Chapter 4195: Mutual Dead Ends

Mister Mu could only offer a helpless smile. It was true: the more eager that Obscura was to recruit Lu Yin, the more it proved just how threatening he was. If he refused, it was quite possible that their human civilization would end up being targeted by more than just Lan Meng.

Given the current strength of human civilization, while it was quite possible that they would lose against the full force of Obscura, Obscura would also have to pay a heavy price. However, Obscura’s favored method was to destroy a civilization by using other civilizations.

A single expert from Obscura who was hiding within human civilization had managed to threaten their entire civilization with just one sentence.

Just how extensive was Obscura’s layout and understanding of the Aevum Inch?

How many civilizations could they use as their tools?

Humanity had relied on the fact that Qi Xu’s death had been kept hidden to steadily develop. Even more than that, they had succeeded due to Obscura’s apathy and indifference. But now, things had changed. They had officially entered Obscura’s line of sight. Being targeted by Obscura’s hidden expert like this indicated that their human civilization was walking along the edge of a cliff.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

They needed to either be so weak as to slip beneath notice or soar straight into the heavens and become unrivaled. Existing in this awkward middle state was the worst possible situation for them, and yet it was also something that they could not avoid.

It was possible that Obscura would batter humanity half to death by throwing random civilizations their way before the Death Megaverse ever arrived.

“If not for my breakthrough, Obscura would not be taking us this seriously.” Mister Mu sighed. The price for his breakthrough had been far too steep.

Lu Yin looked at his master. “Every step that humanity takes forward will rattle Obscura’s nerves. Even if you hadn’t broken through, the same thing would have happened whenever someone else had a breakthrough. It was only a matter of time.

“Besides, we humans have too much pride to weaken ourselves just to placate Obscura. Our goal may be to use Obscura as a shield, but if our shield is just going to collapse, then we should be the ones to smash it.”

Mister Mu gazed at Lu Yin’s face. The child had grown up.

Lu Yin rubbed his head. “The premise is that we must first see Obscura clearly. That is why I will join them.”

Mister Mu was not surprised. There was no other choice. Greater Sancte Green Lotus and the others understood this as well.

Their greatest fear was that Obscura’s invitation was a trap, even if the odds of that being true were very low.

Mister Mu lifted a hand, and his cauldron appeared. It floated over in front of Lu Yin. As the young man looked at the cauldron in befuddlement, Mister Mu solemnly stated, “This is yours now.”

Lu Yin was startled and quickly refused. “Master, that isn’t necessary.”

Mister Mu shook his head before looking at the cauldron with a complex expression. “Old friend, this is my disciple, of whom I am the proudest. From now on, you will follow him. Protect him well.”

Lu Yin said, “Master, I truly don’t need it. This cauldron is very powerful, but my mastery of the Ninesuns Cauldron Transformation hasn’t reached the same level as you. Besides, I have this.”

As he spoke, he took out his scythe and swung it a few times. The surge of Activeness that it released caused Mister Mu to sigh in amazement.

“As long as I have this, I cannot fully control a mirebound artifact. You should keep the cauldron, Master.”

Mister Mu wanted to protest, but Lu Yin looked at the cauldron. “When the day comes that I am certain I can handle it, it won’t be too late for you to give it to me.”

Mister Mu knew that Lu Yin was not yet capable of fully controlling the cauldron, but he had wanted to give his disciple a life-saving trump card. But seeing how insistently Lu Yin refused, Mister Mu let the matter drop.

“Still, we must think of more ways to ensure your survival. Obscura already knows that you can teleport, so you won’t be able to catch them off guard with that. That is what worries me the most.”

Lu Yin’s expression turned somber. This was something that he had also been considering. He always tried to plan for the worst, and he firmly believed that making more preparations was never wrong. For example, Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s transmutation disc; there had to be another one.

What else could he use?

He would have to carefully consider his options.

In the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, after Lu Yin and Mister Mu left, Greater Sancte Blood Tower and Greater Sancte Awe Gate returned to the Sea of Karma.

“Lu Yin will definitely agree to join Obscura. The only question that remains is how we can make sure that the invitation isn’t a trap,” Greater Sancte Awe Gate stated.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus clasped his hands behind his back. “The odds of it being a trap are low, but even so, we cannot afford to lose him.”

A vicious smile slowly spread across Greater Sancte Blood Tower’s face. “I’ve thought of a way.”

Greater Sanct Green Lotus and Awe Gate both turned to look at the man.

“You actually have a plan?” Greater Sancte Awe Gate asked in shock.

For once, Greater Sancte Blood Tower did not retort. Instead, fierce killing intent flickered in his eyes as he explained his idea.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus and Greater Sancte Awe Gate exchanged glances. It was certainly a ruthless enough plan.

“Even if this will not directly affect Obscura, this is the limit of what we can do,” Greater Sancte Green Lotus agreed with a nod.

“I’ll go,” Greater Sancte Awe Gate said.

Greater Sancte Blood Tower raised a hand to stop her. “This isn’t the kind of thing that a girl like you should do. Let me be the villain.”

A few days later, the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm roared above a certain region of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

Master Qing Cao looked up at the light of the karma falling towards him. Greater Sancte Green Lotus was clearly seeking him.

Qing Cao did not refuse. Green grass spread out and touched the karma.

In the Sea of Karma, Greater Sancte Green Lotus glanced over at Greater Sancte Blood Tower. “I found him.”

Greater Sancte Blood Tower took a step forward, making his way straight towards Master Qing Cao’s location.

“You are the one who wishes to speak with me?” Master Qing Cao asked in surprise as he looked at Greater Sancte Blood Tower.

The Greater Sancte sneered. “Qing Cao, you have been living quite comfortably, swaying back and forth between our human civilization and Obscura. You have refused to join our civilization in war and have also never given us any sort of warning about Obscura’s schemes. You certainly know how to look after yourself.”

Master Qing Cao calmly replied, “What business do you have with me?”

“You don’t even care to explain yourself?”

“There is nothing worth explaining. Just tell me what you came here for.”

“Fine. In that case, I‘ll be blunt. Obscura has invited Lu Yin to join, correct?”

“That matter no longer requires my involvement,” Master Qing Cao replied.

Greater Sancte Blood Tower snorted. “No, but you should ask if their invitation might be a trap to kill Lu Yin.”

Master Qing Cao shook his head. “It will not.”

“You’re that confident?”

“There are some things that you will not stoop to, and neither will Obscura.”

“You put Obscura on quite the tall pedestal. However, we’ll have to disappoint you, as it turns out that we have no bottom line.”

Master Qing Cao frowned, a rising nervousness appearing within him. “Just what are you saying?”

Killing intent blossomed in Greater Sancte Blood Tower’s eyes as an infinite sea of blood rose around him. “If Obscura’s invitation proves to be a trap to kill Lu Yin, we will bury the entire Spirit Nidus with him.”

Master Qing Cao’s eyes bulged as he stared at Greater Sancte Blood Tower in disbelief.

Around the Greater Sancte, a towering Blood Tower arose as he held his red saber. “I, Blood Tower, swear this: I will bury the entire Spirit Nidus with Lu Yin, leaving not a single survivor, even if it means my karmic chain will bind me forever and that I will never be able to act again.

“Even if it means my own death and the destruction of my path.

“Even if it means being spat upon by human civilization and becoming a sinner in the annals of history.

“Do you hear me clearly, Qing Cao?”

Dazed, Master Qing Cao stared at Greater Sancte Blood Tower, his eyes locked with the other man’s. “Is this worth it?”

Greater Sancte Blood Tower roared, “What do you think?!

“Can you still not see Lu Yin’s value? He is the ladder which our human civilization will use to climb to the level of a fishing civilization! He is the future ruler of all humanity, second to none. If he dies, our human civilization will have no further future. For him, anything is worth it! Qing Cao, you are also human! You had best remember that: you will always be human!”

Master Qing Cao clenched his fists. Everything that he had done had been for the sake of the Spirit Nidus. If his megaverse was buried with Lu Yin, what purpose would any of his efforts hold?

Using the entire Spirit Nidus as Lu Yin’s funerary sacrifice would inevitably turn Blood Tower into one of humanity’s greatest sinners due to the countless people living in that megaverse. History itself would revile such a deed.

This was a threat, and it was the greatest possible threat to Qing Cao personally.

Blood Tower was staking absolutely everything, abandoning all restraints, just to ensure that Obscura’s invitation to Lu Yin was not a disguised execution. He was doing everything that he could.

This showed just how important Lu Yin was. Human civilization could not afford to lose him.

Qing Cao was curious as to what method that expert had used to threaten the human civilization to the point where Lu Yin was being forced to join Obscura and Greater Sancte Blood Tower felt forced to cut off Qing Cao’s own path of retreat.

Master Qing Cao let out a heavy breath. “I understand.”

Greater Sancte Blood Tower turned around and left without uttering another word.

He had forced himself into a dead end, while also forcing Master Qing Cao into the same. Neither of them had any way out now, and it was all for the sake of protecting Lu Yin.

Master Qing Cao stood in place for a long time, silent and unable to speak.

Almost a month later, endless green grass rose into the sky to touch the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm.

In the Sea of Karma, Greater Sancte Green Lotus looked over, understanding that Master Qing Cao was seeking him. He vanished and reappeared before Master Qing Cao.

Master Qing Cao looked at the Greater Sancte. “It is time. I wish to speak with Lu Yin.”

Greater Sancte Green Lotus was surprised. “Will you be the one to take him to Obscura?”

Everyone had expected Wang Miaomiao to be the one to approach Lu Yin again.

Master Qing Cao replied, “It will be me.”

Greater Sancte Green Lotus understood and used the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm to reach out to Lu Yin.

The young man soon teleported over in front of Master Qing Cao.

The older man observed Lu Yin. “Bring the red coffin and take us somewhere where no one will disturb us.”

Lu Yin did not hesitate. He grabbed the red coffin and vanished with Master Qing Cao.

When they reappeared, they were in a remote corner of the Aevum Inch, though the Heavenly Karmic Macrocosm still hung over their heads.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus and the others knew where Lu Yin and Master Qing Cao were, but Master Qing Cao did not mind. All that mattered was that no one disturbed them.

“Lord Lu, do you have any misgivings?” Master Qing Cao asked, standing across from Lu Yin.

Lu Yin’s answer was blunt. “Of course. I’m also afraid that this invitation is a trap.”

Master Qing Cao gave a small smile. “It is not. You are overthinking things. As of this moment, you cannot even go to Obscura’s base.”

Lu Yin arched a brow. “What does that mean?”

“Obscura’s invitation and you actually reaching their base are two completely different things. It is like you joining the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. Does that mean that you must always be physically present in that megaverse?”

Lu Yin still did not understand.

“Lie down inside the coffin and use the red line to draw a picture of the coffin on the underside of the lid,” Master Qing Cao explained. It was clear to him that Lu Yin was unaware of Greater Sancte Blood Tower’s threat to protect the young man or that the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had silently shouldered such a burden for his sake.

Such special treatment made Qing Cao jealous. If the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had shown him such consideration—no, even half of it—he would have never ended up in his current situation.

So what if he was an Immortal? Qing Cao still could not compare to Lu Yin.

Lu Yin did not ask any further questions. He laid down within the red coffin and released his inner universe. He focused on a star of divine energy.

The reality was that he had never once seized the red thread. This was not because it was not possible, but rather because he did not want to. That line represented Obscura, and aside from increasing the amount of divine energy he possessed, it had done nothing else so far. He feared that something might go wrong if he truly took it.

At this moment, he needed to use that line, so naturally, he would have to hold it.

The red line moved like a snake throughout the star of divine energy. Lu Yin seized that star. Every bit of divine energy contained in it belonged to him, so no matter where the line wandered, he could grab it.

Very soon, the red line appeared in his hand. Following Master Qing Cao’s instructions, Lu Yin used the line to draw an image of the red coffin on the underside of the coffin’s lid.