Chapter 302: Only a Saint Sect True Person Can Do This!
Chapter 302: Only a Saint Sect True Person Could Pull This Off!
Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds, Sacred Fire Cliff.
Chongguang sat upright with solemn dignity, observing the Qi Refining rogue cultivator Lü Yang controlled with his [Puppet on Strings] technique. Only now did he adopt a somewhat equal footing attitude.
"Fellow Daoist desires a superior-grade spiritual treasure?"
"Your discernment is keen, Acting Sect Master."
Lü Yang nodded. Having decisively abandoned the gains from the Li family's coastal harvest, his planned immortal fetus avatar—meant to traverse the world in his stead—still lacked a vessel.
The Yun Family Patriarch and True Person Xiuxin were both paupers—one from a fallen clan, the other a mere guest elder—neither possessing superior-grade spiritual treasures. With Jiangnan's dangers lurking at every step, Lü Yang concluded after careful consideration that his best option lay with the Saint Sect, whose roots he understood thoroughly.
'Quite courteous.'
Chongguang's gaze shifted. Lü Yang's demeanor was solemnly respectful, addressing him as "Acting Sect Master," positioning himself unmistakably as the Saint Sect's loyal subject.
But Chongguang wasn't buying it.
A loyal Saint Sect subject?
Preposterous. Those were two concepts that simply didn't belong together. More likely, this was merely a posture to extract benefits from him.
"I can agree to this, Fellow Daoist."
Chongguang's expression remained unreadable as he spoke calmly. "But how can you guarantee you won't renege—taking my generosity only to fatten yourself on broken promises?"
Chongguang's style had always been straightforward. Since Lü Yang had demonstrated methods even True Lords struggled to trace, he voiced his concerns plainly. This blend of ruthless cunning with an unexpected "magnanimity" was a rarity even among Saint Sect True Persons.
Thus, Lü Yang replied with equal frankness: "Then I can inform the Acting Sect Master first."
At these words, Chongguang's eyes narrowed slightly, genuinely surprised. "It seems I've underestimated you. Aren't you afraid I might break my word?"
"Naturally not."
Lü Yang shook his head. "After all, it's merely a piece of information. If the Acting Sect Master reneges over this, I'll have seen your true colors—hardly a loss."
"...Hahaha!"
Chongguang burst into laughter, his gaze toward Lü Yang now tinged with genuine appreciation for the first time, finding their rapport remarkably aligned.
Just who was this person?
Despite this, he didn't feign magnanimity by dismissing the offer. Instead, he said with a faint smirk, "Then please enlighten me first, Fellow Daoist."
Was this posturing or true integrity?
Under Chongguang's scrutiny, Lü Yang spoke plainly: "The fragment of the cave heaven the Acting Sect Master seeks lies beneath the waters of Jiangnan's Dao of the Sweet Pear Tree."
Chongguang's eyebrows lifted imperceptibly as Lü Yang spoke. Hidden within his sleeve, his fingers had already begun calculating divinations. Though no clear result emerged, an intangible thread of karma resonated faintly. Glancing toward True Lord Qingcheng Feixue, he caught her subtle nod.
'...It's true!'
What remained obscured to Chongguang in Jiangnan was trivial for True Lord Qingcheng Feixue. Without prior clues, she might have overlooked it—but with Lü Yang pointing directly to the karma, failing to detect the cave heaven fragment would have marked her as incompetent. And she was anything but.
'Traces of a cave heaven remnant are indeed present.'
'Appears to have survived by chance... though the coincidence feels too perfect. A deeper probe might alert other True Lords.'
Jiangnan was, after all, the Sword Pavilion's domain. As a Saint Sect True Lord, minor activities there went unnoticed, especially with deliberate concealment. But large-scale actions would inevitably draw the Sword Pavilion's attention. Thus, Qingcheng Feixue refrained from stirring the waters.
Yet this alone elevated Lü Yang in Chongguang's esteem.
After exchanging intelligence with Qingcheng Feixue, Chongguang turned back to Lü Yang curiously. "How did Fellow Daoist discover this cave heaven fragment?"
"I've forgotten." Lü Yang's lips curled. "Just as the Acting Sect Master occasionally suffers from noble forgetfulness."
Where's my reward!?
Chongguang chuckled at this, then raised a hand. A crimson sword light streaked into the great hall, which he personally placed into Lü Yang's grasp.
"Even among superior-grade spiritual treasures, this is a rare masterpiece." Chongguang intoned solemnly. "I gift this to you, Fellow Daoist, in exchange for another piece of information. How does that sound?"
Lü Yang stared at the crimson ritual sword in his hand, inwardly speechless.
It was unmistakably the [Abi Sword]!
'Accidental? Or deliberate?'
'Does he think I'm unaware of the [Abi Sword]'s issues? This thing is bait True Person Blood Demon tossed out to catch scapegoats!'
Yet realization struck instantly.
'No... This is testing whether I know the [Abi Sword]'s history—using it to gauge my seniority within the Saint Sect and unmask me.'
True Person Blood Demon was a veteran of the Saint Sect, an exceptionally unique case. With Daoist Hong Yun's aid, he'd feigned death to survive five millennia—outlasting even some True Lords. Few in the current Saint Sect remembered him.
'This is likely a major watershed.'
'Knowing or not determines my standing and identity within the Saint Sect.'
'If I reveal awareness of True Person Blood Demon, he could narrow suspicions immediately, homing in on my true identity...'
Assuming I even had a Saint Sect identity to begin with.
'Pity. In this life, I'm Sword Pavilion-born through and through. These attempts will prove futile—nothing can be uncovered!'
With this clarity, Lü Yang calmly accepted the [Abi Sword].
Though it bore True Person Blood Demon's lingering karma, he cared little.
Now equipped with the more suitable [Tribulation Wave], his affection for the [Abi Sword] had long faded. Keeping it was never the plan.
'Once back, I'll melt it down—raw materials for crafting the immortal fetus avatar!'
The transaction concluded harmoniously, leaving both parties satisfied.
Afterward, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue personally escorted Lü Yang back to Jiangnan, then lingered covertly at its borders, observing.
Clearly, she hoped to catch her prey unaware.
But Lü Yang's inherent caution denied her the opportunity. Instead of rendezvousing with his original body, he immediately began forging the avatar using the Abi Sword on-site.
From start to finish, his true form never surfaced.
After an extended stakeout yielded nothing, Qingcheng Feixue could only purse her lips in frustration, leaving behind a strand of divine sense before returning to the Saint Sect.
"Chongguang, any guesses to his identity?"
"Uncertain."
Within the great hall, Chongguang displayed rare hesitation. "Judging by his reaction, he discerned my probe yet remained unperturbed."
"This suggests his cultivation rivals True Person Blood Demon's at minimum, with means to counter the latter's substitution art and sever his karma. Such capability implies he's at least a Grand True Person—possibly Foundation Establishment Perfection like myself, or perhaps..."
A Golden Core True Lord!
He trailed off, but the implication was clear. Even Qingcheng Feixue shared similar suspicions.
"But these are secondary concerns."
Rubbing his temples, Chongguang voiced his deeper unease: "This mysterious Fellow Daoist... truly resembles a Saint Sect True Person. That's the troublesome part."
"The cave heaven fragment—such invaluable intelligence makes me suspect he's playing both sides."
"Likely selling the information to Hong Yun as well."
Meanwhile, elsewhere north of the river.
"Hello? Hello?"
Again employing a Qi Refining rogue cultivator controlled by [Puppet on Strings], Lü Yang plucked at karma threads, his voice echoing ethereally: "Daoist Hong Yun, are you there?"