Star Odyssey

Chapter 2285: At His Disposal

"Old man, we’ll deal with all of them today," Lu Yin quietly told Yu Chuan.

Yu Chuan was trembling with excitement as he stared at Xia Zhitong and the rest of the people on their knees. He kept muttering to himself, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you…"

He was speaking to Lu Yin, but did not dare look over, as the old man was afraid that he would expose “Yu Hao” as a fraud.

Even if Yu Chuan needed to repay the kindness that he was receiving with his own life, he still did not feel any need to know why someone was pretending to be Yu Hao, or what he was trying to accomplish. All that mattered to Yu Chuan was that this person had salvaged the reputation of his Yu family and provided him with a chance for revenge. This was enough for the old man.

Everyone in Shenwu's Sky watched in silence; Semi-Progenitor Chai, Wu Yao, and the other outsiders were also watching, as were the people from Virtue Archives.

No one had expected Shenwu's Sky to be ruthless to the point of giving Yu Hao their own descendants, especially during the ceremony to honor their ancestors. It was a level of cruelty that gave people chills. At the same time, people could clearly see the importance put on Yu Hao. If an outsider could demonstrate a sufficient level of strength and potential, it was possible for them to obtain a status within Shenwu's Sky that might not be in any way inferior to the geniuses who were the Xia family’s direct descendants.

Although the Wang family, the Bai family, and the White Dragon Clan all held different attitudes regarding their direct line and branch families, none were as vicious as the Xia family. The Xia family was absolutely cruel to the members of the branch families. Regardless of whether people viewed such oppression and dominance as a good or bad thing, the public execution of Xia Zhitong and the others served as a public demonstration of the Xia family’s attitude, and they had already achieved their desired results.

The Wang family and the White Dragon Clan had both tried to recruit students from Virtue Archives, but the students were not dumb. They understood that joining one of the top powers could provide them with benefits, but it would never give them a status equal to the members of the families that led those powers. On the other hand, the Xia family had shown itself to be different. Watching as things played out, the students felt a certain sense of superiority when they faced the Xia family, and they internally believed that joining a sect that regarded outsiders so highly would be very beneficial.

As for Lu Yin, he did not even consider the Xia family’s plans or intentions at this moment. He simply escorted Yu Chuan as the old man walked towards Xia Zhitong and the others one step at a time.

They had to cover a great distance, and Yu Chuan walked very slowly, but no one tried to rush him. Everyone just watched as the two men walked along.

Xia Zhitong was kneeling on the ground, and she had long since grown numb to her situation. Her recent experiences had been the worst days of her entire life. She had gone from being hopeful and optimistic, to being crushed by despair before ultimately becoming numb to her circumstances. She had essentially become a completely different person, especially after learning that she was going to be given to Yu Hao to be executed as a sacrifice during the ceremony to honor the family’s ancestors. Learning of this decision had driven the woman mad. She simply could not accept that she had been abandoned by her Xia family. This was not how things should be! Why would her Xia family abandon her? No matter what, she was still a member of the family, which meant that what happened to her would affect the family’s reputation.

She had believed that she would be saved by the Xia family, but when she learned about Yu Hao’s gradual rise to fame and his various accomplishments, she felt as though she was being pushed closer and closer to the abyss. Even if the Xia family did not abandon her, she still would not have any place in the entire Perennial World.

Xia Zhitong watched numbly as Yu Hao and Yu Chuan slowly drew closer. Every step the men took brought her death closer, and she felt as though each footstep were treading on her heart.

Finally, the two men were close, so close. Then, they stopped.

Xia Zhitong slowly lifted her head and looked up at Yu Hao. He was still as handsome as ever, and his face fascinated Xia Zhitong. She felt like she was seeing him for the first time all over again. At their first meeting, she had vowed that she would do her best to get the man, and she had eventually succeeded. Not only had she captured his body, but she had also stolen his heart!

Wait, who’s that monster in his eyes? Is that ME? Is that MY reflection? No, it can’t be! That’s a monster! A hideous monster!

Xia Zhitong suddenly grew desperate and started madly struggling. "It’s not me! It's not me! That’s a monster, an ugly monster. It's not me…"

Yu Chuan stared at Xia Zhitong. "You are the one who brought ruin to my Yu family, my son, and my grandson."

Lu Yin squeezed Yu Chuan's arm tighter, and the old man quickly amended his words, "Fortunately, my grandson has managed to save things. Without him, my Yu family would have forever been regarded as a laughing stock by the entire Perennial World, you vile bitch."

Xia Zhitong started screaming, "It’s not me! I'm not a monster! I've tempted countless men! It’s not me!"

Everyone stared as Xia Zhitong went mad, complicated emotions filling their eyes. Was there sympathy? Yes, but there were other emotions as well. Everyone present knew that if Yu Hao had not been accepted as Grandmaster Gu Yan’s apprentice, and if his talent had not been so freakish, then Xia Zhitong would have never been condemned to such a fate. She would have happily lived out her life in Yu City, enjoying every pleasure that she wished to indulge in. No one would have ever dared to do anything to her until she died of old age.

This was reality. This was the true face of the cultivation world.

As the scene played out, even people like Semi-Progenitor Chai and the other powerhouses present felt their hearts begin to pound. They were only Semi-Progenitors, not Progenitors. If a day came when their own organization was forced to make a choice that required a sacrifice, they would all be regarded as just as disposable as Xia Zhitong, given the fact that none of them would ever be able to reach the Progenitor realm. The gift of choice was reserved for those with sufficient potential or power.

Was it possible to gain the right to make such choices when one became a Progenitor?

"Old man, it’s time to end this," Lu Yin softly stated. He had disguised himself as Yu Hao while roaming about the Perennial World. At this moment, it was time for Lu Yin to pay what he owed for using Yu Hao’s identity, as well as fulfill one of Kui Luo's wishes.

Yu Chuan closed his eyes, raised a hand, and brought it down upon Xia Zhitong’s head. He did not kill the woman, as her current situation was the worst punishment that she could possibly suffer. Yu Chuan intended to let the woman suffer until she died, which he hoped meant that she would suffer forever.

The people on the ground behind Xia Zhitong started shouting in terror. They begged for mercy, and howled in fear. But one by one, they each were laid low by Yu Chuan's hands.

Lu Yin never once made a move or took action. He intended to allow the Yu family to get their own revenge and settle matters themselves.

Xia Shenfei saw that “Yu Hao” was only following behind Yu Chuan and not executing even a single one of the prisoners, and a thought flashed through his eyes.

As the last person fell to the ground, all the students from Virtue Archives understood that their Prof. Hao Yu was truly Yu Hao, someone renowned throughout the Perennial World. However, not all fame was good, and Yu Hao’s fame had been built entirely on the humiliation served to the Yu family.

However, from this day forward, the Yu family would never again be seen as a joke.

Nong Siniang stared at Lu Yin's calm face. At this moment, she felt that her Prof. Hao Yu was a stranger, and this feeling was even more pronounced than when they had left the branch of the Xia family that lived in the Bluemoon District.

The ceremony had originally been intended to be a normal ceremony for the Xia family to pay their respects to their ancestors, but it had been transformed into something extraordinary. First, Xia Xing had nearly drawn the broken saber, and then the ceremony had been concluded with a series of executions.

With the ceremony finished, Lu Yin returned to the valley that he had been given. He kept to himself and did not even speak to anyone. As for Yu Chuan, he was also led away by Shenwu's Sky. Before they received confirmation that “Yu Hao” was indeed committed to Shenwu's Sky, Yu Chuan would not be freed.

Wu Yao wanted to ask for clarification about what was happening, but Xia Xing took the initiative to approach “Yu Hao.”

The sect master of Shenwu’s Sky was extremely impatient to ask Lu Yin for more of Progenitor Chen's blood. There was no one in the entire Xia family who was more eager for Xia Xing to draw the broken blade.

"I have more of Progenitor Chen's blood," Lu Yin replied indifferently.

Xia Xing's eyes lit up, and he stared at Lu Yin, waiting for the next words.

"But why should I give you any?" Lu Yin challenged as he stared at Xia Xing with deep eyes.

Xia Xing anxiously answered, "I am your insider within Shenwu's Sky. I can help you with whatever you need here. Helping me is the same as helping yourself."

Lu Yin made a show of considering the matter.

"You’ve already placed a restriction in my body. What do you have to worry about?" Xia Xing asked worriedly.

Lu Yin looked up at the man. "It’s still possible to remove that restriction. Shenwu's Sky has powerful Progenitors, and I’m not foolish enough to believe that a restriction placed by me is something that a Progenitor can’t overcome."

"I forcibly replaced my main body with your help. How could I possibly ask a Progenitor to remove the restriction? Doing so would expose myse-"

"But you can draw the broken saber." Before Xia Xing finished speaking, Lu Yin firmly cut him off.

Xia Xing opened his mouth, but had nothing to say in reply.

Lu Yin stared at the man. "Unless my guess is completely off, your value to Shenwu’s Sky after you successfully draw that blade will be completely different from when you were merely the current patriarch of the Xia family."

Xia Xing softly stated, "I can swear to never betray you."

Lu Yin looked away while considering the proposal. "Alright, I’ll trust you, but Progenitor Chen's blood is too rare, and I can't just give it to you for nothing. There are things that I hesitate to use even on myself."

"I understand. What do you want?" Xia Xingsong eagerly asked. As long as he could acquire Progenitor Chen's blood and fully draw the broken saber, he would be willing to pay any price.

Lu Yin raised two fingers. "First, tell Xia Ziheng that your clone is in the Celestial Frost Sect’s Cloudforest Tower, as well as with Wang Zheng and Long Ke."

Xia Xing felt terribly confused. "The Celestial Frost Sect’s Cloudforest Tower? Is that where you let me out that one time while you were visiting the Celestial Frost Sect?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Just do as I say.

“Second." At this moment, Lu Yin’s eyes started blazing. "I need resources. A lot of resources."

Xia Xing’s pupils shrank. "You’re the one who stole all the star essence from the Junior Progenitor Planets?"

Xia Xing had been captured by Lu Yin before the Junior Progenitor Planets had been plundered, so he had only learned of the matter after leaving Zenith Mountain and returning to Shenwu’s Sky and replacing the main body. He had not paid much attention to the matter, but he had certainly been curious about what could have happened to such an astronomical amount of resources.

He had even wondered if they had been delivered to the Forsaken Land by Lu Yin.

"I took them. Why? You want to turn me in?" Lu Yin shot back.

Xia Xing gave a wry smile. "How could I do that? I'm merely curious as to what happened to so many resources."

"That’s none of your concern. All you need to know is that I need more. The more, the better." Lu Yin smiled. "The more resources you can get me, the more of Progenitor Chen's blood I’ll give to you."

Lu Yin’s last words triggered a complete transformation of Xia Xing's expression, but he quickly grew bitter. "Shenwu’s Sky does have a tremendous amount of resources, but I can’t access too much. At the very least, it won’t be even close to what you obtained from the Junior Progenitor Planets."

"Given the fact that you’ve already proven yourself capable of drawing the broken saber, I refuse to believe that you can’t access at least as many resources as one of the Junior Progenitors. Leave now, but just remember, the more resources you provide me with, the more of Progenitor Chen's blood I’ll give you.

“Also, you should keep in mind that only Progenitor Chen's blood can allow you to draw the saber," Lu Yin cautioned as he dismissed Xia Xing.

The moment that Xia Xing left Lu Yin's residence, Wu Yao immediately took the sect master’s place. The Semi-Progenitor needed to understand what “Yu Hao” was doing.

“Yu Hao” had already accepted and become Bai Wangyuan’s disciple, which meant that it was impossible for him to join Shenwu's Sky. No one would be willing to accept divided loyalties.

Wu Yao stared at “Yu Hao.” "It's important that you understand that, no matter how talented you may be, you are not qualified to try to play my Celestial Frost Sect against Shenwu's Sky, not even if you become a powerful Progenitor."

"I know," Lu Yin answered before watching Wu Yao leave.

Play the Celestial Frost Sect against Shenwu's Sky? Wrong. Lu Yin was playing all four ruling powers against each other.

As for Xia Xing's request for more of Progenitor Chen's blood, Lu Yin would never follow through. He already knew that he would be doomed the moment the Death Seal was removed from Xia Xing, and Lu Yin refused to believe anything that the sect master swore. After all, Xia Xing used the Nine Clones Secret Technique.