Chapter 3639: I Made It Up

Lu Yin was already prepared. "There’s no need to give a formal offering, but we can at least show our sincerity. This is a custom from my homeland."

As he spoke, he pulled a few strings from his cosmic ring and handed them to Grandpa Fa and the others. “These are Remembrance Strings. They represent the love and blessings of younger generations toward elders who are about to pass. The more times you walk around the elder holding the string, the more sincere it is. That’s just how it works.”

Ah Three looked puzzled. "Is that a tradition?"

"I like it," Ah Five commented.

Grandpa Fa sighed. "The Gate of Laws isn't some place that we can visit whenever we want. We may never get another chance to pay our respects. Given the situation, let’s do it."

Ah Nine took a string and pressed her lips together. "Thank you, Seventeen."

Lu Yin nodded and started walking around the grave.

Grandpa Fa and the others followed suit.

One time around. Two circles. Three... Ten...

For Lu Yin, a few circles would have sufficed. With each round, he was weaving threads of karma around the grave. No one else could see what he was doing, only him. Spiraling karma had already completely surrounded the grave.

Spirals of karma were something that not even Dukkhans could see, though they could instinctively sense such attacks and avoid them.

However, by using karma to build a trap, Lu Yin was not even physically touching the grave. Thus, Yi Shang would not sense a thing.

Still, the old man’s instincts warned him that something was wrong. He opened his eyes and looked out at Lu Yin and the others, who were still all walking circles around the grave. Deciding that he could not be bothered by them, Yi Shang shut his eyes again.

If I don’t see them, they don’t exist.

They had already circled the grave fifty times. Given that they were all cultivators, they could walk many more.

An ordinary person would have become dizzy after just a few times around.

Someone called out from the distance, “What are you little ones up to? Looks pretty interesting!”

Ah Three, honest and straightforward as always, replied, “It’s a Remembrance String ritual. We’re offering our respects and blessings in advance to the elder.”

“What a fine tradition! Walk a few circles for this old man too!”

“You shameless old fart! You’re not even their elder!”

“I’m right here, aren’t I? If I’m willing, what’s the problem? Come on over, little ones—Grandpa’s got something good for you!”

“Hey, over here too! This tradition’s great!”

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“Yeah yeah, walk a few circles for me as well!”

“Don’t forget this side!”

“With voices that loud, you lot don’t sound anywhere close to death. If I had even half your spirit, I’d be back at the Ascendant Hall serving the High Seraph instead of rotting away here.”

“Screw you!”

“Screw you!”

“Screw you!”

“I knew it was you, you crusty old bastard! You’ve been yelling at me again!”

“Bullshit! I didn’t even say anything this time! Who’s out here throwing curses, huh?”

“I heard you. You definitely said it...”

As they listened to the growing commotion surrounding them, Grandpa Fa and the others were left terribly bewildered. Was this really the Garden of Passing? Why did it feel more like a marketplace?

However, the auras that the old monsters released as they argued were truly terrifying; even the sky seemed to change color.

The small group hesitated, and they wondered if they should just go along with what the old monsters wanted and walk a few circles for the other dying powerhouses. It did not seem smart to offend these people.

All of them turned to look at Lu Yin.

He shrugged. "I don’t have any more strings."

He looked around the area. There really were a large number of old monsters who were still alive, some of whom were even Dukkhans. Unfortunately, they were also all at death’s door, and while they could use a bit of their strength while in the Garden of Passing, if they left, they could drop dead at any moment.

The Gate of Laws did possess deep foundations, but the Garden of Passing was the heritage of the entire Spirit Nidus. The Gate of Laws merely served as a graveyard.

"Come, come here, little ones! Walk a few circles for me!"

"Over here, too!"

"Over here, little ones! Grandpa has something good for you!"

Lu Yin was tempted to walk a few circles, as he might actually be able to gain something valuable from these old monsters. However, he eventually abandoned the idea. He could not afford any surprises that could potentially allow Yi Shang to escape. The former Seraph was worth far more than anything Lu Yin could receive from these dying powerhouses.

Besides, if it ever became necessary to deal with these old monsters, Lu Yin would not need to use any traps.

Zhan Qianguhou arrived, and he was utterly dumbfounded by the scene. "You old bastards! You’re usually pretending to be dead, and yet you’re all coming out now? And you!"

His eyes narrowed as he looked at Grandpa Fa and the others with a great deal of suspicion. "Are you trying to steal my business? Where did this tradition come from?"

Everyone turned to look at Lu Yin, who was left completely speechless.

I just made it up just now... Why is it so popular?

Zhan Qianguhou leaned closer to Lu Yin and grinned. "Brother, give me the details, and I'll make it worth your while."

Lu Yin smiled. "I made it up."

Zhan Qianguhou gave him a confused look.

Lu Yin’s hand touched the strings, and his expression suddenly changed as he released an endless, overpowering aura that instantly engulfed all of the Garden of Passing.

At that moment, the countless old cultivators in the Garden of Passing were all horrified. Where had such a terrifying presence come from?

Yi Shang's eyes snapped open, and the wooden wing appeared in his hand as he instinctively prepared to flee.

A string shot through his grave; a spiral of karma had instantly flashed and shot into Yi Shang.

His eyes turned vacant, and the wooden wing slipped from his fingers. Lu Yin appeared in front of the man, his hand falling. "It’s been a while, old man."

Boom!

The Garden of Passing trembled, as did the entire Arcanum Domain.

Far away, Zhan Ming's expression changed drastically.

Not good!

Never in all of history had such a thing occurred in the Gate of Laws. The Garden of Passing was the resting place for old monsters, but an outsider had entered and instantly suppressed the entire place, as well as subdued Yi Shang, a former Seraph. Such a thing should have been impossible, and yet it had just happened.

Yi Shang stared blankly at the hand pressing against his forehead. The owner of that hand was the same person that Yi Shang had gone to incredible lengths to avoid.

How is he here? How did he know that I was here? He must have planned this in advance; there’s no other explanation

. There was no other way Lu Yin could have prevented Yi Shang from escaping with his mirebound artifact. The man had prepared too thoroughly, and the results left Yi Shang dazed. All he could see were the two eyes in front of him, as they seemed to cover the entire sky.

All around them, ancient, though powerful, auras swept across the region. Zhan Qianguhou, Grandpa Fa, and the other younger people were trembling. What they were confronted with at this moment felt as though they were standing before the heavens themselves.

Lu Yin kept his hand pressed against Yi Shang’s head as he looked around. "Since all of you are already about to die, just stay put. Helping build sequence bases is the only honorable way for you to go. Don’t make me put you down."

"Who are you?" someone shouted in a stern tone. Their voice caused the void to tremble as it echoed across the entire Arcanum Domain. Zhan Qianguhou and the others grew dizzy from the sound.

Ah Three and Ah Nine were barely even able to stay standing. Their vision blurred, space nearby seemed to warp. Grandpa Fa held the two tightly while staring at Lu Yin in a daze.

Is that really Seventeen? Just what is that indifferent young man’s true identity?

"If I’m not mistaken, you must be Seraph Lu," an old, weary voice commented from another direction.

Lu Yin ignored everyone and looked at the wooden wing that floated from the floor into his hand. He examined it with great interest.

This is the mirebound artifact that Yi Shang used to escape and survive again and again. This is what made it impossible for me to catch him, until now.

If Lu Yin had not been able to use his own mirebound artifact to find Yi Shang, the man might have never been caught.

"Seraph Lu, don’t you think that you’re ignoring us old people a bit too much by acting like this in the Garden of Passing?"

"Wait, isn’t that Yi Shang? Old friend, it looks like you’ve been hiding here from Seraph Lu all along, haven’t you?"

"This is a man who truly deserves to be the High Seraph’s rival. When he attacked just now, none of us had any chance to even react."

"This is outrageous! The Gate of Laws is a sacred place! Even the High Seraph himself must protect it! This man is much too arrogant. People from the Tianyuan Megaverse cannot be trusted! We should eliminate him now!"

"You clearly have no idea just how terrifying this man is. Don’t bring trouble upon your own head. Zhan Ming hasn’t even shown up yet. Don’t you think that’s a bit suspicious?"

The last voice was Feng Chengzhu’s. He clearly remembered fighting against Lu Yin in an attempt to protect Yue Ting, only to be effortlessly overpowered. That was a moment that the old man would never forget.

Lu Yin put the wooden wing away and turned to look at Feng Chengzhu. "It’s been a while, Feng Chengzhu."

Feng Chengzhu did not fear Lu Yin’s strength, but rather the torment of being imprisoned in the Champions' Stage Purgatory. Feng Chengzhu was already about to die, so death had ceased to scare him. "Seraph Lu, are you here to capture someone? Isn’t that Seraph Yi? Has he offended you?"

Lu Yin calmly replied, "You could say that."

"How arrogant! Do you think that you can treat this place as your own and do as you please? This ground is sacred to us! This is where we sacrifice ourselves to build sequence bases, elevating the strength of the entire Spirit Nidus! How dare you act so rashly here! You must pay for this!" a stern voice shouted.

Lu Yin arched a brow. "Feng Chengzhu, is that your friend?"

"Enemy," Feng Chengzhu answered bluntly.

"Hmm? When did we become enemies?" the man asked in confusion.

Another voice chimed in, "Him? He’s the bravest man in the Spirit Nidus! He’s always going on about leading an attack against

Boundless

. Wait a moment, isn’t Seraph Lu in charge of

Boundless

? Wow, my friend, you’re screwed."

"You might as well die now."

"Fuck you!"

"You still dare to insult me? This time, I heard you clearly! You're dead!"

Far away, a massive hand emerged from a grave, and it reached for another tomb.

Grandpa Fa and his younger companions were absolutely horrified. What kind of monstrous being was this?

Zhan Qianguhou felt bitter as he watched the enormous hand appear.

You have an enemy right here, so why are you all fighting amongst yourselves?

The man glanced back at Lu Yin.

Why did a monster like him come here?

It was at that moment that Zhan Ming appeared. "Stop."

The massive hand froze. "Seraph Zhan Ming? This man has insulted me countless times! I will never forgive him."

Zhan Ming’s voice remained soft. "Any personal grudges can be settled later. Seraph Lu has traveled a great distance to be here. It’s only proper that we welcome him first."

"That makes sense. Let’s deal with the outsider first."

Zhan Ming’s eyebrows shot up.

That’s not what I meant at all!

Lu Yin sneered. "So, Seraph Zhan Ming, how do you plan to deal with me, the so-called outsider?"

Zhan Ming’s voice dropped low, "Seraph Lu, you came here uninvited and have taken action of your own accord. That is not proper behavior for a guest."

Lu Yin tightened his hold on Yi Shang. "Your Gate of Laws has been sheltering someone I was trying to capture. As far as I’m concerned, that’s not proper behavior either."

Zhan Ming frowned. "What has Yi Shang done to offend you, Seraph Lu? You have never publicly stated that you wanted the man."

"It’s not too late for me to do so now," Lu Yin answered with a shrug.

"How absurd! You-"

Someone started to yell in protest, but Zhan Ming quickly silenced him, "This is a matter between my Gate of Laws and Seraph Lu. I ask that all of you refrain from interfering."

After witnessing the battle at the source of the Fu River, Zhan Ming was certain that he could not give Lu Yin an excuse to unleash his power within the Arcanum Domain. That would be an utter catastrophe and its consequences for the Gate of Laws were impossible to predict.

Lu Yin smirked as he glanced at a distant grave. "I wouldn’t mind sending that old bastard off a little early."

"You could allow him the chance to experience ten days of joy first," Feng Chengzhu muttered under his breath.

Those near him grew puzzled, but they could clearly sense that Feng Chengzhu had ulterior motives. But secretly, many were secretly pleased even though they did not like the fact that Lu Yin had attacked someone within the Garden of Passing; the man was simply too terrifying to antagonize. Even Zhan Ming had asked the ancient powerhouses to stand aside.

The old man who had repeatedly provoked Lu Yin was also rather unpopular. If Lu Yin could teach him a lesson, many would revel in his misfortune.

Fearing that Lu Yin would actually take action, Zhan Ming quickly spoke up again. "Seraph Lu, let’s talk elsewhere. Someone of your status should be welcomed properly by the Gate of Laws."

"There’s no need. Do you know why I waited for you to arrive?" Lu Yin replied.

Zhan Ming was actually puzzled by this. Naturally, he had sensed Lu Yin’s presence the moment he had attacked Yi Shang, and Zhan Ming had instantly arrived at the Garden of Passing. He had been hesitant to enter, as he was wary of Lu Yin’s strength. Zhan Ming had actually wanted to wait for Lu Yin to leave before revealing himself, but since Lu Yin had lingered behind, he had had no choice but to step forward.