Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect-Chapter 37: Lunar Shedding Technique

Lü Yang muttered, "This Lunar Shedding Technique is quite difficult..."

After a night of seclusion he stared down at the secret manual of divine abilities, brow furrowed. "Legendary Techniques cannot be executed without great Qi; they are the pinnacle of techniques."

Legendary Techniques combine several compatible top-tier Techniques and unleash a force many times greater than the sum of its parts.

The Lunar Shedding Technique is exactly such a synthesis. To master it, one must first learn three top-tier techniques: "Heavenfiend Lifeblood Offering Radiance," "Yin Curse," and "Heaven Imperial Decree Talisman." Each stands as its own mountain—incredibly difficult and dependent on rare opportunity.

Success in cultivating legendary techniques hinges on three things: comprehension, fortune, and merit. Miss any one, and failure is certain.

Take the first "Heavenfiend Lifeblood Offering Radiance." Countless cultivators have been ensnared by its requirement: flaying flesh as part of cultivation—a savage severing of one’s immortal path. Even mastery brings hollow triumph.

The second, "Yin Curse," does not carry those physical horrors, but its barrier is external: it requires a piece of "Lunar Goddess Jade" as a medium. Without that wondrous artifact, no amount of cultivation or insight will suffice.

Lunar Goddess Jade is absurdly rare—so rare that the Stain Sect’s exchange catalog does not even list it. Even with Contribution Points, you cannot buy it.

Thus, acquiring Yin Curse depends entirely on destiny; scouring the world would be pointless without fate smiling upon you.

So Lü Yang skimmed that entry and set it aside. That left the third technique: "Heaven Imperial Decree Talisman". It demanded neither precious external materials nor gruesome side effects—yet it was extraordinarily abstruse. Once mastered, the technique would allow him to calculate all karmic links of his enemies.

He spent the whole night studying and gained almost nothing.

"It’s part array, part talisman," he muttered. "Whether you can master it comes down to enlightenment. If you can’t grasp it, you simply can’t."

He scratched his head and spoke aloud to himself. "I’ve endured more difficult arrays. How long can a single technique hold me back? Twenty years, perhaps—fine. I’ll spend twenty more and master it."

The Lunar Shedding Technique’s allure was irresistible. Once all three were fused, they shaped a capability beyond individual techniques. Most enticingly, the technique raises the probability of a cultivator breaking through to Foundation Establishment.

That single merit fixed Lü Yang’s resolve.

Time moved on. Five years passed in a blink.

Inside Blood Robe Tower, Lü Yang leaned on the railing and practiced the Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis. Mist rose and fell as he inhaled and exhaled, conjuring shifting magical scenes.

Eighth Transformation—Illusory Mirage.

Skull Mountain’s spirit vein was meager, but Lü Yang had ample funds and a reserve of Spirit Stones; cultivation did not stall. After five years of arduous training, though the Talisman remained a deadlock, inspiration struck: Qi spontaneously broke barriers. When awareness returned, the Qi seed in his dantian had transformed, faintly manifesting a dragon-shaped shadow.

Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

"The leap from Seventh to Eighth isn’t as dramatic as Sixth to Seventh," he observed, "but my True Qi and magical power have nearly doubled."

"Realm forms the base," he thought. "Without the realm, even the finest techniques are hollow."

"Who cares about lacking Legendary Techniques? With my current strength I can transcend cultivation gaps to defeat a Mid-phase true disciple. And once I complete the ninth transformation—the Flying Fish Transformation—I can shatter the bottleneck and push toward Great Perfection."

Determination swelled. The prospect of the immortal path drawing near dispelled his frustration over failing to master the Talisman. He left the Quiet Chamber in high spirits—but first performed Qi Concealment.

In an instant his newly attained power was masked, his aura reduced to a slightly stronger Seventh Layer.

He murmured. "One should always keep aces up the sleeve."

Before long the Stain Sect disciples under Blood Robe Tower gathered and paid respects.

"Congratulations, Tower Master, on emerging from seclusion!"

"Rise," Lü Yang said, waving casually. "Any disturbances near Skull Mountain during my seclusion?"

"None, Tower Master," an elderly disciple reported. "Only once—disciples from the Northern Border Divine Martial Sect provoked us, but Fairy Feixia drove them off."

"And the Lunar Goddess Jade? Any news?"

"None..."

Having taken stock of the last five years, Lü Yang dismissed the crowd, planning another seclusion until the Foundation Establishment opportunity arising from the Great Righteous-Evil War.

At that moment a rainbow-like streak of flying light landed by Blood Robe Tower.

"Junior Brother Lü, may I see you?"

He sensed it with his spiritual sense and stood to greet, smiling: "Sister gracing us in person—truly I should be visiting you."

"Junior Brother, there’s trouble."

Feixia’s face was grave. "The Earth Observation Device reports that the corpse tide we expected in fifteen years has been forced forward. Tens of thousands of zombies are advancing toward the Market."

"No prior omen—this is manipulation. I suspect the Northern Border Divine Martial Sect."

Lü Yang’s brow tightened as Feixia fixed her gaze on him. "Sister needs my help?"

"Yes. Will Junior Brother stand with me against the corpse tide?"

Feixia smiled, radiant and fierce. "A crisis is also an opportunity. Whoever forced the tide relied on a wondrous artifact. Together we might seize it. Even if surrounded, given our cultivation, the risk is minimal."

Her eyes shone with valor. Lü Yang, however, shook his head.

"My apologies, Sister. I am not like you. My strength is inadequate—I have not mastered the technique; I know some arrays, but I should remain to maintain the Market."

Any risk was still a risk. A prudent man avoids unnecessary peril; with steady cultivation he expected to reach the Final-phase of Qi Refining. Why gamble now? This lifetime’s primary goal was the breakthrough. Adventures could follow only after that.

"You’re not coming?" Feixia’s brows knit in rare distress. "The immortal road is short and breakthroughs require risking all. I thought you understood."

Lü Yang’s Dao Heart remained steady. "Times have changed. Please understand, Sister."

"You’ve changed," Feixia said sadly. "If so, remain to guard the Market—but when opportunity strikes, you will have no share."

Lü Yang only smiled.

Truth be told, Feixia never truly seemed like a Stain Sect disciple—too untouched by its harshness. Even if they secured a great prize out there, would they not flee back to the Market, where he maintained order? And if they claimed he was excluded—surely tales would be told that the brave had fallen on the front lines against the zombie tide.