Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 179: Embracing Mountain

Atop Heaven Mending Peak, Lü Yang stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

Behind him, the graceful figure of Lady Ruoxiang quietly materialized. Her beautiful eyes, fixed on him, held a mixture of shock and envy. She then drew closer and said softly,

"Congratulations, Yuan Tu... The Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment. From this day forward, true longevity is within your grasp!"

She couldn’t help but feel envious.

After all, they were both at Foundation Establishment, yet she hadn’t even comprehended an Innate Ability, let alone an Innate Divine Technique. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so fixated on planning her reincarnation.

In contrast, Lü Yang, who had achieved the Dao less than a century ago and was still unbelievably young, had already broken through multiple barriers to reach the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment in a single stroke. How could Lady Ruoxiang not be envious? However, she was wise enough not to let that envy affect her composure.

"You flatter me, my lady."

Lü Yang offered a faint smile at Lady Ruoxiang’s praise, then turned his focus inward, silently perceiving the changes brought by this new Innate Divine Technique.

[Embracing Mountain]

At that moment, a towering mountain shadow emerged within his Dao Foundation. It was a manifestation of Balanced Qi, meant to Stabilize Heaven and Earth, locking all of his Merit and Fortune securely within his body.

’So this is an Innate Divine Technique...’

Lü Yang murmured to himself. The world before his eyes felt completely different. He now had a newfound understanding of karmic links, Fate, and even the very fabric of Heaven and Earth.

’No wonder the gap between the Early and Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment is the attainment of an Innate Divine Technique. It’s not just about gaining another powerful tool; it’s a fundamental completion of one’s Position. The boost an Innate Divine Technique gives to the Dao Foundation, and even the changes it makes to one’s Innate Ability, are immediate and profound.’

"By embracing unity and guarding the center, one can practice Differentiation."

As its name implied, [Embracing Mountain] not only possessed its own wondrous might but could also empower and enhance the [Differentiation] Divine Effect within Lü Yang’s Innate Ability.

Now, when Lü Yang focused on his [Differentiation] ability again,

his vision was immediately filled with innumerable threads of karmic links—some bright, some dim, some thick, some thin, all densely interwoven.

These were all his karmic links.

The most prominent among them was a black, smoky miasma. It had tainted more than half of his karmic threads, eroding his Merit and Fortune.

’Celestial Punishment Tribulation Qi?’

In his Previous Life, he couldn’t see this Tribulation Qi. That was how he had exposed a flaw to the Master of Heaven Mending Peak, nearly seeing all his efforts ruined by unexpected complications.

Now, however, he could not only see the Tribulation Qi’s presence, but as he activated [Differentiation], the towering mountain shadow within his Dao Foundation responded instantly. Washed by the Divine Power Radiance, the dense Tribulation Qi was actually dispersed, allowing the karmic threads on his body to shine brilliantly once more.

This was just the enhancement to his Innate Ability. Beyond that, [Embracing Mountain] itself had two aspects to its Divine Effect, a Void Transformation and a Materialization, that were nothing short of miraculous.

Its Void Transformation could suppress a person’s spirit and nullify their Abilities.

Its Materialization could enforce Balanced Qi and Stabilize Heaven and Earth.

This was the aspect Lü Yang valued most: it was exceptionally effective at crushing weaker opponents.

When using Void Transformation, [Embracing Mountain] manifested as an invisible, great mountain pressing down on a person’s spirit. A mere thought from Lü Yang could place this burden upon another.

From then on, any Cultivator suppressed by [Embracing Mountain] would find it impossible to advance their Cultivation. Every step forward would require hundreds, even thousands of times more effort than normal. If Lü Yang wished it, he could even directly shatter their Cultivation, suppressing someone from the Final-phase of Qi Refining all the way down to the First Layer of Qi Refining!

This effect even worked on Foundation-Stage Cultivators.

Before a fight, he could just slam them with [Embracing Mountain] first. No matter how brilliant their talent, it would unconditionally nullify one Profound Mysterious effect of their Innate Divine Technique!

Three effects would become two, and two would become one.

And one effect would become none!

’If I’d had [Embracing Mountain] when I fought Perfected Huan Wu of the Divine Martial Sect, he wouldn’t have even been able to use his Innate Ability...’

Utterly tyrannical!

What was even more absurd was that he could choose which Divine Effect to suppress. As long as he willed it, he could select any one of their Divine Effects to nullify and erase. This made it an extreme counter to those Foundation-Stage Cultivators who relied entirely on a single core Divine Effect from their Innate Ability for combat.

Like Wu Cang, for instance.

His most powerful technique, [Celestial Furnace Separation Fire], was a combination of the "Wood Fire" Divine Effect from his Innate Ability and his Innate Divine Technique, [No Rushing South].

It had caused Lü Yang a great deal of trouble back then.

Now, however, all he had to do was smash Wu Cang with [Embracing Mountain] and suppress his "Wood Fire," and his opponent’s most powerful technique would be instantly broken!

Of course, this method of nullifying a Divine Effect had its limits.

First, once he chose a Divine Effect to nullify, he couldn’t change his target for a short period. Second, he couldn’t use any of [Embracing Mountain]’s other Divine Effects simultaneously.

The Materialization of [Embracing Mountain] could enforce Balanced Qi and Stabilize Heaven and Earth. As the name suggested, it would manifest a true mountain shadow that suppressed all the Spiritual Qi, karmic links, and Qi within an area. No matter what tricks one tried, escape would be nearly impossible. It was an exceptionally powerful trapping technique.

’Damn, this thing has both special mechanics and raw power.’

Opening his eyes, Lü Yang finally understood why the [Fruit of Rampart Earth] was so highly sought after. The Abilities it granted were all about either special mechanics or raw power.

’Too bad the karmic burden is so heavy.’

’I’ll have to discard it sooner or later, but for now, it has its uses... It’s the perfect time to settle old and new scores. Today, I’ll eliminate a major thorn in my side.’

At this thought, Lü Yang raised his head. "Come on out. Why be so furtive?"

As his voice faded, a figure in black quietly materialized under the dark, windy, moonless sky. The face was familiar, but it lacked the overwhelming might from his Previous Life.

"I am Wu Cang. I greet you, Fellow Daoist Yuan Tu."

Lü Yang laughed at his words. He was well aware that the [Wu Cang] he’d encountered at the end of his Previous Life wasn’t the man himself, but a body possessed by a Daoist Remnant.

But he couldn’t defeat that Daoist Remnant yet.

Still, the pent-up frustration from being hunted to the point of self-destruction in his Previous Life needed a target. For now, he’d just have to settle the score with Wu Cang!

"Yuan Tu, this man’s intentions are hostile..."

Lady Ruoxiang, standing beside him, showed a worried expression. Lü Yang simply waved her back, then said, "I understand why you’ve come, Fellow Daoist."

"Unfortunately, the True Monarch’s Handwriting is far too precious to be given away so lightly."

As Lü Yang finished speaking, the pretense of a smile on Wu Cang’s face vanished. His voice turned chilling. "Are you saying, Fellow Daoist, that you wish to suffer a little?"

Lü Yang didn’t answer.

After breaking through to the Mid-phase, he could see things more clearly. This Wu Cang came from a Loose Cultivator background. Though he had joined the Saint Sect after reincarnating, he still carried the air of a Loose Cultivator.

In short, his many Abilities were all focused on killing and slaughter, with no regard for karmic links.

People like that were too easily influenced.

Therefore, his coming to cause trouble for him might not have been of his own volition.

Thinking back to the Heaven and Earth’s Killing Intent that had plagued him in his Previous Life, Lü Yang now suspected that this was, in all likelihood, the work of some powerful figure within the Saint Sect.

However, such an act was not without its price.

A Foundation-Stage Cultivator is a transcendent being, and their karmic links are unique. To meddle with them requires paying a price; it’s not as simple as manipulating someone at the Qi Refining stage.

In other words—

’If another variable suddenly appears while the karmic links are being manipulated, there’s a 99% chance that the meddling will immediately backfire on the manipulator!’

And what might that variable be?

The answer was self-evident. His enemy was using Wu Cang to deal with him. If he were to suddenly erupt with power and slay Wu Cang, that would be the greatest variable of all!

At this thought, a flash of scarlet crossed Lü Yang’s eyes.

’No matter who is plotting against me, be it Fortune or some other Saint Sect Zhenren, they could never have predicted that I have already broken through to the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment!’

After all, [Embracing Mountain] inherently possessed the ability to stabilize one’s Merit and Fortune. From the very moment of his breakthrough, Lü Yang had used it to lock down all signs of his advancement within his body. He then used the Prophetic Orrery for further concealment, revealing nothing. It was all for this very moment—to deliver a vicious blow to the mastermind pulling the strings!