Star Odyssey

Chapter 2786: Inside And Outside The Heavenly Gate

It was not that easy to enter the Heavenly Gate. Unless a person was summoned by the Great Sovereign or had a status that qualified them to freely enter the Heavenly Gate, anyone who wished to enter the gate would be challenged by a guard. Only by pushing past the guard would they be allowed to pass through the Heavenly Gate and enter the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Each person would face a different guard, depending on their personal cultivation level. The only thing that remained consistent was that the guards could not be moved.

Lu Yin had learned all this before arriving at the Heavenly Gate, but he was still a bit surprised when he saw it for himself. The Heavenly Gate essentially separated two different worlds, and by passing through the Heavenly Gate, a person could instantly ascend into the heavens, which would allow them to look down upon all those who remained outside the Heavenly Gate like ants.

There were always people attempting to pass through the Heavenly Gate.

Even as Lu Yin looked, there was someone standing beneath the Heavenly Gate, trying to push aside a figure in golden armor. The guard was like a divine general that protected the Heavenly Gate, as immovable as a mountain. No matter how hard the cultivator pushed, the guard did not budge at all, not even shaking from the cultivator’s attempts. Instead, the cultivator’s efforts were actually injuring himself.

Over the eons, many people had killed themselves with their own power.

Standing behind the cultivator was a long line of people waiting for their turn to try to force their way through the Heavenly Gate. None of these cultivators could be considered average, as they needed to rise above countless others just to be able to approach the Heavenly Gate. Even so, all of them were destined to suffer the same fate.

Many people watched with smiles from inside the Heavenly Gate. Some of them were disciples of the Three Sovereigns and Nine Sages, while others had special statuses of some sort or another. As far as they were concerned, it was a joke to watch the people who were trying to force their way through the Heavenly Gate.

"Look at that man. I once saw him while traveling through the universe. There are rumors that a phenomena appeared when he was born. Flames fell from the sky, and his eyes blazed like torches of divine fire. I think that he might have a chance," someone inside the Heavenly Gtae commented.

Another person who was nearby instantly retorted, "There are too many people at that level, and many of them even have innate gifts. Despite that, how many are able to pass through the Heavenly Gate?"

"The last person to force their way through was Ling Mu, who’s now a sixth-stage Demi-Immortal and one of Sovereign Lotus’s disciples."

"The one before that became Food Sage’s disciple. Supposedly, his strength is only beneath that of Snack Sage, and they often arm wrestle."

"I heard about that. Only a few people are able to compete with Snack Sage, but Snack Sage has stopped challenging people recently. He claims to have found a new target: Xuan Qi."

"I heard that Xuan Qi challenged him during the Lost Clan Shangsan Festival, and now Snack Sage is waiting for him."

"I wonder if Xuan Qi can push a guard out of the way."

"Maybe. It’s said that his talent is comparable to the Junior Sovereign’s and that he’s truly incredible."

"Shut up!" A sharp shout rang out as a girl approached them. She was trailed by several maids, all of whom appeared to be submissive and pale.

The people who had been chatting instantly stopped conversing and instead sneered at the girl. "Why are you here, Junior Sister Rou? I heard that Master Ninth Lotus is giving a lecture on cultivation. Are you not attending?"

The girl’s face was stunning, but her expression was as cold as ice. Her eyes were glaring so hard that anyone would be nervous. "How dare you actually compare that Xuan Qi to Brother Chu Jian! You go too far! You must be blind. How can he be worthy of being compared to Brother Chu Jian?"

Everyone around quickly responded by placating the girl and offering a bit of flattery. They were all fully aware of just how much Junior Sister Rou admired the Junior Sovereign. On top of that, the girl was one of Sovereign Ninth Lotus’s disciples and had a high status, so no one wanted to risk offending her.

A woman moved closer and said, "Junior Sister Rou, I heard that Sovereign Ninth Lotus came today not only to teach, but also to see a person."

Junior Sister Rou grew curious. "I hadn’t heard. Who is it? Who was able to rouse my master's interest?"

The woman’s voice dropped to a whisper, "The Dao Monarch of the Origin Universe’s Heavens Sect, Lu Yin."

Junior Sister Rou's flared, and she suddenly grew angry. "Lu Yin? Is that the same person that Brother Chu Jian doesn’t like? Where is he? I want to teach him a lesson."

The others glanced at each other. "None of us know, but I heard that someone went to bring him here, so Lu Yin should be arriving soon."

"Hmph! If Brother Chu Jian doesn’t like him, then he doesn’t deserve to live! I’ll speak to Master and have him punished," Junior Sister Rou said angrily, her face turning red.

"Yes, that’s true. He doesn’t deserve to live. Junior Sister Rou, you should speak to Senior Sovereign Ninth Lotus so that something can be done as soon as possible. It would be best not to annoy the Junior Sovereign."

"That’s right. Junior Sister Rou, he’ll be getting here soon, and I even heard that he is coming to see the Great Sovereign. He might be allowed to pass right through the Heavenly Gate."

Junior Sister Rou snorted contemptuously. "Pass through the Heavenly Gate? That is indeed possible. I’ll go find Master right away."

With that, the girl left.

Once she was gone, the other people all laughed. The girl was too simple. No matter what might be said about him, there was no denying that the Origin Universe’s Lu Yin was a ruthless person. Supposedly, he had even insulted Sovereign Shao Yin, so how was Junior Sister Rou supposed to deal with Lu Yin? What a joke.

"Lu Yin? Where is Lu Yin? Is he here?" Snack Sage approached from another side, glaring at everyone as he asked about Lu Yin. He had also heard that Lu Yin would be arriving soon.

Word of Lu Yin’s visit with the Great Sovereign had spread throughout the entire Cyclic Universe, and many people arrived at the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths to watch the fun.

"I heard that he’s coming, but I don't know where he is," someone replied.

Snack Sage arrogantly declared, "I don't know how strong he might be, but if he can’t push a guard aside, then he doesn’t deserve to pass through the Heavenly Gate."

"He is coming to speak with the Great Sovereign, which means that he might be allowed to pass right through the Heavenly Gate, just like us."

Snack Sage pulled out a long pole and tied a bit of cloth onto it. He then started to write on the cloth. “If you don’t use your own strength to enter the Heavenly Gate, you’re a coward.”

As soon as he was done, Snack Sage stood just inside the Heavenly Gate, where he faced outwards while holding his new sign.

Outside the Heavenly Gate, many of the cultivators blankly stared on. What was this? It was already nearly impossible to push a guard aside and pass through the Heavenly Gate, so why was there another person blocking the gate?

Lu Yin also saw Snack Sage, and he was rendered speechless. The Taotie was determined to challenge someone no matter where he went.

Lu Yin was in no hurry to move forward. There were still many people in front of him, which made it difficult to skip the line. His eyes flickered, as he was also wondering what was happening with Great Elder Shan Gu.

Lu Yin’s biggest fear during this visit to the Great Sovereign was of running into Sovereign Shao Yin. If that happened, it would be impossible to keep his identity of Xuan Qi hidden.

There was no one else Lu Yin was afraid of running into, as even if he ran into Xu Wuwei, Lord Xu would keep the Void Suprema in check.

Lu Yin intended to wait, as the longer he waited, the less likely it would be for him to run into Sovereign Shao Yin.

Yuan Qiunan was also present. She was one of Sage Yuan’s disciples, and thus she wanted to see for herself whether or not Lu Yin would successfully receive the Great Sovereign’s acknowledgement and become the Origin Universe’s formal ruler.

Gong Yu was also present. Lu Yin was a name that was accompanied by many legends, and he was definitely worth meeting.

Jiang Xiaodao had also arrived and was very excited. He tagged along with Little Lian, showering her with attention.

An entire group of outstanding individuals had gathered just inside the Heavenly Gate.

Outside the Heavenly Gate, many of the cultivators felt that something must be wrong. Why were there so many important people standing just inside the gate?

It was usually difficult to lay eyes on just one of these people, and yet they were all gathered here today. What was happening?

When Food Sage himself appeared, everyone both inside and outside the Heavenly Gate fell silent.

Had one of the Nine Sages really arrived?

"Greetings Senior Food Sage."

"Greetings Senior Food Sage."

...

Countless people bowed to the Sage, but Food Sage was staring straight at Snack Sage, who rolled his eyes before ignoring the older man.

"You still haven’t put that sign away?" Food Sage demanded, causing Snack Sage to reluctantly stow it away.

"How do you have the nerve to scold your son? Didn’t you do the same thing before?" Arrow Sage asked as he arrived.

While many of the Sixverse Association’s most powerful figures were frequently fighting against Aeternus on the Endless Frontier, there were always at least a few of the Three Sovereigns and Nine Sages in the Cyclic Universe. Their numbers had also grown after the four ruling powers sent reinforcements to assist in the war efforts. Not to mention, both Sage Yuan and Luo Shan had been sent to the Endless Frontier as punishment, which had freed up several people, who had now decided to make a trip to the Heavenly Gate to watch how things would unfold.

The Three Monarchs Universe had been kicked out of the Sixverse Association and replaced by the Origin Universe. This was a massive change for the entire alliance, and if things did not go well, then they would be forced to deal with Lu Yin in the future. From everything that they had heard about Lu Yin, he would not be an easy opponent.

"Dad, you used to do this too?" Snack Saint stared intently at his father.

Food Sage shot a glare at Arrow Sage. "Don't listen to his nonsense. He’s a brainless fool."

Arrow Sage laughed. "Who blocked Sovereign Shao Yin’s door and shouted taunts to compete in strength? In the end, his hands were corroded. Look, he still has the scars."

Everyone automatically turned to look, but Food Sage crossed his arms across his chest, which just barely hid his hands from sight. “Bullshit.”

Snack Saint stared straight at his father’s hands.

Food Sage became upset, and he smacked his son on the head. "What are you looking at? Why are you acting like you’ve never seen me before?"

Snack Sage felt wronged, but he was forced to look elsewhere.

Jiang Xiaodao laughed. "You deserve that! You deserve a beating, hahahaha!"

Food Sage’s eyes locked onto the young man, which caused Jiang Xiaodao to instantly shut his mouth and quickly take two steps back so that he was hidden behind Little Lian.

The girl smiled and said, "Senior Food Sage, don't get angry. Brother Snack Sage didn't mean anything. He’s just acting boldly."

The girl’s words instantly improved Food Sage’s mood. "You know the right things to say, girl."

Snack Sage became upset, and he glared at Little Lian, but that only angered his father. Food Sage pulled his son over and then tossed him next to Little Lian. "Try to get closer to her. Maybe she’ll become your woman someday."

Everyone was startled by the comment, as it was known that Little Lian was Sovereign Ninth Lotus’s favorite disciple, which was why no one dared to say anything against the girl.

Little Lian’s face flushed, but it was impossible to tell if it was out of anger or embarrassment.

"Idiot," Arrow Sage commented.

It was at that moment that Lord Xu arrived. "Things are getting quite lively."

Arrow Sage and Food Sage were both taken aback. "Senior Voidlord? Why are you here?"

To the two Sages, Lord Xu was indeed their senior.

He smiled at them and said, "I was the one who suggested that the Origin Universe join the Sixverse Association, so of course I need to be here to see how things play out. Why are all of you here?"

Arrow Sage's eyes flashed. "I want to meet this legendary Dao Monarch Lu as soon as possible. It’s possible that we may need to deal with this descendant of the Lu family not too far in the future."

Food Sage just grinned. "I want to know if he’s a real man!"

"He’d better not be a coward!" Snack Saint chimed in.

Lord Xu was caught off guard. "All of you are curious about him?"

Arrow Sage looked at Lord Xu. "Senior, you suggested that the Origin Universe join the Sixverse Association. Do you not know anything about Dao Monarch Lu?"

The Voidlord smiled. "I can't say that I know much of anything. I submitted my proposal about the Origin Universe because I want to use their power against the Aeternals. Don't forget, the Origin Universe has no fewer than ten peak powerhouses."

The people listening were all stunned.

"At least ten?" Jiang Xiaodao was shocked.

Yuan Qiunan frowned. Are there really that many? Then most of them should be part of the four ruling powers!

"With so many peak powerhouses, wouldn’t it be a pity to not employ them in the war against Aeternus?" Lord Xu asked.

Suddenly, lotuses started blooming on the ground. Everyone grew solemn, as they knew that Sovereign Ninth Lotus had arrived.

Lord Xu looked to the side, where a woman was approaching. A veil covered her face, making it difficult to make out her features. She gave the impression of a graceful and refined woman, which made it difficult for people to look at her directly. As she walked, the ripples spread through the sky, mimicking a blooming flower. Green lotuses grew out of the void, seemingly having always been there, yet also not present at all. It was an odd contradiction that felt off to people.

"Greetings, Senior Sovereign Lotus."

"Greetings, Senior Sovereign Lotus."

...

An entire group of disciples trailed behind Sovereign Ninth Lotus, including Junior Sister Rou.

"So Lord Xu is here as well." When Sovereign Lotus spoke, her voice was as clear as spring water running down a cold mountain; it was bone-chillingly cold, but also extremely pure.

Lord Xu greeted the woman. "We meet again."