Peach snorted before replying, “That’s because Yan Feng joined the Outerverse Youth Council, and it’s even rumored that he might become a member.” After explaining this, she then looked at Lu, her eyes letting a fleeting light of apprehension slip through.
Lu Yin knew what she was thinking, as her mentioning Yan Feng had indirectly brought up Jenny Auna as well. This woman had been engaged to Lu Yin, and yet, she had abandoned the marriage to elope with Yan Feng. To any man, this was an extraordinary shame.
Up until now, Lu Yin had not paid much attention to Jenny Auna. Him gifting her a ring had only been to entice the Auna family. Now, however, it seemed that he would have to confront this problem despite his dismissive attitude. He had to do something regarding this matter with Jenny Auna as a show for others, or else his reputation would be ruined.
Although Nightqueen Yanqing’s methods were narrow-minded, they were fatal against men, and Lu Yin had been forcibly pushed into becoming Yan Feng’s mortal enemy.
However, now was not the time to think about such matters. Instead, Lu Yin turned to the blind monk. “Can you stop the Ross Empire here?”
“Yes.” The blind monk was very confident in his answer. The man was only about 1.5 meters tall, and Lu Yin did not know why, but he was very confident in the monk. He might not be much weaker than Qu Ao from the border warfront.
“Lu Yin, go to the capital star and focus on securing the throne.” Peach clenched her fist and waved it to cheer him on.
Lu Yin laughed, tousled her hair again, and then left. The most urgent matter right now was for him to resolve this current battlefield, and he didn’t have much time to do so either. The Outerverse Youth Council did not care if a war broke out in his hometown and could appoint him at any time. Moreover, people like Yan Feng, Puyu, and Bazeer were all stirring up trouble on their own, so he did not have much time to act. His only choice was to respond with an iron fist. With his current power level, he was not afraid of anything as long as he did not run into a Cruiser, and the Thirteen Imperial Squadron captains who were at the Cruiser realm would not pay any attention to the power struggles of those extended relatives.
The Zenyu Star of the Great Yu Empire had long since been reduced to a battlefield. Undying Yushan had been attacked there, and the Yushan family’s descendents had also all been exterminated there. The multiple battles had marred the landscape of Zenyu Star, and the three rings had nearly collapsed as a result.
With the deaths of the Yushan family’s descendants and Wendy Yushan’s disappearance after her battle against the Ross Empire, the powers that the Great Yu Empire had once subdued were now rearing their heads in rebellion. They disseminated false rumors that the Yushan family had been completely destroyed, which exacerbated the pressure coming from the powers like the Ross Empire and Fireforge Planet. This propaganda had caused the people of the Great Yu Empire to become greatly alarmed.
Under such extenuating circumstances, the extended relatives of the Yushan family had appeared only to scrabble for the throne of the Great Yu Empire with the support of these foreign powers. There were three relatives in particular who held the greatest authority. This was because they had the support of Explorers and even Cruisers.
Boom!
A loud explosion rang out above a sea as an enormous shock wave distorted the void, sending a huge tsunami rushing towards the shore as many fled from the scene.
Two figures were facing each other in the sky.
“Back off! The Great Yu Empire’s throne belongs to Lord Clay,” someone spoke with a cold tone as the powerful aura of an Explorer rolled off of their body.
The person opposite the Explorer did not show any weakness, as they were also an Explorer. “Clay’s only an extended relative whose ties were established a thousand years ago! His family has even cut off all connections with the Yushan family. On the other hand, Lord Andong is a grandson-in-law to the Yushan family by a marriage that took place just a hundred years ago! He can legitimately succeed the Great Yu Empire.”
“Bloodline is forever, and time is irrelevant! You are too narrow-minded.”
“It’s you people who are too foolish! This is an empire! To ascend to the throne requires the support from the people of the Great Yu Empire. How could some random extended relative possibly achieve that?”
“If there’s power, then there’s a way. We support Lord Clay.”
“What a joke! The power behind Lord Andong is no weaker than yours.”
The two Explorers then began to fight once again.
In other areas, there were fierce battles taking place everywhere, from atop a great mountain to even within the three rings of the mainland. Many extended family members had rushed out, all of them using whatever methods they could think of to entice court officials and powerhouses in their attempts to vie for the throne.
Not far from the palace, the Huo Family’s gate had almost been broken down.
They were one of the top families in the Great Yu Empire, especially since the head of the Huo family, Huo Qingshan, was a Hunter as well as the fifth captain of a squadron. If one received the Huo family’s support, it would almost guarantee them the throne.
Huo Qingshan calmly sat down in the sitting room and did not bother meeting with the extended family members. They were all clowns leaping at an opportunity and did not qualify to talk to him. Currently, there were only two who could truly ascend to the throne: Wendy Yushan and King Zishan Lu Yin. He would support either of them, though he leaned towards Lu Yin. While Wendy Yushan had a pure lineage, she was a woman and was therefore unsuited to hold the position of king. Also, her ambition did not lie within the Outerverse.
“Father,” Huo Xiaoling called out as she leisurely strolled into the room. She was as beautiful as always with her fiery-red long hair falling to her waist. There was almost no difference between her current self and her appearance during the trial on Earth.
“What’s the matter?” Huo Qingshan asked with a smile as he looked at his daughter.
She pursed her lips. “Father, who do you intend on supporting?”
Huo Qingshan was taken aback. “Why do you ask?”
“The chaos of the Great Yu Empire has caused too many people to suffer. Multiple criticisms are thrown at us on the universal network, even as more deaths occur with every passing day. Six out of the thirteen filaments have already broken away, and five of the Thirteen Imperial Squadrons captains have died. Many claim that the Great Yu Empire is finished, but I hope that that’s not the case.”
Huo Qingshan sighed and lovingly rubbed her head. “Relax, the empire is not yet finished. There’s still the Fifth Princess.”
“Father, are you intending to support Princess Wendy?”
He smiled in response. “She does not need support. When she appears, she’ll be the empress.”
Huo Xiaoling nodded. “Hopefully, she will appear soon.”
Huo Qingshan looked at his daughter’s worried face. “Xiaoling, do you remember your time during Earth’s trial?”
She was puzzled. “Of course, but why are you bringing that up?”
“Nothing much. I’m just moved by the fact that you were just a Melder back then, but now, you’re already a Limiteer. You should be the top fighter in the entire Great Yu Empire’s younger generation just based off of your innate gifts. Even if you can’t compete in power level with those freaks from the Astral Combat Academy, your cultivation realm is no longer weak. It’s a pity that you didn’t qualify for the Astral Combat Academy.”
She was sad. “I’m sorry. I disappointed you.”
He smiled, and his eyes twinkled. He then probingly asked, “Do you remember Lu Yin?”
Huo Xiaoling was caught off guard, but then, she nodded. “Of course, he was a native who defeated everyone and even defeated the heavily injured Qingyu Daynight. Actually, he should be called Nightking Qingyu.”
“His performance did not dim after Earth’s trial. His performance in the Astral Combat Academy is even more splendid, and his name has rocked the very universe,” her father marvelled.
Huo Xiaoling gave her father a strange look. “Why did Father bring him up?”
Huo Qingshan looked outside. “Because His Imperial Majesty Undying Yushan once said that the empire can be shared with King Zishan. This means that there’s one other person who is qualified to inherit the throne of the Great Yu Empire.”
“Lu Yin?!” Huo Xiaoling cried out in shock.
Huo Qingshan nodded and looked at her. “If I betroth you to King Zishan, would you be willing?”
Huo Xiaoling’s eyes changed, and her expression became a little lost and complicated. Willing? Even she herself did not understand her own complex emotions. Lu Yin had once saved her on Earth, but he had also threatened her, and they had had no interactions after that. After the Astral Combat Tournament had been broadcast across the entire universe, everyone knew of his name. Countless people in the universe knew of him, and his fame was no longer restricted to just being within the Great Yu Empire. People had seen his style of battle and heard his stories. The more she heard about him, the further she felt from him.
Strangely enough, it was just like her relationship with the Fifth Princess. She remembered playing with the princess a long time ago when they were both young. But now, she was no longer even qualified to speak to the princess. Lu Yin was the same, and his status did not fall far behind the Fifth Princess. Could she even touch this person anymore?
Huo Qingshan looked at her with a complex look. “Xiaoling, as long as you’re willing, I’ll arrange it.”
“Father, why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you want to marry me off to Lu Yin?”
“You aren’t willing?”
She fell silent.
He nodded. “It’s fine if you aren’t willing. My Huo family’s influence has spread across the entire Frostwave Weave, so even if the Great Yu Empire becomes extinct, nothing will happen to my Huo family. I’ve never thought of exchanging you for anything. The main reason why I brought up this idea is because King Zishan is just too outstanding. If you marry him, you won’t be any worse off. But if you really aren’t willing, then just forget it.”
She raised her head. “Let me take some time to consider things.”
He smiled and patted her shoulder. “Go on, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Our Huo family doesn’t need to pander to others.”
As he watched Huo Xiaoling leave, Huo Qingshan muttered to himself and touched his cosmic ring. He retrieved a strange-looking ring that had an azure planet carved into its head and a pair of wings on both sides. “It’s finally time to reappear after being hidden for too long, but I don’t know if he’s willing to bear such a responsibility.”
The Auna family was in a similar position as the Huo Family’s. It was another elite family in the Great Yu Empire, so naturally, many extended family members of the Yushan family visited them. However, Xueshan Auna similarly rejected them all at the door.
The sensible ones knew that there was still Wendy Yushan, but the extended family members had no idea what her current status was and had already assumed that she was no longer a threat after being seriously injured by the Ross Empire. In reality, if she had not taken the initiative to challenge the Ross Empire, then it would never have dared to harm her; the powers behind her were just too fearsome. Just the Myriad Swords Peak was enough to force the entire Frostwave Weave to bow its head.
It would be fine if Wendy Yushan had died, but if she had not, then the Great Yu Empire was hers, and no one could take it away. Those extended family members were just clowns jumping at the shadow of an opportunity.
