back the others for you."

"Beast! Ungrateful son!"

The Old Dragon Monarch’s voice followed close behind. "Are you really going to betray me? Betray the True Dragon Race?"

Hearing this, the Celestial Python shook his head, his expression firm. "I haven’t betrayed our race. I just want my own path, not one dictated by you, Father."

"You..."

Before the Old Dragon Monarch could retort, the Celestial Python decisively turned and fled into the distance. "Farewell, Father... and farewell to my cowardice...!"

Mu Changsheng followed close behind him.

Only the Old Dragon Monarch’s furious voice was left echoing through the Sea of Suffering, as a thick fog of smoke spread out, enveloping him and the two Great Saints of the Demon Race.

...

Nourishing Life Master

"Ang Xiao and the Old Dragon Monarch are fighting?"

Lü Yang watched the images and information continuously transmitted by Mu Changsheng’s spiritual perception, his eyes gradually narrowing, especially when he saw the final piece of content that came through.

"The Celestial Python ran off with him? No one else?"

He had to admit, seeing this, he was tempted... However, the caution befitting a Saint Sect True Monarch still reminded him: ’Could this be a trap?’

Although his strength had greatly increased, he still hadn’t crossed that invisible threshold. Whether it was Fei Xue, the Old Dragon Monarch, Ang Xiao, or True Monarch Gangxing, if he were to face any of them in one-on-one combat, he would still be no match. At best, he was confident he could survive and escape.

’Mm, I should still play it safe.’

Thinking this, Lü Yang immediately resorted to his old trick. He sent out his Dao Body to hide in the thatched hut, only then preparing to open a path to the Sea of Suffering and take a look.

But at that very moment, Progenitor Tingyou stepped forward. "Don’t be hasty," he said with a smile. "If you show yourself now, you’ll become the target of everyone. It’s best to increase your chances of success before you go."

Lü Yang was taken aback.

He currently had the Summon of a Fake Middle Stage Golden Core and had also swallowed the Fruit of Spring Water. His fundamental power had already reached a new level. Was there still hope for more improvement?

Then he saw Progenitor Tingyou and the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected both step forward.

Over the past five years, Lü Yang had spoken with everyone many times. He no longer avoided talking about his past lives, and he didn’t hide some of his special abilities either.

For example, his ability to settle a Gold Attribute and gain a Talent Skill.

Because of this—

"This is what we’ve prepared for you."

As they spoke, Progenitor Tingyou and the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected opened their palms. In each of their hands floated a magnificent stream of golden light.

The Gold Attribute of Tingyou, the Gold Attribute of the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.

"You can use these, can’t you?" Progenitor Tingyou chuckled.

"Take them," the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected said with a nod.

"It took us some time. We’ve been secretly re-cultivating these past few years to condense them. Consider it a little surprise for you."