Chapter 2450: Position Of Prestige
Life had been harsh for the Celestial Frost Sect’s Yu Chen, which was precisely why she had previously taken the initiative to contact Lu Yin. She had informed him about the sect's intentions to harvest stellular liquid from the crack in the Mother Tree's fissure, which had allowed him to trigger his sixth stellular tribulation.
After decades of struggling, the woman had finally turned to Lu Yin.
She had not expected Lu Yin to reach out to her at such a time, but fortunately, few people paid her any more attention after her status had fallen. "Dao Chosen."
Lu Yin sent, "Three years ago, I asked you to investigate if the Celestial Frost Sect has been keeping any survivors from the Lu family imprisoned. What have you found?"
Yu Chen replied, "I’ve found them, but while they do exist, it will be very difficult to save them."
Lu Yin's expression grew firm. After learning that Shenwu's Sky had kept Lu Xun hidden, it had been all but guaranteed that the Celestial Frost Sect, the Wang family, and even the White Dragon Clan kept some hidden prisoners of their own.
It was also of no surprise to learn that Yu Chen was incapable of saving any of the prisoners. In fact, it would have been very odd if she could.
"You don't need to rescue them, just deliver a message to someone for me. I want him to intervene…" Lu Yin sent his orders to Yu Chen.
After seeing the message, Yu Chen's face grew pale. "Dao Chosen, what should I do? As soon as this happens, I…"
"Come to the Fifth Mainland. I will protect you," Lu Yin replied.
Yu Chen hesitated, uncertain of whether she could trust Lu Yin. Following the orders that she had just received would mean betraying the Celestial Frost Sect, and most likely being hunted down by them. Could she truly rely on Lu Yin to keep her safe?
"You don’t have any choice," Lu Yin transmitted once again.
Yu Chen clenched her teeth. "I don't want to die."
Lu Yin reassured her, "Don't worry, I won't let you die. You're still quite useful."
Yu Chen intently stared at her wireless jincan, as though she wanted to peer through the jincan to see the expression on Lu Yin's face. She felt as though a giant hand was puppeteering every action she took.
Could she refuse? No, absolutely not. Refusal would be no different from betraying Lu Yin.
There was no question that Lu Yin possessed the power to utterly annihilate Yu Chen, but if she obeyed his orders, then the most slender thread of hope would still remain.
"As soon as you complete this task, leave the Celestial Frost Sect and hide in the location that I just shared with you. I won’t send someone to assist you just yet, as I will send you further tasks to complete. Don’t worry, no harm will befall you," Lu Yin transmitted.
Yu Chen considered the matter for a moment before determination entered her eyes. "I understand, Dao Chosen. Leave this to me."
After ending his conversation with Yu Chen, Lu Yin contacted one more person: his senior brother, Mu Xie.
…
Half a month later, somewhere within the Celestial Frost Sect, an idyllic scene could be seen. Birdsong filled the air, and the landscape looked like something from a picture. In the distance, a cascading waterfall could be seen. Lush green grass carpeted the ground and gave off a wonderful fragrance. It looked like a perfect paradise.
Woodland creatures freely roamed the area, frolicking about. Majestic aerial beasts soared high into the sky, some with iridescent plumage that further enhanced the grove’s otherworldly air.
However, whenever the colorful birds graced the skies, the creatures on the ground below, as well as the rare cultivator, instinctively hid from the birds. The birds’ attention was fully fixated on the cages that hung from vines. At first glance, the cages looked like they were adorned with iridescent feathers, but if one looked closer, they would discover that the cages were actually sturdy metal prisons that had been cleverly disguised by the rainbow plumage.
Each metal cage held a single person captive. Whenever the colorful birds appeared, the prisoners would shrink back as far as possible within their cage, terrified of becoming the beasts’ next meal.
In one of the steel cages, a man leaned against the bars. He was perilously close to the colorful birds, and he was actually within arm's reach of the beaks. Despite his proximity, many years had passed without the birds making a single move against the man. Each time, they flew past him and entirely ignored his presence.
The man idly toyed with some colorful feathers in his hand while muttering something indistinct.
After the colorful birds left, the terrestrial creatures would reemerge and resume their playful actions.
Yu Chen arrived nearby, and she immediately started carefully searching for something in the valley. The occasional passerby would cast a scornful glance her way, mockery filling their eyes.
Yu Chen paid little attention to the looks thrown her way. This treatment had become all too familiar since Bai Shaohong's demise. She was well aware of how people viewed her, but all of this would end soon.
She approached the man's cage, and once she was directly beneath him, her lips moved subtly.
Inside the cage, the man's eyes went in disbelief. "Young Master, you've returned?"
Yu Chen quickly left the area.
The very next day, word spread from the secluded paradise that one of the prisoners was seeking an audience with Progenitor Bai.
Bai Qi arrived, accompanied by Bai Teng, Bai Laogui, and several others, though before arriving at the man’s cage, she ordered, "Wait here."
At that moment, the colorful birds took flight again. Bai Qi looked upwards, briefly glancing at them. Instantly, terror overcame the birds, and they fled, much to the prisoners’ relief.
"What business do you have with my father?" Bai Qi asked.
This prisoner was a member of the Lu family. If anyone else had requested to meet with Progenitor Bai, Bai Qi would have never made a personal trip to check on the matter.
The man stared at Bai Qi. "You've kept me caged for so long. When will it end? Either execute me, or set me free."
Bai Qi’s brow furrowed. She had no interest in dealing with the Lu family. When everything had happened in the past, she had been defending the fourth array base on the rear battlefield. If it had been possible, she would have chosen to try to stop her father. The disappearance of the Lu family had put unbelievable pressure on the rear battlefield. However, by the time she learned of what had happened, everything had already concluded. Thus, her only choice had been to stand with the Celestial Frost Sect.
For the moment, the Perennial World was relatively stable. Aeternus had been driven out, and everything was developing in a positive direction. As soon as Lu Xiaoxuan was dealt with, the situation would get even better. "Is that all that you wanted to say?"
As the man moved, creaks and snaps echoed from his body. It seemed as though he had not moved in a very long time. "What's happening in the outside world now? How many members of my Lu family have you slain?"
Bai Qi answered without batting an eye, "We have found and eliminated all of them."
The man's finger twitched, and a cold light filled his eyes as he stared at Bai Qi. "Did anyone turn traitor?"
Bai Qi met the man’s steady gaze. "Yes."
"Who?"
"I have nothing to share with you."
"What happened to them?"
"He currently holds a prestigious position."
The man chuckled bitterly, misery turning his laughter into a haunting sound. "To gain a position of prestige through betrayal… With the Lu family gone, the Perennial World is all yours. Who could have anticipated such a turn of events?"
"Are you done talking? If so, I won't accompany you any longer," Bai Qi responded coldly.
A thunderous clang rang out as the man fiercely grabbed hold of the bars of the cage.
Down below, Bai Laogui became alarmed, worried that something might have happened to Bai Qi.
"If I betray the Lu family, what kind of rewards can you offer me?" the man asked softly, a feverish light blazing in his eyes. He sounded both desperate and excited, as though he had finally found the answer to a difficult puzzle.
Sorrow entered Bai Qi's eyes. In the end, this man had finally chosen betrayal. "You will join the Celestial Frost Sect and be named an elder, enjoying a status no different from that of a Semi-Progenitor with the Bai surname. No one will come after you, and you will receive a greater allotment of resources than other Semi-Progenitors."
"What of my inner world? It’s been crippled," the man rasped, his voice filled with reluctance.
Bai Qi reassured him, "It doesn't matter."
The man bitterly lamented, "If only I had offered my allegiance from the start. Why did I have to wait until after my inner world was destroyed? What a joke!"
Bai Qi silently studied the man as he released pent-up emotions.
Some time later, the man spoke to Bai Qi again, "I need to see Progenitor Bai. There’s a matter of the greatest importance that I must share with him. It concerns the Progenitors, and if there’s any delay, the consequences could be catastrophic."
Bai Qi stared at the man for a long moment. "If what you say turns out to be not as crucial as you claim, you won't enjoy the consequences."
"I understand. I should speak to Progenitor Bai as soon as possible," the man insisted.
While waiting for Bai Wangyuan to return to the Celestial Frost Sect, the man took the opportunity to freshen up a bit. He seemed far more spirited and lively than before.
Upon noticing that Bai Wangyuan had arrived, the man forced his resentment to remain hidden and offered a slow bow. "Lu Gong greets Progenitor Bai."
Bai Wangyuan stared at the man. "You have something to share with me? Speak."
"If Progenitor Bai feels that what I say is important, what can this junior receive in return?" Lu Gong inquired.
Bai Wangyuan chuckled. "Are you trying to barter with me?"
"As someone who has already died once, I don't care if I’m killed again," Lu Gong replied without hesitation.
Standing a bit to the side, Bai Qi knitted her brow.
Bai Wangyuan nodded. Clasping his hands behind his back, he replied, "As a member of the Lu family, you do have this right. Very well, I promise that I will do my utmost to restore your inner world. If I fail, I will guarantee that there will be a Semi-Progenitor among your descendants."
Lu Gong visibly grew excited by the promise, and he offered another bow. "Many thanks, Progenitor Bai."
At that moment, ice entered Bai Wangyuan's gaze. "However, if this matter is not as important as you have suggested, I will make you long for death."
Lu Gong answered with the utmost seriousness in his tone, "This matter concerns the safety of the entire Perennial World."
His eyes twitched over to Bai Qi.
Bai Qi arched an eyebrow.
Lu Gong looked at Bai Wangyuan, his expression making it clear that he was struggling internally.
Bai Wangyuan calmly stated, "Go ahead and speak."
Lu Gong nodded and then took a deep breath. "Nutjob Lu is a Redback."
Bai Wangyuan's eyes widened in disbelief. "What was that?"
Bai Qi was similarly stunned, and she struggled to accept what she had just heard. Nutjob Lu was a Redback?
Lu Gong repeated, "Nutjob Lu, the madman of the Lu family, is a Redback."
Bai Wangyuan glared at the prisoner. "Details."
Lu Gong gathered his thoughts and organized his memories before slowly replying, "No more than two individuals in the entire Lu family know about this matter, and one of them is Progenitor Lu Tianyi himself. Aside from those two people, it is highly unlikely that anyone else knows anything, not even Progenitor Lu Feng. I obtained my knowledge of this matter from the records I've read that belong to my branch of the family: the Converging Streams lineage.
“No one knows just how long Nutjob Lu has lived for, but there is no doubt that he was alive long before the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas era. In fact, it’s possible that he has been alive since the Heavens Sect era.
"My Converging Streams line possesses records so old that we cannot even date them. Only the current patriarch of the Converging Streams branch is informed of the existence of these records.
"When the main family was banished, the Lu Sanctum disappeared. Only Nutjob Lu, who cooperated with you, was left behind. He is a Redback who is connected to Ancient God, one of the Seven Skygods."
Bai Qi shouted, "Impossible! If Nutjob Lu were truly a Redback, then how could the Lu family have allowed him to live?"
Lu Gong calmly replied, "The members of the Lu family are still human. According to our ancestors, someone from Nutjob Lu's generation owes him a great debt, and because of that, a Progenitor decree has been passed down, forbidding the Lu family from killing Nutjob Lu, unless he commits a grave crime that endangers humanity. This is why Nutjob Lu has always been kept prisoner. Elder Progenitor Tianyi would never have let the man go free. Despite being a Redback, he only met Ancient God a single time, and he has never taken any actions to harm humanity."
Bai Wangyuan's forehead furrowed. Was Nutjob Lu actually a Redback? How was that possible? However, it was not entirely impossible either. Why else would the Lu family have kept Nutjob Lu imprisoned for so long? For the Lu family, even mentioning the man’s existence had been considered taboo. Lu Tianyi had once mentioned that, if he died, he would be sure to take Nutjob Lu to the grave with him. There was ample evidence that Nutjob Lu was a great danger.
If what Lu Gong was telling the truth, then the danger that Nutjob Lu posed extended to far, far more than just the members of the Lu family. He could potentially threaten the entire human race.
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