Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 367: This Gu Has an Affinity With My Sword Pavilion

Almost at the same instant as the Earth Dragon Flipping Over, Lü Yang lowered his eyelids and opened his Dharma Eye. His gaze pierced through the earth’s crust, looking far into the distance toward the source of the tremor.

The many layers of rock could not obstruct his vision.

The first thing to enter his view was a slowly churning Grand Ward. The area it enveloped severed all Karma Links and obscured karmic links, its inner workings endlessly complex and profound.

He had just swept this area with his Divine Sense but had found nothing. In fact, if not for this tremor causing a slight misalignment in the otherwise perfectly seamless Array, he would likely still be in the dark, unable to find the object even if it were right under his nose!

’It really is something special...’

Lü Yang’s heart stirred. His gaze extended further, soon passing through the weakening Array to see the sight it concealed.

It was a pool of liquid.

A moon-white splendor flowed within the pool. Lü Yang recognized it almost instantly. It was the Essence of the Moon, the Essence of Stones—it was Xin Metal!

Yet this was merely a decoration.

As one of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, the value of Xin Metal was undeniable. Yet, at this moment, all its profound effects were overshadowed by a single point of golden light in the pool.

It stood out like a crane among chickens.

Lü Yang’s gaze fell upon that point of golden light. In that instant, he felt his Divine Sense ignite, as if he were a mere mortal staring directly at the morning sun!

’Fierce Tribulation Wave!’

With a thought, Lü Yang activated the Divine Effect of Dongming. It cleared his mind and settled his spirit, finally dispelling the burning sensation in his Divine Sense and allowing him to see the scene clearly.

It was a silkworm.

It was pure gold, like a single spark. Yet to gaze deeper into it was to see an endless, raging inferno.

This golden silkworm, seemingly no larger than a fingertip, was covered in intricate, dense patterns. Every second, its light, color, and form shifted. Each pattern symbolized a different type of Gu Insect, and the refining of each one was a miracle performed on the edge of life and death, all of them now stacked together.

The next moment, information about it surfaced in Lü Yang’s mind:

’Ten Thousand Tribulations Gu!’

Having lost the protection of the Array, the Gu Insect’s Karma Links were no longer concealed. With a simple divination, Lü Yang immediately understood the item’s origins.

’This is the supreme Gu Insect of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.’

’Ten Thousand Tribulations Gu is just a false name used to conceal its Karma Links. Its True Name is the Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm!’

’Since the sect’s founding, it has been guarded with the utmost secrecy, its existence never revealed. Generations of Cultivators have nurtured it, and only today has it finally been born...’

As for its purpose, that too was simple.

To break through.

This silkworm was a Supreme Treasure used specifically for breaking through to Foundation Establishment Perfection! It alone could increase the chances of success by a full thirty percent!

’In the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, a Perfected Person must undergo the Celestial Thunder Tribulation, be struck by Celestial Thunder, and reforge their Dao Foundation. However, the Three Calamities of wind, fire, and thunder end at the Late Stage. Logically speaking, this step is the limit imposed by Heaven and Earth. Even the Celestial Thunder Tribulation itself carries a faint hint of a warning.’

It warns the Cultivator: You can go no further.

If a Cultivator insists on forging ahead and pursuing Foundation Establishment Perfection, they will no longer attract the Three Calamities, but a great tribulation known as the Celestial Five Declines!

’Gathering all Five Divine Techniques is not tolerated by Heaven and Earth.’

’Thus comes the Celestial Five Declines, causing filth to grow on one’s Dharma Body, dust to taint the Dao Foundation, Abilities to wither, Mana to vanish, and Heart Demons to run rampant, leading to one’s ultimate demise!’

Only by passing this trial can one achieve Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Only then is there any hope of condensing the Gold Attribute, building a Blessed Land, and ascending in pursuit of a Fruit.

Fail, and one becomes but a pile of dust.

If Heaven and Earth had shown some tolerance for Cultivators before, then the Celestial Five Declines was a true heavenly condemnation, a method of extermination filled with killing intent!

Therefore, achieving a Fake Foundation Establishment Perfection isn’t as simple as just having one more Ability.

To date, only the Dao Court has been able to bestow a state of Fake Foundation Establishment Perfection. And even within the Dao Court, the Official Position that grants it is cherished to the Extreme.

This showed just how precious Foundation Establishment Perfection was.

By the same token, it went without saying how valuable a Rare Treasure that could help one break through to Foundation Establishment Perfection would be... At this thought, a splendid light suddenly burst from Lü Yang’s eyes.

The Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm!

The purpose of this Gu Insect was to help one pass the Celestial Five Declines!

’Once refined, this insect can only be used once. It can form a Golden Cocoon for its Gu Master. While inside, all of the Gu Master’s states will be locked in place by the Golden Cocoon.’

’Even the Celestial Five Declines will have difficulty affecting them.’

’This way, the Gu Master can patiently wait out the Celestial Five Declines inside the Golden Cocoon. Once the Tribulation has passed, they can break out of the cocoon and will have succeeded!’

Without a doubt, this was an irresistible temptation for any Great Trueman.

But Lü Yang resisted the urge.

Facing the sudden appearance of the Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm, he remained as steady as Mount Tai. He merely furrowed his brow slightly, then gave a disdainful smile.

"And I was wondering what it could be."

"Guarding it so closely, I thought it was an Upper Grade Magical Sword... Turns out it’s just some external object. Small Sects are all the same, so short-sighted."

His words dripped with contempt.

However, upon hearing this, Long Yue breathed a sigh of relief. The Abilities she had primed, ready to unleash the moment Lü Yang made a move, also relaxed.

’He doesn’t want it?’

’That’s a Supreme Treasure that can help one reach Foundation Establishment Perfection... and he actually doesn’t want it? But he really didn’t try to take it... Fine. His arrogance is actually a good thing for me.’

Despite her thoughts, Long Yue couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

’So what if it’s an external object?’

’In this world, one’s Realm is what ultimately matters. Even if you rely on external objects and are slightly weaker than others in the same Realm, you can still crush those in lower Realms with ease!’

Outwardly, however, she put on an ingratiating smile. "My apologies for the poor display, Daoist," she said, before eagerly making a grabbing motion in the air to put away the Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm. Seeing that Lü Yang made no move to stop her, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

’He is from the Righteous Dao, after all...’

Long Yue felt she might have misunderstood the Sword Pavilion. She had assumed they were cut from the same cloth as the Stain Sect, but now it seemed they were different after all.

Then, Lü Yang spoke.

"This pool of Emperor’s Liquid, on the other hand, is quite nice."

His eyes were bright with interest. "I wish to refine a Magical Sword, and for that, I need one of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. I wonder if Daoist would be willing to part with it?"

"Why would I not?"

Having secured the Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm, Long Yue naturally couldn’t care less about mere Xin Metal. She immediately waved a delicate hand. "Daoist, please, take what you need!"

"My thanks."

Lü Yang smiled faintly. He reached out and gestured, pulling the entire pool of Emperor’s Liquid into his hand. He closed his fingers, instantly refining it into a stream of luminous energy.

Xin Metal!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lü Yang absorbed the Xin Metal into his Spiritual Space. Then, following the same procedure as before, he used his Dharma Body to transfer it directly to his main body.

Upon seeing it, Lü Yang’s main body was visibly thrilled.

’With this, my Immortal Spirit Body can gather three Abilities and reach Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection! Add Empowerment to that, and I’ll be a Great Trueman as well!’

Although he only had one Empowerment and couldn’t apply it to both his clone and main body simultaneously, if he used it strategically, he could effectively function as two Great Truemen.

At this thought, Lü Yang’s expression changed.

「Southern Border. Ten Thousand Poison Sect.」

Lü Yang’s consciousness returned to his clone. He lowered his eyelids, hiding his expression. ’With only one Great Trueman, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect is a death trap for me.’

’But with two Great Truemen?’

’Indestructible Gilded Golden Silkworm... This Gu shares a karmic link with my Sword Pavilion!’