Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 520: Forbidden Knowledge, Impossible to Defend Against

Ever since Lü Yang implemented the Pseudo-dynasty System and took control of the East, Ang Xiao knew that the time for the reversal of the Earth of Chen was drawing ever closer.

However, he had also discovered the crucial point.

’It’s called the reversal of the Earth of Chen, but there’s one strict condition... He must either succeed in Seeking Gold first, or do so immediately after the reversal.’

Because once the Earth of Chen was reversed, Minor Metal would certainly begin his attempt for the Golden Position at once.

In that case, if Lü Yang also ascended and attempted Seeking Gold, Minor Metal would become his staunchest ally. The outcome would naturally be a joyous one for all.

But what if Lü Yang couldn’t attempt Seeking Gold at that moment?

If Minor Metal became a Perfected Lord and Lü Yang didn’t, the situation would be completely different. Heaven only knows if a newly ascended Minor Metal would turn on him.

Unless Lü Yang was willing to trust the integrity of a Saint Sect Zhenren.

Otherwise, he would never let Minor Metal attempt Seeking Gold first. The best-case scenario was for him to succeed first and then help Minor Metal. At the very minimum, they would have to attempt it simultaneously.

That being the case, the answer was clear:

’As long as I can stop this Demon Dragon from Seeking Gold and sever his path, then the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire isn’t really in danger. The aftermath will be much easier to handle.’

Taking a step back, even if the Earth of Chen was reversed and Minor Metal obtained the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, as long as Lü Yang didn’t attain the Fruit of Celestial Fire, it would mean one less Emperor Fruit in play. One less great enemy. Once the Perfected Lord manifested in the Current World, he could plot anew.

The idea was sound, but how could he execute it?

It was undeniable that Lü Yang had a very accurate grasp of Ang Xiao’s condition. At this moment, he truly didn’t have much power left to interfere with the Current World.

So, he could only rely on external forces.

At this thought, Ang Xiao turned to Mu Changsheng. He opened his mouth, about to say something... but in the next second, a loud explosion rang out—

BANG!

Xiao Shiye had exploded.

To be precise, it was the false body of Xiao Shiye that Lü Yang had fashioned using the Power of Fruit Position. The very instant Ang Xiao was about to speak, Lü Yang had decisively severed the connection.

The reason was simple:

’My intuition is screaming at me. Something’s wrong!’

’Ang Xiao... that old bastard is definitely up to something!’

Lü Yang formed a Daoist Hand Seal. The brilliant light of the Coiling Dragon Root, which dispelled evil and averted disaster, flowed over his fingertips. Combined with the profound ability of Rise and Fall to sense fortune and calamity, it made him incredibly sensitive to danger.

In the past, Ang Xiao could have used the Veil of the Trees to cloud his perception, but he no longer had that power.

Therefore, the moment he sensed danger, Lü Yang didn’t hesitate to cut off his observation of the Simulation Realm, even with the Puppet as a safety net. After all, his opponent was Ang Xiao himself; one could never be too cautious. At this thought, Lü Yang’s will stirred.

RUMBLE!

The Immortal Dao Law descended with a roar, shielding him securely at its center. According to Empress Xiao, this would guarantee his Soul and Divine Sense remained unaffected.

After doing all this, Lü Yang nervously peeked out, scanning his surroundings.

’Where’s the danger?’

Lü Yang’s fingers moved so fast they nearly created sparks, Divine Illusionary Colors flashing as he tried to divine the source of the danger. But in the next second, his expression changed dramatically.

’No... Dammit, I shouldn’t have done that calculation!’

But it was too late. The moment that thought surfaced, a massive amount of information had already flowed through the Great Net of Karma Links and been effortlessly calculated by him!

A reverse application of the Dao of Cause and Effect!

Lü Yang instantly understood Ang Xiao’s method. Ordinary people would do everything in their power to obscure Karma Links and conceal karmic links, but he had done the exact opposite.

Instead of hiding the karmic links, he offered them up willingly.

Caught off guard, Lü Yang had already calculated the entire cause and effect before he could react. The unease in his heart intensified, but so did his confusion.

’What is he trying to do?’

The Dao of Cause and Effect was powerful, but it had no direct killing power. Even if he had fallen for the trap, Ang Xiao couldn’t use it to kill him from a distance.

’In other words, how do you plan to win?’

As Lü Yang pondered, the cause and effect he had just divined materialized in his mind. He found it was a simple conversation.

The participants were Ang Xiao and Mu Changsheng, and the conversation consisted of only a few lines.

Ang Xiao asked first, "Fellow Primal Daoist, speaking of your fall into this Simulation Realm, by my calculations, it must have been five thousand years, hasn’t it?"

In response, Mu Changsheng asked in confusion, "Five thousand years?"

"What are you talking about? After my consciousness returned to my soul, I checked. My soul has been trapped here for a thousand years at most..."

—What?

For a moment, Lü Yang was completely lost.

He couldn’t understand the significance of this conversation, or why it was Ang Xiao’s trump card, the source of the danger he felt.

’What’s wrong with this information?’

’Wait... I remember Mu Changsheng first made a name for himself during the great calamity five thousand years ago. He went into hiding after, and his soul was captured by the Saint Sect Ancestral Master...’

’Hmm? Something doesn’t seem right... A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Stage only has a lifespan of 1,500 years. If Mu Changsheng rose to prominence five thousand years ago, he would have had to attempt Seeking Gold 3,500 years ago at the latest.’

’He failed, and his soul was captured.’

’According to that timeline, his soul should have been trapped in the Simulation Realm for at least three thousand years! How could it be a mere one thousand?’

At this thought, it all clicked for Lü Yang.

The moment he realized the problem with the timeline, it was as if he had grasped a key, unlocking another sealed chest of memories in his mind.

’World Purger Fei Xue... her timeline is wrong, too!’

’From what I know, she also rose to prominence five thousand years ago. Like Mu Changsheng, she would have had to become a Perfected Lord 3,500 years ago at the latest.’

’But just one hundred years after becoming a Perfected Lord, she fought the previous Grandmaster of the Dao Court.’

’In other words, that battle took place at least three thousand years ago... Yet, after the war ended, the previous Grandmaster was purged by Emperor Jia You.’

And therein lay the problem:

’A Daoist Court Emperor only has a thousand-year reign. After that, they must undergo The Emperor’s Ascension to Heaven... In other words, Emperor Jia You should be a Perfected Lord from within the last thousand years!’

How could a Perfected Lord from the last millennium appear three thousand years ago?

RUMBLE!!!

The very instant this question arose in Lü Yang’s mind, a clap of thunder echoed from the heavens. He looked up, bewildered, his pupils shrinking in an instant.

"Ah! I never thought... I... I... Rinima!"

Lü Yang forcefully swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

Divining the karmic links, Lü Yang clearly saw a strand of Buddha Light clinging to him like a cancer, impossible to shake off... It was the Buddhist Destiny of the Buddha’s Son!

At that moment, Lü Yang finally understood. "Damn it... that was impossible to defend against!"

’The danger... was the knowledge itself!’

’The secret of the timeline, the five-thousand-year-old taboo... Even among All True Monarchs, few seem to be aware of it. Ang Xiao used this piece of knowledge to set a trap for me.’

And judging by the reaction, this was likely a secret belonging to the Bhagavat!

But in the next second, Lü Yang forcibly shook off his panic, fear, and other negative emotions. He regained his composure and gazed into the distance, toward the West.

’No, it hasn’t reached the worst-case scenario yet...’

True, he now knew something he shouldn’t. However, he was currently Emperor Huanming of the Dao Court, constantly empowered by the Immortal Dao Law.

’I have backers, too!’

The Dao Court and the Pure Land had always been at odds despite a peaceful facade. He imagined the Master of Dao would be quite pleased to see him become a thorn in the Bhagavat’s side and would never allow the Bhagavat to intervene directly.

’As long as the Bhagavat doesn’t descend in his true form, he can’t take me.’

’In the end, this Buddhist Destiny is just a karmic link from the Buddha’s Son, not from the Bhagavat himself. At most, it will draw the Buddha’s Son’s attention to me, adding more variables to my attempt at Seeking Gold...’

’...That’s it. This was Ang Xiao’s plan.’

’Killing me directly was unrealistic, so he took a different approach. He used a piece of forbidden knowledge as leverage—a small force to move a great weight—hoping to use the power of the West to ruin my path to Seeking Gold!’

The next second, Lü Yang’s premonition was confirmed.

"Amitabha!"

From the direction of the West, a pillar of Buddha Light shot into the sky. A chant resounded throughout Heaven and Earth, and the vague form of a giant Golden Buddha could be seen sitting cross-legged in the Cloud Sea.

’The Victorious Will-Born Clarity Tathagata’s World Appearance? No...’

The Golden Buddha manifesting now, whether in terms of its Qi trace or its appearance, far surpassed the Dharma Appearance Lü Yang had seen on Guang Ming in his Previous Life.

Without a doubt—

’The Bhagavat hadn’t intervened personally, but... He had upped the ante!’