Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 525: Benefactor, Please Preside Over the Pure Land

At this moment, the ring of swords echoed throughout the East.

From Spiritual Treasures on high to common iron below, anything shaped like a sword answered the call, their crisp ringing transforming into a world-shaking roar.

All eyes, all attention, focused on the man who had suddenly appeared in the East.

He was neither handsome nor imposing. Dressed in a black robe with a scruffy beard, he looked like any down-on-his-luck swordsman one might find in the mundane world.

Yet no one paid any mind to the man’s appearance or bearing. Their gazes were fixed on the sword in his hand. In stark contrast to the man’s ordinary looks, the sword was incandescently brilliant. Simply gazing upon its blade could induce the illusion of being torn asunder.

Meanwhile, Lü Yang’s eyes widened in disbelief.

After all, he was all too familiar with this blade.

’Master Demon-Vanquishing Perfected!’

’That’s Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, Ye Guangji! He should be in seclusion in Jiangnan right now, completely focused on delaying his Void Sword Dao and ignoring the outside world!’

’Why is Master here...?’

The thought had barely formed when Lü Yang slapped his own forehead. ’I’ve been dealing with villains for so long,’ he thought, ’my mind didn’t make the switch.’

Why would Demon-Vanquishing Perfected show up?

The reason was simple: Buddha’s Son Guang Ming had entered the East, leaving a trail of annihilation in his wake, slaughtering every person and animal he passed. How could Demon-Vanquishing Perfected *not* come?

Of course he would come!

And not only had Demon-Vanquishing Perfected come, he had come in a towering rage. He gave Buddha’s Son Guang Ming no chance to speak, raising his Non-Killing Sword and slashing down with brutal force!

Seeing this, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s expression darkened. He laughed, exasperated.

"I wasn’t looking for trouble with you, yet you come and ruin my plans. You truly don’t know what’s good for you! You should know that no matter how powerful, a Foundation Establishment cultivator is still just that—Foundation Establishment!"

As he spoke, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming pressed his palms together. His movements perfectly mirrored the dilapidated Buddha Statue behind him, their connection instantly becoming seamless. The Sword Light from Demon-Vanquishing Perfected struck him, but just as before, it was completely swallowed by the ruined statue, failing to cause even the slightest ripple.

"Amitabha."

Seeing this, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming chuckled. "Very well. Taking one or taking two, it makes no difference. Today, I will deliver you both to the Pure Land..."

"CLANG!"

Before Buddha’s Son Guang Ming could finish, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected’s Sword Light struck him again. This time, however, the Divine Effect within the light was completely different.

Among the myriad of living beings, [Non-Killing] is the way.

Against demons and the Outer Dao, [All Slash] without pardon!

"BOOM!"

The next second, the smile on Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s face froze. He whipped his head around in horror, only to see that the connection between him and the dilapidated Buddha Statue had been severed out of thin air!

And in that exact instant.

A fair hand emerged from nowhere, passing through Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s Protective Buddha Light and silently pressing against his back, right over his heart.

—Minor Metal!

Ever since their Abilities had proven ineffective, Minor Metal had concealed their Qi trace, remaining utterly silent and still, waiting... until this very battle opportunity presented itself!

Instantly, a blazing light erupted.

[Jade Platform Radiant Light!]

This searing light was not immense; it was like the flickering of a candle flame. This was the True Skill corresponding to the [Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire]. Fire born from light, it instantly set Buddha’s Son Guang Ming ablaze!

This is what is known as [Golden Cup Fire].

It appeared weak, but in reality, it clung to him like a disease gnawing at his bones. It treated a Cultivator’s Mana and Abilities as candle wax; once lit, the flame could neither be extinguished nor abated.

Even Lü Yang was stunned by the sight. It was his first time seeing Minor Metal in Combat, and their methods were extraordinarily ruthless. More importantly, this fighting style was a stark contrast to Minor Metal’s public persona of grandeur and dignity—it was utterly insidious and vicious to the extreme!

They either didn’t strike at all, or they struck to kill.

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s entire body was now engulfed in raging flames. His kasaya was instantly incinerated, his Spirit Light scattered, revealing a powerful, muscular torso.

His skin looked as if it were cast from bronze and forged from gold.

Yet this flawless Golden Body was now covered in a dense web of cracks, as if it had transformed from solid gold and iron into fragile porcelain.

Through these fissures, one could even see his internal organs, which were also being seared by the inferno. His organs, his heart, his lungs—all had become fuel for the fire. It was as if he had been turned into a human candelabra, and the flames would not stop until he was reduced to ashes.

Buddha’s Son Guang Ming pressed his lips together, his jaw tight.

He was clearly in immense agony, yet with the abandon of one who has forsaken life and death, he fixed his gaze squarely on Lü Yang.

He had only one purpose for this journey: the Enlightenment of Lü Yang.

He was willing to make any sacrifice for it.

He was, after all, just one of countless Monks. There was an endless supply of them. The Bhagavat would merely need to bring forth another Buddha’s Son through Enlightenment.

Therefore, his own life and death were unimportant.

What mattered was whether the five Dharma Appearances bestowed by the Bhagavat could land on Lü Yang. As long as they did, his mission would be a success.

So, on the brink of a life-and-death crisis, Buddha’s Son Guang Ming made no attempt to suppress his injuries, retreat, or defend himself. Instead, he channeled his entire Divine Power into the five Dharma Appearances and sent them hurtling down toward Lü Yang like a mountain collapsing upon him!

In the next instant, Buddha Light flooded everything.

"You really do underestimate me, Daoist."

The voice suddenly sounded right beside his ear. Buddha’s Son Guang Ming’s pupils contracted violently. His eyes, once filled with hope, abruptly dimmed with despair.

’I failed... How could I have failed?’

He didn’t understand. Five Dharma Appearances, all descending upon a single person—it was like using a mountain to crush an egg. How could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator possibly withstand such power?

But he had no strength left to ponder it. Lü Yang wasn’t wasting any time on him. Even as Lü Yang spoke, the tip of the Tribulation Wave had already plunged into his chest. It was the final straw. Five streams of light—five different Abilities—swirled upon the blade!

[Heaven-Slaying Sword-Drawing Technique], [Heartless Slash].

[Formless and Thoughtless], [Dust Separation and Disruption].

[One Thought Divine Saber].

The five Abilities wove together to form a [Gold-Plated Military Token]. Combined with the Tribulation Wave’s own [Xuanwei] mystique, the power of the Sword Light was pushed to its absolute peak!

It was like an autumn wind sweeping away dead leaves.

Over in the blink of an eye.

When the Splendid Light faded, Guang Ming’s figure was gone. His entire Golden Body had disintegrated, his flesh, blood, and organs incinerated to ash in the flames.

’The Buddha’s Son has fallen!’

But Lü Yang, seeing this, didn’t relax in the slightest. Across from him, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected and Minor Metal also had their brows tightly furrowed, their own Qi traces flaring even more intensely.

Was it over?

’No... This is only the beginning.’

Lü Yang held the Tribulation Wave in a reverse grip and stared at the dilapidated Buddha Statue standing in the desolate wilds. ’This is the Bhagavat’s true play. The Buddha’s Son was just a feint... a feint to lure out my Fake Golden Position.’

But what Lü Yang hadn’t expected was this: the five Dharma Appearances—the very ones he had escaped at the last possible second—reappeared, taking up positions around the Buddha Statue.

"Amitabha!"

The five Dharma Appearances spoke in unison. "Benefactor, you have a powerful Buddhist Destiny, one that far surpasses that of the Buddha’s Son. Since you are able to preside over the Dao Court, why can you not also preside over the Pure Land?"

"This Buddha Statue has been prepared for you."

"The [Immortal Dao Law] can verify the truth of our words. The Bhagavat is our witness: this Buddha Statue is the one true Buddha in the hearts of the hundreds of millions of Monks in the Pure Land."

"With this Buddha present, there will be Unity."

"The Bhagavat has already relinquished his claim to this Buddha, casting it aside. If you, Benefactor, can cultivate it to completion through your own power, you can take the Bhagavat’s place and preside over the Pure Land."

"The Unity of the masses will be yours."

"Then, without lifting a finger, the hundreds of millions of Monks in the West will be at your command. Attaining the [Fruit of Celestial Fire] will be as easy as turning your hand!"

With that, the five Dharma Appearances bowed their heads and performed a full, reverent prostration.

"We implore you, Benefactor, to preside over the Pure Land! End all suffering, attain supreme and perfect enlightenment, and become the one perfect in knowledge and conduct, the knower of worlds, the unsurpassed one—the Great Sun Tathagata whose light illuminates all!"