Star Odyssey

Chapter 3678: Are You Even Qualified?

“Two powerful sects, both of which suit you well, are willing to accept you during your lowest state. Which one do you choose?” Lu Yin suddenly asked.

Yi Shang hesitated briefly. “I would want to think about it.”

“Think?” Lu Yin laughed. “Are you even qualified to think about it?”

Yi Shang stared at Lu Yin in a daze for a moment before giving him a bitter smile. “True, am I qualified to think about it? The moment that thought appears, I’ve already failed.”

To a sect, a fallen man was no different from an ant. Accepting such a person was already showing him great favor. If that man still wanted more, even a chance to consider the matter, he would be insulting both sects. The faster a decision was made, the more the chosen sect would feel acknowledged, even if only by an ant. From there, the greater the benefits the man would reap. The fact that the other sect would be offended was not something that such a person would even need to consider.

Think? Many people were ruined by that one word.

It was better for most people to be decisive.

Yi Shang inhaled deeply. If given the opportunity to return to his youth, he would have acted more decisively. Given how long he had lived, he understood this principle. However, he had stood at the peak for too long, and he had unconsciously started to weigh his decisions. It was possible that this was also a merchant’s instinct.

How well did the scenario that Lu Yin had mentioned describe Yi Shang’s current predicament?

Was he even qualified to try to negotiate with Lu Yin? Asking the younger man to save Yi Xia and then offering to turn over all that Yi Shang had gathered throughout his life while also swearing to work for Lu Yin? Everything about that was wrong. He should have first sworn allegiance, and only then should he have begged Lu Yin to save Yi Xia. The order was wrong.

Yi Shang wanted to speak, yet he could not find any words.

Before long, everyone saw the enormous gate that marked the boundary of the megaverse.

Lu Yin stared at the distant structure. The Tianyuan Megaverse also had a massive gate at its boundary, and the two were very similar.

Lu Yin’s feelings upon first seeing the gate were completely different from his current reaction.

Already, countless cultivators from the Spirit Nidus had lined up at the boundary. When those people saw the battleships arrive, they readied themselves for boarding. The expedition would soon leave for the Consciousness Megaverse.

Yi Shang looked in one direction. It was possible to send a message to Beacon City, and the man was looking in the direction of the many available springboards.

When Lu Yin had communicated with the Spirit Nidus from Beacon City, many springboards had been destroyed. However, there were still enough to send out some messages.

“Go on,” Lu Yin calmly stated.

Yi Shang bowed. “Thank you, Seraph Lu.”

With that, the old man moved towards the springboards.

The seven enormous battleships lined up in a row. Countless cultivators boarded six of the vessels, but none boarded Boundless.

Dukkhans sat on each battleship: Meng Sang, Jiu Xian, Su Shidao, Old Salamander, as well as the High Seraph, the Ascendant Hall’s Zi Tianshu, and more. More than half of the Spirit Nidus’s top experts were joining this expedition to the Consciousness Megaverse.

Lu Yin noticed the various human-form Spirit Rebirths, including several hidden masters, as well as all of the hidden beast‑form Spirit Rebirths which were part of the expedition.

There were other hidden areas, and he did not know whether Yong Heng had also joined the expedition.

There was also no telling just how many of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s experts were present.

This expedition had been incited by the Consciousness Megaverse’s efforts to dig the High Seraph’s grave, but no one could predict who would be the one to ultimately end up buried.

Yi Shang approached his destination at the boundary. He had visited the location many times in the past to send messages to Beacon City, especially after Yi Xia had become the city lord. In fact, Yi Shang had visited this place more than anyone else in the Spirit Nidus.

He was very familiar with the location.

However, he was stopped before he could arrive at his destination.

“Senior, please turn back. Lord High Seraph has ordered that no one is allowed to approach.”

Yi Shang said nothing and tried to force his way forward.

An old man appeared from the side. “Yi Shang, you dare to defy Lord High Seraph’s commands?”

Yi Shang glanced over. “I didn’t expect even you to be allowed out this time. Ah, I just remembered. Wasn’t this the price agreed upon for you to join the Ascendant Hall? The High Seraph promised you a place at the reset, didn’t he?”

The old man’s face fell. He was the same Dukkhan from the Ascendant Hall who had once served as Hua Manyi’s guard. He had also joined the efforts to prevent Ru Guo from returning to Heavenspire. While the Dukkhan had failed at both of those tasks, those failures did not preclude him from accompanying the expedition to the Consciousness Megaverse. This was something that had been agreed upon with the High Seraph even before the old man had joined the Ascendant Hall.

The man was a bit lacking when compared to those like Yi Shang who had held the title of Seraph, yet simply being a Dukkhan was in and of itself a qualification. The old man might not be an outstanding Dukkhan, but he was still capable of stopping Yi Shang from using a springboard to contact Beacon City.

The old man’s appearance presented a difficult obstacle for Yi Shang.

“Open communication has always been allowed between the Spirit Nidus and Beacon. What grounds does the High Seraph have to put a stop to that?” Yi Shang asked, his expression grim.

The old man coldly retorted, “Everything within the Spirit Nidus belongs to Lord High Seraph, and the boundary is even more so under his authority. Leave.”

Yi Shang was not willing to simply give up. If Beacon City knew nothing of the expedition, then the moment the High Seraph arrived would be the moment that Yi Xia fell. Rong Xiang had once been Yi Shang’s hidden trump card, and his efforts to raise Yi Xia to become a Seraph had been nothing more than a facade. However, after losing all hope of obtaining the Divine Projection sequence base, Yi Xia had truly become Yi Shang’s final hope.

He wanted the Yi clan’s bloodline to continue.

With that thought, Yi Shang attacked.

The old man retaliated at the same moment.

The two restricted their battlefield to a very small area so that it would not be noticed.

Still, aftershocks from their attacks spread further and further. No matter what, it was a battle between two Dukkhans.

“Begone!” A sharp shout caused space to warp, and the gate at the boundary of the megaverse trembled. Countless cultivators covered their ears and stared at Boundless in shock.

Lu Yin had yelled, blasting a shockwave at the old man blocking Yi Shang’s path. Terrified, the old man hastily retreated. He did not dare to meet the shockwave head‑on. The old man’s face was pale as he stared at Boundless. What terrifying pressure! Is he on the same level as the High Seraph?

Aboard Genesis, the High Seraph looked at Boundless. “Seraph Lu, that was excessive.”

Lu Yin gazed back at Genesis. “What’s wrong with my man using the springboards?”

“Your man?” The High Seraph turned back to look at Yi Shang.

Yi Shang froze, a chill enveloping him. He did not dare move. It felt as though a single twitch would lead to death.

Lu Yin flatly stated, “That’s right, my man.”

As the two men spoke, the universe shifted, and an invisible power pushed Yi Shang closer to the springboards.

The High Seraph’s voice rang out in response. “Even your people must follow the rules.”

His voice was accompanied by another invisible power that tried to push Yi Shang backwards.

The two waves of pressure squeezed Yi Shang, and he coughed up blood.

Yi Shang could use the pressure from the High Seraph to move against Lu Yin, as the pressure from Lu Yin was weaker, but that was not the option that the old man took. Instead, Yi Shang simply endured, allowing himself to be assaulted by the two waves of power.

Seeing this put a frown on the High Seraph’s face. This was not at all expected.

While the pressure from the two men was not enough to crush a Dukkhan to death, Yi Shang’s dignity had been completely destroyed. He was nothing more than a pawn being used in two other men’s game. Even so, Yi Shang refused to retreat.

Lu Yin truly is capable.

Clang!

A bell tolled, and all pressure suddenly vanished. The sound of the Dao Bell rang out from Boundless. Yuan Qi had rung his Dao Bell for the first time since returning to the Spirit Nidus.

It had been many years since this bell had been heard in the Spirit Nidus.

“War is imminent. The bigger picture is what matters,” Yuan Qi stated. These few words gave Yi Shang the chance to recover, and he hurried towards the springboards.

The High Seraph no longer bothered to block the man. “Such a familiar sound, Seraph Yuan Qi. I hope to see your Dao Bell again in battle in the Consciousness Megaverse.”

From Boundless, Yuan Qi replied, “You will.”

The man’s intervention had served as a reminder to everyone in the Spirit Nidus that there was a second Seraph aboard Boundless.

Yuan Qi was no ordinary Seraph. He was a truly ancient powerhouse, and he had only ever been considered weaker than Emperor Wu among the Seven Seraphs. His Dao Bell had once shaken the entire Spirit Nidus, and his power was unfathomable. In fact, even the High Seraph had some concerns.

Lu Yin looked at Genesis and the High Seraph.

The man’s expression was perfectly calm. He looked as though nothing at all had just occurred.

The Dukkhan returned to the Genesis.

Yi Shang was able to use a springboard to send a message to Beacon City.

In Beacon City, Yi Xia had not received any messages from the Spirit Nidus for a long time. He had effectively been cut off from the Spirit Nidus ever since Boundless had left Beacon City, and so, Yi Xia knew nothing about the recent events.

Finally, he received word.

When Yi Xia saw the message, his expression changed dramatically. An expedition to the Consciousness Megaverse? This is a problem. The High Seraph himself would be arriving in Beacon City, and that man would be a tragedy for Yi Xia.

His knowledge of the Lesser Spirit Megaverse was enough for the High Seraph to simply eliminate Yi Xia.

Yi Shang had sent the message in order to warn his grandson to avoid the High Seraph. Unfortunately, Beacon City was in the Aevum Inch. Where was Yi Xia supposed to hide? His only option was to use a springboard to leave.

He could not use a springboard to go to the Consciousness Megaverse, as he would certainly be found there by the High Seraph.

The other option was to use the springboards that led to the Tianyuan Megaverse. Boundless had constructed springboards during its journey, but if the High Seraph was determined to deal with Yi Xia, those springboards could be followed just as easily as the ones that led to the Consciousness Megaverse. Leaving Beacon City would be even more dangerous than staying. There was only one other solution... Yi Xia looked toward the Severance sequence base.

Yi Xia soon summoned the remaining two deputy city lords, and on the pretext of going into seclusion to prepare for a breakthrough, he turned over all of the city affairs.

The two deputy city lords had been won over by Yi Xia long ago, and they both obeyed him without question.

A few days later, all of the Spirit Nidus cultivators at the boundary had boarded the battleships. Genesis took the lead, and the enormous gate opened. The battleships moved to a springboard and then instantly vanished, already on their way to Beacon City.

Battleship after battleship set out.

Boundless left third. It was flung out by the springboard, entering the Aevum Inch and flying in Beacon City’s direction.

It would take them ten years to reach their destination.

On the battleship, people stared out at the familiar dark sky. None of them had expected to return to this place again.

They had left the Tianyuan Megaverse and passed through the Aevum Inch to reach the Spirit Nidus. They had never imagined that they would ever return to the Aevum Inch, as they had resolved themselves to die in the Spirit Nidus. Seeing the familiar darkness again produced feelings too complex for words.

Lu Yin looked forward. Upon arriving at Beacon City, if he so desired, he believed that he had a good chance of redirecting Boundless back to the Tianyuan Megaverse. The road home would be so close, and yet he was not able to take it.

Even if everyone on Boundless had prepared themselves for death, if the chance arose, they would readily return home. The chances of that happening were constantly increasing.

When the last battleship used the springboard and entered the Aevum Inch, the gate at the boundary of the Spirit Nidus closed, leaving countless staring, awaiting an outcome.

In Heavenspire, a figure arrived at the ruins of the Yu family’s home. A casual wave of a hand reduced the ruins to nothing more than dust, and the figure immediately moved on towards the Spirit Nidus.

...

Seven enormous battleships traveled through the Aevum Inch on their way to Beacon City, though none was able to see any of the others.

Each time a battleship launched from a springboard, it had already traveled an unimaginable distance by the time the next ship followed suit. The springboards harnessed the power of the omniverse itself, and the force released in that instant was beyond the reach of human capabilities.

Lu Yin had once wondered how formidable he would be if he could obtain the power of a springboard.

Just a single slap would swat even a Seraph dead.

It would take them ten years to reach Beacon City, and during the trip, Lu Yin started teaching others Ru Shi’s Wayfinder Sutra.