Granny Gui was furious as she glared at Lu Yin. “What exactly is it that you want?”
Lu Yin coldly answered, “I don’t know. Let me think about it.”
Granny Gui was stunned; he didn’t know? How could he even give such a reply?
Hai Qiqi was also bewildered by Lu Yin’s response.
All of the other people in the area were similarly stumped.
However, Lu Yin truly did not know what to say. If he tried to use Hong Ying as a hostage and leave the Starfall Sea, then he would be obstructed at every turn by Flying Horse Manor and the Tong family. It was even possible that a World Imprinter like Madam Hong would intervene. Additionally, if he tried to escape to the Outerverse, he might expose that secret passageway. Although that gap in the Astral River could be closed through lockbreaking, that required time, and Lu Yin did not believe that he could successfully complete it under the eyes of a World Imprinter.
And as to whether a way to the Outerverse or Hong Ying was more important, Lu Yin was still uncertain. If the Flying Horse Manor abandoned Hong Ying, or if the Tong family took the risk of breaking off their relationship with Flying Horse Manor by disregarding Hong Ying’s life or death, then it might actually be possible that he would end up leading these people to the Outerverse.
The risk of taking the captured Hong Ying back to the Outerverse was naturally too great as well, and who knew who might appear along the way. He did not dare to gamble everything on Mister Mu, as Lu Yin had a suspicion that Mister Mu was not overly concerned about whether the Outerverse survived or not.
If they could not leave, then their only option was to head over to Grayweed Continent.
Granny Gui felt that she could not communicate with this unreasonable person, so she instructed her subordinates to send all of the miners that were currently in the Sea King’s Dome away. She also wanted to send all the males away. That way, she would be able to avoid the worst possible outcome.
Unfortunately, Lu Yin discovered her actions, and he immediately warned her, saying, “Nobody is allowed to leave. If anybody dares to try to leave, then I’ll immediately strip her!”
Hong Ying was furious, and she wanted to bite Lu Yin to death. This fellow was too despicable, and she had never met someone so contemptible. This person was basically not even human.
Granny Gui was so angry that her eyebrows twitched.
No matter what, the situation was temporarily under Lu Yin’s control.
Hong Ying was just too important, and Lu Yin had won his gamble. Otherwise, he and Hai Qiqi would have already died.
“If you are capable, then let’s have a one-on-one!” Hong Ying glared at Lu Yin as she challenged him.
Lu Yin rolled his eyes. “Don’t be stupid. You’re my hostage, but you still want to challenge me to a duel? You’ve already lost to me twi- no, three times!”
Hong Ying snorted. “You can’t escape, and the Tong family won’t let you off either. By now, they must have already started talks of trading benefits with my Flying Horse Manor. You have a secret technique, and the Tong family is willing to offend Flying Horse Manor for it, so they’ll definitely think of a way to force you to stay behind. The outcome will be decided in no more than ten days’ time, and no spacecraft will take you away during these ten days.”
Lu Yin looked at her oddly, as this girl was actually not that stupid. She was still trying to hoodwink him at this time! If not for Tong Chou, then he might have actually been fooled by her too. Ten days? There was no need to wait that long, as a vessel from Grayweed Continent would arrive in no more than seven days.
“Did you hear me clearly? After they determine their exchange in ten days, you’ll be doomed! They won’t care whether I live or not,” Hong Ying shouted angrily.
“What are you trying to say?” Lu Yin was curious.
Hong Ying took a deep breath. “Join my Flying Horse Manor and I can guarantee your survival. Also-” her face blushed brightly. “It’s not impossible for you to become my Flying Horse Manor’s son-in-law.”
Hai Qiqi blinked, as this woman was actually trying to tempt Lu Yin.
Lu Yin was also caught off guard.
“Seventh Bro, she’s trying to seduce you!” the Ghost Monkey shrieked.
Lu Yin swallowed his saliva and carefully observed Hong Ying. “I prefer bigger chests.”
Hong Ying was infuriated that she spat out a mouthful of blood before glaring angrily at Lu Yin. “You’ll regret this.”
Lu Yin no longer looked at her as her glare was too fierce.
Both times Granny Gui had sneak attacked Lu Yin, he had managed to evade the attack with his secret technique. She did not dare to act against him again. Perhaps like Hong Ying claimed, they would be able to reach a compromise behind his back.
The value of Hong Ying alone was not higher than that of a secret technique. Even if she was Madam Hong’s own daughter, the Tong family would at most fork over a bit more, as they definitely wanted to obtain Lu Yin.
Lu Yin could not count on Granny Gui and the others to release him. He knew that he had to find a way out by himself.
However, other than summoning Mister Mu, he could not think of any other method to escape.
Right, he still had those poisons from Elder Wu, and they could be considered an option. However, they could only threaten an Enlighter without being upgraded, as their rune lines did not even match up to a power level of 200,000.
He flipped through his cosmic ring, only to be left speechless. Everything that he possessed had either been upgraded to the point where their runes lines exceeded the influence limit that was equivalent to a power level of 200,000, or the item was something that had originally been that powerful to begin with, such as the beaded bracelet and walnut-shaped power vessel that Yuan Shi had given him. If he took any of those items out, he would be instantly destroyed by the energy from the cosmic phenomenon.
As he thought about it, Lu Yin helplessly leaned against the mountain wall and looked up. He stared up at the endless rune lines that suppressed everyone in this part of the universe, even World and Cosmic Imprinters. This was a Progenitor’s strength.
Lu Yin suddenly wondered what sort of power level a Progenitor’s strength had reached. Maybe it was something that could not even be estimated!
“Sorry to drag you into this,” Hai Qiqi said as she moved over next to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin looked over at her in astonishment.“You actually know how to apologize?”
Hai Qiqi pursed her lips. “If not for me, you wouldn’t have ended up trapped here.”
She looked at Lu Yin with a serious expression. “If we really can’t escape, then I’ll die before you. With how things are, even if you join the Tong family, I still won’t blame you.”
Lu Yin blinked, as her words were rather moving. But for some reason, he felt like Hai Qiqi did not trust him, and at the same time, he felt like he was both being mocked and not.
Was she mocking him by suggesting that he would go wherever the wind blew? Lu Yin was lost, as he clearly understood every word she said but could not figure out her meaning.
Lu Yin was not able to form a reply to Hai Qiqi’s words, as he was completely stifled.
Hong Ying sneered, and she glanced at Lu Yin. “It looks like you aren’t the unyielding type of person.”
Lu Yin was now certain that Hai Qiqi did not trust him and that this brat was doubting his strength of character.
“Shut up! That’s none of your business, flat-chested girl,” Hai Qiqi barked.
Hong Ying grew furious, and she glared at Hai Qiqi. “You, you-”
Hai Qiqi sighed and then stared off into the distance, her focus especially lingering on Elder Ren’s corpse for a while as her eyes gradually turned red. “I never thought that I wouldn’t even be able to meet Father before dying.”
Hong Ying stared at Lu Yin. “For real. With your talent, it would be a waste for you to die here. Join our Flying Horse Manor, and I’ll ask for approval for you to have Madam Hong as your Imprinter. Are you really willing to die in this place?”
Lu Yin was puzzled. “Even if I agree, would the Tong family let us go?”
Hong Ying’s eyes lit up. “As long as you agree, my Flying Horse Manor will naturally find a way. A Fifth Mainlander can be killed by the Tong family at any time. However, if you join my Flying Horse Manor, then even if the Tong family dares to act, not only will they be offending Flying Horse Manor, but they’ll also be breaking the rules of the three realms that are invading the Fifth Mainland. That outcome is not something that they can bear. The Tong family’s ancestor is one of the Daosource Sect’s ten Venerables, which is all the more reason for them to not break the rules.”
Lu Yin exchanged glances with Hai Qiqi, and then looked back at Hong Ying. “Ten Venerables?”
Hong Ying answered proudly, “From the six mainlands, each one has Daosource Sect, which was the source of all cultivation. Of those, only my Sixth Mainland has perfectly preserved its Daosource Sect! My Sixth Mainland has three Progenitors, four Empyreans, and ten Venerables. Each Venerable is naturally a Cosmic Imprinter.”
Lu Yin was surprised by this new information. “The Tong family’s ancestor is a Cosmic Imprinter?”
“Of course! What else did you think the Tong family could rely on to dominate such a resource rich location like the Starfall Sea? A Cosmic Imprinter’s power level is over one million, and only a Cosmic Imprinter would have the ability to chase away all the other organizations and dominate a place like the Starfall Sea,” Hong Ying said.
Lu Yin frowned, as he had forgotten that the Tong family was a Cosmic Imprinter’s family. Although it was a difference of just one word, it made a world of difference. It was like the difference between Ancestor Autumnfrost, Ancestor Mojiang, and Ancestor Di.
“Thus, I’m not lying to you. Given the Tong family’s tyranny, if you don’t join my Flying Horse Manor, then I’ll be dead even if you kidnap me,” Hong Ying threatened.
Hai Qiqi had originally assumed that Hong Ying had just been trying to scare them, but now, she had no choice but to admit that a Cosmic Imprinter’s family absolutely had the qualifications to take out sufficient compensation for Hong Ying’s life. Thus, as long as what they gained was important enough, they would do it. And a secret technique more than fulfilled those requirements.
“Rest assured, it’s because the Tong family’s ancestor is one of the Daosource Sect’s ten Venerables that he has an even clearer understanding of the importance of rules. Once the rules are broken, he might even be stripped of his position as a Venerable, which would be a great blow to the Tong family. Thus, as long as you join my Flying Horse Manor, you have nothing to worry about,” Hong Ying explained in a serious manner to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin looked up at the sky, but he still did not react.
Hong Ying frowned and continued trying to convince Lu Yin. “My Sixth Mainland has three Progenitors and nine realms, with each realm having its own Cosmic Imprinter and Realmling. With your talent, you might be able to compete for the position of Realmling one day. The Grand Martial Realmling is currently Bai Ling, but she’ll no longer be a part of the younger generation in just a few more years. At that time, the contest for the position will begin, and you’ll have an opportunity. As long as you become the Realmling, you’ll have a chance to meet the Martial Progenitor, and you might even become a disciple of the Martial Progenitor! It would no longer be nothing more than a dream for you to become a Progenitor in the future.”
Lu Yin still did not reply, and he simply continued to stare at the sky.
Hong Ying coughed and then tried again. “Once you become a disciple of the Martial Progenitor, your verbal authority would be overwhelming, and your position would not be any bit inferior to that of the Four Empyreans. A single order from you would be enough to decide a realm’s resources, and one word could determine the life and death of countless people. You must have friends in the Fifth Mainland too, and you could rescue them at that time. Do you have anyone you like? Just one word and she’s yours!”
Hong Ying stared at Lu Yin, but Lu Yin did not stop staring at the sky. He still had not responded at all.
Hai Qiqi had a strange expression as she looked at Lu Yin.
Hong Ying’s eyes flashed with a cold light. “My Flying Horse Manor will do its best for you to become an Imprinter, and your statues will then litter the Fifth Mainland. Everyone, no matter if they recognize you or not, will have to kneel to you.”
Lu Yin still did not respond.
Hong Ying became furious. “Are you even listening to me?”
Lu Yin remained indifferent, continuing to stare blankly into the sky. He had seen something strange up there.
Perhaps it was because the Sea King’s Dome’s mountain was too tall, or perhaps it was because of the battle that he had just fought, or perhaps even because he had simply seen too many rune lines. However, regardless of the reason, those rune lines seemed to have suddenly assembled themselves into the Innerverse’s cosmic phenomenon. They then continued to shape themselves into one thing after another, forming various strange-looking, almost word-like shapes. Lu Yin did not recognize those characters, but strangely enough, he was able to read them. “True… Sight…?”
Hong Ying and Hai Qiqi stared blankly at Lu Yin, and they both noticed that his eyes had become dull as he continuously mumbled something to himself.
Hong Ying’s eyes went wide—it seemed that this fellow was in the middle of comprehending something. She wanted to take this opportunity to interrupt him, but Hai Qiqi took the initiative and pounded heavily on her head, knocking the girl unconscious.
Lu Yin did not know what was going on right next to him, as he had completely descended into a world of endless rune lines. What he saw, felt, and even touched, were all rune lines.
