Chapter 302: Chapter 302: You Can Always Count on a Saint Sect Zhenren

In the Sea of Clouds, within Holy Fire Cliff.

Minor Metal sat bolt upright, watching the Qi Refining Wanderer controlled by Lü Yang’s Puppet. Only now did he adopt the air of one addressing an equal.

“You desire a Superior Sentient Artifact, Daoist?”

“Your insight is sharp, Interim Sect Leader.”

Lü Yang nodded. Because he had decisively given up on the Ganhai Li Clan’s gains, his planned Immortal Embryo Avatar, which could act on his behalf across the world, had yet to materialize.

Unfortunately, both the Yun Family’s Ancestor and Master Xiuxin were broke. One was from a fallen family, the other a mere Honored Guest Elder, so neither had a Superior Sentient Artifact on them. Add to that the constant dangers lurking in the South, and after careful consideration, Lü Yang decided he had to try and get something from the Saint Sect—an organization he knew inside and out.

’He’s being rather polite…’

A flicker of change crossed Minor Metal’s eyes. Lü Yang’s attitude was extremely formal, even addressing him as “Interim Sect Leader.” It was as if he were positioning himself as a loyal vassal of the Saint Sect.

But Minor Metal didn’t buy it for a second.

A loyal vassal of the Saint Sect?

What a joke. Those two phrases didn’t even belong together. This was, in all likelihood, just a posture meant to get something out of him.

“I can agree to this matter, Daoist.”

Minor Metal’s expression remained unchanged as he said calmly, “But how can you guarantee you won’t just take my reward and go back on your word?”

Minor Metal’s style had always been direct. Since Lü Yang had demonstrated methods that even a Perfected Lord would find difficult to trace, he frankly stated his concerns. This sort of “magnanimity,” mixed with his usual insidious and vicious nature, was something many Saint Sect Zhenrens lacked.

Thus, Lü Yang replied just as forthrightly, “In that case, I can tell you first, Interim Sect Leader.”

At these words, Minor Metal’s eyes narrowed, equally surprised. “It seems I have misjudged a gentleman by my own low standards. Aren’t you afraid I’ll be the one to go back on my word, Daoist?”

“Of course not.”

Lü Yang shook his head. “After all, it’s just a piece of information. If you break your promise over something like this, Interim Sect Leader, then I’ll have seen your true colors, which would be a good thing in itself.”

“…Hahaha!”

As his voice fell, Minor Metal burst out laughing. For the first time, a look of genuine admiration appeared in his eyes as he looked at Lü Yang, feeling that this person was very much on his own wavelength.

Just who was this person?

That being said, he didn’t try to act magnanimous and refuse the offer. Instead, he said with a faint smile, “Then please, Daoist, you may speak first.”

Is he just posturing, or does he truly have character?

Facing Minor Metal’s scrutiny, Lü Yang spoke in a calm tone, getting straight to the point. “The Grotto Heaven Fragment you seek, Interim Sect Leader, is at the bottom of the sea in Jiangnan’s Gantang Dao.”

The moment Lü Yang finished speaking, Minor Metal’s eyebrows shot up. The hand hidden in his sleeve had already begun performing calculations. Although he couldn’t divine a direct result, he could faintly sense a karmic link. When he looked toward World Purger Fei Xue, he saw her give an almost imperceptible nod.

’…It’s real!’

The South, which Minor Metal could not see into clearly, was no challenge for World Purger Fei Xue. If she hadn’t known what to look for beforehand, she might not have noticed it.

But now, Lü Yang had pointed out the karmic link directly.

If World Purger Fei Xue still couldn’t detect the Grotto Heaven Fragment’s existence, she would be far too incompetent—and she was clearly no incompetent.

’There are indeed traces of a Grotto Heaven’s remains.’

’It looks like it was preserved by accident, but the coincidence is a bit much. I didn’t investigate too closely, or it would be easy for other Perfected Lords to discover what’s going on.’

The South was Sword Pavilion territory, after all. As a Saint Sect True Monarch, she could get away with minor skirmishes without being discovered if she was careful to hide her presence. But if she made a big move, she would inevitably attract the attention of the Sword Pavilion True Monarchs. Therefore, World Purger Fei Xue did not risk alerting the enemy.

Even so, this was enough to make Minor Metal see Lü Yang in a new light.

After exchanging information with World Purger Fei Xue, Minor Metal looked at Lü Yang again and asked curiously, “How did you discover that Grotto Heaven Fragment, Daoist?”

“I forgot,” Lü Yang said with a grin. “Just as nobles like yourself are prone to being forgetful.”

’Where’s my reward!?’

Minor Metal laughed at his words. With a beckoning gesture, a crimson Sword Light descended into the hall. He then personally handed it to Lü Yang.

“Even among Superior Sentient Artifacts, this is a rare masterpiece,” Minor Metal said in a deep voice. “I will give this to you, Daoist. How about we trade it for another piece of information?”

Lü Yang looked at the crimson Magical Sword that Minor Metal was handing him, feeling rather speechless.

It was none other than the Abi Sword!

’Was that an accident? Or was it on purpose?’

’Is he banking on me not knowing the issue with the Abi Sword? This thing is bait left by Blood Demon Zhenren, specifically to lure in a scapegoat!’

But in the next second, he realized.

’No… he’s testing me to see if I know the story behind the Abi Sword. He wants to use that to judge my seniority in the Saint Sect and expose my identity!’

Blood Demon Zhenren was a true old-timer in the Saint Sect. His situation was highly unusual; with the help of the Perfected Fortune, he had used a method of feigned death to live for a full five thousand years, even longer than some Perfected Lords. As a result, very few people in the present-day Saint Sect even knew of Blood Demon Zhenren’s existence.

’This is probably a major dividing line!’

’Knowing or not knowing is a measure of one’s seniority and status within the Saint Sect.’

’If I show that I know of Blood Demon Zhenren’s existence, he’ll be able to immediately narrow down his list of suspects, making it easier to find my real identity…’

…Assuming I even have an identity within the Saint Sect.

’Too bad. In this life, I’m a Sword Pavilion man with impeccably dark roots. All these attempts will ultimately be futile. He’ll never find anything!’

Thinking this, Lü Yang calmly accepted the Abi Sword.

Although it still carried the karmic links left by Blood Demon Zhenren, he didn’t care.

After all, he now had the more suitable Tribulation Wave. He no longer had any love for the Abi Sword, so he had no intention of keeping it.

’Once I get it back, I’ll melt it down and use it to refine my Immortal Embryo Avatar!’

The transaction concluded perfectly, with both guest and host satisfied.

Afterward, World Purger Fei Xue even personally acted, sending Lü Yang back to the South. Then, she hid herself near the border of the South and began to secretly observe.

Clearly, she was lying in wait for her quarry.

However, the naturally cautious Lü Yang gave her no such opportunity. He didn’t go to meet his main body at all. Instead, he began refining the avatar right there on the spot, using the Abi Sword.

From beginning to end, his main body never made an appearance.

World Purger Fei Xue lay in wait for a long time but gained nothing. In the end, she could only purse her lips, leave behind a permanent wisp of her Divine Sense, and have her main body return to the Saint Sect.

“Minor Metal, can you guess who this person is?”

“I’m not certain.”

In the main hall, Minor Metal showed a rare hint of hesitation. “Judging by his reaction, he likely saw through my test, yet he remained completely unfazed.”

“It means his Cultivation is definitely not weaker than Blood Demon Zhenren’s. He also has a way to handle Blood Demon Zhenren’s Substitution Technique and the means to dissolve its karmic links. Anyone with that kind of power must be at least a Great Trueman. He might even be at Foundation Establishment Perfection, like me. And if we were to be even bolder…”

…he could be a Perfected Lord of the Golden Core realm!

His voice trailed off. Minor Metal didn’t continue, but everyone understood his unspoken meaning. Even World Purger Fei Xue had similar suspicions.

“But all of that is secondary.”

At this point, Minor Metal rubbed his temples, looking troubled. “This mysterious Daoist… he really does act like one of our Saint Sect’s Zhenren, which actually makes things more difficult.”

“A Grotto Heaven Fragment… with information this valuable, I suspect he’ll play both sides.”

“And turn around and sell the information to Fortune.”

……..

Meanwhile, in another area of the North.

“Hello? Hello? Hello?”

Once again borrowing the form of a Qi Refining Wanderer controlled by his Puppet, Lü Yang plucked at the strings of karma and sent a ghostly message: “Is Fellow Daoist Hongyun there?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep