Star Odyssey

"Let them be. It doesn't matter how many disciples Sovereign Ninth Lotus has. As long as I, Xuan Qi, dont betray mankind, I have nothing to fear from them. On the contrary, they should be the ones worried about being arrested by me," Lu Yin said as he looked at Xu Ji and smiled. "Believe it or not, Cheng Feng is not the only traitor among Sovereign Ninth Lotuss disciples."

Xu Ji stared at Xuan Qi in shock. This man clearly had no reservations when it came to speaking his mind, and he also seemed to be completely fearless. Xu Ji could easily envision a swarm of people rushing over to beat Xuan Qi if any of Sovereign Ninth Lotuss disciples overheard these words.

"What a pity that I didnt get to make a formal inquiry with Yao Lan," Lu Yin muttered.

At this point in time, the passage was right in front of them.

Xu Ji's face twitched when he heard that Xuan Qi had actually been hoping to publicly question Yao Lan, a person universally recognized as a saint. When they had both been attending the Sixverse Academy, Xu Ji had no clue as to how ruthless Xuan Qi could be.

The trip to the passage was just for show. There was no way for Lu Yin to find" anything at all.

Well, he could certainly "discover" certain things, such as the location where Mu Shang had been killed. But if that place was found, Monarch Luo might decide to make a personal trip, and Lu Yin was not sure that he could maintain his disguise in front of the Monarch. Additionally, Monarch Luo had most likely seen images of Lu Yins face before, so he would be found out. This was why he would not find anything on this trip.

He intended to simply go through the motions, but he met an unexpected person: Monarch Xing.

Lu Yin saw a woman with a clean appearance who had a mysterious effect of calming the soul. If he were to put this sensation into words, it would be akin to quenching an insatiable thirst.

Even from a distance, Monarch Xing seemed to be completely captivated by something. As Lu Yin observed the woman, he unexpectedly found himself overcome with a sensation that was reminiscent of quenching his thirst on a scorching summer day. He was swept by a profoundly refreshing feeling.

"Cang Bi greets Monarch Xing." Cang Bi quickly moved forward to greet the Monarch.

The entrance to the passage was surrounded by cultivators from the Three Monarchs Universe. Not one of the people dared to lift their heads in Monarch Xings presence, with the sole exception of Lu Yin. He alone continued to stare straight at Monarch Xing.

The woman turned her head to face Lu Yin, and their eyes met. "So, you are Xuan Qi?"

Lu Yin came back to himself and quickly bowed. "Xuan Qi greets Monarch Xing."

He was nervous, as he had no idea if Monarch Xing was able to see through his Mask of Death. It seemed unlikely, as she seemed to be about as strong as Xu Wuji. It was clear to Lu Yin that this woman was nowhere close to Xu Wuwei's level, and only people with similar levels of strength were able to through Lu Yins disguise.

If Monarch Xing really could peer through the Mask of Death, it meant that she was deeply concealing her true might.

The woman casually asked, "Are you here to investigate the trace of divine energy that was found?"

Lu Yin respectfully answered, "Yes. The Bureau failed to stop this corpse king in time, and this junior takes full responsibility for failing in his duty."

Monarch Xing looked away. "This isnt your fault. Even if Sister Mu was still here, nothing would have changed."

The woman then fell silent. Lu Yin did not know whether he should start examining the area, or if he should wait until Monarch Xing left.

He looked back at Monarch Xing. The womans face was not classically beautiful, but looking at it gave him a feeling of peace.

Every person in the megaverse was unique. In the same manner that no two leaves were identical, there were no two people who were exactly the same. Even the clones created from Progenitor Chen's Nine Clones Secret Technique had each had their own thoughts.

Monarch Xing was unlike any woman Lu Yin had met before. She gave him the impression of a peaceful lake: serene, relaxed, and undisturbed by any wind or waves.

"Can you do me a favor?" Monarch Xing suddenly spoke up as she turned back to look at Lu Yin.

He was taken aback from suddenly being addressed. "Please tell me, Senior."

Monarch Xing softly said, "The day Cheng Feng is no longer of use to you, give him to me." freew(e)bnovel

Lu Yin was caught off guard. This request was quite expected.

Monarch Xing had not kept her request a secret from the surrounding crowd, and Lu Yin had no idea how people would interpret this request. It was possible that those who were more familiar with the woman might understand better, but to Lu Yin, the request seemed completely at odds with the Monarchs demeanor.

"Why do you want Cheng Feng, Senior?" Lu Yin asked, puzzled.

Monarch Xing stared at the young man and offered no answer.

Lu Yin met Monarch Xings eyes. Her expression remained as calm as a peaceful lake, but there was no fear in Lu Yins eyes. "Its not that I wish to pry into your affairs, Senior, but Cheng Feng is not just a mere spyhe is connected to Shaman God, which makes him invaluable to our investigations. Even if we don't have a use for him for the moment, he remains worth keeping around for future use. If there is no special reason for your request, Senior, then it appears unjustified."

Cang Bi's heart trembled. How could this man have the nerve to speak to Monarch Xing in such a manner! There was no one in the entire Three Monarchs Universe who had ever dared to speak to Monarch Xing in such a tone. Even Monarch Mu always remained courteous towards Monarch Xing, and Monarch Luo was no different.

Many of the people in the area glanced over at Lu Yin out of reflex.

Silence filled the region, and Monarch Xing simply stared at Lu Yin, as he boldly stared back at her.

"Do you need an explanation?" Monarch Xing asked, her voice as tranquil as ever.

Lu Yin remained firm. "Yes, absolutely."

"I enjoy his singing," Monarch Xing replied, much to Lu Yins surprise. Typically, a peak powerhouse such as Monarch Xing would not easily yield to being questioned, but this woman had. Whats more, she had even remained peaceful and apparently unoffended by the matter.

Still, Lu Yin felt confused. "Just because of his singing?"

Monarch Xing replied, "Have you heard him sing?"

"I have."

"Then why are you asking?"

Lu Yin was taken aback. There was no denying that Cheng Feng's singing was divine. He had an otherworldly ability to stir peoples emotions. Even Sovereign Ninth Lotus had invited Cheng Feng to sing for her on some occasions. Still, it seemed unreasonable to ask for Cheng Feng to be given to her just because Monarch Xing enjoyed his singing. No matter what, he was a spy.

Lu Yin wanted to ask more questions, but he discovered that Monarch Xing had already left without waiting for any response. It was as though she did not need his answer.

This was a woman who Lu Yin could not afford to look down on. He thought back to Chen Le's words; this woman was willing to publicly put on an act of being Monarch Luo's wife for the sake of the people of her universe. For a peak powerhouse, this was truly a great sacrifice.

Actually, could it be that, at the womans core, she was someone like Cheng Feng?

Regardless of what others thought, Cheng Feng had made sure to protect his home. However, in reality, he had condemned his hometown to an eternity in a tiny prison.

What about Monarch Xing?

"Acting Bureau Director, shall we continue?" Cang Bi spoke up, jolting Lu Yin from his thoughts.

Lu Yin asked, "What kind of person is Monarch Xing?"

Cang Bi's face turned pale. "Acting Bureau Director, we dont dare to discuss matters concerning the Majesties. Please, do not ask such questions again. You will not get answers from anyone."

Feeling helpless, Lu Yin instead asked, "Was Monarch Xing angry with me?"

Cang Bi's face twitched. "I dont dare to discuss Her Majesty's feelings."

Lu Yin gave Cang Bi a flat stare. "Monarch Luo sent you to help me, but youve proven to be rather useless."

Cang Bi was speechless. How was this his fault?

After spending some time putting on a show of investigating the area, Lu Yin left. Investigating divine energy was beyond his capabilities.

At this time, Monarch Xing returned to the rainbow wall, where Monarch Luo had been waiting for her. He looked over when she arrived and softly asked, "How was it?"

Monarch Xing answered indifferently, "I wasnt able to discern anything. The divine energy has already vanished, and theres no trace left."

Monarch Luo nodded. "That's normal."

The woman stood looking out from the rainbow wall with her back to Monarch Luo. Numerous emotions flickered across his face as he stared at Monarch Xing.

He had yearned for this woman for many years, but he had never managed to capture her heart. In the end, an act was nothing more than an act.

"I heard that you asked the Bureau to give you Cheng Feng, right?" Monarch Luo asked.

Monarch Xing did not turn around and instead simply replied, "Yes."

"How did that go?"

"Don't you already know?"

Monarch Luo gently offered, "I will go myself and ask on your behalf. Im sure they wont refuse."

Monarch Xing barely reacted. "This is my business."

"Cheng Feng is undoubtedly a spy."

"I know."

Monarch Luo continued staring at Monarch Xing's back. He had no idea what to say. This woman had always been the same. While she was not prickly like a hedgehog, she had wrapped herself tightly in layers of emotional defenses. Even after so many years, the man had not been able to find even a single gap. "I am leaving."

Monarch Xing said nothing as she continued to serenely stare off into the distance. A breeze blew by, lifting her hair in a gentle flutter.

After several days passed, Ke Jian arrived to meet with Lu Yin. The older man reported that there had been an incident during the last transaction with Gods' Origin.

"Zi Jing couldnt go?" Lu Yin was caught off guard. Her absence was the incident that Ke Jian was referring to.

From the beginning, the terms of the deal between the Transcendent Universe and Gods' Origin had been very clear: Gods' Origin would only trade with Zi Jing, not Ke Jian. The woman therefore needed to be physically present at every transaction. However, Zi Jing had not gone, and because of that, Ke Jian's visit to Gods' Origin had resulted in the transaction failing.

Ke Jian was practically overwhelmed with rage. "If not for your sake, I would never be so courteous to those people from the Gods' Origin!"

Lu Yin frowned. "Senior, it would be best if you dont underestimate Gods' Origin. While they appear to not have any truly powerful experts, they have a very deep foundation. Their ability to create something out of nothing is something that was developed by a peak powerhouse. That place should have traps left behind by that expert.

"Some time ago, the Sixth Mainland invaded the Fifth Mainland. During this war, the remnant power of a peak powerhouse known as the Rune Progenitor covered a significant portion of the Fifth Mainland, and it acted as a trap. Any attacks that exceeded a certain power level were rendered ineffective, and as a result of that, the Sixth Mainland was ultimately defeated. One of the Sixth Mainlands Progenitors was nearly killed during that war. If you have any doubts as to the truth of my story, I invite you to check the Fifth Mainlands records sometime."

Ke Jian instantly grew wary. "Did that really happen?"

Lu Yin nodded. "The Rune Progenitor's abilities defy all imagination. How did you feel the first time you encountered voidforce energy, Senior? The Rune Progenitors power is not that different from voidforce energy, as they are both elusive in nature.

"Additionally, Gods Origin is in the Fifth Mainland. If you take action against them, while its difficult to say whether they have anyone who can equal you, if the Heavens Sect gets involved, things will become difficult for you."

Ke Jian agreed, "That's why I didn't do anything to them. Having Zi Jing facilitate these transactions was your request, Xuan Qi." 𝐟𝐫𝗲𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗻𝐨𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝗺

As the old man spoke, he grew a bit embarrassed and hesitant.

Lu Yin had been the one to add the requirement of Zi Jing being the Transcendent Universes representative for their transactions with Gods Origin. His intention had been to improve Zi Jing's status in the Transcendent Universe, but they had tried to bypass Zi Jing and conclude a transaction without her, which was equivalent to trying to work around Xuan Qi. This was clearly disrespectful and thus should have remained a secret. However, Ke Jian was forced to openly address this with Xuan Qi himself, which was humiliating for the man, and his embarrassment caused his expression to turn ugly.

Lu Yins voice dropped as he said, "Senior, please continue."

Ke Jian looked increasingly upset with his situation. "Xuan Qi, it's not that we don't want to take Zi Jing with us for this trade, but simply that she cant make the trip for now."

Lu Yin instantly became concerned. "What happened to Zi Jing?"

Ke Jian reassuringly said, "Don't worry, Zi Jing is fine. It's just that the cultivation technology she is working on is too important, and no one participating in the project is allowed to communicate with the outside world, let alone leave the facility. This is why she cant be present for this current trade deal. I hope that you can understand this."

When the two had first met, Ke Jian had not needed to speak to Xuan Qi with anything close to the respect that was currently in the mans voice. Lu Yin had raised Xuan Qis status in the Sixverse Association, and he had even gained the support of multiple peak powerhouses. Xuan Qi was no longer someone whom Ke Jian could afford to offend. Even He Ran needed to be polite when speaking with Xuan Qi.

"Hasn't Zi Jing been studying that important cultivation technology this whole time? Why the sudden need for secrecy?" Lu Yin asked in confusion. Were they about to make a breakthrough in their sequence particle research?

OMA's Thoughts

Translated By: OMA

Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox

TLC'ed By: OMA