Cai Shu was still far behind them. She raised her hand, thought about it, and finally decided to contact Qing Chen.
"Master, I found some Astral Liquid." This was the first thing Cai Shu said to Qing Chen.
Qing Chen was not surprised. "The ladder."
Cai Shu frowned. "Is it the Four Way Scales?"
Qing Chen sighed. "Times have changed. Back then, with the Lu family's suppression, no one dared to target the Mother Tree. But now …" He had a complicated expression.
Cai Shu gritted her teeth. "The Mother Tree is the foundation of our survival. Humans rely on the Mother Tree to survive and resist those monsters. They're actually destroying the Mother Tree and absorbing the Astral Liquid like the vermin in the mortal world. They're destroying the foundation of our race. Why isn't anyone stopping them?"
Qing Chen said, "The Mother Tree has the power to block those monsters, so some people think that once this power is added to them, they can exterminate the monsters."
"How is that possible?" Cai Shu was furious.
Qing Chen shook his head. "No one knows if it's possible or not. This is also a method. Humans have always been at a disadvantage. Even with the Mother Tree's protection, who can say for sure if they can reproduce in the future?"
Cai Shu fell silent.
Qing Chen asked, "How did you find out?"
Cai Shu told him what had just happened. "Is this the darkness you were talking about?"
Qing Chen sighed. "According to what you said, that Astral Liquid should belong to the Frigid Immortal Sect. They're just unlucky. No one will cause trouble for Draconic Seven because of this, but they'll definitely do it in secret. They might even use extreme methods. You have to protect Draconic Seven well. I'll talk to the Frigid Immortal Sect."
"What about Draconic Seven?" Cai Shu asked.
Qing Chen felt a headache coming on. "How did he target that person?
Astral Liquid can't be sensed by others. Even the Astral Source Universe can't sense it. "
"It's probably a coincidence." Cai Shu wasn't sure.
Qing Chen frowned. "He's deliberately causing trouble. Warn him not to interfere with the ladder, which means he's very powerful. Although he's bait to attract the Sorcerer Spirit, he's also a member of our Humble Class. I don't want anything to happen to him. If he's involved with the Astral Liquid, he might become the public enemy of the Four Way Scales.
"Disciple understands." Cai Shu was in a bad mood.
Qing Chen looked at Cai Shu and comforted her. "I know you can't figure it out. Since ancient times, this matter has always been the focus of debate. Back then, because of the suppression of the Lu family, the side that protected the Mother Tree had the upper hand. Now, the situation is like this."
"Don't worry, Master. Disciple knows what to do." Cai Shu raised her head.
Qing Chen nodded, and the image disappeared.
Lowering her hand, Cai Shu raised her head, looking towards the high and mighty Top Realm. Are you all really doing the right thing?
If he was wrong, mankind would be doomed eternally. At the same time, he also understood why the Guan brothers were so important. He also understood why his master was sure that once Long Qi became the Master of the Huaiyuan Humble Sect, he would definitely be able to lure the Witch Spirit God. It was not only because he had come into contact with Guan Yun's scarlet token, but also because he was the Master of the Huaiyuan Humble Sect.
This position itself was a huge temptation for the Seven Skygods. If it was done well, it would be enough to overturn the Starry Sky Tree.
After returning to the Humble Huaiyuan School's headquarters, Lu Yin was just about to ask the white fatty about the starsource fluid when Cai Shu appeared. "I'll tell you what you want to know." She then sent the others away.
Even Xia Taili did not stay behind, as this matter had clearly impacted her greatly.
"What's starsource fluid?" Lu Yin asked.
Cai Shu sat on the ground without a care for her image and patted the area next to her.
Lu Yin was surprised that Cai Shu had such a side to her, but he did not think much of it and just sat down.
"Do you know how difficult it is to cultivate after becoming an Emissary?" Cai Shu asked.
Lu Yin shook his head. He had not become an Emissary, and no one had told him about this.
Cai Shu smiled bitterly. "Emissaries cultivate starsource, and starsource needs to be absorbed from the Astral Source Universe. You should know about the origin tribulation. Once someone absorbs a starsource, the Astral Source Universe will sense it. The origin tribulation is a battle between the Astral Source Universe and someone else over starsource. Aside from that, such battles can also occur during normal cultivation.
"Any Emissary who cultivates in the Astral Source Universe can be devoured by the Astral Source Universe if they absorb too much starsource too quickly. For this reason, many Emissaries search for items that can conceal their aura."
"I know. It's a wonder item," Lu Yin said.
Cai Shu nodded. "Wonder items are hard to find, and not every Emissary has one. In theory, as long as there is no backlash from the Astral Source Universe, a person can easily increase their realm and absorb a starsource until they become a powerhouse with six or even seven Origin Tribulations. However, this is only the dream of all Emissaries, and for some people, their dreams can be realized."
"Starsource fluid," Lu Yin blurted out.
Cai Shu smiled. "That's right, it's starsource fluid. If you absorb it, you don't have to worry about the Astral Source Universe's backlash as long as you don't expose yourself. It's just like how you absorb star essence. This is a shortcut for Emissaries to cultivate. However, starsource fluid cannot be refined by humans or formed naturally. There is only one place in the Astral Tree that can form it, and that is …" Cai Shu paused and looked at Lu Yin. "The Mother Tree."
Lu Yin's eyes flashed. "The Mother Tree?"
Cai Shu sighed. "The Mother Tree is rooted in the universe, and it's not just the universe that we see, but also the Astral Source Universe. The Mother Tree has always been absorbing starsource. Has anyone ever told you how those creatures from the Mortal Realm were born?"
Long Xi had once told him that the Mother Tree absorbed nutrients from the universe, and those who descended would destroy it. It was precisely because there were two sides to the universe that all sorts of adventurers had been born, and even the Root Organization had been formed to protect the Mother Tree.
From this perspective, the so-called nutrients were starsource, and the nutrients that the Mother Tree sent to the trunk were starsource fluid.
"Those creatures from the Mortal Realm destroyed the Mother Tree and did everything they could to prevent the Mother Tree from sending starsource fluid up to nourish the trunk. We humans, on the other hand, had to deal with those creatures and protect the Mother Tree. But now, we humans are destroying the Mother Tree ourselves and absorbing its starsource fluid. How are we any different from those bugs?" Cai Shu's tone was gloomy, and her expression was ugly.
"There's always been a bottom line in the Astral Tree Realm, and that is that no matter how difficult cultivation is, we must never touch starsource fluid. This is a basic rule that has been set for countless years, and it's the bottom line of all cultivators. No one has ever dared to touch this bottom line, but …" Cai Shu paused, not knowing how to continue.
Lu Yin also understood that some people had touched the bottom line of humanity, and those people were the Four Cardinal Scales.
It was no wonder why everyone had reacted so strongly when the starsource fluid had been exposed; it was the bottom line of humanity. Absorbing starsource fluid was for the personal benefit of certain people, but it could also lead to the destruction of the Mother Tree's foundation, leading to the extinction of humanity. This was unforgivable.
Once this matter was exposed, one could imagine how great the impact would be. It would be enough to shake the entire Astral Tree Realm.
"Now, do you understand how dangerous what you've done today is?" Cai Shu asked solemnly.
Lu Yin nodded. "Are we just going to let those people destroy the Mother Tree?"
Cai Shu looked at Lu Yin in surprise, not expecting him to say such a thing. After all, Lu Yin was also someone from the Four Cardinal Scales. "No one can stop them, not even my master."
Lu Yin fell silent.
"My master will think of a way to suppress today's matter, but you must never touch starsource fluid again. Otherwise, you will become the public enemy of the Four Cardinal Scales, and no one will be able to save you." Cai Shu left after saying those last words.
His words ignited Lu Yin's heart, and his eyes lit up. Become the public enemy?
That would be a huge problem, and Lu Yin's lips curled up as he thought about it.
The Four Cardinal Scales were his enemies, so if he exposed this matter, he would be able to stop the Four Cardinal Scales from destroying the Mother Tree while also achieving his own goal. Wouldn't that be perfect?
Cai Shu would never have dreamed that the more serious he made it sound, the more tempted Lu Yin would be.
Thus, the next day, Lu Yin went to the escalade again.
Although Cai Shu was curious as to why Lu Yin would go to the escalade again, he didn't think too much about it. He had already made it very clear that when it came to starsource fluid, even a commoner would have to pretend not to know about it. Furthermore, a commoner's job had nothing to do with starsource fluid, and the slightest carelessness could result in him becoming the public enemy of the Four Cardinal Scales. Cai Shu didn't believe that Lu Yin would dare to touch starsource fluid again, and he guessed that this trip to the escalade was just an act so that no one would think that Lu Yin was afraid.
Lu Yin learned about the situation with the starsource fluid from Cai Shu, while Shangqing and Liu Tianmu learned about it from the white fatty.
The white fatty was a little nervous when he went to the escalade again. "Brother, what are we going to do this time?"
Lu Yin answered matter-of-factly, "The Misty Cloud Sect didn't give us any offerings."
The white fatty coughed. "Well, didn't Elder Yun San say yesterday that he would give us some? Why don't we go back and wait?" He was also afraid when it came to starsource fluid.
Only a native of the Cosmic Tree Realm like him knew how serious the consequences would be if this matter was exposed. Even Xia Taili wouldn't be able to handle it, let alone him.
Xia Taili also spoke up and rolled his eyes. "This escalade is boring."
Lu Yin replied seriously, "I went around the escalade yesterday, and I'm certain that there's a spy here."
The white fatty and Xia Taili were both shocked. "A spy?"
Lu Yin nodded. "We have to find him."
The white fatty was a little skeptical, but when he recalled Lu Yin's glory in the Yin Mountain District, he felt that it was believable. This guy had the ability to see through people's secrets.
Xia Taili gritted his teeth. How could a spy be discovered so easily? Last night, she had been warned by her family not to go to the escalade. After all, she had played a part in the exposure of Sirius' origin fluid. Even if she was lawless, she didn't want to go to the escalade right now.
As she watched Lu Yin's back, Xia Taili suddenly felt that this guy was a little too bold. If it were anyone else, even if they were certain that there was a spy on the escalade, they wouldn't go there immediately. They would at least put on a show for the Four Cardinal Scales to see, lest they think that this person was provoking them.
Why was this guy different from the rumors?
How was this the attitude of a son-in-law?
If Long Xi hadn't gone missing, she would have cursed him to death.
When they reached the escalade, Lu Yin was surprised to see Yun Yang there. This guy hadn't been transferred back, but Elder Yun San had disappeared.
When Yun Yang saw Lu Yin's group, his expression turned ugly as if he had swallowed a dead fly. He ignored them and turned to leave.