Chapter 2169: Senior Brother?
Hen Xin"s expression grew serious. Lu Yin was already able to suppress everyone in the entire Human Domain due to the power he had received from Progenitor Chen. On top of that, had he really received the G.o.d of Death’s left arm? This meant that his death energy cultivation would increase rapidly, and Lu Yin would soon not only be able to threaten the Human Domain, but also the entire Fifth Mainland. Dao Chosen Lu… Was he really a child chosen by the heavens?
The news about the G.o.d of Death’s left arm had a ma.s.sive impact on everyone, and Chu Yuan also learned of it. He was in secluded training himself. The only power that he possessed that might allow him to make a comeback was time, and so he was focused on training his power of time.
No one questioned the truth of Lu Yin entering seclusion. If he had picked up the G.o.d of Death’s left arm, then why wouldn’t he immediately go into seclusion?
Also, everyone had paid attention to Lu Yin’s ability to extract stellular energy from the mysterious droplets that continued to drain the true universe, and he had no longer shown himself able to do so. This strengthened people’s belief that Lu Yin really was in seclusion.
When stellular energy had first been stolen from one of the strange droplets, the matter had shocked the entire Fifth Mainland. Lu Yin had even publicly announced that he had been training when the incident had occurred, but after that one time, he had been seen traveling around the Human Domain and carrying out many different tasks. During this time, it was possible to sense that stellular energy was still being pulled from one of the droplets. This led people to realize that whatever was extracting stellular energy was not directly Lu Yin’s but rather connected to something that he possessed. The most likely explanation was the Origin Progenitor’s sword.
Even though this a.s.sumption was not openly brought up, it was widely accepted.
After all, this was the only explanation that made any sense. Semi-Progenitors, and even the Progenitor of Bloodlines himself, who was a true Progenitor, were all unable to influence the stellular energy that had been absorbed by the strange droplets. Thus, how could Lu Yin do such a thing? It only made sense that the Origin Progenitor’s sword would be capable of such a feat.
At present, there was no longer anything that could be sensed stealing stellular energy, which indicated that Lu Yin had gone into seclusion to train, and that he had also taken the Origin Progenitor’s sword with him.
This was not something that Lu Yin had not considered. Rather, it was something that was outside of his control. It was not practical for Sapling to stop absorbing stellular energy, nor for Lu Yin to remain in seclusion. However, it was also clear that as soon as Lu Yin showed himself again, several of his cover stories would be seen through. Still, that did not matter. He had Sapling, and the little tree really was capable of stealing stellular energy back from those mysterious droplets.
After all, since Lu Yin was going to be accompanying his senior brother Qing Ping to the Perennial World, Sapling had to go as well. There was no way that he would leave Sapling behind to continue absorbing stellular energy, as this change would catch people’s attention.
His actions were unintentionally creating shadows that were obscuring the truth.
Lu Yin did not plan to take too many people to the Perennial World with him. The only people would be Tong Yu, Kui Luo, and Elder Qing Xing. He had originally wanted to take a few more people as well, but he had not been able to come up with any more possibilities. As for the people that he had imprisoned on Zenith Mountain, all of them would naturally stay where they were.
With the speed of Semi-Progenitor Kui Luo, it did not take long for Lu Yin to arrive in the Neoverse. With what he had learned from Tian Dou"s memories, Lu Yin quickly found the hidden world that belonged to the Specter clan. Most of the clan members did not even know about this hidden world’s existence, as Tian Dou had kept it a tightly held secret.
Tong Yu did not understand how Lu Yin had learned about this hidden world, as it was impossible for him to have learned of it from Tian Dou. Lu Yin lacked the means to interrogate Tian Dou, and Tong Yu understood just how cruel Tian Dou could be to himself. There was no way any amount of torture would ever force the man to reveal anything.
Lu Yin’s knowledge of the Specter clan’s secrets made him even more mysterious and terrifying to Tong Yu.
The hidden world looked like nothing at all from the outside, as it simply looked like a dilapidated road sign that was so worn down that it could no longer even be read. No one would have guessed that this piece of trash was actually a hidden world.
The small group entered, and they found the sky in the hidden world to be dark, and the air humid. It felt like they were standing in a swamp. Strange, unknown creatures writhed in b.a.l.l.s like snakes, and hissing sounds could be heard in all directions. The sounds were quite disturbing.
"This place is quite creepy. There are countless beasts tangled together beneath us, and the most powerful one is definitely as strong as an Envoy," Kui Luo commented. Even he was not very comfortable in his hidden world.
Lu Yin also felt very uncomfortable. This place did not feel like a hidden world, but more like a den of snakes.
Tong Yu pursed her lips. "This was deliberately done by our patriarch so that even if someone managed to stumble upon this place by accident, they would simply try to leave as soon as possible. There’s no sign of any treasures or resources, and nothing stands out to indicate a connection to my Specter clan."
"Well, this just shows how cunning Tian Dou really was. This isn’t something that most people would ever try to do." Kui Luo let out an odd laugh.
Below them, several black snakes shot into the sky, snapping at the humans who had just arrived.
Tong Yu reacted, and her death energy turned into clouds that dropped down and completely covered the swamp below them.
With that change, Lu Yin felt much more comfortable. Before, it had felt like they were standing right in front of the creatures’ mouths.
What he had observed in Tian Dou"s memories had been quite different from personally seeing the hidden world.
The resources that Tian Dou had hidden in the hidden world had been placed beneath all the creatures, but after Tong Yu cleared a path, Lu Yin easily found almost 100 billion star essence, as well as some other resources.
The other resources had been part of Tian Dou"s personal collection, which meant that they were practically invaluable. Still, as far as Lu Yin was concerned, the most useful thing in the hidden world was the star essence, and he intended to donate everything else to the Heavens Sect. Already, many of the Great Eastern Alliance’s resources had been turned over to the Heavens Sect.
Even if things were useless to Lu Yin personally, they might be very useful to others.
For example, there were natural treasures that had matured to where they could sense danger and avoid it, power vessels, different pieces of equipment, and even battle techniques and cultivation arts. All of these things could greatly benefit the Heavens Sect and the Tower of Inheritances.
Such things were especially important for the Tower of the Fifth, as Lu Yin benefited greatly from that place’s mere existence, as more and more people had started to accept Lu Yin as a half-master. Even if this was not worth much at the moment, Lu Yin understood that all of his actions would have different reactions in the future, and they would benefit him differently.
What he had learned about karmic backlash and divination had driven this point home even further.
Once the Specter clan’s resources were collected, Kui Luo led Lu Yin and the others towards the place where Lu Yin had returned to the Fifth Mainland from the Perennial World. It was located within the Honor Zone.
Upon arriving, they found that not only was Lu Yin’s senior brother Qing Ping waiting for them, but also Elder Gong, Highsage Grandmaster, Grandmaster Xiu Ming, and Jiu Chi, who had not been seen by anyone for a long time.
Jiu Chi had retreated from the public, and after he had been injured during the battle against Aeternus, no one had made any demands of the Semi-Progenitor. He had spent almost all of his time at this same location, standing watch over the sourcebox array.
"Senior, it’s been a long time." Lu Yin immediately greeted Jiu Chi when he saw the old man.
Jiu Chi took a sip of his wine. "I haven’t seen you for quite some time, and you’ve already basically become a Progenitor."
Lu Yin was left speechless. "You’ve been drinking too much, Senior."
Jiu Chi laughed. "It’s just how things are. You’re able to use the power of a Progenitor, which means that you’ve become one. How is there any difference?"
Lu Yin arched a brow. At first glance, there was nothing explicitly wrong with this comment, but a Progenitor was a cultivation realm and not just a level of strength. This was nothing more than a drunk’s rambling.
"Heading to the Perennial World?" Jiu Chi asked.
Lu Yin nodded. "My senior brother needs to make a breakthrough, which is only possible to do in the Perennial World."
Jiu Chi took another drink of his wine. "If you can, bring my poor disciple back here. I don’t know what happened to her."
Lu Yin knew that the old man was referring to Liquor Hero. Jiu Chi had been a rather irresponsible drunk for a long time, but he had accepted two disciples. One was Qiong Xi"er, who had been taught the Yinyang Trisage Technique, while the other disciple was Liquor Hero, who had picked up Jiu Chi’s alcoholism.
In truth, Liquor Hero was Jiu Chi’s true disciple, while Qiong Xi’er had simply been lucky enough to receive some of the old man’s teachings and battle techniques.
Long ago, Lu Yin had used the fact that the Ce family had acquired the Yinyang Trisage Technique to threaten the family. Looking back, Lu Yin felt like it had been a long, long time since then.
Suddenly, Lu Yin remembered something, and he looked over at Qing Ping. "Senior Brother, won"t we be separated if we use this sourcebox array to go to the Perennial World?"
"That"s correct," Grandmaster Xiu Ming replied, "This sourcebox array merely allows people to pierce through the barriers of time and s.p.a.ce to enter the Perennial World, but it cannot send people to a set location. Everyone who uses it at the same time will be scattered like ZENITH’s finalists."
"In that case, we won’t have an easy time trying to stand guard over my senior brother"s breakthrough." Lu Yin hesitated.
Kui Luo mockingly asked Lu Yin, "Kid, don"t you have that Zenith Mountain?"
Lu Yin"s face twitched. He had actually forgotten about that. He had been so focused on the current matter that he had actually forgotten all about the existence of Zenith Mountain.
"That’s the biggest reason for you to accompany me to the Perennial World," Qing Ping casually mentioned.
Lu Yin pursed his lips. "The biggest reason is to protect you, Senior Brother, during your breakthrough. I hope that there won’t be too much of a commotion, as we’ll be in trouble if you draw the attention of a Progenitor."
The Perennial World was truly ma.s.sive, and the s.p.a.ce there was far more stable than the Fifth Mainland’s. Only Envoys could tear through the void in the Perennial World, which meant that even Semi-Progenitors could not quickly travel around. Even if Qing Ping’s breakthrough was noticed by Semi-Progenitors, it would not be any problem.
However, being noticed by a Progenitor was an entirely different matter. A Progenitor could arrive almost anywhere in an instant, and none of them had the power to stand up to a Progenitor.
Lu Yin had already experienced the power of such instantaneous movement through Progenitor Chen’s Cosmic Stomp. For Lu Yin, he could reach anywhere in the entire Human Domain with merely a thought. This was an ability exclusive to Progenitors.
With this matter being addressed, Highsage Grandmaster also jumped in. "If a Progenitor notices the breakthrough, it’s simply a matter of fate. There’s nothing to be done about such a thing."
Elder Gong directed a more somber look at Lu Yin. "It might be best for you to not go with us."
The man was most concerned about what was on the bottom of Lu Yin"s foot.
Qing Ping remained completely calm. "If a Progenitor notices, someone will intervene."
Everyone looked over in shock.
"Someone will help you? Someone from the Perennial World? Who?" Kui Luo demanded. He was more familiar with the Perennial World than anyone else here, and he even knew about the various Progenitors. However, just which one would be willing to help someone from the Forsaken Land?
Lu Yin suddenly thought of something, and he excitedly asked, "Is it our senior brother whom I’ve never met?"
Qing Ping nodded "Senior Brother is a Progenitor, but he will only intervene as a last resort."
Everyone was completely shocked.
"You have a senior brother who’s a Progenitor?" Kui Luo exclaimed again.
Jiu Chi, Elder Gong, Highsage Grandmaster, and Grandmaster Xiu Ming were all stunned. The Fifth Mainland had not had any Progenitors for eons, and yet the powers of Progenitors had recently started appearing one after another. Where was this Progenitor from? The Perennial World?
"Just who is your master?" Jiu Chi asked in a daze. This information was just too overwhelming.
Lu Yin suddenly felt both excited and nervous. He was terrified at the possibility that his senior brother might be one of the four ruling powers’ Progenitors, in which case, how was he supposed to react? "Who is our senior brother?"
Qing Ping and Lu Yin stared at each other for a moment. "Humility"s Gate’s Progenitor. Mu Xie."
Lu Yin"s pupils shrank. Mu Xie? Mu Xie, the same Progenitor who had nearly accepted Lu Yin as his disciple? The Progenitor who was known for hating all traitors to humanity and who worked to protect humanity from hidden dangers and eliminate all Redbacks?
Lu Yin had actually wondered if Mu Xie might be one of Mister Mu"s disciples, given their shared surname and the fact that Mu Xie was a Progenitor. It had seemed extremely likely, but it had never been anything more than a guess. Having his suspicions be confirmed ways changed everything.
"The master of Humility"s Gate, Mu Xie, is our senior brother?" Lu Yin asked again.
Qing Ping answered indifferently, "Didn"t you meet him?"
"I never actually saw him." Lu Yin felt rather depressed, though also quite awkward. If w.a.n.g Yun had not remembered where she had seen Lu Yin before and exposed him, would Lu Yin have accepted his senior disciple brother as his master? How would that have complicated their relationship?
"Progenitor Mu Xie is your senior disciple brother?" Kui Luo shouted. This was his third time yelling, which went to show just how badly shocked he felt.
Lu Yin and Qing Ping both looked over at Kui Luo at the same time. ""Is there a problem?""
Kui Luo opened his mouth, but he could not find anything to say. Was there a problem? Of course there was! Mu Xie was a mighty Progenitor from the Perennial World, while these two were from the Forsaken Land. How could they be fellow disciples? The difference in their statuses was just too drastic.
No, wait. If these two men’s senior disciple brother was already a Progenitor, then what did that say about their master?
"Kid, who’s your master? Why don’t you introduce me to him so that I can accept him as my master as well?" Kui Luo had peerlessly thick skin, and he was eager to try this.