Chapter 2242: Mass Execution
"That would be wonderful. I’ll have to trouble you then, Prof. Zheng." Lu Yin happily agreed. While he truthfully had no interest in the training excursion, he could not show it. Also, he understood that, while Prof. Zheng had no chance of being selected by the students, the man was worried about “Yu Hao.” It was important for Lu Yin to remember that Prof. Zheng was extremely dedicated to Virtue Archives and that he was also a gifted teacher. His greatest flaw was that he tended to be overly serious, but based off of Lu Yin’s experiences on Earth, Prof. Zheng was a stereotypical dean.
Prof. Zheng then spent the next half an hour sharing his experiences of chaperoning students on various training excursions. The man had led students on trips to the Lower Realm, the Middle Realm, the Middle Ocean, and even the rear battlefield. Virtue Archives was not some ivory tower where the students focused purely on cultivation.
"When we were at the second array base, if the sourcebox array hadn’t been repaired just in time, we would have all died. The headmaster and Ce Lao were both preoccupied by some of Aeternus’s Twelve Marquises. Lu-" Prof. Zheng abruptly cut off in the middle of speaking and changed the subject. "Honestly, there’s just so much to tell you, Prof. Hao Yu. The bottom line is that these training excursions are extremely important to the academy. Additionally, this will be our first time visiting the four ruling powers on a trip, so we have to be very cautious."
Lu Yin nodded. "I understand. By the way, you just mentioned someone named Lu. Was there someone from the Lu family who participated in that excursion?"
Prof. Zheng waved the question away. "Act like you didn’t hear anything. Honestly, given the fact that the four ruling powers' top youths are already here in my Virtue Archives, visiting them in the Higher Realm can’t even be considered a training exercise. Actual training involves trips to places like the Lower Realm or the rear battlefield. After the exchange program with the four ruling powers, we will be organizing a trip for the students to go to the rear battlefield. That is where the real training exercise begins.
"Have you ever been to the rear battlefield, Prof. Hao Yu?"
Lu Yin was caught off guard by the question. Had Yu Hao ever made it to the rear battlefield? The answer should be no, as he had been a rather pathetic cultivator who had committed suicide, which meant that he would not have been qualified to be sent to that place. "No."
Prof. Zheng stared at Lu Yin. "In that case, a trip to the rear battlefield wouldn’t only be a training experience for the students, but also for a chaperone. If you haven’t seen the rear battlefield, then you haven’t seen the cruelest truth about what humanity faces, Prof. Hao Yu."
They spoke a bit longer, and then Prof. Zheng prepared to leave. Before parting ways, he commented, "Visiting the rear battlefield will provide you with the experience of facing death. Going to visit the four ruling powers will help train the mind."
With that, the instructor left.
Lu Yin was rather surprised, as the last comment suggested that Prof. Zheng was aware that something was going on. It was clear that Virtue Archives had never sent its students to visit the four ruling powers before.
After mulling the matter over for a bit, Lu Yin finally understood the warning. What could Virtue Archives’ students learn from visiting the four ruling powers? All the top students were originally from the four ruling powers, which meant that the top students and the top youths from the four ruling powers were basically the same group of people. This was not so much an opportunity to train the students, but rather more of an opportunity for the four ruling powers to do a bit of recruitment and publicity.
Students of Virtue Archives were never average people. Any person who could get into Virtue Archives was worthy of the four ruling powers’ attention.
Lu Yin looked upwards. If he was right about the purpose of this upcoming trip, then he needed to do something. He could not let these talented students be deceived by the four ruling powers.
***
Far away, the Yinshan District had been sealed off by the four ruling powers as they investigated Forgotten Ruins God’s involvement in the disappearance of Xia Xing and the other patriarchs. The Celestial Frost Sect had said that Forgotten Ruins God had appeared in the Yinshan District. This claim needed to be looked into, regardless of whether anyone believed it or the size of the Yinshan District.
Zhuo Si, the Humility’s Gate’s gatemaster for the Yinshan District, was known for his laziness and unwillingness to take action in the oversight of his assigned district.
When Lu Yin was sent to join Humility’s Gate in the Yinshin District, his identity as Long Qi had been hidden, and he had been given the name Lin Jiangyi. When Lu Yin had first arrived, Zhuo Si had had two captains under him: Wang Dashuai and Mo Gaohe. Both of those men had moved on, and the Yinshan District’s Humility’s Gate had been silent and peaceful since, just like the rest of the region.
The Yinshan District’s Humility’s Gate had essentially been reserved for descendants of the four ruling powers who were considered important but not valuable. It gave the youths a place to stay. However, after Long Qi had stirred up so much chaos in the Yinshan District, the four ruling powers had changed their minds about the place, and they had stopped sending their youths there. This change had caused the area to gradually take on a desolate feel.
As for Zhuo Si, he was quite happy with the change, as he enjoyed the quiet.
Suddenly, a terrifying pressure fell upon the gate, causing Zhuo Si's expression to instantly change. He was captured without the slightest ability to resist. The Celestial Frost Sect’s Semi-Progenitor Wu Yao had captured the gatemaster.
"You have clearly passed five stellular tribulations, yet you stay hidden here in the Yinshan District. We’ve carefully investigated Humility’s Gate, and we know that you have an old connection with the Lu family." Wu Yao's cold voice filled the area, the terrifying power of it causing everyone present in Humility’s Gate’s base to tremble.
Zhuo Si did nothing to fight back, as he was completely incapable of doing so. "Might I ask who you are, Senior?"
There was a bang. Zhuo Si was thrown down, and the sound came from him slamming into the ground.
Cultivators appeared in every direction. All of them were from the four ruling powers, and they all stared at Zhuo Si. Among them was Long Tian.
"This old man is Wu Yao! Zhuo Si, you have an old connection to the Lu family, and we have let you be for too long," Wu Yao replied.
Zhuo Si struggled to his feet. His shoulders were slouched, as he had been badly injured by Wu Yao just now. "I am Humility’s Gate’s gatemaster of the Yinshan District. Have you spoken to Supervisor Qing Chen before coming to arrest me? Do you have Progenitor Mu Xie’s permission?"
Wu Yao stared at Zhuo Si, and the pressure increased, forcing the Envoy back down. "Don't try to use Humility's Gate to intimidate me! I’m here, representing the four ruling powers of the Perennial World. We didn’t bother with you before because you were being used as bait, but now-"
"What about now?" a stern voice shouted. The void shattered as another wave of pressure descended, this time crushing Wu Yao.
Wu Yao’s brow furrowed, and a surge of stellular energy was instantly released. At the same time, an equal but opposite rush of stellular energy appeared from where the void had shattered. There was so much energy filling the area that even Envoys felt suppressed.
Zhuo Si heaved a sigh of relief. Supervisor Qing Chen had arrived.
Qing Chen had naturally realized that something was wrong when he had learned that the four ruling powers had locked down the Yinshan District. Zhuo Si's past was well known within certain circles, and the supervisor had been afraid that the four ruling powers would go after the gatemaster. Given the fact that the four ruling powers had sent out their forces to search for one of the Seven Skygods, there were plenty of Semi-Progenitors participating in the hunt. If they went after Zhuo Si, the gatemaster would be utterly helpless to resist.
Events proved Qing Chen’s suspicions accurate. Wu Yao had attacked Zhuo Si without any hint of mercy.
Two Semi-Progenitor fought each other, and their battle disturbed the sky over the entire Yinshan District. Finally, the battle was stopped by the Wang family’s Semi-Progenitor Chai’s intervention.
Wu Yao’s cold eyes were locked onto Qing Chen. "You may be unaware of Zhuo Si’s past with the Lu family, but our ancestor has ordered that anyone who cooperated with the Lu family must be either captured or killed."
Qing Chen responded with equal chill, "That was a long time ago. I also worked with the Lu family, and I even visited them. Are you going to capture me as well?"
Wu Yao's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "It’s up to our ancestors whether you will be arrested. I’m here for Zhuo Si."
"You couldn’t find any trace of the Seven Skygods, so you want to use Zhuo Si to create a distraction. Wu Yao, you might have become a Semi-Progenitor, but you’re still as cruel as ever. You’re trying to attack my Humility's Gate to help you win merit. If you’re so capable, then go talk to Progenitor Mu Xie." Qing Chen made no attempt to be amiable.
Wu Yao became furious. "You can’t use Humility's Gate to oppress people! If not for Humility's Gate, that last survivor of the Lu family wouldn’t have been able to escape. Our ancestors will settle things with you sooner or later."
"But it’s not up to you!" Qing Chen shouted.
Semi-Progenitor Chai stepped forward. "Both of you should be capturing Redbacks and searching for the Seven Skygods. There’s no need to fight like this."
Wu Yao glanced down at Zhuo Si. "We’ve already sent an army to the Forsaken Land to kill the last bastard of the Lu family. We can let a remnant of the Lu family like you live for a few more days. The New Corridor will soon be repaired, and then they will return with Lu Xiaoxuan's head. At that time, every last remnant of the Lu family in the Perennial World will be revealed."
Zhuo Si’s head snapped up. He had heard about the army that was sent after Lu Xiaoxuan. The gatemaster just hoped that the young man would be alright.
Qing Chen said nothing further. He looked to the other side and saw Xia Ziheng reveal himself. "If the Seven Skygods are not found, then our four ruling powers will be thrown into turmoil. This is something that should not be seen by outsiders, as what will become of my four ruling powers’ prestige?"
"My Humility’s Gate is not part of the four ruling powers," Qing Chen stated bluntly.
Xia Ziheng stared at Qing Chen. "The truth is that Semi-Progenitor Wu Yao did not attack Zhuo Si without cause. Supervisor Qing Chen, do you know who’s back in the Perennial World?"
The question caught the supervisor off guard. "Back in the Perennial World? What are you talking about?"
Xia Ziheng's eyes grew dark. "Kui Luo's back."
Qing Chen was surprised. "Kui Luo? Didn't he kidnap someone from the Wang family and escape to the Forsaken Land?"
"That's why we want to capture Zhuo Si! We want to interrogate him and find out if he’s Lu Xiaoxuan. Kui Luo saved Lu Xiaoxuan several times before, and that old man most likely went to the Forsaken Land to find Lu Xiaoxuan. He shouldn't have come back here alone. If Lu Xiaoxuan isn’t dead, then he might be here as well. When he was in the Perennial World, he stayed here in the Yinshan District, so it’s possible that Zhuo Si might know where the bastard is," Xia Ziheng explained.
Qing Chen reflexively glanced down at Zhuo Si, as did everyone else.
The gatemaster quickly spoke up, "Supervisor, your subordinate has never met Lu Xiaoxuan or Kui Luo. I swear to you, if I am lying, that I will never again be able to improve my cultivation, and I will abandon all hope of ever becoming a Semi-Progenitor."
Wu Yao instantly grew contemptuous. "A Semi-Progenitor? The likes of you?"
Qing Chen frowned and glanced back up at Wu Yao and Xia Ziheng. "I believe Zhuo Si. You can stop coming after him. There’s no cultivator who doesn’t wish to become a Semi-Progenitor, or dreams of becoming a Progenitor."
"It’s not impossible for people to be willing to sacrifice their cultivation in order to keep Lu Xiaoxuan safe," Xia Ziheng retorted.
Wu Yao also jumped in. "Regardless of whether we believe him, we need to take him with us. There’s no need to worry, as he will only be interrogated. His life will remain unharmed."
"Ridiculous. If you want to arrest Zhuo Si, then first get Progenitor Mu Xie’s permission. Zhuo Si is one of my Humility’s Gate’s nine gatemasters, and he has contributed greatly to humanity. You aren’t qualified to arrest him." Qing Chen remained firm.
Wu Yao and Xia Ziheng looked at each other, and Xia Ziheng gave a slight shake of his head. He also did not believe that Zhuo Si knew Lu Xiaoxuan's whereabouts. If Lu Xiaoxuan was truly in the Perennial World, then he would never reveal himself to anyone.
In fact, Xia Ziheng had another theory regarding Kui Luo’s return; the old man had most likely been chased by the army sent to kill Lu Xiaoxuan. After barely surviving, Kui Luo had probably fled back to the Perennial World alone.
The possibility of Kui Luo escaping was pushing the four ruling powers’ imaginations to the limit. If even Lu Xiaoxuan had managed to escape back to the Perennial World, then what good was the army that had been sent after him?
They had sent four Semi-Progenitors with that army, including Grand Elder Ni Huang. There was nothing and no one in the Forsaken Land that could stop such a force. The only caveat was the possibility of a Progenitor interfering.
"The New Corridor will soon be repaired, and then we will all learn what’s happened in the Forsaken Land. Let Zhuo Si continue to enjoy himself here for a few more days," Xia Ziheng said.
Wu Yao’s voice was as cold as ever, "Someone once warned me to always consider the worst possibility. Assuming that Lu Xiaoxuan is indeed hiding in the Perennial World and planning something, he might have already recruited some of the Lu family's surviving vassals. Given this situation, my Celestial Frost Sect intends to slaughter every surviving remnant of the Lu family who has been captured."
Xia Ziheng was shocked by this news, as was everyone else who heard it. A slaughter?
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