Chapter 2483: Hideaway
Specter Progenitor clenched his fists. He had no choice in this matter, as if he was unable to uncover the truth, he would never be able to return.
Suddenly, the man thought of something, and his eyes fell onto Lu Yin's back. Could it have been this youth?
"Given the current situation, the four ruling powers are well within their rights to attack you. Neither I nor anyone else can protect you," Lu Yin stated.
Specter Progenitor frowned. Lu Yin should not have been the one to leak the techniques from Specter Abyss. After all, this youth wanted to use Specter Progenitor to maintain the balance of power against the four ruling powers. Lu Yin would not benefit from leaking the four ruling powers’ techniques. "I don't need protection, I merely hope that Dao Monarch Lu can provide me with a place to hide."
Lu Yin thought for a moment before saying, "I actually do have a place. Let's go."
Specter Progenitor heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Dao Monarch Lu."
Lu Yin looked back. "Senior, you should already understand how I work. I expect a reward for my efforts."
Specter Progenitor answered firmly, "As long as I am able to survive this ordeal, I am willing to offer you one trillion star essence, Dao Monarch Lu."
Lu Yin smiled. One trillion was a decent amount, especially considering how the people of Specter Abyss did not cultivate with star energy or stellular energy. Star essence was an unnecessary resource for them. Still, Lu Yin replied, "I want half of Specter Abyss."
Specter Progenitor assumed he must have heard wrong. "What did you say?"
Lu Yin looked at the man with a completely serious expression and repeated, "I want half of Specter Abyss."
"Lu Xiaoxuan, have you gone mad?" Even in his current situation, Specter Progenitor could not stop himself from cursing. "Half of Specter Abyss? Why don't you ask for the whole thing?"
"That works too."
Specter Progenitor was rendered speechless. "Lu Xiaoxuan, you must know that you’re asking me for the impossible! I can promise you that if you help me get through this, I will find you five trillion star essence, even if I must steal or rob to get it. That should be more than enough to show my sincerity. Not even the four ruling powers would find it easy to produce such a sum. Besides, in the future, I will also definitely stand with you against the four ruling powers. Don't forget—when you posed as Long Qi and were caught at the Cloud Shuttle in the Higher Realm, people from Specter Abyss risked their lives to save you and covered for you."
Lu Yin replied, "I will absolutely repay that debt myself, but I also haven't forgotten about what happened when I was fighting Nutjob Lu. You refused to allow me to use Specter Abyss's death energy and even cursed me for it. You clearly hold a grudge against me."
"But that didn't stop you from using that death energy! Death energy is the very foundation of Specter Abyss. If you use all of it, what will happen to my Specter Abyss?" Specter Progenitor started to grow anxious. This guy was completely unreasonable.
"So there’s no room for negotiation?"
"Absolutely not," Specter Progenitor replied resolutely.
"Then what about a trade?"
Specter Progenitor was taken aback. "What would you propose to trade for Specter Abyss?"
"This Aeternus Nation was here in the Fifth Mainland, and it’s filled with death energy. I can offer you that for half of Specter Abyss," Lu Yin explained.
Specter Progenitor felt quite puzzled. "Where did Aeternus get death energy?"
"Many things have happened in this part of the universe, and in order to survive, the Specter Clan joined forces with Aeternus and later on used death energy to transform humans into corpse kings. They even tried to create more powerful corpse kings that would be capable of wielding the power of the God of Death," Lu Yin explained.
Specter Progenitor instantly became furious. "They actually colluded with Aeternus! The Specter Clan in this Fifth Mainland are nothing but traitors! All of them are Redbacks!"
Lu Yin replied, "I’ve already taken control of them, and their patriarch has since become one of my champions. However, there’s no denying that the death energy left in the Aeternus Nation is real. I once used it to threaten Bai Wangyuan. So, do we have a deal?"
Specter Progenitor remained adamant. "No. Specter Abyss is Specter Abyss. I cannot trade it with you for anything."
"But Specter Abyss might already have been destroyed by the four ruling powers," Lu Yin warned.
That comment caused Specter Progenitor's expression to change. Lu Yin certainly was not wrong. Specter Progenitor had no idea what fate might have befallen Specter Abyss after he fled. If Specter Abyss was truly destroyed by the four ruling powers, then Lu Yin's offer could be regarded as an extension of an olive branch. This thought caused Specter Progenitor’s expression to relax a bit. "Take me to this Aeternus Nation to have a look."
Lu Yin rode atop the jiao with Specter Progenitor as they made their way towards the Neoverse.
With the jiao's speed, they quickly arrived in the Neoverse.
Lu Yin sensed the coordinates of the parallel universe with the coordinate seal. It was still located at the foundation of Aeternus Nation. He had left a bit of death energy in it, and that allowed him to sense the location of Aeternus Nation from among the many parallel universes.
Lu Yin opened a rift to Aeternus Nation. "Please."
Specter Progenitor stared at the spatial rift. "This is a parallel universe, not a pocket dimension."
Lu Yin nodded. "That’s right. Aeternus left behind an unoccupied parallel universe."
Specter Progenitor frowned while thinking of what had happened to Xia Shenji. He then gave Lu Yin a dubious look. What was this youth planning this time?
Lu Yin asked, "Why aren't you going in? Senior, are you worried that I’ll exile you like I did to Xia Shenji? That wouldn’t do me any good. You are a powerhouse who’s key to maintaining the current balance of power. If I exile you, how will I restrain the four ruling powers?"
Specter Progenitor stared at the rift, still hesitant and unwilling to go in it.
No one was willing to place their life in the hands of another, and with the recent example of Xia Shenji fresh in his memory, Specter Progenitor was even more reluctant than normal.
Lu Yin continued, "If you don’t want to go in, then please feel free to do whatever you wish, Senior."
Specter Progenitor asked, "Isn't there anywhere else?"
"No, there isn't. Wait, there is one place." Lu Yin paused. "The Astral Wilderness."
Specter Progenitor's expression darkened further. The Astral Wilderness was not a good place. For ordinary cultivators, it was an unknown region that they could explore, exploit, or use to escape. However, for true powerhouses, things were not nearly so simple.
The stronger the cultivator, the less willing they would be to venture into the Astral Wilderness.
It was like how dropping a small stone into a pond would only create a few ripples at most. However, if a boulder was dropped in, massive waves would appear.
If a Progenitor entered the Astral Wilderness, it would be no different from a boulder falling into a pond. No one knew what sort of unintended consequences might occur.
The stronger the individual was, the more dangerous the Astral Wilderness would be for them. There were even many unexplored regions of outer space around the Perennial World where few or no humans had ever set foot.
Suddenly, both Lu Yin and the Specter Progenitor looked to the west.
"They sure got here quickly. They must be in a hurry," Lu Yin said.
Specter Progenitor's expression fell completely. "Dao Monarch Lu, if I die, you won't be able to gain any advantage against the four ruling powers."
"I still have Arch-Elder Zen and my senior brother. Right, I must have forgotten to mention that several of the Semi-Progenitors from the Heavens Sect era are also about to have their own breakthroughs. I expect that one or two of them will even be successful, and that should give me a bit of an advantage when facing off against the four ruling powers," Lu Yin replied.
Before Specter Progenitor could say anything further, a blade of light flew from the Technocracy across the Fifth Mainland, head straight for the man, startling Lu Yin. This was Xia Qin's attack.
"How dare you leak my Shenwu's Sky techniques? Die!" Xia Qin's voice echoed across the Fifth Mainland. With her grudges handled and her debts repaired, she had become a true Progenitor of Shenwu's Sky whose consideration focused on what was best for the Xia family.
Even so, Bai Wangyuan was even faster than her. As he traveled through space, white clouds replaced the stars, and the phenomena spread to the Neoverse.
Lu Yin frowned. He had never fought against Bai Wangyuan, and thus he did not know much about the man. Even so, Bai Wangyuan was the master of one of the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas, which meant that he should be even stronger than Xia Shenji.
The white clouds managed to almost completely envelop the Neoverse.
Arch-Elder Zen suddenly appeared. "Progenitor Bai, this is the Fifth Mainland."
With that, the strands of Ancestral Qi from the Tri-Yang Ancestral Qi Technique started to swirl around the man, one of which quickly transformed into Xue Wuqing.
The jiao roared and stared towards the west.
Bai Wangyuan stepped down from his clouds, looking like a deity. He gazed down at Lu Yin but then turned to look at Specter Progenitor before speaking. "This matter has nothing to do with the Fifth Mainland. Lu Xiaoxuan, do you plan to interfere in our affairs?"
Before Lu Yin could answer, Specter Progenitor answered. "I did not leak any of your Celestial Frost Sect or Shenwu's Sky’s techniques. This matter has nothing to do with me or Specter Abyss."
"The techniques were leaked from your Specter Abyss, and the one who leaked them was your Specter Abyss’s Semi-Progenitor, and yet you still dare to try to claim that this has nothing to do with you?" Bai Wangyuan shouted. White clouds fell, carrying overwhelming fear and pressure with them. There seemed to be something almost sacred about the pressure, as those who felt it would also feel an urge to kneel in worship.
At this moment, Bai Wangyuan was truly furious. Even when Lu Yin had claimed the title of Dao Monarch, the Progenitor had not taken any direct action.
"I won't interfere, so feel free to do as you wish, as long as you don't involve our Fifth Mainland," Lu Yin replied while retreating.
Arch-Elder Zen also spoke up, "We won't interfere with the affairs of your Perennial World, but the Fifth Mainland must not be destroyed."
Bai Wangyuan had not expected Lu Yin to step back so readily.
It was at that moment that Xia Qin arrived, and she was also surprised to see Lu Yin withdraw so easily.
Specter Progenitor was already extremely anxious. Lu Yin and Arch-Elder Zen had both stepped back, which left Specter Progenitor completely alone against Bai Wangyuan and Xia Qin. In this situation, he might not even be able to escape. "Progenitor Bai, what must I do for you to believe me? Revealing your sects’ battle techniques wouldn't benefit me in the slightest."
Bai Wangyuan retorted, "We also find this quite strange. You're no fool, but this time you did something truly stupid. Perhaps you didn't intend to reveal the battle techniques, but stealing them was definitely your doing."
Death energy surged from Specter Progenitor. He understood that, no matter how he tried to defend himself, these two people would not listen to him.
Lu Yin opened the rift to Aeternus Nation.
Specter Progenitor shot through the rift without a moment's hesitation. At this point in time, there was nothing that he even needed to be considered. Even being exiled to a parallel universe was better than simply waiting for death.
Specter Progenitor instantly vanished.
Bai Wangyuan and Xia Qin turned to Lu Yin. "Lu Xiaoxuan, what did you just do?"
Lu Yin shrugged. "Specter Progenitor said that he was going to start a war, but this is the Fifth Mainland. You can tell me that you won't damage my Fifth Mainland, but if a battle breaks out between Progenitors, that's simply impossible. Given the risks, I just found you another battlefield to use. It's an Aeternus nation that the Aeternals left behind, which is also the place where we negotiated our truce. You’ve been there before, Progenitor Bai, and that place will be your battlefield. There’s no need to stand on ceremony."
Bai Wangyuan's expression grew stormy. "That's a parallel universe."
Xia Qin arched a brow. A parallel universe? Those words felt like a trigger. Xia Shenji had already been banished to a parallel universe, so how could anyone else dare to enter one?
Even Specter Progenitor had only entered after being pushed to his limits. If he had been comfortable with the prospect, he would have entered much earlier.
"Exactly. It's precisely because it's a parallel universe that you are allowed to fight without any reservations," Lu Yin replied as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You want us to enter that parallel universe?" Bai Wangyuan's voice dropped low. "Are you planning to banish us just like you did to Xia Shenji?"
Lu Yin arched a brow as he replied, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm simply trying to find a suitable battlefield for Progenitors like you to use for your fight."
Bai Wangyuan stared at Lu Yin. "We can go in, but give us the coordinate seal so that we can leave our marks and freely travel between the two spaces."
Lu Yin instantly realized that Bai Wangyuan was more knowledgeable than what he had let on. Only Aeternus had the ability to create coordinate seals. The Sixverse Association was only able to travel between various parallel universes after stealing the coordinate seals from Aeternus. Thus, the four ruling powers had to possess a coordinate seal that provided them with a path to the Sixverse Association, or more likely, the Cyclic Universe.
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