Chapter 4132: Ran Away?

As Lu Yin returned to the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm, Old Fourth paused to think. It quickly decided to change course and first meet up with Old Fifth.

What allowed the Seven-Treasure Anuras to roam the Aevum Inch with such impunity? Beauty? Might? Arrogance? No, none of those; it was numbers.

They always fought together. If one was unable to win, then two would strike. Unless they faced a fishing civilization, who could possibly ambush two Seven-Treasure Anura Immortals?

While thinking of such things, Old Fourth hopped once, only to abruptly freeze and start sniffing. Its expression twisted. Something was off... There was a familiar scent.

The toad crouched low while peering across the Aevum Inch. Lifeforce surged from their body as their eyes spun faster and faster, until they suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Above them, the Lifeforce condensed into a massive eyeball. It was narrow and crooked, just like the toad’s own eyes.

The enormous eye of Lifeforce grew even larger, spinning around to look out, as though it could see across the entire Aevum Inch.

Finally, the eye locked onto a specific direction and then shot forward.

The enormous eye glared across the cosmos.

“Yes! It’s Obscura’s power! Of course! I knew it! Who else would dare to mess with me? A trap! It’s definitely a trap!” The toad’s eyes flashed with even greater anger. “I better find Old Fifth.”

Sharply turning around, the toad took one leap and vanished.

In the emptiness of the Aevum Inch, there were still traces of where the red coffin had flown threw. When Lu Yin had attacked Old Fourth, he had deliberately set the coffin in place, and then he had fled on the lotus leaf while carrying the coffin. Had Old Fourth immediately chased after its attacker, the toad would have seen everything.

Old Fourth’s suspicious nature meant that there was no chance of pursuit, which was how Lu Yin had escaped so easily with the red coffin.

Even so, the toad had still sensed the remnant power of that coffin, which was precisely what Lu Yin had been hoping for.

Often, if a plan that was seventy percent complete could even achieve fifty percent of its intended effect, that would already be considered a good outcome. No one could foresee everything, but Old Fourth’s personality happened to align perfectly with Astral Anura’s. That was simply a hallmark of the Seven-Treasure Anuras.

Every species throughout the cosmos had their own strengths and weaknesses. It seemed possible that the toads’ temperament was their flaw.

But even if one knew about that flaw, it was impossible to truly manipulate them without possessing incredible strength.

The Seven-Treasure Anuras roamed about the Aevum Inch without staying anywhere for very long. It was possible that their wandering also came from their temperament.

The more arrogant a creature, the less likely that anyone would dare to provoke them.

Old Fifth soon sensed Old Fourth’s approach.

Strange, why is it coming over here?

If it’s coming, there must be a reason.

I’ll go find out. That’s the smart thing to do.

Old Fifth started moving in Old Fourth’s direction, and soon, the two enormous toads met.

“Yo, Fifth! It’s been a long time. You’re looking more dashing!”

“I’m so clever, so of course I stay stylish. Fourth, your fork’s crooked.”

“Thanks.”

“Lend me one.”

“Hm?”

“I broke mine while fighting Obscura. See? It’s cracked.”

“Then go ask Ancestor for a new one! I’m not lending you one of mine. It took a great deal of effort for me to get two, see? Having one left and one right is quite stylish. The rest of you just have no sense of grace.”

“I’m smart enough to not need grace.”

“Wrong, Fifth. Grace matters most.”

“Wrong, Fourth. Cleverness matters most.”

“Grace!”

“Cleverness!”

“Forget it, I’m not arguing with you. So, what brings you here?”

“Ancestor sent me to find a lost clansman.”

Old Fourth was surprised. “A clansman wandered here? Right, I did sense a familiar aura before. Could that have been them?”

Old Fifth nodded. “Yes, but their aura has vanished. They’re likely hiding. The civilization ahead of us is suspicious. All of us Seven-Treasure Anuras are strong, but this one might not be as smart as me. Brute strength can’t beat intelligence.”

Old Fourth nodded earnestly. “Exactly! That’s why grace matters so much. When I appear, there are times when enemies don’t even dare to strike.”

“Fourth, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be watching the slugs?”

“The slugs ran this way.”

“To the civilization up ahead?”

“That’s right.”

“That civilization’s suspicious.”

“That’s exactly why I came to find you. We’ve been tricked.”

Old Fifth blinked. “I didn’t do anything.”

Old Fourth solemnly stated, “Coming here was being tricked.”

“Ancestor sent me here. Are you saying Ancestor’s been tricked?”

“Obscura’s up ahead.”

Old Fifth roared, “Obscura? Them again? What have they done now?”

Old Fourth shared how the Tricolor Skyborne had escaped, as well as how they had been ambushed by Lu Yin. Old Fifth listened carefully.

“Fifth, analyze this: is Obscura plotting against us?”

Old Fifth praised him. “Fourth, it’s taken some time, but look at you! You’re using your head now.”

Old Fourth grinned. “Grace and wisdom in one, that’s me!”

Old Fifth did not argue. “It’s likely that the slugs were lured away by Obscura and that they’re also the ones who attacked you. They are most likely trying to make us enemies of the civilization before us. That’s their favorite tactic.”

Old Fourth sneered. “Forcing civilizations to fight each other while they stay out of the mess, how despicable!”

Old Fifth said, “I’m too smart to be tricked, and Obscura must know that, which is why they targeted you instead.”

“Huh?”

“Now, the question is, did Obscura set a trap to kill us, or are they trying to get us to attack the civilization up ahead? There are only those two possibilities.”

“Which do you think it is?”

“You said that you were attacked by a member of Obscura who used karma?”

“Yes.”

“That means that the civilization up ahead must have an Immortal who’s mastered karma. That’s Obscura’s ploy. However, we’ve never encountered anyone from Obscura who uses karma, which is rather troubling. If this is a trap, it’s a powerful one. The power of karma is dangerous. However, if they’re just placing bait to make us fight the civilization up ahead, then that civilization must also be strong. So-”

“So?”

“So.”

“We retreat.”

“What about our missing clansman?”

“We’ll let Ancestor handle that.”

“That’s not necessary, is it?”

“Then you go.”

“I think that asking Ancestor is a great idea!”

“Let’s go.”

“Wait.” Old Fifth stopped, gazing into the distance again. “If the second possibility is true, then there’s actually another option. Why even bother fighting against that civilization?”

Old Fourth stared in awe. “Your thinking’s so clear! Every step is clear, even when it sounds complicated.”

Old Fifth boasted, “I’m just that smart! It’s well-known in our clan.”

“So, what do you suggest?”

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

“We might be able to negotiate peacefully, take our clansman, and leave. That civilization’s dealings with Obscura are none of our concern. There are countless civilizations throughout the Aevum Inch, and we’re not a fishing civilization. None of this has anything to do with us.”

“But what if it’s the first possibility?” Old Fourth asked blankly.

Old Fifth immediately turned around. “Let’s go ask Ancestor.”

“Wise choice, Fifth.”

“I’m smart! You should learn from me.”

...

Elsewhere, Lu Yin had returned to the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm.

“How did it go?”

“Everything’s set. Hopefully, those two toads are just like Astral Anura.”

“Lan Meng will not return. So long as Obscura does not send a new powerhouse, the two toads should be manageable.”

“What about the Nest civilization?” Lu Yin asked.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus hesitated. “The Immortal Lord is strong, but precisely because of that, even if there is a fishing civilization behind the Nest civilization, the Immortal Lord will not be quick to take action.”

Lu Yin sighed. “So we wait.”

Months passed quickly. Logically, Old Fourth should have arrived by now.

If I’m not mistaken, they probably went to go meet up with the other Seven-Treasure Anura.

Several more months passed, yet there was still no change.

They kept waiting.

A year eventually went by, and yet there was still nothing.

Something was clearly wrong. Even if the two Seven-Treasure Anuras were staying hidden as they approached, it was impossible for them to take so long to arrive. No manner of stealth could allow them to avoid the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm. As soon as they entered its range, they would be detected.

Above the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm, Lu Yin stood face-to-face with Greater Sancte Green Lotus.

“Senior, could they have... run away?”

“Run away?”

“This is just a guess. Logically, there’s no reason for two Immortals to just run away. We were trying to make them hesitate, directing any potential hostility towards Obscura while reducing the chance that they would attack our human civilization. Still, it seems very unlikely that they would simply run away. However, I can’t shake the feeling that that’s likely what happened.”

Greater Sancte Green Lotus pondered. “Speak to Astral Anura.”

Lu Yin nodded and went to the parallel universe to meet with Astral Anura. In the toad’s opinion, Lu Yin’s question was beyond foolish.

“Run away? Of course you run away! What is there to even think about? Hesitating for even a second is an insult to one’s life!” Astral Anura yelled, highly agitated by the question. He assumed that the question was being asked because the other two of his species had fled.

Lu Yin had described what they had done to Old Fourth, and Astral Anura had instantly responded.

He finally felt a glimmer of hope.

Lu Yin stared at the toad. “You’re certain? They ran?”

Astral Anura nodded. “You can’t hesitate for even an instant, or else you’re an idiot.”

Seeing Lu Yin’s expression change, the toad hurried to add, “I don’t mean you, Lord Lu. Human civilization is very impressive and brave. What I’m saying is that, in my view, running is necessary. Kinsmen or Obscura don’t matter—you run first.”

“After running, what comes next?”

Astral Anura blinked, his expression shifting. “After running... you gather reinforcements.”

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed.

Astral Anura looked at Lu Yin, a pained expression on the toad’s face. “Lord Lu, they’ve definitely gone to get reinforcements. Yes, there’s no doubt that they’re getting reinforcements. Lord Lu, let’s run!”

Lu Yin exhaled. “What are your thoughts? What kind of reinforcements would they gather to deal with the situation we set up?”

“The biggest, fiercest, and most overwhelming possible,” Astral Anura blurted.

Lu Yin understood and led the toad back to the megaverse’s main universe. “Sense if they’re still out there.”

Astral Anura intensely stared into the distance, his eyes wide.

After a long while, he did not know whether he should laugh or cry. “N- not there.”

Lu Yin frowned. “You’re certain?”

“Completely.”

Lu Yin pondered. If the two Seven-Treasure Anuras really had fled, then humanity’s crises had been temporarily alleviated. Still, the toads would not leave things be. One had been chasing after the Tricolor Skyborne, while the other had been coming to collect Astral Anura. Both were matters that would not simply be abandoned.

Running away was not the same as surrender; they were fetching reinforcements, and that was not good at all.

Just the threat of needing to deal with two Seven-Treasure Anuras had been troublesome enough, and that was after gravely wounding Lan Meng. If every member of the toads’ species arrived, especially with that ancient monster who perfectly embodied the meaning of an Immortal, then how could their human civilization resist?