Chapter 2753: Umbral Expanse

As Lu Yin moved through the Umbral Universe, he learned a great deal from his Umbrian guide, including a mention of a collection of battle techniques known as the Tome of Darkness.

Lu Yin also learned of a legend that the Umbral Universe had once given birth to a peak powerhouse and that that person had altered the Umbral Universe into its current state.

The universe had not originally been filled with darkness, but that peak powerhouse had altered the laws of the universe.

All Umbrians were descendants of that peak powerhouse, and they devoted their lives to searching for the Tome of Darkness. If they could find it, their strength would transform, and if another peak powerhouse rose up from the Umbrians, they could easily eliminate all outsiders and enemies.

They regarded not only Aeternus as their enemy, but also the Sixverse Association.

Lu Yin asked his guide why the Umbrians hated the Sixverse Association, but the Umbrian gave the same answer as the last one; the Umbrians did not hate the Sixverse Association. Rather, they merely followed their ancestral teachings of attacking everyone before they were attacked in turn.

The only difference was that the first Umbrian Lu Yin had spoken with had said that everyone was the Umbrians’ enemies.

The Umbrians’ eye had no pupil, and Lu Yin could not read them like he could with normal people, but he still felt like he was being lied to. Much like the man from the Lost Clan had said, Umbrians were sneaky and despicable.

If the Sixverse Association had led the Aeternals into the Umbral Universe and brought the war to the Umbrians, then their hostility towards the Sixverse Association would be understandable. However, the Sixverse Association had clearly been reinforcing the Umbrians in their fight against Aeternus.

Lu Yin might be able to get an answer from An Jiu, provided that the Umbrians’ leader spoke to Lu Yin as a peer.

Very few people from the Sixverse Association were ever able to meet with An Jiu. The Umbrians’ attitude towards the Sixverse Association meant that cultivators feared the man. If the Umbrian attacked, even people at the Semi-Progenitor level would be wary.

Sage Bodhi's information mentioned that the only recorded meetings were with peak powerhouses, but they had only met the Umbrians’ leaders in the distant past.

The Sixverse Association had actually given up on the Umbral Universe, which was why the only reinforcements sent to the universe were those guilty of heinous crimes. Only people from the Lost Clan would voluntarily enter the Umbral Universe, as they regarded the universe as some sort of trial grounds.

Once Lu Yin arrived in the Umbral Expanse, he spread out his domain. The darkness was denser here on this continent, which meant that Lu Yin’s domain was devoured quicker than anywhere else in the universe. It shrank so quickly that even when he constantly released his domain, he could barely maintain it.

Lu Yin’s domain revealed the presence of many Umbrian experts, including one with the strength of a Semi-Progenitor. The man had noticed Lu Yin the moment he set foot in the Umbral Expanse, but he had not taken any action, possibly because the man believed that everything was under control.

Only several days later did Lu Yin manage to meet An Jiu.

An Jiu appeared to be trying to flaunt his power to Lu Yin. The moment Lu Yin arrived, the darkness in the area took on the shape of an astral beast that filled the region, trying to swallow Lu Yin as well.

The Umbrian that Lu Yin had coerced into being his guide fled and then turned back to glare at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin allowed the darkness to land on him. "An Jiu, leader of the Umbrians, is this how your people treat their guests?"

The devouring darkness had already swallowed half of Lu Yin's body. The bone-deep cold felt much like if someone had placed a knife to his neck. For the Umbrians, once they managed to surround a person with their darkness, they would hold that person’s life in their hands.

An Jiu clasped his hands behind his back, arrogantly radiating the power of an expert equal to a Semi-Progenitor. "Who are you? Why did you ask to see me?"

"I represent the Sixverse Association," Lu Yin answered bluntly.

An Jiu snorted. "You aren’t qualified."

"What would qualify me?" Lu Yin said in a teasing tone as a smile touched his lips.

This response intimidated An Jiu, though he remained calm. This person either had someone protecting him or was simply fearless. Regardless of which was true, it was not something that An Jiu wanted to deal with.

Realizing this, the Umbrian’s tone softened a bit. "Tell me where you come from and why you wished to meet with me."

Lu Yin's eyes flashed, and he released the power from his chest, forming stars around him. At that moment, everything in the nearby area became clearly visible. Lu Yin saw An Jiu, as well as the guide that he had cowed into leading him, and further away, Lu Yin saw an ancient Semi-Progenitor-level Umbrian who was surrounded by others. All of them were looking at Lu Yin with either mocking expressions or cold stares while gesturing with weapons.

The Umbrians really did see him as their enemy.

Lu Yin did not hesitate, and he took a step forward as he raised a hand to grab An Jiu.

An Jiu had never expected Lu Yin to actually take the initiative. They were in the Umbral Expanse, which was home to billions of Umbrians, including many powerful experts. Lu Yin was clearly not even as strong as An Jiu, so why would he dare to attack?

It was such an abnormal response that An Jiu instinctively retreated, and he also asked the old man at his cultivation level to jump in.

An Jiu retreated by using Inverse Step.

Simultaneously, Lu Yin also used Inverse Step. The two men changed places, shuttling back and forth in a manner that caused the void to warp and crack, leaving cracks. However, even the darkness of the shattered void could not compare to the darkness of the Umbral Expanse. Instead, the torn void seemed to bring a bit of light and color to the place.

An Jiu was startled. He was unable to see it, but he could clearly sense Lu Yin's hand constantly moving closer and closer to him. Was this young man not only also able to use Inverse Step with a level of mastery that created a chaotic region of space, but he was also faster than him? How was that even possible?

The old man with the strength of a Semi-Progenitor moved forward, also using Inverse Step. He tried to stop Lu Yin, but Lu Yin had mastered Inverse Step to the point where he could even reverse time, which was far beyond the two men’s level of mastery.

As Lu Yin took another step, he moved past An Jiu and appeared behind the man.

An Jiu’s head turned around slowly to face Lu Yin with a pupilless eye. The man could not keep his shock hidden.

Lu Yin reached out to grab the man’s neck, and the darkness rose up around An Jiu to form a barrier that isolated him from Lu Yin. The barrier had the strength to block a Semi-Progenitor’s attack.

At this same time, the old man raised a hand and slammed down with an attack powerful enough to shatter the void. The attack was aimed straight at Lu Yin.

With one hand, Lu Yin pierced An Jiu's barrier, as the other hand rose up to block the falling palm strike.

Boom

The noise of the impact was so loud that ripples spread through the void, shattering it as they passed.

All the surrounding Umbrians were blasted away by the shockwave, sent tumbling through the air.

The old Umbrian's arm was shattered, and he suffered additional injuries as he stumbled back.

As for An Jiu, his neck was clasped by Lu Yin's hand, and the man was picked up. "A mere Ascendant dares to act up in front of me?"

Everything happened in less than three seconds, but in that short amount of time, one of the strongest Umbrian elders had been injured, and their leader had been captured and left completely unable to resist.

Lu Yin had been able to act arrogantly around Semi-Progenitors for a long time. Even Destina, who had been one of the gatemasters of the ancient Heavens Sect’s Twelve Heavenly Gates and recognized as one of the most powerful Semi-Progenitors during that era, could not force Lu Yin to be serious. Needless to say, despite the strangeness of the Umbrians’ power, the only advantage that it offered was that Lu Yin’s vision was impaired and that his strength was being devoured by the darkness. However, given Lu Yin’s strength, how much of his power could be devoured?

For the Umbrians, it was as though a peak powerhouse had arrived and suppressed them.

Only the strength that the Umbrians had been pursuing for countless years would give them the power to surpass Lu Yin’s strength. Without that, they would be nothing more than ants to Lu Yin. After all, even Semi-Progenitors were just slightly larger ants.

All of the Umbrians were startled, and one after another, they fell to the ground. They were panicking and terrified, but no matter how badly they wanted to escape, they did not dare to try.

The old man spat out a mouthful of blood. "Se- Senior, my Umbrians have been rude, and we have raised our hands against you. Please spare us, Senior."

While the Umbrian possessed the strength of a Semi-Progenitor, he was too scared of dying.

Lu Yin was learning more and more about the Umbrians. The people were slick-tongued, scared of death, despicable, and cunning. They perfectly mirrored their universe and represented the various aspects of the darkness.

There is no need for Lu Yin to be polite when dealing with these people, and it would be better to give a show of force.

An Jiu’s neck was held so tightly that the man was unable to make a single sound. He desperately slapped Lu Yin's arm with both hands, begging for release.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Lu Yin casually threw the man to the ground. "Any more questions?"

An Jiu waved his hands as he coughed. "No, I won't question you, Senior. Just tell us whatever you wish to say."

Lu Yin narrowed his eyes. "You are so afraid of death, so why are you so hostile towards the Sixverse Association? Aren't you afraid that they’ll send some random peak powerhouse here to destroy you?"

An Jiu coughed so hard that, while he wanted to speak, he lacked the ability to do so.

Instead, the old man spoke up, "The Sixverse Association’s peak powerhouses can’t even find us. This Umbral Expanse is constantly shrouded in darkness, which looks no different from our bodies to most people’s perception. We’re able to sense when powerful people approach before they arrive. Who would have thought..."

The old man did not need to say anything further, as Lu Yin already understood.

Who would have thought that a monster like Lu Yin would show up and crush two Ascendants with nothing more than the cultivation of a six-tribulation Envoy? Even in the Sixverse Association, such a thing would be considered impossible.

An Jiu finally managed to recover. "The Sixverse Association sent someone to meet with us some time ago, and his cultivation was about the same as yours, Senior. We refused to meet with him because he was referred to as the Junior Sovereign. We could not be certain of his strength, so we refused to meet with him."

"Then why did you agree to meet with me? The fact that I took the initiative to ask to meet with you should have been a red flag," Lu Yin asked. It appeared that the Sixverse Association had simply failed to find a way to deal with the Umbrians, though not for lack of trying. The people were simply too cautious, and they had even refused to meet with Chu Jian.

An Jiu shrugged. "I was careless."

Lu Yin looked down at the man. "Infinite Steps. How did that technique get to this universe?"

An Jiu was caught off guard. "That’s what you want to ask us? Aren't you here on behalf of the Sixverse Association?"

"I ask, you answer. Give me any bullshit, and I’ll end your life." Lu Yin's voice grew much colder, and An Jiu quickly nodded.

"Infinite Steps is a technique from the Tome of Darkness, which was left behind by a peak powerhouse of our Umbral Universe, who is our ancestor. The Tome of Darkness is a record of various battle techniques. Unfortunately, it disappeared along with our ancestor, and we have since been searching for them both," An Jiu explained.

Lu Yin frowned. Tome of Darkness?

To Lu Yin’s understanding, no one in the Origin Universe had developed a power similar to the darkness that permeated the Umbral Universe. The most similar power that he was aware of had been developed by the God of Death, but death energy was completely different from the darkness that surrounded Lu Yin.

This darkness was a power that overpowered light by devouring it, but it lacked the overbearing nature of death energy.

"Aside from Inverse Step, show me the other techniques that you are familiar with," Lu Yin ordered.

An Jiu did not dare to even hesitate, and he quickly demonstrated his various battle techniques.

At this same time, Shan Pu was wandering about the Umbral Universe, but he was unable to find any trace of Lu Yin.

He had no other option and could only turn to the Umbral Expanse.

Ever since the Sixverse Association had sent out a peak powerhouse to speak with the Umbrians long ago, no peak powerhouse had ever succeeded in meeting with their leader again, and Shan Pu was no exception to that.

The Lost Clan sent many of their people to the Umbral Universe to face the trials there, so it was natural for the Lost Clan to want to maintain contact with the Umbrians, but all of their attempts had failed.

The people of the Umbral Expanse were too cautious, and as soon as Shan Pu or any other peak powerhouse arrived, all of the Umbrians would immediately flee. While Shan Pu could roam the Umbral Expanse without fear, he was unable to locate their leader.

Shan Pu was starting to worry that Lu Yin might have gone to the Umbral Expanse.

The Umbrians were not easy to deal with, but Shan Pu had no choice but to reach out to them. Besides, the fact that Lu Yin had killed that powerful corpse king in the Big Stone Universe proved that he was quite powerful himself.

If things were not handled properly, the Umbrians would all suffer. They would likely underestimate Lu Yin, and if that happened, they would find themselves in deep trouble.

Thinking of this, Shan Pu turned towards the Umbral Expanse.