Chapter 2560: Fenglei Clan
After a day of traveling, Lu Yin finally beheld the true Three Monarchs Universe.
The place they had reached bore a resemblance to the Fifth Mainland’s Outerverse. There were planets revolving, and the occasional cultivator passing through outer space. Battles and massacres sporadically erupted, and interstellar pirates prowled the region.
As they continued further, things grew increasingly prosperous.
"Brother-in-law, up in front of us is where the Lower King Domain officially starts. In our Three Monarchs Universe, there's a saying: those dwelling in the Upper King Domain enter the Emperor Domain, while those residing in the Lower King Domain are relegated to the mortal realm. It’s supposed to be about how the people in the Upper King Domain are esteemed dignitaries who can directly communicate with the Emperor Domain, while the Lower King Domain is only home to normal people," Luo Lao'er explained.
"It seems that everyone in your dimension is subservient to the three Monarchs," Lu Yin commented.
Luo Lao'er responded, "That's just my father being overbearing. While it might sound like everyone serves the three Monarchs, can he even use so many people? There’s really only a select few who genuinely serve the three Monarchs. Like I mentioned in Cliff Town, this universe has an empire, yet many of the planets here don’t even have the ability to reach outer space. They have no idea what our universe is even called."
Lu Yin sighed. "Fair enough. It’s possible that even everything we’re facing ourselves is just a game in the eyes of even higher-level beings."
Luo Lao'er was horrified by the comment. "Brother-in-law, that's terrifying."
Lu Yin smiled and said nothing more.
Luo Lao'er guided the spacecraft in a specific direction. Once they arrived in a specific region, Luo Lao'er started searching for something, his expression grim. They continued towards the north, but his expression grew uglier as he continued to fail to find what he was seeking. Things continued in this manner as they ventured further and further into the northern reaches of the Lower King Domain. Finally, Luo Lao'er let out a sigh of relief. "So it’s really just this small."
Soon after that, their vessel docked. In front of them were ten interconnected planets that had been combined to create an astral city in outer space. It looked to be extremely prosperous.
As they strolled through the city, Lu Yin observed the customs and traditions of the Three Monarchs Universe. Tri-colored monarch essence could be seen everywhere, covering many different items, including the flourishing crystals that were used as currency. The interplay of the energy’s three colors gave the entire cityscape a bit of a shimmering glow.
Aside from the fact that their cultivation methods were different, the place looked no different from the Fifth Mainland.
Luo Lao'er confidently led Lu Yin through the city, and they soon arrived at a tall, magnificent building.
Lu Yin stared at the grand building before them for a moment before directing a rather confused look towards Luo Lao'er.
With a smirk, Luo Lao'er teased, "Brother-in-law, do you find it appealing?"
"What do you mean?" Lu Yin inquired.
"Don't play dumb. As a man, you should understand what this place is at first glance. Do you like it?" Luo Lao'er prodded.
"A brothel?" Lu Yin questioned.
"Don't be so crude! It's called Spring Lightning. It’s a chain that the Fenglei clan runs. All of their different locations use the name Spring Lightning. This Spring Lightning Manor is the most opulent entertainment venue, and it’s directly overseen by the Fenglei clan.[1] Come on, Brother-in-law, let's enjoy a bit of relaxation. As soon as you enter, I promise you you won’t want to leave.”
Seeing the lecherous expression on Luo Lao'er's face, Lu Yin chose not to refuse and simply followed the young man inside.
Having visited similar establishments before, Lu Yin was not a stranger to such places. However, Spring Lightning Manor was quite different from the Azure Mansions Lu Yin had previously visited. The women of the Spring Lightning Manor were far more uninhibited, which left Lu Yin feeling a bit uncomfortable. No matter where he looked, his eyes were met with the sight of alabaster skin that dazzled his vision, and the scent of various powdered cosmetics filled his nostrils.
"What do you think, Brother-in-law? Beautiful, aren't they? Every single one of them is a remarkable beauty! I can promise you, all of the women in a Spring Lightning Manor are only chosen after a rigorous selection. Each one can be regarded as a national beauty. Haha!" Luo Lao'er exclaimed excitedly.
Setting a hand on Luo Lao'er's shoulder, Lu Yin urged, "Let's stay focused on our current task."
Confused, Luo Lao'er replied, "But this is our task?"
The pressure under Lu Yin’s hand increased until Luo Lao'er winced in pain. "Don't waste my time."
In agony, Luo Lao'er quickly conceded, "Alright, alright! I'll make the arrangements we need to accomplish here."
Suddenly, the ground trembled, and a deafening explosion shook the Spring Lightning Manor. The accompanying shockwave was powerful enough that many people were lifted off the ground.
Luo Lao'er's expression instantly turned somber. "Something’s wrong."
He raced towards the source of the disturbance.
Raising his head, Lu Yin spread his domain out until it encompassed the entire area, which naturally included the entire Spring Lightning Manor.
Just a short distance away, there were two men engaged in a fierce battle. One of the two used monarch essence and threw out bolts of lightning, while the other used only monarch essence, though it was tinged with a bit of darkness. The explosion had been a result of the two men’s fight.
Both were only in the Slave realm, and were about as strong as one of the Fifth Mainland’s Hunters.
In the Three Monarchs Universe, the Slave realm was comparable to the Fifth Mainland’s Explorers all the way to their peak Hunters. The Enlighter realm was comparable to the Three Monarchs Universe’s Servants, and the two men fighting were at the very cusp of becoming Servants. Such strength was quite impressive, given their age, as they were almost comparable to the Ten Arbiters of the past.
Explosions shook the air as one of the two released a furious barrage of attacks that forced his opponent to retreat. Lightning struck the man again and again, visibly suppressing him.
An entire crowd of onlookers had already gathered, all of them watching the battle from a safe distance.
Luo Lao'er elbowed his way to the very front of the crowd, from where he proceeded to watch the fight. The whole time, a very serious expression decorated his face.
Seeming to sense sudden danger, the lightning wielder abruptly cut his assault short, and evaded a wave of monarch essence that swept by him. If he had continued his attack, he would have lost both of his hands.
Seizing an opportunity, the man’s opponent threw out a powerful kick, which sent the lightning wielder hurtling through the air.
Luo Lao'er's eyes sharpened, reflecting a bone-chilling coldness.
"Young Master Guishan!" Several people stepped forward to block the path of the lightning wielder, though they all looked at the man warily.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, the other man lowered his foot with a cruel smirk on his face. "Fenglei Guishan, like I told you before, you’re no match for me. Your presumed status as the greatest talent of your generation in the Lower King Domain is nothing but a joke."
"Hmph, if not for someone else interfering, would you ever be a match for me?" Fenglei Guishan looked to the side, where a group of people stared at him with cold eyes. The young man’s gaze locked onto a middle-aged man within the crowd. "Wu Sanzhou, do you have no shame at all? How could a Retainer like you ambush someone like me?"
The middle-aged man, Wu Sanzhou, showed a slight smile as he stood in place with his hands clasped behind his back. "A loss is a loss. Are the Fenglei clan's members so lacking in integrity that they can't even accept a loss?"
Fenglei Guishan roared in anger, "You're despicable!"
Wu Sanzhou lifted his head and scanned the area. "Did anyone witness me, Wu Sanzhou, make a move?"
Silence filled the air, as no one responded.
Wu Sanzhou asked the same question a second time, only to be met with further silence. He then turned back to Fenglei Guishan. "You see? No one saw anything. You lost, and are now merely making excuses. No one will stand up for you."
Fenglei Guishan seethed with rage and coughed up blood as he struggled to his feet, helped by the people close to him.
"Well, the outcome is quite clear. I don't believe the Fenglei clan should have any objections, which means this Spring Lightning Manor no longer needs to exist," a young man spoke up. He was the only person who had remained seated, and he was fanning himself with a fan in rather a carefree manner.
Wu Sanzhou gave a respectful bow. "Young Master Bao is absolutely correct. This Spring Lightning Manor is completely unnecessary."
The man then glanced around and shouted, "What are you all still gawking at? Be gone!"
The echoing shout caused the crowd to scatter. Almost instantly, not a single guest remained inside the Spring Lightning Manor, and even the women who worked the establishment had been driven away.
Fenglei Guishan glared at Young Master Bao with cold eyes. The young man stood and collapsed his fan. "Brother Guishan, you’ve lost our bet. There is nothing you can do."
The moment the words were spoken, the Spring Lightning Manor completely shattered. The destruction was not even limited to the building itself, as all of the nearby area was destroyed as well. All who suffered from this destruction would certainly approach the Spring Lightning Manor to seek compensation.
Fenglei Guishan remained silent, and simply watched as Young Master Bao and his companions departed.
The nearby spectators shook their heads. "The once illustrious Spring Lightning Manors are being taken out one by one... Oh well, we'll just have to find another place to visit from now on."
"At the Fenglei clan's peak, they had over ten thousand Spring Lightning Manors. Now, there probably aren’t even a hundred left."
"It’s not even just the Spring Lightning Manors. The Fenglei clan itself is in trouble. Young Master Bao is part of the Upper King Domain’s Mu family."[2]
"Mu family? That Mu family?"
"Shh... Don’t even guess about conflicts in the Emperor Domain. We're all just insignificant characters. Let's go."
"Let's leave. We won't be coming back to this place again."
...
Just outside the ruins of the Spring Lightning Manor, Luo Lao'er and Lu Yin sat facing across from each other while they looked at the rumble. It had been a thriving business just a few minutes before, yet had so quickly been reduced to ruins.
The bar they were occupying had also been damaged when the Spring Lightning Manor had been destroyed, as had many other nearby buildings. The barkeep muttered something about compensation, though he did not dare approach the ruins himself.
"Tell me, what just happened?" Lu Yin asked.
Luo Lao'er face betrayed a mix of complex emotions, including a powerful hatred. When he spoke, his tone was heavy, "My mother's name was Fenglei Zhao."
Lu Yin understood. From the name alone, he already knew what had happened.
The Mu family represented Monarch Mu, and Luo Zang had clearly influenced them to deal with the Fenglei clan, which was Luo Lao'er's maternal family.
"What happened to your mother?" Lu Yin pressed.
Luo Lao'er's gaze dimmed. "She’s no longer alive."
Lu Yin looked up.
Luo Lao'er continued, "She passed away from an illness."
Lu Yin was taken aback. "She died from an illness?"
Luo Lao'er gave a bitter smile. "It sounds completely absurd, doesn’t it? As Monarch Luo’s wife, she was a Demi-Monarch, yet in the end, she succumbed to an illness."
Lu Yin nodded silently. He held himself back from saying anything.
After some time, someone arrived. It was none other than Fenglei Guishan.
Upon seeing Luo Lao'er, Fenglei Guishan became highly agitated, and he dropped to his knees. "Ancestor."
Lu Yin was startled. What in the world? Ancestor?
Luo Lao'er cleared his throat and explained, "Fenglei Guanqin, the current patriarch of the Fenglei clan, is my mother's brother. With that, when it comes to seniority, I really am an ancestor within the Fenglei clan."
Lu Yin was speechless. The difference in the two young men’s seniority was quite staggering.
"Please rise," Luo Lao'er said.
Fenglei Guishan stood. "Ancestor, why have you returned? This place is exceedingly dangerous for you! The Mu family has been keeping a close eye on us, waiting for you to return."
"What? Would the Mu family dare move directly against me?" Luo Lao'er frowned.
Fenglei Guishan's expression turned bitter. "They won’t dare do so openly, but with Luo Zang’s support, they fear nothing."
Luo Lao'er breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry. My whereabouts are still a secret. As long as you don’t divulge anything about it, no one will know."
Fenglei Guishan solemnly declared, "The Fenglei clan swears to never disclose Ancestor's location!"
The young man then gave Lu Yin a curious glance.
Despite their similar ages, Luo Lao'er and Fenglei Guishan needed to maintain a degree of formality in their interactions, due to the vast disparity in their statuses within the family. As for Lu Yin, people all had their own opinions about his relationship with Luo Lao'er.
"This is my brother-in-law," Luo Lao'er introduced.
Fenglei Guishan became confused. "Brother-in-law?"
Luo Lao'er smacked Fenglei Guishan’s head. "Is that how you should address him?"
Fenglei Guishan stared blankly at Lu Yin. "Ancestor."
Lu Yin blinked. This was the first time anyone had addressed him with such a title. It felt incredibly awkward.
"Brother-in-law, this should be fine with you, right?" Luo Lao'er chuckled. The respectful attitude he showed to Lu Yin left Fenglei Guishan bewildered.
Lu Yin nodded. "You two go ahead and talk. Just ignore me for now."
1. Fenglei means "sealed lightning." ☜
2. This is 沐 (mu), which means cleanse/bath. This is not the same as Mister Mu's name (木 = wood). ☜
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