The Daosource Three Skies were the future leaders of the Sixth Mainland, and thus, they were the three strongest members of their generation. Both Zhi Yi and Bu Kong had taken part in the Sixth Mainland’s war against the Fifth Mainland, but Wu Taibai had never revealed himself. Thus, most people from the Fifth Mainland knew almost nothing about Wu Taibai.
It was possible that he was the strongest of the Daosource Three Skies.
With Wu Taibai as his companion, Lu Yin no longer wandered only around the regions occupied by the Fifth Mainland; the two also visited the western side of Zenith Mountain where the Sixth Mainland’s cultivators stayed.
Cultivators from the Sixth Mainland generally looked down on those from the Fifth Mainland, which included the Astral Beast Domain.
However, when Lu Yin compared the current cultivators from the Sixth Mainland to their attitude back when they had invaded the Fifth Mainland, everyone seemed rather down, likely due to being forced from their homes. No matter how arrogant they had been, they were still losers at the moment.
“Brother Wu, are those monsters really that powerful? Not even your three Progenitors could defeat them?” Lu Yin asked Wu Taibai curiously.
Wu Taibai sighed. “How should I put this? If you’ve never fought against them directly, then you will never know the fear that they induce. It’s a primal fear. They are actually more like evolved humans; they have human intelligence, an unaging body, and endless abilities. They are not simple killing machines.”
“Humanity has progressed through technology and cultivation until we’ve reached a point where we no longer have natural enemies. However, the appearance of these creatures has caused everyone from the Sixth Mainland to realize that our natural enemy has finally arrived.”
Lu Yin fell deep into thought.
Wu Taibai continued to speak in a softer voice. “Actually, nobody knows just how vast the universe truly is. Many people have guessed that a civilization that surpasses us humans will appear one day, and that civilization might destroy or enslave us. Still, nobody really cares about such conjectures since we have our Progenitors and everyone believes them to be invincible. However…”
Lu Yin continued, “So, you’re saying that these monsters seem like they’re from another civilization, right?”
Wu Taibai nodded.
Lu Yin’s eyes flashed. “Has the Sixth Mainland ever interacted with the monsters before?”
Wu Taibai’s eyes narrowed and he focused on Lu Yin. “What are you saying, Brother Lu?”
Lu Yin glanced at Wu Taibai, but then he just shook his head. “Nothing much.”
Wu Taibai looked at Lu Yin with a meaningful expression, but he also remained silent.
They both wanted to go and take a look at the Astral Beast Domain’s skeleton, but neither one had any idea how to go about doing so. In the end, they did not attempt to climb the skeleton since they knew that they were not welcome among the astral beasts, and any attempt to do so would just be looking for trouble.
Although the two were among the strongest of their generation, they were not arrogant enough to pick fights with the senior powerhouses.
There was only half a month left before ZENITH commenced.
One day, while the two were talking about something, Lu Yin’s gadget beeped. He looked down, and his expression suddenly changed.
Something huge had happened. Xia Jiuyou had joined hands with Ce Jiu and Hui Santong to overpower Yuhua Mavis in order to forcefully absorb Xia Luo.
Everyone was resting before the competition, but for Xia Jiuyou, fusing with Xia Luo was far more important than resting.
Although Ce Jiu and Hui Santong were unable to defeat Yuhua Mavis, they were still strong enough to stall her for a bit. Additionally, since Xia Jiuyou had waited so long to spring this attack, he had to have gathered even more helpers. The entire Seven Courts might have formed an alliance to help Xia Jiuyou in ZENITH.
Lu Yin immediately tore through the void and disappeared.
Wu Taibai looked at where Lu Yin had just disappeared from, but he did not chase after him. Instead, Wu Taibai just looked at the forecasted list of the top ten finalists and smiled.
There was a sea to the north of Zenith Mountain, and a continent lay in this sea. An invisible force supported the entire place.
On that continent within the sea, both Ce Jiu and Hui Santong were simultaneously retreating while Yuhua Mavis stood opposite them with a raised hand. Grass frantically grew out and formed into a green fist that then punched at the two inheritors of the Seven Courts.
Ce Jiu cursed, and an Astral Chessboard appeared beneath his feet. He shifted himself to the side and dragged Hui Santong along. Then, Hui Santong stepped forward and raised his hand, causing golden comets to fall towards Yuhua Mavis, completely covering the entire battlefield.
Although the two young men were working together, they still were unable to defeat Yuhua Mavis. But despite their failure, they had managed to succeed in dragging Yuhua Mavis some distance away.
Off in the distance, Xia Jiuyou’s blade flashed, and a massive wound appeared on Xia Luo’s abdomen as he was slammed deep into the ground. “I told you, your fate is to fuse with me! All nine clones must fuse.”
He tried to grab Xia Luo.
Xia Luo’s eyes were sharp, and he also lifted a hand to meet Xia Jiuyou’s palm. However, Xia Jiuyou was an Enlighter while Xia Luo was still only a Hunter. Additionally, Xia Luo had only managed to reach such a realm because he was Xia Jiuyou’s clone. Otherwise, Xia Luo would have still been stuck in the Cruiser realm at the moment.
Xia Luo’s arm broke with a snap, and Xia Jiuyou moved to grab his clone again when his expression suddenly changed. He pulled back as a bullet suddenly appeared where he had just been standing, but it disappeared the next moment.
Xia Jiuyou turned around. “God Taiyi.”
God Taiyi had launched the attack, but he tossed his gun aside. “Xia Jiuyou, you’re an Enlighter, but you’re attacking a Hunter? That doesn’t seem right.”
Xia Jiuyou narrowed his eyes. “How dare you stop me?”
God Taiyi smiled. “I’m just giving it a shot.”
He was not actually trying to be righteous at the moment; rather, he did not want Xia Jiuyou to fuse with all of his clones. If possible, God Taiyi actually wanted to kill Xia Luo.
Xia Jiuyou snorted and turned to look in another direction.
Xie Xiaoxian rushed towards God Taiyi. “I’ll be your opponent.”
God Taiyi’s brows rose up. “Have the Seven Courts formed an alliance? It looks like you guys all want to help Xia Jiuyou win ZENITH. Unless I’m wrong, this was probably the Hui family’s plan.”
Xia Jiuyou completely ignored God Taiyi.
Xie Xiaoxian was not able to defeat God Taiyi, and Xia Jiuyou was also aware that Ce Jiu and Hui Santong were not Yuhua Mavis’s opponents. He needed to act quickly, as God Taiyi was not the only one who wanted to prevent him from fusing with his final clone.
This thought prompted Xia Jiuyou to reach towards Xia Luo once again.
Xia Luo was helpless; was this the end?
Coco and Lulu were of no help at all.
A sword suddenly appeared out of nowhere and pointed at Xia Jiuyou.
Xia Jiuyou’s eyes flashed as he shattered the sword. Wendy Yushan appeared, as that sword strike had been a battle technique from Myriad Swords Peak: Ten Thousand Swords as One.
Xia Jiuyou snorted. “A mere Cruiser.”
He swiped at the air. It was a Yōu Reinforced Palm.
Off in the distance, God Taiyi’s pupils transformed into runes. Xia Jiuyou’s Yōu Reinforced Palm weakened a bit, but Wendy Yushan’s sword still shattered. Fortunately, she had managed to use the You Secret Art to transfer the coldness from the Yōu Reinforced Palm away. Otherwise, the attack would have killed her.
At the same time, a conflict broke out above the youths. Two elders had appeared, one with black and white hair. This person was Ying Daynight, a member of the Dayking Clan who had escaped from the Daynight clan and had been given the responsibility of escorting Wendy Yushan to Zenith Mountain. The other elder was from the Xia family.
The elder from the Xia family coldly warned, “We shouldn’t interfere in our juniors’ fights. Don’t you know that?”
Ying Daynight frowned. He knew that many elders from the Seven Courts were remaining hidden near this battle and that there were also elders from the Mavis clan who had not appeared.
However, Ying Daynight was not able to stop himself from taking action, as Xia Jiuyou had almost killed Wendy Yushan. He knew just how important this girl was to Lu Yin, and if Ying Daynight allowed Wendy to die, it would be a grave sin.
Wendy Yushan nodded. “Senior, it’s fine.”
Ying Daynight was left helpless. “Don’t interfere.”
Wendy Yushan turned towards Xia Luo and knelt down. She pressed a hand against his abdomen, and his wound visibly recovered.
Most of the people present were shocked, as this girl had an innate gift of healing.
Xia Jiuyou’s brows rose. “You’re going to die.”
His blade rose up once more.
Wendy Yushan whispered to Xia Luo, “This is all that I can do.”
“Why are you helping me?” Xia Luo asked.
Wendy Yushan replied, “You’re Lu Yin’s classmate.”
Xia Luo nodded. “Thanks.”
He then stood up and faced Xia Jiuyou. “She won’t interfere anymore. I’m your only target.”
Xia Jiuyou’s eyes were icy. “I don’t have time for this! Let’s end this!”
He disappeared, and his blade became a shadow. This was the first blade of his Triple Blade Will.
Xia Luo’s eyes went wide, and his fingers trembled. Right when he was about to attack, someone appeared in front of him with a raised hand. Xia Luo did not see the hand move, but Xia Jiuyou suddenly flew back a hundred meters.
Nobody had expected Xia Jiuyou to actually be forced back.
Everyone turned to look at the person in front of Xia Luo in shock. “Lu- Lu Yin?’
“Brother Lu?”
“Brother Lu?”
It was Lu Yin. He had a calm look after forcing Xia Jiuyou to retreat with a Vacuum Palm.
Off in the distance, Wu Da grew excited; a famous person had shown up.
Yun Yun also grew excited. “This is huge, huge news! Two people predicted to be in the top ten are actually already fighting.”
Ce Jiu, Hui Santong, and everyone else all stopped.
Yuhua Mavis turned to stare at Lu Yin in shock. That had been a truly powerful attack.
God Taiyi also stared at Lu Yin in stupefaction; why did Lu Yin have such an insane number of rune lines?
Xia Jiuyou picked himself up and looked over at Lu Yin as he clenched his fists. “This is an internal matter of our Xia family. This is none of your business!”
Lu Yin calmly retorted, “Xia Luo is my classmate.”
Xia Jiuyou coldly replied, “Lu Yin, do you want to become enemies with the Seven Courts?’
Lu Yin frowned. “A lot of people have asked me that very question before. And as I’ve always said, I don’t like making enemies, but I’m not scared to do so either.”
Xia Jiuyou gritted his teeth.
Hui Santong felt helpless. With Lu Yin present, even though he might not be able to defeat Xia Jiuyou if Xia Jiuyou unleashed his full strength, it would still be impossible for Xia Jiuyou to fuse with Xia Luo at this time. When Hui Santon realized this, he murmured something to Xia Jiuyou.
Xia Jiuyou was unwilling to give up, as his Nine Clones Secret Technique had already been revealed. Thus, he had to quickly reach his most powerful state.
He wanted to attack, but he was stopped when he saw the cracks in his sword. Lu Yin was much more powerful than he appeared to be. Xia Jiuyou had already known this when they had all been in Progenitor Chen’s Mausoleum, and he would have to wait to beat Lu Yin during ZENITH.
Xie Xiaoxian was speechless; why was it this guy yet again? This was so annoying!
Xia Jiuyou looked past Lu Yin and at Xia Luo. “We eventually have to fuse together. This isn’t for you or for me—it’s for the Xia family and for us to restore Progenitor Chen’s past achievements.”
He gave Xia Luo a meaningful look before finally leaving.
Hui Santong nodded a greeting to Lu Yin. Although the Seven Courts all supported Xia Jiuyou, it was because he was worthy of such support. However, the seven individual families were still not harmonious. Compared to Xia Jiuyou, Hui Santong actually had a better feeling about Lu Yin. Additionally, Hui Santong was closer to Lu Yin, as they were connected through Hui Kong.
Ce Jiu just quietly left, and Xie Xiaoxian did the same.
