Next, Lu Yin called Ban Jiu and asked the man to make another set of universal armor. In order to save some time, Ban Jiu sent Lu Yin the schematics and asked Lu Yin to melt down the materials before delivering them. The facilities at Black Street were advanced enough to melt down some of the materials. After all, Black Street existed because of the vast amount of nearby trash, and even though there were materials that could not be recycled, the place still had impressive capabilities.
Later, Lu Yin Disassembled the new batch of materials that Ming Yan had given him, gave the refined materials and schematics to Ming Yan, and asked her to find someone to process the materials. This would take a while, and Lu Yin intended to spend his time in the Daosource Sect’s ruins.
He had never forgotten about the Ninesuns Cauldron Transformation, but he had not had an opportunity to return to the Daosource Sect’s ruins in a while. Finally, he was able to go back.
Lu Yin pulled out his futon. It had been a long time since he had last visited the Daosource Sect’s ruins, and he let out an emotional sigh before sitting down on it, reappearing in a plaza.
When he had last entered the ruins, it had been shortly before the Sixth Mainland abandoned their invasion of the Fifth Mainland.
The square that Lu Yin entered was quite a bit more lively than it was during his last visit. He altered his appearance a bit, stood up, and started making his way towards the First Divine Gate.
There was a group of people gathered outside the road to the First Divine Gate, and they glanced at each other while watching Lu Yin approach.
Just as Lu Yin was about to step onto the road, one of the people stepped forward to stop him. “Brother, the First Divine Gate Guardians are hard to deal with. Do you want to go with us?”
Lu Yin smiled but refused. “No need.”
“Brother, I’m guessing that you’re a Cruiser, which would make you only inferior to Realmlings. You won’t be in any danger if you team up with us, as Realmling Di Luo is supporting us, which means that these Daosource Sect’s ruins are safe for us.” The man continued trying to persuade Lu Yin.
Lu Yin was surprised at this bit of news. “Di Luo? Isn’t Di Fa the Realmling?”
Several people’s expressions changed, and they grew wary as they stared at Lu Yi. “Aren’t you from the Sixth Mainland?”
“I’m from the Sage Martial Realm,” Lu Yin explained.
Some of the crowd were surprised. “The Sage Martial Realm? Why has someone from there showed up here at the First Divine Gate?”
Lu Yin shrugged. “No idea, but here I am.”
“My Bloodburn Realm’s Realming is now Di Luo. Lord Di Fa is too old to be considered a part of the younger generation, so he’s no longer a Realmling,” someone took a moment to explain, but after speaking, he stared at Lu Yin and studied him. “You’re from Sage Martial Realm? Then show us your imprint.”
Lu Yin smiled. “Sure.”
However, his body simply disappeared.
The entire crowd was startled; what had happened to him?
Lu Yin quickly passed through the First Divine Gate and stepped onto the Budding Terrace. He immediately continued traveling towards the region with the Nine Cauldrons.
Di Fa had grown older and was no longer a Realmling. In the same manner, most of the Realmlings that Lu Yin had been familiar with had also left the younger generation, just like the the Fifth Mainland’s Ten Arbiters. However, Lu Yin was still young enough to be considered a part of the younger generation. Well, as long as the time that he had lived as Lu Xiaoxuan was not included…
He could also be considered a member of that previous generation.
It did not take Lu Yin long to arrive at the region that held the Nine Cauldrons, only to find that it was still blocked off.
Long ago, after Lu Yin had absorbed all of the cauldron energy from the first cauldron, causing it to shatter. That incident had drawn the attention of many of the Sixth Mainland’s older experts, and they had moved to investigate. Eventually, some of the Sixth Mainland’s major powers had sealed off the Nine Cauldrons’ region, and even though several years had passed since that incident, there were still some people paying attention to the region. It was impossible for ordinary cultivators to gain access to the region.
Lu Yin was different; he simply moved past the people standing guard in front of the region’s entrance without any of them noticing anything at all.
The first cauldron had already shattered, so Lu Yin entered the second cauldron. There, he found that there were some people already inside it. They were most likely all descendants of Imprinters, but none of them were important. Thus, Lu Yin simply knocked them all out and began absorbing the cauldron energy.
Lu Yin’s strength had completely transformed compared to when he had previously absorbed cauldron energy, and he was pleasantly surprised to discover that his absorption rate was much quicker.
A few days later, the second cauldron trembled before it shattered and collapsed, right in front of many people’s shocked gazes.
“Hurry! Hurry up and let the family elders know that the second cauldron has shattered too!” someone exclaimed.
Many of the watching people started moving towards the shattered remains of the cauldron in hopes of finding something, but the people that Lu Yin had knocked out inside the cauldron had been awakened by the commotion, and they all glanced around in confusion. Not a single one of them had any idea of what had just happened.
“Someone knocked us out,” someone quietly commented. As he spoke, he reflexively released his imprint and exerted his full strength. “The entrance to this place has already been blocked off, so no one can leave.”
Not only were there people in the second cauldron, but also in the third, the fourth, and even the ninth. Sword Scholar actually emerged from the ninth cauldron, and his voice filled the entire region. “Everyone, don’t do anything rash.”
No one dared to retort. Even though Xiao Qing had defeated Sword Scholar and taken the position of Realmling, Sword Scholar was still a former Realmling. Also, he was no longer a part of the younger generation, so most of the youths saw Sword Scholar as a senior on the same level as their elders.
Even though many of the youths secretly despised Sword Scholar and the others of his age for shamelessly entering the Daosource Sect’s ruins to compete with juniors, no one dared to speak up in front of the man himself.
Sword Scholar’s eyes swept across the Nine Cauldrons Region. This place was not very big, so he could observe the entire place.
Finally, his eyes locked onto the third cauldron.
Since the first and second cauldrons had both shattered, the third cauldron should be next. Therefore, Sword Scholar jumped into the third cauldron.
That was the last thing that he remembered.
Lu Yin felt helpless. Why all the commotion? He just wanted to absorb the cauldron energy in peace, but every time he tried to do so, there would always be such a huge commotion.
Lu Yin checked the area outside the cauldron. All of the youths were waiting for Sword Scholar to report on what he found, and while Lu Yin could mimic Sword Scholar’s voice to intimidate these youths, the experts from the older generation would arrive soon, and Sword Scholar was not enough to intimidate any of them.
Not knowing what else to do, Lu Yin let out a long breath and completely released his domain, enveloping the entire region.
One person’s expression changed drastically. “What a powerful domain!”
Before anyone else could react, every single person in the region collapsed to the ground. Lu Yin had dealt with everyone with just his domain.
Lu Yin raised a hand, set up a Channeling Diagram to isolate the third cauldron, and then returned to absorbing the cauldron energy.
It did not take long for more people to enter the Nine Cauldrons Region, as they had received the news that the second cauldron had shattered. However, everyone passed out the moment they arrived, and unconscious people were strewn about the entire region.
People started to panic, but no one dared to make a move.
A powerhouse was soon dispatched to investigate: Hong Ying.
The Daosource Sect’s ruins were treated as a battlefield where youths could compete for opportunities, but that was just tradition. Older people were also able to enter, and Hong Ying was no exception.
She entered the Nine Cauldrons Region and stared straight at the third cauldron before leaping in just like Sword Scholar.
While Hong Ying was still just a Hunter, she was at the cusp of becoming an Enlighter.
But right when Hong Yin was about to enter the cauldron, she was blocked by the Channeling Diagram, and she was forced to retreat dozens of meters.
Hong Yin stared at the Channeling Diagram. She felt that it looked a bit familiar, but thought nothing else of it. Next, she pulled out a spear and stabbed at the barrier hindering her. The tip of her spear stabbed through the sourcebox array, and Hong Ying’s imprint appeared. The appearance of Madam Hong’s imprint caused Hong Ying’s strength to spike at the exact moment that she attacked.
However, the same scene as before repeated; her attack was useless.
Dismayed, Hong Ying landed on the ground. An older expert must have discovered something and taken the opportunity in the Nine Cauldrons. She glanced over at the first cauldron. It had shattered a few years ago, and the person behind that must have returned and made another move. Just who was it?
Fan Shun was also in the Daosource Sect’s ruins, and as soon as he received word of what had happened in the Nine Cauldrons’ region, he rushed straight over.
When he arrived, he found that there were no fewer than a hundred unconscious people strewn about the region. He looked around at them, but they were all silent.
Hong Ying looked back at Fan Shun.
In the past, no one had particularly cared about the Brahman Realm’s Realmling, but he had revealed a terrifying level of strength, battle techniques, innate gift, and even a mastery over secret techniques during ZENITH. He had proven himself worthy of the title of Realmling. At the very least, Hong Ying had been fully convinced.
Fan Shun instantly released his imprint of the Herb Immortal, which caused all of the nearby vegetation to surge with life. Towering trees rose up from the ground and formed a massive treant that slapped a wooden hand against the third cauldron.
This attack had been used during ZENITH, and it was so powerful that Hong Ying viewed it as invincible.
The giant treant slapped the Channeling Diagram surrounding the cauldron, but the force of the impact spread out into lines of force that shot out in all directions.
Hong Ying’s expression changed slightly. One of the redirected lines of force had shot straight towards her face, and she stabbed at it with her spear. The collision forced her back a hundred meters, and her hands trembled as blood spilled from her mouth. She looked up, only to see that the third cauldron looked the same as before. Fan Shun’s attack had failed.
Bang, bang!
The diverted force from the attack struck the Nine Cauldrons Region’s border in every direction, and the impact twisted the void.
Hundreds of people panicked, terrified of being caught up in the attack.
All of the towering trees disappeared, and Fan Shun frowned and stopped attacking. Even his imprint vanished.
Hong Ying asked, “No use?”
“He’s here,” Fan Shun coldly announced.
Hong Ying’s eyes sharpened into focus. “Who?”
Fan Shun looked at Hong Ying. “Don’t you feel like this scene is rather familiar?”
Hong Ying looked back over at the third cauldron and recalled how the power from Fan Shun’s attack had been dispersed. Suddenly, her expression changed, and her head whipped around to stare at Fan Shun. “It’s a sourcebox array! Lu Yin?”
A smile appeared on Fan Shun’s face. “He’s been missing for two years, but he’s finally back.”
Hong Ying gritted her teeth as she stared at the third cauldron. “He actually managed to seize the Nine Cauldrons’ hidden opportunity.”
Fan Shun looked up. “Only a truly peerless person like him could possibly qualify to take this opportunity. You and I can’t even break through his sourcebox array. Within our generation, not even the Daosource Three Skies can defeat him anymore. Only an Imprinter could possibly deal with him now.”
He then turned to look at everyone else in the area. “Go and tell an Imprinter to come here as soon as possible. Let them know that Lu Yin is here.”
“Wait.” Hong Ying stopped them from moving. “If an Imprinter comes, you and I will get nothing from these Nine Cauldrons at all.”
Fan Shun was in a helpless position. “Lu Yin’s here, so even if all of the Sixth Mainland’s Realmlings and the Daosource Three Skies were here, it would accomplish nothing. Who can take this chance from him?”
Hong Ying wanted to disagree with Fan Shun’s opinion, but then she remembered ZENITH’s final battle. All of the top ten finalists had worked together against Lu Yin, but even their combined strength had not been enough to force Lu Yin to take a single step back. The gap in strength had been so vast that it could not possibly be filled. Numbers could not compensate for so much individual power.
Hong Ying was unwilling to accept her circumstances, but she was also helpless to resist. Why had such a freak appeared in her generation?
Inside the third cauldron, Lu Yin heard what Fan Shun and the others all said. Their conversation made Lu Yin a bit nervous, though Fan Shun and others were even more anxious. They had always seen the Daosource Sect’s ruins as the Sixth Mainland’s land of opportunity for their youths, but at this moment, Lu Yin had stolen the greatest opportunity that the ruins held. They simply could not accept this.
Fan Shen’s Imprinter was more powerful than Hong Ying’s, so Fan Shun decided to invite his Imprinter to step forward.
The Realmling just hoped that Lu Yin would not take too much away before the Imprinter arrived.
What inheritances did the Nine Cauldrons hold? It would be wonderful if Lu Yin could be captured and questioned, but, of course, that was nothing more than a dream. Given Lu Yin’s status in the Fifth Mainland, even the three Progenitors would be cautious about moving against Lu Yin.
OMA’s Thoughts
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC’ed By: OMA
