Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

North, at the Sea of Clouds.

At the same time that Ang Xiao and the Old Dragon Monarch stepped into the Sword Pavilion, Lü Yang had also silently arrived at Holy Fire Cliff, landing before the entrance to Feixue Palace.

Four figures were already there, having waited for quite some time.

At their head was naturally World Purger Fei Xue, with the True Monarch of Contained Light and Floating Heaven to her left and the True Monarch Zeng Cai Qiluo to her right. Besides them, there was one other figure.

It was a woman.

She was exceptionally beautiful, her skin as fine and smooth as polished jade. She looked like a veritable Jade Beauty, offering Lü Yang a gentle, graceful smile as she spoke:

"My greetings, Perfected Lord."

Her voice was so delicate it could stir a person’s heart to tenderness... More importantly, Lü Yang recognized her.

’Bright Pearl Great Saint...’

Lü Yang’s gaze shifted in an instant to World Purger Fei Xue at the head of the group. A smile played on her lips, and her aura seemed no different from before.

’If I recall correctly, Bright Pearl Great Saint cultivates the Fruit of Sea-Deep Metal... Damn! Don’t tell me this Mad Woman Fei Xue has already gathered the Three Elements and broken through to become a Great Perfected Lord?’ Lü Yang mused. Outwardly, he didn’t hesitate; his previously straight back immediately bowed in reverence.

"...My greetings, Senior." Lü Yang cupped his hands.

After all, he was no naive Lower Cultivator. Since Bright Pearl Great Saint was here, it meant World Purger Fei Xue had a chance to break through—so he would simply assume she had already succeeded.

He wasn’t too worried, however.

’It’s likely the same situation over at the Sword Pavilion. True Monarch Gangxing and the Old Dragon Monarch have no chance, but Ang Xiao has already assimilated the Celestial Python. He can most likely break through.’

That way, Fei Xue could trade pieces with Ang Xiao. But without Lü Yang’s participation, the Saint Sect would be powerless to stop True Monarch Gangxing and the Old Dragon Monarch. It was precisely because Lü Yang saw this that he decided to openly bring his Talent Skill back to the Saint Sect.

As for whether Fei Xue would sell him out?

’Impossible. If I die, True Monarch Gangxing will be able to neutralize the Fruit of Celestial Fire and, given time, return to the ranks of the Great Perfected Lords.’

’Where would that leave the Saint Sect?’

’Besides, the Old Dragon Monarch and his Fruit of Vast-Sea Water are things World Purger Fei Xue must obtain. From that perspective, she has every reason to ally with me.’

At this thought, Lü Yang grew even more composed.

Seeing his composure, a smile slowly spread across World Purger Fei Xue’s face. She raised a hand and said, "Dispense with the formalities. I have long looked forward to meeting you, fellow Daoist."

"You flatter me," Lü Yang said with a wave of his hand.

Then, World Purger Fei Xue’s tone shifted. "Speaking of which, there should be another of your fellow Daoists, shouldn’t there? I wonder, has that person accompanied you?"

"Of course they have."

Lü Yang smiled. "However, that fellow Daoist has a cold and aloof personality. And being a Loose Cultivator, they are not a Holy Sect Disciple, which is why they didn’t come along."

This was, of course, an excuse.

Lü Yang simply had no intention of letting Progenitor Tingyou appear outside of a combat situation. A storm was brewing, after all; the more mysterious he remained, the safer he would be.

However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he saw World Purger Fei Xue looking at him with a faint, unreadable smile. "And what part of the Saint Sect might you be from, fellow Daoist?" she asked.

"Would you care to share your Daoist title?"

"..."

Lü Yang remained silent, a smile on his face.

It was a joke. He had no identity as a Saint Sect True Monarch in this lifetime; it was just words. If she demanded proof of his identity, he certainly couldn’t provide any.

But he wasn’t afraid of World Purger Fei Xue exposing him. After all, being a Saint Sect True Monarch was often less about official identity and more about one’s bearing. Especially after so many years—who knew how many Saint Sect True Monarchs had been reincarnated, faked their deaths, or chosen to perform a Divine Cutting from their past selves before moving on to other places.

What difference would one more make?

Seeing his silence, World Purger Fei Xue’s expression grew inscrutable. "You are unwilling to state your title, fellow Daoist. It seems you lack sincerity in this cooperation."

"Is it important?" Lü Yang retorted.

World Purger Fei Xue shook her head. "Of course not. But you have attained the Fruit of Celestial Fire, and that changes things... To be blunt, someone wants to see you."

What the hell!?

Her words made Lü Yang’s heart skip a beat. ’Someone wants to see me? Who? It couldn’t possibly be the old... the Ancestral Master of the Saint Sect, all the way on the Other Shore, could it?’

He was starting to panic.

Outwardly, however, he remained the picture of calm, chuckling lightly. "Oh? And who might that be?"

"He is already here."

The moment her words fell, Lü Yang saw the vast Sea of Clouds begin to churn violently as the dense, intricate lines of an Array swiftly materialized.

The Thirty-Three Heaven and Earth Cross and Diagonal Array!

Lü Yang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, focusing his spiritual perception on the Centome’s interface, ready to restart his life at a moment’s notice, all while wearing a calm smile.

Immediately after, an infinite torrent of cloud qi converged on Holy Fire Cliff. If the Array had transformed the entire Sea of Clouds into a game board, then Holy Fire Cliff was located at the Celestial Essence point—the very heart of the Main Array. Yet, as one drew closer, an anomaly became apparent.

Within Holy Fire Cliff, there was another array!

It was an array within an array!

In the next second, as the cloud qi converged, a grand palace hall within Holy Fire Cliff rose like the morning sun, seeming to breathe as it inhaled and exhaled the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

If Holy Fire Cliff was the center of the Sea of Clouds...

...then this palace was the center of Holy Fire Cliff. Lü Yang looked toward its main entrance and saw a plaque of gold and jade hanging high above the doors.

Two words were inscribed upon it:

Heaven-Reaching Hall

’That’s the place the Saint Sect uses to travel to the Great and Small Boundary Heavens under its control. Legend says that, like the Simulation Realm, it is a Supreme Treasure left behind by the Saint Sect Ancestral Master!’

Soon, the gates of the Heaven-Reaching Hall swung wide open. A handsome Daoist Child with rosy lips and pearly teeth, his eyes seeming to contain All Phenomena, walked out. With a single breath, he drew all the gathered cloud qi into his body. As he did, his expression transformed, the childishness melting away into maturity.

In that instant, brilliant golden light flashed inside and outside Holy Fire Cliff, accompanied by a host of strange phenomena.

Yet these phenomena seemed to exist in a completely different dimension. Despite being so astonishing, they failed to draw the gasps of the countless Saint Sect disciples below.

Those at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages were completely oblivious.

Only Golden Core Perfected Lords could witness this scene, as if only they were qualified to do so. The sight made Lü Yang’s eyes narrow.

’Impressive... but it doesn’t matter.’

True, the handsome Daoist Child from the Heaven-Reaching Hall clearly had an extraordinary background. He most likely had an incredibly close relationship with the Saint Sect Ancestral Master; his backing was practically greater than Heaven itself.

But he wasn’t the Saint Sect Ancestral Master, after all.

This allowed Lü Yang to breathe a secret sigh of relief, his posture growing even more relaxed. He simply watched as the Daoist Child floated down and came to a stop before him.

"So it really is the Fruit of Celestial Fire..."

The Daoist Child stared intently at Lü Yang before letting out a long, slow sigh.

"It wasn’t attained through a newly established Magic Instrument, but was attained in the past. Yet your Grotto Heaven didn’t shatter; it was preserved... It seems you truly have returned."

Hearing this, Lü Yang’s expression remained unchanged.

’Returned? Who!?’

’Hasn’t the Fruit of Celestial Fire never been attained by anyone before? I confirmed this information again and again. Theoretically, I can’t be wrong.’

After a moment’s thought, Lü Yang decided not to play along and shook his head decisively.

"My apologies. I don’t believe I’m the person you’re referring to, fellow Daoist."

Sometimes, it was best not to adopt a persona that wasn’t yours, especially one that seemed to be entangled in profound karmic links. It was better to keep one’s distance.

"You’re not?"

The Daoist Child smiled at his words. "No, you are. You just don’t remember yet. But you will, eventually... True Monarch of Radiant World."