Chapter 2602: The Might Of The Bone Pike
Lu Yin repeated for a second time, "Senior Brother, you should already know that, while I am from the Transcendent Universe, I'm not originally from that universe. I also don’t have very strong ties to that place. If selling the dual-colored soil is going to cause conflicts between the Void Yang and Void Yin clans, then just act like I never said anything at all. However, if it won’t be a problem, then I'm open to participating in a normal transaction. While I'm willing to do a favor for the Transcendent Universe, your Void Yang and Void Yin clans should definitely be able to profit from this. If you want to thank me, then maybe throw in a few more of those drinks that you gave me."
Xu Heng laughed softly. "I understand. I know what to do."
While Lu Yin was still with Xu Heng and Xu Leng, they agreed to sell the dual-colored soil to the Transcendent Universe. However, once Lu Yin retired to his quarters to rest, the two patriarchs were met with several complications. In the past, the Transcendent Universe's desire to buy the dual-colored soil had triggered many disputes between the two clans. When the Void Yang clan had agreed to a sale, the Void Yin clan had interfered. When the Void Yin clan had conceded to a transaction, the Void Yang clan had made it known that they did not agree. Ultimately, the conflicts had prevented the Transcendent Universe from being able to purchase any dual-colored soil.
Unexpectedly, the clans were reconsidering a sale once again. The previous conflicts had not truly been resolved, only temporarily suppressed. With the sale to the Transcendent Universe brought back up, those conflicts reerupted, alongside a host of additional issues.
Xu Heng did not face much trouble as his clan held him in high regard. They carefully assessed the situation, and thus chaos was avoided. However, the Void Yin clan was embroiled in internal turmoil.
"Matriarch, both of our clans have already stated that we will not sell dual-colored soil to the Transcendent Universe, but we are now going back on what we said. Where does this leave our pride? Who will take our word seriously in the future?" An old, battle-scarred woman from the Void Yin clan gravely voiced her objections.
Soon, another voice spoke up. "We've fought the Void Yang clan over the dual-colored soil on multiple occasions. My grandson was gravely wounded during one of those skirmishes and can barely cultivate now. If we sell the dual-colored soil to the Transcendent Universe, what was the meaning of those sacrifices?"
"Exactly! Matriarch, we cannot agree to this."
"As for the matter of uniting with the Void Yang clan..."
...
Xu Leng’s emotionless gaze swept the gathered clan members. Suddenly, she released a burst of voidforce energy. The pressure fell upon the crowd, who all felt as though the sky had fallen down on them and that the earth was about to cave in.
At that moment, the sky above the Void Yin clan transformed.
On the other side of the dual-colored mountains, Lu Yin had been speaking with Xu Heng, and he suddenly looked over. "What is that?"
Xu Heng sighed. "Here we go again... If she keeps oppressing her clan like this, there are eventually going to be problems that she can’t force down."
Lu Yin turned to look at Xu Heng. “Is that Sister Xu Leng?”
Xu Heng replied, “Leng'er has a rather fierce temper. Her mother understood her best, which was also why she managed to create one misunderstanding after another. She knew that I would never have a chance to explain myself. The Void Yin clan has been opposing certain decisions of hers, but she won’t listen to them. She is determined to do things her way.”
“Is this because of the dual-colored soil?” Lu Yin asked.
Xu Heng chuckled. “That’s just a minor issue. The real problem is the complications that have emerged from the merging of our two clans. While uniting can raise our strength and expand our influence, old enmities are not easily forgotten. This truly has nothing to do with you.”
Lu Yin’s expression grew heavy. “If selling the dual-colored soil is the catalyst for igniting these conflicts, then that is far from being a minor issue. Senior Brother, let me handle this.”
Xu Heng was surprised. “Let you handle it?”
Lu Yin said, “Senior Brother, since you and my senior sister have accepted me as your brother, then I, Xuan Qi, can be considered a member of both the Void Yang and Void Yin clans, which gives me the right to get involved in your clans’ affairs. Besides, selling the dual-colored soil has only come up because of me, so let me take care of this.”
Xu Heng wanted to say something, but Lu Yin reassured the man. “I’ve already crossed the Void Pass, so there's no need to worry about me.”
Xu Heng’s eyes flickered. “Alright. How do you intend to handle this?”
“Take me over to the Void Yin clan,” Lu Yin said.
Xu Leng's display of power soon ended, though she had once again forcibly suppressed the members of the Void Yin clan. Resentment was continuing to foment within the clan. As soon as another person broke through and became a Void Morphora, it was very likely that a rebellion against Xu Leng would erupt.
Both she and Xu Heng were aware of this possibility.
In the beginning, Xu Leng only resented the Void Yang clan. However, the fact that the opposition within the Void Yin clan had prevented Xu Leng from being with Xu Heng had caused her to develop some resentment against her own Void Yin clan. This was the reason why she typically acted willfully and was unconcerned about the opinions of her other clan members. As time passed, she had gradually become accustomed to her own behavior towards her clan. Even after she and Xu Heng got together, she had continued to exert her will upon her Void Yin clan, as there was no one capable of standing against her.
Many members of the Void Yin clan were eagerly waiting for another person to become a Void Morphora, as that would give them the same status as Xu Leng. At that point in time, they would finally be able to vent all of the accumulating frustrations that they were suppressing.
“You’re dismissed,” Xu Leng stated in an icy tone.
The members of her clan who were before her bowed and withdrew.
It was at this moment that Xu Heng arrived with Lu Yin.
"Wait a moment," Lu Yin called out.
Xu Leng looked over. "Why are you here?"
Xu Heng replied, "Brother Xuan Qi wishes to handle this matter himself."
Xu Leng curtly answered, "I've already taken care of things."
Xu Heng’s brow furrowed. "I've told you countless times that the way you ‘handle’ things often leaves behind issues lingering beneath the surface."
Xu Leng said, "There are no hidden problems. As long as I’m the strongest, everything will be fine."
Xu Heng felt helpless. There was no way that Xu Leng’s clan could accept such an attitude. No one could.
At this moment, the departing Void Yin clansmen looked at Lu Yin, and there was no attempt from any of them to hide their contempt and dissatisfaction. There was not a single kind look directed his way.
Not everyone from the Void Yin clan opposed combining with the Void Yang clan, but everyone who had met Xu Leng just now was part of the opposition. Those who favored the combination and supported Xu Leng had not been present for the meeting.
Lu Yin faced the clansmen. "I’m the one facilitating the sale of the dual-colored soil, so if anyone has an issue with this transaction, you can take it up with me."
"You are not a member of our Void Yin Clan! What right do you have to interfere in our clan's matters?" the old woman demanded as she glared at Lu Yin with cold eyes.
Lu Yin looked over. "I'm the one buying the dual-colored soil as the Transcendent Universe’s representative, so why do I need to be a part of the Void Yin Clan? As long as you can get rid of me, the deal will be off. This is the simplest, quickest answer for you."
"Junior Brother, you-"
Xu Leng's expression changed, and she tried to stop Lu Yin, but she was cut off when he looked over at her. "Senior Sister Leng, the easiest way for cultivators to solve any disagreement is through strength, isn't it?"
"Well said!" a man shouted. He stared intently at Lu Yin. "Young man, I don't care what relationship you may have with the matriarch, but since you dare utter those words, be prepared for the consequences!"
The best way to vent grievances was through combat. Allowing the members of Xu Leng’s clan to vent their frustrations onto Lu Yin was a better alternative than letting them stew and resent Xu Leng. That path would only create more trouble in the future.
The man stepped forward, glaring at Lu Yin. "What is your realm, boy?"
Lu Yin answered with a smile. "Void Brillium."
Xu Heng and Xu Leng were both astonished. When they had first met Lu Yin, he had only been a Void Ascendia, far from the Void Brillium realm. It had only been just half a year since that time, so how had he already become a Void Brillium? How was that possible?
"I'm also a Void Brillium, but I definitely possess more voidforce energy than yours. Are you sure that you want to settle this through strength?" the man challenged.
Lu Yin nodded. "If I can't defeat you, the dual-colored soil sale is off."
The man sneered. "Big words."
He then turned to Xu Leng. "Matriarch, you're not going to stop us, are you?"
Xu Leng stared at the man with a firm expression. "Only if things reach a certain point."
The man raised his chin. "Understood."
He then turned back to Lu Yin. "You can have the first move."
Lu Yin did not bother to show any courtesy, and he instead raised his hand to bring out the bone pike. None of the people watching could sense just how powerful the piece of bone was, not even Xu Heng or Xu Leng.
When Lu Yin waved his hand, the bone pike pierced through the void, only stopping when it was a mere inch from his opponent’s forehead. The man stood frozen in place, not because he did not want to dodge, but rather because he was too startled to even react. How could it be so fast?
Lu Yin's eyes lit up. The bone pike was indeed worthy of being a power vessel left behind by Wu Tian. Just as Lu Yin had been told, the pike could ignore all defenses and distance to directly attack an enemy. This was an incredibly useful ability.
Pulling the bone pike away, Lu Yin looked at his opponent. "So, what do you think?"
The man was dumbfounded. He had not even had a chance to show off any of his strength before being thoroughly defeated. "You..."
Xu Leng stared at the bone pike in Lu Yin's grip. No wonder he had dared to speak so boldly. That weapon had to be a power vessel, as not even Xu Leng had been able to understand how the weapon had appeared in front of the man’s head so suddenly. The pike had to be a gift that Xuan Qi had received from Senior Xu Wuwei.
Xu Heng was thinking the same thing, as Xu Wuwei was the only way Xuan Qi could have gotten such a treasure.
Lu Yin’s opponent clenched his teeth, his expression shifting between anger and embarrassment. He was not willing to accept his loss, as he had been defeated before he could even release his voidforce energy, let alone make a single move. Such a loss was beyond humiliating.
"I already know that you don’t want to accept this loss," Lu Yin said, "Let's forget what just happened and go again."
The man sneered. "So what if I am unwilling? A loss is still a loss."
With that, the man turned around and walked away.
Lu Yin was surprised. The man was quite direct.
Another person stepped forward. "Then allow me."
This time, Lu Yin was challenged by a woman. She was quite attractive, though there was a large, unhealed wound on her face. It appeared that she had just finished fighting a battle and had not yet recovered.
"You are Xuan Qi, right? I've heard of you," the woman said, "The genius from the Sixverse Academy who recently crossed the Void Pass. No wonder you dare to speak to us with such arrogance."
There were a few gasps from the crowd. "He's the one who crossed the Void Pass?"
"That’s him."
"No wonder the matriarch has been so welcoming to him."
"I heard that he asked Xu Wuwei to guide his cultivation and that he didn't become Lord Xu's disciple. What was he thinking?"
...
"I know that you are incredibly talented, but unfortunately, you’ve picked the wrong opponent. I'm also a Void Brillium, but there is a large gap between us," the woman stated coldly as she stared at Lu Yin. "You can make the first move again."
The moment she finished speaking, voidforce energy filled the area, and a claw emerged from the void. A violent, bloodthirsty aura filled the area from the claw that was the woman’s life-bound voidforce puppet.
Xu Leng frowned. The woman who had stepped forward was named Xu Lie, and she was one of the most talented people ever born in the Void Yin clan. Her talent had once shocked the entire Voidforce Universe, in a very similar manner as Xu Ji’s. Xu Lie was regarded as a genius who would definitely become a Void Morphora one day. If not for the unique aspects of the Void Yin and Void Yang clans' cultivation methods that depended on the missing Yin Yang Sword for them to become Void Suprema, Xu Lie would have instead been heralded as a genius capable of becoming a Void Suprema, which meant that her talent was second only to Xu Leng’s.
Xu Lie’s existence was precisely the reason why many of Xu Leng’s clansmen dared to oppose her so openly.
Xu Lie was already approaching the peak of the Void Brillium realm, and with just a few more years, she would definitely become a Void Morphora.
This possibility worried Xu Heng a great deal, as when Xu Lie became a Void Morphora, there was no question that the Void Yin clan would fall into chaos.
Lu Yin was surprised by the sight of the woman’s life-bound voidforce puppet. A white tiger?
The moment the tiger appeared, a tempest of voidforce energy swept through the area. It nearly matched the surge of energy that Xu Leng had released when suppressing her clan’s dissenters. There was an unmistakable trace of killing intent in the aura. If someone had never experienced a true life-or-death battle, they would not be able to stand up to this aura.
Behind Xu Lie, the old woman and the other clan members looked quite satisfied. They had approached Xu Leng to test things out. The more their matriarch continued to suppress all opposition with pure force, the louder the voices would rise in opposition, and the stronger Xu Lie's influence in the Void Yin clan would grow. This was the perfect opportunity for her to demonstrate her ability and impress the clan. Xu Lie had only just returned from the battlefield, and her show of force was sure to instill confidence in her clansmen.
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