Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 64: Siege

"This... this... this..."

Ji Xiongying had lived for decades and forged an illustrious reputation as Martial King. But this was the first time he had ever felt something so utterly absurd.

Every time Lü Yang raised his hand, a yellow paper with illegible scribbles on it would appear beside him and ignite. Then, all sorts of phenomena that had nothing to do with Martial Arts would manifest: Sword Qi streaked across the sky, Thunders bombarding his head descended, and golden light flared into existence... Every single sheet of yellow paper posed a lethal threat to him!

SWISH—!

Sword Qi slashed across Ji Xiongying’s cheek. Lightning struck him, leaving his entire body numb. Meanwhile, a beam of golden light intercepted his full-force punch in midair.

"Impossible!"

Ji Xiongying retreated again, no longer daring to engage Lü Yang. He could only grit his teeth and stare, his expression a mixture of terror and a deeply hidden yearning.

In the next moment, a term surfaced in his mind.

’Immortal!?’

Lü Yang’s abilities were just like those of the Immortals from storybooks. This realization instantly ignited his desire for eternal life.

At this thought, Ji Xiongying put more distance between himself and Lü Yang. His voice was laced with excitement. "Wait! There’s no real grudge between us, is there? How about this: if you join my Royal Hall of Guards and teach me that skill with the yellow papers, I’ll give you ten thousand taels of gold or a fiefdom—the choice is yours!"

"The choice is mine?"

Lü Yang shook his head and chuckled. ’Do I even need to choose? The entire Great Zhou is the Saint Sect Secret Realm—it was mine to begin with! How dare you offer me something that’s already mine?’

"Alright, that works. I’m very interested in the Celestial Martial Arts..."

"This is my Rule the World!"

Without a second thought, Ji Xiongying took out a manual and tossed it to Lü Yang. "That’s only half of it. You give me your Magic, and I’ll give you the other half!"

Lü Yang: "..."

Ji Xiongying’s ambition was written all over his face, and of course, Lü Yang could see it. But he didn’t care. Besides, there was no way he would ever teach him a Cultivation Technique.

After all, it wouldn’t help his practice of Theft to Sainthood, and it would also violate his sect’s rules.

"Such a shame."

Lü Yang shook his head. He put away Rule the World and gave Ji Xiongying a cool glance. Then, his form abruptly disintegrated as he prepared to leave.

"Trying to leave!?"

As he watched Lü Yang’s physical body disintegrate into a wisp of ethereal white Qi, Ji Xiongying roared. The yearning on his face grew even deeper.

’Immortal Technique! That’s definitely an Immortal Technique!’

’I have to get my hands on it!’

"Rule the World!"

Ji Xiongying bellowed, raising his hand and clenching his fingers into a fist. A torrent of his qi and blood surged into his palm, instantly turning it crimson.

In that instant, Lü Yang felt as if he were seeing a vast landscape of mountains and rivers unfurl before him. He saw scholars rising at dawn to practice, farmers resting at dusk, martial artists wandering the lands, and merchants plying their trade... It was the mortal world in all its forms—the very destiny of the Great Zhou, the great tide of the world itself.

Rule the world with fists!

Ji Xiongying’s attack had no physical form. It was purely a pressure of Intention, the culmination of his spiritual power as a Celestial Martial Artist, a feat that had already achieved Transcendence beyond Martial Arts.

However—

’You’re comparing Intention with me? I’m a cultivator; I have spiritual perception!’

Ji Xiongying’s attack might have been invincible against crude martial artists who only knew how to trade fists and feet, but against him, it was futile.

RUMBLE!

With a single Heart Thought from Lü Yang, Ji Xiongying’s attack instantly shattered. The great tide of a nation, the vast mountains and rivers—all of it was swept away by his spiritual perception.

"You actually took that attack?" Ji Xiongying gritted his teeth. "Again!"

But his only reply was a cold sneer.

"Hopelessly stubborn."

The moment he finished speaking, dozens of Talismans materialized from thin air. With the Myriad-Soul Banner in his possession, he had brought more than enough Talismans for this trip and wasn’t concerned about the cost.

The Talismans shattered as one, transforming into a torrential wave of Sword Qi that crashed down on Ji Xiongying. He let out a bloodcurdling scream as his blood instantly splattered across the sky. However, his physique, comparable to the Final-phase of Qi Refining, was truly formidable. While the Sword Qi Talismans could slice through his flesh, they couldn’t break his bones.

By the time the Sword Qi dissipated, Ji Xiongying was a man drenched in blood.

There wasn’t a patch of unscathed skin left on his body, as if he had just suffered death by a thousand cuts. He didn’t dare to linger, vanishing from the spot in the blink of an eye.

’He’s certainly decisive when it comes to running away...’

Lü Yang’s brow furrowed. This incarnation of his specialized in Martial Arts, but it relied entirely on Talismans to defeat its enemies. Although it could fly, it wasn’t actually faster than Ji Xiongying.

Lü Yang wore a strange expression. The vitality of a Celestial Martial Artist exceeded his expectations. Ji Xiongying looked miserable and battered, but in reality, as long as he escaped, he could recover most of his strength after just a few days of rest... A physique comparable to the Final-phase of Qi Refining, yet without any of the corresponding physical Abilities.

’What excellent material for Corpse Refinement...’

At this thought, Lü Yang felt a pang of guilt. ’You really do become the company you keep,’ he mused. ’Even a good person like me has grown cruel after spending so much time in the Saint Sect.’

"...But I’m not that kind of person," Lü Yang said, shaking his head.

Besides, Corpse Refinement was too inefficient. Using the Myriad-Soul Banner for instantaneous Refining would be far more effective.

Even so, Lü Yang had no plans to specialize in the usage of the banner. After all, once this lifetime was over, he would certainly choose to keep his Cultivation, and he couldn’t take the Myriad-Soul Banner with him.

’A problem for the next life, then!’

With that thought, Lü Yang dissipated his body once more. He then descended silently into an alley in the Capital City, reformed, and vanished into the crowd.

....

"He lost, just as I expected. It’s only natural."

Celestial Capital City, Wei Family Estate.

The Yun Ancestor calmly withdrew his gaze. Ji Xiongying’s defeat was well within his expectations. In fact, it would have been stranger if he had won.

After all, the purpose of manipulating the karmic links to trigger this fight wasn’t for Ji Xiongying to win. It was to force Ji Xiongying to discover Lü Yang’s existence. From there, the news would slowly spread and eventually reach the other Celestial Beings, uniting them all against Lü Yang!

’As long as we slash his avatar, he will have no choice but to appear himself!’

To that end, he had long since prepared a ’fortuitous encounter’—or, to be more precise, a lure. All he needed was for a fish to take the bait, and now was the perfect opportunity.

At this thought, he immediately began to pull on the karmic links once more.

At almost the exact same moment, Ji Xiongying was lying low in a mountain forest. He had just barely escaped with his life and didn’t dare return to the Imperial Palace, fleeing instead to the outskirts of the Capital City.

His only intention was to hide from Lü Yang.

But as he was hiding, he ’accidentally’ discovered a sealed stone chamber inside a hidden cave. A skeleton sat upright within.

"This is..."

Ji Xiongying walked up to the skeleton and saw that it was clutching a dust-covered manual. He immediately reached out, took the book, and flipped it open, giving it a casual glance.

"...Hm!?"

That single glance made Ji Xiongying’s eyes widen. A look of utter disbelief, followed by wild joy, spread across his face. "Heaven itself is on my side!"

The author’s name was not recorded. The book contained only a short entry:

"Immortals exist in this world. They are ageless and undying. To kill one and consume its flesh is to attain eternal life... Alas, their Immortal Techniques are peerless, making them nearly impossible to defeat. I spent decades in bitter study and, on the verge of death, finally understood a way to slay an Immortal... It must be done on the Day of Dire Portents. Seven great masters, wielding seven Divine Weapons, must join forces in an Array. Only then is there a chance of victory..."

The Day of Dire Portents: Seven Masters to Slay an Immortal!

In addition to this backstory, the book also detailed the forging methods for the ’seven Divine Weapons.’ Ji Xiongying was completely enthralled as he read, his ambition burning anew.

"Hahahaha! I’m truly blessed with great opportunities and immense Fortune!"

"Once I kill that Immortal, I will surely attain eternal life!"

As he laughed, Ji Xiongying’s mind grew more and more obsessed. The karmic links had blinded his true nature, leaving him with a single, all-consuming thought: slay the Immortal, live forever.