Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

’He’s expending more than I am.’

Lü Yang exhaled deeply, the taste of blood filling his mouth, but he wasn’t flustered. ’After all, I seized the initiative and caught him off guard.’

’After several exchanges, his Mana consumption has definitely been higher than mine. Before, when I used All Evil Beheaded, I couldn’t match him in Mana. But things are different now. With the tables turning, I might be able to surpass him in both Mana and Magic and inflict a minor injury.’

’Unfortunately, that’s probably the limit.’

’Ang Xiao isn’t a fool. If I manage to injure him like this one more time, he’ll realize the problem with his Mana and stop using the Veil of the Trees to recover.’

To put it bluntly, Ang Xiao had been trading his mana for health.

But once Ang Xiao realized this approach was counterproductive, he would surely change his tactics. Then, it would be Lü Yang’s turn to be in a predicament.

After all, when it came down to it, Ang Xiao was a Perfected Lord of the Pocket World Technique.

As long as his Pocket World stood, he was Immortal!

In contrast, Lü Yang was still at the Early Stage of Golden Core in the Pocket World Technique. And while his Dao of Arcane Body had reached a Mid-phase Position, it didn’t grant him an undying attribute.

Comparing the two—

’If we really went all out with no holds barred, fighting to the death, the most likely outcome is that I’d die on the spot, while Ang Xiao would suffer incurable injuries.’

Lü Yang’s thoughts raced as he analyzed the situation.

However, Ang Xiao reacted even faster. He took a step back, his form blurring into mist, and vanished from Lü Yang’s sight in the blink of an eye.

He had actually retreated!

Of course, Ang Xiao couldn’t have known the effects of All Evil Beheaded. But at his level, he had a divine intuition, an ability to foresee calamity.

This time, Lü Yang had seized the initiative, causing his condition to clearly decline. Since his all-out killing move had failed to connect, he naturally wouldn’t continue a war of attrition with Lü Yang. Even if he was the likely victor in the end, there was no need for it. He couldn’t actually fight Lü Yang to the death.

"That bastard..."

In the Current World, at the Immortal Pivot, the Sea of Suffering parted. Ang Xiao’s figure strode out, his narrow eyes, the only feature visible through the mist, filled with solemnity.

’...He’s too damn tough.’

He could naturally deduce the same things as Lü Yang. However, in Ang Xiao’s judgment, the situation was actually a bit more dire.

Because there was one thing no one else knew.

’I no longer possess the undying attribute of the Pocket World!’

’It’s the consequence of my past actions. The Netherworld has now put me on its blacklist. If my Soul were to enter the Netherworld, I would face certain death!’

That was why, back in the Human World, he had tried to ask Lü Yang for the Sun and Moon Profound Juice, a life-extending treasure unique to the Star Palace. The reason was that after leaving the Netherworld, he had lost his ability to reincarnate. Now, just like Lü Yang, he only had one life!

If that weren’t the case, why would he keep trading his mana for health?

The ultimate reason he constantly used the Veil of the Trees to erase his injuries was that he couldn’t afford to be wounded. If he died from his injuries, he would be truly dead!

Thinking of this, Ang Xiao couldn’t help but sigh again.

’I can’t stop him alone...’

At this point, it was already impossible for him to crush his opponent by himself while maintaining his current state. His only option was to seek an alliance and change the situation.

Fortunately, he already had a plan.

Just then, a Flying Light streaked toward them. It was initially the form of a dragon, but as it drew near, it transformed into an impressive-looking young man.

It was the Celestial Python!

"Welcome back, my lord..." the Celestial Python said cautiously.

He knew what Ang Xiao had gone to do, but the problem was that Ang Xiao’s current Qi trace was several times weaker than before. It didn’t look like he was returning in triumph.

’Could it be... he lost?’

At this thought, the Celestial Python’s pupils trembled slightly.

Seeing this, Ang Xiao chuckled, then nodded directly. "That man has indeed come into his own. No one below the rank of Great Perfected Lord can kill him now."

He had his pride and would not deny the facts.

As his words fell, the Celestial Python’s breath hitched. Although he had just suspected it, hearing it from Ang Xiao’s own mouth was a completely different experience.

Horror? Shock?

In the end, it all dissolved into speechlessness.

Meanwhile, Ang Xiao was thinking to himself:

’I already have the Fruit of Sky-River Water. I just need to acquire an Earth Fruit to gather Three Elements, then I can return to the Position of Great Perfected Lord. We’ll see after that.’

Relying on another’s Pocket World was a method he had always scorned, because borrowing someone else’s Fruit meant being controlled by them. However, he now had to bow to circumstances. He had to advance further and no longer had the freedom to choose. That being the case, he could only try to select harmless partners.

Specifically, someone like the Celestial Python.

Someone with great ambition but little talent, no real ability, yet plenty of avarice. Ideally, they would also be facing the crisis of their lifespan nearing its end, which would give him leverage to coerce them.

So... who fit that description?

Ang Xiao quickly found an answer in his heart. He gave a faint smile. "Let’s go. We’ll make a trip to the South... There are some things that we should probably discuss."

He didn’t choose the Stain Sect.

Although he came from the Stain Sect, he had no shared interests with World Purger Fei Xue and the others. In fact, their interests were entirely in conflict. The one who truly had a connection of interest with him was—

’Gang Form, of all people.’

’With the Fruit of Celestial Fire suddenly being claimed, that old codger is probably going crazy right now. Perfect... If I seek his cooperation this time, he won’t refuse.’

He alone could no longer kill Lü Yang.

If you added the mysterious person paving a Dao in the Sea of Suffering, should that person succeed, there would be yet another powerhouse. Instead, he might be the one to be surrounded and killed.

He needed some allies.

’The situation in the world has come to this. That nameless bastard has already introduced too many variables, which may not align with the expectations of all the Masters of Dao.’

’Perhaps there are Masters of Dao who wish to suppress these variables.’

But how to suppress them?

The answer was obvious: a Great Perfected Lord!

’No one at the Middle Stage of Golden Core can suppress that bastard, so it has to be the Late Stage of Golden Core... In the near future, the restrictions on Great Perfected Lords will surely be lifted!’

In Ang Xiao’s view, the world situation in the Immortal Pivot was actually very interesting.

Besides himself, there was only one other Great Perfected Lord in the current age, and a half-crippled one at that... However, in reality, many people were at the critical point of the Middle Stage of Golden Core.

’Enchanted Loctus from the Pure Land, Jia You from the Dao Court, Fei Xue from the Stain Sect, the Old Loach from Overseas... If you really count them, all four have a chance to break through to the Late Stage of Golden Core. They are merely limited on their Dao path by the Pocket World Technique, unable to gather the Fruits needed for a breakthrough, which is why they have remained stuck at the Middle Stage of Golden Core.’

’Could such a situation have been formed by accident?’

’Without a doubt, it was intentional!’

’The various Masters of Dao deliberately orchestrated this situation for the sake of restriction, because the variables a Great Perfected Lord can stir up are inevitably greater than those of an ordinary Perfected Lord.’

’In the great lords’ plans, the time for these people to break through to Great Perfected Lord should have been during the millennial calamity, when variables are at their peak. After all, Great Perfected Lords are the best chess pieces... However, with that nameless bastard messing things up, this timeline has to be moved up.’

Ang Xiao couldn’t calculate exactly how much sooner it would be.

But it was never wrong to prepare in advance for a rainy day. This was also his biggest advantage compared to that nameless bastard.

’I can quickly break through to the Late Stage and become a Great Perfected Lord.’

’But that bastard is still a long way off. If he dares to imitate others and rashly attempts a breakthrough after gathering Three Elements, he’ll die for sure. I won’t even need to lift a finger...’

Thinking of this, Ang Xiao became much more composed.

It’s not a big problem!

The situation is still under my control!