Lu Yin had wanted to investigate Jupiter for a long time, but during his last and only attempt, he had been unable to enter. He had not had any time since then, but he believed that he currently possessed the strength to do so.
As for the Hidden Earth Society, no matter how powerful their powerhouses might be, they could not be stronger than an Envoy. In other words, Lu Yin’s full battle strength was enough to surpass the entire Hidden Earth Society.
…
Lu Yin left the Starsibyl Sect and boarded his vessel to head back to Blazing Mist Flowzone. He had already decided to return to Earth as soon as possible.
However, before that, there was someone else who he needed to contact. After thinking of this, Lu Yin accessed his gadget and connected to the network to call Xia Luo.
Soon, Xia Luo’s appeared on Lu Yin’s screen. “Xia Jiuyou is desperate to merge with you. So, can you have Xia Jiuyou merge with you instead?”
Lu Yin asked this question the moment he saw Xia Luo.
Lu Yin was truly unwilling to be suppressed by the Xia family and allow them to take away his 900 million star essence. That was 900 million! 900 million was more than enough to raise his strength to an entirely different level.
Xia Luo had not expected to hear such a question as soon as Lu Yin saw him. “Of course. As long as his consciousness is a bit muddled when we merge, my consciousness will certainly become dominant. Why do you ask? Do you want to help me?”
Lu Yin smiled and said, “Since you’ll eventually merge with Xia Jiuyou sooner or later, I don’t want to lose a friend. Besides, the Xia family owes me a debt: 900 million star essence.”
Xia Luo was stunned. “900 million? That much?”
“During ZENITH, one of the Hall of Honor’s nine overseers, Nan Yuan, the one under the Xia family’s protection, borrowed a billion star essence from the Mavis Bank as a foundation to set up the largest bookkeeping organization in ZENITH. Now, that billion star essence can’t be touched without a proof of wager from him, and I’ve suffered a loss that cuts deep.”
Xia Luo smiled gently. “Gambling’s risky, and it’s very important to quit.”
Lu Yin pursed his lips. “That’s for the future, but for now, I want to get back the 900 million that I lost.”
“You want me to merge with Xia Jiuyou, take his place as the Xia family’s inheritor, and then order Nanyuan to give you the money that’s being held in the Mavis Bank?” Xia Luo figured everything out almost instantly.
Lu Yin said, “It’s a win-win situation! I’ll help you absorb Xia Jiuyou, so why don’t you help me get back the money that was taken from me?”
Xia Luo laughed. “I like your idea, and I’m willing to try. Money can’t compare to a life, not to mention that that’s not even my money. However, unfortunately, this will be extremely difficult to pull off. After ZENITH, all of the top ten finalists were attacked, and you should have been as well. It’s even said that the Sixth Mainland’s Bu Kong was killed. Xia Jiuyou has many guardians around him, and it’s impossible for them to let him do anything alone that has even the slightest bit of risk. In this situation, how do you want me to merge with him? Do you want me to ask for a one-on-one match with him?”
Lu Yin grew serious as he looked at Xia Luo. “That’s your business. Given what I know about you, you can definitely find a way to pull this off. If you can’t, then don’t bother. I’m not the one who’ll be merging with him.”
Xia Luo laughed. “You’re still the same, not having changed at all! You’re afraid of neither the sky nor the earth, but you’re shrewd no matter where you go. Even when you blocked the Daynight clan from the Three Realms Six Daos in the Astral Academy, you were still able to stay safe. Given your current strength, I believe that you can take care of yourself now.”
Lu Yin said, “I really can protect myself. Even if this goes sideways and Xia Jiuyou is the one that absorbs you, I’ll be fine. Regardless, that’s on me. You really don’t have any options right now.”
Xia Luo shrugged. “Fine. You’ve already thought this through, but, unfortunately, the most crucial step is what you’re leaving to me. The Xia family has a powerhouse dedicated to protecting Xia Jiuyou. Her name is Xia Meng, and in the Xia family, her status is even higher than the patriarch’s. Her power level has almost reached a million, and she won’t be easy to deal with.”
Lu Yin did not respond. If even Xia Luo was unable to come up with a plan, then there was nothing that Lu Yin could do. He might have to put off getting back his 900 million star essence for a while longer.
“Brother Lu, it’s time for you to go back to the Astral Combat Academy. It’s been so long, and you still haven’t graduated yet.” Xia Luo smiled and looked very happy.
Lu Yin’s eyes flashed, and then he also smiled. “Yeah, it’s time to go home to Astral-10.”
“Given Brother Lu’s ability, there are definitely some people who are concerned about your whereabouts,” Xia Luo commented.
Lu Yin’s mouth curled up into a smile. “Like the Yōu family, right? Will they tell the Xia family my location?”
“Absolutely. The Seven Courts work together to protect Progenitor Chen’s Mausoleum, but there’s both hatred and competition between the families. Still, they unite on the most important matters, and right now, the most important matter for the Seven Courts is Xia Jiuyou,” Xia Luo replied.
“Alright then, let’s have some fun,” Lu Yin said slowly.
Xia Luo’s eyes flashed. He did not understand what Lu Yin meant, but that did not matter. Xia Luo had already dealt with the most difficult issue, and Lu Yin would handle the rest.
After hanging up, Lu Yin reprogrammed his ship and started moving towards Erudite Flowzone, which was where Astral-10 was currently located.
Beep beep beep!
His gadget rang out an alert soon after.
Lu Yin immediately checked, and his eyes lit up; he was being called by the Yōu family. He had considered calling them himself, not expecting them to be this anxious.
Madam Yōu appeared on the screen, and although her face looked calm, it was possible to detect a hint of feminine weakness and helplessness. “Alliance Leader Lu, have you considered my proposal? Might my Yōu family be allowed to join your Great Eastern Alliance?”
Lu Yin sighed. “Madam Yōu, it’s not that I don’t want to accept, but rather, if we accept your Yōu family, we will offend the Sword Sect. You’re familiar with the relationship between my Great Eastern Alliance and the Innerverse’s eight great flowzones. Doing this might make it impossible for us to move even an inch into the Innerverse.”
Madam Yōu hurriedly replied, “No matter if you accept my Yōu family or not, the Sword Sect will not just watch on as the Great Eastern Alliance moves into the Innerverse. They have already considered various plans, some of which even include my Yōu family. Among the options that they have considered is assassinating you, Alliance Leader Lu. This is just one of the Sword Sect’s current plans, and it’s simply impossible for your Great Eastern Alliance to get along with the Sword Sect. You’re simply incompatible.”
Lu Yin still felt troubled.
Madam Yōu pursed her lips. “Alliance Leader Lu, my Yōu family is willing to offer tribute every year, and I just ask for Alliance Leader to protect the weak women of my Yōu family and take my family in. The one would be completely grateful.”
After speaking, she bowed at the waist to Lu Yin.
The dignified leader of the Yōu family was bowing to him, and Lu Yin was able to see the woman’s anxiety and hurry. This became more obvious the more Lu Yin put off her request to join the Great Eastern Alliance, and it made him confident that the woman intended to use him as a shield. “Madam Yōu, there are some things that we can’t discuss through a call. How about this—why don’t you and I meet in person to discuss this matter. Would that work?”
Madam Yōu’s eyes lit up. “Alliance Leader Lu is asking to meet in order to discuss this matter in detail? Well, I’m not certain as to where we should meet then?”
Lu Yin replied, “We absolutely need to select a location that is completely safe, and you’ve just mentioned that the Sword Sect has even made plans to assassinate me, so clearly, First Flowzone is not a possibility. In that case, how about meeting in the Outerverse, in Southside Weave?”
“Southside Weave?” Madam Yōu was taken aback; Lu Yin wanted to meet that far away?
“Yuan Shi stays in Southside Weave,” Lu Yin said.
Madam Yōu immediately understood. Yuan Shi had long protected Lu Yin, which everyone knew. Meeting near that ancient powerhouse meant that LuYin would have no fear of being attacked. However, this was clearly a precaution not only aimed at avoiding an attack from the Sword Sect, but also on guard against the Yōu family, not to mention the Neohuman Alliance.
However, none of Lu Yin’s cautiousness dissuaded Madam Yōu. She was determined to join the Great Eastern Alliance, and it made no difference where they met. “Very well, I’ll set out immediately. Alliance Leader Lu, I’ll see you in Southside Weave.”
“I’ll see you there,” Lu Yin affirmed.
Lu Yin ended the call and turned to look towards the Outerverse and Southside Weave. Madam Yōu, I hope you have a smooth journey.
…
In Little Millennium Flowzone’s Starsibyl Sect, Starsibyl stood in front of some beads. “Will he be able to find anything out?”
“I hope so. The extinction cycle is very intriguing.”
“I can’t perform any divinations on him.”
“Of course you can’t. No, it’s more that you can’t see through time, and although his background is very complicated, it’s also very powerful.”
“Powerful?”
“Don’t worry about him for the time being. He will have a tremendous impact on this universe in the future, but we will have to examine that after he undergoes this upcoming opportunity. At this time, even if I try to deduce the future, everything is blurry.”
Starsibyl’s eyes flickered. Not even she knew what exactly she was thinking.
…
In the Neoverse, on the sword-shaped mainland that belonged to the Xia family, Xia Jiuyou gritted his teeth as sweat dripped down his forehead. It had already soaked the ground beneath him, and his veins were bulging out all across his body. There was a low roar as the star energy from his body erupted before violently scattering, leaving him panting heavily.
Xia Meng emerged from the void and looked down at Xia Jiuyou. “How is it? Can you recover?”
Xia Jiuyou was breathing heavily, and he hung his head. “I can’t recover. I’ll have to re-cultivate a clone.”
Xia Meng said, “It’s too late to do that.”
“I know, but if I go there, I’ll have the time.” Xia Jiuyou answered in a deep voice.
Xia Meng was caught off guard. “You want to leave the clone there?”
Xia Jiuyou did not reply, but his eyes flickered. The largest disadvantage of the Nine Clones Secret Technique was that every single clone had their own independent personality. If the user did not have excellent control over the technique, it was easy to suffer mishaps like Xia Luo. However, this disadvantage was also the technique’s greatest strength. Could a clone stay there? It might be possible. If Xia Jiuyou was able to stay in that place by himself, then he would have never revealed it to anyone.
“Where is Xia Luo?” Xia Jiuyou asked, clenching his fists, “As long as I can absorb him, rather than my strength decreasing, I’ll actually be stronger than I was during ZENITH. His control of star energy is too impressive, and it could drastically improve my combat power.”
Xia Meng said, “I just received word that he has returned to Astral-10.”
Xia Jiuyou was not surprised. Xia Luo had previously hid in Astral-10 as well. “I’m going to go to Astral-10 to merge with him.”
“No. It’s too dangerous to go out at this time. The Neohuman Alliance will definitely attack,” Xia Meng said.
Xia Jiuyou looked up at Xia Meng. “If I don’t integrate with him, then what meaning will this opportunity hold for me? I will have no hope of getting anything.”
Xia Meng frowned.
Xia Jiu continued in a solemn tone, saying, “I am the hope of the Xia family, but I don’t stand a chance with my current strength. Gaining nothing from this opportunity will mean that the Xia family and the Seven Courts will both gain nothing as well.”
“Astral-10 is not the right place. I won’t be allowed in that place,” Xia Meng explained.
Xia Jiuyou retorted, “You won’t be allowed in, but I will. I can go as an exchange student from the Hall of Honor, and I won’t even need to reveal my true identity.”
Xia Meng hesitated.
“Don’t worry. No one expects me to go anywhere right now, and besides, I’ll have you protecting me. Even without you, Elder Meng, I still have a defensive treasure, which is strong enough to even protect me from an Envoy’s attack. There won’t be any problem, so just let Nan Yuan know to contact me immediately about visiting Astral-10,” Xia Jiuyou said.
Xia Meng was still hesitating.
Xia Jiuyou shouted, “Elder Meng, I can’t just let this opportunity go! The Xia family needs to give birth to a powerful Progenitor! Someone who can compare to Progenitor Chen!”
Xia Meng’s body twitched at the thought of Progenitor Chen. He had been a domineering, invincible, and unparalleled powerhouse. “You can go, but you must ensure one person’s location first.”
“Who?”
“Lu Yin.”
