Star Odyssey

"Did you just say that the Ruling Council can't blame the Bureau?" Lu Yin recalled.

Zuo Yu explained, "Our universe is unique because we believe that we have already analyzed the entire universe, which means that any intrusion of foreign powers will be detected. For this reason, for both combat and our investigations, we rely entirely on our cultivation technologies. On top of that, the Bureau Director for the Transcendent Universe is You Fang, the patriarch of the You family.[1] The You family has been delegated the responsibility of exposing spies to the bestowal art carriers and our universe’s monitoring system. For this reason, the Bureau appears both omnipresent and non-existent. The monitoring system covers the entire Transcendent Universe, so it’s as if the Bureau is everywhere.

"The monitoring system allows them to find and capture many corpse kings that have tried to infiltrate our universe, carrying out the Bureau's duties. However, it is much more difficult to find spies, as they are humans who belong to our universe. No matter how powerful the monitoring system may be, it cannot identify spies."

"The You family oversees the Bureau here? It’s no wonder why the Ruling Council doesn’t dare to blame them." Lu Yin instantly understood, as he already knew that the You family was a massive power in the Transcendent Universe. One of their ancestors had developed the Bestowal Art, and that powerful cultivation technology had propelled the Transcendent Universe to its current heights. Even after so much time had passed, the You family still retained the most comprehensive understanding of the Bestowal Art, and while the family only held one seat on the Ruling Council, they did not actually need it. The Ruling Council could not control the You family.

Lu Yin had learned long ago that even though the Ruling Council appeared to be the Transcendent Universe’s overseeing organization, it was actually nothing more than a tool used to determine the winner in the competition between He Ran and Bai Qian. Even before He Ran and Bai Qian had appeared, the Ruling Council had always served the same purpose, and it only appeared to wield a great deal of authority.

It was only natural that such a collection of people would not have the courage to offend the You family; not even ten times their courage would be enough to change that.

Moreover, since the Bureau Director for the Transcendent Universe was You Fang, the man was able to wield a black energy converter, as all of the Bureau Directors were Progenitor-level experts, which was rare even in the Transcendent Universe.

Lu Yin had not expected the Bureau in the Transcendent Universe to have such a wildly different structure. He was now curious how the Bureaus in the Arboreal Realm and the Cyclic Universe operated.

Compared to the Transcendent Universe, the Bureau in the Voidforce Universe functioned in a comparatively normal fashion.

Ke Jian did not take very long to return.

Lu Yin requested a meeting with He Ran and asked the old man to lead the way.

He arrived at the bottom of the same staircase that was covered with blooming flowers. The entire place only served to highlight the most beautiful woman.

From her elevated position, He Ran looked down at Lu Yin.

He offered a respectful bow. "Madam He Ran."

He Ran laughed. "Xuan Qi, I've already told you before that there's no need for such formalities. You're close to the same age as my younger brother, He Shu, so you can simply call me Sister Ran."

Zi Jing quickly interjected, "How could that be appropriate? It would be far too presumptuous."

He Ran replied, "If I say it's fine, then it is."

Lu Yin chuckled. "In that case, I'll call you Sister Ran from now on. Truthfully, I've always wanted to, but I was afraid that doing so might anger you."

"Why would it? Having a younger brother like you would only bring me greater honor," He Ran responded with a smile.

Lu Yin boldly lifted his eyes to look up at He Ran. When he had first met the woman, his audacity to directly look at her had infuriated and offended her, and she had ordered him to kneel. However, at this moment, He Ran returned Lu Yin’s gaze with a soft smile, and her perfect beauty imprinted itself onto Lu Yin's eyes.

Despite the many beautiful women that Lu Yin had seen over the years, He Ran still managed to astound him.

The first time he had looked at her, his attention had been drawn to her flawless legs that were blindingly white. However, what had left the deepest impression were the woman’s dazzling eyes. They were so breathtakingly beautiful that he had completely forgotten to pay any attention to her face. The only thing that had filled his mind had been the image of those eyes and the gentle chiding tone of her voice.

At this moment, when Lu Yin was able to look at the woman again, he observed He Ran's face that was hidden within clouds. Unbidden, a specific thought came to mind. Her face fulfills all human fantasies.

He Ran was the perfect image of a woman. She embodied all attributes of femininity in an unrivaled manner. It was a perfection that should not even exist, and it was as if the word “woman” had been created for her alone. If someone had actually created humanity, He Ran might be regarded as that creator's most perfect masterpiece.

Bai Qian was also a beautiful woman, but her beauty portrayed a bold and brave person, which was completely different from He Ran.

One had the beauty of a woman who could soften everything, while the other had a powerful beauty that could overcome everything.

If the two were placed on a battlefield, He Ran would not survive for even a second, while Bai Qian might rise up to rule the battlefield.

However, if the two were judged purely on their feminine charms, Bai Qian would never be able to measure up to He Ran.

She was a woman, a perfect woman, and there was no need for any embellishments or additions to that. He Ran was just a woman, and nothing more.

Humans were complex creatures, and they possessed the ability to cultivate, develop technologies, and create cultivation technologies. They had created myths, established civilizations, and so much more. And yet, when everything was reduced to the bare basics, humans were still only human. Business, cultivation, war, and even lies—it all came down to humans competing against other humans. From that competition, the perfect image of a woman had manifested to the greatest degree possible in He Ran.

Lu Yin's reaction pleased He Ran greatly. Few people were able to meet her gaze, not only because of her status, but also because she hated being stared at. How could such lowly creatures be allowed to look at her? Feeling their eyes upon her made her feel like she was being desecrated.

However, Xuan Qi was different. He possessed an unprecedented level of talent and was the disciple of a peak powerhouse. On top of that, he even oversaw the Voidforce Universe's Bureau. Both his accomplishments and potential were more than worthy of He Ran’s attention, and that gave Xuan Qi the right to hold his head up high in her presence.

Take a good look. After seeing He Ran, all other women would be diminished in Xuan Qi’s eyes.

A smile tugged at He Ran's lips as she locked eyes with Lu Yin. Her eyes sparkled and shone, as she knew that the young man would quickly start to feel ashamed of himself.

Lu Yin dropped his head.

He Ran's satisfaction increased. No one was able to meet her eyes without eventually lowering their heads. This was why she was destined to be the future ruler of the Transcendent Universe. How could Bai Qian compete with her?

While it was true that Lu Yin had lowered his head, he had not done so because of feeling shame. Instead, he had been worried that he would not be able to resist the urge to capture the woman. Seeing her beauty had given him ideas: if the Heavens Sect had such a perfect woman as its mascot, how many people would wish to join?

It would be a pleasure to gaze upon such a woman every day.

"Sister Ran, I came to apologize." Lu Yin eventually broke the silence.

He Ran appeared puzzled. "Apologize?"

Lu Yin explained, "I interfered with your punishment for Xie Wu and Zuo Yu and saved them from being disciplined for having failed to protect the data."

Ke Jian stepped forward, and respectfully reported, "Madam, I was the one who agreed to this request without your permission."

Zi Jing also stepped in. "Madam, I am willing to repeat the experiments and recover the data."

He Ran chuckled. "I thought that this was about something serious. For such a trivial matter, it’s fine to allow Ke Jian to handle things. Xuan Qi, you are like a younger brother to me, just like He Shu. You can feel at ease in the Transcendent Universe and do whatever you wish to."

Lu Yin chuckled. "Thank you, Sister Ran."

After a moment, he brought up a question. "Is the dual-colored soil that was obtained sufficient? If not, I can get more."

Zi Jing answered, "It’s not enough. Continue to purchase more. In fact, gather as much as you can."

"Alright, I understand," Lu Yin readily agreed.

He Ran gave a slight smile. She was quite happy with the attitude that she saw in Xuan Qi. He was clearly thrilled at how she was treating him, which was only proper. How many people desperately wished to call her “Sister”? Such an intimate title would grant a person a trace of He Ran’s perfection, and because of that, people would strive to earn her recognition and praise. Xuan Qi was clearly no exception to this.

Lu Yin did not stay for very long. He Ran’s sanctum was not a place for idle chatter.

Ke Jian led him away.

Before this visit, Lu Yin had been completely clueless about where the place with the stairway where He Ran resided actually was. He had always been teleported to and from the place, and because of Uncle Mo’s presence, Lu Yin had always refrained from examining the place with his domain. However, the day would come when he would find out.

Sister Ran? Lu Yin looked back, amused. One day, he would have her call him Seventh Bro.

Lu Yin had initially intended to immediately return to the Voidforce Universe, but he received an invitation from Zuo Yu's family, asking him to visit.

"Zuo Yu's grandfather, Zuo Gong, is a very capable man. While their family isn't particularly prominent, Zuo Gong was an ordinary person who eventually rose up to become a member of the Ruling Council. He is one of the rare few on the Ruling Council who began as a commoner," Ke Jian shared with Lu Yin. He was clearly implying that the invitation was optional, as Zuo Gong was just an ordinary person.

The Transcendent Universe maintained a clear division between nobility and commoners. Zuo Yu was only a noble because her grandfather, Zuo Gong, was a member of the Ruling Council. Without that, she could have never become a noble.

"It would be impolite for me to reject this invitation. Ke Jian, could you please show me to their place?" Lu Yin requested.

Ke Jian nodded and led Lu Yin to the Zuo family’s residence without another word.

Lu Yin actually had no idea just how vast the Transcendent Universe was. All he knew was that teleportation seemed to be quite prevalent in the universe, as it was able to deliver people just about anywhere. The universe had truly been completely mastered.

The Origin Universe did not have the capability to install so many teleportation devices. Only the Astral Combat Academy had a few.

The Zuo family’s residence was not large, and only Zuo Yu and her grandfather, Zuo Gong, greeted Lu Yin upon his arrival.

"Our family’s residence is only a permanent home for the two of us. She lost both of her parents to the battlefield, and the rest of the family have gone their own ways. Please forgive us, Xuan Qi," Zuo Gong said courteously.

Lu Yin responded, "There's no need for such formalities. Zuo Gong. I am deeply grateful to receive your invitation."

Zuo Gong remained solemn. "I should be the one thanking you, Xuan Qi. If not for you, I would have already been forced to leave the Ruling Council. It's not that this old man clings to my council seat, but rather that I have made too many enemies. If I step down, Zuo Yu and the others would all be forced into dire straits. Thus, I thank you again, Xuan Qi."

Zuo Yu bowed as well. "Thank you, Brother Xuan Qi."

Lu Yin helped Zuo Gong up. "Zuo Yu and I have known each other for some time, and we consider each other friends. There is no need for these formalities."

Zuo Gong sighed. "This old man might find your kindness difficult to return, which shames me deeply."

Lu Yin smiled. "It was nothing. Zuo Gong, if you continue to be this formal, I may need to leave, as I'm not accustomed to such things."

"Haha, well said. Please, Young Master Xuan Qi." Zuo Gong laughed.

Zuo Yu smiled warmly as she looked at Lu Yin. Their first meeting felt like a dream after how much things had changed since then. Who would have thought that the youth who had once been taken in by Mu Duo as a follower would rise to such impressive heights? If she had known this…

Her face flushed red, and she quickly followed her grandfather and Xuan Qi.

Zuo Gong was a cheerful man, as well as honest and rather blunt. Given his candidness, it would not be at all surprising if he frequently offended people.

Through the old man, Lu Yin obtained a much better understanding of the Transcendent Universe.

Zuo Gong shared a great deal of his knowledge of the Transcendent Universe. Perhaps due to becoming intoxicated while drinking with Lu Yin, the old man even revealed a few secrets. For example, while the Transcendent Universe officially possessed thirty white energy converters, there were actually seventy.

Each white energy converter could grant a person the power of a Semi-Progenitor, which meant the Transcendent Universe could potentially field seventy Semi-Progenitors at a moment’s notice.

It was a number that shocked Lu Yin.

1. This "You" (游) is not the same as the Fifth Mainland's Yōu family (幽). ☜