Star Odyssey

Chapter 4409: The Publisher

With Lu Huai’s ability to teleport combined with others’ Mirrorlight Art, Lu Yin estimated that they would complete the mission in about 100 years.

This was only a three-star mission for mapping a star chart. For Immortals without the ability to teleport or even the Mirrorlight Art, it would take a very long time to complete it. However, the greatest advantage of this mission was the relative safety, and time meant little to Immortals. Compared to capturing a branch of the River of Aeons, anyone would prefer this kind of mission.

The danger came from the fact that they were operating in an unfamiliar region, and no one knew what they might encounter. Thus, after Lu Huai and the others stayed behind to map the star chart, Lu Yin would return to check on them once every few years. In this way, 100 years passed.

During this century, Ancestor Lu Yuan’s group completed the star chart that extended in a fifty years’ travel radius from the Human Trio. Their efficiency was higher than Lu Huai’s group, though Lu Huai’s side was also nearly finished with their task.

Mapping star charts naturally led to the discovery of megaverses. They discovered several megaverses, and Lu Yin absorbed more green lights from those megaverses’ Mother Trees.

There was also another gain: a piece of black armor.

While mapping their star chart, Ancestor Lu Yuan’s group had discovered a piece of black armor floating along. It was an entirely unexpected harvest.

This piece recorded a conjecture once heard by Ancestor Shan:

Does every creature perceive the Aevum Inch the same way, or does each see something different? When a creature makes a choice, is it based on what is commonly accepted as reason, or on its own understanding of reason? What we call right and wrong is nothing more than a choice in how that “reason” is perceived. All things in the universe evolve from a most fundamental substance. If such a substance exists, would it mean that everything in the universe could be created from it?

These were the conjectures of a senior I greatly respect. That senior’s knowledge reached the heavens, and his understanding of the Aevum Inch was beyond compare. Even now, I cannot tell whether these words are speculation or guidance. Still, I write them down as a remembrance of that senior. Whether they are right or wrong is of no consequence.

That was all that was written on the piece of armor. It was somewhat disappointing, as it had absolutely nothing concerning human civilization, but it was not entirely disappointing either.

The Aevum Inch was boundless, and that meant that even Immortals could only speculate about its true nature. Many speculations from the past had proven correct, while many others had become jokes.

Regardless of the outcome, each conjecture at least indicated a direction. It was like the cosmic laws comprehended by Immortals; some laws made no sense at all, but if the Immortal believed them to be true, they became true. How could that be explained?

A substance capable of manifesting everything? If such a substance truly existed, then species, time, space, and even karma and evolution would originate from that substance. It would be truly omnipotent.

The cosmos that each species saw might not be the same. Humans could never understand the perspective of the Plume Immortals, just as the Plume Immortals could not understand the worldview of the Mudwater Dominion.

What would happen if, one day, someone could see how every other species understood the omniverse?

Thinking of this, Lu Yin raised his hand, and his die appeared. Six pips: Possession. That isn’t impossible.

But that possibility was too distant. There were still many things left undone. It was like a dream, unreachable yet also undeniably real.

As for the senior whom Ancestor Shan had respected so much, Lu Yin wondered what kind of being they had been. A scholar whose knowledge reached the heavens? Someone capable of earning that kind of acknowledgement from Ancestor Shan had to have been extraordinary. Whether that person was still alive was unknown.

***

In Vestigium, Lu Yin turned in his mission and received another three-star reward. As before, he did not exchange it and simply kept it saved. Three-star rewards meant little to him.

"Lu Yin, please choose the mission you wish to accept."

"Three star mission: mapping a star chart."

"Approved."

After accepting the mission, Lu Yin spoke so that his voice spread throughout Vestigium. "A hundred years just to finish a three-star mission, how exhausting. I’m going to take it slow from now on. Furball, Old Man Hehe, are you there?"

No one replied. Lu Yin called out several more times, but still received no reply. Just as he was about to leave, a voice spoke up. "I am Black."

Lu Yin’s heart skipped a beat. He exhaled slowly. Black? So it’s that one.

He had completed the star chart mission within a century precisely for this moment. Since the other party had asked Ba Se to issue a mandatory mission, it meant that the task was urgent. Ba Se might not care, but whoever had issued the mission clearly did. Completing it within 100 years was unusually fast.

However, Lu Yin had just accepted the same mission again, only to deliberately state that he would take things slowly this time. How could whoever had issued the mission tolerate that? They would inevitably approach him, just like Old Man Hehe had.

Whoever approached Lu Yin had to be the one who had issued the star chart mission.

"Obscura’s Black, what advice do you have?" Lu Yin asked. Their conversation did not spread outward, as Ba Se had made it private.

"Completing a three-star star chart mission within 100 years is very fast."

Lu Yin raised a brow. "Thank you for the compliment."

"Have you accepted another star chart mapping mission?"

"Didn’t Ba Se say that Obscura’s missions can’t be shared? Have they broken the rules?"

Black calmly replied, "I asked Ba Se to issue this mission, so I know."

Lu Yin nodded. "I see. Yes, I accepted it. The mission is easy and pleasant, so it’s a good way to earn rewards."

"Will you complete it within 100 years again?"

Lu Yin smiled. "If I want to, I can finish it even faster, but I’m tired. Since I’ve accepted it, I’ll just take it slowly. No rush."

Black remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I hope that you can complete this mission as soon as possible."

Lu Yin narrowed his eyes. "Is it that important to you?"

"Yes."

"Sorry. As fellow members of Obscura, we should certainly help each other, but I’m truly exhausted. First there was the Mudwater Dominion, and then the Plume Immortals Civilization. My human civilization also has Hong Xia to deal with, and there are many uncertainties outside. I really don’t have time to focus on mapping star charts. I hope that you can understand."

Black’s voice remained calm. "What would it take for you to complete this star chart quickly?"

Lu Yin frowned slightly. "A star chart corresponding to a three-star mission should be within your attack range. It doesn’t cover a vast distance. You don’t need to see things clearly within that distance, so why is it so important?"

Black remained as calm as ever. "This is only one part. There are still many regions that need to be mapped."

Lu Yin had not expected the other party to answer so honestly. However, he was only using this mission to test who was behind these missions. He had never intended to actually help with the creating the star charts.

Obscura was a mortal enemy of human civilization. Even Che, who appeared polite, was a great enemy of humanity. Who knew what species this member of Obscura might be? Given their strength, they might have very well participated in the war that had destroyed the Nine Ramparts.

If Lu Yin helped this creature, no one could predict the consequences. His previous exchange with Furball for a branch of the Divine Tree already left Lu Yin feeling uneasy. He would not help another member of Obscura.

Not even if Obscura’s Black could offer him important benefits.

Lu Yin could trade with enemies that he understood, but he would never trade with enemies he could not see through. It was the same reason why he rarely visited Vestigium.

"Many? How many exactly?" Whether he helped or not was another matter; asking cost nothing.

Black answered, "Many. A great many. I can trade with you. What do you need?"

Lu Yin needed many things, but he would not trade. "I can’t think of anything right now. We’ll talk when I do."

With that, he exited from Vestigium. Black could certainly offer things that Lu Yin wanted. It was like treasure hidden at the bottom of an abyss, tempting him to descend. However, as soon as he went down, how would he climb back up? Lu Yin had no confidence he could return.

He had always been probing the various members of Obscura within Vestigium. Yet while he tested others, they were also able to see through him and learn what he wanted.

Unfortunately, there was no other choice. This was something that had to be done. Black could easily discover what Lu Yin urgently needed, such as Mother Trees or specific knowledge related to human civilizations, but obtaining such things required payment, and once Lu Yin paid the price, there would be no turning back.

Now that he knew that the star chart missions originated from Black, it was enough. Understanding Obscura would take time.

In the blink of an eye, another 200 years passed. Ever since Lu Yin had reached his current level of power, time had seemed to pass faster and faster. His human civilization was temporarily stable. Lu Yin traveled about, building the wall in his heart higher while observing the lives of mortals. Years passed almost without notice.

During these 200 years, he absorbed the motes of green light from several more Mother Trees. The star chart mission had long since been completed, yet Lu Yin had not turned it in. He had no intention of doing so.

He brought Lu Huai’s group back to assist Ancestor Lu Yuan in mapping the star chart for the area surrounding the Trio. The star chart now clearly mapped the region within 100 years’ distance of the Trio. As the radius expanded, the time needed to complete the work increased quadratically, and yet it continued steadily. The further that humanity could see clearly, the better.

There was still one hidden danger; within 1,000 years’ distance of the Trio at the speed of an average Immortal, there was a fishing civilization. This was the information that he had received from Obscura. Although that civilization was still very far away from humanity, being roughly three times as far away as Crimson Starshade, they would eventually encounter it.

This hidden danger needed to be eliminated.

Fishing civilizations were not easy to deal with. Fortunately, Lu Yin had already identified the civilization through Obscura.

***

In the dark and endless emptiness of the Aevum Inch, there was a massive shadow. It was the Ten-Eyed Divine Crow.

Lu Yin had returned to it. Standing before the Divine Crow, he reached out a hand to touch one of the two remaining eyes: Crow Reversal. He had decided to take it.

He touched the eye, and his body abruptly twisted. Enveloped by the points of green light, he forcibly tried to keep his body straight but failed once again. With a crack, his body snapped.

Lu Yin gave a bitter smile and teleported away. Another failure. Did he still not have enough?

Although the movement had been reduced slightly, it was only by a tiny bit. He still needed more green lights, many more.

Forget it. He would try again in a thousand years.

After returning to the Tianyuan Megaverse, Lu Yin spent several days on the mountain behind the Heavens Sect, sampling Long Xi’s pastries. She had recently become obsessed with making desserts, and they were all excellent. After receiving Lu Yin’s praise, Long Xi’s eyes formed into happy crescents.

One day, Wei Rong arrived and offered a respectful bow. "Lord Lu."

"Mm. Sit, try some. These pastries are quite good."

"Thank you, Lord Lu. I have already tasted them. Miss Long Xi sent some for everyone to try."

Lu Yin smiled as he looked at Wei Rong. "How has your thinking progressed? Have you found a breakthrough?"

About 100 years earlier, Lu Yin had suddenly approached Wei Rong and asked him to consider things from the perspective of the mastermind who was manipulating Hong Xia, trying to understand how that individual might deal with Hong Xia. Lu Yin had been unable to uncover that mastermind, and Hong Xia had also failed. With no other option, Lu Yin could only ask Wei Rong to attempt a strategic deduction and see if he could find any useful angles.

Given that Wei Rong was proactively approaching Lu Yin after a century had passed, it was most likely related to this matter.