Chapter 3938: A Lesson Bestowed

Si Jiushi's face twitched.

Serve the tea? Did I hear that right? Since when have I ever served tea?

However, there was no option since Lord Ting Chao had already spoken.

Helpless, the fat man also entered the depths of Five-Palm Mountain.

“Five-Palm Mountain is separated between the upper and lower peaks. The upper peak is for enjoying tea, while the lower one is for cultivation.

“Our goal is to temper the hearts of our disciples beneath the pressure of the Five-Palm Art. Only by overcoming one's seniors can the disciples ascend the mountain and enjoy tea. What they end up tasting is not even tea, but rather the fruits of their victory...” As they walked along, Lord Ting Chao explained the Five-Palm Sect’s philosophy to Lu Yin.

They passed by several disciples along their way. Each time someone saw Lu Yin, they reacted as though they had seen a ghost. They were completely shaken, reacting like mortals suddenly in the presence of a god.

Even though the Five-Palm Sect specialized in Realmbreaking, they had only succeeded in defeating a Lesser Sancte once. On the other hand, Lu Yin’s accomplishments vastly surpassed that. He had killed targets in all four of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s domains at the same time, attacked the Frightened Sparrow Terrace, defeated Yue Ya and Xing Fan, and reportedly defeated even the Spirit Nidus’s High Seraph. He had also openly declared that Dan Jin was no match for him. Aside from the deceased Ru Shi, Lu Yin had single-handedly defeated all of the Lesser Sancti. He was truly a powerhouse second only to the Greater Sancti.

In the past, the Nine Odysseys had only ever been reinforced by one of the Immortal Greater Sancte. Lu Yin was the only exception to that.

That indicated that the Immortal Greater Sancte saw Lu Yin as their equal.

When someone like that suddenly appeared in the Five-Palm Sect, not even their most indifferent members could ignore Lu Yin’s presence.

After a while, Lord Ting Chao led Lu Yin up the mountain to a pavilion that stood at the summit. He then gestured for Lu Yin to sit.

Lu Yin stared off into the distance. From this place, he could observe the entire Five-Palm Sect and even clearly see those at the base of the mountain who were looking to stir up trouble.

He chuckled. “Lord Ting Chao, your tastes are... unique.”

Lord Ting Chao responded with a bitter laugh, “Our sect doesn’t enjoy the greatest reputation, probably because of this. After striving to accomplish our own goals, we are able to watch with a few sectmates as troublemakers outside fail to get what they want. To be honest, the first time I tried it, I felt morally bankrupt. But now... I’ve gotten used to it.”

Si Jiushi arrived and respectfully served tea.

Lu Yin gave a small smile. “At least the Five-Palm Sect doesn’t commit heinous acts. There’s not much moral decay here. Your people are certainly better than Wu Jie.”

Si Jiushi was caught off guard.

Wu Jie?

Lord Ting Chao’s brow also rose. “Have you met Wu Jie?”

“On the Seventh Odyssey Pillar.”

“When the Orchid Megaverse was reset? He didn’t try anything with you, did he?”

Lu Yin took a cheerful sip of tea. “He wanted to make me slap myself.”

Si Jiushi’s hand shook, and he felt a pang of sympathy for Wu Jie.

Lord Ting Chao just showed a wry smile. “That Wu Jie’s been relying on his Thousand Years’ Dream to toy with people for years. With the Dream Dominion behind him, no one dares to touch him. Running into you... well, that’s just his misfortune.”

The subject was then dropped. Lu Yin glanced over at Si Jiushi. “Are any of your enemies out there?”

Si Jiushi quickly laughed. “You must be joking, Mr. Lu! I’ve traveled about the Nine Odysseys Megaverse without ever offending anyone. On top of that, no one even knew who I was.”

“Not even anyone from the Brocade clan?” Lu Yin asked curiously.

Si Jiushi shook his head. “No.”

He did not understand why Lu Yin had suddenly brought that matter up. The incident regarding the Brocade clan had never had anything to do with the Five-Palm Sect, and both the sect and the Brocade clan knew it.

Everyone knew that the sect had been falsely set up, so why would the clan bother making trouble for the Five-Palm Sect?

Lord Ting Chao quietly sipped his tea, saying nothing.

Lu Yin set his teacup down. “I threw that palm strike at the Brocade clan. Did you know that, Lord Ting Chao?”

Lord Ting Chao looked at Lu Yin. “Mhmm. Jiushi told me.”

“For framing your Five-Palm Sect... I apologize.” Lu Yin raised his cup to Lord Ting Chao.

The man did not reciprocate, simply staring at Lu Yin. “The Five-Palm Sect may have a poor reputation, but we take full responsibility for all that we’ve done. What is ours is ours, but for what is not, we will neither admit to nor allow ourselves to be wrongly accused of. Your actions, Mr. Lu, were not well intentioned.”

Si Jiushi blinked. The sect master was certainly bold. Few would dare to speak to Lu Yin in such a manner nowadays.

On the other hand, Lu Yin was not surprised. “Which is why I am offering an apology.”

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Lord Ting Chao slowly turned his teacup, but he still did not pick it up. “An apology is unnecessary.”

He then turned to look outside. “Look at them. Most of them hold grudges with just cause, and some of their enmity is well warranted. Our Five-Palm Sect doesn’t act based on what’s right or wrong, but rather on what we need. Occasionally, that leads to excessive or insufficient force.

“If apologies were enough, those people would not still be out there.

“We watch them with amusement. Mr. Lu, you must look at us the same way.

“Such amusement means little to those observing, but it's stifling to those being watched. We, the Five-Palm Sect, are not people who endure such frustration.”

Lu Yin set his cup back down. “Then, Lord Ting Chao, what do you propose?”

Lord Ting Chao turned to look at Lu Yin. “In this place, we believe in just these few words: to defy one’s betters. I hear that you are still an Ortuser, while I am a peak Dukkhan.”

Lu Yin understood. “Then by all means, feel free to instruct me.”

The pavilion fell utterly silent. Lord Ting Chao resumed staring out into the distance, not moving at all.

Si Jiushi slowly backed away. He should have known better. There was no way that someone like Lord Ting Chao would silently accept being framed. No matter how strong Lu Yin might be, the Five-Palm Sect would feel no fear of him.

Even when Si Jiushi had first met Lu Yin, despite being completely overpowered, the fat mat had still considered fighting Lu Yin to the death. How much more willing must Lord Ting Chao be to do the same?

It was fine for their sect to be framed and for them to swallow injustice, but both needed to be backed with sufficient strength.

Lu Yin’s overwhelming power had already silenced the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse. The Five-Palm Sect was clearly no match for him, but they had to at least try. Without trying, how else would they be able to live out the sect’s spirit of defeating those more powerful than them?

Lord Ting Chao’s goal was not to defeat Lu Yin, but simply for Lu Yin to give him a reason to submit. The Five-Palm Sect only respected Realmbreakers. With sufficient strength, one could do anything.

After Si Jiushi had retreated a hundred meters, Lord Ting Chao shifted his gaze and picked up the teapot to pour himself a bit more tea.

Lu Yin interrupted, “This cup, I should pour it for you.”

Lord Ting Chao acted as if he had heard nothing and continued to pour the tea.

Lu Yin placed a finger on the stone table. Tea trickled down from the pot, creating a swirl in the small cup that spun endlessly. However, no matter how much tea was poured, the cup could not be filled. It was as if the tiny cup had no bottom.

Lord Ting Chao’s eyes flickered. He pressed his left arm against the stone table. Wind swept out from where the table touched the ground, and the breeze nearly flipped Si Jiushi’s feet out from under him. He stared at the bottom of the table in shock.

Was that the Five-Palm Art?

He could not have imagined that he would almost be flipped over by the Five-Palm Art.

Lord Ting Chao pressed down upon the table, still trying to use the Five-Palm Art to overpower the tea and fill his cup.

Still, the cup would not be filled. The swirl refused to disappear.

Lu Yin remained calm, staring straight ahead. Aside from his finger on the table, he had not moved at all.

Finally, with a sigh, Lord Ting Chao set the teapot down. “I am in awe of your skill, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Yin looked at the man and smiled. He then reached for the teapot. “As I said, I should pour this cup for you.”

He then poured the tea. The cup was filled exactly seventy percent of the way up, a perfect pour.

“Please.”

Lord Ting Chao raised his cup to Lu Yin, who lifted his own in response. The two men exchanged smiles and finished their tea in one go. Their exchange had the boldness of a toast with wine.

Si Jiushi quickly stepped forward to pour tea for both men again.

As for the matter regarding the Brocade clan, that had already been settled.

“Your strength surpasses all throughout history. Your sword is unrivaled in our Nine Odysseys Megaverse,” Lord Ting Chao stated. “Still, I’m curious. Where did you learn the Five-Palm Art?”

Lu Yin glanced at Si Jiushi. “You didn’t mention that to Lord Ting Chao?”

Si Jiushi hurriedly replied, “I did.”

Lord Ting Chao chuckled. “Jiushi told me that you learned it from the third generation sect master, that Yue Ya took control of his body and fought you with it. That was when you learned of our grudge with Yue Ya. However, those conditions should not have allowed you to master our technique.”

Lu Yin nodded. “Correct. Back then, what I used was fake.”

“Yet what you just used was real,” Lord Ting Chao retorted.

“Would you believe me if I said that I just learned it now?”

Lord Ting Chao stared at Lu Yin, then finally let out a sigh of admiration. “Your talent is rare throughout history. I am humbled.”

Si Jiushi stared at Lu Yin as though seeing a monster. In the past, Lu Yin had merely used a false replica of the Five-Palm Art, but after simply walking through Five-Palm Mountain once, he had mastered the technique. What was this man, if not a monster?

What the hell? How can someone like this even exist?

Lu Yin sipped his tea. “Now that your doubts and misgivings have been resolved, it’s time that I mention my real business here.”

Lord Ting Chao grew serious. “Please, go ahead.”

“Do you know where the Third and Eighth Night Pillars have gone?” Lu Yin asked.

Lord Ting Chao nodded. “The threat of the approaching foreign creatures. Everyone with a bit of capability in the Nine Odysseys Megaverse about it. The four domains have all sent out their forces. Our sect has also sent disciples to join the Night Pillars. Is your visit related to this matter?”

Lu Yin looked at Lord Ting Chao. “I am hoping that the Five-Palm Sect can help me take more people to the Consciousness Megaverse.”

“You’re leaving to support the Consciousness Megaverse?”

“That’s right.”

“As far as I know, the Consciousness Megaverse is defended by cultivators from the West Domain, and many from my Five-Palm Sect have already joined as independent cultivators. Your support will greatly strengthen their defenses. However, even if I send another batch from our sect, what difference will it make?” Lord Ting Chao was puzzled.

Lu Yin slowly explained the nature of the Nest civilization. As Lord Ting Chao and Si Jiushi listened, their expressions grew increasingly grim.

“In essence, the true threat from the Nests isn’t the insects that have already appeared, but rather the Nests themselves. Only by finding and destroying every last Nest can we hope to eliminate this crisis. If not, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse will remain exposed to the Nest civilization. You should know what Greater Sancte Mi Jin once said regarding the greatest tool for surviving in the cosmos.”

“Self-awareness.”

“Which is precisely why the Nine Odysseys Megaverse cannot be exposed.”

“But our Five-Palm Sect has so few people. We have even fewer people than the Rift of Suffering,” Lord Ting Chao protested.

The Rift of Suffering only had a few members, but they were very famous due to being the strongest faction in the North Domain. The Five-Palm Sect had even fewer members, and they also lacked that level of prestige. For this reason, the sect did not attract much notice. Additionally, the nature of the sect caused many to believe—rightly or wrongly—that fewer members was better.

The Five-Palm Sect only accepted disciples by luck.

With enemies surrounding them on all sides, it was nearly impossible to reach Five-Palm Mountain and ask to become a disciple. Most people never even managed to get close.