Star Odyssey

Chapter 3539: Forced Entry

Old Tao dusted off his clothes. "You want me to leave? You’d better not regret it. This is the last and only chance for your Hundred Leaf Trade Association to rise again."

Ye Laogui scoffed and laid right back down on the ground. He even grabbed some grass and covered himself again. "Get lost! Stop blowing hot air."

Old Tao chuckled. "The selection for the official trade associations that occurs every twenty years is about to begin. Don't you want to fight for a position?"

Ye Laogui irritatedly replied, "Go! Get lost! Leave! The Hundred Leaf Trade Association is long gone. Fight for what? Stop trying to make trouble. Why didn’t you just die in Beacon City, instead of coming back like a plague?"

Old Tao leaned closer. "You really don't want to fight for a slot? I'm telling you, you’re practically guaranteed to get it."

Ye Laogui’s eyes suddenly flared, and he stared at Old Tao through the grass that covered his body. "If you still consider me an old friend, then please don’t hurt me. Just let me live out the rest of my years here. Dying in this place is good enough."

Old Tao sighed regretfully. "You old bastard, have you lost all the ambition that you had in your youth? I remember when your Hundred Leaf Trade Association was at its peak and you were so spirited. I could buy anything from you, and you always gave me a great price. If not for you, I would have never ended up in my current position. It’s pathetic and such a pity."

"You old fart! If you remember my former kindness, then don’t hurt me. Just leave." Ye Laogui softly begged from beneath the grass.

At that moment, someone raced over from far away. They were holding a wooden stick that they fiercely swung to attack Old Tao.

The man did not even move and simply allowed the stick to fall. Even so, it was not even able to touch him. His attacker was simply too weak.

"Are you his junior? A great-grandson?"

"Just leave. I don’t want anything anymore. I just want to die here."

Old Tao’s attack dropped to the ground, and then glared at Old Tao. "Who are you? Stay away from our ancestor!"

The attacker had a youthful face, and clenched the wooden stick tightly while keeping a wary eye on Old Tao at all times.

Old Tao looked over. "Child, I’m a friend of your ancestor. Don’t be impulsive."

The youngster suddenly stared at Old Tao in shock. "Are you the Grandverse Manor’s Second Boss?"

Old Tao smiled. "You recognize me?"

The youth became overjoyed. "Are you really the Grandverse Manor’s Second Boss? The one who travels with the Third Boss, who’s never been defeated in the Spirit Nidus? Is it really you?"

Old Tao found the youth’s words quite pleasant. He was usually the one flattering Lu Yin, but this time, there was someone else flattering him instead. It was no wonder why the Third Boss appreciated Old Tao so much. He had to work harder.

"Kid, you’ve got quite a way with words. Keep it up!"

The youth grew even more excited. "I am Ye Yan’er. Second Boss, I wish to join your Grandverse Manor!"

Ye Laogui leaped up from under the grass. "What’s this nonsense? Shut up!"

Ye Yan’er remained stubborn. "Ancestor, I want to join the Grandverse Manor and follow the Third Boss as he roams about, invincible!"

Ye Laogui grew furious, and he grabbed a wine jar and threw it at the youth. "Silence! You can scram too!"

Old Tao stepped in. "Ye Laogui, it's one thing for you to laze about waiting for your own death, but do you really intend to allow your descendant to do the same? Young people should have ambition. This isn’t bad at all. However, his name, Ye Yan’er... sounds like a girl’s."

"I am a girl..." Ye Yan’er muttered.

Old Tao was taken aback, and then he carefully examined Ye Yan’er. He quickly saw that she was right—the youth really was a girl.

The biggest reason for Old Tao’s confusion was that Ye Yan’er, just like Ye Laogui, was wearing tattered rags and looked like a beggar. Dirt was smeared all over her face. It was hard to tell that she was a girl just by looking at her.

Ye Laogui was losing his patience. "Old man, just leave already. Stop making trouble here."

"Ancestor, I want to join the Grandverse Manor," Ye Yan’er repeated.

Ye Laogui roared, "Shut up!"

His outburst frightened Ye Yan’er. She had never seen her ancestor act like this before.

Old Tao patted Ye Yan’er on the shoulder as his expression turned serious. "The once-great Hundred Leaf Trade Association—do you really not want to revive it? Just how many times have you told me to leave since I arrived? Are you really that desperate to drive me away?"

Ye Yan’er’s eyes lit up. The Hundred Leaf Trade Association? That was a legend in her family history.

Ye Laogui's expression darkened. "I know about your Grandverse Manor. People have been passing through here lately, calling your Grandverse Manor lawless, talking about how you are challenging the Ascendant Hall and even trying to replace the High Seraph! We will have nothing to do with any of that! The Hundred Leaf Trade Association fell long ago, and nothing of it remains. I simply want to spend my final years in peace while caring for this child. I won’t join you as you march to your death."

Old Tao felt a burgeoning headache. "I went out of my way to recommend your Hundred Leaf Trade Association to the Third Boss as our candidate to become an official trade association. With the Grandverse Manor supporting you, not even Yi Shang would dare to deny you. The Hundred Leaf Trade Association could instantly regain its former prominence."

Ye Laogui sneered. "The Hundred Leaf Trade Association flourished with the rise of the Hundred Grasses Domain and declined with it as well. I won’t walk the same path as before.

"In fact, compared to the collapse of the Hundred Grasses Domain, following your Grandverse Manor would be far more dangerous. A single misstep would lead to total annihilation, which would be far worse than before."

Ye Yan’er clenched her fists. "I’m not afraid!"

Ye Laogui shot her a furious glare.

Ye Yan’er stubbornly met the old man’s eyes. "Ancestor, do you know what I’ve been doing this whole time? I went to the Grandverse Manor and asked to join."

"You’re insane!" Ye Laogui roared.

Suddenly, sorrow filled Ye Yan’er’s voice. "We’ve been abandoned, and we can barely survive in this corner of the Hundred Grasses Domain. We live no differently from ordinary humans. You want me to live out a life in peace, but that’s not what I want. I want to restore the Hundred Leaf Trade Association’s former glory. I want to compete with my peers. I want to go to the Nine Horizons! I have so many dreams, and yet you won’t let me pursue any of them! Such a life is too cruel."

Ye Laogui trembled. The anger faded from his eyes, and it was replaced with pure sadness.

Old Tao sighed. "Ye Laogui, you’re old, as am I. Eventually, both of us will die, yet this child is still young. She has dreams as well as her own path to walk. Do you know how many people die while pursuing progress as cultivators? Do you think our Third Boss easily reached the strength to stomp over the Spirit Nidus? His path has been just as arduous as anyone else’s.

"Even if you can protect her throughout her life, can you protect her children? What about her grandchildren? How long can you protect your descendants? You are not an Immortal."

Ye Laogui closed his eyes and slowly dropped down until he was sitting. Sorrow covered his face.

Ye Yan’er walked over and hugged the old man. "Ancestor, I don’t want to live a life of mediocrity."

Ye Laogui remained silent for a long time before letting out a very heavy sigh. He looked up at Old Tao with a solemn expression. "Promise me that, if anything ends up happening, she will die after you."

Old Tao nodded. "I have never sought to harm you, old friend. I will never forget the kindness that you have shown me.

"The Grandverse Manor has been in the Hundred Grasses Domain for some time, but I never sought you out. That was because of my own pessimism. I knew that the Grandverse Manor was walking a path towards certain doom. However, recently, after following the Third Boss as he challenges the megaverse’s greatest experts, do you know how many people in the Spirit Nidus can actually stand against him? After the fight at the Umbral Deep and the battle in the Roaming South Realm, he’s even forced the ruler of the Wisdom Domain to cooperate with him. Those are the real reasons why I sought you out.

"If you join the Grandverse Manor, while there is a good chance of dying, there is also a sliver of a possibility of reaching the peak. Without that possibility, I would have never come to you."

Ye Laogui sneered. "Weren’t you the one who brought Boundless into the Hundred Grasses Domain?"

Old Tao swore. "Absolutely not! That was the Third Boss’s decision after seeing the astral chart and confirming that this Hundred Grasses Domain was the best choice. Its location is too perfect, as it’s right in the middle of all thirty-six domains."

"Enough, let’s go. The Hundred Leaf Trade Association will rise again."

...

In a remote corner of the Spirit Nidus, a deep crimson land spread out beneath a dark sky filled with thick clouds. The lava that flowed across the ground was so intense that it was nearly transparent.

Someone was sitting cross-legged on the crimson ground. An unknown amount of time passed before the person stood and opened their eyes. Beside the person, another figure appeared. Surprisingly, it was a child who looked like a one-year-old, though they somehow gave off the impression that they were far, far older.

The child took a step forward, and his body suddenly grew. As quick as that, he looked like a five-year-old. With another step, the child transformed into a twelve-year-old youth who was nearly as tall as the man beside him. With one more step, the boy became a young man. At that moment, dark-red energy erupted from the young man, exploding into all directions.

"As expected of a mirebound artifact; I’ve been able to evolve yet again. I am eager to meet you once more, Lu Yin."

The dark-red divine energy then surged high into the sky, its oppressive power recklessly suppressing everything.

In the Ascendant Hall, the High Seraph suddenly turned to look in a specific direction. "This...?"

He then vanished.

In the Hundred Grasses Domain, Lu Yin took a step forward to stand in outer space, a dark and somber expression on his face.

He could sense the surge of divine energy. True God had finally appeared once more.

When Lu Yin had fought at the Umbral Deep, Seraph Meng Sang had forced him into the dream realm. That had lured Cheng Gong into revealing himself, which had in turn led everyone to work together and attack Lu Yin.

True God had just revealed himself, and Lu Yin could sense the exact direction.

True God had stolen Tian Ci’s mirebound artifact spirit seed. By using that spirit seed, Yong Heng had been able to undergo an evolution. Just who could say what the results of that would be?

The High Seraph might be the greatest visible threat to Lu Yin, but True God was the greatest threat hiding in the shadows.

The High Seraph arrived on the crimson land, but the two individuals were nowhere to be seen.

He stared at the ground with a grim expression. The energy he had just sensed made him feel uneasy. The Tianyuan Megaverse’s Yong Heng? Just where are you?

...

Ever since Boundless left, the Tianyuan Megaverse’s boundary had remained sealed off. The stone gate was kept shut in order to prevent anyone from leaving.

One day, Skydog howled as he charged at the stone gate. There was a thunderous boom that caused the gate to tremble.

A spear thrust out from the void, stabbing straight into the dog. The attack did not miss, and Skydog howled in pain.

Garan Zhiluo emerged from the void. A landmass appeared in front of her, materializing from nothing at all. It was the Forgotten Ruins. Forgotten Ruins God was making her move.

"You want to leave the Tianyuan Megaverse? You are courting death."

Wang Xiaoyu appeared nearby. She was instantly surrounded by countless cultivators, and their attacks rained down upon her. Streaks of black energy stabbed through the universe, shooting towards Wang Xiaoyu.

Forgotten Ruins God sighed in frustration. "Garan Zhiluo, can we not even leave this megaverse? Us staying here will only bring you trouble."

Garan Zhiluo’s eyes were flecks of ice. "There’s no problem. We’ll just eliminate you."

As she spoke, her silver spear spun in her hands. Mirrors appeared around Forgotten Ruins God, and a sharp spear point shot out from each mirror.

Forgotten Ruins God had no choice but to retreat behind Skydog. Countless spears stabbed the dog, who howled in agony as more blood covered his body. Forgotten Ruins God seized the opening to release her Sky-Devouring Nine Wolves. Nine massive wolf heads snapped at Garan Zhiluo while a scepter appeared in her hand.

"Do you qualify to hold the royal scepter?"

It was not long before silence returned to the starry sky. Garan Zhiluo frowned. She had failed to detain them.

Forgotten Ruins God had truly hidden herself well, but why was she suddenly so intent on leaving their megaverse? If she was heading elsewhere, then her only possible destination was the Spirit Nidus. Was she planning to rendezvous with True God?

Elsewhere, Forgotten Ruins God let out a helpless sigh. "We’re trapped. I never expected to run straight into Garan Zhiluo."

Nearby, Skydog was still bleeding. He was able to endure countless attacks, but he was not truly invulnerable.

Wang Xiaoyu glanced at the dog. "Garan Zhiluo has grown much stronger."