Chapter 3544: Everyone Is The Same

Lu Yin offered a slight smile. "Do I need to get to know you?"

The middle-aged man shook his head, terrified. "No, there’s no need, Senior. Feel free to speak your orders. I don't dare say anything more."

Lu Yin was satisfied. "Were you deliberately causing trouble for us?"

"Yes."

"Trying to uncover our identities?"

"Yes."

The middle-aged man had already come to deeply regret his actions. He had tried to learn who these people were. Not only had he failed, but he had also ended up in a terrible situation. The worst part was that he had never imagined that such a powerful expert would be part of such an event.

Even though the selection for the five official trade associations was a lively affair, it was not important enough to attract the attention of the true top experts. The entire event was something that happened beneath Yi Shang’s oversight, and it should not concern any of the ancient monsters. Additionally, those ancient monsters should be wary of Yi Shang and not interfere in his matters.

The middle-aged man was very curious about who was before him, but he did not dare to ask anything further.

"Where are you from?" Lu Yin asked.

The middle-aged man let out a breath and respectfully replied, "The Ark Domain."

Old Tao suddenly made the connection. "It’s no wonder why your movements felt so familiar. So you're from the Ark Domain. How’s Zhou the Brute doing?"

The middle-aged man turned to look at Old Tao in surprise. "Senior, you know my father?"

"Zhou the Brute?" Lu Yin was puzzled. The name sounded exactly like one given by the Origin Progenitor.

Old Tao explained, "Zhou the Brute is now known as Zhou Duo. He changed his name later on. The old man lived a rough childhood. He’s from a branch of the Zhuo family, and for some reason, the main family named him Zhou the Brute. He used that name even into adulthood, but as his strength increased, no one dared to call him that anymore.

"This old bastard is ruthless. He overpowered his family’s main branch and seized control of the Ark Domain with his own people. After all these many years, almost no one would dare to call him Zhou the Brute any longer. I haven’t seen him in a very long time."

The middle-aged man let out a sigh of relief. "So, you’re an old friend, Senior. I am Zhou Qian. Greetings, Senior."

Old Tao rolled his eyes. "Don’t bother trying to butter up to me. I’m just a servant, so it’s pointless."

Zhou Qian respectfully asked, "May I ask for your name, Senior? My father may have mentioned you."

Old Tao shrugged. "I can’t say."

Zhou Qian felt confused, but he still turned his attention to Lu Yin.

"The Ark Domain... Are all battleships built in the Ark Domain?" Lu Yin asked.

Old Tao respectfully replied, "Yes. The Ark Domain is solely responsible for making battleships."

Lu Yin again felt amazed. "One task for one domain. It’s just too efficient."

Zhou Qian’s eyes narrowed at Lu Yin's words, as they had exposed who these people were. These people were from the Grandverse Manor.

The Ark Domain was famous among cultivators, and its function was certainly known among all powerful experts. How could anyone not know what the Ark Domain did? Many cultivators in the Spirit Nidus, especially the strong ones, would participate in excursions to the Consciousness Megaverse. There were very few exceptions to that rule. Anyone who had visited the Consciousness Megaverse would have used a battleship, and they would therefore be quite familiar with the Ark Domain.

For someone to be so powerful and yet not know about the Ark Domain, it was clear that he was not from the Spirit Nidus.

A bitter taste filled the man’s mouth. He had actually encountered the Grandverse Manor. He already knew who Old Tao had to be, and Zhou Qian’s fear of Lu Yin grew even more. The man understood that he had to be in front of the Grandverse Manor’s invincible Third Boss.

Zhou Qian would have much preferred to remain ignorant.

Lu Yin looked at Zhou Qian. "Is the Ark Domain trying to obtain one of the official trade association posts?"

Zhou Qian carefully maintained a respectful tone. "We are. For a long time, the Ark Domain has been forced to purchase all of the materials it takes to build battleships from either the official trade associations or from the Chamber of Commerce itself. However, this means that the materials have passed through multiple hands, and each transaction increases the price. Some of the materials are also very difficult to obtain, and we can only get them by exchanging favors or offering passage. We’ve been given no other option but to join the competition."

Ye Laojian frowned. "The higher cost of the materials that the Ark Domain needs to purchase can’t compare to what you’ll need to pay the Chamber of Commerce each year as an official trade association. You’ll be losing out by doing this."

Zhou Qian helplessly rebutted, "That’s still better than having to replace someone who’s been given passage."

"Passage?" Lu Yin asked, puzzled.

Zhou Qian said in a deep voice, "There are limited spots for each of the expeditions to the Consciousness Megaverse. Anyone who wants to become strong is required to pass this particular challenge, but some cultivators with incredible backing have people who want them to overcome the challenge but not face any real danger. After all, it’s normal for people to die in the Consciousness Megaverse. So, many who go are sent with guardians.

"There are even times when there are more guardians than people who are officially taking part in the expedition. The Ascendant Hall forbids this, so we must find ways to sneak the guardians aboard the battleships. We are able to provide that secret passage, since we are the ones who build the battleships. We’re able to sneak extra people aboard without anyone noticing."

Lu Yin understood. "Shouldn’t that be better for your Ark Domain?"

Zhou Qian’s voice grew bitter as he explained, "While we can certainly gain a great deal of benefits from doing this, if we are discovered, we will face harsh consequences. There are many who are envious of the Ark Domain’s position. The Heavencraft Domain has always wanted to replace us, and Heavenspire has tried to steal our responsibility for manufacturing the battleships on several occasions. My father is also a very stubborn person, which has led him to offend a great many people. Things have gotten to the point where we only have one option: obtain one of the five official trade association assignments and acquire the materials that we need as soon as possible."

"Is this your first time trying this?" Lu Yin asked.

"Yes, it is."

"Your actions don’t seem like those of someone participating for the first time." Lu Yin grew suspicious.

Zhou Qian was left speechless, and he glanced at the young man beside him. "This kid, he, I, we..."

As the man sputtered off, everyone understood. The young man had been genuinely flirting with Qing Yun, and Zhou Qian had simply allowed it.

Old Tao sighed. "That certainly matches Zhou the Brute’s style. If he didn’t know how to effectively take one of the official trade association posts, he would indeed resort to the simplest, most direct way: stealing."

Lu Yin chuckled. "Heavenspire wants to take over the responsibility of manufacturing battleships? It can’t just be about building ships."

He paused, but then he quickly pieced things together. "If the Ark Domain can use their knowledge of the battleships to sneak extra people aboard, that must be what Heavenspire is really after."

It was possible that this was not just about sending more people to the Consciousness Megaverse, but rather something to do with the Tianyuan Megaverse.

What if the Spirit Nidus’s initial vanguard to invade the Tianyuan Megaverse had not carried just the three Seraphs or the few experts who had participated, but more sequence powerhouses, or even a few more Ortusers? What about one or two more Dukkhans? The outcome might have turned out drastically different.

While the Ark Domain had the same understanding of the Tianyuan Megaverse as the rest of the Spirit Nidus, Heavenspire alone was different. They represented the High Seraph’s will, and possibly their own selfish motives.

If Heavenspire acquired the qualification to build battleships, it would grant them significant influence in regards to the Spirit Nidus’s external wars. This was not something that Lu Yin wanted to see, as he understood that Heavenspire was simply the face of the Lesser Spirit Megaverse. Even if the megaverse was a small one, it was hard to estimate just how many powerful experts had risen from it over time.

Why did Lu Yin keep Ru Mu around? Even though he knew that she was from Heavenspire and that keeping her close would not be beneficial, Lu Yin did not send the woman away. It was because, even if having her close was bad for Lu Yin, it was also bad for Heavenspire.

As she herself had said, she could lead him to Heavenspire, and that was the biggest reason why she was allowed to stay.

Lu Yin walked over to the window. Another fierce battle had erupted outside of the inn. While the matter of determining the five official trade associations appeared to be an internal matter within Yi Shang’s organization, it actually concerned many factions throughout the Spirit Nidus.

The room fell quiet. Everyone knew that Lu Yin was deep in thought.

Zhou Qian did not understand what Lu Yin was considering. The man’s understanding was limited to just the Spirit Nidus, whereas Lu Yin had a rather clear understanding of the situation between the three megaverses. His target was the High Seraph, who determined everything.

A long while later, the rest of the people from the Ark Domain slowly started to regain consciousness. Zhou Qian gestured for all of them to remain still, especially the young man, who was Zhou Qian’s own son. The young man was too frightened. Not only did he avoid making any unnecessary movements, but he even continued to lie on the floor and pretend to be unconscious.

"How much are you willing to pay to take one of the five official posts?" Lu Yin asked.

The oppressive silence had left Zhou Qian uncomfortable, so he felt much better when Lu Yin finally spoke. "80 billion spirit seeds each year."

Ye Laojian shook his head. "With that, you would lose too much."

Zhou Qian sighed helplessly. "We don’t have a choice. Taking losses here eases the pressure elsewhere."

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Old Tao sighed. "It’s an absurd amount of money, and problems that can be solved with money aren’t real problems."

Lu Yin looked at Ye Laojian. "What about you?"

Ye Laojian was stunned. "Me? No, that’s up to you, Third Boss."

Everyone present was sharp enough to understand the reality of the situation, so there was no reason to bother trying to hide things any longer. People exchanged knowing glances, as Old Tao and the others were already aware that Zhou Qian had figured out who they were.

Lu Yin looked at Old Tao, who cautiously asked, "How about we also offer 80 billion?"

"Not enough," Lu Yin retorted.

Old Tao and Ye Laojian exchanged glances. "Then, how much do you want to offer, Boss?"

Lu Yin thought for a moment. "I find this whole affair quite interesting. Once we secure a post, the Ark Domain will obtain priority for any of the materials they need."

Zhou Qian was caught off guard. He could not understand Lu Yin’s motivations in helping the Ark Domain. Still, the man let out a sigh of relief. Regardless of Lu Yin’s reasons, the Ark Domain had overcome their current obstacle.

"500 billion," Lu Yin casually stated.

Everyone was stunned. Even the usually calm Qing Yun and Ru Mu were shocked. The young man who was lying on the ground pretending to still be unconscious nearly leaped to his feet.

500 billion? What kind of money was that? The Ark Domain was the only domain that built battleships, so they certainly were not lacking funds. Even so, they were only willing to offer 80 billion spirit seeds, which was an enormous sum. Over the course of twenty years, it would be 1.6 trillion spirit seeds. And yet, Lu Yin wanted to offer 500 billion? He had to be crazy. How was this not just giving money to the Chamber of Commerce? There would be no profits at all, and even if prices were jacked up repeatedly, it would be impossible to recuperate the losses.

Ye Laojian was stunned. The last time they had succeeded in this selection process, the Hundred Leaf Trade Association had only offered 60 billion.

500 billion? That was nearly the total value of the entire Hundred Leaf Trade Association at its peak. Was it really necessary to offer that much?

"Third Boss, isn’t that a bit excessive?" Ye Laojian asked cautiously.

Ye Yan’er blinked.

500 billion... How exaggerated.

Lu Yin turned his back to the rest of the room. "I need absolute certainty. Name the price—don’t worry about the cost."

Ye Laojian glanced at Old Tao, who nodded. "Understood. We’ll do this as you wish, Third Boss."

Zhou Qian and the others left, as did Old Tao and the rest. Lu Yin was left alone in the room.

He stared off into the distance, lost in thought. 500 billion spirit seeds... Was it too much? Of course it was, but that did not matter. 500 billion would buy Yi Shang’s life, so it was not too expensive.

Lu Yin had never intended to spend a single penny. Since he was in the Daquan Domain, and Yi Shang had once been one of the Seven Seraphs and was considered one of the most powerful experts in the megaverse, Lu Yin naturally needed to challenge the man. It would be a fight to the death, so Lu Yin would allow the former Seraph to buy his life for 500 billion spirit seeds. No, it was not really in the billions, but rather in the trillions. Over the course of twenty years, the total amount would add up to trillions, and that would allow Yi Shang to buy his own life.

Some people could solve problems with money, while Lu Yin could solve problems with his fists. Those without power were considered scoundrels, but those with power were considered domineering.

Yi Shang held the selection for the five official trade associations every twenty years, and the application fees were non-refundable. It took absolute power to run such a scam. Without the necessary strength, how could Yi Shang have the courage to keep all of the funds received?

Everyone was the same.