Chapter 3528: Cleaning

"What brings you two to my Consciousness Domain?" Shi Lin personally blocked the couple from entering the Consciousness Domain.

Hu Wu frowned. "What? Are we not allowed in?"

Shi Lin answered in a low voice, "My Consciousness Domain is different from the other thirty-six domains. Those as old as you two should know that."

Tian Ya replied in a conciliatory manner, "You don’t need to worry. We're not here to cause any trouble. Might I ask if Miss Wu Tong is here?"

Shi Lin was puzzled. "You came here to see Wu Tong?"

Hu Wu answered, "The Third Boss asked us to deliver a gift to Miss Wu Tong."

This was completely unexpected. While Wu Tong was indeed a pretty woman, she was not comparable to Palace Master Yao or Cai Keqing. Why would the Third Boss send Hu Wu and Tian Ya to the Consciousness Domain to deliver a gift to the young woman? Shi Lin could not make sense of this.

"What's wrong? Are you not going to give the Third Boss a bit of face?" Hu Wu challenged in an irritated tone.

Given that Shi Lin could not make sense of Lu Yin's intentions, he wanted to refuse the two people entry. However, doing so might insult that Third Boss, which would cause additional problems for the Consciousness Domain.

As for allowing them to see Wu Tong, that had the same considerations. To refuse would be disrespectful towards Lu Yin.

Helpless, Shi Lin knew that he was trapped. "Of course not. Please, come in."

Hu Wu and Tian Ya were extremely powerful, and Shi Lin had to admit he was not confident that he could personally stop the two. Fortunately, Wu Wei was still present in the Consciousness Domain and served as its protector.

Wu Wei's consciousness was powerful enough to restrain the two, which made Shi Lin confident that the two would not make trouble while in the Consciousness Domain.

Hu Wu and Tian Ya were quickly escorted into the Consciousness Domain.

One after another, the Grandverse Manor’s experts arrived at various branches of the Phantom Reach.

Time flowed on. Lu Yin, who was in the distant Roaming South Realm, observed the three spirit treasure formations with great interest. The three were a challenge for him to understand.

Lu Yin had raced into the Roaming South Realm, but once there, he neither attacked nor accepted the Phantom Reach's offers of peace. It was clear that the Third Boss was plotting something, but neither of the old men observing him could figure out what. Despite the Phantom Reach's impressive information network, it was impossible to observe the number of powerhouses that belonged to the Grandverse Manor.

Yi Nan and Qianmen Feidu were also ignorant to the fact that Seraph Jiu Xian had discovered so many of the Phantom Reach’s branches or that Qing Yun had shared those locations with Old Tao, who had informed the Grandverse Manor. Knowing that would have prompted the Phantom Reach to already release all the information that they had on the Grandverse Manor.

Finally, Lu Yin was informed that everyone was in place. Hearing that, he stepped forward. One step broke through the Harmonic Frost and Heat formation, and the second brought him to the second spirit treasure formation, Pristine Waters, White Stones.

The Phantom Reach members grew solemn when they saw that Lu Yin had finally started moving.

Yi Nan frowned. He had a terrible premonition, but he could not understand just what was wrong.

"Third Boss, is it truly impossible for my Phantom Reach to reconcile with you?"

Lu Yin looked around at the danger field that surrounded him. "Heavenspire or the Primal Beastland. Choose."

Yi Nan's eyes turned vicious. "If that's the case, then you can’t blame my Phantom Reach for not showing you mercy!

"Release the Grandverse Manor's information! Let's see who will continue to pretend to be ignorant!"

Lu Yin abruptly looked up to stare at Yi Nan. "Old man, you’re about to die."

Yi Nan's expression grew grim. Beside him, Qianmen Feidu had already sent out the orders. However, the man’s expression quickly and drastically changed. "Something's wrong! We’ve lost contact with the branches!"

Yi Nan was badly startled by this news. "What are you saying?"

He suddenly looked back at Lu Yin. "Are you behind this?"

...

In the Hundred Grasses Domain, Progenitor Xi left the valley. The estate was deathly silent. Blood trickled out through cracks in the door, staining the gardens red.

In the Cloudcrane Domain, a Cranekeeper lay at Lu Tianyi’s feet.

In the Alin Domain, the Sunset Courtyard had instantly vanished. Not a single trace of the place remained.

In a single moment, blood was shed in every domain throughout the Spirit Nidus.

In the Consciousness Domain, Hu Wu attacked without warning, using the Annihilation Sequence Technique to destroy a region of the domain, erasing it from existence.

Shi Lin was shocked, and he released the full power of his consciousness. "Hu Wu and Tian Ya, what is the meaning of this?"

The members of the Revolt Alliance who were in the Consciousness Domain all warily glared at Hu Wu and Tian Ya.

Wu Wei's consciousness appeared and spread across the domain, subjecting everyone to intense pressure.

Tian Ya calmly replied, "There’s no need for such panic. We simply removed a branch of the Phantom Reach."

Shi Lin's eyes narrowed. "A Phantom Reach branch? You just destroyed a Phantom Reach branch?"

Hu Wu sneered. "Did you really think that we were here to deliver a gift to Wu Tong?"

Shi Lin stared at the two, uncertain of whether he should believe them.

Daoist Fengzhi quickly spoke up, "It might have really been a Phantom Reach branch."

The man did not want to end up as the Grandverse Manor’s enemy. If the Third Boss were provoked again, the Revolt Alliance might end up with the same fate as the Qi family.

The Ascendant Hall had not saved the Qi family, and they also would not save the Revolt Alliance.

More importantly, even if the Ascendant Hall did try to save the Revolt Alliance, they might not succeed. After the battle at the Umbral Deep, the Third Boss had proven himself to be completely invincible. Not even one of the Seven Seraphs had been Lu Yin’s match. Unless the High Seraph himself took action, the Consciousness Domain would be in grave danger. Daoist Fengzhi did not want to die.

Regardless of whether Hu Wu had just destroyed a Phantom Reach branch, the Consciousness Domain had to believe it.

At that moment, Wu Wei's consciousness dissipated. The conscient did not want to get involved.

Feeling completely powerless, Shi Lin could only take a deep breath and suppress his anger. "Both of you, please leave."

Hu Wu and Tian Ya said nothing more and simply left the Consciousness Domain.

As Shi Lin watched the couple leave, his expression fell. When had the Consciousness Domain ever been so humiliated before?

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Daoist Fengzhi showed a bitter smile. All he could do was sigh. "Alliance Leader, personally, I believe that that really was a Phantom Reach branch."

"I know, but they didn't give us any notice at all. They have absolutely no respect for our Revolt Alliance," Shi Lin said through gritted teeth.

Daoist Fengzhi did not know how to reply to that. After all, what more could they do against someone as terrifying as the Third Boss? Hu Wu and Tian Ya were also top-tier experts.

Suddenly, the two men exchanged glances. "A Phantom Reach branch? Is the Grandverse Manor attacking the Phantom Reach’s branches now?"

"Yi Nan recently defeated Seraph Yi Shang, and he’ll most likely become a Seraph soon. Why would the Grandverse Manor take action now?" Daoist Fengzhi was puzzled.

Shi Lin stared up at the starry sky. "The Phantom Reach is in trouble."

The slaughters conducted at the various Phantom Reach branches were not seen as a big deal, but that was because most people had no idea that all of the Phantom Reach’s branches had been wiped out simultaneously.

Not even the events in the Roaming South Realm attracted much attention. No one knew that Lu Yin had gone there or that it was both the Phantom Reach’s headquarters and Seraph Jiu Xian’s base.

...

Yi Nan was stunned that the Grandverse Manor had actually risked attacking the Phantom Reach’s branches. Actually, how had they even learned about their branch locations? Not even Old Tao had known that information.

Lu Yin observed the pool of clear water before him. There was a stone in the water that was as white as snow. This sourcebox array was quite unique, but unfortunately, it was too weak.

He broke it quite easily.

After quickly shattering the first two spirit treasure formations, the third layer of protection was Codex 16.

"Activate!" the two Grandmasters shouted fiercely, triggering Codex 16.

Lu Yin had been standing in open daylight, but he was suddenly enveloped by darkness. Moonlight streamed down, and a chill settled in. A lone figure sat atop a mountain, facing the moonlight. It was a lonely image.

Lu Yin studied the image formed from the field of danger. Was this the danger zone of a humanoid sourcebox?

He had encountered a number of humanoid sourceboxes before, but it was extremely rare for them to have a danger zone.

How could a sourcebox’s danger zone have taken on a human form?

Suddenly, the figure raised a hand and pointed a finger at Lu Yin's back. All of the sourcebox array’s danger zone directed right at Lu Yin. As the danger zone approached, space cracked open. At that moment, Lu Yin, Yi Nan, and Qianmen Feidu all felt a chill fall upon them.

That finger represented death.

Lu Yin faced that finger head-on, and his expression changed. While the finger was powerful, it did not carry enough of a threat.

He also pointed a finger forward and used the Dao of One Heavens.

Bang!

The ground of the Roaming South Realm tore apart. Lu Yin's finger crushed the sourcebox array’s danger zone, and a subsequent wave of his hand completely ripped the spirit treasure formation apart.

The array’s finger attack had contained a very powerful intent, but its actual strength was completely insufficient. It had simply given off the impression of being unstoppable.

The spirit treasure formation had piqued Lu Yin's interest.

His eyes shifted to the two Spirit Treasure Masters. One step instantly delivered Lu Yin in front of the two men, and he grabbed them both.

As he reached out, the flicker of a blade flashed by, and Lu Yin casually reached out to grab the attack.

He crushed the attack with one hand. Then, he saw that Yi Nan was holding a saber that he swung at Lu Yin once again.

Lu Yin had not expected Yi Nan, the master of the Phantom Reach, to fight with a saber instead of using the methods of an assassin.

The man’s skill with the blade was extraordinary, and it had reached a level rarely seen. After all, Yi Nan was a Dukkhan, and every slash of his blade destroyed Lu Yin's understanding of such techniques, despite the fact that he had already received Wu Tian's understanding of all martial arts.

Unfortunately, no matter how impressive the man’s blade technique might be, the saber could not harm Lu Yin.

Unless the saber was as sharp as Golden Roc’s talons, the weapon would not be able to pose a threat to Lu Yin.

As the two men fought, all of the members of the Phantom Reach pulled back.

Qianmen Feidu was the first to run away. He did not dare to be anywhere close to this fight.

One of Yi Nan's slashes merged with his previous attacks, and the void was sliced open while the ground was cleaved apart.

Once again, Lu Yin just raised a hand. Wielder-realm battle force covered his hand as he grabbed the edge of the blade and then simply crushed it with a loud sound.

The saber shards sliced through the void, tearing the Roaming South Realm apart as they shot across the universe.

One of the fragments pierced Qianmen Feidu’s shoulder, and he fled even further, his face growing pale.

Yi Nan clenched the hilt of his shattered saber, and lunged forward. Suddenly, the hilt transformed into a bone hand that was as white as jade. The hand reached out for Lu Yin.

The moment he saw the bone hand, Lu Yin actually hesitated for a moment.

The hand was about to fall on his head.

Lightstream swirled around Lu Yin, and time was reversed by one second. Yi Nan was unable to avoid the time reversal, and one second was enough for Lu Yin to open up some distance.

Yi Nan charged at Lu Yin again, his entire body transforming into saber qi even as he held the bone hand. His movement tore through the void.

Lu Yin was startled. "Manifested thought."

This comment startled Yi Nan in turn.

How does he know?

Manifested thought was a mystical power within the Spirit Nidus. It was neither consciousness nor spiritual force. Rather, manifested thought was the ability of a sentient mind to impose its will upon reality.

Yi Nan was the founder of the Phantom Reach, as well as a Dukkhan. He was someone who was regarded highly enough by the High Seraph that Jiu Xian had been sent to monitor him. Yi Nan’s manifested thought was responsible for all of this.

He had believed that his manifested thought would allow him to defeat the Third Boss. How could Yi Nan have anticipated that, not only had Lu Yin mastered something like the power of time, but was also able to recognize manifested thought?

Lu Yin was quite impressed. "Very few people across all three megaverses are capable of cultivating manifested thought. Unfortunately, I've encountered more than one such person before."

Lord Wei, Progenitor Hui, and even Whiteless God had all possessed the power of manifested thought. While Lu Yin had not cultivated the ability himself, he was somewhat familiar with it.

This explained why Yi Nan had chosen to fight Lu Yin with a saber, despite already knowing that Golden Roc’s talons had not been enough to harm the Third Boss. The decision had been made because Yi Nan had wanted to use his manifested thought at the exact moment the weapon shattered. If Lu Yin had not reversed time and also already knew what manifested thought was, he might have actually fallen into the trap.

"Third Boss, since you know what manifested thought is, you should also understand that it is not easy to deal with. Everything that my Phantom Reach has done to you can be compensated. Anything you want, you just need to say it. This is a show of the Phantom Reach's sincerity." Yi Nan remained extremely wary as he clenched the hilt connected to the white bone hand. He knew that his trump card had already been exposed, which made him nervous. If it was possible to avoid fighting, he would do so. It was true that he was more adept at assassinations than open combat.

Lu Yin's eyes blazed with bloodlust. "I fought against Bu Ya, Qian, the Worryless Elder, Hu Wu and Tian Ya, Su Shidao. I even fought at the Umbral Deep, where I was ambushed by Emperor Slayer and Mr. Li because your Phantom Reach and the Wisdom Domain have plotted against me again and again. What do you think you can offer as compensation for all of that?"