Chapter 2488: Guests

Xia Qin immediately looked toward Gui Jian. There was only one Semi-Progenitor who had been present in Specter Abyss, which made him the biggest suspect. Even if Crown Prince Gui Qian and his followers had managed to somehow learn battle techniques that belonged to the Celestial Frost Sect and Shenwu's Sky, it would not have been easy for them to leak them to the public. That was something that only a Semi-Progenitor could do.

Gui Jian dropped his head. He was indeed Specter Abyss’s only Semi-Progenitor, which was something that everyone knew, including Xia Qin.

Bai Wangyuan, Wang Fan, and others all focused entirely on Gui Jian.

"Speak," Xia Qin said.

Gui Jian slowly lifted his head, revealing a weathered face covered with fear. As a mere Semi-Progenitor, being stared at by an entire group of Progenitors was beyond horrifying. "I absolutely did not leak those battle techniques."

Bai Sheng approached. "Some people who heard the instructions for the battle techniques have just been apprehended."

"Bring them here," Wang Fan said eagerly.

Lu Yin silently moved closer to Gui Jian and Possessed him without anyone noticing a thing.

As soon as Lu Yin took control of Gui Jian's body, he quickly glanced at Bai Wangyuan and then instantly ended the Possession.

Xia Qin noticed nothing, and Bai Wangyuan had been looking at the two cultivators being escorted over. They were members of Root who had infiltrated Specter Abyss with Wan Wu. Thus, Bai Wangyuan also did not notice the brief glance his way.

However, someone else did: Wang Fan.

He saw Gui Jian glance at Bai Wangyuan, and Wang Fan’s pupils constricted at the sight.

The two cultivators easily identified Gui Jian's voice, leaving the man completely aghast. He desperately tried to explain himself, but the facts were against him.

"Why did you leak our sects’ battle techniques?" Xia Qin demanded.

"Where did you get the techniques from?"

"Wang Fan, what else is there to explain? It’s clear that the culprit is none other than your Specter Abyss’s Semi-Progenitor!" Bai Wangyuan shouted while glaring at Wang Fan.

Wang Fan stared back at Bai Wangyuan with cold eyes. "Impressive move."

Bai Wangyuan’s brow rose at the comment. "What did you say?"

Wang Fan’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Bai Wangyuan. "Did you already know about the connection between Specter Progenitor and me?"

Bai Wangyuan let out an incredulous laugh. "That's absurd! How could I have known?"

Lu Yin spoke up. "It looks like Wang Fan is in a bit of a rush. First, he said that I already knew about their relationship, and now he's accusing Progenitor Bai of knowing about it as well. What's next? Is he going to claim that Senior Xia Qin knew?"

Bai Sheng listened from the side, looking quite puzzled. What a mess. It had clearly been someone from Specter Abyss who had leaked the technique, so why were they not confronting Specter Progenitor instead of Wang Fan?

Wang Fan stared at Gui Jian. "Just who forced you to leak the battle techniques? Speak up! If not, I'll make you wish for death."

Gui Jian looked over at Specter Progenitor. "Progenitor, I didn't leak the techniques! I'm innocent! Someone must have controlled me. I beg Senior Progenitor to investigate this matter."

Controlled?

The moment the word was spoken, Bai Wangyuan and the other Progenitors all turned to Lu Yin. They all felt quite certain that Lu Yin had the ability to control others.

In the past, he had disguised himself as Yu Hao and controlled Long Ke to attack Wang Zheng, knocking the patriarch unconscious with a slap from a slipper.

Later on, in the Liu family's territory, even Undying God had mentioned that Lu Xiaoxuan had the ability to control others.

It was possible to analyze many things from mere clues, and this was why when the word "controlled" was mentioned, everyone looked at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin held up his hands. "I've always been in the Heavens Sect."

"Who can prove that?" Wang Fan asked sharply.

Lu Yin sneered. "What? Because of just one person's words, I’m now a suspect? This is ridiculous. Since when has a mere Semi-Progenitor been able to accuse me?"

Gui Jian felt completely lost. When had he ever accused Lu Yin of anything? He had merely spoken a few words.

Different levels of access to information naturally led to different interpretations of the same words and actions.

Not even Bai Sheng had any idea why everyone kept staring at Wang Fan.

Xia Qin spoke up next. "This person was the one who leaked our battle techniques. Now that we have him, we can use him to find the source of the leak. There’s no escape now for the criminal."

She looked over at Wang Fan. "So please, Senior, don't make unfounded accusations."

Wang Fan's expression changed. He had not been making unfounded accusations. He knew that he had seen Gui Jian glance at Bai Wangyuan. In their entire universe, there were only a few people who could frame Wang Fan. At the moment, he was most suspicious of Bai Wangyuan. "My Specter Abyss has many things available to us, and whoever dared to frame me or plant evidence that points to me will not have a good ending."

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

He stared at Gui Jian. "I will make sure to force him to speak and find the real culprit."

Gui Jian felt terribly confused. He looked at Wang Fan, and then at Specter Progenitor, who had not yet said a single word. Was Specter Progenitor being suppressed?

Bai Sheng also felt quite puzzled. "What's going on? When did Specter Abyss become yours, Senior Wang Fan?"

Bai Wangyuan coldly and contemptuously spat out, "He cannot be given over to you. You are the biggest suspect."

Xia Qin agreed, "Exactly right. We will need to interrogate him ourselves."

Wang Fan suggested, "Then let's interrogate him together. I also won't allow him to end up in anyone else’s control."

Bai Sheng glanced over at Lu Yin. "Aren't you going to try to get a piece as well?"

Lu Yin shrugged. "This has nothing to do with me, though I do need to make one thing clear: half of Specter Abyss is mine."

Everyone turned to stare at him, and Wang Fan frowned. "Ridiculous."

Lu Yin pointed at Specter Progenitor. "He said that as long as I helped him, he would split Specter Abyss with me."

Specter Progenitor was indeed a shadow of Wang Fan, but he still possessed an independent personality and will, just like clones formed from the Nine Clones Secret Technique. At this moment, the man finally spoke, "Lu Xiaoxuan, not only did you not help me, you actually attacked me! I won't let this matter go until one of us is dead!"

Lu Yin sneered. "You're just making excuses."

Wang Fan spoke up in a deep voice. "You have no stake in any part of the Perennial World."

Lu Yin said, "Take care of yourself first. Your conspiracy will soon be exposed. You want to steal the God of Death's inheritance from me and have your Wang family join with Specter Abyss to take over the entire Fifth Mainland. You’re dreaming!"

Wang Fan clenched his fists. Lu Yin's arguments were making it very difficult for him to defend himself. If not for Lu Yin’s arguments, Wang Fan would not have been forced into such a passive position.

At this moment, the nearby void fluctuated.

Lu Yin looked over to see a figure in white clothes step out. It was none other than Bai Xian'er.

However, compared to when he had last seen her, she appeared even more sacred now. She gave Lu Yin an indescribable feeling that was somehow both intimidating and magnificent. It felt as though there were somehow eyes behind her that were looking down.

However, there was no one behind her.

"Shall I investigate this matter?" Bai Xian'er's appearance brought light to the dark land of Specter Abyss.

Wang Fan looked at Bai Xian'er in surprise. "Where did you go?"

Bai Xian'er smiled at the man. "I was fortunate enough to be able to break through to the Semi-Progenitor realm in that place."

Lu Yin looked at Bai Xian'er, shocked that she had completed her breakthrough to become a Semi-Progenitor so quickly. Where was "that place"?

Bai Xian'er was truly different compared to the time they last met.

"Dear seniors, I promise to thoroughly investigate this matter," she stated. Her eyes glanced over everyone, including Lu Yin. She smiled at him and asked, "What do you think, Brother Xiaoxuan?"

Lu Yin replied, "I have nothing to do with this. This is your problem. All I want is half of Specter Abyss."

Xian'er chuckled and asked, "Is it the land you want, or the death energy?"

"Both."

Bai Xian'er then turned to Wang Fan and said, "Senior, this matter is between the two of you."

Wang Fan's voice was cold as he replied, "He can keep dreaming if he thinks that he can have Specter Abyss."

Bai Xian'er commented, "Then allow me to handle this matter. I believe that it was not Senior who is behind all of this."

For the moment, Wang Fan was not thinking about himself, nor was he afraid of being wrongly accused. Given his strength, even if others believed him to be guilty, what could they do about it? No, Wang Fan was only thinking about Bai Wangyuan. The glance that Gui Jian had shot at Bai Wangyuan had left a deep impression on Wang Fan. If Bai Wangyuan was indeed the one trying to frame Wang Fan, then what was his motive? Was the man really willing to leak his own sect’s battle techniques just to expose Wang Fan’s relationship with Specter Progenitor? Furthermore, if Bai Wangyuan had not known about the connection between Wang Fan and Specter Progenitor, then why would he have done anything at all?

Wang Fan’s mind continued to race.

Xian'er spoke up again. "This matter is complicated, and it may even involve Aeternus. Don't forget—Aeternus still has power and influence in our universe. They’ve spent countless years here and have developed many spies, Redbacks, and contingencies. No one knows all that they have kept hidden.

"It is certainly possible that our Celestial Frost Sect's and Shenwu's Sky's battle techniques have already been long since known by Aeternus."

Xia Qin asked, "Do you believe that Aeternus is behind this?"

"Yes," Bai Xian'er answered.

Wang Fan's cold eyes swept over Bai Wangyuan and Bai Xian'er. He still suspected that Bai Wangyuan was the one behind everything.

Lu Yin remained silent. His goal had only been to expose the connection between Specter Abyss and the Wang family, while also hopefully dealing a blow to Wang Fan. Since he had already achieved his objectives, there was nothing left for him to do.

Bai Xian'er spoke up, "It will take time to completely investigate this matter, and even before that, some guests will be arriving."

Bai Wangyuan was surprised. "Guests from the Main Universe?"

Bai Xian'er smiled. "They should be be here soon."

"What are they coming here for?" Wang Fan asked.

"To discuss the war strategy against Aeternus," Bai Xian'er replied.

…

In Blazing Mist Flowzone of the Fifth Mainland’s Innerverse, a spaceship was making its way towards the Astral River.

It was a perfectly ordinary spaceship that carried thousands of passengers and was basically a shuttle between the Outerverse and Innerverse.

Suddenly, a void cracked open in front of the spaceship, causing an alarm to blare throughout the ship, and badly startling the captain. "Quick, turn around! Turn around!"

Unfortunately, the spatial crack was too close to the ship, and despite successfully turning around, the ship was torn apart, as were all of its passengers. Only the front of the ship was torn off and left floating in outer space.

Three figures emerged from the spatial rift. An old man led the other two. He was the man that Lu Yin had met before, as he had been the one to take Nutjob Lu away: Sage Yuan. Two young men followed behind the old man.

One of the young men wore a blue and white coat that had been made from a strange metal that glistened in the light. There was a crystal ball embedded in his chest where his heart should be, and he wore a green-tinted lens over one eye. It was essentially a power-level detector. Metal covered the man’s entire body, giving him a sleek and handsome appearance. His hair was a bit long, as it fell to his shoulders. He appeared arrogant, as though he looked down upon everything around him.

The other young man was wearing a pale gold robe and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. There was a hint of a smile on his lips, and he exuded a sense of nobility. There was nothing in particular that stood out about him, yet he stood tall in outer space. He was not as handsome as his companion, but there was something ethereal about him. He almost seemed like an illusory figure that it was impossible to see clearly.

"It appears that a spaceship was destroyed."

"It doesn't matter. It’s completely mundane."

"Is this the Origin Universe? Is this the place where the Heavens Sect is said to have once existed? It's nothing special."

"The Origin Universe no longer exists. These are nothing but ruins."