Arikar hurriedly responded, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know him that well. I’ve only heard rumors about him, and he has some enmity with my Blaze Realm. He even scammed some disciples from my Blaze Realm, which is why I said that.”
“Scammed?” Ming Zhaoshu’s eyes flashed.
Arikar nodded and then recounted how Lu Yin had ripped off Craynor and all the other students.
Ming Zhaoshu muttered, “I understand now. Take him away, but don’t let him die.”
Not long after Arikar was taken away, Tang Si entered the office.
“My King, the matter about the princess has been leaked and cannot be covered up anymore.”
Ming Zhaoshu was furious. “Those people whom Ming Hao planted in my home are too brazen! They are definitely acting on his word to smear Yan’er’s reputation. They are taking this too far!”
Tang Si had cold eyes as well. “Our top priority is to capture the alien, Lu Yin, and use his death to prove our princess’s innocence.”
Ming Zhaoshu’s eyes flickered as he sank into deep thought. Tang Si remained silent.
“You can retire first and then continue looking for that Lu Yin. But remember, do not ever endanger his life,” Ming Zhaoshu ordered.
Tang Si immediately acknowledged his orders and withdrew.
Ming Zhaoshu thought to himself for a while before walking out of his office and heading towards Ming Yan’s room. “Yan’er, may I come in?”
“Please enter,” Ming Yan said softly.
Ming Zhaoshu opened the door and saw his daughter staring blankly into the mirror. The Shenwu Continent placed great importance on a woman’s purity. If a girl’s body was seen by anyone before marriage, then there would be severe ramifications and impede their ability to get married. This was a custom of the Shenwu Continent.
Ming Zhaoshu was furious when his thoughts reached this point. That foreigner just had to choose Yan’er’s bath to appear of all places! And now, the news was already being spread far and wide by Ming Hao’s subordinates. This matter had not only caused Ming Zhaoshu’s house to lose face, but it could even destroy Yan’er’s life.
“Yan’er, are you alright?” Ming Zhaoshu tenderly asked as he walked behind her.
Ming Yan shook her head sadly. “Father, what happened to that person?”
“He escaped, but rest assured. I will definitely capture him and make him pay the price.”
Ming Yan fell silent, but it seemed like she was considering things.
Ming Zhaoshu looked at the side of her pale face and sighed. “Yan’er, do you remember that person’s appearance?”
Ming Yan’s body trembled and then she shook her head.
But Ming Zhaoshu remained unconvinced. “Father knows that you have had an excellent memory ever since you were young as you are skilled in the arts. How could you not remember his face?”
Ming Yan blinked and pursed her lips. “I don’t remember—it was just too chaotic at that moment.”
Ming Zhaoshu looked at his daughter and nodded. “Alright, it will be fine. Rest well and don’t overthink things.”
“Okay,” Ming Yan agreed as she watched her father leave. The scene of Lu Yin standing in her bath and looking at her floated up in her mind, as well as when he wrapped her up in her clothes. It was embarrassing, but he was very interesting, although he also seemed a bit foolish. Ming Yan smiled involuntarily, but she quickly restrained herself. What was happening to her? She touched her fingers to her lips, as that was where he had touched her.
She had resided in the Reverent King’s estate since birth and rarely seen anyone from the outside. The schemes of the royal descendants had left her friendless, and the Reverent King was her only relative. She did not have any deep understanding of the outside world and had only ever had the arts to accompany her. Lu Yin had been the first man to ever get that close to her, and he was actually the first man to ever see her. Ming Yan could not erase the stain that he had left on her heart.
The next day, everyone from the Reverent King’s household set out on the journey towards Qiong Island.
Lu Yin remained in a distant forest, as all the soldiers from the Reverent King’s estate were combing through the countryside for him. Still, it was all in vain. Even if the Reverent King Ming Zhaoshu, who was a powerhouse in the Martial Emperor realm, personally came out, he would not be able to deal with Lu Yin, let alone the lower ranked soldiers. However, Lu Yin had still already run into an expert at the Limiteer realm who could rival the Astral Combat Academy’s student leaders, causing him to be both shocked and impressed.
Information flowed both ways, and since the Reverent King’s estate was looking for Lu Yin, he was naturally also able to learn some things about the Reverent King’s estate from those who were searching for him. Lu Yin learned that Arikar had been captured, and thus, his abilities must have been exposed as well since he did not believe that someone from the Blaze Realm would cover for him.
“How strange—no one has shown up since yesterday. Did they leave?” Lu Yin muttered to himself as he looked in the direction of the estate. He was somewhat disappointed by this outcome, and he once again started reminiscing about that girl with the ravishing face. She was too beautiful, and although Bai Xue was also very beautiful, Bai Xue could not move Lu Yin’s heart the same way. This girl was different, and her purity was unforgettable. It was so impactful that he had been emotionally affected.
He shook his head and told himself not to overthink things. This was the Shenwu Continent, a great power that could rival the entire Darkmist Weave. If he was not cautious enough, then death would inevitably take him. Some feelings could not be allowed to bud, as they were fated to never bloom. Forget it, he told himself as he refocused on his own matters and continued to loot martial crystals.
Coincidentally, a convoy arrived at that very moment.
Qiong Island was right next to Ming Island, at the very center of the Shenwu Continent. Out of the thirty six islands, at least seven of them required one to pass through Qiong Island to reach Ming Island, and how many cities did these seven islands hold? Lu Yin did not know, but the number should be quite large. He was planning on watching over this place for a few more days and carrying out some more robberies. With his power, as long as he did not run into a Martial Emperor powerhouse, he should be fine. Throughout the entire Shenwu Empire, most of the Martial Emperor powerhouses were gathered on the five sealing planets, so he should be safe as long as he acted cautiously.
More than ten days later, when the Qiong Island troops completely sealed off the border, Lu Yin left. He knew that he couldn’t wait any longer. By this point, he had plundered five separate shipments of tribute and drawn a decent chunk of attention to himself. If he stayed any longer, then the people from the Daming Court might be drawn out.
Taicang City was the gate to Qiong Island, so entering Taicang City was the same as entering Qiong Island.
Lu Yin curiously observed his surroundings and looked up. The giant gates towered above him with an ancient style to them. Above them, there was a glassy, lamp-like object emitting a faint fluctuating radiance that constantly emitted sweeping beams of light. This was a Heavenly Sphere, and it used martial power to constantly scan the city. The sphere would react the instant it detected star energy.
During the time after the great battle a thousand years ago, many trialtakers had arrived at the Shenwu Continent, which had left the Shenwu Empire with no choice but to develop this Heavenly Sphere, which had resulted in the deaths of countless trialtakers.
The heavenly globe’s martial power scanned Lu Yin, but it had no reaction. He had dispersed all of his star energy and replaced it with martial power, so there was naturally no rejection.
He had used some random person’s ID to enter Taicang City. The place was bustling, and he could see that the Shenwu Continent had developed significantly since the great battle from a thousand years ago, and there were almost no traces of that war. Peddlers were selling their wares on the streets, and a hotel that was almost as tall as the city walls proudly stood in the distance. Lu Yin was in no hurry, and he slowly sauntered along the main street.
Troops charged past him, letting out a harsh aura.
“Did you hear? Someone is targeting the tributes and five shipments have already been plundered. The king’s residence is furious and has ordered the soldiers to thoroughly investigate and seal off the territory from the neighboring cities. Even the king’s household has been searched! I even heard that there was a battle.”
“Shh, speak softer. The plundered tributes have nothing to do with the king’s household. There was an alien that peeped at the princess while she was bathing, and I even heard that he was discovered in the same bath as the princess. That’s what caused the battle to break out.”
“What? So isn’t that princess’s reputation gone now? Who would dare to marry her after that?”
“Right? It’s such a pity. One of the empire’s twin beauties has been ruined just like that. No matter how pretty she is, this incident is more than enough to dissuade countless suitors.”
…
Lu Yin was stumped; was the incident really that extreme? He had only taken a look, though he frowned as he tried to sift through Wu Xia’s memories. It seemed that the Shenwu Continent placed great importance on a girl’s reputation, which was troubling. Did this mean that he had harmed that girl?
Lu Yin absent-mindedly walked into the hotel. He chose a position near a window and sat down before ordering some dishes. The news that he had just heard upset him greatly, and the girl’s countenance kept appearing in his mind. He felt rather apologetic now.
The Shenwu Continent’s war technology had advanced extremely quickly, and it could even rival an Outerverse weave’s, but the continent was much more conservative in its social ideology. This matter must have left an unerasable scar in the girl’s heart.
“Your food is here,” a waiter said politely as he poured some wine for Lu Yin before turning and leaving.
Lu Yin looked at the troops dashing by outside the window as they kicked up a cloud of dust. He frowned and reached over to close the window.
“Friend, don’t close the window,” a voice sounded from behind Lu Yin.
Lu Yin paid no heed to the voice and continued moving to close it.
Behind him, the man raised his hand and pushed against Lu Yin’s arm. “Let me repeat myself—don’t close the window.”
Lu Yin finally glanced at him. The man was in his thirties and had an experienced air, though he had a beaten expression as well. His entire body gave off a rebellious attitude, and he did not seem like a good person.
At this point, the dust had settled, so Lu Yin no longer cared about the window. He withdrew his hand and went back to minding his own business.
The man similarly withdrew his hand and did not cause any more trouble.
Suddenly, a glaring light reflected off of something and into Lu Yin’s eyes. He curiously looked out into the distance. Is that an arrow?
Whoosh! The arrow sped quickly through the air. It was aimed not at Lu Yin, but rather the man behind him.
The man lunged towards Lu Yin, wanting to use him to block the arrow. Lu Yin was infuriated by his bold maneuver, and he immediately raised his fist to block the man’s palm. A soft echo rang throughout the room as the shockwave split the table and caused all the railings on the second floor to splinter. The man was pushed back by Lu Yin’s palm, leaving him startled. At that moment, the arrow streaked past the man’s shoulder and into the second floor of the hotel, where it was embedded straight into the floor, causing it to split apart.
“Heng Luoshun, surrender,” a loud voice sounded out from outside. From above, outside the window, and from everywhere else, many people charged at the man, who was apparently named Heng Luoshun.
Heng Luoshun gave a deep look to Lu Yin before he leaped out the window. “What a joke, the Shenwu Court Guard’s lackeys want to catch me, Heng Luoshun. Dream on! I’m not seventeenth on the List of Tempering for nothing.”
Not long after, a battle could be heard off in the distance.
The hotel had met with an unexpected disaster, and there had been a great deal of damage to the building. The boss had to come out and offer his apologies to the customers with a forced smile.
“I’m sorry, sir. I hope that you weren’t too startled,” the boss apologized to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin was curious. “What’s this List of Tempering?” He recalled no such list from Wu Xia’s memories, though those memories had been very extensive, and Lu Yin had only had a limited amount of time to review them. Hence, he had missed this bit.
“You don’t know?” The boss was shocked.
Lu Yin smiled. “I was raised in the wilderness from a young age, and this is my first time here.”
“It’s no wonder why you don’t know about the List of Tempering. It’s a list compiled by the Crown Prince Ming Hao using information from the Demon Hunters Society. It includes everyone under the Martial Emperor realm regardless of age. It ranks them according to their level of cultivation, and that Heng Luoshun from earlier is ranked seventeenth on the list,” he explained.
Lu Yin instantly understood. A list like this could easily incite competitiveness and even encourage people to grow stronger, regardless of whether it was in the universe or on the Shenwu Continent. However, it was definitely not easy for the Crown Prince Ming Hao to compile a list like that. “Boss, where can I buy the List of Tempering?”
