At this moment, Lu Yin could see runes, had reached the Creation realm of star energy control, and had worked with several different sourcebox arrays. But most importantly of all,he had played a game of Stable Zone with Grandmaster Qiu Ling, which had greatly increased his lockbreaking ability. All in all, he was confident that he could unlock a five star advanced sourcebox if he came across one.
Xiu Ming stared at the waterfall. “Throughout all of the years that the Lockbreaker Society has existed for, on average, it has taken ten one star advanced sourceboxes for a Lockbreaker to improve their rank from one star Boundless Advanced to two star Boundless Advanced.”
Lu Yin’s expression changed, but Xiu Ming simply continued, saying, “In theory, one only needs to unlock four one star advanced sourceboxes and a single two star advanced sourcebox, but almost no Lockbreakers take this path. In order to do so, one must be confident of being capable of unlocking two star, three star, or even four star and five star advanced sourceboxes. However, even so, how do you know if you are truly qualified for be granted the title at that level?
“Lu Yin, how many sourceboxes have you opened since you’ve first started lockbreaking?” Xiu Ming asked.
Lu Yin thought back. “Not very many.”
Xiu Ming then posed the same question to Wu Dan.
Wu Dan replied in a respectful manner, “This junior has gone deep into the Ancient Spirit Sea and encountered one sourcebox after another. I saw myriad types of danger zones of various sourceboxes, and I’ve also seen sourceboxes of every shape and form.”
Xiu Ming looked back at Lu Yin. “Comparing the number of sourceboxes you’ve seen versus that of Wu Dan, you haven’t seen even a tenth, or maybe less than even a hundredth of what he has seen.”
Lu Yin looked up. “But this junior is able to unlock advanced sourceboxes.”
“A Lockbreaker is a scholar who studies the language of the universe. A sourcebox is formed when the dust of the universe covers and seals something. Lockbreaking is only one of a Lockbreaker’s abilities, and ability alone does not make a successful Lockbreaker. You are an Enlighters, but is your strength actually limited to the Enlighter realm?” Xiu Ming asked.
Lu Yin understood what Grandmaster Xiu was saying. The older man did not want Lu Yin to rush his progress without sufficient understanding. However, even with this explanation from Xiu Ming, Lu Yin still did not fully understand.
A conflicted expression came across Xiu Ming’s face. “From the beginning of lockbreaking until now, how many master Lockbreakers have appeared? Of them, almost none have died peacefully.”
Lu Yin was shocked, and he stared at Xiu Ming in surprise.
Wu Dan looked sad.
“Humans are unable to surpass the limits of the universe. A sourcebox is something that is formed by gathering the dust of the universe while a Lockbreaker is someone who wishes to unlock the secrets of the universe. Thus, the associated risks are tremendous. You should already understand this, and it is the primary reason why Lockbreakers enjoy such a high status, especially the Array Masters. Arranging a sourcebox array is a means of converting trash into a miracle by borrowing the power of the universe itself. However, something borrowed must always be returned. Out of ten Array Masters, nine of them will die while lockbreaking.”
“Do you feel that lockbreaking is something simple? Do you believe that because you can set up sourcebox arrays, you are now able to casually unlock sourceboxes? Even an Array Grandmaster can die while lockbreaking, even to a sourcebox that is not at the advanced level. Child, I do not want that to be your ending. Can you understand that I don’t want you to die while unlocking a sourcebox?” Xiu Ming spoke gently.
Lockbreaking was something that was more of a hobby to Lu Yin. In the past, he had simply seen Lockbreakers as people who were given a great deal of respect. In fact, Lu Yin had become a Lockbreaker mainly to force his enemies to be more hesitant about attacking him. His motives had not been pure at the beginning, and truthfully, that part had not changed even after all this time.
Lu Yin was eager to raise his Lockbreaker rank, but he mostly wanted the improved status that came with it. Gaining recognition from the Lockbreaker Society would increase Lu Yin’s influence in the Fifth Mainland, and that was even more important to him than lockbreaking itself.
Xiu Ming had long since noticed this about Lu Yin, and that was also why the older man had made it a point to speak to Lu Yin today. The society’s chairman did not want such a talented Lockbreaker to die while lockbreaking due to nothing more than simple arrogance.
Lu Yin did not believe that he was an arrogant person, but his actions at this moment were exactly those of one.
In terms of foundation, Lu Yin could not compare to Wu Dan, and Lu Yin only surpassed Wu Dan in terms of talent and ability. When it came to understanding the art and devotion, Lu Yin fell far behind Wu Dan.
Xiu Ming raised a hand to show Lu Yin a scar. “I received this when I was a five star Boundless Advanced Lockbreaker. The sourcebox was nothing more than a Perceptive Intermediate one, but if I had been even the tiniest bit less luckier at that time, there would be no Xiu Ming today.”
Lu Yin’s expression finally changed slightly.
Wu Dan was not surprised by the story, as he had obviously heard it before.
“All Lockbreakers who come to the Lockbreakers World have heard this story or something very close to it. Lu Yin, this is your first time hearing this, no?” Xiu Ming said.
Lu Yin remained respectful. “This is the first time that this junior has heard this story.”
“That’s because lockbreaking is not what your heart is set on,” Xiu Ming said.
Lu Yin could not refute the man’s words.
Wu Dan looked at Lu Yin in anger. Lockbreaking was Wu Dan’s entire life, and he had devoted all of himself to the profession. However, the only peer who Wu Dan could admit that surpassed him in lockbreaking ability did not actually care much about the art. For a moment, Wu Dan felt an overpowering urge to kill Lu Yin and a reluctance to take no action at all.
Lu Yin was someone who was able to casually surpass others’ life-long efforts. The frustration felt by others when they saw what Lu Yin was capable of was truly indescribable.
“The less lockbreaking means to you, the more likely you are to die while doing it. There have been countless examples that perfectly illustrate this point.” Xiu Ming continued speaking in a gentle tone, but then he turned back to look at Lu Yin. “As the chairman, I have the right to give any Lockbreaker any assessment I deem fit for them. I hear your request, and for your assessment, Lu Yin, you are to explore the Ancient Spirit Sea and record the changes in the form of the danger zones of one hundred sourceboxes.”
Lu Yin was caught off guard. “By accomplishing this will I be promoted to a two star Boundless Advanced Lockbreaker?”
Xiu Ming felt helpless; this child was relentless, and such determination truly made him uncomfortable. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Lu Yin pursed his lips. All he really wanted to do was improve his Lockbreaker ranking. Still, he listened to Xiu Ming’s words and considered the man’s thoughts. In the end, Lu Yin finally decided that he would wait before pushing forward with his lockbreaking, though he would not abandon it completely. He had become enthralled by the power of Ceaseless Impetus, and he dreamed of one day creating a sourcebox array that could similarly benefit the entire human race, but that was an extremely distant dream. It was a dream that would only have a chance of being realized after his Lu family regained their place as rulers of the Perennial World, and while Lu Yin’s dream of creating an amazing sourcebox array was not something that weighed heavily on him, he still hoped to accomplish it.
Still, Lu Yin remained eager to improve his Lockbreaker rank.
“Senior, this junior will go to the Ancient Spirit Sea now,” Lu Yin stated. There were still many things that he needed to take care of, and it would cost him too much time to repeatedly return here.
Wu Dan stared at Lu Yin’s back as the youth left. He still was not convinced. “I will eventually surpass him!”
Xiu Ming sighed. “There are some people who are simply innately talented. You are seen as a monstrously talented Lockbreaker by others, and even if your cultivation falls behind your peers, you are still capable of setting up sourcebox arrays. You already stand at the top, but compared to that child…”
Xiu Ming stopped there. He was not trying to insult Wu Dan, but rather bring the youth to accept reality, as he had seen the unwillingness filling Wu Dan’s eyes. Xiu Ming did not want Wu Dan to only understand the gap between him and Lu Yin after Lu Yin left Wu Dan far behind.
Still, Xiu Ming actually appreciated Wu Dan even more than Lu Yin, and the chairman considered Wu Dan to be the Lockbreaker Society’s successor. Lu Yin would never be able to take over the Lockbreaker Society, as his heart was not infatuated to lockbreaking.
The Ancient Spirit Sea was an area that was nurtured by the Six Ancient Spirit Array. It had the form of an odd ocean, and sourceboxes were cultivated there by the array.
If Ceaseless Impetus had been the most magnificent sourcebox array that Lu Yin had ever seen, then the Six Ancient Spirit Array was the most obscure.
When Lu Yin had first heard about this sourcebox array, he had not been able to believe that it could nurture the formation of other sourceboxes. Even in the Perennial World, he had never heard of such a possibility.
There was a dull sound as Lu Yin rushed into the Ancient Spirit Sea. He plunged in head first, and he immediately began looking for the sourceboxes gestated by the Ancient Spirit Sea. One hundred did not sound like too many, but since Xiu Ming had personally given Lu Yin this task, it clearly was not something to take lightly.
Far away from where Lu Yin had leapt into the Ancient Spirit Sea, many Lockbreakers had gathered at the edge of a cliff and were looking at some people down below.
“You’re sure that those guys won’t die, right?”
“They’ll be fine. While some of the Boundless Advanced sourceboxes in the Ancient Spirit Sea are dangerous, they should be able to sense them early enough given their abilities.”
“The Innerverse Lockbreaker Society really has some talented youths. They have actually raised three young Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreakers at the same time.”
…
There was a yell as a figure rushed upwards from the seabed and leaped onto the cliff to stand there, panting heavily. If Lu Yin were present, he would have recognized the person as one of his former classmates from the Astral Combat Academy: the former student leader of Astral-6, Dao Bo, who had once helped Lu Yin.
Upon seeing Dao Bo’s appearance, some of the nearby Lockbreakers looked at him, and one of them asked, “Kid, how many did you record?”
Dao Bo was panting heavily, and there was a strand of seaweed wrapped around his back that was scratching at this skin, leaving him bleeding. “Nineteen.”
“What level?”
Dao Bo fell silent for a moment before responding, “Seventeen Discerning Elementary and two Perceptive Intermediate ones.”
“Not bad,” the man replied.
Others nearby started commenting, “That’s really not bad. You’re just a one star Intermediate Lockbreaker, and yet you were able to record the shapes and danger fields intentions of so many sourceboxes in the Ancient Spirit Sea while only receiving slight injuries. That’s very good.”
At this moment, another figure charged up from the sea. It was Casanova.
Three of the Innerverse Lockbreaker Society’s Distinguished Five had come to the Lockbreakers World for training. They knew of other Lockbreakers who were the same age as them, but none could compare to their skills. They only wanted to challenge other Lockbreakers who stood above all of their peers and represented the peak of Lockbreaker Society’s younger members, like Wu Dan.
Even if Wu Dan had already become a Boundless Advanced Lockbreaker, they could still challenge him by breaking his achievements one by one.
“How many did you record?” Dao Bo asked.
Casanova looked frustrated. He was bleeding from a nasty open wound across his shoulders. “Those danger fields are too sneaky! I almost died.”
Dao Bo felt bitter. It was not easy to record the shape and danger field of a sourcebox. Shape was easy enough to determine—as long as you could clearly see the sourcebox and it was in a place where you could circle around it, figuring out the shape was trivial. However, a Lockbreaker had to personally experience the sourcebox’s danger field to record it down. There were some sourceboxes whose danger field they did not dare to touch, others whose danger fields were impossible to sense, and yet more that were simply difficult to record.
“Twenty three sourceboxes. Four intermediate ones and nineteen elementary ones,” Casanova reported in a muffled voice.
Those who heard him were amazed once again. These results were shocking, as even mid-ranked Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreakers from the older generation might not be capable of doing much better.
The names of the Innerverse Lockbreaker Society’s Distinguished Five had since become famous in the Lockbreakers World. After all, they ranked just below Wu Dan in the younger generation. Their accomplishments were impressive, but they could not even come close to comparing to Wu Dan.
“Come on. We’re not under any sort of time limit,” Dao Bo said.
Casanova shrugged. “Given my abilities, I hoped that I would have been able to find a beautiful Lockbreaker or two whom I could chat with.”
Dao Bo’s voice grew cold. “It’s your choice, but Wu Dan is already the most popular young Lockbreaker in the Lockbreakers’ World.”
Casanova became upset the moment he heard Dao Bo’s words, and he turned around to dive back into the Ancient Spirit Sea.
Elsewhere, Lu Yin had found a sourcebox shortly after entering the sea.
OMA’s Thoughts
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC’ed By: OMA
