Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 165: Azure Sun Cultivation Realm
"Saving a life is nothing more than lifting a finger."
In response to Chen Xinghai’s gratitude, Lü Yang gave a small wave and a kind smile. "If you wish to repay my kindness, you only need to answer a few questions."
Having traveled so far overseas, Lü Yang decided it was time to improve his image.
After all, the Perfected Persons of the Stain Sect had a profound misunderstanding of him. No matter what he did, none of them would ever believe he was actually a good person.
But no one knew him here overseas.
Lü Yang figured he could use this opportunity to build a better reputation, spread his good name, and satisfy his own vanity.
After all, when he first transmigrated, he had dreamed of becoming a young Sword Immortal—soaring into the azure heavens on his blade, roaming freely between Heaven and Earth, and drawing his sword to right any injustice he found. It was a pity life had been so unpredictable. To survive, he had no choice but to throw his lot in with the Stain Sect. Fortunately, his original aspirations had never wavered, and his heart remained kind.
"ROAR—!"
Just then, a dark shadow surfaced from beneath the sea, followed by a white Flood Dragon that let out a piercing shriek at Lü Yang.
"Noisy."
Lü Yang frowned. A single look from him instantly cleaved the Flood Dragon in two. Its blood dyed the ocean red in an instant, and a foul, fishy stench filled the air.
However, with a wave of his sleeve, Lü Yang swept the stench away. He then casually tossed the Flood Dragon’s carcass into the Ghost Cloud behind him. Chen Xinghai saw it all clearly: the Flood Dragon, though sliced in two, wasn’t quite dead. It had just managed a cry before a storm of lightning struck it dead center...
In the blink of an eye, it was reduced to ash.
’Holy hell... so decisive in destroying the body and all traces. Don’t tell me he’s a Demonic Cultivator?’
Chen Xinghai couldn’t help but gulp, not daring to hesitate for a moment. He hurried forward and said respectfully, "Master, please ask whatever you wish. This humble one will tell you everything I know."
Lü Yang nodded in satisfaction. "What is this place?"
Chen Xinghai was stunned by the question but didn’t dare hesitate. He replied immediately, "Master, this is the Chaotic Flow Sea, part of the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm."
"Azure Sun... Cultivation?"
Lü Yang’s brow furrowed. He tried to divine the truth but found the results hazy. He looked back at Chen Xinghai, wanting to ask more but not knowing where to begin.
’Besides, it’s not like the man would answer honestly anyway.’
’After all, I heard him wondering if I was a Demonic Cultivator. How could the chaotic thoughts of a mere mortal possibly escape my notice?’
’I’m not a petty person, but I don’t have time to ask questions one by one, trying to sort fact from fiction.’
’Right, I’ll just use Soul Searching.’
The moment the thought occurred to Lü Yang, Chen Xinghai somehow sensed it. A look of terror flashed across his face, but Lü Yang’s gaze had already pierced the very center of his Spiritual Space.
’With my status as a Foundation-Stage Cultivator, Soul Searching a group of mortals couldn’t possibly harm them. It might not look pretty, and some might call it cruel, but I call it efficient.’
’This doesn’t stop me from being a good person.’
Soon, as Chen Xinghai’s eyes rolled back into his head, Lü Yang finished absorbing all the information about the so-called "Azure Sun Cultivation Realm." His own expression grew increasingly astonished.
The Azure Sun Cultivation Realm, where the Immortal Alliance ruled the world!
Five Elements Spirit Root, Cultivation Techniques...
Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core...
"What!?"
For a moment, Lü Yang’s hand trembled, and he subconsciously stumbled back a step, his eyes wide with horror. ’Are you kidding me? This Azure Sun Cultivation Realm has Perfected Lords!?’
Lü Yang extracted more information, piece by piece.
’The Azure Sun Cultivation Realm is comprised of 108 large islands. Although it is crowded with various Sects and Immortal Races, they are all subordinate to a single faction.’
’The Immortal Alliance.’
’And this Chen Xinghai is one of the Sea People who serve the Immortal Alliance, responsible for fishing for Spirit Fish and salvaging shipwrecks. It seems to have become a massive industry. The Alliance has millions of people like him, and the Spiritual Resources and Spiritual Materials they harvest from the sea each year are truly innumerable...’
The more Lü Yang learned, the graver his expression became.
Because within Chen Xinghai’s memories, he had even seen a Perfected Lord, and he knew that above them were even greater figures, beings difficult to describe.
’A Nascent Soul Daoist Lord...?’
The thought sent a chill down Lü Yang’s spine. Though he couldn’t be certain, it was highly probable that the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm had a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord!
In the next second, Lü Yang’s expression suddenly changed.
’That Flood Dragon... was one of the Immortal Alliance’s Sea Patrol Spirit Beasts?’
Lü Yang raised an eyebrow. ’If it really had a master, how could I not have noticed at a glance? I killed it precisely because I determined it was wild.’
Soon enough, however, he understood the whole story. It turned out that the Azure Sun Cultivation Realm had no techniques for controlling Spirit Beasts; they couldn’t plant slave imprints in a beast’s Spiritual Space. Instead, they relied on mundane taming methods, which meant escapes were common. The revelation left Lü Yang momentarily speechless.
’So, I only missed it because my own methods are too advanced?’
’Something about this Azure Sun Cultivation Realm... it just doesn’t feel right.’
’With a Sea Patrol Spirit Beast killed, the Immortal Alliance is bound to react. It won’t be long before a Sea Patrol Cultivator arrives to investigate. I can’t afford to be exposed.’
’I should just lay low for now.’
With this in mind, Lü Yang made a wiping motion toward Chen Xinghai and his crew, erasing their memories of him before concealing his figure.
A moment later, Chen Xinghai and the others came to.
Their memories gone, they had no idea what had happened. They simply thought they’d been lucky enough to escape the Ghost Cloud and were marveling at their narrow escape.
Just then, a streak of Spirit Light flew in from the distance.
A quick glance told Lü Yang that the newcomer’s realm wasn’t high—only the Mid-phase of Qi Refining. Nevertheless, he remained hidden and did not reveal himself.
As the Spirit Light drew near, it dissipated to reveal a stern-faced middle-aged man dressed in a Cloud Water Daoist Robe, a Magical Sword suspended behind his back.
The middle-aged man scanned the surroundings before his gaze fell upon Chen Xinghai and the others below. His brow furrowed in confusion as his voice boomed, "My Sea Patrol Spirit Beast was killed in this area. You are the local Sea People. Have you seen anyone suspicious pass through here?"
Chen Xinghai hurried forward. "Immortal Master, we have not."
"Strange..."
The middle-aged man fell silent at his words. A look of conflict flickered across Chen Xinghai’s face before he finally mustered his courage, stepped forward, and spoke in a low voice:
"Immortal Master, if you could take a look at my ship..."
"...Hmm?" The middle-aged man glanced at Chen Xinghai and then at his ship. "The damage is severe. The repairs will likely cost a fortune."
"That’s just it."
Chen Xinghai gave a bitter smile. "Immortal Master, before setting sail, this humble one purchased ’Catastrophe Insurance’ from the Immortal Alliance. Looking at the state of my ship, do you think the Alliance will cover the repairs?"
At these words, the middle-aged man’s expression changed. "Catastrophe Insurance... Your ship looks like it was struck by Celestial Thunder. You must have strayed into a Ghost Cloud but didn’t go too deep and were lucky enough to get out, correct? But as a simple Sea Person, what were you doing entering a dangerous place like a Ghost Cloud in the first place?"
Chen Xinghai quickly explained, "The Ghost Cloud moved!"
"Do you have any proof?"
Chen Xinghai was struck speechless. What proof could there be of a Ghost Cloud moving? Even if such evidence existed, it wasn’t something a simple Sea Person like him could ever produce.
"None? Then it’s just your word against nothing."
The middle-aged man shook his head and said coolly, "I’m sorry, but from the looks of it, you’re under suspicion of insurance fraud. Therefore, the Immortal Alliance will not be paying out your claim."
"However, I can recommend an acquaintance. He’s a Cultivator at the Immortal Alliance shipyard, but he also takes on private jobs repairing large vessels. If you go to him and mention my name, he’ll give you a twenty percent discount on the down payment. You can pay off the rest over ten years—the interest isn’t even high. It’s a great deal..."
From the shadows, the longer Lü Yang listened, the stranger his expression became.
’There’s something really off about this Immortal Alliance.’
’Why does their style feel so familiar?’
