Chapter 2487: Shadows Of Life

The universe was currently at a stalemate. On one side was Lu Yin, Mu Xie, and Arch-Elder Zen, and they were opposed by the four ruling powers. Specter Abyss, Progenitor Smoke, and the Nong family had remained as neutral parties, but things had started to lean towards Lu Yin's favor. Even so, Lu Yin had still attacked Specter Progenitor, which left many people badly confused.

Not only had Lu Yin attacked Specter Progenitor, but it had also been a vicious and ruthless attack. He had clearly tried to kill Specter Progenitor just now.

Silence reigned as Lu Yin rode the jiao through the rift that was connected to Aeternus Nation. To one side stood Xia Qin and Bai Wangyuan, and Wang Fan stood a distance away. The furthest away was Specter Progenitor, whose body was flickering oddly.

After a moment of silence, Bai Wangyuan spoke up, "Wang Fan, explain what is going on. Specter Progenitor is you, which means that you are the one who leaked the battle techniques that belong to our Celestial Frost Sect and Shenwu’s Sky."

Wang Fan instantly denied it. "I didn't leak anything."

"Then how do you explain Specter Progenitor? What's your relationship with him?" Bai Wangyuan demanded.

Xia Qin also felt quite curious. "Did you cultivate the Nine Clones Secret Technique?"

Wang Fan turned to look at Xia Qin. "Not all clones originate from the Nine Clones Secret Technique. This has nothing to do with your Xia family's secret technique."

"It's not a clone, it's a shadow," Bai Wangyuan interrupted, staring at Wang Fan. "I understand now. The inheritance that you received from your Mountain and Sea is called Shadows of Life."

Wang Fan replied, "So you do know. In that case, are you the one who tried to investigate this battle technique long ago?"

Bai Wangyuan shook his head. "It wasn’t just me, but also the Lu family, the Xia family, and even the Liu family. This is a battle technique that can allow one person to become two by creating a shadow that's identical to the original person. Given its similarity to the Nine Clones Secret Technique, how could it not attract attention?”

“Throughout human history, many battle techniques can trace their origins back to a single source, and it’s possible that even the Nine Clones Secret Technique was born from this Shadows of Life. In other words, the inheritance that you obtained from your Mountain and Sea came from the Mountain that originally belonged to the Xia family."

Wang Fan replied, "While it’s possible that Xia Chen was the first person to inherit my Mountain and Sea, that does not mean that it belongs to the Xia family. The Nine Mountains and Eight Seas belong to all of humanity and all six Mainlands. They don’t belong to just the Fifth Mainland alone. The reason why the Fifth Mainland enjoyed such a prosperous period during the Daosource Sect era was because masters appeared for all Nine Mountains and Eight Seas. Before that, no Mainland had ever managed to gather all Nine Mountains and Eight Seas. It’s a feat comparable to or even surpassing the Heavens Sect era."

Xia Qin shouted, "I don't care about your so-called inherited battle techniques! All I want to know is, why did you leak my Shenwu's Sky's battle techniques?"

Wang Fan furrowed his brow. "I've already told you I did not do that. Why would I leak your battle techniques? What benefit could I gain from doing so? All that would do is expose Specter Progenitor's true identity."

Lu Yin sneered. "That’s not right. Your goal was to force Specter Progenitor into a desperate situation."

"What did you say?" Wang Fan turned to Lu Yin and scrutinized him.

Bai Wangyuan, Xia Qin, and even Specter Progenitor all looked over as well.

Lu Yin slowly explained. "Wang Fan, you are the most ambitious person of all, and you’ve kept the deepest secrets. You intentionally leaked the Celestial Frost Sect’s and Shenwu's Sky’s battle techniques through Specter Abyss, all to stage a play that would force Specter Progenitor into a desperate situation. Your goal was to have Specter Progenitor approach me so that you could obtain the God of Death’s true inheritance from me. The only reason why you were willing to team up with the Celestial Frost Sect and banish the Lu family is because you want to take control of the Fifth Mainland. Specter Progenitor is your shadow clone, and he cultivates the God of Death’s power. That was the source of your confidence.

"The Celestial Frost Sect's confidence has always been Bai Xian'er, while the Xia family acted because of past grudges, and the White Dragon Clan simply wanted to rise to power. You wanted to eliminate the greatest obstacle preventing you from ruling over the Fifth Mainland: the Lu family. Ultimately, you would have united with Specter Progenitor to suppress the Fifth Mainland with the combined power of the Wang family and the God of Death."

"Lu Xiaoxuan, you're spouting nonsense!" Wang Fan had become thoroughly infuriated by Lu Yin’s allegations. He had been perfectly calm just moments before, even when Specter Progenitor had been exposed. What of it? Having a secret exposed was not a big deal. As for leaking the battle techniques, he had not done it, so he had no worries about being falsely accused. However, Lu Yin's explanation gave Wang Fan the perfect motivation to leak the battle techniques.

If he was honest, as Wang Fan listened to Lu Yin, even the Progenitor felt like Lu Yin might be telling the truth. He found himself rather tempted to have Specter Progenitor steal the God of Death’s inheritance from Lu Xiaoxuan and then use the power of the God of Death to take control of the Fifth Mainland.

The fact that Wang Fan found himself tempted meant that there was a possibility of him taking such actions. If even he could believe Lu Yin’s story, then there was no need to mention Bai Wangyuan and Xia Qin.

Their expressions on their faces as they looked at Wang Fan had completely changed.

"As long as you take the God of Death’s inheritance from me, then even Specter Progenitor, your shadow clone, can disappear. After all, he’s just a shadow, which means that you can always reform him. At that time, the power of the Wang family, as well as the God of Death inheritance, and the inheritances of Progenitor Ku, the Rune Progenitor, and Progenitor Chen that I’ve received, will all belong to you. Who could stop you then?" Lu Yin continued speaking.

Specter Progenitor angrily retorted, "Lu Xiaoxuan, you're slandering me. How could I take your inheritance?"

"You already attacked me in Aeternus Nation," Lu Yin returned.

Specter Progenitor nearly exploded from his rage. "You ambushed me!"

"I noticed that you were about to attack, so I struck first," Lu Yin explained.

"This is bullshit!"

"What? Angry that you've been exposed?"

Wang Fan bellowed with anger, "All of this is just your speculation, Lu Xiaoxuan. I honestly suspect that you were the one who leaked the cultivation methods. The Specter Clan exists in the Fifth Mainland, and you are the descendant of the God of Death. Coupled with that scum Kui Luo, it's not impossible for you to do this."

Lu Yin smiled. "Are you trying to say that, just because I’ve visited the Perennial World a few times, that I can steal the most valuable battle techniques from the Celestial Frost Sect and Shenwu's Sky and leak them to the public? Wang Fan, are you thinking too little of them or too much of me?"

Bai Wangyuan's eyes moved back and forth between Wang Fan and Lu Yin. At this point, he felt thoroughly confused. Normally, Wang Fan would be the prime suspect, as Lu Xiaoxuan's argument was quite convincing. However, it was Lu Xiaoxuan offering the explanation. He had previously disguised himself as Long Qi and created massive trouble within the White Dragon Clan and then posed as Yu Hao to stir up discord between the four ruling powers.

The youth had already attempted many things that would be regarded as impossible, and yet he had almost always succeeded. It was certainly possible that Lu Yin was once again the one behind everything.

"What benefit would I gain from any of this?" Lu Yin shouted.

At that, Bai Wangyuan and the others suddenly realized that Lu Xiaoxuan certainly had a point; what could he stand to gain from leaking the Celestial Frost Sect and Shenwu's Sky’s battle techniques? Fame? Fortune? He would gain nothing at all. The only motivation for Lu Xiaoxuan to have done anything would be if he had known of the relationship between Specter Progenitor and Wang Fan in advanced and wanted to expose the matter.

But had Lu Xiaoxuan known?

Wang Fan quickly understood this as well, and he stared at Lu Yin, "You already knew about my relationship with Specter Progenitor?"

Lu Yin sneered. "Of course not! Not even Bai Wangyuan and the other Progenitors knew anything, so how could I?"

Once again, Wang Fan could not argue. No matter how powerful Lu Xiaoxuan might be, he could not have learned of this secret. This was something that not even the Wang family was aware of.

Lu Yin truly had not known either. He had only known that the Wang family had had some kind of cooperative relationship with Specter Abyss, but as for exactly what that relationship was, he had had no any idea. He was not lying.

"It seems that we need to investigate this matter thoroughly. No one is allowed to leave!" Xia Qin declared.

Wang Fan's expression turned ugly. If no one had been aware of his connection with Specter Progenitor, then there would have been no reason to target him. In that case, if he had not been targeted because of that relationship, why would anyone want to frame Specter Progenitor? Wang Fan could not make any sense of this.

Out of everyone, very few people possessed the ability to frame Specter Progenitor, and all of them were Progenitors. Who could it be? Who had a motive to go after Specter Progenitor?

Wang Fan looked around at Bai Wangyuan, Xia Qin, and Lu Yin. Who had the motivation?

Lu Xiaoxuan? Impossible. If the youth was unaware of Wang Fan’s relationship with Specter Progenitor, then he would consider Specter Progenitor to be someone who could help him restrain the four ruling powers. Lu Yin would not target Specter Progenitor.

In that case, if Lu Yin was not a possibility, then who could be the culprit?

There were only a few people who could even be considered.

In order to uncover the truth about the leaked battle techniques, it was necessary to visit Specter Abyss. After all, that was where everything had happened.

As for Bai Wangyuan, he would rather have Lu Yin stay in the Perennial World than remain in the Fifth Mainland.

Lu Yin also wanted to return to Perennial World to see Bai Xian'er's Semi-Progenitor stellular tribulation. So far, there had been no news whatsoever, which meant that something was off.

Naturally, Wang Fan was not allowed to part ways from the rest of the group.

With Specter Progenitor's true identity exposed, Wang Fan and Bai Wangyuan's relationship would never be able to return to what it had once been. The two men had certainly suspected and plotted against each other in the past, but this incident would cause Bai Wangyuan's distrust of Wang Fan to only increase even further. This would not be good for Wang Fan.

As the group made their way to Specter Abyss, Wang Fan was thinking about how he should prepare for the future. It was possible that his Wang family would be targeted by everyone.

Some time later, the group arrived at Specter Abyss.

This was Lu Yin's first time visiting Specter Abyss, though he was already familiar with the place. Possessing Specter Abyss’s Semi-Progenitor had given Lu Yin the man’s memories, and that had given him a clear understanding of the place.

However, the Specter Abyss that Lu Yin had seen in the Semi-Progenitor’s memories had been completely different from what met them.

Specter Abyss had been utterly destroyed by Bai Sheng. Death energy was still present, but it had been mostly dispersed. The bodies of many of Specter Abyss’s disciples could be seen strewn across the ground. In the deepest regions, Specter Abyss’s Crown Prince Gui Qian and many other people were kneeling in a line. Bai Sheng stood a short distance away from them.

Wang Fan's expression grew even colder at this sight.

Lu Yin focused on Bai Sheng. Seeing him did not make any sense. If Bai Xian'er was challenging a stellular tribulation, then why was Bai Sheng not with her and protecting her? Why was he in Specter Abyss?

He looked up towards the Higher Realm. Bai Xian'er's stellular tribulation should be quite intense, so why did everything appear so calm?

At this moment, Bai Wangyuan spoke up in a cold voice. "Bai Sheng went too far. Brother Wang, you shouldn't have kept this from us. Things would have never turned out like this."

Wang Fan answered in a low voice, "This has nothing to do with you. This is entirely on the person who leaked the battle techniques and framed Specter Abyss. I will get even with them."

Xia Qin calmly commented, "Don't be so hasty to absolve yourself."

Lu Yin chimed in, "That's right. Even if Specter Abyss is completely destroyed, it's your own fault."

Wang Fan's eyes grew even colder. It seemed impossible for his hatred towards the person who had leaked the battle techniques to increase any further.

Specter Abyss's sole Semi-Progenitor was an old man named Gui Jian. Lu Yin had Possessed the man and used that opportunity to leak the battle techniques.

When the battle techniques had been leaked, Bai Sheng had rushed straight into Specter Abyss and captured Gui Jian along with everyone else who had been there. He had not done much to interrogate anyone other than ask who had leaked the battle techniques, but no one knew anything at all.

When Lu Yin had Possessed Gui Jian to leak the battle techniques, no one from Specter Abyss had heard the man’s voice. If Lu Yin had let that happen, the Semi-Progenitor would have been identified too quickly.

"The person who leaked the battle techniques must be one of these people. When the techniques were leaked, no one from Specter Abyss heard anything. That’s something that only an Envoy can accomplish."

"Master!" Crown Prince Gui Qian saw that Specter Progenitor had arrived and instinctively tried to ask for help.

Specter Progenitor had returned to his former appearance. After all, he could not go around while wearing Wang Fan's face.

"Silence! Who leaked the techniques?" Specter Progenitor demanded.

Crown Prince Gui Qian answered, "It definitely was not any of our disciples. Our disciples don't even know the Celestial Frost Sect or Shenwu's Sky’s battle techniques."