Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Reining in his thoughts, Lü Yang finally looked toward a corner of the Nourishing Life Master. Mu Changsheng was hiding in the shadows there, flashing him a fawning smile.

"Congratulations, Senior, on your Cultivation advancing a step further!"

Before his voice had even faded, Mu Changsheng decisively performed a deep bow to Lü Yang. As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances, and he was undoubtedly a wise man of the current era.

"Rise." Lü Yang raised his hand, his gaze shifting slightly. "You certainly have courage, Daoist. The Old Dragon Monarch has already left, yet you didn’t leave. You even dared to stay here."

"You misunderstand, Senior," Mu Changsheng said, his expression turning solemn. "I must emphasize that I have absolutely no relationship with the Old Dragon Monarch. We just happened to be traveling the same way.

"He didn’t kill me earlier out of respect for the Heavenly God. Even though he has defected to the Profound Wall, he is still a fence-sitter at heart—he helps whoever is winning. Why would he really kill me and offend the Heavenly God? At most, he’d vent a little anger. I could just endure it and it would pass..."

At those words, Lü Yang raised an eyebrow. "The Heavenly God..."

Once upon a time, this name had been his nightmare, forcing him to flee far from home. But looking back at it now, he had gained a new understanding.

He thought, "The so-called Heavenly God may be foolish and idiotic. But at its core, it is highly likely related to the super Outer Realm known as the Immortal Pivot. Could it be the Immortal Core Heavenly Dao? Or something else entirely..."

At this thought, Lü Yang recalled the structure of the Immortal Pivot. The four domains of East, West, South, and North, plus Overseas—a vast world pieced together from five Outer Realms constituted the Immortal Pivot. However, could a so-called Heavenly Dao truly exist in an Outer Realm that was practically molded by the bare hands of a Master of Dao?

He pondered, "I have many similar clues. For example, after my trip to the Celestial Mansion, I guessed that the reason the Heavenly God is so foolish is because out of the six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and intention—it lacks the most crucial one: intention."

The Celestial Mansion was an Outer Realm formed from the Corpse of a Master of Dao. Yet, because Sichou’s Residual Thought was suppressed, lacking the most crucial intention, such an Outer Realm ended up being ruled by the Taiyin Immortal Venerable, a Great Perfected Lord.

Could the Immortal Pivot be the same? After all, the Celestial Mansion was the handiwork of the Bhagavat and the old geezers of the Stain Sect. They could have easily replicated it in the Immortal Pivot.

"Perhaps the five Outer Realms pieced together to form the Immortal Pivot are merely a facade," he thought. "Is it fundamentally a form of suppression used to suppress the Heavenly God’s intention, rendering it foolish and idiotic? But if I follow this speculation... it leads back to the original question. What exactly is the Heavenly God? To require four Masters of Dao to practically join forces and create an Outer Realm just to suppress it, could it also be a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord? But wouldn’t that make it just like Si Chou? Why would it need four Masters of Dao to suppress it?"

Lü Yang rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a bit of a headache. Ultimately, it was his lack of intelligence that led to such wild thoughts. One speculation after another surfaced uncontrollably in his mind, causing his focus to somewhat waver...

Wait? His focus was wavering?!

He realized, "Not good!"

In an instant, within Emperor Ying, Lü Yang’s true body frowned deeply, looking at the indelible sword scars covering his entire body. These sword scars had been with him for fifty years. Although they provided an excellent environment for the Profound Gate God Fusion Refining Dao Skill and accelerated the gestation of the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder.

The downside was also obvious.

He thought, "My Dao Heart is wavering... If this continues and I don’t start over within ten years, my Perfect Dao Heart will likely be shattered by these sword scars."

Lü Yang’s expression grew solemn, a sense of alarm rising in his heart. Dao Heart Perfection was a method sufficient to maneuver under the gaze of a Master of Dao. However, this did not mean a Master of Dao truly had no way to deal with it.

"It’s merely troublesome at most," he thought. "The Sword Pavilion Daoist Lord can use these sword scars to torture me for fifty years, step by step shattering my Perfect Dao Heart. The Bhagavat can most likely do the same... From this, it’s evident that if the Bhagavat truly revives in my body, spending a few decades would still be enough to make me cry out in defeat..."

Thinking of this, Lü Yang hurriedly bolstered his Dao Heart. Only when he felt his mind become active again and his Intention focused did he shift his attention back to his Incense and Candle Avatar, looking at the anxious Mu Changsheng.

"It seems... you have a request for me, Daoist?"

At those words, Mu Changsheng let out a long sigh of relief, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. He hurriedly nodded. "I only beg Senior to give me a way to survive!"

"What do you want?" Lü Yang asked.

"I don’t want anything. I just ask that Senior allow me to temporarily reside within the Nourishing Life Master to take refuge, letting me endure here until this great tribulation passes." Mu Changsheng sighed. Even though he could now be considered an Orthodox True Monarch and had even successfully opened a path in the Sea of Suffering relying on the Pseudo Void Certificate, his Cultivation was ultimately still at the Early Stage of Golden Core. Lacking the Immortal characteristic, he was still nothing more than cannon fodder in the current millennium tribulation.

Since that was the case, his only option was to flee. After all, if he couldn’t afford to fight, he could at least hide. Therefore, even when Lü Yang was battling the Old Dragon Monarch and conversing with Ang Xiao earlier, he hadn’t had the slightest intention to leave.

He was firmly planting himself here today!

Of course, he also knew the temperament of a Saint Sect True Monarch. Thus, after making his request for refuge, he immediately offered his worth. "I should also be of use to you, Senior.

"With your Cultivation, Senior, you definitely have ambitions for this millennium tribulation. However, I’m afraid your current condition isn’t very good, leaving you powerless to observe changes in the outside world... In this regard, I might be able to play a role. To tell you the truth, I specially Refined an avatar and hid it in the Immortal Pivot.

"My Spiritual perception can connect with it at any time.

"Once the tribulation begins, I can use the avatar to grasp the real-time progress and changes of the tribulation. When the time comes, I am willing to report everything to you, Senior."

Mu Changsheng laid out his bargaining chips. Undeniably, he had chosen his chips extremely well. He had clearly done his homework before coming, and it indeed hit Lü Yang right where he needed it.

Lü Yang thought, "I really do need someone like this..."

He pondered in his heart. Currently, the Sword Pavilion Daoist Lord had severed all his channels connecting to the outside world. Whether it was his avatars or his Qi trace, they would be instantly destroyed the moment they were exposed. Under such circumstances, he couldn’t observe the outside world at all, and naturally had no way of knowing how Ang Xiao was Seeking Proof of Nascent Soul.

However, if Mu Changsheng could broadcast it to him, he would no longer be completely blind to the situation. He could sit in the safest place and watch a good show unfold.

At this thought, a sincere smile suddenly appeared on Lü Yang’s face. "Ah, Brother Changsheng, you’re treating me as an outsider with such words. Given our relationship, why the need for all this?

"From now on, you can stay in the Nourishing Life Master."

After saying that, he even patted Mu Changsheng’s shoulder, causing the latter to reveal a flattered expression as he hurriedly cupped his hands. "Thank you for your immense grace, Senior!"

Within Emperor Ying.

Lü Yang slowly stood up. His gaze seemed capable of piercing through Heaven and Earth, reaching straight into the Immortal Pivot. He cast his eyes down upon the Current World and saw a figure completely shrouded in mist.

Almost at the same time, in the Immortal Pivot.

Ang Xiao sensed something in his heart and suddenly looked up at the sky. A smile abruptly emerged in his long, narrow eyes, the only parts of him exposed outside the smoke.

He thought, "True Monarch of the Imperial Extreme and Fate... You are watching me, aren’t you? Very well, keep watching. Watch how I flip this chessboard over!"

With this thought, Ang Xiao withdrew his gaze and turned to look into the distance. He was currently located at the Overseas Skyline, the place closest to the Netherworld.

Wherever his gaze passed, there was a bottomless abyss. Immeasurable amounts of seawater poured continuously into the abyss. That was the proof of the Netherworld’s existence. It was like a black hole, swallowing all living creatures.

In the next second, Ang Xiao took a step forward and walked over with complete composure.