Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 55: Reeling in

Although Ming Zen was a wandering cultivator, he had inherited teachings from the Buddhist Sect. As such, he understood the true significance of Foundation-Stage Cultivators and was keenly aware of just how terrifying that stage was.

What some sects including Stain Sect referred to as "Foundation Establishment" bore a different name within the Buddhist Sect—it was known as the "Lotus Platform." Immortal cultivators established their Dao Foundation and were called "Perfected Persons," while Buddhist practitioners ascended the Lotus Platform and were called "Arhats." The names differed, yet the destination was ultimately the same.

"An Arhat... there’s an Arhat behind Skull Mountain!"

"Damn it, what kind of fortune is this?! All fake! An Arhat is clearly luring people here—any real fortune would have been decided long ago!"

"Amitabha... damn it!"

At this moment, Ming Zen had completely abandoned the composure of a Buddhist monk. Panic stripped him bare, and he reverted to his former self, cursing wildly without restraint.

After all, before turning to Buddhism, he had been nothing more than a mountain bandit.

The funny part was every time he killed and robbed, he would kneel before a Buddha statue, never once imagining that he might someday truly obtain a Buddhist inheritance. He was even told that this fortune stemmed from merits accumulated over his past lives.

Thus, he laid down his butcher’s knife and instantly became a Buddha.

From then on, everything Ming Zen did seemed blessed by fate. His cultivation advanced smoothly, and he broke through to the Final-phase of Qi Refining with ease, only a single step away from Foundation Establishment.

But now, there was only terror.

The merits accumulated across three lifetimes, his overwhelming fortune—at this moment, all of it seemed to fail him. At most, it could only scream frantic warnings from the void.

Danger! Certain death! Run!

Ming Zen fled in desperation. He ran and ran, until at last he staggered to a halt, sweat pouring down his bald head. Looking around, he froze.

He was still standing exactly where he had started.

What kind of place was this?

Had he truly been escaping just now?

"I..."

Doubt flickered through his mind. The Buddha Light in Ming Zen’s eyes gradually dimmed, and in that instant of hesitation, a deviation occurred. His Dharma Body—cultivated over decades—was shattered completely.

He died.

From beginning to end, the Foundation-Stage Cultivator never even appeared. With nothing more than a faint disturbance in the Great Net of Karma, Ming Zen perished naturally, leaving no trace behind.

At the same time, outside Skull Mountains Marketplace—

Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng were likewise drenched in sweat. They had not fled—not because their reactions were slower than Ming Zen’s, but because they knew escape was meaningless.

How could one flee before a Foundation-Stage Cultivator?

Wandering Cultivators simply lacked the knowledge.

Especially Yun Zhiqiu. At the moment Lü Yang broke through, the haze clouding his mind suddenly dissipated, followed by a surge of profound fear.

What am I doing? What did I just do?

Just then, a figure appeared without warning.

A young man clad in black robes, his face shadowed and his complexion pale. At first glance, he looked no different from an ordinary Taoist one might encounter anywhere.

"...Greetings, Senior!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yun Zhiqiu sheathed his sword and bowed deeply.

Perfected Yin Mountain paid him no attention. His gaze remained fixed on Skull Mountain below, where black flames slowly rose along the Ley Lines.

On the other side, a flash of realization struck Lü Yang.

"Wu Ghost Secret Realm..."

Within the void, karmic threads and destiny whispered to him. At the moment of his breakthrough, his fortune had surged to an extreme, awakening the Wu Ghost Secret Realm—which, upon emerging, had chosen him.

"...Just a fishing expedition!"

In the next instant, the Wu Ghost Secret Realm—previously radiating intimacy toward him—abruptly halted, then erupted in fury and terror.

These were the emotions of the Secret Realm Spirit.

The fish had taken the bait.

"Come here."

Perfected Yin Mountain spoke calmly. He displayed no Abilities, yet at his single command, the Wu Ghost Secret Realm had no choice but to fly toward him, entirely uncontrollable.

Lü Yang couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

"Damn!"

For within the now-open realm, there crouched an astonishing Majestic Sword Qi, coiled like a dragon or tiger, as though waiting for the perfect moment to strike!

Clang—!

In the next moment, Lü Yang’s thoughts froze. His entire awareness locked onto a single Sword Qi that seemed capable of piercing his very existence.

"Golden-Core-stage Sword Qi..."

Perfected Yin Mountain stepped back half a pace, positioning Lü Yang in front of him. That was why he didn’t choose to open the realm himself.

A wave of relief washed over him. Had he personally opened the Wu Ghost Secret Realm, the one targeted by that Sword Qi would likely have been himself. Against the Sword Qi, the difference between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining was negligible—one stroke was enough to settle it.

Yet unexpectedly, the Sword Qi did not slash.

Instead, Lü Yang sensed his newly refined Perfect Qi—the Third Grade "True Dragon Fiend"—resonate faintly with the Sword Qi within the Secret Realm.

The two forces entered a silent standoff.

"...Hmm?"

Even Master Yin Mountain let out a quiet sound of surprise. He glanced at Lü Yang, clearly not anticipating such a variable.

No one knew how much time passed.

At last, it seemed Lü Yang had passed some form of trial. The Sword Qi no longer pressed forward. Instead, it dissipated in place, transforming into rolling Qi that returned to Heaven and Earth.

"Hah!"

Lü Yang abruptly came back to himself. His frozen thoughts resumed, and his body was drenched in sweat, as though he had been dragged out of water.

"Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis... Perfected Panlong’s inheritance? You’re lucky. Perfected Panlong was not a Demonic Cultivator."

Master Yin Mountain spoke indifferently.

"This Majestic Sword Qi targets Demonic Cultivators. Had you been cultivating our Saint Sect Technique, you would have died for certain. Fortunately, you practice the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis."

He glanced at Lü Yang once more, mildly surprised, but did not dwell on it. The quality of the bait was irrelevant. Lü Yang’s life or death meant nothing to him.

What mattered was that the fish had been caught.

And now that the Wu Ghost Secret Realm had emerged, his goal was achieved.

Time to reel it in.

Master Yin Mountain raised his hand and grasped. Instantly, the Wu Ghost Secret Realm—its black flames soaring skyward—vanished, compressing into a streak of light that fell neatly into his palm.

"Good, good, good... Perfect Celestial Corpse Fiend!"

Satisfaction filled his expression. Foundation Establishment cultivation required Earth Evil Qi, and among them, Celestial Corpse Fiend ranked at the very top.

With this in hand, breaking through to the Mid Phase of Foundation Establishment was all but guaranteed.

At that moment, Lü Yang suddenly stepped forward and dropped to one knee, proclaiming loudly:

"Congratulations, Senior Brother, on obtaining this fortune. May your Great Dao soon be within reach!"

Not far away, Luo Wuya—the Second Senior Brother of the Sanhe Association—felt his expression twist.

That dog—he beat me to it!

No wonder this kid could rise so quickly among the ordinary disciples. Truly fitting of a Stain Sect disciple...

Cursing inwardly, Luo Wuya hurried forward.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother! May you enjoy a millennium of Celestial longevity!"

"Hahaha! A millennium is the lifespan of a Golden Core—that hardly applies to me, hardly applies at all..."

Despite his words, Master Yin Mountain was clearly pleased. Though he claimed it didn’t apply, he would have happily listened to more.

In the end, even Yun Zhiqiu and Ouyang Feng reluctantly offered a few congratulatory remarks.

Upon hearing them, Master Yin Mountain cast a playful glance at Ouyang Feng.

"The Divine Martial Sect openly challenges my Saint Sect, and you still dare speak before me?"

Ouyang Feng’s scalp exploded. His voice trembled violently.

"You—you can’t kill me! My Divine Martial Sect... also has a Perfected Person!"

"There won’t be any hereafter."

Master Yin Mountain replied casually, his words shattering Ouyang Feng’s heart and soul.

"If I appear here, then the fate of the Divine Martial Sect is already sealed."

"Impossible! My Divine Martial Sect—"

Before he could finish, violent fluctuations erupted throughout Ouyang Feng’s body. Shock and fury overwhelmed his Heart Spirit, leaving his eyes wide open—

Boom!!!

With a thunderous explosion, Ouyang Feng—Final-phase Qi Refining cultivator—burst apart, turning into a rain of light that silently merged with Heaven and Earth.

Only after the light faded did Master Yin Mountain shift his gaze.

Yun Zhiqiu, disciple of the Celestial Sword Pavilion, stood frozen, drenched in sweat. Master Yin Mountain did not act. Instead, he flicked his sleeve.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished together with Luo Wuya and Lü Yang.

All that remained was the eerily silent Skull Mountains.