Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 90: Refining the Avatar Guardian

Stain Sect, Heaven Mending Peak.

The moment Xiao Shiye drew the Colorful Merit Fish and began refining it, Yu Suzhen made her move, activating the Bond of Devouring Fate.

And so, the immense Qi contained within the Colorful Merit Fish—enough to allow a mortal to reach the Final-phase of Qi Refining overnight—was effortlessly claimed by Yu Suzhen.

In an instant, Yu Suzhen’s Cultivation skyrocketed!

It all happened so fast that even Yu Suzhen couldn’t process it. But that didn’t stop her elation. ’Could this be my fortuitous encounter?’

’Am I about to start my legend?’

The very next moment that thought entered Yu Suzhen’s mind, a familiar sensation suddenly spread from her Dantian, quickly engulfing her entire body.

’This is... the Bond of Devouring Fate!?’

In that moment, Yu Suzhen’s beautiful face changed drastically. She watched in disbelief as her cultivation that should have been breaking through to the Final-phase of Qi Refining began to recede at an even faster rate.

She knew this feeling all too well. She had controlled countless disciples and created innumerable puppets during this time, but only now did she realize she was also someone else’s puppet! ’But when? Who could have done this to me without my knowledge?’

Soon, a feeling of weakness washed over her.

Her extreme joy turned to sorrow. Terror replaced elation. The sensation of having her Cultivation slowly plundered twisted Yu Suzhen’s pretty face, and she couldn’t help but cry out:

"Wait, hold on—"

Before she could finish, the suction force suddenly doubled.

In the next second, Yu Suzhen’s aura plummeted. Her cultivation, merit and even her Soul were drained away, flowing out beyond the Stain Sect.

Almost simultaneously, two rifts suddenly appeared inside Yu Suzhen’s Cave Mansion.

Following that, two figures, one after the other, strode out from the rifts. Their gazes immediately fell upon Yu Suzhen’s corpse.

"A step too late..." The Perfected Fortune’s expression was calm, but his bone-chillingly cold eyes revealed the fury raging within him. The next moment, he turned, his gaze fixed on the Master of Heaven Mending Peak. "Chen Taihe, are you looking for a fight with me?"

Everyone in the entire Stain Sect knew of his condition.

Anyone who dared to steal the bait he used to fish for Qi was, in effect, cutting short his lifespan, and would surely face his most ferocious retaliation.

Because of this, not even Perfected Chong Guang, who had the most conflict with him, dared to make a move.

After all, his Position was simply too high.

Even if he was no longer in his prime, he was not someone an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could compare to.

However, the Perfected Fortune never would have imagined that the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, with whom he’d only had a minor quarrel, would actually obscure karmic links and pull off something so audacious!

"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, please calm yourself."

Compared to the enraged Perfected Fortune, the Master of Heaven Mending Peak appeared quite composed. "The one who acted was the same junior who previously took the karmic links of the Panlong legacy."

"If we follow this Qi trace, we might still be able to retrieve that Colorful Merit Fish. Although it will surely have been diminished, that’s still better than nothing... Of course, if you insist on a fight, Fellow Daoist, I don’t mind witnessing the prowess of a former Perfected Lord."

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak had no intention of making a mortal enemy of the Perfected Fortune, either.

After all, he just wanted to do Perfected Chong Guang a favor. As long as he reduced the Perfected Fortune’s gains, there was no need to ensure he got nothing at all.

This way, he wouldn’t be seen as a thorn in the Perfected Fortune’s side.

At worst, their relationship would deteriorate, but it wasn’t great to begin with. Besides, with a major enemy like Perfected Chong Guang to worry about, it wasn’t a huge deal.

Everything was going according to his plan.

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak smiled faintly. He then performed a quick finger-calculation, swiftly located Lü Yang’s direction, and took a step forward, crossing the void in pursuit.

Seeing this, the Perfected Fortune gritted his teeth slightly but could only follow close behind.

....

「Meanwhile, within the Wu Ghost Secret Realm.」

As a stream of light traveled through the void and arrived before him, Lü Yang’s eyes snapped open. A look of joy appeared on his face, but he also cast a solemn glance in the direction of the Stain Sect.

’That old bastard... he really was plotting against me!’

Lü Yang let out a breath, but he didn’t panic. He had expected the Master of Heaven Mending Peak and the Perfected Fortune to pursue him. In fact, it was exactly what he wanted!

Thinking of this, Lü Yang looked down at the Primal Qi Divine Talisman in his arms.

The next second, he took off this Supreme Treasure capable of obscuring karmic links, willingly leaving its protection, and sent it deep into the Wu Ghost Secret Realm!

’At this point, there’s no meaning in hiding my own karmic links anymore. It’s the karmic links of the Wu Ghost Secret Realm that need to be hidden... Once the Master of Heaven Mending Peak arrives, if he fails to find out that this is the Wu Ghost Secret Realm and rashly opens it, that Golden Core Sword Qi inside the Secret Realm can give him a nasty surprise...’

A vicious glint flashed in Lü Yang’s eyes at the thought.

’The Stain Sect’s foundation is far beyond what the Wu Ghost Sect could ever compare to, and the Master of Heaven Mending Peak is the master of a peak. He might even have a Golden Core Level life-saving item on him.’

’But after taking a hit from a Golden Core Sword Qi, there’s no way he’ll escape unscathed.’

’If I can successfully refine the Foundation Establishment Guardian God by then, I can kick his ass while he’s down and avenge the humiliation of being crushed to death by his single finger in my past life... ’

With this in mind, Lü Yang didn’t dare to delay.

’Time to start refining the Avatar Guardian!’

The Bond of Devouring Fate activated. The stream of light in his hand dispersed, revealing Yu Suzhen’s bewildered Soul, as well as the vast Cultivation and Qi from the Colorful Merit Fish.

In the next second, Lü Yang unfurled the Myriad-Soul Banner. A black light shimmered on its surface as thousands of Wu Ghosts roared in unison.

Among them were the eight Red-clothed Ghosts required to cultivate the Nether Lord’s Position. As the Banner swayed, the Yama Hall that Progenitor Tingyou once manifested reappeared.

"Avatar Guardian Technique!"

Lü Yang’s hands formed a Daoist Hand Seal, his movements unceasing. His boundless Spiritual perception transformed into a giant hand that enveloped Yu Suzhen’s Soul, seized it, and instantly began refining it.

"AHHH—!"

Yu Suzhen’s mournful wail rang out, but it quickly faded. Her soul then transformed into a ball of Spirit Light and re-coalesced into a new Soul.

The brand-new Soul looked identical to Yu Suzhen, but it had been completely reforged by Lü Yang, inside and out. It now stared at Lü Yang with lifeless eyes.

Soon, the Soul gradually solidified.

The originally naked, delicate body was finally covered by a thin veil. A snow-white dress bloomed like a lotus flower, and a pair of small, exquisite bare feet hovered in mid-air.

Normally, the Avatar Guardian would be considered complete at this stage.

However, Lü Yang was still uneasy. After all, he planned to have her feign a Foundation Establishment Position. But what if she became too strong and escaped his control?

He had to guard against such a possibility.

Therefore, he didn’t stop. Instead, he shook the Myriad-Soul Banner, drawing the Avatar Guardian back into it. At the same time, he inscribed numerous self-destruct Restrictions onto Yu Suzhen’s Soul—a triple failsafe. The moment she had a single thought of betrayal, she would be doomed beyond redemption, ensuring Lü Yang wouldn’t suffer a backlash.

Another moment passed like this.

As Lü Yang performed a finger technique, Yu Suzhen’s vacant eyes suddenly lit up, like adding the pupils to a painted dragon. Her stagnant thoughts began to turn once more.

The next second, she looked at Lü Yang.

Her full, graceful body slowly knelt, her fair forehead pressing tightly against the ground. A clear, pleasant voice filled with subservience said, "I greet you, my Master."

Lü Yang nodded in satisfaction. "You are no longer the soul you once were. From now on, your name is Su Nu."

As his Avatar Guardian, and with the Myriad-Soul Banner and the self-destruct Restrictions in place, Su Nu’s life and death now rested on his every whim. He didn’t need to worry about her backstabbing him in a critical moment.

"...Return to your position."

With a thought from Lü Yang, Su Nu, now refined into an Avatar Guardian, floated up and descended into the Yama Hall, where she took her seat upon the main throne.

Immediately after, Lü Yang threw the Qi from the Colorful Merit Fish into the Yama Hall.

The Qi blazed like a fire, as if tempering Refined Iron, and the Yama Hall—which had originally been a simple construct—was gradually forged into a single, integrated whole.

But just then—

BOOM!

A massive explosion echoed. Lü Yang abruptly looked up, his gaze piercing through the Wu Ghost Secret Realm to the sky above the Skull Mountains, where a rift in the void had just appeared out of thin air.

The Master of Heaven Mending Peak and the Perfected Fortune strode out.

His great enemies had arrived!