Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 511: Overpowering Empress Xiao

[Mountain and Sea Map of the Imperial Decree]

This Innate Ability unfurled like a painted scroll. From the outside, nothing seemed amiss; it looked like a mere accumulation of dazzling lights, flashy but lacking substance.

But Empress Xiao, trapped within, felt as if she had fallen into another Outer Realm. The Celestial Wu Hall, the pavilions, and the palaces were all gone. All she could see was a vast landscape of mountains and seas under a high-hanging sun and moon. And there, standing under the cascading, mingled light of the celestial bodies, was a lone figure.

BOOM!

Lü Yang formed a Daoist Hand Seal, and a torrent of fire immediately surged from his sleeves. The flames transformed into countless soldiers and horses, charging toward Empress Xiao with a deafening roar that shook the heavens.

[Fenghou Suiyang Book]!

Raging fires and thick, rolling smoke instantly sealed the space around Empress Xiao, transforming the ground where she stood into a mountain of corpses and a Sea of Blood.

Yet, Empress Xiao remained completely unfazed.

’Does he really think I don’t know how to fight?’

Her gaze sharpened and her red lips parted slightly. A rich, floral fragrance immediately wafted through the air, washing away the foul, warlike Evil Qi like clear water cleansing filth.

Within that fragrance, rays of Splendid Light bloomed into peonies, lilies, cherry blossoms, red lotuses... countless different flowers. They then scattered in all directions, creating a vast, beautiful, and brilliant sea of flowers. As it burst forth, the sight was truly captivating.

[Hundred Flowers Palace]!

Empress Xiao stood amidst the sea of flowers like a celestial Fairy. Her lovely figure instantly vanished, allowing her to gracefully escape from Lü Yang’s [Fenghou Suiyang Book].

The next second, at the very edge of the floral sea, a Splendid Light shimmered, and Empress Xiao reappeared without a sound, hiking up her dress as her delicate white toes gently landed on a crimson petal.

"This is..."

Lü Yang’s eyebrow twitched at the sight. His Cultivation was extremely high, and Empress Xiao was using an Ability similar to one of his own, so he quickly came to a conclusion:

’...An Earth of Wei Divine Technique.’

’Wei corresponds to the storehouse of wood, like a man building a wall to protect a hundred flowers... Given this imagery, this [Hundred Flowers Palace] must be an Ability specifically for evading disaster and calamity.’

Thinking this, Lü Yang looked again at the Official Position above Empress Xiao’s head: [Empress Ci Sheng Ling Si]. It was also an Official Position of Foundation Establishment Perfection, derived from the [Fruit of Roadside Earth]. And Earth of Wei was one of the branches of the [Fruit of Roadside Earth]. With this Official Position, on top of her [Seven Luminaries Heaven] Abilities...

’Ten Abilities!’

Lü Yang was inwardly astonished. There was no doubt that Empress Xiao currently had the support of a full ten Abilities, more than enough to give her a decisive advantage in Combat!

Just then, Empress Xiao moved again.

She opened her red lips, her chest rising and falling, and gently exhaled a puff of white air. The white air writhed in midair, baring phantom fangs and claws before quickly taking its true form:

"ROAR—!"

An incredibly ferocious roar echoed out. Lü Yang looked toward the source of the sound and saw a majestic, powerfully built, pure white tiger squatting as if astride a mountain ridge. It opened its massive jaws, its roar kicking up a swirl of wind and sand. Then, riding the gale, it ferociously pounced at him!

’[Mountain Monarch]!’

Lü Yang was slightly alarmed as he watched the White Tiger charge.

This was a Geng Metal Divine Technique. The former Master of Heaven Mending Peak, Chen Taihe, had cultivated this very Ability. He never expected to see it used by Empress Xiao.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to counter.

The next second, Lü Yang directly took out a Jade Stone with seven apertures.

This item was called the [Separation and Union Jade Gui]. It was something he had borrowed from the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault in his Previous Life. It could redirect external energy, taking the brunt of most injuries on his behalf.

Lü Yang now sent it into the air. The [Separation and Union Jade Gui] came from the Dragon Race, and its imagery was associated with "water." In a place where water flourished, metal grew cold and the water chilled; Geng Metal faced the peril of being submerged. Therefore, using this Exotic Treasure to absorb the [Mountain Monarch] was a match made in heaven, more than enough to easily suppress the Ability.

However, at that very moment—

"Collect!"

Empress Xiao let out a sharp cry, flicking her sleeve and shaking out a sky full of golden light that, a step ahead of him, locked the [Separation and Union Jade Gui] in midair.

[Holding Ten Thousand Treasures]!

Lü Yang was also familiar with this Ability. He had settled the accounts of the Immortal Spirit Upper Chapter from his Previous Life, so he was extremely knowledgeable about the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of the Metal Element path.

’This is a Xin Metal Divine Technique...’

Xin Metal represents finished artifacts. As the name implied, this Ability could collect Ten Thousand Treasures and control Dharma Artifacts. It was precisely what had just sealed the Divine Effect of his [Separation and Union Jade Gui].

But Lü Yang was prepared.

Above his head, the Divine Power Radiance converged into an Imperial Crown. Then, in one smooth sequence, he performed the three steps of casting: Finger Technique, Incantation, and Pointing Profound.

[Imperial Mountain Shifting Technique]!

The Earth God Technique, [Emperor’s Fate]!

Relying on the [Imperial Mountain Shifting Technique] alone might not have been enough to suppress Empress Xiao’s Ability, but with the support of [Emperor’s Fate], it was a different story.

After all, [Emperor’s Fate] was also an Earth God Technique. Its imagery was perfectly compatible with the [Imperial Mountain Shifting Technique], allowing it to multiply the power of the Daoist Skill. Now, with all three casting steps complete, he pointed a finger. An endless torrent of mud instantly gushed out from under Empress Xiao’s fluttering sleeve.

The originally brilliant [Holding Ten Thousand Treasures] immediately lost its Divine Power Radiance.

This was the suppression of Xin Metal by the Earth of Wu. One must know that when Xin Metal is buried by the Earth of Wu, its form cannot change, so how can it be revived? This is what is known as "Earth Heavy, Metal Buried!"

The next second, Lü Yang held the [Tribulation Wave] in his hand.

CLANG! CLANG!

The Sword Light flashed and was gone. Empress Xiao’s figure once again dissipated into the sea of flowers, using [Hundred Flowers Palace] to move and reappear far in the distance.

But it was too late.

The Sword Light was just a feint. The real killing blow was another Splendid Light hidden within it, as radiant as Celestial Fire, as brilliant as the sun and moon. With a gentle sweep:

[Ming Monarch’s Rule]!

When Empress Xiao’s figure reappeared at the edge of the floral sea, she found that her Ability, the White Tiger formed from [Mountain Monarch], was already in Lü Yang’s grasp.

He toyed with it freely.

In an instant, all the color drained from Empress Xiao’s face. She seemed to have reached the peak of panic. However, Lü Yang, who now held the clear upper hand, did not press his advantage.

With a single thought, he pinched two rays of Divine Power Radiance between his fingertips.

’[Rise and Fall]!’

’[Coiling Dragon Root]!’

The former was one of the Profound Mysterious aspects of Lü Yang’s Innate Ability, capable of sensing fortune and disaster. The latter was his Earth of Wei Divine Technique, the Tai Chang Fortune God, which could resolve the malice of a hundred evils.

Combined, they formed the world’s most supreme Karma Technique.

Therefore, when Lü Yang used them to pluck at the Great Net of Karma Links, he almost instantly broke through the barriers Empress Xiao had erected and divined her true intentions:

’She’s trying to bait me...’

’That’s right. I discussed the Dao with her for a long time. She knows I cultivate the [Fruit of Celestial Fire] and that my Cultivation is exceptionally high. How could she be suppressed by me so easily?’

’This is a setup.’

’She wants to lull me into a false sense of security. Then, just as I use a killing technique to try and secure victory in one fell swoop, she’ll use that other Ability to make me suffer a devastating loss...’

The Seven Luminaries Celestial Divine Technique, [With the World]!

In his Previous Life, Lü Yang had used this Ability to kill the Celestial Python through trickery. He never imagined that in this life, Empress Xiao would use the same trick against him.

’[With the World] is most powerful when no one knows what it does... A pity. This move might work on others, but she’s dreaming if she thinks it’ll work on me. Still, with [With the World] active, she’s like a turtle in its shell. She won’t be easy to deal with.’

Thinking this, Lü Yang glanced at Empress Xiao again.

Unlike him, Empress Xiao had no special Mysterious Divine Power for targeting karmic links. Her proficiency with karma was merely at the standard level for Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Thus, she was completely unaware that Lü Yang had already seen through her intentions.

Of course, this confidence came from [With the World]. After all, a karmic divination might reveal danger, but it could never divine the effects of an Ability.

Unfortunately for her, she had run into someone who was cheating.

Since he was perfectly clear on the effects of [With the World], Lü Yang naturally wouldn’t use any reckless methods. His thoughts shifted, and a plan formed.

The next second, Lü Yang’s form shifted.

Immediately after, rolling black flames erupted from the ground, engulfing his human body and transforming it into a towering, colossal statue with a green face and sharp fangs that stood firmly upon the earth.

[Heavenly Qian Captures All Phenomena]!

Empress Xiao was stunned. She was well-read in the Daoist Canon and knew most of the Cultivation Techniques of the world’s Four Great Forces. She recognized the origin of Lü Yang’s technique in a single glance:

’A Demon Sect Technique!?’

’Isn’t he the Bhagavat?’

Before Empress Xiao could think on it further, Lü Yang manipulated the [Heavenly Qian Captures All Phenomena], extending a massive hand toward her and making a grasping motion in the air.

BOOM!

Instantly, Empress Xiao felt dizzy and disoriented.

The [General Overview] Divine Effect!

This formless, intangible Divine Effect exclusively attacked the Soul. Caught completely off guard, Empress Xiao was hit. By the time she came to her senses, her vision was already filled with the blade of a sword!