Chapter 293
Chapter 293
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: String Puppets and Hidden Schemes
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Three days later.
Lu Yang shoved the Perfected Being Xiu Xin, who had been beaten into a rout, discarding her armor and fully unconscious, to one side. He carefully contemplated the gains from this cultivation session.
"Not bad. It really works!"
The *True Scripture of Heaven Mending* lived up to its reputation as a third-grade true technique. Even without the goal of killing through supplementation, the dual cultivation effects were impressive—especially with his innate talent boosting it.
White Talent: Dual Cultivation Prodigy!
"Before, it was for the technique, so I directly harvested her with killing in mind. But now it's different. Killing her outright is too wasteful."
After all, a Foundation Establishment Perfected Being could recover on her own. Like this time—though Perfected Being Xiu Xin had battled him until her Dao foundation was shaky, she'd recover in a month or two at most, without harming her roots. Then he could do it again, ensuring sustainable exploitation of the resource.
It even benefited his metal-seeking!
"[Pomegranate Wood] is a variant of wood, pure metal yet belonging to wood, bearing abundant fruits. The glistening chamber within fits perfectly with the essence of dual cultivation!"
Of course, it was just a coincidence.
Lu Yang had chosen [Pomegranate Wood] as his metal-seeking target this life purely for his path. Dual cultivation or not was irrelevant.
With that thought, Lu Yang turned back.
Perfected Being Xiu Xin had regained consciousness, though her gaze remained dazed, clearly still lost in the afterglow of their intense clash.
As for Yun Miaozhen, her icy demeanor—like a snow-capped mountain—had utterly crumbled, replaced by the warm flush of spring across the land, her face equally blank. Instinctively, she stared at Lu Yang, her beautiful eyes melting like snow into clear springs, ready to overflow at any moment.
She had watched the whole time, right up to the end.
But Lu Yang had no interest in her. A mid-Qi Refining cultivator? Better to spar a few more rounds with Perfected Being Xiu Xin than waste time on dual cultivation.
"Alright, get up."
Lu Yang extended a hand, pulling Perfected Being Xiu Xin to her feet. She offered no resistance, leaning into him naturally, practically draping herself over his body.
Soon, they changed into fresh clothes.
Lu Yang then conjured a spiritual flame, evaporating all traces of the scene and leaving it spotless. Only then did he glance at the master-disciple pair and nod in satisfaction.
"Everything that happened today between you and me—forget it all."
"And no more schemes against Yun Miaoqing. From now on, you two sisters must stand united."
Yun Miaozhen and Perfected Being Xiu Xin both nodded.
Seeing this, Lu Yang felt a surge of accomplishment. Regardless of the process, he'd done a good deed this time, right?
*I'm such a good guy!*
With that, Lu Yang turned to Perfected Being Xiu Xin.
"Tell me about the Sword Pavilion's recent movements. Any major actions by the Primal Saint Sect in Jiangbei?"
He needed to confirm the timeline.
Yun Miaoqing hadn't yet fallen into the Primal Saint Sect's hands. Lu Yang could only judge that this life's restart was close to his first anchor point.
*It might even be the exact same time, just in a different place.*
*From Yun Miaozhen's actions, she's already plotting to have Primal Saint Sect disciples abduct Yun Miaoqing, turning her into a human scripture reciter.*
Just then, Perfected Being Xiu Xin spoke softly.
"The Sword Pavilion is mustering forces. Third Elder Perfected Being Demon-Quelling is preparing to assault the Ten Thousand Men Pit and uproot that wonder entirely."
"Oh?" Lu Yang's brow arched.
The Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit!
*If I recall correctly, after the Primal Saint Sect won the Dao-Seizing War, they drove it into Jiangnan. Later, the Sword Sect somehow claimed it.*
The loss of the Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit triggered the Primal Saint Sect's "death-substituting yin puppet bubble." Then word spread that the Sect Master Perfected Lord personally intervened, reclaiming the pit and negotiating a truce with the Sword Pavilion—resulting in a brutal harvest of all Qi Refining disciples' contribution points.
It hadn't seemed noteworthy at the time.
But reviewing it now, Lu Yang spotted numerous oddities. The biggest issue: the so-called personal intervention by the Sect Master Perfected Lord!
*The Primal Saint Sect's Perfected Lord charging into Jiangnan to reclaim the Ten Thousand Men Pit?*
*Impossible!*
*The pit was valuable, but just a wonder like [Qing Kingdom]—a mere pawn in Golden Core Perfected Lords' games.*
A player entering the board for one pawn? It was like the Dao Court Heavenly Emperor personally leading a northern expedition when Chongguang crushed [Qing Kingdom]. Utterly absurd.
As for leaking the news to fleece disciples? Even less likely. Primal Saint Sect contribution points were tailored for Qi Refining talents—useless to Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings. Fleece them with that? At best, a side effect.
Unless—
*Something in that Ten Thousand Men Pit emerged that even Perfected Lords coveted. The Sword Pavilion discovered it first, seized it ahead, forcing the reclamation?*
Lu Yang pondered deeply.
Given the final truce between Primal Saint Sect and Sword Pavilion, neither side suffered a loss—perhaps the Sword Pavilion even gained an edge.
*There's a secret here!*
Lu Yang's eyes flickered, but he quickly calmed. Going personally was out of the question; his goal this life was set.
He'd develop in secret, then stun the world!
*Lying low, using dharma bodies to gather resources outside, nurturing his Immortal Spirit Body in one go to peak Foundation Establishment before emerging—then straight to metal-seeking!*
For that, he needed many white gloves.
*His [String Puppet] talent was perfect for this. Have Perfected Being Xiu Xin scout the Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit for him, uncover the secret.*
With that, Lu Yang looked at the two women again.
The next instant, he clapped once.
Then vanished from the spot.
Perfected Being Xiu Xin and Yun Miaozhen jolted sharply.
"Hiss—!"
Their bodies trembled slightly. They instinctively examined themselves but sensed nothing amiss. Meeting each other's clear gazes, all seemed normal.
"Miaozhen."
After a moment's silence, Perfected Being Xiu Xin shook her head.
"Let's delay things with Miaoqing. This master has decided to heed the sect's summons."
"I'll head to the Jiangnan Ten Thousand Men Pit soon."
"We'll handle Miaoqing's matter after I return. How does that sound?"
Yun Miaozhen's expression remained unchanged as she nodded.
"Miaozhen understands. Master's command comes first. Miaoqing's issue can wait anytime."
Perfected Being Xiu Xin nodded slightly.
"Good."
From start to finish, neither noticed anything wrong—not even a shift in personality. Yet they'd made exactly the decisions Lu Yang wanted.
Hidden in the shadows, Lu Yang nodded in approval.
*To be safe, test it a few more days.*
*Once [String Puppet] proves reliable, have Perfected Being Xiu Xin summon all her friends, build a nest, then take control one by one.*
Though [String Puppet] was limited to those of lower cultivation, steady accumulation would make its potential terrifyingly high in the late stages!