The rest of the Gate Masters had nothing to say to Lu Yin as Qing Chen must have already quelled all of their anger over Lu Yin’s appointment before Lu Yin joined the meeting. Otherwise, how could they accept a youth who was only a Hunter as an acting Gate Master?
“Alright, Long Qi, we’re running out of time. Cai Shu is waiting for you outside, and he’ll take you to Huaiyuan Gate. From now on, you are the acting Gate Master of Huaiyuan Gate. These seniors will teach you about your job and responsibilities in the future. I hope that you will work quickly towards getting the ‘acting’ title off as soon as possible… Understand?” Qing Chen said solemnly.
Lu Yin put on a solemn expression as he slowly bowed. “This junior will live up to Senior’s expectations.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, saying, “This subordinate will definitely live up to the Supervisor’s expectations.”
With that, Lu Yin was dismissed by Qing Chen.
After Lu Yin left, an old man spoke up. “Master, is there any use to this? Humility’s Gate was established to seek out the Seven Skygods, but even after so many years, they are still alive and well. Can that kid really draw out Shaman God?”
Qing Chen sighed. “If he has touched Guan Yun’s scarlet eye, then yes. Shaman God will be able to sense the child’s energy, and Huaiyuan’s location is unique. Shaman God definitely will not give up.”
“Given Shaman God’s abilities, even Cai Shu cannot offer any form of protection for the child,” another person pointed out.
“I know.”
Everything had already been discussed with Qing Chen, but Qing Chen’s attitude had remained firm.
Zhuo Si’s eyes flashed. Using Long Qi as bait to lure out Shaman God was too simple. That individual was one of the Seven Skygods, and no one had managed to understand the full power of any of the Skygods so far. They treated Humility’s Gate as nothing more than a joke.
Zhuo Si looked in the direction that Lu Yin had gone off in. That child was in grave danger. He was being set up as a road sign, and there was no way that Shaman God would miss it.
Outside Qing Chen Mountain, Lu Yin met with Cai Shu.
Cai Shu smiled. “Starting now, I’ll be acting as your bodyguard.”
Lu Yin smiled bitterly. “Senior, please don’t mock this junior.”
Cai Shu smiled. “It’s not a joke. You’ve been given the position of a Gate Master, which means that you now publicly represent Humility’s Gate. Given your new status, we cannot afford to let any accidents befall you. Let’s go to Huaiyuan.”
After speaking, the older man took a piece of white paper out of his cosmic ring and began to fold it.
Lu Yin’s eyebrows rose upon seeing the paper, as he had collected more than 200 sheets of that paper from the cosmic rings of Long Tian and the others in the Dominion Realm. However, Lu Yin had never figured out what the paper was used for.
He watched as Cai Shu slowly folded the white paper, eventually forming a boat that was several meters long. The Envoy then stepped onto the paper boat and turned to look at Lu Yin. “Come on, let’s go.”
Lu Yin felt that this was amazing. Logically, a palm-sized piece of paper should fold into something even smaller, so how had the finished product become bigger? This was amazing.
Given the number of sheets of paper that he had taken from Long Tian and the others, Lu Yin felt that these papers were not that valuable. Instead, they seemed to be a commonly available item. Thus, Lu Yin did not ask any questions.
The white boat folded from paper flew up into the sky and started flying towards Huaiyuan. The speed of the boat was quite impressive, as it was not much slower than traveling on Gui’s back.
Lu Yin touched his cosmic ring. The papers that he had taken seemed to be the Perennial World’s spacecraft equivalent, though the papers were much more convenient.
“Senior, how did it go with the people on the list that I prepared?” Lu Yin asked.
Cai Shu replied, “Except for Xia Taili, there are no problems with anyone else.”
“Xia Taili won’t be able to come?” Lu Yin was actually secretly delighted, as he had only included the girl’s name as a cover for inviting the others.
Cai Shu explained, “She is the Xia family’s princess, and their Junior Progenitor is currently trapped in the Dominion Realm. Naturally, under these circumstances, the Xia family won’t allow anything to happen to Xia Taili. So, their arrangements will entirely determine whether or not she is able to join you at Huaiyuan Gate.”
Lu Yin made a show of being disappointed. “We worked quite well together in the Dominion Realm, so it would be unfortunate if she isn’t able to come.”
Cai Shu glanced at Lu Yin with a glint in his eye. “Is that the only reason?”
“Of course.”
Cai Shu shook his head. “There’s no reason to hide your motivations from me. I know that you want her to go with you because of her status as Shenwu’s Sky’s princess. That’s not a bad idea. If she’s working with you, then that would make many things easier for you. However, I feel that I need to remind you that you should not even consider trying to take advantage of her. Xia Taili is not stupid, and Shenwu’s Sky won’t allow you to use her since you are the son-in-law of the White Dragon Clan’s main family. You need to be careful.”
Lu Yin blinked. This actually made sense, though he had never thought about it before. Inviting Xia Taili had only been a cover for him to invite other people. As for why Lu Yin had invited Xia Taili over Wu Taibai from Shenwu’s Sky, it was because Lu Yin felt a true friendship with Wu Taibai. Clearly, he originated from Shenwu’s Sky, but Wu Taibai had betrayed his own people. He had taken the Sixth Mainland’s Progenitor of Combat as his master, showing that Wu Taibai had even managed to impress a Progenitor. Also, Wu Taibai had made a point of not using his imprint even when fighting in the Forgotten Ruins. He had concealed many things about himself.
The more secrets such a person held, the less trustworthy they became. Wu Taibai was not as good a choice as Xia Taili.
However, would Xia Taili be willing to work with Lu Yin? He licked his lips. It was possible, but certainly not likely.
***
While Lu Yin and Cai Shu were traveling towards Huaiyuan, Wang Dashuai had been imprisoned upon the Wang family’s Junior Progenitor Planet. He was left tied up beneath the bridge between the Junior Progenitor Planet and the Island of Hope. The fatty was stuck there, though he occasionally let out yells.
“I didn’t do it on purpose! Help me, Junior Progenitor! Please, come back soon…” Wang Dashuai’s screams were unbearable for many people, but naturally, even more people gloated over his miserable fate.
Some nobody from the Wang family had suddenly managed to find two powerhouses to accompany the family’s Junior Progenitor to the Dominion Realm. Wang Dashuai had believed that he had ascended to the sky with a single leap since he had provided his Junior Progenitor with experts. When he had stood side to side with Yu Chen, Xia Taili, and Long Xi, that moment had been the highlight of Wang Dashuai’s life. As he stood at the end of the bridge and acted arrogantly towards the various young masters, he had felt famous.
However, fate liked to play jokes. While eagerly awaiting his Junior Progenitor’s return, the fatty had discovered that Unseen Light and Yu Hua were both trespassers. Wang Dashuai had felt like his brain had exploded, and by the time he had come to his senses, he had been tied to the bottom of the bridge.
“I really didn’t know—! Help—!” the fatty screamed.
Some distance away, Nong Sanniang rolled her eyes and sighed. It was useless to call for help. It was quite interesting that this guy had managed to recruit two trespassers. If the fatty’s background was not readily known, no one would have believed that he was not a trespasser himself.
Life really did have its ups and downs.
There were many experts in Hope Restaurant who had been turned away by Wang Dashuai, and they all cheered, excited that they had not gone to the Dominion Realm.
After the fatty screamed for a bit, a powerhouse appeared from the Junior Progenitor planet and dragged Wang Dashuai up. The expert coldly delivered a new batch of orders. “The clan has sent out a new order for you. You are to go to Huaiyuan Gate and report in. From now on, you are a member of Huaiyuan Gate.”
Wang Dashuai was still in a state of shock, so he was completely confused when he heard these orders. “Huaiyuan Gate?”
He first thought of the Guan brothers and assumed they had been acquitted. He knew it! Long Qi was definitely unreliable. After all, Guan Tong had been a Gate Master of Humility’s Gate, so how could he possibly be a Redback? The fatty was just suffering one tragedy after another. He was being sent to Huaiyuan Gate after fighting against their Gate Master.
Also, that Unseen Light was supposed to be Long Qi’s old friend, and although Yu Hua had been from Huaiyuan Gate, she supposedly had some connection to Long Qi. That Long Qi was a complete bastard! Wang Dashuai had treated that person like a brother, but he had been thrown into a pit in return. The universe was full of such bottomless holes. There was no loyalty left in the universe.
“I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go!” Wang Dashuai immediately shouted. He was actually ready to tie himself back up and jump off of the bridge. He would rather be left hanging here than go to Huaiyuan Gate. Any mission he took there could easily be his last.
“You don’t have a choice. Get lost!” The man who had delivered Wang Dashuai’s orders picked him up and tossed him away. Someone from Humility’s Gate had already arrived to pick up Wang Dashuai.
***
On Shenwu’s Sky’s Junior Progenitor Planet, Xia Taili was caught completely off guard by the news. “What? I’m being assigned to Huaiyuan Gate? Says who? Am I sick? Why should I go?”
An old woman stood before Xia Taili and smiled at the girl before respectfully explaining, “Long Qi was appointed as the acting Gate Master of Huaiyuan Gate. He said that he wanted to take a few of his old acquaintances with him as helpers. He mentioned your name, princess. Of course, you don’t have to go if you don’t wish to.”
Xia Taili’s mouth fell open, and she was completely flabbergasted. “Long Qi? Huaiyuan Gate’s acting Gate Master? Long Qi?”
“Yes, it’s Long Qi,” the old woman affirmed.
Xia Taili was left speechless. “Long Qi? The son-in-law of the White Dragon Clan’s main family? That Long Qi?”
The old woman nodded.
“Isn’t he just a Hunter? What kind of Gate Master is he supposed to be? Who even gave him such a position? Are you sure that you heard right? Shouldn’t he be the gatekeeper, not the Gate Master?” Xia Taili asked in a strange voice.
The old woman coughed awkwardly. “There’s nothing wrong with my hearing. Long Qi has been appointed as the acting Gate Master of Huaiyuan Gate.”
Xia Taili felt as though she was trapped in a dream. She had believed that, now that Long Xi had gone missing, Long Qi would be rendered helpless and forced to fight against other members of the White Dragon Clan while also suffering retaliation from the members of the Celestial Frost Sect. She had never expected to hear that he had somehow become the acting Gate Master of Humility’s Gate in Huaiyuan! Damn, was it really that easy to gain such a position?
At best, even the four Junior Progenitors could only gain the position of a commander within Humility’s Gate, which was a far cry from the position of Gate Master. To put it bluntly, Long Qi had been given command over an entire region of the Middle Realm and was in charge of the lives and deaths of countless people. He could even frame almost anyone he wished!
Xia Taili’s eyes lit up. Framed, retaliation. Framed…
Various ideas flitted through her mind, and she grew more excited the more she thought about the matter. She had not yet participated in such exciting matters. “Let’s go! We’ll go to Huaiyuan Gate.”
The old woman was surprised. “You’re actually going? You have no obligation to do so. No one can force you to go.”
Xia Taili rolled her eyes. “Long Qi is an old friend of this princess, so how can I not help after being asked by a friend? That’s just immoral! Hurry up and take me to Huaiyuan.”
The old woman quickly acquiesced.
***
On the Celestial Frost Sect’s Junior Progenitor Planet, Shang Qing was facing a sect elder and answering the elder’s questions one by one.
Shang Qing had been subjected to this manner of questioning every two days since he had returned to the Junior Progenitor Planet. This was entirely because he came from Nest, and anyone who came from that prison was looked down upon by others. Everyone had acted politely before the excursion to the Dominion Realm because Bai Shaohong needed Shang Qing’s assistance, but now that the Junior Progenitor had been trapped, everyone’s attitudes had taken a complete turn.
“When the Junior Progenitor was fighting people in the Forgotten Ruins, why didn’t you help?” The elder of the Celestial Frost Sect looked serious, and he even radiated a bit of killing intent.
“I had an opponent of my own, a man called Yao Xuan. He was trying to kill me, and his attacks were powerful,” Shang Qing replied in a tone that was neither servile nor arrogant.
“You didn’t know that your attacker was a trespasser at the time?”
“I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t question it?”
“No.”
“What did the young master tell you?”
“He did not give out any commands, as each of us had our own opponent.”
“How did Dong He die?”
“I didn’t see.”
…
Questions were continuously asked, and Shang Qing steadily answered them all.
He has already been interviewed by several powerhouses from the Celestial Frost Sect. After all, it was impossible to completely verify Shang Qing’s background since he had come from Nest.
