Chapter 2362: Can’t Do It

Lu Yin held the slipper as he climbed onto the jiao's back. The jiao suddenly felt a terrible chill run down its spine, as though something horrible was about to happen to it. It slowly turned its head, a claw still lodged in its nostril, as it stared at Lu Yin on its back. After seeing Lu Yin, the beast’s eyes locked onto the slipper in the human’s hand, and the massive pupils shrank sharply. The jiao let out a deafening roar without any warning, and the movement caused the claw to accidentally stab into the beast’s nostril and blood to start leaking from the jiao’s nose.

Lu Yin was startled by the abrupt reaction. "What are you making such a fuss about? Shut up!"

The jiao tried to intimidate Lu Yin by baring its fangs and flashing its claws. It was absolutely terrified of that slipper. However, when Lu Yin saw the jiao posturing about, he became upset. "You want to fight back?"

The jiao instinctively lowered its claws and head. It blinked its eyes and cautiously moved its head closer to Lu Yin. He could see the pleading that filled the massive eyes.

Countless people on the fourth, third, and fifth array bases were badly startled by the jiao’s actions, and even the generals and commanding Lockbreakers were intimidated. Everyone assumed that an enemy Progenitor was on the way when they had heard the frightened roar of the jiao, but no one could feel any hint of a Progenitor’s power.

Lu Yin stared at the jiao that was begging him for mercy, and his heart softened a bit. "I just want to test my strength."

The jiao kept its claws lowered and bent down, which was its way of demonstrating submission and surrender. It had been beaten by that slipper when it first arrived in the Fifth Mainland, and the experience had badly traumatized the beast for life.

Lu Yin pursed his lips. He really wanted to smack the beast and see how much of a difference Enhancing the slipper had made, but upon seeing the beast’s submissive pleading, Lu Yin could only sigh. "Alright, fine. I won’t slap you again."

The slipper was also put away, which delighted the jiao. It raised its head high and let out a joyous roar as it revealed its fangs and claws.

"Shut up!" Lu Yin yelled.

The jiao’s roar was cut off short, but the beast did not show any sign of irritation at being silenced. As long as Lu Yin did not beat the jiao, the jiao was happy to do whatever the human wanted.

Countless people were left stunned. They had just seen Lu Yin training the jiao like a dog! The beast had the strength of a Progenitor, so how was this even possible? Many people had their understanding of the universe shattered, and the Progenitor realm also suddenly seemed far closer than before. It was clear that even Progenitors were living creatures.

After seeing Lu Yin treat the jiao like a dog, everyone on the rear battlefield looked at the fourth array base in a different light.

Previously, they had thought that the jiao and Lu Yin had a cooperative relationship, as no one believed that Lu Yin could actually tame a creature with the strength of a Progenitor. However, after that scene, it seemed that their understanding had been mistaken. The jiao really had been broken.

The most infuriated person was Xia De, who felt that Lu Yin was stepping all over Shenwu's Sky’s reputation.

Time passed, and the fighting on the rear battlefield returned to normal. Mu Shang’s birthday celebration drew closer, and someone arrived on the rear battlefield from the Higher Realm to deliver some birthday gifts. The Lockbreakers on the rear battlefield also started discussing things, while occasionally sending glances towards Lu Yin and the fourth array base.

None of the Lockbreakers were optimistic about Lu Yin’s chances regarding his challenge to Mu Shang. Mu Shang was already an Array Grandmaster, and the youngest one in human history at that. It was simply impossible for anyone to surpass the man, though people also acknowledged that it was impossible to use common sense when it came to a person who had tamed a Progenitor-level beast.

Bai Wangyuan himself went to speak with Mu Shang in person to ask the man about Lu Yin’s challenge. Mu Shang responded by reassuring the Progenitor.

"It is certainly amazing that he was able to alter my sourcebox array, which is something that very few Realm Array Masters are capable of doing. He will absolutely become an Array Grandmaster in the future, as he clearly has the talent, but it’s still too early for him to challenge me. After seeing his alterations to my sourcebox array, he still can’t measure up to my level, and it will take a great deal of time for him to compensate for that difference between us." Mu Shang provided a rather thorough answer, which greatly reassured Bai Wangyuan.

The Progenitors were worried that Lu Yin might have hidden his abilities by purposely revealing weak abilities, but Mu Shang had no such worries. A glance had been sufficient to determine whether Lu Yin had been hiding something, as it was simply impossible to do so from him. Lu Xiaoxuan simply did not have the skills to hide his capabilities from Mu Shang.

The Array Grandmaster watched the time tick down. The anger that he had suppressed even began to disappear. It was not that Mu Shang had let go of his grudge against Lu Xiaoxuan, but rather that the anger was no longer needed. On Mu Shang’s birthday, Lu Xiaoxuan would be forced to pay his debt, and there was no one who could help him.

Not even Progenitors could necessarily become an Array Grandmaster, which was why such experts were respected even by Progenitors.

Even if the Fifth Mainland had Array Grandmasters, it was impossible for them to help Lu Xiaoxuan compensate for the difference in skill and ability between him and Mu Shang within such a short amount of time.

In the Fifth Mainland, Xia Ziheng returned to the Technocracy with an ugly expression on his face. He had also failed to obtain the Mountain and Sea’s inheritance.

As he returned, he saw a fierce battle raging between the Fifth Mainland cultivators and people from the Perennial World. Thus far, not a single person from the Perennial World had entered the Tower of the Fifth.

The Fifth Mainland was well prepared, and it had become clear that the Perennial World had greatly underestimated the Fifth Mainland. The Heavens Sect, which included the Sixth Mainland, the Astral Beast Domain, and people of the Human Domain, had fielded an army of cultivators that the Perennial World could not push past. Furthermore, the agreement between Lu Yin and Bai Wangyuan prevented the Perennial World from forcefully using powerhouses to bring their people through the barricade so that they could enter the Tower of the Fifth. The agreement actually rendered Bai Wangyuan and the other Progenitors helpless.

Simply traveling to the Tower of the Fifth was a test in and of itself.

…

On one particular day, at the entrance to the rear battlefield, Master Deng Guo, Master Song, Luo Fang, Master Zan, and the other Array Masters appeared one after another. People representing the Higher Realm also started to appear, including several Semi-Progenitors. Among them were Xia Zi Heng, Wu Yao, and other Semi-Progenitors who belonged to the four ruling powers. There were also experts from the Nong and Liu families, and even powerhouses from the Lower Realm.

As one of the Perennial World’s four Array Grandmasters, Mu Shang's birthday celebration drew a great deal of attention. However, it was not Mu Shang’s birthday that had brought people from the Nong and Liu families over, but rather the upcoming challenge.

Mu Shang was part of the Celestial Frost Sect, and while there was no reason for the Nong or Liu families to show Mu Shang any face, they were interested in Lu Yin’s affairs.

Finally, people from the Outer Realm arrived, which drew a great deal of attention.

There was a roar. It came from the jiao.

Many of the gathered people looked over, and Xia Ziheng's expression contorted horribly. That jiao belonged to the Xia family!

Long ago, when the Lu family had still been around, the Xia family’s defenses had been second only to the Lu family in the entire Perennial World. No matter what, the jiao was a beast with the strength of a Progenitor, and only the Lu family could compete against Shenwu’s Sky in terms of defense. However, not only had Lu Yin invaded and then escaped from Shenwu’s Sky, but he had also stolen their jiao, which was the greatest humiliation that the Xia family could even imagine.

Besides stealing their jiao, there was also the matter regarding Yu Hao and how Lu Yin had impersonated the man. Rather than just erasing the Yu family’s humiliation, it had placed everything squarely upon the Xia family.

The Xia family had used the Yu family as a means to intimidate the rest of the Perennial World so that no one would have the courage to hide or protect the Lu family’s surviving vassals. However, the Xia family’s intimidation tool had been turned against them by Lu Yin. The Xia family had suffered a far greater loss at Lu Yin’s hands than even the White Dragon Clan.

Even so, no one laughed at the Xia family. This was because Lu Yin had publicly managed to escape from even Xia Shenji, and the Progenitor was too terrifying a figure for anyone to laugh at.

"It's so impressive! That's Shenwu's Sky's jiao. Brother, make sure you remember not to mess with the beast. That creature is a symbol that represents Shenwu's Sky itself." A loud, piercing voice reached Xia Ziheng's ear. Nong Sanniang was speaking to Nong Lie, but the woman had been looking at Xia Ziheng with a mocking expression on her face the entire time.

Xia Ziheng's eyes grew cold. In the past, he would have taught the youths a lesson, even if they did belong to the Nong family. But given the precarious situation between Lu Yin and the four ruling powers, the Nong family and Liu family had become even more important than ever, as everything would change if they chose a side.

"The Sword Sect's swordsmanship is quite impressive, especially their Thirteen Swords inheritance. It’s exactly how the legends describe it." This time, it was Liu Hao speaking up. He had been released by Bai Wangyuan after the Progenitor returned to the Perennial World. After all, Progenitor Bai was not Lu Yin, and all of Lu Yin’s prisoners had been released to return to their own homes.

Liu Song, the master of the Graceful Sword Arts, was standing next to Liu Hao. "You must return to the Fifth Mainland and see if you can bring the Thirteen Swords back to us. When attacking Shenwu’s Sky, Lu Xiaoxuan managed to wound even Semi-Progenitor Xia Ziheng with the Thirteen Swords, which proves that it is a battle technique that can cross realms."

Xia Ziheng's expression grew worse than ever, and he shot a fierce glare at Liu Song. Xia Ziheng then moved away and walked to another side of the gathering.

"What? Is someone from the Xia family applying to our academy? No, no. What? He looks like Xia Ziheng? The young man can't be his bastard child. That’s impossible. That old thing’s too old and dried up. How could he have a child? The youth might be his descendant, so don’t accept him and drive him away. What a sneaky bastard!" the God of Food was shouting into his communication crystal, and Prof. Wei stood behind the old man, blinking as she observed his conversation. She happened to also see that Xia Ziheng was right beside them.

Xia Ziheng slowly turned his head and glared at the God of Food, furious. This was simply too crass! Did anyone even speak like that? The language was so crude that it was no different from cursing at Xia Ziheng. The Semi-Progenitor had never been openly insulted in such a manner in his entire life, and the manner was even more degrading and humiliating.

The old man wanted to shout back and say something to the God of Food, only to realize that he had absolutely no idea what to say.

"Old man, that can’t be right! Why would you say that Semi-Progenitor Xia Ziheng's all dried up?" A loud voice rang out from another location in the celebration venue.

Xia Ziheng looked over, his face still covered in a terrible expression. The voice was so loud that everyone present could hear the man. When Xia Ziheng looked over, he saw that the speaker was Kui Luo, the shameless bastard.

The God of Food’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Do you have proof otherwise?"

Ignoring everyone’s odd looks, Kui Luo answered, "Don’t you know that Semi-Progenitor Xia Ziheng has a harem with more than a hundred concubines back home?"

The God of Food looked shocked. "Is that true?"

"I know that you might not be aware of it, and you might even find it hard to believe, but Semi-Progenitor Xia Ziheng said that, since he is from a branch family and can’t practice the Nine Clones Secret Technique, he’d instead make his own clones. Each of his children is a clone, and they’re all his. If all of his kids are added up, then he must have more descendants than the entire history of the Xia family’s main line, including Progenitor Shenji," Kui Luo yelled loudly.

"Kui Luo, don't spout such bullshit!" Xia Ziheng shouted furiously. He simply could not tolerate any more slander as this was simply too much. Not only was this insulting to him, but Kui Luo was also insulting Progenitor Shenji.

The God of Food and Kui Luo looked over in unison. "Oh? Semi-Progenitor Ziheng? You’re still alive? I thought that you died in Shenwu's Sky."

Xia Ziheng roared, "Kui Luo, you are seeking death!"

With that, Xia Ziheng charged.

The surrounding guests were left completely speechless. Kui Luo's tongue was too vicious. The worst part was that he was also famous for spreading gossip. He had publicized many families’ secrets throughout the Perennial World, and everything that he leaked had proven to be true. Given Kui Luo’s reputation, everyone looked at Xia Ziheng differently. After all, it was possible that Kui Luo had been speaking the truth. It was difficult to say.

Xia Ziheng nearly vomited blood as he noticed the looks people were giving him. "Kui Luo, restore my innocence!"

Kui Luo let out an odd groan. "Fine. You can’t get it up any more. There’s proof that you don’t have that many concubines."

Xia Ziheng became so angry that he attacked. The two men vanished in a blink of an eye.

The God of Food pursed his lips. This had nothing to do with him.

Prof. Wei shook her head and looked in another direction, where Mu Shang had revealed himself.

Upon seeing the farce that was playing out, Mu Shang was not happy at all. "This is my, Mu Shang’s, birthday. I would like to thank you all for coming. I am truly very grateful to you all."

"Old man, Xia Ziheng! I’ve already said that it wasn’t true. What more do you want?" Kui Luo let out a strange scream, and his voice echoed throughout the area, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

Many people felt incredibly frustrated. There had been rumors of Kui Luo’s death, but the old bastard had reappeared with Lu Xiaoxuan. Everything about the man was revolting.

Mu Shang's expression fell. "Seniors, please show this junior a bit of face today. Can you call a truce for today?"