stonecrandall Chapter 493: A Deal with Ang Xiao
Chapter 493: A Deal with Ang Xiao
To be fair, this wasn’t Ang Xiao’s fault.
After all, he found it hard to believe his plan had been thwarted by a mere Foundation-Stage Cultivator. That was completely illogical—not even theoretically possible.
Ang Xiao mulled it over and concluded there was only one explanation:
’The Bhagavat descended to the mortal realm, granted Enlightenment to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and is now using him to ruin my plan... That has to be it! It’s the only logical explanation!’
Ang Xiao had even thought of the perfect motive: his avatar had entered the Pure Land, attained one of its Outer Dao Fruit Positions, and stolen the Immortal Spirit of the Fruit of Pewter Metal. Although the Dragon and Snake Coiling Shadow Bodhisattva had eventually returned the Immortal Spirit, it had already died violently after failing in its quest of Seeking Gold.
Basically, he had offended the Pure Land.
’Could it be that the Bhagavat discovered my plan long ago? Did he create a Foundation Establishment Buddha’s Son in advance, specifically to trap and kill me?’
If that was just speculation, what made him even more certain was the state of the poor soul Lü Yang was currently manipulating. The effects of the Puppet technique were remarkably similar to the Bhagavat’s Unity.
Then there was the Fake Golden Position Method—the Bhagavat had the Fake Daoist Master Method, too.
It all added up. Everything fit perfectly!
The more Ang Xiao thought about it, the more plausible his theory seemed.
’If he isn’t connected to the Bhagavat, then who is?’
That was why, after much deliberation, he had called out tentatively, his mind taut as he used his Divine Sense to carefully watch for any change in Lü Yang’s expression.
But who was Lü Yang?
By remotely controlling his body with the Puppet technique, none of his thoughts showed on his face. Even his Soul remained perfectly still, not fluctuating in the slightest with his thoughts.
Before Ang Xiao’s voice even faded, Lü Yang had already processed everything:
’He’s mistaken me for someone else again... Does he think I’m the Bhagavat?’
’That’s right. He has a grudge against the Bhagavat, and the Bhagavat is utterly shameless. It would be perfectly in character for him to grant Enlightenment to a Foundation Establishment cultivator just to deal with Ang Xiao...’
At this thought, Lü Yang suddenly smiled.
"You’re mistaken. I am not the Bhagavat."
He didn’t simply go along with the misunderstanding and admit to it. This was different from when he’d impersonated Fortune. He had already assimilated Fortune’s life experiences, so there was no risk in that impersonation.
’But impersonate the Bhagavat?’
He knew nothing about a Master of Dao and couldn’t possibly pull off the impersonation. If he tried to force it, Ang Xiao would see right through him, and his true circumstances would be exposed.
In contrast, openly denying any connection to the Bhagavat would only make Ang Xiao more suspicious.
After all, throughout the entire West, from the Bodhisattvas down to the lay monks, everyone claimed they weren’t the Bhagavat. Yet, when a critical moment arose, the Bhagavat was known to possess them at a whim.
Sure enough, Ang Xiao was beset by doubt.
But he quickly accepted the reality of his situation. ’No matter what, if he is capable of Fake Holding the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire, he can reverse the Earth of Chen. He has me by the throat.’
Admittedly, after obtaining the Fruit of Sand-Within Earth and the Fruit of Pewter Metal, he could still maintain his Cultivation at the Late Stage of Golden Core using the Three Elements of Gold, Earth, and Wood, even if the Earth of Chen was reversed. But if that happened, the smooth and unobstructed Dao path he had planned would instantly transform into a treacherous mountain pass, fraught with endless complications.
"...If you have business with me, Daoist, speak plainly."
Ang Xiao sighed. By promoting Lü Yang from "little friend" to "Daoist," he was ceding the initiative in their conversation.
Only then did Lü Yang raise an eyebrow, his voice low.
"To be clear, I actually bear you no ill will. Everything that happened before was a misunderstanding. I’ve brought you here today primarily to discuss a deal."
’A deal?’
Ang Xiao’s expression remained neutral. "Go on," he said faintly.
Lü Yang continued, "As you’ve likely realized, this body of mine seeks to attain the Fruit of Celestial Fire. There will be many trials ahead, and I will require your assistance."
Ang Xiao: "..."
’The Bhagavat wants to seize the Fruit of Celestial Fire?’
’It’s not impossible! After all, the Fruit of Rampart Earth is still sitting in the West, so what’s one more Fruit of Celestial Fire to him? Ang Xiao could completely understand!’
"How am I to help you, Daoist?"
"It’s simple."
Lü Yang said softly, "I only need you to be willing to strike on my behalf at the critical moment. If I’m not mistaken, Daoist, you should still have the strength for one more attack, shouldn’t you?"
Ang Xiao remained noncommittal, changing the subject.
"And why should I help you?"
"Because of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire!" Lü Yang stated unequivocally. "If you help me, Daoist, then one day I will help you send the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire into the Netherworld."
At these words, the look in Ang Xiao’s eyes shifted.
"...And how can I trust you?"
Facing Ang Xiao’s skepticism, Lü Yang just smiled. "The question isn’t whether you can trust me. The question is whether I can actually do it."
Ang Xiao understood this perfectly. After all, he himself never kept his word, and he knew that trust was the most easily broken thing in the world. If Lü Yang had launched into an eloquent speech, listing all the reasons he was trustworthy, Ang Xiao would have refused without a moment’s hesitation.
But Lü Yang hadn’t done that.
With a single question, he had made Ang Xiao’s heart pound. Could he send the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire into the Netherworld? Without a doubt, he could!
That was enough.
In the Saint Sect, only interests mattered. As long as a venture was mutually beneficial, there was a foundation for cooperation. The rest was simply a matter of each party employing their own methods.
’This man... is he from the Saint Sect?’
Ang Xiao pondered this. It didn’t lead him to believe Lü Yang wasn’t connected to the Bhagavat; on the contrary, it only deepened his suspicion. Only an old-guard Perfected Lord like himself knew the truth:
’The Bhagavat once trained in the Saint Sect!’
Moreover, the Bhagavat had been a smooth operator back in his day. With the exception of the Sword Pavilion, which had barred his entry, he had visited both the Saint Sect and the Dao Court. Why else would the Pure Land have earned the moniker of the Pure Land Evil Sect?
Having thought this through, Ang Xiao made his decision. He smiled. "Very well. I accept your proposal, Daoist."
On the other side, upon receiving Ang Xiao’s affirmative reply, Lü Yang felt not a shred of joy. Instead, he sighed to himself. ’There’s absolutely no sincerity in this at all...’
’Only a fool would believe the words of a Saint Sect True Monarch!’
Though he was grumbling internally, Lü Yang put on an equally sincere smile. "To a pleasant cooperation, then... Please, accept this as a greeting gift from a junior."
With that, he produced a Jade Scroll.
"It contains information on the Fruit of Long-Flow Water."
Though he called it a gift, Lü Yang’s fingers remained clamped tightly around the Jade Scroll, showing no intention of simply handing it over. Ang Xiao immediately understood.
"...What is it you want, Daoist?"
"A portion of your Earth Dao Practice. It must be sufficient to refine the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches."
At this moment, Lü Yang finally revealed his true intentions.
The whole transaction was just a pretense to string Ang Xiao along. This and this alone was what he truly wanted from him: the Dao Practice of the Earth of Ji!
Hearing this, Ang Xiao’s eyes narrowed.
’Did he deliberately expose his ability of Fake Holding the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire just to intimidate me, all so he could ultimately trade for a Dao Practice related to the Earth of Ji?’
This, however, made him even more suspicious.
After all, if he was truly a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had received the Bhagavat’s Enlightenment, he would have no need for any kind of Dao Practice... Had he guessed wrong? Or was this just a feint?
Nevertheless, Ang Xiao quickly made his decision. "Done."
He then split off a thread of his Divine Sense and tossed it casually to Lü Yang, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
The reason was simple:
’Since you know about my Veil of the Trees, aren’t you afraid that I’ve hidden a trap within this Dao Practice knowledge? That I’ve deliberately concealed something to take this chance to screw you over?’
’I’ve given you the Dao Practice.’
’Do you dare to use it?’