Wen Sansi remained silent and stood behind Wen Yao. The elder represented the Wen family, while Lu Yin represented the Great Eastern Alliance. In this situation, Wen Sansi was a mere junior.
Lu Yin smiled. “Take a seat, honored guests.”
He signaled for Zhao Ran to bring tea as he welcomed the guests. However, he had previously specifically told her not to serve her floral tea, in order to avoid scaring his guests.
Lu Yin spoke again as the three took their seats. “I heard that Senior Wen visited Fennel Flowzone? There was an urgent matter that I needed to attend, so I wasn’t able to wait in Fennel Flowzone. My apologies for forcing Senior Wen and Brother Sansi to make an extra trip.”
Wen Yao laughed. “Such critical issues come first, Alliance Leader Lu. It’s nothing for idlers like us to make an extra trip or two. Was everything handled well? Let us know if the Wen family can be of any help; we will never refuse requests that are within our means.”
Lu Yin was elated at the offer. “That’s wonderful! Can I take your word for it?”
Wen Yao was dumbfounded at Lu Yin’s response. He had merely been speaking in a manner required by propriety; who would actually take such words at face value?
Wen Sansi was similarly speechless, though he was not completely surprised given his slight familiarity of Lu Yin.
“You can count on the Wen family at any time,” Wen Yao decided to show some level of generosity since it would look bad to refuse at this point. Additionally, they were about to ask about after the seven-layered Literary Prison, so it would be for the best if they could get Lu Yin to owe them a favor.
Lu Yin coughed. “Given the current situation, I’m sure that Senior is aware of how the Outerverse has already been promised to the Sixth Mainland. My alliance is destined to become homeless, so I wonder if we might be able to find a home in Erudite Flowzone?”
Wen Yao was not expecting Lu Yin to make such a request. How could anyone bring up such a request as though it were nothing? If not for the smile on Lu Yin’s face, Wen Yao would absolutely see such a request as a provocation intended to start a war!
“Alliance Leader Lu must be joking; if the Great Eastern Alliance is unable to find a place to call home, the Wen family will gladly help you search for somewhere.” Wen Yao laughed.
Lu Yin replied with a regretful tone, “That’s a pity. If that’s the case, we can only look at some small flowzones. Senior, please help us keep an eye out for any small flowzones that might suite my alliance.”
“That’s a given. Please rest assured, Alliance Leader Lu,” Wen Yao replied. He could not determine which of Lu Yin’s words were authentic. If Lu Yin really was eying the eight great flowzones, there was no need to mention such a thing. However, if there was no such intention, then Wen Yao could not understand the purpose of mentioning such a request.
However, Lu Yin’s goal was simple: between the truth and the deceptions, the leaders of eight great flowzones would not be able to lower their guards, even if the Great Eastern Alliance kept to themselves within Fennel Flowzone. Spies would continue to observe, and protesters would continue to resist. All Lu Yin wanted to do was muddy the waters.
Lu Yin took a sip of tea and continued to avoid the topic of the seven-layered Literary Prison. Wen Yao shot Wen Sansi a glance, and the younger man quickly spoke up, “Alliance Leader Lu, do you possibly remember our meeting in the Daosource Sect ruins?”
Lu Yin thought for a moment. “What is Brother Wen trying to say?”
“Does Brother Lu have the method to cultivate the seven-layered Literary Prison?” Wen Sansi asked.
Wen Yao’s eyes remained locked on Lu Yin as though the older man was trying to glean something from the youth’s expression.
Lu Yin said, “Yes, but also no.”
“How so?” Wen Sansi asked curiously.
Lu Yin replied, “I have someone held captive who possesses the knowledge of the seven-layered Literary Prison. Since he’s my prisoner, I can get the information from him if I act diligently, but there’s also naturally a possibility that I’ll gain nothing.”
“Who’s the man?” Wen Yao could not resist asking.
A smile crept across Lu Yin’s face. “Wen Diyi.”
Wen Yao and Wen Sansi looked at each other, visibly confused. “While our Wen family has hundreds of descendants, there has never been anyone named Wen Diyi, and no one would even dare take such a name. There is no best writer.1 Where did this person come from?”
Lu Yin shrugged. “I can’t answer that. However, he does indeed know the seven-layered Literary Prison.”
Wen Sansi’s eyes flashed. “How can Brother Lu’s words be verified?”
Lu Yin took out Zenith Mountain and gestured an invitation towards Wen Sansi. “Brother Wen, a match, if you don’t mind?”
Wen Sansi’s eyes narrowed. “Sure.”
Lu Yin took Wen Sansi into Zenith Mountain and they appeared somewhat close to Wen Diyi.
Lu Yin was more than familiar with his current situation, as he had already used Yun Tingting to manipulate Smoke-Eater Peaks. With Wen Diyi, Lu Yin expected to be able to do the same with the Wen family. Still, there was one particular detail that was giving Lu Yin a headache: someone like Wen Diyi would be difficult to deal with. The more well-read the person, the prouder they would be. One could call such people pedantic or pretentious, but intellectuals would never lack a sense of pride.
Since Wen Diyi dared to refer to himself as number one, he would likely be even more difficult to deal with. Furthermore, Lu Yin had not even considered what he wanted to get out of the Wen family.
Wen Diyi was cultivating with his eyes closed. He appeared much calmer than Yun Tingting had been, and he spoke when he saw Lu Yin and Wen Sansi approaching, “Is it my turn?”
“You know why I’m looking for you?” Lu Yin asked.
Wen Diyi answered calmly, “Yun Tingting informed me that we’ve already arrived in the Fifth Mainland.” The man looked over at Wen Sansi as he continued, “If I’m not wrong, you can use the Literary Prison, correct?”
Wen Sansi’s eyes flickered. “You’re Wen Diyi?”
Wen Diyi grew solemn. “The Wen family doesn’t only exist within the Perennial World; descendants also remained in the Fifth Mainland. When the Perennial World separated from the Fifth Mainland, the Wen family left behind a bloodline, as well as an inheritance.”
He stared at Wen Sansi. “You being here proves your inheritance is incomplete. How many layers of Literary Prison can you use?”
“There are no layers. Literary Prison is all that it is,” Wen Sansi replied.
Wen Diyi frowned. “The inheritance here is truly incomplete. Since I’m already here, it’s impossible for me to ever go back to that place. I can teach you several layers of the Literary Prison but I have a single condition: let me stay as part of the Wen family. I shall be recognized as a member of the family.”
Wen Sansi raised his hand instantly trapped Wen Diyi with a Literary Prison. It was nine-by-nine, which was the highest level of mastery possible for the Literary Prison that the Wen family had inherited. Wen Sansi was providing a test.
Wen Diyi observed the Literary Prison that surrounded him before taking a single step forward. He surrounded himself with an inverse Literary Prison, and it restrained Wen Sansi’s technique. Quickly, a two-layered Literary Prison appeared, and it shattered Wen Sansi’s Literary Prison. Finally, Wen Diyi made another move that completely trapped Wen Sansi within a seven-layered Literary Prison.
Wen Sansi was shocked beyond words; the seven-layered Literary Prison truly did exist! Even if he had believed Lu Yin’s words in the Daosource Sect’s ruins, seeing it in its full glory was something else entirely. The seven-layered Literary Prison completely subverted the Wen family’s long inherited knowledge. Who could have imagined that they had only ever been cultivating a fragment of the true Literary Prison.
“Virtue Archives possesses eighteen layers of the Literary Prison, but I have only managed to cultivate up to the seventh layer. I don’t have the complete technique that encompasses all 18 folds. Still, for you, I expect that this is already plenty,” Wen Diyi said as he dismissed his Literary Prison.
Lu Yin glanced at Wen Sansi, and then to Wen Diyi. Both men were essentially on the same level when it came to their combat power; Wen Diyi had a more complete inheritance, but Wen Sansi possessed an exceptional innate gift. It would be difficult to determine a winner between these two in a fight, but if Wen Sansi managed to obtain the seven-layered Literary Prison, his strength would surge, as would the power of the entire Wen family.
This was quite the temptation. What exactly did a cultivator desire? They wanted to fight for their lives. Thus, the stronger one became, the greater their chances of success. This seven-layered Literary Prison would provide the Wen family with a greater chance for “life.”
“I am willing to pass the inheritance on to your family, but for that to happen, we first have to leave this place. What are Brother Long- no, Brother Lu’s conditions that he offered you?” Wen Diyi asked, looking genuinely curious.
Wen Sansi looked over at Lu Yin. “Brother Lu, your conditions?”
Lu Yin had not been expecting everything to go so smoothly. Since Wen Diyi had not refused to pass on the seven-layered Literary Prison, the only problem was for Lu Yin to list his conditions. However, what conditions? He had not even thought of any!
“Brother Lu, precisely what conditions need to be met for you to let us take Wen Diyi?” Outside Zenith Mountain, Wen Yao was given an update by Wen Sansi. The elder then turned to Lu Yin while trying to suppress his emotions.
Lu Yin stayed silent for a while. “Please let me think about it. Too many things have happened recently, and I haven’t had time to properly consider this matter.”
Wen Yao frowned, as he felt that Lu Yin was trying to get more from them. “Alliance Leader Lu, please name your price. We will not haggle with you so long as your request remains within my family’s means.”
Before making this trip, Wen Yao had thoroughly investigated Lu Yin, with a special focus on the youth’s preferences. Still, the elder had not expected the youth to be such a money-grubber.
Lu Yin waffled. Star essence provided Lu Yin with the means to increase his strength and abilities, but he had no idea just how much he could sell Wen Diyi for, as Lu Yin was completely clueless as to the Wen family’s resources.
If they could only offer him a few hundred like he had taken from the Blaze Realm, then he would rather keep Wen Diyi.
“Senior and Brother Wen can either return home or enjoy yourselves for a bit here on Zenyu Star, and I’ll inform you as soon as I’ve made up my mind,” Lu Yin told them.
Wen Sansi replied, “Brother Lu, you are already aware of what the seven-layered Literary Prison means to my Wen family. I can tell you bluntly, it is important, very important! However, you also need to remember a certain detail: no one other than us in the entire Fifth Mainland possesses any interest at all in the seven-layered Literary Prison. It’s a technique exclusive to the Wen family, so you won’t find a second buyer.”
Lu Yin laughed. “Brother Wen id definitely wrong about that! I believe the Sword Sect, Beast Tamers Flowzone, Chaosgod Mountain, and even various powerhouses from the Neoverse would be interested in someone like Wen Diyi.”
People would certainly be interested in Wen Diyi, though not the seven-layered Literary Prison. What they would be concerned about would be preventing the Wen family from acquiring the seven-layered Literary Prison. It would not matter to such people if they were able to cultivate the technique themselves or not, but everyone would feel threatened if the Wen family’s strength rose because of this technique, especially the Sword Sect.
After Daynight Flowzone had been overturned by Lu Yin, the Wen family and the Sword Sect had become the strongest powers within the entire Innerverse, and they had constantly been competing with each other since that time. If the Sword Sect learned of the existence of the seven-layered Literary Prison, they would destroy it at any costs, just to keep it out of the hands of the Wen family.
Wen Sansi’s eyes flashed. “Brother Lu, I expect you’ve already come to a decision?”
Lu Yin answered, “As I said, you can wait on Zenyu Star for a bit, and I’ll make sure to let you know as soon as I’m done thinking.”
Wen Yao became impatient. “Alliance Leader Lu, you’re from the Astral Combat Academy! Erudite Flowzone’s Lost Radiance Academy has always maintained a good relationship with your alma mater, and Sansi has helped you in the past as well. We hope you can take such things into consideration and deliver Wen Diyi to us as soon as possible to prevent anything from happening.”
“Brother Lu, things haven’t been peaceful within the Innerverse as of late. The Wen family seems to have been targeted, and the same is true of Lost Radiance Academy. Han Chong is actually dead. We urge you to reach a decision soon,” Wen Sansi urged.
Lu Yin was surprised. “Han Chong’s dead?”
Wen Sansi nodded. “Not only Han Chong, but also of his family’s elders along with some of the Wen family’s members have also died. The Neohuman Alliance seems to have had something to do with it, and they’ve locked on to us. This is why I’m afraid things could get bloody if any information regarding the seven-layered Literary Prison gets leaked.”
Lu Yin found this rather odd; why would the Neohuman Alliance target the Wen family? Did the Wen family possess something worthy of such attention? Even if the Wen family did have such a thing, what connection could it have to Han Chong? He had only been a mere Cruiser.
[1] Just a reminder that when Wen Diyi was first introduced (Chapter 1411), it was mentioned that “Wen” means literacy/writing, while “DiYi” means the best/number 1. ☜
OMA’s Thoughts
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC’ed By: OMA
