Chapter 2202: Young Master
"While Grandmaster Gu Yan never explicitly stated that he accepted the man as his apprentice, he’s been in seclusion in the decades since. So, most people assumed that he had a new apprentice. Professor, you’ve changed so much since you disappeared, especially your mastery of lockbreaking. If you weren’t taught by Grandmaster Gu Yan, then I don’t know who else in the entire Perennial World could have caused you to undergo such a transformation,” Bai Weiwei explained.
Lu Yin turned back to look at Bai Weiwei. "Did you come up with this guess?"
"It’s what everyone who knows who you are believes. If I was able to figure out your real identity, then so can the Xia family," Bai Weiwei replied.
Lu Yin never admitted nor denied being Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice. This rumor was actually a pretty good background for him.
"I'm curious, what methods did Grandmaster Gu Yan use to teach? How did he raise you to the Realm Array Master level so quickly?" Bai Weiwei was extremely curious about this particular detail.
Lu Yin laughed. "Does your Bai family reveal their secrets to outsiders so casually?"
"I’m sorry, that was rude," Bai Weiwei said, though she felt that Lu Yin’s response confirmed that he really was Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice.
This was a very, very big deal. Grandmaster Gu Yan was the most accomplished Array Grandmaster in the Perennial World, and while his personality was a bit odd and he hated the four ruling powers, his influence was massive. If not, he would have also been forced to join Star Alliance. Since Yu Hao was Grandmaster Gu Yan's apprentice, how would the Xia family respond?
"Even if I have an Array Grandmaster behind me, I still can’t warrant the Xia family’s concern. I’m well aware of just how horrifying your four ruling powers truly are," Lu Yin said.
Bai Weiwei stared at Lu Yin. "Professor, do you want to get revenge?"
Lu Yin stared straight back at the woman. "If you had lived through what I have, would you be able to just let things go?"
Bai Weiwei thought for a while. "You're right. Not even an Array Grandmaster can cause the Xia family to hesitate, but my Bai family is different."
Lu Yin's eyes flickered, and he glanced over at Bai Weiwei. There was a hint of a smile on her face. "Your hatred may not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, so it all depends on what you are willing to do to get revenge."
Lu Yin considered her words. Bai Weiwei said nothing more, but there were some things that did not need to be said out loud.
After all, Bai Weiwei had not actually discovered that Hao Yu was Yu Hao. Rather, she had been informed of such by the Celestial Frost Sect.
How could the appearance of such a genius Lockbreaker in Virtue Archives not arouse the four ruling powers’ interest? If the Xia family was paying attention to such a thing, then naturally the Bai family knew of it as well.
In comparison to Yu Hao's hatred and desire for revenge, the Bai family was far more concerned with Grandmaster Gu Yan’s teachings. If this situation with Yu Hao could be used to win over Grandmaster Gu Yan, then did it even matter if the Xia family was offended in the process?
While the four ruling powers appeared to be united, there were endless internal conflicts between them. This was also still relatively soon after the time when they had ousted the Lu family from the Perennial World. What would happen in another 1,000, or even 10,000 years when all traces of the Lu family’s influence had been erased from the Perennial World? Open war would likely erupt between the four ruling powers.
This was also why all four were working to strengthen their own foundations as much as possible.
Several days passed, and Lu Yin and Bai Weiwei remained in the red wasteland. The conversations between the two mostly revolved around lockbreaking, and nothing further regarding Yu Hao’s situation was mentioned.
One day, Lu Yin asked a question as he stared out across the wasteland. "People say that the most powerful person in the Perennial World aside from the Progenitors themselves is definitely your senior sister, Bai Xian’er, from the Celestial Frost Sect. Is that accurate?"
Bai Weiwei reflexively lifted her head to look towards the Higher Realm. However, doing so also left her a bit depressed, as only the soil that formed the foundation of the Higher Realm could be seen from the Middle Realm. This sight also let Bai Weiwei better understand why the four ruling powers had exiled the Lu family. Given their arrogance, how could the four ruling powers accept only looking up at the foundation of another power?
"Probably. Senior Sister is the most talented cultivator in history, which is why she’s so close to the Progenitor realm herself at such a young age. All of us are waiting for Senior Sister to become a Progenitor and elevate my Celestial Frost Sect to even greater heights," Bai Weiwei answered.
Lu Yin was very curious about something. "What kind of person is Bai Xian'er? Can you tell me about her? All I know about her are just rumors."
Bai Weiwei asked, "Why are you so curious about Senior Sister, Professor?"
Lu Yin gave a small smile. "Is there anyone who isn’t curious about Bai Xian'er?"
This was only natural to Bai Weiwei. While Bai Xian'er had never revealed herself publicly, she was still a legend in the Perennial World. Even if no one mentioned the woman, it was impossible for anyone to forget that she was the most talented individual in the entire Perennial World.
"Professor, what would you like to know about Senior Sister?" Bai Weiwei asked.
Lu Yin shrugged. "I really don't know anything at all about her. All I’ve heard is that red flowers appear wherever she goes."
Bai Weiwei replied, "I also don't know much about Senior Sister. We might refer to her as ‘senior sister,’ but in truth, we know even less about her than Sect Master Bai. I can’t tell you much about her, though I can tell you that there’s been more than one assassination attempt on her while she’s been in secluded training. Even Aeternus tried to kill her during her breakthrough to the Envoy realm. Her tribulation was so vast that it practically covered the entire Perennial World, and even a Progenitor came…"
Bai Weiwei only knew a bit more than Lu Yin. Lu Yin was mostly curious about how Bai Xian’er had cultivated during her time as an Envoy and a Semi-Progenitor while on her way to the Progenitor level. However, absolutely nothing was known about that. How did she cultivate? What was her current level?
Another two days calmly passed, when suddenly, Lu Yin felt the fluctuations of a void god level domain.
His communication crystal vibrated, and Lu Yin glanced at it. "The task has been completed. The traitor’s been caught."
Lu Yin then led Bai Weiwei towards Mr. Tang and the others from Virtue Archives.
The traitor had fled towards the northeast, which was not the area that Lu Yin had been responsible for. Rather, it was where Mr. Tang and Xia Shenguang had been sent to.
Lu Yin and Bai Weiwei arrived at about the same time as the people from the four ruling powers. There were people from Shenwu's Sky, as well as two Envoys from the Wang family, and they took the prisoner away.
Lu Yin briefly saw that the captive was an old man. He had clearly been seriously injured. The man was dragged off by an expert from Shenwu's Sky who was a three-tribulation Envoy. Lu Yin could only see the prisoner’s back, though there were obvious bloodstains on the ground.
"How boring. Just a one-tribulation Envoy," Xia Shenguang commented dismissively.
The three-tribulation Envoy from Shenwu's Sky gave Xia Shenguang a bow from the distance, and as he did so, the captive fell to the ground with a cough before rolling over.
Lu Yin’s eyes instantly narrowed when he saw the old man’s face, and he was briefly dazed. He seemed to hear a voice that addressed him in a kind, yet respectful manner, though it was also clearly full of affection. "Young Master, you’re here again? What are you doing? Didn’t it hurt the first time you fell?"
"Young Master, this- this is too much to eat! Your servant can't eat all of this!"
"Young Master, please eat slowly! Slow down!"
Lu Yin recovered quite quickly, as he was only dazed for a brief moment. He stared at the collapsed prisoner who was lying on his back. The old man looked miserable, and his entire face had been cut open.
Lu Yin’s pupils fluctuated as he looked at the old man’s face. This was someone he should know. This old man had once called Lu Yin “young master.”
In his brief daze, Lu Yin saw an island covered with food. This captive was someone from the Lu family. Lu Yin had vague memories of the old man chasing after him with a kind and doting smile on his face. When Lu Yin had fallen down, this old man would drop to the ground and act as a cushion to prevent Lu Yin from being injured. When Lu Yin had been punished, this old man had stepped forward and braved through the torrential scoldings and beatings that followed. He had stolen food for his young master when he had been hungry. This was someone whom Lu Yin knew he should remember.
Lu Yin clenched his hands into fists as he watched the other person from Shenwu’s Sky drag the old man up by his hair and then carry him away in an insulting manner. The ground where the old man had fallen was stained red from his blood.
"Prof. Hao Yu, let's go. Prof. Zheng and the others are already heading back to the academy, and the headmaster is also on his way," Mr. Tang said.
Lu Yin unclenched his hands and nodded. His voice sounded calm as he replied, "Let's go."
Soon, there were no people left in the area. The people from Shenwu's Sky and the Wang family carried the old man away, while the people from Virtue Archives returned to the academy.
The place looked quite peaceful.
Suddenly, a pair of golden eyes appeared, and they briefly stared in the direction where the people from Shenwu's Sky and the Wang family had gone before pursuing after them.
A short time later, at the border of the Virtue District, right when the people from Shenwu's Sky and the Wang family were about to take the old man away, someone appeared in front of them, and a terrifying pressure suppressed them. The old man was grabbed, and the attacker started to move away, only for another person to suddenly appear by tearing through the void. The instant this second person arrived, the entire situation reversed, and an unfathomable pressure covered the entire Virtue District.
Headmaster Wen looked up. An old monster had also come.
The person who had rescued the old man looked up at the second figure, and choked out, "A Semi-Progenitor?"
An old man had appeared in the sky. He was Xia Ziheng, a Semi-Progenitor from the Xia family.
"Let’s see just how you try to escape now." As he spoke, Xia Ziheng raised a hand and pressed down to capture the would-be rescuer.
Naturally, the rescuer was Tong Yu. The moment Lu Yin had seen the old man, he had reached out to Tong Yu and asked her to save the man. Lu Yin could not allow the old man to be taken away, as his ending would be beyond miserable.
Tong Yu's strength was more than enough to deal with a three-tribulation Envoy, but who would have thought that a Semi-Progenitor would actually be hiding and observing the entire ordeal?
Tong Yu was in despair, as there was no way out for her against a Semi-Progenitor.
Suddenly, a strange laugh rang out. "Well, well. If it isn't Xia Ziheng? It’s been a long time, old man, hahahaha!"
Kui Luo had arrived, and his spiritual force swept through the area without hesitation, instantly attacking Xia Ziheng.
The old man’s expression instantly and drastically changed. He could do nothing but retreat against Kui Luo’s spiritual force, and Xia Ziheng’s mind grew hazy. He was merely a Semi-Progenitor from one of the Xia family’s branch families, and there was no way he could compare to a top-tier expert like Kui Luo. Xia Ziheng did not even try to fight back.
"You- Kui Luo?" Xia Ziheng shouted.
Kui Luo showed himself and stared at Xia Ziheng, a strange smile on his face. "I’ve really missed you. When I saw you, I couldn’t help but remember how Lu Qi held your head down and made you drink horse piss. So many years have passed in a blink of an eye."
"Shut up!" Xia Ziheng yelled in fury. Countless blades swept across the sky, shooting straight at Kui Luo. This was Xia Ziheng’s inner world. The blades were used to form cages that could trap beasts, and anyone who was trapped in this inner world would have to force their way past a thousand swords and be sliced to pieces.
"Wow, that's not bad!" Kui Luo's spiritual force erupted yet again, instantly shattering the countless blades. "Let’s see if you can manage to climb over the dragon gate!"
Xia Ziheng’s vision completely changed, and he suddenly saw he was at the bottom of a waterfall. He had entered Kui Luo’s Dragon Gate.
The Perennial World had far more Semi-Progenitors than the Fifth Mainland, but even so, very few could compare to Kui Luo. He possessed the same level of strength as the gatemasters from the ancient Heavens Sect era. He had the Origin Progenitor’s Sutra, and after countless years of using it, his spiritual force had utterly transformed. It was the main reason behind Kui Luo’s exceptional strength.
Forget Xia Ziheng, who was a Semi-Progenitor from a branch of the Xia family, even Semi-Progenitor Xia Yingxiong from the main family was no match for Kui Luo.
Above his Dragon Gate, Kui Luo looked down on Xia Ziheng as though seeing an ant.
Blades surrounded Xia Ziheng and created a storm. His inner world was composed of endless blades, and they all started to glow. He tried to climb up the waterfall to escape from the Dragon Gate, but he failed to even get close.
The man raised his hand up high. As he did so, the countless blades of his inner world gathered together, and the Divine Martial Armor also appeared around the blades before they released a single powerful slash.
OMA's Thoughts
NOTICE TO CHAMPIONS:
It's been three years since the first chapter of Star Odyssey was released on Wuxia World. Since then, we've released 2201 public chapters (you all have no idea how badly that odd number bothers us...). During at least the past two years, I know that there have been people asking for more free chapters (always great for readers) and for the VIP tiers to be changed or more tiers to be added.
We have not been ignoring those requests. For the last year, OMA and the rest of the team have been working on building a buffer for today. Starting today, each of the recently reworked, renamed VIP tiers will gain access to more, or even double, chapters than ever before. As if that weren't enough, we've even added another tier for those asking...
We hope that these changes will benefit all of you, and to be honest, I'm looking forward to cutting back on the workload a bit after today.
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC'ed By: OMA
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l