Chapter 3795: Speak With Caution

Seven days passed, and when Lu Feichen still received no answer, he spoke again. “Am I being looked down upon by Senior? Very well. Should that be the case, my Four Commands Sword Sect will quickly choose our Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, who will then challenge you. I hope that you will appear for that duel. I promise that there is no personal enmity between our sect and you.”

The man then looked into the distance and said to Lu Bi, Lu Jing, and Lu Sizhan, “The competition to select the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster will begin in half a month. I trust that there are no objections?”

The other three men all shook their heads no.

The commotion created by the attempt to find the mysterious attacker subsided, though more and more people were growing eager for the competition for the sect’s Grand Swordmaster. Crowds poured into the Four Commands Sword Sect from every direction, all of them eager to learn the identity of the mysterious assailant.

When Lu Sizhan returned to the East Command, Lu Siyu hurried to him and asked, “Old Lu, how did it go?”

Lu Sizhan released a breath. “Not bad. No one was able to find any link to us. In fact, only Lu Bi seems suspicious.”

Only then was Lu Siyu able to relax. “That’s good, that’s good.”

She blinked. “Old Lu, I heard that the competition to decide the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster will be held in half a month?”

Lu Sizhan nodded. “That’s right. By the way, did he come to see you?”

Lu Siyu pursed her lips and nodded, instantly causing Lu Sizhan to become anxious. “He didn’t do or say anything, did he? Is he planning anything?”

Lu Siyu blinked again. “He- he...”

Lu Sizhan started to panic, and his face blanched. “What more does he want to do?”

Lu Siyu finally explained, “He said that he’s determined to make you the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster... He won’t rest until that happens.”

Lu Sizhan was left speechless. At this moment, he found himself feeling like a child again, forced by his father to compete against a neighbor’s child. This feeling would not leave, despite the fact that Lu Sizhan’s father had been dead for years.

He was hearing something so absurd that he had no idea what to say.

Can’t I just linger in the peace of obscurity?

“What do you think he’ll do now?” Lu Sizhan asked uneasily.

Lu Siyu shook her head. “I don’t know, Old Lu. Didn’t the expert from the Everchange Valley manage to find him?”

“That young man is truly skilled. Elder Le wasn’t able to find him, and he even went so far as to say that only a Myriad Changes expert might be able to find the man.”

“

Hssss...

A Myriad Changes expert? Is he really that impressive?” Lu Siyu sucked in a sharp breath. “How many people in the entire history of our megaverse have ever warranted being hunted down by someone with that realm of mastery?”

Lu Sizhan let out a helpless sigh. “Lu Feichen and the other two were beaten without any effort, so it isn’t really surprising that an expert of that level is necessary. If the man weren’t at least this capable, he would have never been able to make Greater Sancte Green Lotus sit up and take notice of him.”

When the man finished speaking, something occurred to him. He turned to stare at Lu Siyu and said, “The only reason why he’s determined to help me become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster is because it’s the task that you gave him, right? So, tell me... what happens if he doesn’t fulfill your task?”

Lu Siyu’s eyes darted to the side. “Master won’t allow that to happen. Master said that once a task has been given, it must be fulfilled; that’s fate.”

Lu Sizhan cocked a brow. “Girl, whenever you lie, your eyes twitch out of your control. Are you trying to deceive your old man?”

“No... I just felt a bit of awe when I thought of Master.”

“This is serious! If that man pulls another stunt as extreme as his last one, our East Command will be the one to suffer! If our direction doesn’t become the Grand Swordmaster for this generation, we can try again the next or even far in the future, but-”

“Father, do you have a son?”

Lu Sizhan rolled his eyes. “A daughter works just as well. Do the great clans have to have a son as their heir? We can bring a son-in-law into the family. We’ve done it before. Girl, don’t worry about your dad’s problems. While the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster is important, the East Command is more important.”

Lu Siyu bit her lip, saying nothing.

Lu Sizhan’s eyes flared. “Ah-ha! You really were trying to trick your old man! Quick now, say that your task has been fulfilled and get him to leave now!”

Lu Siyu felt exasperated. “I don’t know if I can do that. Master never said if I could freely declare my task complete. Should I... go ask?”

That made Lu Sizhan hesitate.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus, huh?

The girl’s probably telling the truth. Since Greater Sancte Green Lotus was the one who had the Seven Fairies come up with tasks to fulfill, then the Immortal also needs to be satisfied with how they are completed

.

This complicated things. Lu Sizhan knew that, if Greater Sancte Green Lotus had given Lu Yin such a trial, it meant that he clearly had a sincere wish to take the young man as a disciple. However, how would that desire sway the Greater Sancte’s actions?

Was he more likely to allow Lu Yin to complete the test more easily, or would he be more rigid and strict about the rules and refuse any possible discipleship unless every task was fully met?

That was not a question that Lu Sizhan could answer.

It all came down to one word: fate. It appeared to be simple, yet it proved to be more difficult than anything else.

"Old Lu, should I ask Master?" Lu Siyu tentatively asked again.

Lu Sizhan’s eyes darted about. He looked at Lu Siyu, and then out at the vast East Command before finally gritting his teeth. “That’s not needed. We’ll leave things be.”

With that, he walked away.

The East Command was important, but was Lu Siyu any less important?

If they consulted Greater Sancte Green Lotus and he became displeased, Lu Siyu would be the one to bear the repercussions. That was not something that her father wished to see.

He might not want to compete with others and just wanted to live his life freely, but Lu Sizhan did not want Lu Siyu to have to shoulder anything on behalf of the East Command. His daughter could not suffer wrongly.

If there was any real trouble, then Lu Sizhan would make sure that it all fell upon him.

Back in her quarters, Lu Siyu’s expression grew complicated. She automatically glanced at a corner of the courtyard, but it was empty.

“Are you there?” she called out.

There was no answer.

“My father is under a great deal of pressure. I’ll consider my task for you complete. Please, just leave,” Lu Siyu continued.

Still, there was no response.

She bit her lip. After a moment, she asked a maid to bring a stool to the corner of the courtyard, and Lu Siyu sat down to wait. She would wait for Lu Yin to return so that she could tell him that her task had been completed. Then, he could ask her master if his efforts counted. That would prevent Lu Siyu from being at fault while also allowing her father to not worry.

Elsewhere, atop a mountain within the Four Commands Sword Sect, Lu Yin watched as his die slowly stopped spinning: four pips, Timestop. This was the third time that he had rolled Timestop.

He entered his Timestop Space and continued simulating Lu Feichen’s second technique.

He released his Karmic Dao, which was much, much smaller than before. It was a reminder of the price of facing an Immortal opponent. Despite the cost, Lu Yin felt quite satisfied. After all, who else had managed to escape from a pursuing Immortal?

If Lu Yin used karma to deduce the sword technique, then a single year in the Timestop Space should suffice.

Several days passed, and Lu Siyu was still sitting in the corner of her courtyard, waiting for Lu Yin to return.

Lu Sizhan remained nervous. He could not shake his fear that the other three directions might send word again. It was not likely, as Lu Yin was so incredibly strong.

Surely he won’t be completely lawless, right?

It was night, and the stars hung high in the sky, spilling a silver glow across the land and illuminating the roads. The light gave the ground a bit of a chill.

Lu Yin reentered the East Command and appeared before Lu Sizhan, who was gloomily drinking in silence.

Still holding his cup, Lu Sizhan slowly looked up. His eyes flashed as soon as he saw Lu Yin. “You are... Lu Yin.”

Lu Yin walked over and sat down across from the other man. “Correct.”

Lu Sizhan let out a breath of relief. They were finally meeting.

The older man stood up and personally poured a glass of wine for Lu Yin, offering it with a slight bow. “Please take this cup as my apology, Mister Lu. My daughter is ignorant and has created trouble for you. I am deeply ashamed and beg for your forgiveness.”

With that, Lu Sizhan drained the cup in one draught.

Lu Yin smiled. “It was no trouble. I just lost a bit of time.”

Maintaining a respectful expression, Lu Sizhan said, “May I ask what you intend to do next? I have disappointed you. Had I had the strength to compete for the position of the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, you would not need to waste your time in this sect. If I delay you from becoming Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s disciple, the blame is mine alone, and I will bear the responsibility.”

Lu Yin laughed. “You

do

have the strength to compete for the position of the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster.”

Lu Sizhan froze. “What do you mean by that, sir?”

He was most afraid that Lu Yin might attack the other three directions a second time.

Lu Yin said, “I’ve already faced the other three sect masters and have found the weaknesses in their sword techniques. I can teach this to you so that you can win.”

Lu Sizhan was astonished. “Weaknesses?”

“Precisely, fatal weaknesses.”

“No. While I, Lu Sizhan, cannot compare to any of them, I will not win by using such methods. What would win would be your ability, not mine,” Lu Sizhan bluntly refused.

Lu Yin looked at him. “Don’t you want to become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster?”

Lu Sizhan answered earnestly, “I do, but with my own strength.”

“I’ll teach you the sword techniques so that you can win by your own strength. You are an Ortuser, while they are all Dukkhans. Your sword skills are also below theirs, but that does not mean that you are incapable of facing them,” Lu Yin retorted.

Lu Sizhan refused again. “Regardless of the situation, achieving victory in this manner would disgrace my Four Commands Sword Sect. I beg your pardon, sir.”

Lu Yin frowned. “I must fulfill Lu Siyu’s task. That is extremely important.”

Lu Sizhan replied, “Becoming Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s disciple is of the greatest importance. If my daughter causes you to fail, I will repay you with my life. However, when it comes to the competition for the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, I absolutely will not win by such means.”

Lu Yin stood up. “Then I’ll simply kill Lu Feichen and the other two. Are you still saying that you don’t want to become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster?”

Lu Sizhan’s anger flared and he glared at Lu Yin. “Do you truly intend to force my Four Commands Sword Sect into becoming your mortal enemy?”

Lu Yin’s eyes turned ice cold. “I must complete the task, and no one can stop me. Your sect won’t survive my wrath.”

Lu Sizhan had not expected such a threat. “If you complete the task in such a way, even if you ignore how the other six fairies will start targeting you, do you truly believe that you can become Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s disciple after doing something like that?”

Lu Yin barked a sharp laugh. “Do you think Greater Sancte Green Lotus has only killed a few people?”

Lu Sizhan went bug-eyed. He had never imagined that Lu Yin would dare to say such a thing. This was Greater Sancte Green Lotus, whose power of karma had laid the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse bare.

This man is absolutely insane!

Of course, Lu Yin would never slaughter innocents in order to complete a single task. He even had a decent impression of Lu Feichen and the other sect masters. However, that would not stop him from using the Greater Sancte to threaten Lu Sizhan.

The residents of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse revered the Greater Sancti more than the megaverse itself. The more that Lu Yin spoke as though he was unconcerned about Greater Sancte Green Lotus, the more he appeared to be a madman.

And who did not fear a madman?

Lu Sizhan carefully enunciated each word. “I ask that you speak with caution.”

Lu Yin remained unswayed. “As long as I complete the tasks given to me, I can become Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s disciple. He never said how I needed to go about completing my tasks. He values the word ‘fate.’ Even if I slaughtered everyone in this megaverse, provided that I complete the tasks given to me, he will not go back on his word. What do you think I will do?”

Lu Sizhan squeezed his cup tighter as he nervously studied Lu Yin. It was as though the older man was trying to get a read on Lu Yin.

Lu Yin had dealt with such scrutiny too many times before. He would not readily reveal his true feelings.

If anyone was seeing through the other, Lu Yin was seeing through Lu Sizhan.

Wang Wen had laid the foundation for Lu Yin’s method of thinking: the civilization of a cultivator could direct their emotions. It was not necessary to understand a person’s private thoughts; understanding their civilization was enough to gain the initiative.

No one was an exception to that, not even the Greater Sancti.