Star Odyssey

Chapter 3771: That's All

Master Qing Cao's ability to repel all powers had once driven Ancient God to despair, and yet Lu Yin’s sword slash was able to force the same man to take a step back and flick a finger. A clang rang out, and the Tri-Azure Sword Intent broke. The attack grazed past Qing Cao’s body before cutting into the ground. Lu Yin and the two men beside him also stopped moving, though they had already been pushed back a hundred meters. If they had moved any further, they would have been forced out from the Willbound Spire.

Silence again reigned beneath the cliff.

At this moment, the one who was the most shocked was not Master Qing Cao, but rather the High Seraph.

He stared at Lu Yin in utter disbelief. He actually managed to block an Immortal’s attack? How is that even possible?

No matter how close one came to the Immortal realm, unless one truly entered that level, there would always be an unbridgeable gap. It was not a matter of fighting above one’s level, but about crossing the boundary between two different states of existence. No matter how strong an ant became, it would still be just an ant. An ant could never kill an elephant.

Despite that, Lu Yin had just blocked Master Qing Cao’s attack. This was a matter of overcoming the hierarchy of existence.

The High Seraph could not believe it, and he grew even more fearful.

He finally understood the reason for his growing nervousness. If Lu Yin was capable of standing up to an Immortal, then what chance could he possibly have?

If Lu Yin wished to strike the High Seraph down, it would not require the slightest bit of effort.

In front of the three men, Master Qing Cao’s expression grew solemn as he studied Lu Yin. “Another one? So this is the Tianyuan Megaverse’s potential? As expected, not even Immortals like us can fully grasp the workings of an entire cosmos.”

Lu Yin did not understand the comment, and he instead softly said, “Mo Shang, get ready to go up the cliff.”

The High Seraph hesitated. Go up the cliff? What a joke!

He would much prefer to stay with Master Qing Cao than deal with Lu Yin.

Lu Yin frowned, but just as he was about to speak, Master Qing Cao threw a palm strike. “Show me how far you can go.”

The attack moved very slowly. Master Qing Cao was deliberately allowing Lu Yin to see things clearly.

As the palm strike drew closer, Lu Yin suppressed his consciousness and once again induced the state of frenzied madness, and as he did, he saw the truth. There were more specks of light. Master Qing Cao’s attack did not contain a single speck of light, but was instead entirely covered with them. The spots of light covered the palm strike, and they had even spread along it to fully envelop the man.

This was the truth behind his ability to repel everything.

There were so many spots of light covering the Immortal’s entire body that Lu Yin could not even count them. There was simply no comparison to his own mere 800 or so.

Lu Yin clenched his teeth and used the Heaven and Earth Lock.

Invisible chains descended from above, locking the palm strike in place, while also sealing off all senses. Everything about Master Qing Cao was sealed at that moment.

He was completely astonished. It was clear to him that Lu Yin only had a few specks of light, but when they were paired with his battle techniques, an Immortal was bound. There was no doubt that the young man was using Immortal battle techniques.

“Go, now!” Lu Yin shouted sharply.

The High Seraph’s expression changed, but he still released Everlasting Will. Regardless of what was happening, his first priority was to reach the top of the cliff. Everlasting Will gave him the initiative, allowing him to travel up or down at will.

He immediately started moving up the cliff with Everlasting Will.

The Origin Progenitor flung out a spirit thread and latched onto the High Seraph’s Everlasting Will while simultaneously reaching out for Lu Yin, intending to carry him up as well.

However, Master Qing Cao broke free from the Heaven and Earth Lock, and he used his ability to repel all powers to push the Origin Progenitor back.

The Origin Progenitor was forced back, step by step. It was the exact same situation that Ancient God had once experienced; the Origin Progenitor could see his opponent, but he could not approach him.

Master Qing Cao blocked the path to the High Seraph.

The man himself looked back, excitement flickering in his eyes as he continued to charge up the cliff without hesitation.

Lu Yin released his Karmic Dao and enveloped Master Qing Cao with it. The younger man’s left hand released a Wheel of Karma while his right hand flicked a finger, resurrecting the previously broken Tri-Azure Sword Intent to rise back up from the ground. The sword slash had not yet fully dissipated, and the full power sliced up at the High Seraph.

The sword slash cut through Everlasting Will, while another slash cut the High Seraph himself, causing him to cough blood. Dominion's Mantle appeared, and flames rained down upon Lu Yin.

As that happened, the Wheel of Karma struck nothing.

Master Qing Cao had moved away from the entire area, and his hand reached out towards Lu Yin, ready to strip time itself away from him. With his time stolen from him, all that Lu Yin had experienced, comprehended, and obtained during that time would cease to exist, just the same as what Jiang Feng had once experienced.

Lu Yin dispersed his Wheel of Karma and instead shot out a stream of karma. His attack quickly drained his power of karma as he attempted to write karma.

Master Qing Cao’s palm strike missed his target, and he stared in shock as it turned to the side. “You?”

Seizing the opportunity, Lu Yin threw the Origin Progenitor at the High Seraph. The old man unleashed his Verdant Arsenal, and the nine weapons pierced the flames of Dominion’s Mantle as another spirit thread latched onto the broken Everlasting Will.

The High Seraph had not expected Lu Yin to be capable of breaking past Master Qing Cao and freeing the Origin Progenitor.

At such a critical moment, even the briefest of delays could drag Mo Shang into an Immortal-level battle. His only option was to use his broken Everlasting Will to ascend the cliff, all the while suppressing his injuries and also carrying the Origin Progenitor upwards.

Master Qing Cao did not interfere. He was instead entirely focused on Lu Yin, astonishment filling the Immortal’s eyes. “Have you actually mastered the power of karma to such an extent?”

Lu Yin was able to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw that the Origin Progenitor was ascending the cliff with the High Seraph. Even though Lu Yin was no longer able to reach the clifftop, he would never be comfortable letting the High Seraph reach that place alone. While Master Qing Cao claimed that Mo Shang was incapable of reaching the palace, the two men were on the same side. The best that Lu Yin could do was allow the Origin Progenitor to also ascend the cliff. The reason why Lu Yin had struck the High Seraph with one sword slash had been to eliminate future complications for the Origin Progenitor.

The Origin Progenitor was not the High Seraph’s match. Even if the gap between the two was small, it still existed. Lu Yin had just compensated for that discrepancy.

After all, Lu Yin had not casually released a sword slash, but rather a complete Tri-Azure Sword Intent that had been infused with specks of light. The High Seraph’s injury was far more severe than it appeared to be, and he would need a great deal of time to fully recover.

The man’s current condition ensured that the Origin Progenitor would be able to gain the advantage.

As for the ultimate result, that would be up to the two men themselves.

Lu Yin would stay behind and face the Immortal Master Qing Cao alone.

They stood beneath the cliff, facing each other.

The Origin Progenitor looked down, worried about Lu Yin. Despite knowing that his presence would make almost no difference against an Immortal, it was somehow more unsettling to leave Lu Yin to fight on his own.

The High Seraph also glanced down. He felt far more at ease with Lu Yin no longer nearby.

At that moment, Mo Shang could not suppress his injuries entirely, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face grew pale. Lu Yin’s sword slash had done far more damage than expected, which was an unanticipated complication.

Mo Shang glanced over at the Origin Progenitor.

Beneath the cliff, Lu Yin’s fists clenched as his body withered. Just beneath the Karmic Dao, his Investiture of the Gods radiated a bright light while Lu Yin focused entirely on his current opponent.

Master Qing Cao exclaimed, “You’ve not only mastered an Immortal technique, but you have even managed to obtain Immortal matter. I must say, your fortune is rarely seen across the ages.”

Immortal matter? Is that what those specks of light are?

Lu Yin remained calm. “I’m honored to receive praise from an Immortal.”

Master Qing Cao showed a slight smile. “This is not the first time that I’ve praised you. Our first meeting was in Venom Flowzone. At that time, despite being the ruler of the entire Outerverse, you held yourself back from disturbing me. Your attitude was exemplary. That was the moment when I began to pay attention to you. Still, I never interfered with your cultivation. I certainly never expected you to reach this stage.

“Ku Jie truly is a genius. To think that he was able to release you.”

Lu Yin’s expression fell at the mention of Progenitor Ku. In order to release Lu Yin, Progenitor Ku had thrown himself into a dangerous situation. Lu Yin had no idea if the man would ever be able to escape or not.

“What do you truly want?” Lu Yin asked. He had always been curious about Master Qing Cao’s goals. The Boundary Guardians, Ye Zhang, and even Progenitor Xi: not one felt like they were truly Qing Cao’s handiwork.

Master Qing Cao clasped his hands behind his back. “There’s no need for you to be so guarded against me. Aren’t you exhausted? Your eyes... there are tears in the corners.”

Lu Yin was startled. He wiped the corner of one eye, and found that his hand was stained bright red. Tears of blood?

“Immortal matter is a substance that exists on a different level from you. Forcing yourself to use it places a tremendous burden on your body. Even being able to perceive it at your level is already extraordinary. Even I can’t understand how you’ve accomplished that. However, regardless of the method you employ, a cost is unavoidable.

“The more you rely on Immortal matter in combat, the more your body will break down, until eventually, you will be completely destroyed by the power that you are forcing yourself to wield,” Master Qing Cao casually explained.

Lu Yin had expected there to be such a severe side effect. “But in front of someone like you, Master Qing Cao, I have no choice.”

“I don’t wish to make any further moves. Mo Shang is unable to see things clearly. Of the three of you, you alone hold the potential to reach that palace, so simply keeping you here is already enough. The other two don’t matter. If I had truly wanted to stop them, do you really believe that you could have stopped me?”

Lu Yin glanced up the cliff, where Everlasting Will was still rising. It was true that Lu Yin could not stop the Immortal. Not only that, but he was the one who had ended up being left behind, which he had not even imagined before entering the Willbound Spire.

He had believed that obtaining Immortal-level combat power would make him invincible throughout the megaverses, but as always, things did not proceed according to his desires.

Lu Yin stopped trying to maintain his emotional state of frenzied madness. Master Qing Cao had no need to lie. Even if Lu Yin used every ounce of his strength and exhausted all the specks of light he had gathered, he still would not be Qing Cao’s match. There was no point in lying in such a situation. “You’ve stayed hidden for so long. Why show yourself now? As the Spirit Nidus’s invincible being, why stay in the Tianyuan?”

There were far too many questions to ask, but Master Qing Cao would most likely only be willing to answer a select few.

Master Qing Cao said, “I’m merely passing through this place. I was on my way to the Spirit Nidus from the Tianyuan.”

Lu Yin stared at Master Qing Cao with a growing sense of nervousness. “You went back to the Tianyuan?”

Master Qing Cao sighed. “I nearly reset the Tianyuan.”

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed.

“You can relax. It did not happen yet,” Master Qing Cao added.

Lu Yin’s heart settled. “If you wanted to reset my megaverse, don’t you need to obtain the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s consent first?”

Master Qing Cao sighed. “It would seem that you’ve seen the relationship between the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the other three megaverses, and yet you still fail to see the full situation.

“The Nine Odysseys Megaverse may control the life or death of the three megaverses, but I cannot be controlled by them.”

Lu Yin understood. “Why would you want to reset the Tianyuan? Does the Spirit Nidus have a group of people ready to attempt to reach the Immortal realm?”

There was a hint of mockery to his tone, given that he had already captured the most talented individuals from the Spirit Nidus. Master Qing Cao remained completely unfazed. “Resetting your megaverse would help you as well as us. The trouble that you left behind is far from being resolved.”

“The Nests.” Lu Yin clenched a fist, suddenly reminded of what he had seen after examining the meteorite’s karma. Were those insects really on their way for the Tianyuan Megaverse?

Master Qing Cao’s expression turned grave. “That civilization is quite frightening. If it were only what’s already present in the Tianyuan, it would not matter. However, such an aggressive civilization will never be content with a single megaverse. They roam the Aevum Inch, seeking out megaverse after megaverse. The fact that the civilization has survived for so long is proof of their strength. It would be far more reasonable for them to have been exterminated before this. But in luring that civilization to the Tianyuan Megaverse, you’ve exposed your megaverse to all outside megaverses.

“Do you understand the purpose of Beacon City? First, it serves as a beachhead for assaulting the Consciousness Megaverse. Second, it stands guard over the springboard and prevents anyone from secretly using it and drawing outside attention.

“A torch is always the most dangerous in the dark.”

Lu Yin quietly concluded, “So, you want to reset the Tianyuan in order to blind the Nest civilization.”

Master Qing Cao nodded. “Precisely. There are far too many Nests within the Tianyuan Megaverse, each exposing its location. Not even I can promise that I could locate all of them. Drawing that civilization’s attention has already doomed you. The situation is quite dire there, and the Nest civilization has not even arrived yet. Just the threat of their arrival has left the Tianyuan Megaverse struggling to endure.

“All that’s missing is the complete annihilation of your megaverse’s most powerful experts, nothing more.”