Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Beneath the towering palaces of the Star Palace, Lü Yang walked across the gloomy floor. The icy chill actually felt more comforting than when he had met Mingfeng’s gaze earlier.

Soon, thirty-six stone statues came into view.

However, before Lü Yang could speak, a ray of light abruptly enveloped him, almost instantly soothing his anxious mood. The light was extraordinary. The moment it enshrouded him, Lü Yang’s Dao Heart automatically reacted. It seemed to be a method designed to check if one’s Dao Heart had been tampered with.

"The Star Palace knows too!"

Who in their right mind would test for something like this? Only those aware of Bhagavat’s methods, knowing he could alter others’ Dao Hearts, would specifically guard against it!

Realizing this, Lü Yang immediately breathed a sigh of relief. No matter the reason, this preventative measure at least indicated that the Star Palace and Bhagavat were not in cahoots. That was enough. Otherwise, he would have had to consider instantly detonating his clone and hiding his true body inside Emperor Ying.

Outwardly, however, he deliberately put on a confused expression. "Hao Yuan Shangzhen, what is this?"

As soon as he spoke, Hao Yuan Shangzhen’s Spiritual perception rippled. "It is just a standard procedure. All Cultivators who have visited the Mother Planet must undergo this."

"Oh?" Lü Yang felt puzzled upon hearing this. But soon, as he recalled the structure of the Mother Planet, a speculation immediately surfaced in his mind.

"At first glance, the Star Palace’s Mother Planet holds an exalted status as the holy land in the hearts of all Array Treasure Masters. But what is the reality? The Flaring Nebula Belt deployed on its periphery, the vast expanse of the void, and the counter-attack array artifacts capable of killing True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde—are these things really for protection?"

Looking from the inside out, they were naturally meant for protection. However, looking from the outside in, once stripped of its seemingly exalted status as the ’Mother Planet,’ this so-called holy land of array artifacts was actually more like a prison!

"Where is the Mother Planet located? It is situated directly below the palace holding the thirty-six stone statues, surrounded by the Four Great Star Constellations. Optimistically, it is the core of the entire Star Palace. Pessimistically, isn’t it also true that the thirty-six stone statues and the Four Great Star Constellations are suppressing this planet in the deepest depths of the Outer Realm?"

The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became!

"This includes the array artifact weapons in the Flaring Nebula Belt. When Fu Chen introduced them earlier, he mentioned that they monitor the entire Mother Planet at all times. The so-called maintenance of safety is probably just a front. In essence, it is to guard against Bhagavat... to ensure that, if necessary, these array artifact weapons can instantly wipe out the Mother Planet’s population to prevent Bhagavat from spreading elsewhere. The so-called Flaring Nebula Belt might actually be a quarantine zone! ...Hm?"

At this thought, a question suddenly dawned on Lü Yang. If it was just Mingfeng alone, even if a rebellion occurred, it wouldn’t be a big deal, right? Mingfeng’s own Cultivation was not actually very high.

"No, the problem doesn’t lie with Mingfeng. Bhagavat can rely on inheritance and karmic links to self-replicate. The key is those students Mingfeng taught!"

Fu Chen had also mentioned this point. As a famous mentor in the path of array artifacts, over sixty percent of the researchers on the entire Mother Planet were taught by Mingfeng. Considering these inheritance and karmic links...

Lü Yang inhaled sharply, but there were still things he didn’t understand. "Wait, this isn’t right. What Mingfeng imparted should all be Knowledge regarding the path of array artifacts. Why can Bhagavat use this to self-replicate? And ultimately... why would a second-generation disciple of the Stain Sect like Mingfeng be molded in Bhagavat’s image? When was she influenced?"

Lü Yang could tell that Mingfeng was not a Monk. Furthermore, during his time on the Mother Planet, he had encountered many researchers, and not a single one was a Monk. The Pure Land inheritance had not spread here.

But if it wasn’t due to inheritance and karmic links, and was instead a serendipitous encounter, then it should be limited to Mingfeng alone. Why would the Star Palace worry about Bhagavat spreading to the outside world? Lü Yang fell into deep thought.

However, at that moment, Hao Yuan Shangzhen’s next sentence gave him the answer.

"After all, Daoist, you were on the Mother Planet and listened to some array artifact tutorials from Mingfeng. Although there is a high probability that nothing will go wrong, we still have to go through the motions."

Array artifact tutorials!

"The inheritance and karmic links aren’t Monk Cultivation Techniques... they are array artifacts!? The inheritance of the path of array artifacts itself can actually serve as a medium for Bhagavat to alter Dao Hearts?"

Lü Yang wasn’t actually that panicked, as he had already verified the array artifact tutorials using the Immortal Core Survival Guide. The question was: why would Hao Yuan Shangzhen worry that Mingfeng imparting array artifact Knowledge carried risks? What reason gave rise to this suspicion?

Finally, a speculation surfaced in Lü Yang’s mind. Like a bolt from the blue, it left him suddenly stunned in place, feeling a bone-piercing chill.

"...The First Generation Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Peak! The path of array artifacts most likely originated from him, and Mingfeng was his personal disciple. Naturally, the students she taught are all his grand-disciples..."

Damn it... Could the First Generation Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Peak be Bhagavat?

At this moment, Lü Yang asked himself if it was possible.

Soon, the answer emerged in his heart. Of course it was possible! According to existing intelligence, Bhagavat was originally supposed to be one generation younger than the other Masters of Dao! The First Generation Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Peak fell exactly into this generation!

"Besides, why did the Saint Sect Ancestral Master support Bhagavat back then? As the saying goes, people favor their own. The Saint Sect Ancestral Master must have had biases when selecting candidates."

And if the First Generation Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Peak was Bhagavat, then everything made sense. It was completely logical for the Saint Sect Ancestral Master to support an old brother who had fought alongside him to conquer the world. As for Mingfeng, being Bhagavat’s disciple, it was only natural that her Dao Heart was secretly altered, making her a part of Bhagavat!

Realizing this, Lü Yang was utterly speechless.

The Cultivation Realm was simply too dangerous. He wanted to go back to the Celestial Human Residual Consciousness!

"No, wait... The more dangerous it is, the calmer I need to be. I haven’t completely exposed my true depths yet. At the very least, I’ve only revealed my powerful Dharma Body. In reality, the secret of possessing all four elements shouldn’t have been exposed yet. Moreover, I might have been wrong before. Bhagavat’s interest in me might not be because of the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder, but because of the Dharma Body I displayed."

After all, the Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder was currently still an Outer Dao. A mere Outer Dao, no matter how special, shouldn’t attract the attention of a Master of Dao. If it was the Dharma Body, it made much more sense.

"Since my Dharma Body is so powerful and incredibly compatible with the Dao of Arcane Body, perhaps he feels that I can help him find the lost Dao of Arcane Body."

Lü Yang quickly sorted out his thoughts.

Right after, his eyes flickered, and his mind turned to another angle. "Looking at it from this perspective... is it actually possible that Bhagavat wants to groom me?"

The fire of hope instantly rekindled.

After all, he was different now compared to his lifetime with the Fruit of Celestial Fire. Dao Heart Perfection was his greatest confidence; he was no longer afraid of Bhagavat’s possession! At the very least, when he wanted to restart, Bhagavat couldn’t stop him. He shouldn’t fall into the terrifying situation of wanting to restart but being unable to.

Based on this, he could actually accept some of the benefits Bhagavat intentionally offered... He could even take them and completely deny any obligation!

Right at this moment, Lü Yang’s heart suddenly stirred. The Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder reacted. It was clearly a message transmitted from the Profound Spirit Realm, seemingly sent by the Supreme Venerable of the Profound Spirit Realm.

The content was brief, just four words:

[Realm endangered, send help!]