Chapter 3725: Control

Yue Ya said, “The Spirit Nidus is absolutely necessary, but Mo Shang is rebellious and must be removed. We have been considering his replacement for a long time. Emperor Wu was ideal. The fact that he was a beast-form Spirit Rebirth means that he was purer than the human-form Spirit Rebirths, submitted to pure power, and had far fewer schemes in place. But he lost, and no other beast-form Spirit Rebirth is suitable. Instead, you, who bears a grudge against the Spirit Nidus and hailing from the Tianyuan Megaverse, are equally suitable.”

Seeing Lu Yin considering what he said, Yue Ya continued to say, “You left your megaverse to avert the Spirit Nidus’s plan to reset it. That danger is already gone. Replace Mo Shang, and you will rule over both megaverses.

“No.”

Yue Ya glanced around. “You will rule all three megaverses.”

Lu Yin gave Yue Ya an odd look. “Do you even believe that yourself?

“You took the risk of violating the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s edicts and possible punishment just to make me the ruler of three megaverses? Senior Yue Ya, your joke is a bit much.”

Yue Ya’s eyes flashed. “What if we add in Dan Jin’s promise?”

This startled the High Seraph.

Dan Jin?

Lu Yin was also surprised.

Lesser Sancte Dan Jin? Is she also involved?

Yue Ya continued in a low voice, “Among us Lesser Sancti, Dan Jin is the one who cares the most about the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, and she is also the one who is most admired by the Greater Sancti. She would give everything for our megaverse. Mo Shang is currently one of the biggest unstable factors in existence, and Dan Jin has promised that whoever manages to eliminate Mo Shang and find his replacement will receive her help to ascend and become a Greater Sancte.”

Lu Yin opened his mouth to speak, but Yue Ya cut him off. “That isn’t because Dan Jin lacks the ambition to become a Greater Sancte herself, but rather because she is unable to ever take that step. For the sake of our megaverse, she has devoted herself solely to alchemy techniques, and that limits her future. That is why everyone in our megaverse respects her the most.

“People say that Dan Jin never gets involved in others’ conflicts and that she doesn’t even desire the position of Greater Sancte as a means of belittling the rest of us, but the truth is not that she doesn’t care, but rather that she can never reach that level.

“Her mere existence praises the Greater Sancti, while she herself can never advance.

“Still, with her help, my chances of becoming a Greater Sancte drastically improve.”

Lu Yin listened quietly. With what he was hearing, Yue Ya’s actions at least made sense.

Because of Lesser Sancte Dan Jin’s promise, the man had tried multiple times to have Lu Yin replace the High Seraph, while also giving the Tianyuan Megaverse a promise of safety. Of course, such a guarantee could only be made after the man became a Greater Sancte. That was the subtext behind Yue Ya’s words.

The man smiled while locking eyes with Lu Yin. “You’ve never been to the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, so you don’t understand Dan Jin’s influence. She is able to sway even the decisions of the Greater Sancti.

“For that promise, I am willing to risk losing anything. The moment I become a Greater Sancte, everything I’ve lost will be regained.

“Lu Yin, help me become a Greater Sancte, and you will be the ruler of the three megaverses. The Tianyuan Megaverse will never be reset, and you will achieve everything you’ve been wanting. You may even have a chance to become an Immortal in the future. What do you say?”

Lu Yin met Yue Ya’s gaze. There was no denying that it was an incredibly tempting offer.

If Yue Ya was being honest, then Lu Yin was being given the opportunity to accomplish all of the goals of this journey. While he might personally be restricted and controlled, given the fact that he would also be made the ruler of three megaverses, even if only nominally, that price was absolutely worthwhile. Not only that, but there was even a chance become an Immortal.

At that moment, the High Seraph’s voice rang out. “If you want to replace me, you should at least ask for my opinion.”

Yue Ya sneered at the High Seraph. “If Lu Yin and I join forces, there is no doubt that you will die, Mo Shang. You’re simply too arrogant. Ru Shi may have been conceited and a fool, but he was still one of our Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s Lesser Sancti. Do you realize just how many people are upset that you defeated him?

“Even if I don’t take action against you, someone else from my megaverse will find a way.”

The High Seraph looked at Yue Ya. “Irrelevant. No matter who acts, it’s useless. I can be fought to a draw, but I can never be defeated.”

He then turned to Lu Yin. “One more thing: Yue Ya is no longer a Lesser Sancte.”

Yue Ya’s expression fell, but he did not deny the accusation.

Lu Yin was surprised. “He’s not a Lesser Sancte?”

Yue Ya barked a cold laugh. “So what? I’ve already told you. With Dan Jin’s promise, regaining my title as Lesser Sancte will be easy. What I desire is to become a Greater Sancte.”

“How will you ascend to become a Greater Sancte?” the High Seraph suddenly asked.

Yue Ya clenched both fists. “Dan Jin’s alchemy cannot elevate her, but it can raise up others. Her promise is more than mere words. She has promised the supreme elixir that can perfect another.”

“Wrong. Your path to Immortality is him.” The High Seraph pointed at Lu Yin, a dark and foreboding expression on his face.

Yue Ya’s pupils contracted sharply at the High Seraph’s words.

“You want to use Dan Jin as an excuse for everything? Do you believe me to be ignorant? There must be a connection between manifested thought and consciousness. You have reached the limit with manifested thought, while Lu Yin is arguably the biological creature with the strongest consciousness. You need him for something, and it must be a living body. Conscients won’t do, or else you’d have stormed the Consciousness Megaverse long ago, right?” the High Seraph barked.

Bloodlust flooded Yue Ya’s eyes. “Nonsense.”

The High Seraph shook his head. “If Dan Jin truly had an elixir that could allow others to reach the Immortal realm, she would have disappeared long ago. I can see right through you.”

He then turned to Lu Yin. “Do you wish to be hooked a second time?”

With that, Mo Shang attacked, releasing the brilliant light of his Everlasting Will.

Did it matter if Yue Ya had been telling the truth or not? Not to Lu Yin, as he already intended to end Yue Ya.

The moment that Yue Ya had attempted to “fish” Lu Yin out from the Northmount Domain, the two had become mortal enemies.

The moment that Lu Yin had understood the true connection between the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus, he had been on guard.

The cultivators from the Spirit Nidus were his bargaining chips.

Lu Yin had continued the conversation with Yue Ya for so long in order to learn more about the Spirit Nidus. Different positions offered different perspectives, and through Yue Ya, Lu Yin had caught a glimpse of another hazy figure: Dan Jin. Whether her supreme elixir existed or not, her alchemy was clearly highly respected in the Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

Yue Ya was seeking the Immortal realm. He was ruthless and willing to violate the rules, caring nothing for his position as a Lesser Sancte. Still, his words had revealed undeniable respect for Dan Jin. Lu Yin kept that in mind.

Of the five Lesser Sancti, he had yet to encounter Xing Fan or Dan Jin. Lu Yin was not only curious about Xing Fan, but also about Dan Jin.

Come to think of it, I once used her name to intimidate and bluff others.

There was absolute silence. Strands of Yue Ya’s hair moved from the High Seraph’s last attack. It had not been an earth-shattering impact, as Veilparter had passed through empty space.

The High Seraph froze the moment he unleashed his attack, and that had granted Yue Ya time to avoid it.

Yue Ya countered with a palm strike, and a gigantic hand slammed down upon the High Seraph’s head. While it was certainly powerful, it was no true threat to the man. Still, it did have an impact, as the High Seraph froze again at a critical moment.

This was the power of the Voidheart Mirror: absolute control. It achieved the pinnacle of power through absolute simplicity, and not even the High Seraph remained free of its influence.

Without an absolute advantage, even a supreme expert like the High Seraph would be steadily worn down if they repeatedly lost control of themselves, even if only for a moment each time.

Can my consciousness withstand the Voidheart Mirror?

The High Seraph held Everstone as he thrust the sequence base upwards to hold back the dark-gold curtain of light.

Even so, the dark-gold light continued to rain down upon Everstone like a golden waterfall, streaming through the universe and leaving Emperor Slayer gaping.

The moment that the dark gold light brushed against his body, he had lost control of himself.

That was precisely how he had been captured in the Aevum Inch.

What kind of freakish power is this? Where did this man come from, and why do both the High Seraph and Lu Yin know him?

The High Seraph’s consciousness was certainly formidable, having reached the Universe level. Despite that, even when he used it with Everstone, he was unable to fully block the Voidheart Mirror.

Manifested thought was not the same as consciousness.

Everstone achieved miraculous effects against conscients, but it was far less effective against the Voidheart Mirror.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

In fact, the High Seraph’s own consciousness was a better defense against the Voidheart Mirror than Everstone.

The Nine Heavens Transformation made him immaterial, and the High Seraph struck again and again with Veilparter and his Everlasting Will, but not a single blow actually struck Yue Ya. He managed to fully control the rhythm of the High Seraph’s attacks, taking control of the other man at every critical moment. If they were fighting in an arena from which neither could escape, even Lu Yin believed that Yue Ya would ultimately prevail.

But was the High Seraph really that simple of an opponent? At the very least, he had not yet revealed the power of time that he had used to scale the cliff in the Willbound Spire, nor the attack that had skewered Yong Heng.

“Lu Yin, this is your chance! Help me to eliminate Mo Shang, and I promise that you will become the ruler of the three megaverses! I can swear it: should I break this oath, may I never become an Immortal!”

Lu Yin arched a brow.

Is he serious? Swearing an oath?

The stronger the cultivator, the greater weight that they would put on their oaths.

The High Seraph’s voice rang out, “A being of manifested thought has no body, and they are only manifested thought. Should you take control of Lu Yin’s body and your manifested thought reaches the Immortal realm, you will effectively rule the three megaverses while using his body, which wouldn’t break that oath.”

“Mo Shang, prattle on all you like! Both your title as a Lesser Sancte and your life are forfeit!” As Yue Ya spoke, his Voidheart Mirror dropped further, forcing Everstone down. The pressure was such that it became difficult to even breathe.

The dark-gold light continued to spread out, as though attempting to overshadow the entire Consciousness Megaverse.

Far away, Old Chief and the other Luminaries could sense it. None of them had expected such a terrifying power to suddenly appear.

They did not dare to get any closer to the unfamiliar power.

As Lu Yin watched Yue Ya and the High Seraph fight, he knew that his wisest course was to not get involved. Despite his great desire to finish off either man, neither would grant him the opening to be the mantis stalking the cicada.

What Lu Yin wanted most at this moment was to understand exactly what Yue Ya had planned for him. Those schemes were just as apparent as the fact that the High Seraph had plans for Lu Yin.

Without understanding those two matters, it would be hard for him to continue forward.

Suddenly he turned to see that

Boundless

had arrived, the battleships from the Spirit Nidus still in tow.

Lu Yin was startled. Why had

Boundless

arrived?

People shot off of

Boundless

, charging straight at the High Seraph. Chu Yi, Sovereign Dou Sheng, Ce Wangtian, Wilderness God, as well as Su Shidao, Old Salamander, and

Boundless

’s other captives all came out.

Lu Yin shouted, “Stay back!”

At that moment, his pupils shrank. He could see a dark gold light cloaking Chu Yi and the others; Yue Ya had taken control of them.

Verdant Eternity appeared as the Origin Progenitor intervened, stopping Chu Yi and the others from moving. “Pillar, all of them are being controlled!”

Lu Yin grew furious, and he turned to glare at Yue Ya. “Are you controlling my people?”

Yue Ya’s voice grew cold. “Since you refuse to deal with Mo Shang, I’ll do it for you. Don’t trouble yourself about such lives. Once you’re the ruler of the three megaverses, you’ll have more than enough servants to follow you.”