Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 646: Chapter 641: A Wise Man Submits to Circumstances

At this moment, as Si Chou’s five features took form, the tremors inside and outside the Celestial Mansion intensified. The regions below the Ninth Layer even began to gradually converge.

Space was collapsing.

Rivers and streams formed its vessels, mountains and seas its flesh and blood. Viscera, hands, feet... gradually, a vaguely ethereal humanoid figure truly began to manifest!

The human face that Si Chou had manifested on the Celestial Mansion’s Eighth Layer then descended steadily, landing upon the face of the ethereal figure. It fit snugly, like a mask, before it jerked upward to look toward the heavens. Its terrifying gaze shattered the void, shooting straight for the Ninth Layer.

But at that very moment, the Ninth Layer suddenly erupted in Splendid Light.

The Splendid Light was a brilliant gold. The instant it appeared, a resounding Buddhist chant echoed, shaking the cosmos, before finally converging into six Scripts that pressed down upon the void:

"Om Mani Padme Hum!"

In an instant, Si Chou, who had been on the verge of reviving, was suppressed by the Buddha Light. His coalescing form immediately began to shatter again, and his face twisted into a ferocious scowl.

"You damned monk!!!"

The immense Dao sound shattered the Ten Thousand Laws as it crashed into the six Scripts, yet it was like an ant trying to shake a tree; it couldn’t even diminish the Buddha Light in the slightest.

「Meanwhile, within the Sea of Suffering.」

Taiyin Immortal Venerable stood with her hands behind her back, her fine brows slightly furrowed. Her jade-like hand formed a Finger Technique against her chest as she continuously compressed the graveyard beneath her feet, concentrating its profound power on Si Chou.

Yet despite her efforts, the trembling of the Tomb of Daoist Master Si Chou did not lessen in the slightest. On the contrary, it grew more violent. Layers of grave soil imbued with the essence of Taiyin were piled on, only to be completely shaken off. Si Chou’s voice even pierced through the tomb, smashing into Taiyin Immortal Venerable’s ears:

"Disciple of the First Saint... You cannot suppress me!"

"This is my world! The Cultivators here will naturally be mine to command. Once I break that damned monk’s seal, it will be the day you all die!"

Si Chou’s tone was one of absolute confidence.

And this was indeed the case. After all, he had already reclaimed his eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. Only his final Divine Will remained suppressed on the Ninth Layer.

If Taiyin Immortal Venerable herself had been personally guarding the Ninth Layer, he would have been helpless.

But now, Taiyin Immortal Venerable was entangled with him in the Sea of Suffering, leaving the Ninth Layer undefended. Breaking in and shattering the seal would be a trivial matter!

「The next second, within the Celestial Mansion.」

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch stood against the wind. He saw the face manifested by Si Chou suddenly turn to look at him, and a voice immediately rang in his ear:

"Break into the Ninth Layer and help me escape. When it is done, I will bestow upon you the Sun True Fruit!"

Upon hearing this, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s eyes lit up. This was what he wanted! The Sun Heavenly Lord Position, an Emperor Fruit, was enough to help him advance to the next level.

"Du Xuan accepts your command!"

As his voice fell, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch immediately strode toward the Ninth Layer. In his wake, three more streaks of blood-red light converged.

Celestial Number Immortal Monarch! Immortal Monarch Yan Xiu! Mingtang Immortal Monarch!

They were Mid-stage Immortal Monarchs, after all, with their Spirit Platforms still intact. Though their Dharma Bodies were shattered when the seal on their senses broke, they couldn’t have just dropped dead.

"Gentlemen, a wise man knows how to adapt to the times."

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch looked at the other three Immortal Monarchs and chuckled. "Helping someone who’s already winning is one thing, but helping someone in their hour of need is another. I’m sure you all know what the right choice is."

Hearing this, the three Immortal Monarchs all nodded. "But of course."

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s expression was one of satisfaction. He turned to head for the Ninth Layer, but stopped dead in the next instant.

The smile on his face faded slightly.

"Yan Xiu, Mingtang... Are you courting death?"

Looking over, he saw that of the four Immortal Monarchs, the two lower-ranked ones, Immortal Monarch Yan Xiu and Mingtang Immortal Monarch, were now blocking the path of Du Xuan Immortal Monarch and Celestial Number Immortal Monarch.

"On the contrary."

"As our fellow Daoist Du Xuan just said, helping someone in their hour of need is far more valuable. The only question is, who is truly in their hour of need?"

Immortal Monarch Yan Xiu smiled faintly and said softly, "Before, Her Excellency the Immortal Venerable held every advantage. If we had sided with her then, it would have been a meaningless gesture... But now, with you two turning traitor, the Immortal Venerable is at a disadvantage. *This* is her hour of need. And our intervention will be all the more valuable."

Who said they didn’t understand the circumstances?

No matter how grand Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s promises were, it couldn’t change one fact: Si Chou had been killed by the Master of Dao from the Immortal Pivot—that Broken Place!

So what if he’s been resurrected?

So many years have passed. Si Chou has made no progress—he’s even weaker than before. But the Saint Sect Ancestral Master who killed him is certainly stronger than he was back then.

Who was stronger and who was weaker? Did it even need to be said?

Besides—

"You cultivate the Sun path, so you get the Sun True Fruit. But what about us? We’re not getting an Emperor Fruit, so why the hell should we do all the work just for you to reap the rewards?"

This was the fundamental conflict.

There was only one Emperor Fruit on offer. Even if you added Taiyin’s, that made two. At most, it was only enough for two people, but there were four Mid-stage Immortal Monarchs.

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch was the strongest, with Celestial Number Immortal Monarch second. The distribution was therefore a foregone conclusion—the prizes would go to them. Only after they had eaten the meat would it be Immortal Monarch Yan Xiu and Mingtang Immortal Monarch’s turn to drink the soup. With this kind of arrangement, you expect others to risk their lives for you? Dream on!

In an instant, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch’s face darkened.

"...Celestial Number, stop them."

As he spoke, he had already made his decision: Celestial Number Immortal Monarch would stay behind to pin down Immortal Monarch Yan Xiu and Mingtang Immortal Monarch, while he went to the Ninth Layer alone!

This was not the best choice.

According to his original plan, the best-case scenario would have been for the four of them to work together, storming the Ninth Layer with the force of an avalanche to break the Bhagavat’s seal.

But now, he was alone.

’So be it... It’s just some minor Demon from the Immortal Pivot, not even at the Middle Stage of Immortal Monarch. He shouldn’t be much of a Variable. The advantage is still mine!’

The next second, the void shattered as the three Immortal Monarchs became entangled in a chaotic battle, while Du Xuan Immortal Monarch strolled leisurely into the Ninth Layer of the Celestial Mansion.

Soon, however, his brows furrowed tightly.

Because he saw nothing... The vast Ninth Layer was filled with a white mist, and within it, Heaven and Earth and All Phenomena became illusory.

"Such a petty trick. You dare show it off in front of me?"

Du Xuan Immortal Monarch smiled coldly and pointed a finger. Its tip instantly bloomed with a Splendid Light, like the rising sun, and wherever it passed, vast swathes of white mist were completely evaporated.

A figure emerged from within the dissipating white mist.

It was a handsome young man. Despite a full head of white hair and a somewhat world-weary aura that gave him a slightly aged look, his life force was incredibly vigorous.

Seeing him, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch raised an eyebrow. He was slightly cautious at first, but after getting a clear look at the Position of the newcomer, his expression immediately turned to one of utter disdain.

"A follower of the Outer Dao wishes to stop me?"

"And why not?" Progenitor Tingyou’s face was stern as he spoke softly, "The Outer Dao may have many problems, but it is not without its remedies."

At these words, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch looked as if he had just heard the most absurd joke and couldn’t help but shake his head. But upon seeing the serious expression on Progenitor Tingyou’s face, he slowly realized it wasn’t a joke and burst out laughing. "You... you’re not kidding? You really want to fight me?"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

At this moment, Du Xuan Immortal Monarch was actually laughing out loud. Who was he? A Mid-stage Immortal Monarch of the Sun Fruit Position. And his opponent? An Early-stage True Monarch of the Outer Dao Fruit Position.

There was simply no comparison between the two!

The gap between them was so enormous that it wasn’t even enough to make him angry. After all, why would a mighty hawk soaring high above care about the thoughts of an ant?

It was his opponent, on the other hand, who actually dared to stand in his way.

Have the Immortal Core Demons all gotten this arrogant nowadays?