Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

The first Fruit appeared.

Just above the mote of light Progenitor Tingyou had placed into the[Sea of Suffering], layer upon layer of palace chambers materialized. With pillars and beams, gates and doors, they wove together to form a grand temple hall.

[Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth]!

Progenitor Tingyou was more than familiar with this Fruit. He had previously studied its Fruit Position Book in detail within the[Nourishing Life Master], giving him the utmost confidence in his ability to conjure it.

Just as he had expected.

’It’s going smoothly enough...’

Progenitor Tingyou focused his senses. The illusory palace hall continued to build upon itself, its dense Earth Element aura giving him the gravitas of a great mountain.

It looked so real that its conjured nature was completely imperceptible. If it were presented to another for identification, even a Perfected Lord unfamiliar with the Earth Element might mistake the Fruit. Progenitor Tingyou’s conjuration was just that lifelike, utterly indistinguishable from the genuine article.

This was only the beginning.

"The second shall be[Fruit of Spring Water]."

Progenitor Tingyou skillfully shifted his Daoist Hand Seal.[Fruit of Spring Water]was, without a doubt, the Fruit he was second most familiar with. After all, he had once created a perfect replica of it.

Soon, the sound of water arose.

A spring began to gurgle, its sound crisp and pleasant. It drew from the[Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth]above, the water inheriting the earth’s properties. Instantly, an incredibly intense Water Element radiance bloomed forth.

Meanwhile, Lü Yang, watching from not far away, swallowed hard.

’Why... hasn’t his Position changed?’

Whether it was the[Fruit of Wall-Surface Earth]or the[Fruit of Spring Water], their Profound Mysterious imagery was indistinguishable from the genuine articles, yet Progenitor Tingyou’s Position had not increased.

’Is it because he only conjured the Profound Mysterious aspect and the imagery?’

’Or is it that this conjuration is ultimately based on the[Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven]? Did the Progenitor miscalculate? Is it impossible to raise one’s Position by pulling oneself up by one’s own bootstraps like this?’

One question after another flooded his mind.

But Lü Yang held his tongue. Not only did he refrain from voicing his doubts, but he also feigned a look of sudden understanding and even nodded solemnly.

’I can’t interrupt the Progenitor’s train of thought...’

The very next second, however, Progenitor Tingyou’s voice drifted over.

"You don’t understand, do you?"

Lü Yang: "..."

’Who says? Who says I don’t understand? It’s just that I haven’t activated my[Supreme Dao Transformation], so my peerless Talent Skill hasn’t been fully unleashed!’

’How could I possibly not understand?’

Lü Yang pressed his lips together and said in a low voice, "Progenitor, please don’t be distracted. Just focus on forging your Dao."

’I won’t admit it!’

Forging a Dao was a solemn affair, one that concerned his entire cultivation path. Moreover, Progenitor Tingyou’s method was fraught with risk. How could he afford to be distracted just to answer his questions?

"I knew you didn’t understand,"

Progenitor Tingyou said, not at all concerned. He even chuckled lightly. "The reason my Position isn’t increasing isn’t because I don’t want it to, but because I truly can’t."

"These conjured Fruits are, in essence, borrowing the Position of my[Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven]. No matter how many I conjure, I am merely dividing up my original Position."

"This is my one regret."

"Even after being elevated to the level of an orthodox Fruit, my[Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven]is still insufficient to conjure a Position from nothing... Perhaps that would only be possible if it became an Emperor Fruit."

Hearing this, Lü Yang could no longer hold back.

"But Progenitor... if you aren’t increasing your Position, what is the point of any of this?"

"It will be increased eventually, just not right now," Progenitor Tingyou explained. "Right now, I’m laying the foundation, which is crucial for forging the Dao."

"Watch closely."

Hearing this, Lü Yang dared not be careless and immediately began to observe with great attention.

Following that, Lü Yang saw Progenitor Tingyou suddenly accelerate the movements of his Daoist Hand Seals. Light and shadow shifted, and three more radiances emerged in succession from the[Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven].

[Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire]!

[Fruit of Pomegranate Wood]!

[Fruit of Pewter Metal]!

These three Fruits were all ones that Lü Yang had either mastered or had a corresponding level of Cultivation in. They were also Fruits that Progenitor Tingyou had secretly studied for a very long time.

"My situation is unique."

"For me, these conjured Fruits are merely an external manifestation. Their inner nature is still the[Fruit of Sorrowless Heaven], so I don’t need to worry about ratios when combining them."

"Therefore, rather than worrying about potential conflicts between the Fruits, I am more concerned with how well I understand them. The better I understand a Fruit, the better the conjuration, and the better the final outcome of forging this Dao... Hmm. As of now, the preparations are nearly complete."

At this point, Progenitor Tingyou suddenly let out a soft laugh.

"So that’s how it is!"

"Throughout all of history, I must be the first to attempt to forge a Dao in this way. Interesting, I’m sensing something... Lü Yang, I have grasped the key to becoming a First-class True Monarch."

Lü Yang was stunned.

’Holy shit... He figured it out just like that?!’

For a moment, he really wondered if he looked like a simple-minded monkey in Progenitor Tingyou’s eyes. The key to becoming a First-class True Monarch... was it really that easy to comprehend?

’Then why haven’t I figured it out?’

Lü Yang quickly found his answer: ’First of all, it’s definitely not because I’m not trying hard enough. So, it must be that the[Centome]isn’t trying hard enough!’

Before he could ask, Progenitor Tingyou continued, "When a Cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection is Seeking Gold, they must set up a Magic Instrument to attract a Fruit’s attention. For a First-class True Monarch... the principle is the same! One must use a grand Magic Instrument that resonates with their Fruit to achieve mastery and sublimation of its Fruit Position Profound Mysterious!"

"Different people will have different Magic Instruments."

"Take World Purger Fei Xue, for example. Her Magic Instrument is likely related to her title of[Five Thousand Years of Fighting Number One]. As for[Ang Xiao], his is related to his origins."

"Haven’t you noticed?"

"To this day, only[Ang Xiao]is an anomaly. His gender is unknown, his appearance is unknown, even his name is unknown. His origins are a complete blank."

"This is obviously not normal."

"Considering this along with the imagery of the[Fruit of Great-Forest Wood], I suspect his current state is the result of the Magic Instrument he used to sublimate his Fruit Position Profound Mysterious."

"However, it’s the same for me now."

The more Progenitor Tingyou spoke, the brighter his eyes shone. "Right now, I am pioneering a Dao that has never existed in all of history. This very act *is* a grand Magic Instrument!"

"Once I succeed, I will be able to imprint myself upon Heaven and Earth, completing the sublimation of my Fruit Position Profound Mysterious."

"No, that’s not right. Not Heaven and Earth... It should be the entire Void Sea of Light!"

"Because this is the Immortal Pivot, the center of the Void Sea of Light. The sublimation of a Fruit Position Profound Mysterious is a feat that can only be accomplished here."

Cultivators of the Immortal Pivot truly are a cut above the rest!

Progenitor Tingyou had said a great deal, but Lü Yang heard one thing with absolute clarity: if he succeeded in forging this Dao, the Progenitor would complete the sublimation of his Fruit Position Profound Mysterious.

What did that mean?

It meant becoming a First-class True Monarch!

’One moment of enlightenment, ascending in broad daylight... The Progenitor really wasn’t lying. If he succeeds, he’ll instantly become a First-class True Monarch on par with me!’

Wasn’t this an absolute windfall?

Even now, barely on the cusp of becoming First-class, Lü Yang already dared to toy with[Ang Xiao]. If he had another First-class True Monarch as his backer...

He would go hunt down[Ang Xiao]tomorrow!

RUMBLE!

At this moment, the tide in the[Sea of Suffering]stirred up by Progenitor Tingyou was becoming too much to contain. Lü Yang gave up trying, because the Magic Instrument needed to sense Heaven and Earth.

If he suppressed it, how could it sense anything?

He also understood something else: a disturbance of this magnitude would inevitably attract other Perfected Lords. When that happened, it would be his turn to act.

’This is part of the Tribulation.’

There is an ancient saying: a just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little. In cultivation, however, this should be understood in reverse: only those who enjoy abundant support can attain the Dao!

Just like this situation.

Forging a Great Dao, setting up a Magic Instrument, sensing Heaven and Earth... without a trusted Daoist companion to act as a Protector, one you could entrust your life to, failure is almost a foregone conclusion!

Therefore, the more help one has, the greater the chance of success.

At this thought, the image of[Ang Xiao]surfaced in Lü Yang’s mind. Clearly, that innately evil old fiend couldn’t possibly have had a Protector.

And yet, he still completed the sublimation of his Fruit. Even the Void Certificate hadn’t been an obstacle for him.

All by himself? How did he manage it?

’...The world’s number one Perfected Lord.’

Although he could now stand against the man as an equal, Lü Yang had to admit: the higher his own Cultivation became, the more he understood the true weight of that title.