Chapter 3390: Karma Sanctum

At the entrance to one of the Mirari Realm’s forbidden regions, Progenitor Ku turned to look back at the River of Aeons. As Wei Nu raced towards the forbidden region, the Progenitor reached out to stop her, but her face suddenly transformed to take on Zhao Ran’s appearance.

Progenitor Ku’s pupils shrank sharply.

Zhao Ran?

In the moment that he was startled, Wei Nu rushed straight into the forbidden region.

Just moments later, Lu Yin emerged from the River of Aeons. He saw Wei Nu disappear up ahead, and he also went over to the entrance to the forbidden region. He sighed; he was too late.

Progenitor Ku snapped out of his daze. "Who was that?"

"Wei Nu," Lu Yin replied.

Progenitor Ku was astonished. "Wei Nu? Not Zhao Ran?"

Lu Yin nodded and exhaled. "She’s both people, so you can say that that was Zhao Ran."

Progenitor Ku turned to look into the forbidden region, his expression complicated.

Zhao Ran had stayed at his side for many, many years.

Progenitor Ku had been born with a grotesque appearance, but he had forged his path forward with his unwavering willpower. While others believed him to be invincible, deep down in his heart, he had also sought comfort.

Zhao Ran had accompanied the man during his most vulnerable years. At that time, Zhao Ran’s world had revolved around Ku Jie, just as his world had centered on her.

They had not been lovers, or even shared familial love. Rather, they had been like two lost orphans who huddled together for warmth, comforting each other’s souls.

As Progenitor Ku’s cultivation advanced, he had come to understand that he was not the person that Zhao Ran was waiting for. When war had erupted, he had thrown himself against Aeternus and fought for humanity’s survival, which had separated him from Zhao Ran.

The next time he had seen her was in the Heavens Sect.

At that time, Progenitor Ku had not said anything to Zhao Ran. Their past was already long gone, and Lu Yin was the one the girl had been waiting for.

While their mutual past had faded away, the sight of Zhao Ran had stirred familiar emotions, which had made the man hesitate.

"I’m sorry."

Lu Yin shook his head. "Wei Nu knows how to manipulate people’s hearts. Senior, you might be just another piece in her scheme. You have nothing to apologize for.

"By the way, has the Seraph come out?"

"No. From the moment he went in, he’s never returned."

Lu Yin and Progenitor Ku stood at the entrance of the forbidden region, peering into it.

Lu Yin truly wanted to go in and search, but rationality prevented him from acting brashly.

Even the Origin Progenitor was intimidated by this forbidden region, and he had warned the Three Realms and Six Daos to stay out of it. While Lu Yin had grown stronger than them, he was not able to surpass the Origin Progenitor. Entering could easily lead to unexpected danger.

Was waiting his only option?

With Wei Nu also in the forbidden region, Progenitor Ku might not be enough to stand guard in the Mirari Realm. However, if Lu Yin left the Mirari Realm, he only had a single opportunity to return.

Lu Yin took a moment to consider the matter before deciding to return with reinforcements. At the same time, he would make use of all of the resources that had been gathered from across the megaverse and take them into the Mirari Realm.

Right when Lu Yin was about to leave, ripples spread and space twisted. At that moment, the forbidden region expanded, and both Lu Yin and Progenitor Ku were enveloped by it.

In an instant, their vision spun. The River of Aeons, the bamboo grove, and the wooden cabin all disappeared. They were replaced by bizarre trees. Each one was laden with fruits, and all of those fruits bore Lu Yin’s face.

Lu Yin looked around. Just what was going on? Had Wei Nu expanded the forbidden region? Was she even capable of doing so?

Before his thoughts could proceed any further, he heard a familiar voice from behind. "You’ve also awakened? Not bad timing, as you aren’t too late. Since you’re awake, I’ll eat you."

Lu Yin turned around and saw a giant looking down at him. That giant was also Lu Yin.

Lu Yin froze.

Me?

"All who awaken look at me the same way. This karma most aligns with my original nature. But unfortunately, the path to Immortality is ruthless. In this universe, it’s necessary to abandon your former self. By eating you, I’ll be closer to achieving perfection."

The look in the giant Lu Yin’s eyes was nothing familiar. They were cold, or possibly indifferent to everything.

Why would Lu Yin have such an expression?

Wait, what was that just now? What does he mean by "eating"?

Lu Yin looked down and realized that he was no longer a human, but rather a fruit. He was exactly the same as all the other fruits on the surrounding trees that bore his face. He was nothing but a fruit that had woken up.

Karma? True self? The path to Immortality?

The giant Lu Yin reached out and grabbed at him. The fruit Lu Yin was hanging from a high branch, but it was still within reach of the giant’s hand.

Darkness enveloped him as the hand drew closer to grab Lu Yin.

He gritted his teeth in defiance. That giant was not him, and he refused to be eaten. No matter what was going on, he would not allow it.

He was Lu Yin, the Dao Monarch of the Heavens Sect, the ruler of the Tianyuan Megaverse! He had surpassed the Three Realms and Six Daos, and he was approaching the level of the Origin Progenitor himself. He was one of the most powerful beings in the entire megaverse! How could he be consumed by himself?

He started to recite the Origin Progenitor’s Sutra. "When the Dao of Heaven grants its favor, it devours a hundred rivers and mirrors the ancients, uniting all beneath the heavens in harmony, emulating the sages of old. When the Dao of Heaven withholds its favor, it gathers energy within and condenses it into the void, leaping into the cosmos to rest, harmonizing with the people, traversing the vast expanse to recline...."

As Lu Yin recited the Origin Sutra, the giant hand that surrounded him grew ethereal.

"The Origin Sutra? I know that too. You can’t escape. On the path of mastering karma, you and I are just one piece out of many."

Lu Yin’s pupils contracted. He roared and released his inner universe, mobilizing his star of consciousness. Everything around him was just an illusion.

Suddenly, he saw a breathtaking dance. It was Luo Shen.

He saw a smile appear as Luo Shen looked at Lu Yin. He could see nothing but pure affection. "Brother Lu."

The giant’s hand suddenly shattered, and everything around Lu Yin started to crumble, including even his own form.

He was just a fruit, which was so fragile.

Everything flipped over, and the forbidden region dispersed. Lu Yin tore through the void and raced back to the Heavens Sect.

What he had just seen had terrified him. The feeling of nearly being devoured by his own self had seemed so real. Also, Luo Shen’s last smile. It had been so weak, yet also so full of longing. Lu Yin was not sure how he should face it.

At the moment, Lu Yin was not sure of his own thoughts. He simply wanted to escape from the forbidden region as quickly as possible.

The moment he arrived in the Heavens Sect, a swarm of insects erupted from every direction. There were so many that they blotted out the sky.

In the distance, Yan Gang sneered viciously. "Lu Yin, the fear and despair that you forced upon me, I’ll repay you tenfold today!"

Lu Yin was shocked.

Yan Gang? Isn’t he dead?

There was a tremendous crash, and the Heavens Sect shattered. The jiao was ripped apart. Verdant King stood amidst the blood. Beneath his feet lay the shattered shell of Ancestor Tortoise.

Behind the Verdant Sage floated the enormous head of the Pridebeast. Nearby were the Megalith, Mu Shen, Wu Tian, Hongyan Mavis, and many other corpses.

This sight told Lu Yin that he had never left the forbidden region.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Still, the scene before him seemed all too real.

He had been able to overcome Meng Sang’s Dreamshade before, but this was even more realistic than the Seraph’s ability.

Despite knowing that what he was seeing was fake, Lu Yin was unable to control himself. It was as if he were a stranger watching his own body furiously attack Verdant King, only to be suppressed by the insect’s techniques. Lu Yin saw himself be injured again and again as he fought desperately, but it was impossible to change what had happened.

For the moment, Lu Yin felt like he was nothing more than an observer.

After the Heavens Sect was completely destroyed, on the mountain behind the sect, Zhao Ran saw someone who had suddenly appeared in front of her. It was Destina.

"It’s time to choose again. You are Wei Nu."

The watering can fell to the ground from Zhao Ran’s with a soft clang. She stared at Destina in confusion. "You... aren’t dead?"

Destina smiled. "You should have killed me."

"Me?"

"You."

The confusion vanished from Zhao Ran’s eyes, replaced by an endless coldness. "Destiny, if you are attempting to ambush me, then you must know that all branches must return to the mainstream."

As Zhao Ran spoke, everything started to move backwards, as though time itself was flowing in reverse.

At that moment, Verdant King’s power became meaningless, and everything that had happened was undone.

A tremor ran through Lu Yin’s body, and when he looked up again, he saw that he was at a wedding. It was a wedding being held in San Dios.

Had he returned to this place?

Lu Yin had regained control of his own body, and he looked down at his hands. He was no longer a mere observer.

"You- Why are you here?" In front of him, Jenny Auna stared at Lu Yin in disbelief.

Bazeer stepped forward, glaring at Lu Yin. "Student Lu, you’re not on the guest list for this wedding. Leave now."

Lu Yin said nothing. He simply looked around.

He saw Jenny Auna and also Yan Gang.

The moment that Lu Yin’s eyes fell upon Yan Gang, unchecked killing intent rose up in his heart. This was the man who had nurtured a Nest and spawned Verdant King, which had ultimately led to the complete destruction of the Heavens Sect, which Lu Yin had just witnessed.

So that’s what this is, the cycle of karma. It’s giving me another opportunity.

Everything suddenly seemed so reasonable.

Lu Yin had been granted an opportunity to make another choice, but the cycle of karma had changed that opportunity to take place more than a hundred years ago, back to the wedding at San Dios.

This wedding was the trigger that had started a chain of events that had culminated in the destruction of Firesmelt Planet. This was where Lu Yin had dealt with Yan Feng, and it had left Yan Gang as a stray dog.

The cycle of karma was offering Lu Yin the chance to choose again: would he disrupt the wedding again, perpetuating his enmity with Firesmelt Planet?

Lu Yin stared at Yan Gang. Was this the cause of his karma?

Bazeer, Yan Feng, and everyone else present followed Lu Yin’s gaze and looked over at Yan Gang, which only confused them all.

At this moment, Lu Yin should have been focused solely on Yan Feng and Jenny Auna, so why was he staring at Yan Gang?

Even Yan Gang was dumbfounded.

Why is he staring at me? I’m just a nobody! I’m just a pawn

.

Yan Gang could have never imagined that he would be the center of attention at a moment like this.

Cause and effect: only one path could be chosen. Choosing an action would inevitably lead to the linked result.

The wedding had been a trap that Yan Feng and his associates had set for Lu Yin. While the matter had initially appeared trivial, at the time, Lu Yin had been betrothed to the Auna family. If he had allowed Yan Feng and Jenny Auna’s marriage to proceed, it would have humiliated Lu Yin. While such humiliation might not have mattered in the short term, the price of such ridicule would only grow with time.

Who would follow a man who was unable to even fight for his own woman?

Lu Yin’s current status and reputation had been built up from countless battles. He was seen as a legend in the eyes of everyone in the Tianyuan Megaverse. Such a blemish on his record would alter his future.

Furthermore, the wedding had attracted the attention of many interested parties.

A different choice would inevitably lead to a different future.

Should Lu Yin actually make a different choice? What if he had not fully understood the full ramifications of this karmic choice?

The forbidden region was indeed amazing, and Lu Yin had not been able to discern the truth of the matter at first. However, he was one of the strongest beings in the megaverse. If the Origin Progenitor had managed to leave this forbidden region, then so too could Lu Yin. Not even this place could completely alter his thoughts.

Lu Yin knew that he was in the Karma Sanctum, which had no connection whatsoever to the outside world.

How could the Heavens Sect have been destroyed by Verdant King alone? Besides, both Yan Gang and Verdant King were already dead.

However, since he was being given the chance to choose again, he would make the choice. He would find out what karma truly was.