Star Odyssey

These countless stone steles recorded the names of those who had died during the war. Each name represented a once living, breathing person, all of whom were now buried beneath the yellow earth.

Lu Yin looked at the names of Blood Tower and the others that had been carved onto the stone stele before him. The faces of old friends lingered in his mind. He would never be able to speak with them again.

He said nothing. What needed to be said had already been said at the conclusion of the war.

The memorial was as heavy as it was silent.

There would be many more such wars in the future. Fate had actually been kind to humanity, allowing them a chance to struggle. So many civilizations had been completely destroyed without ever having the slightest chance to resist.

After having gone through one such war, whatever sacrifices were made in future wars would be within what people could mentally endure.

***

On the mountain behind the Heavens Sect, where Lu Yin tended to go into seclusion, he stared at three piles of ash. They had once been the “luck” characters.

Beside the ashes was a bit of blood. It was from Xiang Siyu. She had been injured, though she had not said how. She had already gone back to recover.

Luck... Had his breakthrough really been successful because of luck? Or was luck what had allowed him to break through at the exact moment that he had wanted?

If the "luck" characters had remained intact, Lu Yin would not have thought too much about the matter, but the fact that all three had turned into ash changed the situation.

A short while later, Lu Yin and Green Lotus were sitting at a table on the mountain while Long Xi brewed tea.

The Greater Sancte took a sip and sighed. "Being able to drink a cup of tea at this moment is the greatest enjoyment in the mortal world."

What he was sighing over was not the pleasure of the tea, but rather life itself. Everyone had thought that their human civilization would be erased during the war. Even Lu Yin had thought so.

He also sipped his tea. "Senior, has your karma recovered?"

"I stayed in the Mirari Realm for a long time, so I managed to recover quite a bit. What about you?"

"Gao Tian restored my Karmic Dao, and it even increased it somewhat."

"The way you are able to increase your power of karma is both simple and brutal. It really does leave one envious."

"I can’t be brutal any longer," Lu Yin said with a shrug.

Green Lotus sighed. "We have lost Lu Yin the Aberrant but gained a Lu Yin who is an absolute powerhouse and who can deter foreign enemies. I really do not know if it was worth it."

Lu Yin looked at the other man. "From now on, our human civilization will have to continue to rely on your protection, Senior."

Green Lotus nodded. "Do not worry. Use as much time as possible to wear away at your karmic chain. Unfortunately, the Mirari Realm cannot help with that."

Lu Yin agreed, saying, "The Mirari Realm only has a branch of the River of Aeons while karmic chains must be related to the River of Aeons’ main stream. If the Mirari Realm could wear away karmic chains, it would have been used to do so long ago."

Green Lotus laughed despite himself. "The Plume Immortals' Thousand-Autumn Dream is an impressive technique. It would be quite good if we could learn it."

Lu Yin's eyes flickered. "I would rather look for Ni Bieluo."

Green Lotus was stunned, but then seemed to remember something. His expression grew somber. "Ni Bieluo is not simple. Are you confident?"

Lu Yin shook his head. "Not at all."

"Then it is better not to take the risk," Green Lotus suggested.

Lu Yin understood. The fact that he could only take action once more only allowed him to serve as a deterrence to humanity’s enemies. Whoever came after their human civilization would be unlucky, but after that, Lu Yin’s existence would lose all value. Their human civilization would once again become meat on the chopping block, to be slaughtered at will.

"Mr. Lu, I understand how difficult it is for you to be restrained right after breaking through to the Immortal realm, but—"

Lu Yin interrupted, "Senior Green Lotus, if I had considered these things, I would not have killed Nan Ling and the others. I do not regret it. The heavens never seal off every path. I will do everything I can to walk out of this."

Green Lotus was caught off guard. He had sealed himself in the Crimson Lotus Tomb with Nan Ling and thus did not know that Lu Yin had sent a clone to the Death Megaverse. There had not yet been time to share this story with the man.

At this moment, Master Qing Cao arrived. His expression was heavy, and he brought bad news. "Obscura has decided to invite Ni Bieluo to join them."

Lu Yin's expression changed. "Ni Bieluo?"

Green Lotus looked over at Lu Yin. Ni Bieluo had only been mentioned, and yet Wang Wen had already made a move. That was truly fast.

There was no need to make any guesses; it had to be Wang Wen who was inviting Ni Bieluo to join. What other member of Obscura had a connection to Ni Bieluo?

Wang Wen was even capable of using Ni Bieluo.

Lu Yin's mood grew even worse. Wang Wen was not only incomparably powerful himself, but he also understood human civilization extremely well. In fact, he even understood Lu Yin extremely well.

It could be said that not even Lu Yin himself understood himself as well as Wang Wen did.

Wang Wen saw through human nature, possessed extraordinary intelligence, and laid far-reaching plans. Every step he took allowed him to anticipate his enemies’ actions. He was extremely difficult to deal with.

"Judging from your expression, it appears that Ni Bieluo joining Obscura would be very disadvantageous for us," Master Qing Cao observed.

Lu Yin nodded and then proceeded to share his idea of using Ni Bieluo to find a way to transfer his karmic chain.

After listening, Master Qing Cao commented, "Wang Wen must have guessed your thoughts as well. Since he is doing this to stop you, it means that he believes you might succeed."

"Is it really possible?" Lu Yin himself was lacking a great deal of confidence.

Green Lotus said, "From the perspective of karma, it is almost impossible. There are so many powerhouses in the Aevum Inch who have comprehended karma, yet I have never heard of anyone being able to transfer their karmic chain. There is not even a joke about that."

Master Qing Cao said, "But from the perspective of contest and strategy, it is possible. Wang Wen does not waste effort. Since he did this, it means that he believes it is possible."

Compared to Green Lotus, Lu Yin trusted Wang Wen more, if for no other reason than the fact that Wang Wen was too strong. He far surpassed the Greater Sancte.

While both Lu Yin and Green Lotus had comprehended karma, even if Wang Wen had not done so, Lu Yin still believed that the man possessed unique insights into the path of karma.

"Senior, in your opinion, how likely is it that Ni Bieluo will join Obscura?" Lu Yin asked, looking over at Master Qing Cao. This person was no longer the Master Qing Cao that Lu Yin had once known, but rather Greater Sancte Mi Jin, as well as Progenitor Hui.

This was the man who, at the very beginning of the war, had forced Wang Wen to leave. If not for that, if Wang Wen had taken action, even if he had chosen not to kill anyone to avoid increasing his karmic chain, he could have still severely injured all of the human civilization's experts. It was even uncertain if the Origin Progenitor would have been able to freeze the Human Trio.

Wang Wen's departure was the cornerstone for the victory that humanity had won in the war, and it had happened at the very beginning.

It could be said that, from the moment that Mi Jin had first learned of the existence of the Keeper of Balance until the start of the war, everything had been for that one moment when Wang Wen had been banished. That moment had allowed the Trio to persevere. That instant had rewritten history.

Green Lotus also looked at Master Qing Cao.

The man thought for a moment and then slowly said, "Wang Wen's goal is to prevent you from possibly using Ni Bieluo to find a method to transfer your karmic chain. At a time like this, regardless of whether we make contact with Ni Bieluo or stop it from joining Obscura, we will be touching Wang Wen's nerves. So, we cannot do anything. Before we are able to clearly see Wang Wen's methods, anything that we do could plunge our civilization into an abyss."

The better one understood Wang Wen, the warier they would be of him. Even Lu Yin was extremely wary of him, let alone Master Qing Cao, who had observed Wang Wen for countless years.

"However, we can still have someone else make contact, someone whom even Wang Wen cannot predict," Master Qing Cao continued.

"The Immortal Lord?" Lu Yin suggested.

Master Qing Cao shook his head. "All of our past connections cannot exceed Wang Wen's expectations. If I am not mistaken, the Immortal Lord may not necessarily stand with us any longer."

After a moment’s thought, Lu Yin agreed. The Immortal Lord had always been a fence-sitter, following whoever could help them.

Wang Wen was too powerful and overbearing. He had always suppressed human civilization, and he was also Obscura’s Keeper of Balance, which meant that he was special even within Obscura.

Green Lotus said, "If none of our past connections will work, then it can only be someone new."

Master Qing Cao looked at Lu Yin. "Hong Xia."

"Hong Xia?"

"Hong Xia?"

Lu Yin and Green Lotus were both surprised. They had never considered Hong Xia.

Master Qing Cao said, "Only Hong Xia can help us."

***

In Crimson Starshade’s megaverse, the Blood Tower had been restored to normal, and Jiu Wen sat in it cross-legged. He appeared calm, yet he was quite anxious internally. He had fallen victim to something. Although he did not know what kind of power it was, he was very clear that he had lost control of himself for a period of time, and he had no idea what might have happened during that time.

It was very possible that something had happened at the Trio.

Even so, he could not leave the Blood Tower. If something really had happened to the Trio, it was already too late even if he did go. If everything was still safe and sound, Lu Yin would eventually return to pay a visit. His speed with teleportation was far faster than if Jiu Wen were to travel to the Trio himself.

He could only wait.

Days passed, one after another. One day, a figure suddenly appeared outside of the Blood Tower. Jiu Wen looked over and was overjoyed by what he saw. "Mr. Lu!"

Lu Yin had teleported over to Crimson Starshade, and the first person that he saw was Jiu Wen.

There were two reasons why Hong Xia had dared to move against the Trio. First, he had been absolutely certain that the Trio would be destroyed. Second, Jiu Wen had been trapped and prevented from being able to affect Hong Xia.

Green Lotus had been released from his sealed state and had immediately threatened to help Jiu Wen escape. That was the only way for him to force Hong Xia to retreat. If not for that, the man would have been included among the powerful enemies who had waged war on the human civilization.

"Senior, are you all right?" Lu Yin asked.

Jiu Wen hurriedly asked, "How is the Trio?"

Lu Yin's expression grew solemn as he slowly shared the details of the war that had just been fought. Jiu Wen was left stunned as he listened.

Every one of the supreme powerhouses who had attacked them surpassed his own power, and there had even been some who surpassed Hong Xia. A full-scale assault had been launched on the Trio, and yet humanity had actually managed to survive.

"Mr. Lu, you broke through to the Immortal realm?"

"If I hadn’t broken through, I would no longer be here."

Jiu Wen immediately glanced at Lu Yin's wrist. Lu Yin had never hidden his karmic chain. The entire reason why he had personally killed Gao Tian was to deliberately bring his karmic chain close to completion so that Wang Wen would feel at ease. Lu Yin would not hide it from anyone. It would be best if the entire Aevum Inch knew, as only then would their human civilization be safe. No one would want to fight to the death against a pinnacle powerhouse whose karmic chain was close to completion. At the same time, Lu Yin could use his karmic chain to conceal the movements of his clones, accomplishing two goals at once.

Seeing that the karmic chain on Lu Yin's wrist was close to completion, Jiu Wen felt sorrow. He compared it to his own, as he knew that his own karmic chain was already quite long. Even so, it could not compare to Lu Yin's.

The increase that a karmic chain saw after slaughtering countless ordinary cultivators could not compare to the increase brought about by killing even a single Immortal, and Lu Yin had killed beings who were far from average Immortals. At the very least, they had all been peak two-law Immortals, and one had even been Gao Tian, who had been an absolute powerhouse.

To be bound by a karmic chain immediately upon breaking through to the Immortal realm was suffocating; even Jiu Wen pitied Lu Yin.

But what could be done? If not for this, the Trio would have been completely destroyed.

"You have suffered." Jiu Wen's expression fell.

Xi Shangfeng also saw Lu Yin's wrist. He was shocked, but even more so, he was impressed. Everyone said that the Path of Dispassion was ruthless, but when compared to Mr. Lu, it simply did not qualify.

The ruthlessness of the Path of Dispassion, whether toward oneself or others, was ultimately for the sake of ascending higher. Yet Mr. Lu chose to cut off his own future the moment he reached the end of the road. That resolve was far more ruthless than anything found within the Path of Dispassion.

"Senior, are you all right?" Lu Yin asked.

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