Star Odyssey

Chapter 2507: Sixverse Academy

Zi Jing opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Lu Yin was the Dao Monarch, ruler of the entire Fifth Mainland. While Zi Jing could beg for mercy on her knees, Lu Yin could not do so. On top of that, Zi Jing could never admonish the Dao Monarch.

She had literally just warned him to be careful and to not desecrate the place where they stood, and yet this had still happened.

"Kneel!" the voice commanded.

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed.

Zi Jing grew pale. "Madam, he isn't from the Transcendent Universe, and he doesn't know our rules. Please give him a chance. I beg you!"

At that moment, a cold and indifferent voice spoke up. "What’s made Sister He so angry?"

Lu Yin turned his head, completely taken aback by this new voice. Bai Qian?

It was clearly Earth’s legendary Bai Qian who had asked the question. She was the first person to leave Earth, and she was regarded by Earthlings as the perfect woman.

Lu Yin had made it a very long way since he had first started cultivating. In fact, even Semi-Progenitors had to look up to him. However, he had never forgotten about Bai Qian. Despite only meeting the woman on a few occasions, her image had been engraved deeply into Lu Yin’s memories.

Bai Qian's arrival caused the atmosphere to abruptly turn frigid. A layer of frost crept across the ground towards the stairs, freezing the flowers as it proceeded and sending the once playful creatures fleeing in terror.

"Bai Qian, what brings you here?" the pleasant voice asked, once again sounding completely calm.

Bai Qian's expression remained icy. Despite the gentleness in her eyes, she radiated an unmistakable chill. She gave off the impression of a solid block of ice that froze everything that approached her. "Your people did well on the battlefield in the Cloudflow Universe. I watched the recordings. Qiu Zhan is now wholeheartedly requesting the Ruling Council to increase the number of people being sent to the Sixverse Academy. Your plan has played out well with both the nobles and the military."

"Of course it did. As someone from the Transcendent Universe, I can see things with far greater clarity than you. I've said this before, and I'll say it again," the pleasant voice replied.

Bai Qian looked up at the top of the stairs. "Have you ever considered going to the Sixverse Academy yourself?"

"Bai Qian, please remember your place. You won't be able to defeat me, but since we’ve been set on the same playing field, don’t engage in such despicable acts. Interacting with such filthy mortals is not only shaming yourself, but also desecrating the Transcendent Universe."

Bai Qian averted her eyes. "The more you say such things, the more I want to go."

There was no answer from the top of the stairs.

Bai Qian looked at Zi Jing, who was kneeling on the ground. "Is this Zi Jing?"

"This matter has nothing to do with you," the melodious voice replied.

Bai Qian then looked at Lu Yin, apparently intrigued by him. "Why isn't he kneeling? It looks like you favor him, Sister He."

"You may leave," the pleasant voice said.

The corners of Bai Qian's lips turned up, but even when smiling, she still appeared aloof and above everything.

"What is your name?" she asked Lu Yin.

Lu Yin met her gaze, but he did not answer.

Bai Qian asked again, "What is your name?"

Lu Yin still said nothing. He had altered his appearance with the Mask of Death, but the changes were not significant. Given Bai Qian's intelligence, she should have easily realized his true identity. Given the question directed at him, as well as the conversation between Bai Qian and that person atop the stairs, Lu Yin understood how to proceed.

"That’s none of your business," Lu Yin finally answered.

Laughter rang out from above the stairs. It was a delightful sound that melted Lu Yin's heart. He forced himself to resist the urge to look up at the woman's face. When he had looked up before, he had only focused on her eyes and had failed to make out the rest of her appearance.

"Bai Qian, you may leave. He won't tell you," the voice seemed amused.

Bai Qian stared intently at Lu Yin for a moment and then asked, "Do you know who I am?"

Lu Yin remained calm.

Bai Qian turned back to look at the stairs, her expression turning completely icy and devoid of any emotion. "Your people have no respect for the rules."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Once Bai Qian was gone, Zi Jing resumed her pleading. "Madam, please consider the fact that he doesn't understand our Transcendent Universe’s rules and forgive Xuan Qi this one time. I beg you, Madam!"

"Xuan Qi, do you know who that was?" the voice fell again.

Lu Yin dropped his head. "I don't know, and I don’t want to know."

"Why not?"

"I belong to you, Madam."

"Ha, you're quite clever. Even more so than most of the people here. Most insist on doing things their own way, not understanding that, regardless of who wins, we will eventually settle the score with them. I can promise you that she's going to lose." The voice paused for a moment. "However, before that happens, she might take your life. As someone who’s risen up from the battlefield, she's incomparably ruthless."

Zi Jing was horrified. "Madam, please save Xuan Qi!"

"Don't worry, Zi Jing. Xuan Qi is clever enough that I'm counting on him to serve me. He should go to the Sixverse Academy. She has no influence there."

Lu Yin was confused. "Sixverse Academy?"

"Uncle Mo, could you please take Xuan Qi to the Sixverse Academy? Without your protection, he'll most likely die the moment he leaves this place."

A man emerged from the void close to Lu Yin and Zi Jing. "Understood."

After looking over, Lu Yin understood that this man was the source of the eyes that he had felt earlier. The black energy converter embedded in the man’s chest was evidence that he was a Progenitor-level expert from the Transcendent Universe. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝘸𝑒𝑏𝓃𝑜𝑣𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝑜𝓂

Was the woman atop the stairs truly being protected by a Progenitor?

Just what was this woman's status? What was she competing with Bai Qian for?

Uncle Mo pressed a hand upon Lu Yin's shoulder. Out of pure instinct, Lu Yin nearly resisted, but he managed to hold himself back.

"Let's go," the man said before tearing through the void and vanishing along with Lu Yin.

Zi Jing let out a sigh of relief. The crime of desecration had been overlooked due to Bai Qian's sudden appearance. If not for that, there was no telling how things might have turned out.

"That Xuan Qi is quite interesting. It’s no wonder why you’re so taken with him," the voice echoed.

Zi Jing answered in a respectful tone, "Thank you for sparing him this time, Madam."

"Haha. I didn’t spare him, but rather, he chose the right path. If he had dared to approach Bai Qian when she addressed him, he would be nothing but a lifeless husk right now."

Zi Jing shivered. It was truly lucky that Bai Qian had made an appearance, as things would have become extremely complicated otherwise. Would Lu Yin have ended up as a lifeless husk? How could that be possible? It’s far more likely that you would have been captured by him and then sent to the Fifth Mainland. However, if that happened, a war between the Transcendent Universe and the Fifth Mainland would be inevitable, and that would be terrible.

Sending Bai Qian to the Transcendent Universe had truly been one of the best decisions that Zi Jing had ever made.

At the same time, after Uncle Mu took Lu Yin through the void, the two men arrived close to a desolate planet that was surrounded by numerous large spaceships.

This was Lu Yin’s first time seeing any of the Transcendent Universe’s vessels.

Overall, their style looked no different from the spacecraft of the Fifth Mainland, though with a touch of the Transcendent Universe’s influence. Each ship featured an energy converter, which created a protected area that extended a certain distance around each ship.

Uncle Mo stepped forward and took Lu Yin onto one of the vessels.

Within the ship’s control room, several people were arguing fiercely. Upon seeing Uncle Mo, the arguing people jumped in fright before hurriedly bowing. "Greetings, Uncle Mo."

"Greetings, Uncle Mo."

"Greetings, Uncle Mo."

Uncle Mo released Lu Yin and stated, "This is Xuan Qi. Take him straight to the Sixverse Academy."

With that, the old man disappeared.

The people in the room offered another bow as they replied, "Understood, Uncle Mo."

Once they raised their heads, they started curiously studying Lu Yin.

Lu Yin met the gazes.

"Hey, little brother, come sit over here." One of the people warmly invited Lu Yin over while making a gesture of invitation.

Everyone else just watched.

Lu Yin walked over and casually sat down.

"Do you have tea?" he asked.

"Yes." The person beside Lu Yin promptly ordered for some tea to be delivered.

Lu Yin nodded and said, "Please continue. No need to mind me."

The people in the control room exchanged looks of understanding. This young man was clearly a big shot, given that he had been personally delivered to them by Uncle Mo. Was he connected to that great person?

The more indifferently Lu Yin behaved, the more everyone believed that he held an incredible status.

However, Lu Yin's nonchalance was not a mere act. He was truly completely unconcerned about these people. He was the Fifth Mainland’s Dao Monarch, as well as someone who could hold his own against Progenitors. If not for Bai Qian's sudden appearance, he might have simply captured the woman above the stairs. After all, he was quite curious about just who was so important that just taking a single peek of her was regarded as an act of desecration.

One day, he would capture her.

"What are you discussing?" Lu Yin asked while listening in on the ongoing conversation.

A middle-aged woman from the group smiled and replied, "We are designing a few challenges for an entrance exam for the Sixverse Academy that’s intended to eliminate some people."

"Oh? Are many people going to go to the Sixverse Academy?" Lu Yin asked.

"Quite a few. The performances of Shi Hong and the other two have already spread throughout the Transcendent Universe, and their success has enticed many of the noble families into sending their children there. Also, the military has become interested as well. General Qiu Zhan has sent more than a thousand people to the academy. However, the Sixverse Academy has limited resources, so how can all those people be accommodated? We have to eliminate some of the prospective students."

"General Qiu Zhan is really pushing for this. How many applicants have been sent to join the academy this time?"

"No less than a hundred thousand people."

"So many?"

"It’s the only possibility. Everyone is able to see that the integration of different civilizations to complement one's shortcomings is the path to the future. No one wants to fall behind the new trend."

"Exactly. That’s why I’m being forced to go to the Sixverse Academy," Lu Yin commented.

The people in the control room glanced at each other. Forced? There were countless people who dreamed of going to the academy but would never receive the chance. This man was truly a big shot.

Before long, the ship landed on a planet, and the exam started.

The judges for the current round of the selection process gathered to watch the group's performance on various displays. Lu Yin also decided to watch, and no one tried to drive him away. He was free to go wherever he pleased.

On the displays, Lu Yin saw Zuo Yu, Luo Lao'er, Mu Duo, and many others who had fought with him on the platform in the Cloudflow Universe. Even the muscular youth was present.

Naturally, energy converters were not allowed during this elimination round. Given the weakness of the people being tested, the difficulty level was not very high. If the competitors were sent to the Fifth Mainland, then they would qualify to take the entrance exam for the Astral Combat Academy at best.

It was quite interesting to watch more than a hundred thousand people competing. Small groups of allies formed, and as the days and nights passed on the desolate planet, people slowly moved closer to the spaceship.

After two days, the first person finally arrived at the vessel, becoming the first person to pass the selection exam. The person was a tall man who had already reached the strength of an Explorer, which was outstanding within the group of examinees.

The man’s level of strength was only for his physical power, as the people of the Transcendent Universe did not practice any form of cultivation.

Out of the entire group of examinees, only a few had reached the strength of an Explorer, and naturally, these people were the first to reach the ship. After them, one group after another arrived as the exam was completed.