Under Yu Chen’s encouragement, Liu Shaoge continued his line of thought, saying, “During Long Qi’s attempted arrest of the two stellular energy mules when they were caught at the Cloud Shuttle, the jade butterfly hiding in Huaiyuan Gate should have been exposed. However, that never happened—she was not found or arrested. I believe that your jade butterfly was exposed at that time but left alone in order to be used as a pawn to mislead us.”
Liu Shaoge looked at Yu Chen before continuing. “Right now, Long Qi used her to send us a message: he’s altered his route and intends to ascend via the Cloud Shuttle.”
“No matter which route they take to get to Dragon Mountain, our people will still find them,” Yu Chen said to herself.
Liu Shaoge replied in a solemn tone, “Perhaps that is what he wants us to think.”
Yu Chen frowned. Liu Shaoge’s suggestions had reminded her of what had happened to her scheme targeting Long Qi in the Yinshan District. Long Qi excelled at plotting and scheming, and his thoughts and designs absolutely exceeded Yu Chen’s current grasp of the situation. She refocused onto Liu Shaoge. “What are your thoughts?”
Liu Shaoge shook his head. “This subordinate does not understand the situation.”
Yu Chen’s eyes grew focused. “He- he wants to take a detour.”
Liu Shaoge grew puzzled.
Yu Chen spoke in a low voice, “The Bifrost, Cloud Shuttle, and Dragon Mountain can only be accessed by passing through certain places, and our people can lie in ambush at any one of those locations. However, what if they take a detour?”
“What do you mean? Are you suggesting that Long Qi has deliberately leaked false information to draw our attention? In that case, he might still take the Bifrost, but then make a detour on his way to Dragon Mountain?” Liu Shaoge was surprised.
Yu Chen replied, “That must be his idea. He is someone whose schemes have multiple layers, and he is using both the Bifrost and the Cloud Shuttle to blind us in order to mask his true intentions.”
After her thoughts reached this point, Yu Chen immediately contacted Sect Master Bai Teng and asked him to have the person laying in ambush for Long Qi to change locations.
“Even if he wants to take a detour, his destination is Dragon Mountain, and that will not change.” Yu Chen stared at a map of the region in the Higher Realm that surrounded Dragon Mountain and instantly chose a new ambush site.
Liu Shaoge expressed his concerns, “But if Long Qi doesn’t take a detour, then won’t that mean that we will fail?”
“That’s impossible. Given his cleverness, he will definitely take a detour,” Yu Chen said with conviction.
If Lu Yin had heard Yu Chen, he would be amazed. If he had not known about Liu Shaoge’s presence and taken advantage of it, or if Lu Yin had not intended to make his way to the rendezvous point to return to the Fifth Mainland, then it was highly possible that he would indeed take a detour. He would have used that plan to confuse his enemies, as returning to Huaiyuan Gate would hint that he was planning to use the Cloud Shuttle to ascend to the Higher Realm, and he was too smart to relax and use the Bifrost. In that case, he would choose to take neither option.
Taking a detour was indeed the best choice that Lu Yin could make, but such thoughts did not enter into Lu Yin’s calculations at all. After all, he had no intention of returning to the Higher Realm at all.
He had only laid out these plans on the off chance that he did end up having to go to the Higher Realm. That way, he would at least avoid being captured by the Celestial Frost Sect, as that would spell his doom.
While the entire Perennial World was roiling from the news and impact of the White Dragon Clan’s invitations, Qing Chen had already led Lu Yin to the Cloud Continent.
Lu Yin started to grow nervous as he stared at the massive trunk of the Mother Tree off in the distance.
Qing Chen grabbed hold of Lu Yin, and they next appeared on a cloud platform.
“Supervisor, can’t you just fly up?” Lu Yin asked out of curiosity.
Qing Chen explained, “No one other than the members of the four ruling powers are allowed to use alternative means to travel between the Middle Realm and the Higher Realm unless they have received special permission.”
So it was yet another means of control. Lu Yin glanced around; why had the old man not shown himself yet? Could Lu Yin count on the old man?
Right as Lu Yin was thinking of the old man, the void beneath the Cloud Shuttle burst apart, causing countless people who had been waiting in line and many of the Smokecloud Sect’s disciples to instantly faint. Even Lu Yin felt like his head was about to be crushed apart, and he almost vomited blood as his body swayed slightly.
Qing Chen’s expression drastically changed. “Not good!”
Even as he spoke, he grabbed Lu Yin, tore into the void, and fled upwards towards the Higher Realm.
“You still want to run?” A loud voice shattered the void once more, and it was compressed into an overwhelming power that quickly reached Qing Chen. Shockingly, it was powerful enough to leave him dazed.
Qing Chen’s pupils instantly shrank; this person was a true master.
“Who are you?” Qing Chen shouted. An invisible power erupted out of his body and isolated him from the surrounding space. Then, an additional power exploded from his arm and pushed Lu Yin to the east.
Qing Chen roared in anger as he counterattacked.
A shocking battle erupted beneath the Cloud Shuttle. It was a battle between two Semi-Progenitors, and it shattered the sky as chaos unfolded for an untold distance.
Lu Yin was dazed by the battle, and he was left panting as he cursed the old man for being too ruthless in his attacks. If Lu Yin had not immediately started reciting the Stonewall Scriptures, he would have most likely lost consciousness.
As he looked at the frenetic battle taking place, he saw the true universe occasionally being torn open, but Lu Yin made no attempt to stop anything. The old man had revealed his power, and he was moving forward as planned—Lu Yin will be sent directly towards the rendezvous point.
The air whistled as Lu Yin flew closer and closer to the rendezvous point. As long as he reached that place and met up with the old man, they would be able to instantly return to the Fifth Mainland. He was close, so close!
Suddenly, Lu Yin was stopped and surrounded by smoke.
A cloud of smoke appeared up ahead of him as an unknown old man revealed himself and calmly stared at Lu Yin.
Lu Yin’s pupils instantly constricted the moment he saw this old man. Based on the pressure and the fact that he had managed to erase the power of the old man who had sent Lu Yin flying towards the rendezvous point, this person had to be yet another Semi-Progenitor! Why were so many Semi-Progenitors showing up?
“Your expression is quite odd; shouldn’t you be thanking this old man for saving your life?” the unknown old man asked as he casually observed Lu Yin.
Lu Yin’s breathing was ragged, and his arms felt heavy as he raised them up to offer the old man a respectful bow. “Junior Long Qi thanks this senior for saving his life.”
The old man stared at Lu Yin for a bit before redirecting his attention towards the distance.
Lu Yin’s fingers twitched, and he made up his mind to crush the jade talisman to summon Mister Mu.
“The Commander should be on his way,” the old man suddenly stated, his voice startling Lu Yin.
Lu Yin was slow to respond. “The Commander will come?”
The old man looked back at Lu Yin. “Even if he doesn’t, it’s still impossible for anything to happen to you. Don’t worry, Kui Luo can’t take you. Or is it that want to be taken away by him?”
Lu Yin was caught off guard by this. “Kui Luo? Semi-Progenitor Kui Luo?”
The old man casually replied, “Do you not know who that is? He is powerful enough to affect even Qing Chen and I. In the entire Perennial World, the only Semi-Progenitor capable of doing that is Semi-Progenitor Kui Luo.”
The jade pendant that the old man had given Lu Yin had instantly been recognized by Qing Chen as something that belonged to Semi-Progenitor Kui Luo. Initially, Lu Yin had assumed that the old man was Kui Luo himself, but the old man had denied it and said that he had merely borrowed Kui Luo’s token. And yet, Lu Yin was now suddenly being told that the old man really was Kui Luo?
Lu Yin felt completely helpless. It was even possible that the old man had targeted him the moment he had claimed to have stumbled upon part of Kui Luo’s inheritance.
At this moment, the biggest question was whether or not he should summon Mister Mu. Qing Chen had been extremely confident that Lu Yin would safely arrive at Dragon Mountain, and even the unknown old man in front of Lu Yin was telling him that the Commander was about to arrive in person. Even if Mister Mu was also a Progenitor, that did not mean that he could take Lu Yin away from the Perennial World. After all, the Perennial World had multiple Progenitors, and if the Commander was able to make a move, then the other human Progenitors of the Perennial World might also be able to do the same. On top of that, unless Lu Yin’s guess was completely wrong, then the old man in front of him was the Smokecloud Sect’s Semi-Progenitor.
If Lu Yin summoned Mister Mu, then it would expose Lu Yin’s true identity as a trespasser, and he might not even be saved.
Lu Yin felt torn by the choices laid before him. If he summoned his master, Lu Yin was worried that Mister Mu might be injured by Humility Gate’s Commander. It was even possible that the Perennial World’s Progenitors would move to lock Mister Mu down and trap him. Lu Yin felt more conflicted the more he thought.
He really wanted to speak to Mister Mu and ask him if he was able to take Lu Yin away from the Perennial World. However, Lu Yin could not risk such a thing.
Even as Lu Yin hesitated, the energy from the Semi-Progenitors fighting in the distance disappeared. The old man who had suddenly attacked vanished, and Qing Chen reappeared in front of Lu Yin, though he looked a bit embarrassed. He had finally defeated the old man.
“Yun Wang?” Qing Chen was quite surprised to see the old man with Lu Yin.
Yun Wang looked back at Qing Chen. “It’s been a long time since we last met, Supervisor of the Nine Gates.”
“You didn’t step out to see me even when Yun Mubai was proven to be Redback, and you just returned to the Smokecloud Sect. Why did you make a move just now?” Qing Chen asked.
Yun Wang shook his head. “Kui Luo has reappeared, and I want to ask him something. Unfortunately, no one can hold him down.”
Qing Chen’s voice dropped low, “Kui Luo is one of the most powerful Semi-Progenitors in the Perennial World. Even while being encircled and being suppressed by all of the Semi-Progenitors of the entire Perennial World, he still managed to survive. Just the two of us together won’t be able to stop him.”
He then looked at Lu Yin and said, “You are Kui Luo’s goal, Long Qi.”
Lu Yin no longer had any intention of summoning Mister Mu. He was not confident that doing so would help, and he could only proceed one step at a time at this point. “I don’t know what Kui Luo wants.”
Yun Wang carefully studied Lu Yin, but he said nothing.
“Word of this battle with Kui Luo will soon reach the Higher Realm, so we need to increase our speed.” Qing Chen did not have any time to chat with Yun Wang, and he quickly left with Lu Yin.
Yun Wang had a complicated expression on his face as he stared at Lu Yin’s back while the youth left.
Yun Mubai was the Smokecloud Sect’s sect master who had been personally chosen by Yun Wang, and yet the man had actually turned out to be a Redback. Long Qi was the one who had exposed Yun Mubai’s true identity, and that matter left Yun Wang feeling both grateful and rather disgruntled. The same was true of the entire Smokecloud Sect; they all felt grateful towards Lu Yin for exposing Yun Mubai, but they also despised the youth for the same deed.
Qing Chen had mentioned Kui Luo’s identity, and Yun Wang had also recognized the old man. Thus, others would recognize him as well.
When Qing Chen landed on the Cloud Continent, word that Semi-Progenitor Kui Luo still lived had already spread throughout the entire Perennial World.
Very quickly, a Cloud Shuttle approached the Higher Realm.
Lu Yin was still thinking about the old man when Qing Chen spoke up. “Long Qi, it is not easy to gain a Progenitor as a master, and even if the Commander wishes to accept you as a disciple, others may not be willing to accept such a thing. After all, becoming a Progenitor’s disciple will place you on the same level as the four Junior Progenitors.”
Lu Yin respectfully acknowledged Qung Chen’s caution. “This subordinate is aware.”
Qing Chen continued, saying, “Remember, even though the Commander leads Humility’s Gate and is decisive in his actions, he greatly prefers intelligent people who are unswayed by emotions such as joy and anger, and he does not have much respect for reckless individuals. Your performance thus far has been admirable, so keep it up. Even when others try to interfere in your affairs, remember this matter.”
Lu Yin’s eyes lit up, as this bit of news delighted him. He had actually been trying to come up with a valid excuse to prevent him from accepting the Commander as his master, and Qing Chen had just given him one. So the Commander did not like reckless individuals? Lu Yin remembered that there were quite a few people in the White Dragon Clan’s branch families who were eager to make trouble for him, as well as the entire Celestial Frost Sect.
Qing Chen nodded, as he quite admired Lu Yin’s attitude. Even if the youth was eager to worship a powerful Progenitor as his master and step onto the peak of the White Dragon Clan, Long Qi would not become arrogant and allow his status to go to his head. Such people were rare.
However, Lu Yin was actually brainstorming ways to incite chaos. As he thought about it, he felt that he was not very adept at it
“By the way, you still don’t know the Commander’s name, right?” Qing Chen asked.
Lu Yin respectfully answered, “No, I don’t.”
Qing Chen slowly said, “The Commander’s name is Mu Xie.”
