Star Odyssey

"Is this the Sword Sect's Thirteen Swords? So Dun Jiu is not enough to stop it," Yōu Qi spoke slowly.

Liu Tianmu's eyes flashed. "What about you?"

Yōu Qi slowly looked up, and his warhorse whinnied at the sky. The black flames surged out once more as they enveloped the seabed and spread to the surface. At the same time, an indescribable power descended. This person… was an Enlighter.

Liu Tianmu's expression changed, as her opponent was actually an Enlighter.

"During your battle against Lei Nu, I know that you were not defeated, but she also did not reveal her full strength. As for me, even if I didn't reveal my strength as an Enlighter, you still wouldn't be my match. But for you to gain a greater understanding of the difference between us, I will let you see the truth. You can make your move now—use the Eleventh Sword," Yōu Qi coldly stated. The warhorse's eyes turned scarlet as it stared at Liu Tianmu. The creature looked as though it had walked out of hell and brought death with it.

Liu Tianmu breathed deeply. She had used the Eleventh Sword in her battle against Lei Nu, and although Liu Tianmu had not been defeated, she had not won either. This was something that would have been completely foreign to her before, but now, she had run into Yōu Qi. This person had been blessed by the heavens, and there was meaning in an all-out battle.

Off in the distance, Shang Qing had moved against Xie Xiaoxian.

Before the Astral Tower appeared, Xie Xiaoxian had been following Shang Qing, and the First Honor Chosen had not acted against her. However, at this moment, Shang Qing had attacked.

As the heir of the Seven Courts' Xie family, Xie Xiaoxian had an impressive strength, and she was even able to fight against members of the Specter Clan without losing. She had comprehended the Xie Secret Art, and most people could not match up to her. Despite that, Xie Xiaoxian was quickly defeated.

She seemed to have experienced something she fundamentally could not explain, and she lay on the seafloor as she watched Shang Qing leave. What just happened? Was that the true power of the Tri-Yang Technique? Is there anyone who can compare to him?

So was that the first miraculous art of the universe? Was it really a peerless technique?

It lived up to its reputation.

The Mountain and Seas Zone had existed for countless years, and it had been explored countless times. Each vortex in the sea indicated a place where treasure was emerging.

Lu Yin roamed the seabed for two days, and during that time, he encountered quite a few people, some while traveling along a current. As time passed, Lu Yin had no idea where he had ended up after drifting along through the seas.

No one was seen hurrying to climb the mountains, as there were quite a few inheritance treasures within the sea.

Lu Yin saw quite a few people carrying sacks filled with items as they ran around, and there was even a term for these bags: Sierrasea Pouch.

"We just said to go right, but you just had to veer left! How stupid," White complained, as Lu Yin had led them to wander around for several days, but during this time, they had seen any treasures.

Black was also frustrated. "That's right, right is better! Are you left-handed?"

Lu Yin grudgingly responded, "It was clearly you girls who dragged me left."

"Liar! You just have a terrible sense of direction."

"A terrible sense of direction."

Lu Yin could not be bothered to argue with the two brats.

At this moment, two cultivators in front of the trio were sneakily trying to leave the Mountain and Seas Zone, and they were carrying bags full of items on their backs.

White grew excited. "Treasure! Lu Yin, quick, grab them!"

When the two cultivators heard her, they were terrified. Their faces blanched, and they picked up their speed as they fled.

Lu Yin was eager to try grabbing some things, but he felt rather embarrassed to act like a bandit outright.

Black and White urged Lu Yin to steal from people, but they did not move an inch themselves.

"Why aren't you two are grabbing it? Your Black and White Combo is so powerful, so you must be able to get something," Lu Yin said.

White rolled her eyes. "Something so depraved as stealing can only be done by you."

"Right, you do it," Black continued.

Lu Yin had nothing to say to the twins, and he merely blankly stared on as the two cultivators fled. He felt completely embarrassed.

When he had participated in the trial during Earth's apocalypse, he had stolen from many people. However, all of his opponents and victims back then had been outsiders. When up against enemies, Lu Yin was willing to do anything, but those two cultivators had not been his enemies, and they had not acted against him. Thus, he could not bring himself to do anything to them.

Of course, it was also rather frustrating. Next time, he would definitely rob someone next time.

As he thought about this, a massive whirlpool appeared on the seabed up ahead, and Lu Yin's eyes lit up: a treasure.

Black and White immediately shot forward, but Lu Yin's expression suddenly changed. "Dodge!"

In front of them, the seabed was torn apart as multiple attacks landed. They were accompanied by a terrifying pressure.

Black and White evaded one dangerous blow after another, but they were nearly struck several times as they raced away. They patted their chests to dispel the still-lingering fear.

Lu Yin's face fell as he looked in another direction. He saw a woman wearing a mask that was half-red and half-white. She walked over the waves as she approached them. Her gaze was fixed on Lu Yin. Then, without saying a single word, she raised a hand, gathered star energy that formed a blade, and threw it at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin's eyes went wide, and he raised a hand to summon Twin Suns before fiercely responding with his own attack.

The nearby water trembled, and the collision from the surging star energy released aftershocks that almost tore the seabed apart.

520 stars revolved around Lu Yin's body. He had already released the Cosmic Art when he noticed the masked woman dashing towards him, and her approach was accompanied by a stifling oppression and an indescribable sense of empty silence that Lu Yin could not endure. He felt as though his heart had been broken, as if all of his emotions had abandoned him.

He merely heard the words, "Autumn's Sorrow," being called out when, a moment later, he was struck by an extreme sense of suffering and depression that caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood. He grabbed Black and White and pulled back as fast as he could. They had obviously fallen into a trap, and Lu Yin had absolutely no idea what sort of attack he had just been struck by, but he had mysteriously been injured.

The masked woman remained standing in place. "Leave the Mountain and Seas Zone."

Lu Yin was astonished, and he looked her up and down. If he was not wrong, then this woman should be Lei Nu, and there were rumors that she had overcome Liu Tianmu's Eleventh Sword. She was also the Second Honor Chosen from the Hall of Honor.

What had that attack been? An attack that targeted one's emotions?

Although he had only cultivated for twelve years, Lu Yin believed that he had experienced many things that others had not. Even then, this was his first time facing such a weird attack.

"You're Lei Nu?" Lu Yin asked.

"Leave the Mountain and Seas Zone. This is your only chance," the girl indifferently declared.

"I'm also an Honor Chosen," Lu Yin calmly stated.

Lei Nu remained very cold. "Your status has been temporarily revoked, and more importantly, you are one of the Ten Arbiters from the Innerverse and Outerverse."

Lu Yin had Black and White move far away. At this moment, the two brats did not put up any sort of argument.

Lu Yin's pupils transformed into runes as he stared at Lei Nu before his eyes suddenly flared wide: Night Advent.

Lei Nu looked up. Night Advent was ineffective against her, so Lu Yin struck out with a palm: Vacuum Palm.

Lei Nu's body trembled as she was directly hit by the Vacuum Palm. She was instantly beaten back, and a trace of blood appeared from underneath her mask.

Within the same generation, no matter how powerful someone was, there was no one who could disregard Lu Yin's current strength, especially the power of his Vacuum Palm.

Lu Yin raised his hand once again, and unleashed another Vacuum Palm.

Ripples appeared in Lei Nu's eyes. Then, corresponding ripples appeared in both the air and the sea that spread out.

These waves were rune lines in Lu Yin's vision, but he did not know what they would do. Regardless, he did not dare to approach them, and he wanted to avoid them. However, they were moving too quickly, and he did not have any time to evade.

Helpless, Lu Yin could only weaken these ripples' rune lines.

After being struck, Lu Yin felt strangely abandoned, and all the strength fled from his body. Shockingly, his eye actually slowly closed.

Suddenly, warning signs rang out in Lu Yin's heart—not good! This was a form of hypnosis, and he suddenly looked up to see a finger approaching. It was that finger, the same finger in his dreams. An endless rage instantly erupted that left him unable to stop himself from bellowing, "How dare you!"

The next moment, the finger struck him, and the finger that Lu Yin had seen suddenly vanished, replaced by Lei Nu's strange red and white mask. An intense pain erupted in his chest, and he looked down to see that blood had stained his clothes red. He had been struck again.

Lei Nu's attacks were too strange.

"I've told you, leave the Mountain and Seas Zone," Lei Nu spoke.

A fierce light appeared within Lu Yin's eyes. "It's just a small cut. Do you really think that you can win?"

He suddenly grabbed Lei Nu's arm, and One Hundred Seventy Stacks shot up it. Even Zhi Yi had been injured by this move when Lu Yin had grabbed her, let alone Lei Nu. However, that was under the premise that Lu Yin was able to hit her.

When Lu Yin used One Hundred Seventy Stacks, he discovered that the Lei Nu in front of him was just a puff of air and that the real Lei Nu had already retreated.

He then heard the words in his ears ring out once again. "Autumn's Sorrow."

Pop

Lu Yin spat out a mouthful of blood, and a jolt of pain racked his heart. What was going on? What kind of attack was she using? This was definitely not an ordinary battle technique, as there was no trace of an attack to be seen. But despite its stealthiness, its power surpassed his Vacuum Palm. This power could not belong to any ordinary attack.

Was this the power of the Hall of Honor's Second Honor Chosen?

Lu Yin had always known that the Hall of Honor was the guiding power of the entire Human Domain, but he had never seen its true strength. Even though Highsage Shenwei had warned Lu Yin, he had only been concerned with Shang Qing, and Lu Yin had never imagined that the Second Honor Chosen Lei Nu would also be a monster. Her attacks were traceless, and he could not find any way to dodge them.

By the time he reacted, he was already injured.

This was the strength of the Hall of Honor's direct heirs.

He stared at Lei Nu, and he was suddenly reminded of Starsibyl.

Lei Nu used hypnosis in a manner that left Lu Yin unable to find her, and she would then attack him through it. By the time he reacted, he would have already fallen into her trap.

In contrast, Starsibyl used divination to evade her opponents' attacks in advance, and she would even launch her attacks beforehand.

Comparing the two, Lu Yin felt that the technical skills used by the members of the Starsibyl Sect were greater, but Lei Nu's attacks were too sneaky, and they could not be avoided.

Since he could neither avoid her attacks nor attack her, there was only one option remaining. A chessboard appeared beneath Lu Yin's feet: Ce Secret Art, Astral Chessboard. The air, the sea, the people, and even the attacks were all changed into chesspieces. And on top of the Astral Chessboard, everything could be observed.

When Lu Yin activated the Astral Chessboard secret technique, Lei Nu's expression suddenly changed. Is this?

Lu Yin also changed himself into a chesspiece, and he noticed that Lei Nu was no longer in her original place on the Astral Chessboard. He did not know if Lei Nu was actually where she appeared to be, but that no longer mattered. He raised a hand, and his muscles flexed: One Hundred Seventy Stacks struck the void.

There was a soft thump as the air was compressed. The terrifying Overlaying Stacks Path visibly swept through the void, and the space in the targeted region was distorted as was the sea. Meanwhile, Lu Yin saw that the entire chessboard was enveloped by this attack.

Lei Nu was able to hypnotize Lu Yin and prevent him from pinpointing her location, but as long as she was within range of the Astral Chessboard, she would have to endure this attack.

Ripples appeared in the sea, and Lei Nu firmly splashed into it.

Lu Yin turned to look behind him, as that had been her true location. Without any hesitation, one Vacuum Palm after another struck out, and the sea suddenly surged as a terrifying star energy shot into the sky. A mighty oppression descended that spread out in all directions.

"Autumn… Grief," a cold female voice rang out, accompanied by the formidable star energy of an Enlighter. There was an unexplainable and indescribably strange feeling that the sound contained, and it made Lu Yin feel as though he could not endure any more. It was as if there was someone clutching his heart.

He was shocked; Lei Nu was actually an Enlighter!

She was only the Hall of Honor's Second Honor Chosen, but she was actually an Enlighter. This indicated that the First Honor Chosen, Shang Qing, must be an Enlighter as well.

It had to be acknowledged that there were only three Enlighters in the Sixth Mainland's entire younger generation, and those three were known as the Daosource Three Skies.

Since the First Honor Chosen and Second Honor Chosen were both Enlighters, then could it be that the other colossal organizations that the Hall of Honor was wary of also had elite Enlighter youths?

Sure enough, the Fifth Mainland's Neoverse was not simple.