Chapter 4108: Wei Cheng
Chapter 4108: Wei Cheng
Lu Yin understood that, while Greater Sancte Green Lotus was incredibly powerful, there were definitely beings in the Aevum Inch that were even stronger. It was even possible for the creature that had noticed Lu Yin’s delve into Astral Anura’s karma to be one such being.
With their human civilization facing crises on all sides, if Greater Sancte Green Lotus was injured, the consequences would be far graver than normal.
“Based on your guess, how does Astral Anura’s civilization compare to Obscura?”
“We truly know nothing for certain about either Obscura or Astral Anura’s civilization. However, given that Lan Meng is using the Tricolor Skyborne to lure Astral Anura’s civilization here, it can be inferred that not even Astral Anura’s civilization measures up to Obscura.”
Lu Yin nodded his agreement.
“However, the gap must not be that large, or else Obscura would have simply directly driven Astral Anura’s civilization here. There would have been no need to use the Tricolor Skyborne as bait,” Greater Sancte Green Lotus concluded.
Lu Yin thought for a moment. “It’s also possible that this is simply Obscura’s way of doing things.”
“Possibly. If we could view the Tricolor Skyborne's karma, we might be able to learn something, but Lan Meng’s presence makes that impossible. However, we can be certain that our human civilization is no match for Astral Anura's civilization. If not, Obscura would not have taken these actions,” Greater Sancte Green Lotus said in a low voice.
Lu Yin mentally agreed, and rubbed his temples. “Astral Anura... can he change his civilization’s attitude towards us?”
Greater Sancte Green Lotus looked at him. “That is also possible, if not likely.”
Lu Yin exhaled. They simply had no understanding of Astral Anura's civilization, but from dealing with the toad himself, it was already clear that his civilization would be anything but easy to deal with.
Back when humans had been fighting for survival against Aeternus in the Tianyuan, Astral Anura had been happy to do business with both sides and had profited from everyone. He was a far cry from being a moral individual.
Furthermore, his recent display when meeting the Tricolor Skyborne served as proof that Astral Anura's civilization was anything but modest. Given the laws of survival of the Aevum Inch and the civilization’s apparent attitude, the odds of having an open discussion with them were less than one in a million.
Trying to change a civilization’s attitude through Astral Anura might as well be a dream.
At best, the toad could be a channel for communication, nothing more.
They could afford to neither underestimate nor overestimate Astral Anura’s role.
That was a part of self-awareness.
In the Aevum Inch, it was critical to always remain self-aware.
Obscura, the Nest civilization, Astral Anura's civilization, the Tricolor Skyborne: each was a blade looming above human civilization.
Even Greater Sancte Green Lotus could barely endure the pressure.
Lu Yin sat on the mountain behind the Heavens Sect for days, but he failed to think of a way to break the current deadlock.
Once the gap in strength reached a certain level, even unmatched intelligence would be rendered helpless.
“Sometimes life is like a lock that binds us tight. Mortals face mortal hardships, while cultivators carry their own burdens. No one has an easy time of things, not even Immortals.” Wang Wen arrived and advised in an emotional tone.
Lu Yin softly agreed, “I’ve felt that way far too many times.”
“What’s wrong? Do you think that we can’t get through this time?” Wang Wen asked.
Lu Yin looked over. “What do you think?”
Wang Wen gave a carefree, relaxed smile. “Remember what I said the last time I saw you, Your Royal Chesspiece?”
“We’ve already reached the limits of what we can learn. There’s no way to know anything further.”
“Not that.”
“Pull one in and pit them against each other?”
“Also not that.”
Lu Yin arched a brow. “That human civilization can’t find Astral Anura a female?”
Wang Wen sighed. “The very first thing I said: we should run.”
Lu Yin stared at the man, saying nothing.
Wang Wen continued to say, “It sounds ugly and is hard to do, but it’s the only way out. When it comes to war, when the weaker side is forced to separate their forces in all different directions and aren’t able to concentrate their strength, only death awaits them.”
“You want me to abandon the Tianyuan and join the Nine Odysseys Megaverse?”
“Don’t tell me that you haven’t been thinking about exactly that this whole time.”
Lu Yin let out a wry laugh. “You do know me well.”
Wang Wen shook his head. “It can’t be helped. We know each other too well.”
Lu Yin rose to his feet and looked up at the stars. People were constantly entering and exiting the Heavens Sect. In the distance, he could see the massive form of the slumbering Ancestor Tortoise. Even farther, he could make out the Astral River and its various tributaries. How many people lived in the observable universe? How many of them were cultivators? He could not abandon them all.
That was not as simple as simply making a decision.
The entire Tianyuan revered Lu Yin and would give everything for him. They had gone so far as to unite their collective will with his, so how could he abandon them?
“You’re not abandoning them, but rather changing your strategy. After all, Your Royal Chesspiece, you have an edge that no Immortal can match: you are free to kill.” By the end, Wang Wen’s eyes had gained a bone-chilling cold. Lu Yin had never seen anything like that in him.
This coldness was aimed at the Tricolor Skyborne and all the other creatures that threatened humanity.
Lu Yin was not an Immortal. He did not have the restrictions of a karmic chain, and yet he possessed the combat strength of an Immortal. It was an unbeatable combination.
If Lu Yin were thrown against the Tricolor Skyborne, then so long as someone restrained the Immortal snail, Lu Yin would be able to eradicate all the other giant snails. That would remove one pending threat, while also reducing the chances of Astral Anura's civilization arriving.
Wang Wen was not the first to have this thought, but he was the only one who had said anything aloud.
Everyone was aware of how much Lu Yin cared for the Tianyuan. If he left, even if he managed to eliminate the Tricolor Skyborne, the Tianyuan might still be destroyed, whether by the Immortal Lord, the Immortal monster, or some other possibility.
This was precisely why Greater Sancte Green Lotus had not mentioned the possibility, and also why he could not.
No one had brought it up.
Lu Yin himself had certainly considered the option. It was precisely what he had been thinking about over the last few days.
Leaving the Tianyuan would be tantamount to abandoning it, and yet it was the only way.
He could not make the Nine Odysseys Megaverse merge with the Tianyuan. To begin with, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had several Immortals and was the larger megaverse. Second, the Spirit Nidus lay beneath it, and the Consciousness Megaverse was nearby. Third, the Nine Odysseys was closer to where the Tricolor Skyborne had settled down.
Even one of those reasons alone rendered it impossible to abandon the Nine Odysseys Megaverse for the Tianyuan.
It was a painful choice.
“There’s nothing that is absolutely right or wrong—civilization comes first. The human race comes first. You’ve done more than enough for the Tianyuan, but you also need to step beyond it and consider all of humanity,” Wang Wen said. With that, he left.
Lu Yin silently stared off into the distance.
More than one person had asked him what he would choose between the Tianyuan and the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, while others had asked how he would choose between the Tianyuan and the entire human civilization.
In the past, he had replied that he had wanted to save all of humanity, but at this moment, when he was faced with the actual choice, how could he?
Life offered many choices; but why was it impossible to choose everything?
Having a choice, after all, was what made life life.
Many were waiting for Lu Yin’s.
The unseen pressure was smothering him, making it difficult to breathe. Why did he have to be the one to choose? Why was it him? He had already done so much, endured so much; why did it all still fall upon him?
He clenched his fists while he continued to stare off into space. It felt like the universe itself had become a whirlpool that was dragging him down. He could not see any way out. There was no light.
He had brought light to others; why did no one bring light to him?
Waa! Waa! Waa!
A baby’s cry rang through the darkness, like a beam of light that shone upon Lu Yin’s face. Surprised, he looked over at a certain corner of the Heavens Sect. Isn’t that Wei Rong’s residence?
Lu Yin vanished from the mountain and reappeared just outside of a courtyard.
At the moment, there were many people gathered both inside and outside of the courtyard, all of them waiting.
As the baby’s cries rang out, everyone offered their congratulations in unison.
Wei Rong returned each cheer with a broad smile.
“Lord Lu?”
“Greetings, Lord Lu.”
“Greetings, Lord Lu...”
Wei Rong looked out. He was surprised to see Lu Yin. He hurried out and offered a respectful bow. “Wei Rong offers his greetings, Your Highness.”
Lu Yin looked at the man and then past him and into the courtyard. “Your child?”
Wei Rong answered while maintaining his bow, “Yes, my child with Angie.”
Angie? If Wei Rong had not mentioned the name, Lu Yin would have most likely forgotten the woman.
The matriarch of the Outerverse’s Umbral Butterfly Tribe had once allied with Wei Rong when the Innerverse and Outerverse had been separated. At that time, Wei Rong had schemed against the Outerverse Lockbreaker Society, with his plots giving the Outerverse’s various factions hope of toppling the giants who stood above them. At that time, Angie had followed Wei Rong and become his woman. She had been determined to make her Umbral Butterfly Tribe his blade when carving out territory.
Later, when Wei Rong had lost to Lu Yin and then fallen under his banner, Angie had left him. At the time, she had even looked down on Wei Rong.
After many twists and turns, the two had ended up back together, and she had just borne him a child.
Lu Yin’s gaze swept across the area. In the distance, he could see Ah Mu also maintaining a respectful bow.
That man had been placed at Angie’s side by Lu Yin to keep watch on her. The man possessed a steady mind, and in order to win Lu Yin’s trust, he had even claimed to like Angie, offering Lu Yin leverage over himself.
Looking back, those events had actually played out not all that long ago. It had only been a few hundred years, and yet it felt like ages had passed.
Even after so long, Ah Mu continued to stay with Angie and Wei Rong. Looking at the current situation, how could Wei Rong possibly not know Ah Mu’s purpose?
Lu Yin looked away and refocused on Wei Rong. “Congratulations.”
Wei Rong gratefully replied, “Thank you, Your Highness. The child has not yet been named. May I be bold enough to ask Your Highness to bestow the name?”
Lu Yin stared at the courtyard, but did not refuse. A name, huh?
Everyone waited.
Wei Rong’s subordinates were especially excited.
If the child were fortunate enough to receive a name from Lord Lu, their status would become exceedingly honored. They would be seen as no less than Lord Lu’s few disciples.
There was no doubt the child’s life would be smooth sailing.
Lu Yin smiled as he looked into the courtyard. “Since he’s a boy... let him be named Wei Cheng.”
Wei Rong’s eyes lit up as he looked at Lu Yin. “Wei Cheng... Wei Cheng.”
“When I was lost, your child’s cries brought light to me. I hope that he will also be able to bring light to all of humanity so that our race may carry on,” Lu Yin murmured.[1]
Wei Rong bowed low. “Many thanks, Your Highness.”
Those who overheard Lu Yin’s words were shaken. This name carried great significance, as did the child.
Many grew envious, wishing that their child had been born instead.
Lu Yin glanced at Wei Rong before leaving.
The courtyard regained its earlier bustle.
However, Wei Rong also left. He could tell that Lu Yin had something on his mind. It seemed important enough that Wei Rong did not spare so much as a glance for his child, despite his overwhelming desire to look after his child.
Back on the mountain behind the Heavens Sect, Lu Yin arrived. Long Xi silently brewed some tea for him.
“Reporting to Lord Lu: Wei Rong requests an audience.”
Lu Yin was caught off guard. “Show him in.”
Wei Rong arrived and bowed when he saw Lu Yin. “Greetings, Lord Lu.”
Lu Yin nodded. “You don’t want to see your own child? Why are you running here to see me?”
“You seem troubled, Your Highness.”
Lu Yin offered a wry smile. “I’m always troubled. It’s nothing. Go back and be with your child. Your wife also needs your company.”
Wei Rong stared at Lu Yin. “Is this about the war between civilizations? Your Highness, I’ve always felt that humanity has a common flaw: we try to grasp what doesn’t belong to us. Whether it’s control or even knowledge, too much of it is never good. Reaching beyond our limits only leaves us at a disadvantage.”
1. Wei Cheng (承—) means to carry, to bear, to inherit; to take up and continue something passed down. ☜