Star Odyssey

Chapter 1933: Everchanging You Ming

"Why should I help the Yōu clan?" Lu Yin asked bluntly. He already knew that he wanted to try to help Yōu Kexin, but he would never admit that to Madam Yōu.

The woman bitterly responded, "I don't know what my Yōu family can offer you for this, Alliance Leader Lu."

The Sword Sect was keeping the Yōu family contained and suppressed, but regardless of how it might have happened, the Sword Sect and the Yōu family were both members of the Great Eastern Alliance, and they both needed to listen to Lu Yin. Madam Yōu really could not think of anything she could offer for Lu Yin's help.

Lu Yin's eyes narrowed. "I want to know why your Yōu family split away from the Yōu clan, as well as more information about the Yōu Secret Art."

Madam Yōu was not surprised by this demand, as this was the only thing that both Lu Yin and the Sword Sect might be interested in that her Yōu family possessed.

Yōu Ye'er pursed her lips and glanced at Madam Yōu. There was only one path that they could take moving forward. Without this, there was no telling if the Yōu family would even be able to survive this disaster. There were no other options before them.

Madam Yōu thought for a moment before letting out a long breath. "Alliance Leader Lu, my Yōu family broke away from the Yōu clan because of the Yōu Secret Art.

"The Yōu Secret Art is something that only a single person can possess at a time. While it's called a secret technique, it's actually-" Madam Yōu suddenly fell silent for a long time. She really did not want to share this information, but would they be able to survive if she continued to protect this secret? They had begged Lu Yin for his help multiple times, but he had never agreed to help them. This might be their last chance. Without Lu Yin's aid, not to mention the Yōu clan, but even the Yōu Secret Art might disappear. What would be the purpose in trying to protect this secret then?

They had broken away from the Yōu clan because they had feared that this secret would be leaked, but letting just Lu Yin know would not make much of a difference.

"The truth is that the Yōu Secret art is not merely a secret technique, but also a treasure of time." Each word was slowly enunciated by Madam Yōu, and her expression was solemn as she spoke. However, she found herself relaxing after she unveiled this secret.

Yōu Ye'er closed her eyes. Her family's deepest secret was about to be exposed.

Back in the Voidsoul Region, Lu Yin's head snapped up. "What? What do you mean by a treasure of time?"

Madam Yōu continued, "The Yōu Secret Art was created by Ancient Progenitor Yōu Ming, who is my Yōu clan's ancestor. It's a secret technique with no ability to attack, defend, or even heal. While it's a secret technique, it has absolutely no use in a fight, and at best, it can be used to keep the user hidden. Yōu Ye'er's strength hasn't risen over the years because of the Yōu Secret Art. Instead, it rose naturally and was simply kept hidden by the Yōu Secret Art.

"While this secret technique has no use in battle, it's actually because it's not a true secret technique, but rather a treasure. Those who practice the secret art might occasionally gain something from it, possibly due to simple coincidence or because of the passage of time. Battle techniques can be acquired, and they are the battle techniques of Progenitor Yōu Ming, such as the Heart-killer Lotus that Ye'er used during ZENITH."

Lu Yin was stunned. So this was the truth behind the Yōu Secret Art. It was no wonder why not a single person in the entire Fifth Mainland had ever heard of the Heart-killer Lotus before, including even the members of the Yōu clan. It ended up being something that Yōu Ye'er had picked up from the Yōu Secret Art that had been created by Progenitor Yōu Ming. The battle technique had to be extremely ancient and powerful, or else it would not have been created by an Ancient Progenitor.

Progenitor Yōu Ming had been an Ancient Progenitor, and Lu Yin had no idea how she measured up to the God of Death or Destiny.

"The Yōu Secret Art is also why my Yōu clan has always been on thin ice throughout the years. We have always sensed someone observing us, no matter if it was during the Daosource Sect's era, or more recently when the Hall of Honor has come to power. Every generation, someone from my Yōu clan has inherited this secret technique, and every single leader of our family has felt these eyes on us. We have no idea who is watching us or where they are, but that cold gaze has never left us." Madam Yōu's voice was trembling as she spoke. "This gaze is also why we were left with no choice but to separate ourselves from the Yōu clan and take the secret technique away."

"How did that work out for you?" Lu Yin asked.

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Madam Yōu hesitated for a moment. "It seems to have worked, but we can't be certain. We no longer sense those eyes on us, but we aren't really sure that it's gone."

"You never considered that it might have been safer for you to stay within the Seven Courts? There you would have had Xia Ji, who's a Semi-Progenitor," Lu Yin was puzzled.

Madam Yōu grew bitter. "Xia Ji? He's the Xia family's Semi-Progenitor, which means nothing to my Yōu clan. If the secret of Yōu Secret Art was ever exposed, Xia Ji could very well be the first to come after us."

Lu Yin nodded, as this was not in any way inaccurate. Xia Ji was an unscrupulous person, and it was highly likely that he would attack the Yōu family if there was anything to be gained from it.

"In that case, why are you telling me about this now? Aren't you afraid that I'll come after you?" Lu Yin was curious.

Madam Yōu mournfully replied, "I don't have any choice but to tell you. The Yōu clan is facing a true crisis while my Yōu family is being held captive by the Sword Sect. So what if we share this information with you? What need do you have of the peerless battle techniques that can be acquired from the Yōu Secret Art? You are already peerless and were even able to defeat a manifestation of Progenitor Chen at the same cultivation realm when you passed your stellular tribulation. When you become a Progenitor, you'll be invincible, not even our Progenitor may be able to defeat you, so why would you need our Yōu Secret Art?"

Regardless of how talented a person might be, it was always best to not diversify and learn too many techniques. Madam Yōu found it safer to share the information about the Yōu Secret Art with Lu Yin than the Sword Sect or some other power.

Lu Yin already had too many techniques, and he had even received the legendary God of Death's inheritance. Thus, he would not be as greedy for Progenitor Yōu Ming's battle techniques.

Madam Yōu was quite accurate in her understanding of the situation, as Lu Yin truly was not interested in the Yōu Secret Art, especially since it was something that could only be learned by a single person at a time. He had no idea what risks might be involved in trying to learn the Yōu Secret Art, and he already had too much on his plate. He had the God of Death's inheritance, Progenitor Chen's Inverse Step, the Rune Progenitor's Truesight, and more, such as the Ninesuns Cauldron Transformation, which was said to be an invincible technique. Lu Yin could not afford to try learning anything else.

"I'm not interested in your Yōu Secret Art, but I do want to know more about Progenitor Yōu Ming," Lu Yin said.

Madam Yōu was relieved to hear that Lu Yin had no interest in the Yōu Secret Art, but she became puzzled by his interest in Progenitor Yōu Ming. "Are you curious about our ancestor, Alliance Leader Lu?"

"Tell me everything you know about Progenitor Yōu Ming," Lu Yin said.

After passing his stellular tribulation, Lu Yin had found that he was starting to interact with more information at the Progenitor level rather than Envoy or Semi-Progenitor realms.

He had faced the strength of Progenitor Chen's nine clones, learned the story of Progenitor Ku, and now, he was about to learn about Progenitor Yōu Ming. He was being exposed to more and more regarding Progenitors.

However, this placed Madam Yōu in a difficult position. "Alliance Leader Lu, Progenitor Yōu Ming lived too long ago, when the Six Mainlands had not yet broken apart. We only assume that we are her descendants, as we have no basis for it aside from the Yōu Secret Art that has been passed down. We really know almost nothing about Progenitor Yōu Ming aside from the fact that she came from the Second Mainland and that she had a title: Everchanging Yōu Ming. There's nothing else that we know."

Everchanging Yōu Ming? Lu Yin had never heard this before. "What about her battle techniques? What were Progenitor Yōu Ming's known battle techniques?"

"I don't know anything about that either," Madam Yōu answered helplessly.

"I do," Yōu Ye'er suddenly spoke up.

Madam Yōu turned to look at her daughter in surprise. She had not expected the girl to interrupt this conversation.

"You do, Yōu Ye'er?" Lu Yin was also surprised.

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Madam Yōu stared at Yōu Ye'er with a face that betrayed her confusion and doubt.

Yōu Ye'er walked up next to Madam Yōu and spoke into the gadget. "Progenitor Yōu Ming practiced a technique known as the Impious Sutra, which she created from countless battle techniques. The Heart-killing Lotus I know is a chapter from the Impious Sutra, but I don't know much about the other techniques."

"What about the Undying Manual?" Lu Yin suddenly asked.

Yōu Ye'er became confused. "The Undying Manual? I don't know about that, though I think I've heard of it before."

On the other hand, Madam Yōu was stunned. "The ancient technique rumored to have been found in the Starfall Sea? Supposedly, those who successfully cultivate the Undying Manual can obtain immortality, which is why the Xia family sent people to the Outerverse and the Great Yu Empire. Does our ancestor have some connection to the Undying Manual?"

Hearing the genuine confusion in both women's voices, Lu Yin looked away from the display. Less than ten meters away from him, a bolt of lightning fell, illuminating his face.

"Alliance Leader Lu, we've told you everything we know. Please help the Yōu clan," Madam Yōu begged.

Yōu Ye'er also spoke up, "I also beg you to help the Yōu clan, Alliance Leader Lu. Ye'er promises to tell you if I gain any other battle techniques or any information from the Yōu Secret Art. I won't hide anything from you."

Lu Yin asked, "Does the Yōu clan have any information about Progenitor Yōu Ming? Places connected to her, rumors, or anything she may have left behind?"

Madam Yōu answered, "Our Yōu clan is only seen as Progenitor Yōu Ming's descendents because of the Yōu Secret Art. The only thing we have that is as old as the Yōu Secret Art is the Great Abyss, as it has been around at least since the Daosource Sect's era. Even back then, my Yōu family lived in the middle of that river, and it comes from an even older era than that. For as long as the records of my Yōu clan go back, we have always lived in the Great Abyss. We have never been anywhere else."

"I understand."

Lu Yin then ended the call.

Each of the families that formed the Court of Seven Names had a unique secret technique, and by tracing back those secret techniques, it was possible to determine the Progenitor that was each families' ancestor. So far, Lu Yin had received some information regarding the Yōu clan's ancestor, Progenitor Ku, the Ce family's Progenitor Ce Wangtian, the Hui family's Progenitor Hui, and the Xia family's Progenitor Chen. The only families' ancestors whom Lu Yin still knew nothing about were the ones from the Yu and Xie families.

Lu Yin had already gained more than he had expected from his visit to the Seven Courts, and he had already decided to visit the Yōu clan next. After that, should he go see the Xie or the Ce family?

He was curious about the irreconcilable hatred that existed between the Xie family and the Specter clan. Their territory was known as the Bone Plains, and their battle technique that incorporated bones was quite interesting. Even though the Xie family was considered the weakest of the Seven Courts, they had once fought against the Specter clan, and the family clearly had not been weak in the past. At their peak, it was possible that the Xie family had been second only to the Xia family.

As for the Ce family, Lu Yin was curious about their Combat Doctrine. Back in Millions City, Lu Yin had heard from Qiong Xi'er that Zhu San had tried to copy Qiu Chi's Yinyang Trisage Technique with the Ce family's Combat Doctrine, and he had actually managed to obtain the first portion of the technique. On top of that, Lu Yin would never forget the vision of Ce Wangtian that he had seen when he obtained the Ce family's secret technique.

"Hahahaha, I, Ce Wangtian, have finally created a secret technique: Astral Chessboard. After playing chess for decades. I'm the only person in the universe who can take a move back! Nobody can rewind their life, but if I want to do so, then only I can take my move back! Ce Secret Art: Astral Chessboard."

At the time, Lu Yin had felt that Ce Wangtian's words were indicative of his arrogance and roguish personality, but as time passed, Lu Yin felt that the Progenitor's words were actually representative of his domineeringness. Ce Wangtian could reverse actions not only done by himself, but rather events that had occurred.

This was fundamentally different from what Lu Yin had originally understood.

There was no purpose served by humans regretting something that had already happened, as the moment had already passed. However, Ce Wangtian had felt like he could take back a "move." Did this mean that the man had been able to reverse time?

When Lu Yin used the Ce Secret Art, his surroundings became an astral chessboard while the individuals and objects in the area became chess pieces. The scope of this secret technique surpassed any other that Lu Yin had ever seen, but it was still far from allowing a person to reverse a move that had already occurred. This meant that Lu Yin's comprehension of the Ce Secret Art was still insufficient. If possible, he really wanted to revisit that vision and comprehend the secret technique once more.

Was that possible? Lu Yin was eager to find out.