Star Odyssey

Chapter 1648: Odd Deal

Madam Hong remained relaxed. "Actually, I have no hatred towards the Great Eastern Alliance, and I don't hope to have any enmity with you in the future either. Thus, I would like to propose a deal to Alliance Leader Lu. If an agreement is reached, then both of us will benefit greatly, and I can even guarantee that Alliance Leader Lu will definitely profit more than me."

"What’s the deal?" Lu Yin asked. He remembered what the ugly old woman at Flying Horse Manor had said. Madam Hong had wanted to speak with Lu Yin for some time, even before the colossal giants had appeared. Since then, he had started guessing what the other possible reasons might be.

Madam Hong's face grew pale. "Alliance Leader Lu should hate the Sword Sect a great deal."

Lu Yin was startled by the woman’s reaction. "What are you suggesting, Madam Hong?"

"I'll help you deal with the Sword Sect, Alliance Leader Lu."

Lu Yin frowned. "Madam Hong, please make things a bit more clear."

Madam Hong’s voice dropped lower. "After my Sixth Mainland started taking over the Outerverse, cultivators from my Sixth Mainland have been constantly traveling into the Innerverse and even the Cosmic Sea to gain experience. Some of them have kept their identities hidden while others have not. There are two in particular that I would like Alliance Leader Lu to help me capture: the Greenmen Duo."

Lu Yin's eyes flickered. "The Greenmen Duo?"

"They are highly regarded disciples of the Brahman Realm’s Master Qing Hua. In the past, his prized disciple was Fan Shun, but apparently, he values these two even more. You need to capture these two disciples, as forcing Master Qing Hua to move will help you deal with the Sword Sect. It will not be difficult for Master Qing Hua to deal with the Sword Sect, as he is a powerful Empyrean Imprinter," Madam Hong said.action

Lu Yin felt genuinely confused. "Madam Hong, do you have some grudge against Master Qing Hua?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"This matter has nothing to do with Alliance Leader Lu."

"Sorry, but I can't do that," Lu Yin refused.

Madam Hong frowned. "Does Alliance Leader Lu intend to become enemies with my Flying Horse Manor? Are you really okay with allowing the Sixth Mainland to immediately move into the entire Outerverse and against your Great Eastern Alliance?"

Lu Yin pretended to grow angry as he replied, "Master Qing Hua is a powerful Empyrean Imprinter! If he makes a move, then even if he does help me deal with the Sword Sect, what can I do against such a person? I’ll be doomed as soon as I give up the Greenmen Duo, but I’ll end up in even worse trouble if I refuse to release them. Also, if this matter is ever made public, my entire reputation will be destroyed! I can’t afford to face the crime of working with outsiders against other people from my Fifth Mainland."

Madam Hong's mouth curled into a smile. "If this is all that Alliance Leader Lu is concerned about, then things are quite simple: just explain the matter to the Hall of Honor and then have the Chief Justice or some other Semi-Progenitor protect you. If Master Qing Hua does move against you, then you can eliminate him without any qualms. Of course, the basis of everything is that there is an agreement between the Sixth and Fifth Mainlands. So, if Master Qing Hua does try to do anything to you, he will be violating that agreement, and the Sixth Mainland will not have any reasons to cause trouble for you."

Lu Yin's eyes flashed. "What do you mean?"

Madam Hong solemnly replied, "There’s a matter that we need to deal with, but Master Qing Hua is just too much of an obstacle. I simply want to ask Alliance Leader Lu to lead him away. Not only would this help us, but it could also be the start to an amiable relationship. Not to mention, if this allows you to deal with the Sword Sect as well, then why not go for it? Am I right, Alliance Leader Lu?"

Lu Yin started thinking.

Madam Hong was in no rush, as she already knew that Lu Yin would not be able to refuse. This deal would not cause him any harm, and it would also help him eliminate the Sword Sect. As for why he wanted to deal with the Sword Sect, she had already helped Lu Yin open up that path: the Sea King.

This was precisely the reason why she had ordered her people to spread word that the Sword Sect was holding the Sea King. Even back then, Madam Hong had already planned everything out.

Lu Yin considered the proposal for a long time before finally looking up at Madam Hong. "Facing an Empyrean Imprinter is too dangerous. I don’t want to risk it."

Madam Hong instantly grew cold towards Lu Yin. "If that’s how it is, then I will have to ask Alliance Leader Lu to remove everyone in your Great Eastern Alliance from the Outerverse within three days. If anyone has not left by then, we will treat them as though they have willingly submitted to my Sixth Mainland."

"Wait!" Lu Yin’s eyes revealed anxiety as he looked into Madam Hong's eyes that were filled with disdain. He solemnly stated, "I have one condition. Promise me this, and I’ll do as you ask."

"You don’t have the qualifications to give me conditions!" Madam Hong shouted.

Lu Yin remained stubborn. "Then I swear that I will die with my Great Eastern Alliance! Declaring war is a big deal, and if I am truly threatened, the Hall of Honor will definitely move to help me."

A cold glint flashed through Madam Hong’s eyes before she slowly said, "What condition?"

Lu Yin raised a hand. "Five weaves. I want to keep five weaves in the Outerverse for my Great Eastern Alliance. You’ve said that we will eventually be driven out of the Innerverse, so if that’s true, then I want to reserve five weaves for my Great Eastern Alliance as our final resort for survival."

Madam Hong thought for a while. "Two weaves."

"I’m not negotiating with you, Madam Hong. Five weaves is my absolute limit. Also, don't forget that you captured the colossal giants, who belong to me. I’ve ignored this matter from you, but giants hold grudges, and it is very difficult for me to restrain them."

Madam Hong fell silent for a while. "Very well, I promise."

Lu Yin stared at her. "I want the Daosource Sect’s Four Empyreans to personally validate this promise to me, especially Bluedome Elder, as he holds no affection for me or my Great Eastern Alliance. As long as he promises to give us five weaves, I’ll do as you ask."

Madam Hong’s eyes grew sharp. "I will speak with Bluedome Elder."

With that, she hung up.

Back in Blazing Mist Flowzone, Lu Yin realized that the curtains had been parted for him. He certainly had not expected the next person to step foot onto this stage to be Madam Hong.

As soon as Lu Yin ended his call with Madam Hong, he called Qing Tan.

Qing Tan had fallen under Lu Yin’s control, and as long as she did not want to die, she had no choice but to do as Lu Yin ordered.

"Do you know why Madam Hong, Ancestor Autumnfrost, and the Arrow God of Wilderness were being questioned?" Lu Yin asked.

"I don't know. Master did not disclose this matter with me."

Lu Yin started thinking. When he had told Qing Tan to lie to Bluedome Elder, it had been to tell the Empyrean Imprinter that Madam Hong and several others had reached an agreement with Lu Yin for them to give him five weaves. That had merely been a bluff, but with Madam Hong about to approach Bluedome Elder and suggest giving the Great Eastern Alliance five weaves, regardless of the reason, her words would confirm the previous lie.

Lu Yin had no idea what consequences Madam Hong would face precisely, but he could imagine.

"How strong is Master Qing Hua?" Lu Yin asked.

"Master Qing Hua?" Qing Tan had no idea why Lu Yin would suddenly bring up this particular person. "I don't know Master Qing Hua, but he was once referred to as the successor of the Four Empyreans. When the Toolwielder Ancestor fell in the Cosmic Sea, Qing Hua was the first in line to replace him."

"Who are the Four Empyreans?" Lu Yin quickly asked.

"Bluedome Elder, Mr. Lifeview, Herb Immortal, and the now-dead Toolwielder Ancestor."

Bluedome Elder was from the Blood Homage Realm, Mr. Lifeview was from the Sage Martial Realm, Herb Immortal was from the Rock Realm, and the Toolwielder Ancestor had been from the War Martial Realm. Lu Yin’s understanding of the Sixth Mainland had actually been clearer before they fled to the Fifth Mainland.

The three Progenitors had divided up the Sixth Mainland between them, but as transcendental beings, they had no desire to get involved in its mundane affairs. Thus, the Four Empyreans were the true decision makers, and two of them were from the Progenitor of Combat’s Territory, which gave that territory much greater influence within the Daosource Sect. However, the Toolwielder Ancestor had died and been replaced by Qing Hua, who was from the Brahman Realm, which had been a part of the Progenitor of Secret Arts’ Territory. This had therefore given the Progenitor of Secret Arts Territory a greater voice.

This was the underlying motivation behind Madam Hong’s talk with Lu Yin.

Lu Yin suddenly remembered that the Sixth Mainland’s invasion of the Fifth Mainland had been decided by the Four Empyreans as well.

When he thought back to when the Progenitor of Combat had personally made a move, the Progenitor of Combat’s Territory had been quite hostile towards the Fifth Mainland, and two of the Four Empyreans had come from the Progenitor of Combat’s Territory, which was allowed that territory to almost single handedly decide the direction of the Sixth Mainland.

Everything was starting to make sense, and Lu Yin felt confident that he had understood the current situation. This was certainly the reason why Madam Hong wanted Lu Yin to capture two of Qing Hua’s disciples and draw the man’s attention. It was most likely because she needed something done that no one in the Sixth Mainland could do. This was likely why she had been so eager to use Lu Yin to settle the matter.

It also made sense why Madam Hong would encourage Lu Yin to approach the Hall of Honor so that they could dispatch a powerhouse to protect him who could overpower Qing Hua. If Lu Yin were in Qing Hua’s shoes, he would have never allowed the Greenmen Duo to leave his sight. If Qing Hua took action, it would give the Hall of Honor an excuse to move against him, which would prevent Qing Hua from becoming one of the Four Empyreans.

Lu Yin tapped the air with a finger as he thought about matters.

Qing Tan said nothing, and she had no idea what Lu Yin wanted to do.

After a long time, Lu Yin simply ended the call. He then took out a star chart and looked through each of the eight major flowzones one by one.

***

In the Outerverse, in Southside Weave, Bluedome Elder welcomed a refined-looking, middle-aged man.

The man had an ethereal quality to him that made him seem somewhat illusory. He gave off the impression of being an immortal exiled from the nine heavens, and most people would not dare to look directly at the man.

Bluedome Elder looked up at the man. "Lifeview, what's the matter?"

Mr. Lifeview calmly replied, "Master Qing Hua cannot become one of the Four Empyreans."

"Oh?"

"Thus, we need help from the Fifth Mainland. We have come to an agreement with Lu Yin to give him the five Outerverse weaves closest to the Astral River Ark, and in exchange, he will deal with Master Qing Hua for us."

Bluedome Elder’s eyes snapped open when he heard Mr. Lifeview mention giving Lu Yin five weaves. "You personally spoke to him? That’s not like you."

Mr. Lifeview indifferently replied, "Madam Hong spoke with him. Once Qing Hua steps onto the same level as you and I, the people in the Progenitor of Secret Arts’ Territory will gain greater influence in determining the direction our Sixth Mainland takes. The Progenitor of Combat does not want that to happen."

Bluedome Elder was no longer listening to Mr. Lifeview at all. All that Bluedome Elder had heard was that Madam Hong was the source of the information that Lu Yin was to be given five weaves. Sure enough, the woman had reached an agreement with Lu Yin, and everything concerning Qing Hua was nothing more than a cover. An agreement had already been reached, and Lu Yin had definitely given Madam Hong Progenitor Wushang's hide.

The mere thought of Progenitor Wushang's hide left Bluedome Elder excited. He had been stuck as an Empyrean Imprinter for far too long, never managing to reach the level of a Semi-Progenitor. He was desperate to get his hands on any and everything related to a Progenitor. While Bluedome Elder did have possession of an item that once belonged to a Progenitor, it was unusable to him, but Progenitor Wushang’s hide was a different matter. Their name had once rang throughout the entire Sixth Mainland, and anything from that powerful Progenitor would far surpass something from one of the Sixth Mainland’s three Progenitors.

What use could a mere World Imprinter have for Progenitor Wushang's hide? Bluedome Elder’s eyes flickered.

"Bluedome, what do you say?" Mr. Lifeview asked in an indifferent manner.

"Alright."

Mr. Lifeview left.

Before long, Madam Hong reached out to Lu Yin once again to give him Bluedome Elder’s answer.

"Why should I take your word as truth? Have Bluedome Elder tell me himself," Lu Yin said.

Madam Hong's eyes flared. "Who do you think you are? You want an Empyrean Imprinter to speak to you himself? Do you believe that an Empyrean Imprinter would stoop so low as to deceive you?"

"I've already spoken with more than one Semi-Progenitor," Lu Yin retorted.

Madam Hong sneered. "Your Fifth Mainland’s Semi-Progenitors can at best compare to our Empyrean Imprinters! With the suppression that you all suffer against us from the Sixth Mainland, your Semi-Progenitors may not even be capable of measuring up to that level! You can simply take my word for it, as that is all you can do. Otherwise you will not only insult my Flying Horse Manor, but you will also insult the entire Progenitor of Combat’s Territory and Progenitor of Bloodlines’ Territory!"