Chapter 2591: That Tree

Mu Sanye solemnly declared, "Before, this competition was only between you and me, but now, it's a competition between Senior Mu Ke and Senior Xu Wuwei. This has gone beyond us, Xu Xiangyin."

Lu Yin hastily protested, "Senior, this junior only wishes to join the Voidforce Universe."

Mu Sanye took no offense to Xuan Qi’s words. In fact, his expression softened a bit, and when he spoke, his voice was filled with admiration and even apology. "Xuan Qi, I owe you an apology."

Lu Yin promptly responded with humility, "Please, there’s no need."

Mu Sanye took a deep breath. "I was blind to not recognize a precious gem in the dust. Xuan Qi, the innate gift that you've gained from your arboreal transformation is truly great."

Xu Xiangyin moved in front of Lu Yin. He wanted to say something, but then swallowed his words. Despite his reluctance, reason said that Lu Yin would never be able to join the Voidforce Universe. Senior Xu Wuwei had already made that decision, and the young man's future undeniably belonged with the Arboreal Realm.

This thought caused Xu Xiangyin's previously aggressive stance to weaken noticeably.

Mu Sanye found Xu Xiangyin’s reaction odd, but he did not question it. Instead, he said, "Xuan Qi, let's speak privately."

"There's no need to hide any of this junior’s matters from Xu Xiangyin," Lu Yin replied.

Mu Sanye was taken aback by this response, and he looked at Xu Xiangyin with open envy.

Xu Xiangyin walked away without speaking another word, only gesturing for Mu Sanye to continue. Resignation had caused Xu Xiangyin’s entire body to slump.

Lu Yin watched as the old man moved away. It was clear that the rapidly changing situation was hard to accept for him. Lu Yin had overdone his act as Xuan Qi, and in doing so, had unwittingly created a powerful bond with the old man.

Mu Sanye wondered, "Since when did that old ghost become so accommodating?"

Lu Yin silently stood in place as he waited for Mu Sanye to speak. He was about to learn the identity of the big tree that was always running away.

Mu Sanye turned his head back to stare intently at Lu Yin. He turned grave as he spoke, "Xuan Qi, I will not belabor the need for my apologies. I hope that our previous interactions will not hinder your future. Do you know the nature of the tree you received your innate gift from?"

Lu Yin shook his head. "I know nothing about it, Senior."

A frown caused Mu Sanye's forehead to furrow. The man appeared to become lost in his own thoughts, and his expression grew conflicted.

Expectation sparkled in Lu Yin's eyes. The tree that had given him his innate gift of spatial control was a source of continuous fascination for him. The power that it had granted him was as incredible as the power of time, which was a concept so profound that even Progenitors struggled to grasp it. How could a mere tree possess such power?

"Honestly, there is no one in the Arboreal Realm realm who truly knows what that tree is, exactly. However, I can tell you that it is a legend in the Arboreal Realm. We initially believed it to be a mere myth, and no one actually thought that it was actually real. Your innate gift of spatial manipulation has forced us to reconsider those doubts."

Mu Sanye took a moment to collect his thoughts before explaining, "Human history is essentially a story of war. This does not just include our internal conflicts, but also wars against other species as well. Our adversary that has endured the longest has been Aeternus, of course.

"Countless wars have been recorded in my universe’s history, and this particular tree has shown itself during numerous significant battles, such as the historically renowned Seventy Five Day Campaign, the Great Migration War, and the Civilization Rebirth Battle within the Arboreal Realm itself. The impact that the tree had on each of those conflicts is undeniable. During the Seventy Five Day Campaign, it led us to victory by spiriting away a powerful member of the enemy on the nineteenth day. During the Great Migration War, it inexplicably connected several different battlefields together, which led to our defeat. No one knows how that was accomplished. It seems as though the concept of space is meaningless to that tree.

"The Civilization Rebirth Battle didn’t even start simply because of that tree’s interference, but its influence was so massive that the tale persists even to this day. If not for that tree, the Arboreal Realm would not be what it is today.

"That tree has not only shaped the course of the Arboreal Realm’s history, but also left a mark on our external conflicts. The most famous example would be the War of the River Jiu in the Origin Universe."

Lu Yin's heart skipped a beat.

The War of the River Jiu? Isn’t that the battle that nearly destroyed the Third Mainland?

Lu Yin had heard about that story from Big Face Tree, who had recounted how Progenitor Yōu Ming had torn the River Jiu apart and vanquished an ancient demon of Aeternus. Apparently, that opponent had been one of the Seven Skygods. Lu Yin had even wondered if the Seven Skygods that he knew of were simply replacements for the original ones. Countless trees from a parallel universe had connected with each other during that war, which had prevented the Third Mainland from splitting apart.

Lu Yin was finally learning that those foreign trees had been from the Arboreal Realm.

"The War of the River Jiu was the largest foreign battle that we ever supported. More than half of our peak powerhouses participated in that battle, and if not for that great tree mysteriously taking a number of people away from the battlefield, the outcome would have been very different."

Mu Sanye paused. When he continued, his voice was heavy. "Xuan Qi, regardless of what that tree may have done in the past, its potential is undeniable. If you can fully master your acquired innate gift, you will undoubtedly become a peak powerhouse. Mu Ke shared these historical accounts with me. Unfortunately, he is unable to be here himself, but he has offered you an invitation to join my Arboreal Realm. He believes that that is where your future lies."

"War of the River Jiu? Origin Universe?" Lu Yin asked curiously.

"Those are matters for another time. If you're interested, you can ask Mu Ke about them, as he has already expressed interest in accepting you as one of his disciples," Mu Sanye replied.

Lu Yin pursed his lips, realizing that the situation was more complicated than what he had initially understood. He could not delay anymore. He needed to leave as soon as possible. Given the extraordinary abilities attributed to the tree that Lu Yin had touched, it seemed that Mu Ke had a keen interest in it. The fact that Mu Sanye was sharing so many closely-guarded secrets that were only known to the most powerful Progenitor-level figures of the Sixverse Association with him only made Lu Yin more anxious. The more that Mu Sanye revealed, the more clear the Arboreal Realm’s deep interest in Xuan Qi, which made Lu Yin increasingly nervous.

"Can the innate gift from that great tree really make me a peak powerhouse?" Lu Yin asked.

Mu Sanye responded, "Without question. Do you have any idea just how many people that tree has left completely helpless? The reason why we lost the War of the River Jiu was because that tree dragged one powerhouse after another away from the battlefield, which eventually led to the collapse of the Origin Universe’s Third Mainland."

Lu Yin arched a brow. That did not sound right at all. Big Face Tree had said that the War of the River Jiu had been won after Progenitor Yōu Ming killed one of the Seven Skygods. Dao Monarch Gu Yizhi had been thrilled and had raised a toast to Progenitor Yōu Ming. After that, Progenitor Yōu Ming had created her Impious Sutra. Lu Yin had learned all this from Big Face Tree, so why was Mu Sanye saying that the War of the River Jiu had resulted in a defeat?

Hang on

. Lu Yin reorganized his thoughts. Mu Sanye had just mentioned that the defeat during the War of the River Jiu had led to the collapse of the Third Mainland. That meant that the war that Mu Sanye was talking about was not the same one that Big Face Tree had told Lu Yin about. Rather, it must have been a different battle that had taken place at a much later point in time. During the War of the River Jiu that Big Face Tree had spoken of, Progenitor Yōu Ming had not yet created the Impious Sutra. Meanwhile, the War of the River Jiu that Mu Sanye was talking about had to have been the final battle of the Third Mainland, and that defeat had led to the collapse of the Mainland.

And apparently, that big tree that always tried to escape had taken away numerous powerhouses during the battle?

"Senior, could a tree really steal peak powerhouses away?" Lu Yin asked.

Mu Sanye replied, "Mu Ke did not share any details, but I have looked into the historical records myself. While the evidence is quite fragmented, I was at least able to verify that among those who were taken away were the Origin Universe’s Progenitor Yōu Ming and Ce Wangtian. There must have been others, but there was no mention of who those people were."

A tremor ran through Lu Yin's body as a sudden flash of insight flickered through his mind, only to instantly vanish. He had just thought of something, but it had slipped away before he could fully process it. What was it?

It was certainly important.

Progenitor Yōu Ming, Ce Wangtian, the fleeing big tree, the War of the River Jiu... What could it be? What connects all of them?

What was the connection between Progenitor Yōu Ming and Ce Wangtian?

Lu Yin's expression transformed. He remembered. Undying God had mentioned that Progenitor Yōu Ming had been deceived by Ce Wangtian. Ce Wangtian had gone to the Immemorial Citadel, while Progenitor Yōu Ming had not been able to do so. Both of them had been taken by the big tree during the final War of the River Jiu. Could there be a connection there?

Lu Yin had a guess, and while he felt that it was a bit far fetched, it was not completely impossible.

Could the big tree be the path to the Immemorial Citadel?

The fact that the big tree had stolen both Progenitor Yōu Ming and Ce Wangtian away during the War of the River Jiu was not enough to link the tree to the Immemorial Citadel, but Lu Yin had just received a flash of insight regarding the Immemorial Citadel. Undying God had said that Progenitor Yōu Ming had been deceived by Ce Wangtian, who had gone to the Immemorial Citadel, while Progenitor Yōu Ming had become Big Sis. These events were inexplicably linked in Lu Yin's mind.

There were times when a sudden flash of insight could reveal something that deep contemplation could not.

Lu Yin believed his own hypothesis; that big tree most likely had some sort of connection to the Immemorial Citadel.

"Xuan Qi? Xuan Qi?" Mu Sanye called out twice before Lu Yin was shaken from his thoughts.

"I apologize, Senior. I became lost in thought."

"You seem particularly interested in the War of the River Jiu," Mu Sanye noted, feeling rather puzzled.

"That tree intrigues me, Senior. In the Arboreal Sanctuary, I was nearly taken away by it," Lu Yin explained.

Mu Sanye suddenly looked envious. "That’s an experience that many people would do anything for. Only the strongest of the most powerful experts have ever been taken away by that tree. You should consider yourself lucky to have even touched it. Do you now understand just how mysterious that great tree is? Only by joining my Arboreal Realm can you truly unlock the potential of your innate gift—your potential has become truly limitless! What do you say? Join my Arboreal Realm. The Voidforce Universe cannot compare to us."

"Mu San, you’re crossing a line!" a voice rang out. Xu Xiangyin suddenly appeared, glaring at Mu Sanye. "How dare you claim that my Voidforce Universe is inferior to your Arboreal Realm!"

Mu Sanye matter-of-factly responded, "My Arboreal Realm was able to support the Origin Universe during a war. That is something that your Voidforce Universe was never capable of doing."

"Nonsense! Who can say for certain what happened in such an ancient era? It’s even possible that my Voidforce Universe actively attacked Aeternus! Your Arboreal Realm might have fallen behind and caused later issues to arise," Xu Xiangyin retorted.

Lu Yin was speechless. These men were being truly brazen.

Mu Sanye became disgusted. "How could you even say that? That’s completely uncalled for!"

Xu Xiangyin snorted contemptuously and then set a hand on Lu Yin's shoulder. "Let's go."

Mu Sanye swiftly moved to intercept the two men. "Xu Xiangyin, wait for Mu Ke to arrive!"

Xu Xiangyin completely ignored the other man and pulled Lu Yin away. "Senior Xu Wuwei is waiting for us."

"Stop!" Mu Sanye cried out. At that moment, Shi Jiao appeared right between the two men. "You are in the Cyclic School right now! Take your fight elsewhere."

Seizing the opening, Xu Xiangyin tore through the void and whisked Lu Yin away to the Voidforce Universe.

Mu Sanye felt incredibly frustrated. "Dammit!"

Shi Jiao frowned. She could have intervened, but she had chosen not to. It would be best to allow Xuan Qi to decide his own fate.

...

Once again, Lu Yin found himself in the Voidforce Universe.

"Hahaha, that old ghost Mu San was lucky this time! Shi Jiao arrived at the perfect time! Xuan Qi, come, I'll take you to the Void Pass," Xu Xiangyin gloated.

Lu Yin nodded in gratitude, "Thank you, Senior."

Xu Xiangyin chuckled. "Why are you thanking me? That old bastard Mu San must be beside himself right now. He'll do everything he can to get here, and when he does, I'll be able to secure even more resources for you."

The man paused for a moment and then let out a sad sigh. He patted Lu Yin on the shoulder. "This is all that I can do for you, Xuan Qi. Once you've joined the Arboreal Realm, try not to be so upright. When you see Mu San again, go ahead and ask him to allow you to join the Arboreal Realm. I'll make sure to get as many benefits as possible for you."

Lu Yin felt deeply grateful to the old man. "I understand."

Xu Xiangyin had gone above and beyond to help Lu Yin. Not only had the old man done his best to get as many benefits as possible for Lu Yin, but he was also trying to protect the young man from any resentment Mu Sanye and the others might develop towards him. All the while, Lu Yin would be the only one to reap any of the benefits of Xu Xiangyin’s efforts.

However, Xu Xiangyin's words also implied that he did not believe for a moment that Xuan Qi could successfully cross the Void Pass. Was success truly impossible?