Chapter 303 : Repeated Maneuvers, Gaining from Both Sides

Chapter 303: Repeated Maneuvers, Gaining from Both Sides

Compared to reaching out to Chong Guang, contacting Hong Yun required more effort from Lü Yang.

Of course, it wasn’t truly difficult to make contact; as long as he could touch upon some of Hong Yun’s core interests, there would be no need for him to appear in person—Hong Yun would come seeking him.

Lü Yang’s method was straightforward: using the 【String Puppet】 to control a local Qi Refining rogue cultivator from Jiangbei, he then remotely influenced the karmic threads of Xiao Shiye. With such maneuvers, treating Xiao Shiye as bait, the Daoist Hong Yun would naturally be alarmed and come knocking.

Lü Yang’s strategy aligned precisely with Chong Guang’s suspicions.

Given the importance of the Cave Heaven fragment, how could Lü Yang possibly sell the information to just one party? After all, the greatest advantage of intelligence was its ability to be sold multiple times!

The next moment, the void cracked open.

Seeing this, Lü Yang’s eyes lit up slightly: “Fellow Daoist…”

Boom!

Before he could finish speaking, the Daoist Hong Yun directly unleashed his magic power, slapping the Qi Refining rogue cultivator into a pulp. However, soon after, two more figures appeared:

“Fellow Daoist, don’t you want to know…”

Before the first figure could finish speaking, the Daoist Hong Yun shattered it once again. Fortunately, the second figure continued: “…the whereabouts of your own Cave Heaven?”

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Hong Yun, who had initially arrived sensing someone tampering with Xiao Shiye’s karmic threads and had casually killed the Qi Refining cultivator upon finding him, was momentarily stunned. Focusing his gaze, he then noticed the peculiar expressions on these “Qi Refining rogue cultivators.”

“…Who are you?”

Glancing at the sky, the Daoist Hong Yun waved his sleeve, instantly disappearing with Lü Yang from the spot. Shortly after, a divine sense tore through the air.

“Whoosh!”

The immense divine sense swept across the scene like a storm scattering leaves, yet found nothing. Eventually, it coalesced into a cold, frosty silhouette.

【True Lord Qingcheng Feixue】!

“What a pity… he escaped quickly.”

After all, the Daoist Hong Yun had once been a True Lord of the Primordial Saint Sect. Unless confronted face-to-face, even she would find it difficult to trace someone who was determined to hide.

At this thought, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue suddenly smiled charmingly, her beautiful eyes gleaming with interest: “Judging by this, could it be that the person is indeed selling the information to both sides and has come to negotiate with Hong Yun as well? That’s not unacceptable. If I lie in wait, perhaps I can capture him…”

Jiangbei, a remote mountain forest.

This place, nestled among towering mountains, was concealed by multiple layers of formations, each designed to obscure heavenly secrets, completely severing all karmic ties.

In the next moment, the void cracked open.

The Daoist Hong Yun, bringing along the Qi Refining rogue cultivator under Lü Yang’s control, stepped directly into the formation. Following Chong Guang’s example, he immediately initiated a soul search.

Truly an old member of the Primordial Saint Sect.

Lü Yang remained calm, having grown accustomed to such actions.

Only after the soul search yielded nothing did the Daoist Hong Yun begin to regard Lü Yang differently, asking, “Do you know the name of my Cave Heaven?”

This was the final test.

Without hesitation, Lü Yang replied, “【Changyao Baoguang Cave Heaven】!”

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Hong Yun exhaled deeply. Anyone who could name this place was either an old member of the Primordial Saint Sect or had genuinely seen his Cave Heaven.

“What do you want?”

Clearly, the Daoist Hong Yun understood that there was no such thing as love or hate without reason in this world. Since Lü Yang had sought him out, he naturally desired some benefit.

Unlike Chong Guang, who, as the acting Sect Master of the Primordial Saint Sect, held significant influence and had room for maneuvering, the Daoist Hong Yun, having languished for five thousand years, was already cornered.

Therefore, his attitude was refreshingly straightforward.

Seeing the Daoist Hong Yun’s decisiveness, Lü Yang also got straight to the point: “I want the half-true treasure you left in the Biyang Cultivation World and that innate Dao abomination!”

“…Who exactly are you?”

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Hong Yun’s expression grew more solemn, his brows furrowing. His arrangements in the Biyang Cultivation World should have been known to no one.

How had the information leaked?

The half-true treasure he left in the Biyang Cultivation World, the 【Imperial Mansion Golden Seal Doushuai True Decree】, was actually a failed strategy. He had planned to use it to feign holding the golden position.

However, the difficulty of feigning the golden position was exceedingly high. Even after using all the talents of the Biyang Cultivation World to refine it, the 【Imperial Mansion Golden Seal Doushuai True Decree】 remained a half-true treasure, unable to fully transform into a true treasure. Its utility was limited to deducing divine abilities, which, while not critical, was at least not entirely useless.

Thus, when Lü Yang requested this half-true treasure, aside from being surprised at the leak of information, the Daoist Hong Yun felt little reluctance.

“But… how can I trust you?”

The Daoist Hong Yun sneered, “As for the Cave Heaven fragment you mentioned, do you think I’m unaware? Isn’t it just the one beneath the waters of Gantang Dao in Jiangnan!”

Upon hearing this, Lü Yang’s eyebrows raised slightly.

However, he quickly understood. In his previous life, since the Daoist Hong Yun had managed to return to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm and refine a blessed land, he must have found the Cave Heaven fragment.

It now seemed he had discovered some clues long ago.

But why hadn’t he acted immediately?

With this thought, Lü Yang regained his composure and chuckled, “It seems fellow Daoist harbors suspicions, suspecting that the Cave Heaven fragment might be problematic?”

As expected!

No matter what, the Daoist Hong Yun was once a True Lord of the Primordial Saint Sect. How could he not understand that opportunities often came with pitfalls? The problem was, he had no choice!

“…”

After Lü Yang finished speaking, the Daoist Hong Yun, though wanting to refute, found himself speechless. This had indeed been his greatest concern recently.

However, the pressure from Chong Guang was immense. As the former master of 【Overturning Lamp Flame】, he could vaguely sense that its attention towards him was waning, gradually being usurped by Chong Guang. If this continued, he would truly be dethroned!

His options were limited.

Therefore, not long ago, he had resolved to make a trip to Jiangnan to retrieve the Cave Heaven fragment. Even if it was a poisoned bait, he had to swallow it!

Yet, Lü Yang’s appearance changed his mind.

“What else do you know?”

Under the Daoist Hong Yun’s gaze, Lü Yang directly imprinted a copy of the 『True Explanation of Observing the Void and Inner Heaven and Earth』 he had obtained from the Cave Heaven using his divine sense.

Although 【Ang Xiao】 had erased all memories of this from the Daoist Xiao Hai.

Lü Yang had taken advantage of the Daoist Xiao Hai’s body to memorize the content. The Daoist Xiao Hai had forgotten, but what did that have to do with Lü Yang?

“This is…!?”

Upon seeing the 『True Explanation of Observing the Void and Inner Heaven and Earth』, the Daoist Hong Yun’s eyes revealed excitement, feeling that the method before him was strikingly familiar.

“I have another related method.”

Lü Yang calmly said, “That one is even more important; it’s a secret technique used to connect with 【Overturning Lamp Flame】. I believe you’d be more interested in it?”

Upon hearing this, the Daoist Hong Yun immediately closed his eyes.

Lü Yang smiled, knowing that unlike his deal with Chong Guang, this time, he held complete control over the negotiations with the Daoist Hong Yun.

“Fellow Daoist, you must accompany me overseas.”

With an assertive tone, Lü Yang stated directly, “In addition to the 【Imperial Mansion Golden Seal Doushuai True Decree】, you must also assist me in subduing that innate Dao abomination.”

After all, he couldn’t handle that Dao abomination alone.

“…Very well.” Understanding that he had lost the initiative, the Daoist Hong Yun didn’t haggle and straightforwardly agreed to Lü Yang’s demands.

The transaction concluded satisfactorily, with both parties pleased.

After exchanging flying message spirit books for future contact, the Daoist Hong Yun watched Lü Yang depart, while internally musing:

‘Who exactly is this person from the Primordial Saint Sect?’

‘Could he be bait set by Chong Guang to lure me? Even if not, given the Primordial Saint Sect’s ways, selling information to both sides is standard practice, and burning bridges afterward is commonplace.’

‘Is he going to contact Chong Guang next?’

“Hey, hey, hey?”

Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds, Sacred Fire Cliff.

Chong Guang looked at the flying message spirit book in his hand with a peculiar expression, watching as Lü Yang’s handwriting rapidly appeared:

【Acting Sect Master, I have a golden opportunity to trap Hong Yun.】

【Interested?】