Star Odyssey

“I know,” Lu Yin replied. He then looked towards the other routes displayed on the chairman’s screen. “Chairman Yan, sell me some of the routes in the other weaves as well.”

Yan Chen immediately refused with a serene expression. “Alliance Leader Lu, you were allowed to purchase the routes just now because you won the tournament and also because you are a member of Endless Borders. Thus, I even gave you an insider’s price. However, concerning the other routes, pardon me if I don’t sell them to you at this time.”

Yan Chen was not foolish. The moment that the affected weaves learned that he had sold the other routes to Lu Yin, it would instigate a war.

Lu Yin did not force the matter, as it would not be worthwhile to spend too much buying outside routes. Although he had also been plotted against by the Neohuman Alliance during this trip, there was still a bit of good that had come from that disaster.

The next day, under the expectant gazes of Yan Chen and the other executives, Lu Yin boarded his spacecraft and left the Silentflock System, returning to Frostwave Weave.

Lu Yin had initially planned on heading straight back to Frostwave Weave, but along the way, he changed directions and headed towards somewhere else. He was going to where the people from the Sea King’s Dome had settled down.

Although the people from the Sea King’s Dome were just the last remnants of the group that had escaped from the Starfall Sea, they were extremely powerful within the scope of the Outerverse, especially since they had an Envoy among them in the form of Elder He. If the elder could be mobilized at Lu Yin’s order, then it would be effortless for him to unify the Outerverse.

Some days later, Lu Yin’s spacecraft landed in the middle of the ocean. He stored the collapsible spacecraft away and then surveyed his surroundings. Soon after, his figure flashed as he tore through the void and vanished.

This planet was known as Enron Planet, and it was one of the Sea King’s Dome’s most important bases in the Outerverse, and this was also where Hai Qiqi was currently staying.

When Lu Yin arrived, Elder He was the first to notice him. The old man did not reveal himself, but he did inform Hai Qiqi.

Hai Qiqi’s expression had grown much dimmer compared to when Lu Yin had last seen her. The Outerverse had once again been separated from the Innerverse, and she could not feel the Sea King’s strength anymore. Thus, she did not know if he was dead or alive.

Lu Yin emerged from the void and saw Hai Qiqi’s thin silhouette. “Don’t worry. The Sea King should still be alive.”

Hai Qiqi calmly answered, “How do you even have the time to come here?’

Lu Yin walked over to Hai Qiqi. “I was passing through, so I stopped by to see you.”

“I know that you want to unify the Outerverse. However, have you ever thought about how once you do, you’ll have to bear the brunt of the Sixth Mainland’s invasion?” Hai Qiqi asked.

Lu Yin smiled. “A unified Outerverse will still be stronger than a fractured Outerverse, right?”

Hai Qiqi did not reply.

After a brief pause, Lu Yin asked, “Where’re Hai Feng and Hai Dashao?”

“I don't know,” Hai Qiqi replied.

“I remember that the Sea King’s Dome had four elders: Shan, Tong, Ren, and He. Elder He is the strongest, but Elder Tong should be the most cunning.”

Hai Qiqi glanced over at Lu Yin. “Don’t even think of trying to rope us into being your assistants. That’s impossible.”

Lu Yin became embarrassed at being caught. “I didn’t—I was just asking.”

Hai Qiqi stared at Lu Yin with a serious expression. “If you ever find a way back to the Innerverse again, you have to take me, alright?”

Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. “Why do you say that?”

Hai Qiqi looked away. “If there’s anyone in the Outerverse who has a hope of returning to the Innerverse, it’s you, Lu Yin. Although I haven’t spent much time with you, I have a very clear idea of how competent you are. As long as nothing unexpected occurs, the Outerverse will eventually be unified, and you are the only one who is able to clearly see the big picture.”

Lu Yin was astonished; this brat was rather astute.

Lu Yin left Enron Planet shortly after, as he had already gotten what he was looking for. Although these people from the Sea King’s Dome would not help him, they were also hoping that he would take them back to the Innerverse in the future. Thus, he could ask them for help if he faced difficulties.

Elder He was indeed an Envoy realm powerhouse, but strength was only one aspect. Another important detail was whether or not a person could clearly see the Outerverse’s future. These people could only rely on Lu Yin to find a path back to the Innerverse.

However, Hai Qiqi would have never even imagined that Lu Yin had already obtained a star chart with a route to the Innerverse.

As the spacecraft rose into space, a figure silently stood in front of it and blocked its path. It was Elder He.

Lu Yin exited the spacecraft and slowly bowed. “Junior pays his respects to Elder He.”

Elder He sized Lu Yin up and down with a serious expression. “The legends were right. Little one, you’re very outstanding. Not a single bit inferior to the Ten Arbiters.”

Lu Yin replied humbly never, “Thank you for your compliments.”

Elder He shook his head. “A pity. It’s truly a pity that you won’t be able to head to the Neoverse to contest for your destiny. With your talent, it’s truly a pity.”

Lu Yin’s eyes flashed. “Is senior referring to the Astral Tower?”

Elder He nodded. “It seems like you already know. That’s correct, I was referring to the Astral Tower.”

Lu Yin fell silent, and he wracked his brain to remember what he knew about the Astral Tower.

“The Astral Tower contains the inheritance of the Progenitors, and it is the unrivaled, pinnacle inheritance of our Fifth Mainland. Only by obtaining the recognition of the Astral Tower can one come into contact with a Progenitor’s strength. If one does so, then they will have a sliver of a chance to become a Progenitor. Over the countless years, the Astral Tower has recognized quite a few brilliant youths, and every generation will have a group of youths who are conferred the title of the Cosmic Five. However, this generation is different.” At this moment, Elder He stared at Lu Yin. “Those geniuses of the Neoverse should thank the Sea King, as he broke through the Upper Three Gates, shattered the false sky of the Sixth Mainland, and restored the true heavens of the Fifth Mainland. The Sea King said that only by shattering the Sixth Mainland’s false sky can the Fifth Mainland’s true inheritance appear. That means that this generation’s Cosmic Five are the ones who can truly obtain the Progenitors' inheritance.”

Lu Yin’s eyes lit up. “Has the contest for this generation’s Cosmic Five not begun yet?”

Elder He shook his head. “Not yet, but it will very soon. In the past, the competition for the positions of the Cosmic Five belonged to the Neoverse, but this time, with the invasion of the Sixth Mainland and the cosmic phenomenon caused by the remnant will of a Progenitor, the Innerverse has been given a chance. The Champions' Stage grants titles, and those who receive a title of King or Queen will be able to participate. This is also one of the reasons why the Champions' Stage only grants titles to members of the younger generation. Of course, the premise is that we can survive the Sixth Mainland’s invasion.”

“Is elder saying that, if the Innerverse withstands the Sixth Mainland’s invasion, then those who receive a title of King or Queen from the Champions' Stage will be allowed to compete with the geniuses of the Neoverse for the position of the Cosmic Five?” Lu Yin asked.

Elder He nodded.

Lu Yin was disappointed. If this was how things were, then the advantage that he had gained by becoming an Honored Chosen was not that impressive. Wait, he suddenly remembered that he was still stuck in the Outerverse. Even if his name was on the list of eligible participants, he might not be able to make it.

As Lu Yin thought about it, he glanced towards his cosmic ring. He suddenly felt a vague sense that he had obtained the will of the heavens. Did the appearance of this star chart indicate that he should head to the Innerverse and compete for the Astral Tower’s inheritances?

Elder He looked at Lu Yin. “If possible, it would be good to compete. The true skies have already been restored, and the Fifth Mainland can once again produce Progenitors. This generation’s Cosmic Five will all have a trace of a chance of becoming a Progenitor in the future, and it will be countless times more difficult for others to become Progenitors.”

Lu Yin bowed again. “Thank you, Elder He, for telling junior this. I cannot thank you enough.”

Elder He gave Lu Yin a deep look and then vanished.

Lu Yin looked over at Enron Planet. This old man was actually also hoping to return to the Innerverse, and he had intentionally motivated Lu Yin to look for a path there. This man’s methods were completely different from Hai Qiqi, but his objective was the same.

However, this old man’s words had truly moved Lu Yin’s heart.

He possessed a star chart that led back to the Innerverse, so should he head there to compete? Since Endless Borders had expedition crews that were able to back and forth safely, that was already proof that the path was valid. Was struggling to compete worth it if it was just a trace of a possibility to become a Progenitor?

Lu Yin returned to his spacecraft and watched as the stars streaked by. His expression grew firm. It was worth it, but everything depended on the outcome of the war in the Innerverse.

He decided to observe the state of the Innerverse’s battle through the Daosource Sect's ruins. If the Innerverse managed to survive, then he would come up with a way to return and compete for a seat among the Cosmic Five.

The Cosmic Five: they were five people who would obtain inheritances, and the people competing for these five positions included the Ten Arbiters, the most elite disciples of various great Innerverse powers, the Cosmic Sea’s geniuses, and also the pride of the Neoverse.

There were a thousand checkpoints that needed to be passed, but only five people would be able to complete them all.

Lu Yin was rather excited, as he was unafraid of more competition. He merely hoped that the Innerverse would be able to pull through and survive the Sixth Mainland’s invasion.

He silently recited the Stonewall Scriptures, and he soon returned to Zenyu Star.

Bei Qing was already waiting for Lu Yin in King Zishan's palace, and when he saw Lu Yin, he hurriedly moved forward and softly said, “The person called Shanghuan Daynight is in the auction house.”

Lu Yin’s brows rose, and he put a hand on Bei Qing’s shoulder before suddenly vanishing. He then reappeared at Lu's Grand Auction.

Bei Qing then moved forward while Lu Yin sat in the seat of honor in a sitting room, tapping a single finger against the table.

Before long, Bei Qing returned, followed by a man wearing a hat.

The Daynight clan’s distinctive traits were very conspicuous, and this person had hidden his identity, clearly not wanting to be recognized.

“Shanghuan Daynight greets Alliance Leader Lu.” The Daynight man in front of Lu Yin displayed a casual attitude as he smiled at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin arched a brow. “You’ve been mining pyrolyte all this time in the Astral Wilderness.”

Shanghuan Daynight was puzzled. “How does Alliance Leader Lu know this?”

Lu Yin's lips curled upwards. “Because even Nightqueen Qiuyu has to be polite to me. However, how dare you try to threaten me?”

Shanghuan Daynight grew angry. “Alliance Leader Lu, you had best watch what you say! Elder Qiuyu is not someone who you can casually mention! Or does Alliance Leader Lu think that, just because I came alone, that nobody else knows about this secret? Let me tell you the truth—I’ve already secretly imprisoned the people who stole the pyrolyte, and the moment anything happens to me, a video of those few people admitting their guilt will be immediately sent to Elder Lohar.”

Bei Qing watched calmly from the side.

Lu Yin stared indifferently at Shanghuan Daynight. “Continue.”

Shanghuan Daynight grew uneasy, as Lu Yin was entirely too calm in this situation. The Daynight clan member knew about this person’s reputation, and thus he was aware that Lu Yin’s authority within the Outerverse was at a pinnacle. However, this man was from the Daynight clan, and their innate sense of superiority coupled with his greed gave him the courage to directly confront and threaten this youth. Shanghuan Daynight did not believe that Lu Yin was afraid of nothing. Even if he was not afraid of the Daynight clan, Lu Yin should still be afraid of the Hall of Honor. Even if Lu Yin had the support of the Hall of Honor, buying pyrolyte in large amounts was still a grave crime.

“Alliance Leader Lu, I only came here to ask for some wealth, and I don’t wish to become enemies with you. As long as Alliance Leader Lu agrees to my request, then not only will I release those people, but I will also allow them to keep mining and will close an eye to what happens. How about that?” Shanghuan Daynight anxiously proposed.

Bei Qing poured Lu Yin a cup of tea. Lu Yin accepted it and casually swirled the tea around. “I heard the Daynight clan’s battle techniques use spiritual force. I wonder, what battle technique does Mister Shanghuan Daynight use? Also, what is the power of the spiritual force that you can display?”

Shanghuan Daynight’s expression suddenly changed. “What does Alliance Leader Lu mean? You can’t be wanting my Daynight clan’s battle techniques, right?”

Lu Yin directly looked at the man. “So what if I am?”