Tong Mi’er glanced coldly at everyone surrounding him. “No one under four stars is qualified to cooperate with me.”
Everyone felt embarrassed when they heard his words. It wasn’t easy to become a four star Discerning Elementary Lockbreaker, especially for someone who was still a part of the younger generation. If this wasn’t the case, then Tong Mi’er would not be hailed as a genius Lockbreaker. Out of all the young Lockbreakers present, only Dao Bo and Xi Qi had reached five stars. Below them, there actually weren’t any four star Lockbreakers in the younger generation since even Liu Ji was merely a three star Elementary Lockbreaker.
Since Tong Mi’er was from the Outerverse, his status could not compare to that of a five star Discerning Elementary genius Lockbreaker like Charon. However, his reputation was not far behind either. This was partly because many people automatically considered Astral Combat Academy students as being from the Innerverse.
“Seventh Bro, this brat’s pretty arrogant. With your lockbreaking ability, besides that Dao Bo, no one else here can compare with you! This is especially true since you’ve comprehended the Secret Sidestep. It’s possible that not even someone from the Innerverse will be able to compare to you!”
Lu Yin made the Ghost Monkey shut up and then quietly watched as Tong Mi’er approached within a thousand meters of the tree-shaped sourcebox. Sensing that Tong Mi’er was about to begin, Lu Yin activated his Cosmic Art as the Giant Emperor’s third eye appeared in his hand.
With his domain supporting the Cosmic Art and the Giant Emperor’s third eye improving his senses, when Lu Yin looked at the area around the tree-shaped sourcebox again, he saw a drastically different image of the desolate land compared to everyone else. The star energy in the area seemed to move with a life of its own, and it expanded outwards at a rather unhurried speed. Within that area of space, a strange fluctuation swept out from the sourcebox from time to time.
Lu Yin trembled in shock. What is that thing? The undulating energy waves really felt as if it were coming from something alive, like a python coiling within the star energy.
Lu Yin knew that, aside from himself, no one else here was capable of seeing this scenery. However, every Lockbreaker had their own secret tricks, and although they might not be able to see the scene as clearly as Lu Yin could, the best among them could still sense the foreboding existence of that strange energy pulse given their understanding and familiarity with star energy.
Tong Mi’er was in that situation. He could not clearly see the energy, but he did have his domain, and he used it to avoid one crisis after another. From Lu Yin’s perspective, the closer Tong Mi’er got to the tree-shaped sourcebox, the more dangerous it became. The waves seemed to multiply endlessly and shift more quickly the closer one was to the tree.
“Danger,” Lu Yin faintly whispered.
Beside him, Liu Ji, Yue Xianzi, and Zhao Ran gave him a strange look since they only saw Tong Mi’er steadily walking towards the sourcebox without any hint of danger.
Only Dao Bo frowned, as he was able to sense the animated star energy fluctuations with his domain, and those fluctuations seemed to be becoming more violent.
Suddenly, Tong Mi’er was blasted away by a wave of force from Master Jun in the sky up above. Tong Mi’er was not able to react, but the star energy surrounding him had hastened its movements after the external force stimulated it. Master Jun casually sent Tong Mi’er out of the tree-shaped sourcebox’s effective area. “Fortunately, I was quick enough this time.”
Tong Mi’er was lost as to what had happened.
Dao Bo said, “Thank Master Jun. You would be another one of those corpses on the ground right now if not for him.”
Tong Mi’er looked at the dried corpses, still not comprehending what had just happened. Still, he was not foolish, so he promptly stood up to thank Master Jun.
Master Jun did not mind, and he was looking at the tree-shaped sourcebox. It was unlikely that any of the Limiteer juniors here would be able to succeed, unless one of those rare few elites came.
“Brother Lu, do you really not want to try?” Dao Bo asked Lu Yin.
Lu Yin shrugged. “We can’t unlock it.”
“We can give it a try if we join forces.”
Lu Yin felt strange. “Senior, why are you so certain about me being able to help you? I’m just a two star Discerning Elementary Lockbreaker. The gap between my two stars and your five stars is too large.”
Dao Bo smiled. “How can junior’s ability be considered in a normal light? Also, I’ve witnessed your domain. It has incorporated the bloodlust of the battlefield and was able to withstand Tian Hou’s strength, which proves that you’re familiar with it. In any case,” Dao Bo paused as he looked at Lu Yin’s hand before continuing, “Unless I’m wrong, that should be a lockbreaking tool.”
Liu Ji was amazed. Lu Yin had a lockbreaking tool?
Yue Xianzi was similarly astonished. Even if she wasn’t a Lockbreaker, she was at least aware of the existence of lockbreaking tools and knew that, in addition to their valuable abilities, they were rare beyond measure.
Lu Yin nodded and put the Giant Emperor’s third eye away. “Let’s wait a little while longer. Even with the two of us, I’m not too confident in our chances.”
Dao Bo nodded. “That’s true. Some more experts should be coming, so let’s hope that they arrive soon.”
Lu Yin was curious. “‘They?’”
Dao Bo’s eyes trembled. “The Lockbreaker Society’s Distinguished Five.”
“The Distinguished Five?” Lu Yin was caught off guard.
Liu Ji spoke up to explain. “The five most outstanding Lockbreakers in the younger generation are called the Distinguished Five. They are all Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreakers.”
Lu Yin nodded. He was well aware that becoming a Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreaker while still being a part of the younger generation was indeed very impressive. Without the Cosmic Art, he would not have even been able to reach his current level. Even Charon, with his incredible talent, was still far from reaching the Perceptive Intermediate level. Improving by a grade was not as simple as going up a mere star.
Being a Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreaker also meant that the Lockbreaker had cultivated to a realm where they were capable of moving about the universe freely. The Distinguished Five were all space-exploring powerhouses of the younger generation. When their lockbreaking abilities were combined with their cultivation, it meant that all of them were on the Top Hundred Rankings.
Over the next couple of days, several other Lockbreakers also attempted to unlock the tree-shaped sourcebox, and one was even just a single step away from reaching the Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreaker level. But despite him being more experienced at lockbreaking than just about anyone else present, that person also failed. Fortunately, he was rescued by Master Jun just in the nick of time. Of course, that person was significantly older than Dao Bo and Lu Yin and could barely be considered as a part of the younger generation.
The Vastdearth Sect and other powers from other fringe weaves sent more and more experts to the planet, all of them gathering there.
Technically, the Savage Ape Planet was a part of the Vastdearth Weave, so anything on it should belong to the Vastdearth Sect. However, no one would try to bring this point up, and not even the Vastdearth Sect itself would make such a claim. After all, it would be a trifling matter for the Lockbreaker Society to eliminate something like the Vastdearth Sect.
The various organizations had gathered not to scheme for anything, but rather, to try and purchase any items obtained through the lockbreaking attempt, even if there was only a small possibility of someone succeeding.
Lu Yin, Yue Xianzi, and Zhao Ran were all sitting in a small hollow on Nine Peaks Mountain. Lu Yin had witnessed multiple people attempt to unlock the sourcebox, but all of them had rather mediocre star energy senses. He was quite interested to see how Dao Bo planned to unlock the sourcebox, but the senior Lockbreaker still had not made an attempt.
Xi Qi was waiting a great distance away, not daring to approach the crowd, since the fish’s words were too malicious, and it would ridicule the entire crowd as soon as it appeared. Not even someone like Master Jun was exempt from its verbal lashing.
“That sister is pitiful,” Zhao Ran commented as she looked at Xi Qi’s lone figure.
Yue Xianzi looked over. “She has no choice. That fish means that she’s destined to live a lonely life.”
“Seventh Bro, I’ve got a suggestion,” the monkey suddenly spoke up.
Lu Yin leaned against the mountainside. “Go ahead.”
“Stew that fish. It should have a pretty good texture,” the monkey said sternly.
Lu Yin’s eyes suddenly widened, and his eyes flickered. “Monkey, you don’t seem to like that fish very much.”
“Of course not, Seventh Bro. It mocked you, and that means that it also mocked me. Thus, I must definitely cook it,” the Ghost Monkey shrieked.
Lu Yin frowned. He recalled that the fish had mentioned that there was a familiar aura on Lu Yin’s body. Initially, he had paid no heed to the fish’s words, but could the fish have sensed the monkey? Besides him, there was nothing else on Lu Yin’s body, though it was also possible that the fish had sensed something from one of Lu Yin’s techniques. However, the fish had been unsealed in the Outerverse, which was extremely far from the Cosmic Sect. It probably wasn’t that technique. The monkey also had an extremely poor attitude towards the fish, so it was possible that they actually knew each other.
But that shouldn’t be possible either, as the fish had been unlocked from a sourcebox, meaning that it had survived for countless years. How old could the monkey be?
Lu Yin pondered the matter some more as he casually looked at the ground. He unwittingly grew sleepy, and the skies had started to darken. He doubted that anyone else would make an attempt today.
Just as Lu Yin started silently reciting the Stonewall Scriptures, he sensed a foreign aura suddenly appear within his domain. His eyes instantly sprang open, and he swatted at Yue Xianzi.
No one there expected Lu Yin to suddenly attack, and his actions were too sudden, leaving Yue Xianze without a chance to react. All she could do was watch on as Lu Yin’s palm approached. She was even able to make out each distinct line on his palm, but in the end, Lu Yin did not slap her. Instead, he swatted behind her.
At the same time, a wave of energy swept out that caused the void to rumble, and it even caused Nine Peaks Mountain to tremble imperceptibly. Countless people were jolted awake, and they all looked towards Lu Yin’s direction.
Yue Xianzi was knocked aside by an unstoppable force, and she took more than a dozen steps back. When she looked over, she saw that a man had appeared where she was just a moment ago and that the man’s elbow had been blocked by Lu Yin’s palm. The man had an astonished expression. “Such powerful strength!”
The man then clenched his fist, causing the veins in his forearm to bulge as he viciously slammed his fist at Lu Yin. Lu Yin’s eyes twitched, and he responded with Twenty Stacks.
Boom!
The ground split open, and the two dropped into the pit that formed. A moment later, a shockwave swept out in an arc across Nine Peaks Mountain, causing even Master Jun to feel alarmed.
Lu Yin’s right palm ached, and he borrowed the force of the man’s attack to move aside. His expression became much more cautious.
The man pulled his elbow back and looked at Lu Yin in amazement. He leaped up to appear outside the pit.
Lu Yin leaped out as well, and the two stood there, confronting each other.
Many looked on, unable to understand what had just happened.
“Who are you?” Lu Yin asked. If not for his domain, he would not have ever discovered this person who had been so close to Yue Xianzi.
The man rubbed his elbow. “Brother, your palm strength is vicious. You’re so young, but you can already display such a violent Overlaying Stacks technique.”
Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently, it’s not powerful enough yet. You don’t seem to be harmed at all.”
The man laughed. “Harmed? Wait till you become an Explorer. Even a universally recognized so-called ‘Ten Arbiters’ candidate’ can’t harm me if they’re still a Limiteer.”
“Who the hell are you?” Lu Yin was puzzled. This person didn’t seem to be too old, but he was frighteningly powerful.
“Casanova?” Liu Ji cried out.
Many seemed to recognize this person upon hearing her words, and the name “Casanova” was repeatedly thrown about.
Dao Bo appeared beside Lu Yin. “It’s just a misunderstanding, Brother Lu. He’s one of the Distinguished Five of the Lockbreaker Society, Casanova. There’s no malice.”
Lu Yin felt strange. “Casanova? That’s his name?”
In front of him, Casanova smiled confidently. “Casanova is just Casanova. That’s my name.”
Lu Yin was dumbfounded. Such a name exists?
“Hey, what were you trying to do just now?” Yue Xianzi only reacted just now, and she was still staring coldly at Casanova.
Casanova looked over at Yue Xianzi, and his eyes immediately brightened. He suddenly vanished only to reappear in front of Yue Xianzi. He then took out a very beautiful flower and offered it to her. “Beautiful lady, the moonlight is all the more beautiful tonight because of you. I wonder if I could have the fortune to invite you to go moon-gazing together? Or perhaps, we could find somewhere quiet to discuss life?”
Yue Xianzi’s expression turned ugly, and a tightly clenched fist formed.
