Lu Yin and Yue Xianzi subconsciously stopped a few steps behind Zhao Ran, afraid of being recognized since her words were just too embarrassing!
Xuan Jiu was stumped when he saw Zhao Ran, but then his face became bitter. “Brat, stop pestering me, alright?”
“But I haven’t paid you yet,” Zhao Ran stated matter-of-factly. She rummaged about her body for a bit and then turned around to look at Lu Yin. “Brother Lu, can you lend me some money? I need to settle the bill.”
At this moment, everyone noticed Lu Yin and Yue Xianzi, which caused quite a few to cry out in surprise.
Yue Xianzi’s appearance was not that shocking since she was much more well-known in the Innerverse than in the Outerverse. Lu Yin, however, was different since he had represented the Outerverse when he won the Tournament of the Strongest. Furthermore, he had been given the title of a Ten Arbiters’ candidate. Few geniuses had emerged in the Outerverse over the eons, so many people recognized Lu Yin.
Dao Bo’s eyes gleamed. So he came after all.
Liu Ji looked at Lu Yin with a complicated expression as she recalled the incident at Astral-10’s space station. She was fully aware that this person was monstrously talented.
In the skies, Master Jun looked at Lu Yin with an approving gaze. This person had a bright future ahead of him in terms of not just his cultivation, but also his lockbreaking potential.
The surrounding crowd stared at Lu Yin, and he felt slightly awkward since he was accompanying Zhao Ran, and the brat had just called herself “Rotten Trash.”
He immediately handed her some money. “Hurry up and settle the bill.”
Zhao Ran was elated. “Brother Lu, you’re such a good person! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely repay you.”
“No need, just hurry up,” Lu Yin urged.
Yue Xianzi pursed her lips and smiled.
Zhao Ran immediately ran to Xuan Jiu, and the old man wrinkled his brow as he stared at Lu Yin. It seemed that he was thinking about something.
The moment Lu Yin exchanged glances with Xuan Jiu, he sensed something strange. It was as if he had glimpsed a part of the dark, starry sky. It felt like a familiar scene that he had seen in the past, but one that he could not recall.
Zhao Ran ran straight to Xuan Jiu and handed him the money. The old man accepted it with a blank face even as he kept staring at Lu Yin. Finally, he spoke. “Little kid, you’ve come face-to-face with the dead.”
Lu Yin blinked, completely lost. Royalty?[1]
Someone beside him said, “Brother Lu, don’t pay this old fogey any mind. He loves tricking people. Just now, he even tried to dupe a normal person into trying to unlock this sourcebox. He’s completely immoral.”
“You’re the immoral one! Your whole family is immoral, you useless goods!” Xuan Jiu scolded the person who had just spoken, reacting like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. After making a commotion, the old man turned around and ran off.
Lu Yin was left speechless to the point where he didn’t even notice the words on Xuan Jiu’s worn flag; otherwise, he would have been even more stunned.
“Seventh Bro, you’ve been cursed! Come face-to-face with the deada, haha,” the Ghost Monkey sniggered.
Lu Yin frowned. “It’s ‘royalty.’”
“No, it’s the dead, hehe.”
…
“Brother Lu, don’t bother with him. That person’s always shooting his mouth off,” Dao Bo said as he and Liu Ji walked over to Lu Yin and the others.
Lu Yin had not expected to meet Dao Bo here. He nodded amicably towards the older student. “Senior Dao Bo, are you familiar with that person?”
“He’s famous for being a cast out disciple of the Starsibyl Sect.”
The Starsibyl Sect? Lu Yin’s eyes lit up. “Were his predictions accurate?”
“Quite the opposite—they were very inaccurate! It was so bad that no one ever sought him out for fortune-telling,” Dao Bo replied with a chuckle.
Lu Yin smiled as well. He then looked towards Liu Ji. “It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has,” she replied.
The two had not started off on friendly terms, but their little conflict had eroded away with the passage of time. This was especially so since the current Lu Yin had undergone a monumental change in status. Liu Ji no longer dared to act out too much in front of him anymore.
“Master Wusheng recently contacted me and asked me to attend this to gain experience.”
Liu Ji was shocked. “Master Wusheng contacted you?”
Lu Yin nodded.
“Master’s really biased. He only thinks of you and not me,” Liu Ji grumbled.
Lu Yin walked through the crowd to inspect the tree-shaped sourcebox. His face turned grave when he saw the strange, desiccated corpses on the ground.
He was recognized by quite a few people in the crowd, and some even tried to tempt him. “Brother Lu, you’re the champion of the Tournament of the Strongest as well as a Lockbreaker! Go ahead and try—you’ll definitely succeed.”
“Yes, Brother Lu, go on.”
“Go on! Show us your abilities.”
…
Lu Yin smiled and turned around. “I’m only a two star Discerning Elementary Lockbreaker, and I don’t dare to exceed my limits. I can’t unlock this sourcebox.”
The crowd was disappointed by his response.
More and more people gathered around them, and some new Lockbreakers once again tried to approach the tree-shaped sourcebox. This time, a four star Discerning Elementary Lockbreaker stepped forward, but he failed just like the others had, turning into a dried out corpse before Master Jun could intervene and save the young Lockbreaker.
At this point, there was a shout in the distance. It sounded as if someone outstanding had arrived.
Lu Yin and the rest turned around to see a young girl approaching. On her forehead was… a fish?
Many rubbed their eyes, but they soon realized that it was indeed a fish. This girl was carrying a fish on her head?
Lu Yin pursed his lips. After he arrived on this planet, he had picked up a random commenter, run into that conman fortune teller who had just left, and now, met this person who was wearing a fish on their head! Strange things kept appearing on this planet.
“It’s Xi Qi, the genius Lockbreaker of the society! She’s a five star Discerning Elementary Lockbreaker and almost a Perceptive Intermediate Lockbreaker!” someone cried out.
Soon, more people gasped in surprise.
Dao Bo was shocked. “So she’s here too.”
“Senior, do you know her?” Lu Yin asked.
Dao Bo smiled. “It’s not just me. You should have seen her before too. The videos that people see in the sourcebox catalog when they first join all belong to her. Even that fish on her head is something that she unlocked from a sourcebox.”
Dao Bo’s words made Lu Yin recall that, in the sourcebox catalog, there was indeed a particular video that only revealed a pair of hands and the sourcebox. At the end of the video, a fish had appeared after the person had successfully completed unlocked the sourcebox. He had wondered what that fish-shaped treasure actually was, but never expected it to actually be a fish.
“There’re so many two-legged beasts. It’s so disgusting that all these maggots have to live together in social groups. Maggots!” The fish atop Xi Qi’s head spoke, and it even had a rather loud voice.
Everyone’s faces turned dark. Two-legged beasts? Was this how the fish referred to all of them?
Xi Qi’s face changed slightly. “Little fish, stop speaking.”
“What, Lord Fish has helped you so much, but now I can’t speak? If you dare to restrict Lord Fish again, then Lord Fish will change his mount.” The fish turned side to side and looked the entire crowd over. Eventually, it’s gaze settled on Liu Ji, and it pointed out at her with a fin. “Little brat, Lord Fish can see that you’re not bad. Lord Fish will give you an opportunity to be Lord Fish’s mount.”
Liu Ji’s face soured, and she quickly turned away.
“Bah, Lord Fish favors you, little brat. Don’t fail to appreciate such kindness! Lord Fish has mounted so many two-legged beasts, so you shouldn’t miss this chance to cherish it.” The fish’s fins swayed continuously as it snarled at Liu Ji.
Xi Qi covered her forehead. “I’m sorry, Sister Liu Ji.”
Liu Ji stared vehemently at the fish. “It’s alright. Everyone already knows about this fish’s attitude.”
“What attitude? Is Lord Fish’s attitude something that can be discussed by you two-legged beasts? How impudent!” the fish shouted petulantly.
Lu Yin stared blankly at the scene. This was his first time encountering such an annoying creature. This fish could speak, and it had its own abrasive personality as well.
“I can’t take it anymore! Seventh Bro, let me out so that I can teach that thing a lesson! It’s too despicable! It even dares to call Seventh Bro a two-legged beast. Even though it’s the truth, that’s too blunt! Seventh Bro, let me out, and I’ll give it a good thrashing!” the Ghost Monkey cried out emotionally.
Lu Yin felt a headache coming on. “Shut up.”
“Brother Dao Bo is here as well.” Xi Qi waved at Dao Bo.
Dao Bo smiled gently.
“What a sinister smile! Lord Fish hates these kinds of two-legged beasts the most. Brat, get further away from him. He’s no good!” the fish cried out.
Dao Bo’s face twisted, and he turned away to look elsewhere.
Xi Qi was lost as to what to do in her current situation. She suddenly noticed Lu Yin and was about to greet him, but Lu Yin directly turned away since he did not want to be mocked by the fish. He could see that the fish would mock whoever Xi Qi greeted.
“Eh, brat, go ahead and approach that two-legged beast,” the fish suddenly shrieked its orders with its beady eyes fixated on Lu Yin.
Xi Qi was puzzled. “Why?”
“If I say go, then you go! Don’t ask so much, or else Lord Fish won’t bother with you in the future!”
“Wow, thanks,” Xi Qi mumbled sarcastically. However, she still obeyed the fish and walked over to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin’s brows rose, and he immediately wanted to move away, but before he could, the fish screamed, “You two-legged beast, stay right where you are!” The fish’s eyes were locked right onto Lu Yin with a suspicious expression.
Lu Yin looked at Xi Qi, and then at the fish. “Yes?”
“Strange… Why does Lord Fish sense a familiar aura on your body?” The fish found it strange and it fanned its fins contemplatively.
Lu Yin looked down at himself, not understanding what it was saying.
“Bah, I can’t take it anymore! Seventh Bro, this fish is obviously provoking you. Let me out so that I can beat it up!” the monkey shouted furiously.
“What’s going on?” Lu Yin was puzzled.
Xi Qi looked upwards. “What’s the matter?’
The fish’s small eyes narrowed. “I can’t recall. Lord Fish’s been sealed for too long, so there are many things that I have forgotten. However-” At that point, it pointed at Lu Yin with a fin. “Two-legged beast, remember Lord Fish! Lord Fish will find you in the future. Your body has a very familiar aura, and it is extremely detestable and depraved!”
A coldness flashed through Lu Yin’s eyes as a formless energy enveloped Xi Qi and the fish. He did not appreciate being scolded for no reason.
“Seventh Bro, beat it to death!” the monkey yelled encouragingly.
Xi Qi only felt a chilling wave wash over her body, and she immediately retreated even as she vigilantly kept her eyes on Lu Yin.
Dao Bo quickly stepped in front of her. “Brother Lu, don’t pay her any mind. That fish has a despicable personality and acts like that to everyone. Even the president was chastised in the past.”
From high in the sky, Master Jun landed next to Lu Yin and similarly placed himself in front of Xi Qi. He spoke to Lu Yin gently. “Little brother, please let this matter go for my sake, alright?”
Lu Yin shifted his gaze. “Forget it, I won’t bicker with a fish.”
“Whatever you say, two-legged beast. Such cocky words. Come on! Lord Fish is afraid that you won’t make it. All you two-legged beasts here, beat him up!”
Xi Qi could not take it anymore, and she could tell that Mr. Jun was growing increasingly displeased. She quickly left the area. The fish was just too obnoxious.
Master Jun helplessly shook his head. “If not for that fish helping Xuan Jiu to see through the changes in star energy, there would be no need for her to bring it around. No one knows if that thing is a blessing or a curse.”
Dao Bo smiled bitterly. “The president agreed to let her bring it around, and she has no choice, either, since that fish has acknowledged her.”
“That fish is equivalent to her lockbreaking weapon.” Mr. Jun smiled and then rose back into the skies.
No one knew where Xi Qi went afterwards. Not long after, another person arrived and incited some new cries of shock. It was Tong Mi’er, a genius Lockbreaker who was famous in the Outerverse. His fame stemmed from the fact that he was one of the few Lockbreakers in the Outerverse who had comprehended a domain.
His arrival caused all the Outerverse Lockbreakers to grow more hopeful.
“Lord Tong Mi’er, please bring me along in your attempt,” one Lockbreaker excitedly requested.
Quite a few of the surrounding Lockbreakers looked at Tong Mi’er expectantly.
[1] The terms in Chinese that refer to the “dead” and to “royalty” are homonyms, so Lu Yin is mishearing.
