Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 127: Ascension on Radiant Clouds

"HISSS..."

Within the Outer Realm, in a subterranean lair hidden deep underground, a jet-black Demon Insect the size of a grain of rice, lay prostrate on the ground, letting out a hiss.

’Mother... we lost?’

’Why?’

The Qi-Eating Insect King’s spiritual perception fluctuated violently as it communed with the Heavenly Number bestowed upon it, seemingly sensing the despair that this corner of Heaven and Earth was transmitting.

But he couldn’t understand.

True, that tribulation fire was powerful—incredibly powerful. But the Qi-Eating Insect King believed that its opponent absolutely could not launch an attack of that magnitude repeatedly.

So there was no need to be afraid. As long as this part of Heaven and Earth—his mother—continued to support him, feed him, and let him grow, then given time, he was confident he could devour even that terrifying tribulation fire completely. That’s right, he was far from defeated...

"HISSS!"

The next moment, urged on by the Insect King’s intention, the once-silent Qi-Eating Insect Swarm stirred to action again, flying toward the Stain Sect Disciples.

He would press the attack!

However, looking through the eyes of his kin, the Insect King saw that those people weren’t fighting back. Instead, they were staring at him with mocking gazes.

’Why?’

Before this question could even fade from the Qi-Eating Insect King’s mind, he discovered that he had lost his connection to his entire clan—every single Qi-eating Insect.

It happened in a single instant.

It was like a divine punishment, without reason or warning. One moment the Qi-eating Insects were roaring; the next, their lives were extinguished, and they tumbled to the ground.

Only at this moment did the Qi-Eating Insect King truly comprehend the despair his mother had been sending him. And through the "Heavenly Number" bestowed upon him, his consciousness soared infinitely upward, finally achieving Transcendence from this world to see the true reality outside it.

In that instant, his consciousness nearly froze.

He saw his mother, the Outer Realm he had believed to possess infinite power, being held effortlessly in the palm of an indescribable giant.

"An interesting specimen."

World Purger Fei Xue looked at the tiny insect in their palm and chuckled softly.

"I’ll keep you for now."

The next second, filled with an indescribable shock, fear, and awe—like a frog in a well finally seeing the vastness of the sky—his consciousness plunged into darkness.

...

Meanwhile, a heavy rain began to fall within the Outer Realm.

The raindrops pattered down.

To the Qi-eating Insects, this rain was a deadly poison. Without exception, any that it touched were blasted into dust, their forms obliterated.

But for the victorious Stain Sect Disciples, this downpour was like a welcome rain after a long drought. The water teemed with immense life force, augmenting their Mana and regenerating their severed limbs.

As long as they still drew breath, they rapidly returned to their Peak condition under the rain’s influence!

Beyond that, however, what excited them even more was the change in Heaven and Earth.

"It’s starting!"

Chongming performed a carp-like kip-up, shaking off Xu Xin as a look of excitement spread across his face. "The world is changing! The Perfected Lord is merging this Outer Realm into our world!"

This was the final step of the Battle for the Dao!

The victorious Perfected Lord would absorb the Outer Realm that served as the battlefield, bringing it within the sphere of influence of their own Fruit, and then nail it into another domain.

By doing so, the influence of the Lord’s Fruit would expand.

In this process, Heaven and Earth would be impacted to a certain degree, and the once-unreachable "Foundation Establishment Realm" would also show signs of instability.

This was the perfect time to elevate one’s Position.

It was like climbing a mountain. Normally, one would have to scale treacherous peaks, an extremely difficult task. But at this moment, it was like taking a cable car straight past all the obstacles!

That was why any Direct Disciple of the Stain Sect who aimed for Foundation Establishment would go to a Seizing Dao Battlefield, gambling their lives for a smooth path to the heavens.

For as long as you survived, you had a hope of reaching Foundation Establishment—even without cultivating a Legendary Technique, possessing a Foundation Establishment Helper, or having Third Grade Qi!

Therefore, at this moment, all the Stain Sect Disciples were meditating with their eyes closed.

However, even for Direct Disciples like Qin Tianhe, Foundation Establishment was still a distant goal. Their chances of success were less than fifty percent at best, making a direct attempt impossible.

Thus, they were merely doing their best to elevate their Position in preparation for their true attempt at Foundation Establishment.

But just then—

"Hm?"

"Someone... Who is it?"

"In that direction..."

As if by unspoken agreement, all the Stain Sect Direct Disciples who possessed a Position looked up, their gazes drawn to the sky above as if they sensed something.

They weren’t looking at the firmament, but at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Before that realm—hidden in the great void, concealed in obscurity, and utterly unattainable for Qi Refiners—an upright figure had suddenly appeared.

Victory in the Battle for the Dao had mended his final flaw.

If he were to attempt Foundation Establishment now, his chances of success were a perfect ten out of ten!

’In the blink of an eye, it’s already been eight lifetimes...’

Lü Yang’s expression was filled with emotion. Eight lifetimes of cultivation. From a reckless youth to his current status as a Stain Sect Direct Disciple, it had taken him eight lives to finally achieve this small success. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He recalled how he had once exhausted every trick and scheme in his desperate attempts to be a Perfected.

Yet now, he didn’t even need to climb. By simply manifesting his Soul, his Position allowed him to stand naturally at the gateway to the Foundation Establishment Realm, just one step away from entering.

However, this final step gave Lü Yang pause, and he sank into thought.

’Once I take this step, there’s no turning back.’

There are no regrets in Foundation Establishment. He had cultivated his Qi with the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis and would use the Imperial Dragonrise Scroll for his Foundation Establishment. After this, there would be no going back.

Foundation Establishment was about building a Dao Foundation.

Once the Dao Foundation was set, his future path on the Dao would be limited. He could no longer change it at will, and the many karmic links associated with it would inevitably come to find him.

Then, the slightest misstep could result in his very death.

’Am I capable of handling it?’

’The Imperial Dragonrise Scroll, in particular, is tied to the Pure Land in the West. The Karma is deep. Even if I’ve dealt with Arhat Fulong, there might still be hidden Tribulations.’

At this moment, Lü Yang hesitated as he never had before.

Until he saw the Centome beside him.

’Wait a minute, I have a cheat!’

Even if the path ahead was fraught with endless dangers, where a single misstep would mean eternal damnation for others, for him, it would merely mean starting over!

At this thought, Lü Yang’s mind cleared, and his hesitation vanished.

He took the step!

BOOM!

As Lü Yang stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm, he gave his body a shake. With a tremendous roar, a golden, auspicious cloud, as majestic as a mountain, slowly rose up from his center!

This auspicious cloud was boundless. As its vapors billowed, they continuously evolved, forming images of flowers, birds, fish, and insects; mountains, rivers, and lakes; seas and streams; and even the sun, moon, and stars—the All Phenomena of Heaven and Earth.

When this cloud lifted Lü Yang’s Soul, it resembled a magnificent carriage, the epitome of opulence and grace.

"ROAR—!"

With a dragon’s cry, the spectral image of a five-clawed True Dragon appeared within the auspicious cloud. It supported the cloud and soared on radiant light, acting as a Protector for Lü Yang’s Soul and guarding his heart.

Compared to his past struggles, this breakthrough was perfectly natural and smooth.

The next moment, Lü Yang’s figure returned to the Current World. An auspicious cloud floated above his head, breathing in the Heaven and Earth Qi—it was the Manifestation of his Dao Foundation.

"PITTER-PATTER..."

As the light rain drizzled, Lü Yang stood quietly in place. His already handsome face now seemed even more divine, with a noble bearing like polished jade. His every glance held a hint of stately grace.

Behind his head, the auspicious cloud roiled, a True Dragon coiled within it, sending out ripples of seven-colored, circular light.

This was not a phenomenon he deliberately displayed with his Mana, but a natural vision generated by Heaven and Earth. It was as if this world itself was rejoicing in his breakthrough, shining in harmony with him!

Meanwhile, in the West, at the Deep Bliss Pure Land.

As Lü Yang achieved Foundation Establishment, a speck of golden light seemed to flash within the Pure Land, ready to burst forth, but it flickered for only a moment before vanishing back into nothingness.

At the Celestial Sword Pavilion, on Extreme Heaven Cliff.

A handsome youth in a Daoist Robe, a sword resting across his knees, suddenly looked up with a surprised expression. "Imperial Dragonrise, Ascension on rosy clouds... but he’s not a Monk?"

The youth pinched his fingers together in a quick calculation, then chuckled with great interest.

"That Dao Fruit has been treasured in the Pure Land for many years, yet no one could claim it. And now, the one most likely to succeed—someone with a perfect Dao Foundation—is surprisingly not a Monk."

"Now this is interesting!"