Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

At the invitation of the Star Palace researchers, the final destination Lü Yang headed to was located in the center of the mother planet’s Research Area—a steel building towering like a mountain.

With Lü Yang’s cultivation and strength, he was naturally given the green light all the way. He encountered almost no obstacles, and no one even came to interrogate him. Soon, he arrived outside the steel building. Then, a group of Foundation Establishment level researchers walked out, replacing the previous receptionists.

Following them, Lü Yang passed through numerous zones.

Each zone appeared to be an established laboratory. With a casual glance, Lü Yang could see individual researchers testing arrays. Soon, a large door came into view.

The researcher leading the way gently pushed the door open and stepped aside. Lü Yang didn’t stand on ceremony; he strode directly into the room behind the door.

This was also a laboratory. Up, down, left, and right, all the walls were a bright white. One of the walls featured a massive isolation window, behind which lay the scenery of a primeval forest.

Standing in front of the isolation window was a tall, elegant figure wearing a white lab coat and high heels. She held a metal tablet in her hands, occasionally raising her slender jade-like fingers to write and draw on it. Whenever she fell into deep thought, she would subconsciously push up the glasses on the bridge of her nose.

"Mentor, the esteemed guest has arrived," the guiding researcher said in a low voice.

"Oh? He’s here?"

The tall, elegant figure seemed to just snap back to reality. She turned around, revealing a face that, although unkempt, was still beautiful thanks to her naturally good features.

"I’ve been briefed on the situation." The tall, elegant figure didn’t offer any pleasantries, looking directly at the guiding researcher and Fu Chen. "All of you, out. I will be having a detailed discussion with this Daoist next."

Fu Chen and the researcher immediately nodded. "Understood."

Following a soft click, the large doors closed behind Lü Yang. Dense array patterns suddenly surfaced throughout the white laboratory. Lü Yang immediately narrowed his eyes upon seeing this.

"Don’t be nervous," the tall, elegant figure explained with a smile. "These are just the array artifacts required for the examination. I’ve been ordered to study your Dharma Body. Give me a drop of your blood."

Lü Yang also smiled. "And if I don’t give it to you?"

"You won’t give it?"

The tall, elegant figure froze for a moment, then slightly furrowed her brows. Noticing Lü Yang staring fixedly at her with a burning gaze, she suddenly seemed to realize something.

"Could it be that you have inappropriate thoughts about me?

"Ah, right. You seem to be very skilled at dual cultivation... But my apologies, you might not be too familiar with my situation. I modified my own body a long time ago.

"From top to bottom, all my organs have undergone array artifact modifications, including the necessary dual cultivation organs. If you really want to dual cultivate... Look over there. See that nutrition pod? My dual cultivation organs are in there. Rest assured, after my modifications, they are highly functional now.

"No need to avoid me; I happen to have work to process anyway.

"Besides, soaking in the Five Elements Star Marrow within the nutrition pod, its energy is more than sufficient. Using it directly will give you a much better effect than doing it with me personally."

Lü Yang was speechless. He thought indignantly, "What the hell does she take me for!"

The main reason he had been staring at her just now was because he suspected that as the Star Palace’s Grandmaster in the Array Treasure Dao, she might be connected to the Stain Sect. And now, he was even more suspicious.

With serious business at hand, he had no interest in engaging in any dual cultivation. He immediately forced the topic back on track. "I want to learn the knowledge of array artifacts first.

"Furthermore, it’s impossible for me to give you any blood.

"The main reason is that what came here this time is merely an avatar. Although it looks no different from a real person at first glance, it doesn’t have any blood to provide you."

"...What?"

At these words, the tall, elegant figure frowned even deeper, only relaxing after a moment. "Forget it, then. Let’s proceed directly to the Great Dao testing phase.

"Oh, and you said you wanted to learn about array artifacts?"

"That’s right..."

"Give it up. You won’t be able to learn it."

Lü Yang was rendered speechless once again.

Completely ignoring Lü Yang’s expression, the tall, elegant figure spoke rapidly, as if she didn’t want to waste any time. "I can tell just by looking at you that your talent isn’t enough.

"The Array Treasure Dao is different from simple arrays and artifact refining; it’s an art that truly combines the two, and the required aptitude is exceedingly high. At the very least, one must have reached the point where the Wisdom Light begins to emerge. A cultivator like you, who hasn’t even seen a glimpse of the Wisdom Light, should just give up on this path.

"I think the Dao of Arcane Body is quite suitable for you."

Lü Yang immediately felt indignant. What did she mean? Was she implying he was a brute who only knew how to throw punches? What a joke. His persona this time was a uniquely gifted Outer Dao True Monarch. If he chickened out now, wouldn’t his image as an Outer Dao prodigy collapse?

"To tell you the truth, I am not completely ignorant of the Array Treasure Dao."

Lü Yang raised his hand and casually refined a crimson sword pill. It was precisely the Blood River Sword Pill he had refined after studying the *Crash Course: Array-Artifacts*.

Seeing this, a look of surprise appeared on the tall, elegant figure’s face. "Huh?

"This sword pill... is refined very well!"

"Just a humble display." Lü Yang smiled faintly. Back then, this Blood River Sword Pill had cost him decades of time, and he had comprehended it right up until the end of his lifespan before successfully refining it...

Then, the tall, elegant figure asked curiously, "If I remember correctly, Daoist, you should be a cultivator from Beyond the Heavens, right? Interesting. Where did you get hold of the children’s reading materials from our Research Area? The quality of this sword pill is quite good; it could probably win a gold medal for children’s design..."

BOOM!

Lü Yang crushed the Blood River Sword Pill in his hand, his expression calm. "Are you going to teach me today or not? If you don’t, don’t blame me for using my fists to seek instruction."

The tall, elegant figure immediately took a step back. "Don’t be hasty, Daoist... Since you insist on learning, that’s fine too. I have a blueprint here. Just refine according to it. As long as you can successfully refine it, it will be considered a success."

After saying that, she swiped on the metal tablet in her hands.

The next second, a massive design blueprint, so extremely complicated it almost made his eyes spin, appeared before Lü Yang’s eyes... However, he didn’t panic in the slightest.

He cried out inwardly, "Patriarch! Save me!"

After a moment of silence, Lü Yang quietly opened the Soul Link with the Righteous Banner. Then, while listening intently, he began to refine according to the blueprint.

The tall, elegant figure just stood by and watched. Her expression shifted from her original nonchalance, to slight seriousness, then to profound gravity, and finally to her red lips parting slightly, unable to conceal her utter astonishment. She watched helplessly as Lü Yang genuinely followed the blueprint and refined the corresponding array artifact.

She thought in shock, "He actually modified some details... And after the modifications, the array artifact functions even better?

"Ah?"

The tall, elegant figure stood there dumbfounded, completely plunged into disbelief. Lü Yang’s performance had directly shattered her worldview. This was unreasonable! How could a cultivator without even the Wisdom Light easily refine an array artifact of this caliber? By all rights, he shouldn’t even be able to understand the blueprint!

"I already told you I am uniquely gifted." Lü Yang indifferently held the array artifact in his hand and toyed with it. He smiled and said, "How about it? Daoist should believe me now, right? Can you teach me the Array Treasure Dao?"

Having reached his realm, he needed to start accumulating foundational depth. Whether it was dual cultivation or array artifacts, both were broad and promising avenues. He didn’t seek profound mastery, but rather to grasp the analogies and bypass the main obstacles, which would also be helpful for his cultivation growth.

However, what Lü Yang hadn’t expected was for the other party to give him a tremendous surprise.

After a long silence, the tall, elegant figure exhaled a deep breath of muddy qi, then spoke with a solemn tone, "My apologies, I was indeed blind before.

"I am Mingfeng, the first disciple of the second generation of the Stain Sect’s Crafting Peak.

"Greetings, Daoist."