Star Odyssey

Xia Shenji was now in the Three Monarchs Universe. If he cooperated with the three Monarchs and attempted to force the passageway between the two universes back open, then the fate of the Fifth Mainland would be put in jeopardy.

Gue Yue had previously spent a great deal of effort to seal the passage, and there had to be a good reason for that.

If Arch-Elder Zen were present, then the four ruling powers would not dare to act recklessly. Even if they wanted to interfere in Shenwu Continent’s situation, there was nothing that they could do.

While it was nearly impossible to grasp the spatial and temporal coordinates of a specific parallel universe, one’s home universe would always blaze like a beacon to them. It was for this reason that people from the Fifth and Sixth Mainlands could always return to their own universe if they ever got lost in a parallel universe, as long as they were capable of traveling between parallel universes to begin with. Of course, this was also far from easy; the more powerful and larger a universe was, the more resistance one encountered when entering or leaving it. However, that resistance was not a problem to Progenitors, as long as they were capable of finding their way back home.

The Perennial World was an exception to this.

Lu Yin had specifically investigated this matter in the past. Because the Perennial World had originally been a part of the Fifth Mainland, no one was able to pinpoint the Perennial World from one of the infinite parallel universes. Furthermore, the fact that the Perennial World had been separated from the Fifth Mainland meant that the people born in the Perennial World were unable to sense the Fifth Mainland. This meant that the Perennial World’s citizens would be truly lost if they accidentally entered a parallel universe.

This was most likely the main reason why the Lu family was unable to find their way back.

Xia Shenji was completely unable to find the Perennial World after being thrown into the Three Monarchs Universe as well. The only way he could hope to return was by reopening the passage between the Three Monarchs Universe and Shenwu Continent.

Arch-Elder Zen's successful breakthrough was a huge assurance to Lu Yin. The old man who had stood guard over the Fifth Mainland for his entire life had finally reached the peak. If Lu Yin did not already command such a high level of respect, then Arch-Elder Zen could easily seize back control of the Fifth Mainland. However, he had no intention of doing so.

The gathering dispersed, and Lu Yin returned to the Lu Sanctum's treasury. Progenitor Smoke followed behind him.

"I’ll ask for more information about the Main Universe. Lu Xiaoxuan, if things prove unfeasible, then it would be better for you to bide your time," Progenitor Smoke cautioned.

Lu Yin smiled. "Don't worry, Senior. Even if I want to take my revenge on that universe, I first need to be able to get there."

Progenitor Smoke rolled her eyes. "I know you quite well, and as long as you desire to do something, you will absolutely find a way to do it. You know that the four ruling powers are able to contact the Main Universe, so you're already targeting them, aren’t you?"

Lu Yin was left speechless. The woman had practically read his mind. As for whom he intended to use to accomplish this goal, the first person that he had thought of was Xia Xing. However, since he had already exhausted all of Xia Xing's value, Lu Yin was trying to figure out who else he could use. Progenitor Smoke had perfectly read his intentions. She had spent quite some time accompanying him, after all.

"Regardless, I will help you find out more about the Main Universe, but don't bring this matter up again until you have become a Progenitor," Progenitor Smoke continued to say.

Lu Yin nodded. "Given my current strength, revenge is impossible, even if I can get to that Main Universe or whatever. Bai Wangyuan even said that there’s a powerhouse comparable to the Origin Progenitor there."

Progenitor Smoke snorted. "I highly doubt that. However, if they really are able to keep Aeternus’s True God occupied in their universe, then I guess I don’t have any choice but to accept it."

She then looked at Lu Yin. "Where did Xia Shenji go?"

Lu Yin smiled. "Are you asking me for Bai Wangyuan?"

"No," Progenitor Smoke replied bluntly.

"I threw him out."

"What does that mean?"

"The Main Universe might be a parallel universe, but it’s certainly not the only one. There are many more, and I simply threw Xia Shenji into one of those universes. He’ll have a tough time getting back here."

Progenitor Smoke exclaimed, "How ruthless! The four ruling powers banished the Lu family, and now you've banished Xia Shenji."

Lu Yin straightened himself. "You’re right, I did banish him. Thank you, Senior. Now this junior knows what I need to do."

Progenitor Smoke coughed, and as she turned and left, she mumbled, "I didn't teach you that."

At this moment, there were two opposing groups in their universe: the four ruling powers, and Lu Yin. Lu Yin and those supporting him had been the weaker of the two parties all this time, but the tides seemed to have finally shifted.

Nutjob Lu had been driven away, and Xia Shenji had been banished. The strength of the four ruling powers was being chipped away.

Progenitor Smoke knew that she could not stop the two groups from eventually fighting against each other to settle their conflict. Thus, she only intended to preserve her own strength and prepare for Aeternus's inevitable return.

Before leaving, Progenitor Smoke offered one last reminder. "Aeternus will return for this place. They’ll never let us go."

Lu Yin believed this to be true as well. He could either finish off the four ruling powers before Aeternus arrived while preserving the minimum strength necessary to deal with the Aeternals, or he could set aside his own grudges and join forces with the four ruling powers to resist Aeternus.

Looking up at the sky, Lu Yin mused aloud, "Even if I put aside my own grudges, the four ruling powers will never do the same. The grudges between us need to be settled sooner or later."

The treasury was already on the verge of collapsing after the massive battle that had taken place inside, and space continued to fracture and break apart. The entire place was about to disappear.

While there had been a shallow layer of star essence left within the treasury, most of it had been destroyed during the battle, which meant that less than ten million remained behind.

Lu Yin still gathered every bit that remained. No matter how little remained, money was still money.

Arch-Elder Zen returned to the Fifth Mainland, and Mu Xie returned to the Dominion Realm. Lu Yin no longer needed them to accompany him.

With Nutjob Lu gone, there was no one in their entire universe who was capable of threatening him.

It was only at this moment that Lu Yin understood what true freedom tasted like.

Sometimes, the stronger one was, the less freedom they had. What were humans pursuing through cultivation? Eternity? What was the meaning of eternity?

Without freedom, what was the point of living?

Lu Yin took out Zenith Mountain and released Lu Xun.

After emerging, the woman looked around in confusion.

"Does this place look familiar?" Lu Yin asked.

Lu Xun's expression changed. "Is this the Lu Sanctum's treasury?"

She turned to stare at Lu Yin. "Young Master…"

Lu Yin met her eyes. "That’s right, I fought Nutjob Lu right here."

All the color drained away from Lu Xun's face.

"After the Lu family was exiled, countless family vassals and family members who had been left behind died or were tortured. You helped the four ruling powers set up a trap to kill me. I'm curious, just what made you betray the Lu family?" Lu Yin asked.

Lu Xun closed her eyes and slowly dropped to her knees before Lu Yin. "I'm sorry, Young Master."

"I don't blame you. The Lu family couldn't protect you," Lu Yin replied calmly.

Lu Xun lifted her head, revealing swollen, bloodshot eyes. "It was my own weak will that led to my betrayal. Even though Young Master has led our family to a comeback and even forced the four ruling powers to agree to a truce, I still turned against you. Please, Young Master, kill me. I have no excuses. The fault lies with me alone."

Lu Yin truly did not blame the woman. Everyone had their own weaknesses, and while some could handle certain things, others could not. He could never demand all members of the Lu family to face death in any possible situation with utter fearlessness. He did not even have the right to do so.

"These recent years have been painful for you, haven't they?" Lu Yin asked.

Lu Xun remained kneeling on the ground. She clenched her fists, but said nothing.

Lu Yin sighed. "You may go now."

Lu Xun’s head snapped up as she stared at Lu Yin in disbelief. She had assumed that her death was an inevitability.

Lu Yin turned around and simply left the treasury. "From now on, you have no connection to the Lu family."

As Lu Xun watched Lu Yin's receding figure, tears streamed down her face. The direct line of the family no longer wanted her to be part of the family.

Betraying her family had been agonizing for her, but being removed from the family hurt far more. It was a pain worse than death.

Nong Yi had once commented that only the Lu family was capable of having people like Wan Zhiyi and so many others swear to serve to their deaths. It was the Lu family’s charisma.

The treasury continued to fall apart. The entire place was about to disappear.

Lu Xun closed her eyes. She sat down and then looked around at her surroundings.

She thought back to the times when the main family would send people over here. She had always been the one to accompany them and assist them when selecting resources from the treasury. She had been the manager of the Lu Sanctum's treasury. The family’s direct line had placed a great deal of trust in her, but years later, she had schemed against a direct descendant of the Lu family with her knowledge of the treasury. She had no idea how the young master had managed to survive, but the state of the treasury revealed just how fierce the battle must have been.

Some distance away, she caught a glimpse of several fragments of a Champions' Stage, as well as specks of dim golden light from the shredded remnants of the Investiture of the Gods. The image of the once prosperous Lu family rose to her mind, and she suddenly burst out laughing. "I shouldn't have betrayed them! I shouldn't have betrayed them!"

Her wails echoed throughout the treasury, though nothing could be heard outside. The treasury no longer existed, as the space that it had previously occupied had shattered into the void, taking everything that had been inside it along, including Lu Xun.

Lu Yin looked back and realized that Lu Xun had never left the treasury. He had offered her a way out, but she had chosen not to take it.

Betrayal was wrong, and she had decided to pay for her sins with her life.

A wave of complicated emotions washed over Lu Yin. Familial ties, kinship, friendship, and love were things that were truly worth pursuing throughout one’s life. They were what represented freedom.

He threw his head back and roared at the sky, releasing every last bit of suppressed emotion that remained.

Bai Xian'er had shown Lu Yin a future in which he slaughtered his own family and closest friends with a sword. That vision had created a shadow in his heart, and he still found himself unable to face it.

Lu Xun's sacrifice showed Lu Yin what people should truly pursue in their lives. He would never harm his loved ones, no matter what happened. It did not matter if Destiny was able to see down the river of time, or if she could only see a piece of the future. He would change the future that he had seen.

He knew why that future had appeared for him, as well as why he had lost consciousness when he had attacked Nutjob Lu with the God of Death's power. It was all because of the divine energy, the red dot that lay in the power within his chest that had been left there by the beam from the cosmic door.

Lu Yin would do everything that he could to deal with that red dot.

The ominous events that Xuan Jiu had spoken of and the future that Bai Xian'er had revealed would never happen.

Lu Yin took a step, instantly appearing atop the jiao's head. "Let’s go to Planet Ominion."

The jiao roared and started making its way to the Outer Realm while showing off its teeth and claws.

Planet Ominion belonged to Lu Yin now.

Lu Yin looked at the red planet as he drew close to it. He had not expected it to belong to him so soon.

Years ago, when he had first seen Planet Ominion, Nutjob Lu had attacked Lu Yin with his Champions' Stage, almost killing him. Nothing good had ever happened whenever Lu Yin saw Planet Ominion since.

Even if the thorn in Lu Yin’s heart, Nutjob Lu, had not been completely removed, the matter had been temporarily settled.

The jiao crossed through outer space and landed on Planet Ominion. The beast’s arrival attracted attention from all over across Planet Ominion.

The planet’s environment was beyond harsh. There was both star energy and stellular energy present, but neither could be absorbed or used for cultivation. The only power that could be cultivated on this planet was ominion energy.

The massive jiao’s shadow fell over Ominion Temple.

Inside the temple, people gasped in shock and horror.

There was a loud thud as Lu Yin landed on the ground in front of Ominion Temple. He glanced around to observe the place.

Feng Lan led all of the people from the temple, stopping them a short distance away from Lu Yin. Everyone stared at Lu Yin with confusion and bewilderment filling their eyes.

"Progenitor Ominion is gone. From now on, Planet Ominion belongs to me," Lu Yin blandly announced.

Feng Lan and the others were shaken. "May I know who this Progenitor Ominion you are referring to is?"

With a roar, the jiao bared its teeth and claws while glowering at them. All of the people present jumped in fright, and their faces grew pale.