"Alliance Master Lu, what exactly are you trying to do?" Xu Qing asked.
Lu Yin's tone was relaxed. "I just wanted to see if you had the confidence to face my Great Eastern Alliance's fleet head-on. Now that I see it, you don't."
Xu Qing's eyes widened, and then he grew furious. He had indeed been tricked. The fact that he had contacted Lu Yin in such a hurry meant that he did not want to start a war. They were invaders, and the only reason why invaders did not want to start a war was because they were not confident. "Alliance Master Lu is truly worthy of unifying the Innerverse and Outerverse.
Lu Yin smiled. "Don't be in such a hurry, Commander Xu Qing. Have you forgotten our deal?"
Xu Qing coldly replied, "You're the one who started this war, not me."
"Actually, I don't want to start a war with you. You can tell that many of the experts on my side don't want to fight, or else we wouldn't have been pushed to the border between Northcastle Weave and Frostwave Weave. Thus, I plan to complete the handover with the Sixth Mainland and have them take over our defenses. During this time, you can also wait for the Celestial Beast Empire's reinforcements. The timing should be just right. What do you think?"
Xu Qing's expression changed. "You want to hand over the eastern weaves to the Sixth Mainland?"
"Yes, the Outerverse belongs to the Sixth Mainland, so it's only right that we return it to them."
Xu Qing's expression turned ugly. "Back then, you used Progenitor Wushang's hide in exchange for two months of peace. Not only did you want to use the hide to lure me out so that I would be killed by Guru Qing Hua, but you also want to smoothly complete the handover with the Sixth Mainland for these two months of peace?"
Lu Yin replied, "Commander, don't accuse me wrongly. I didn't ask you to be killed by Guru Qing Hua, and I don't know why he would appear."
Only now did Xu Qing understand the significance of Progenitor Wushang's hide in this war. It had created one trap after another, and once the Sixth Mainland successfully took over this war, they would definitely not be able to continue their invasion.
They had thought that they could invade because of the time difference. They wanted to take advantage of the time when the Sixth Mainland was purging the Secret Progenitor Realm to attack as much of the Outerverse as possible. However, Lu Yin had messed up their plans. The Sixth Mainland was not the Great Eastern Alliance, and it had many experts.
"It looks like this is our last conversation. Commander Xu Qing, you're about to face the Sixth Mainland. Who knows, it might be the Tenth Elder or the Four Sovereigns?
Or perhaps a Half Martial Ancestor? "Lu Yin teased.
Xu Qing said in a low voice, "I didn't think that you would disrupt the invasion. Alliance Leader Lu, you have left a mark in the history of the human race. From the moment you took over the war until the end of the Origin Tribulation, you have become the first person on the Celestial Beast Empire's Celestial Devourer List. Congratulations."
The Celestial Vanquisher's List was a must-kill list in the Astral Beast Domain. In the past, he might have been apprehensive, but now, he no longer cared. Unless a Half-Ancestor was mobilized, no one would be able to deal with him.
"Unfortunately, your talent is too high, so high that the astral source universe isn't willing to accept it. Your future will end here. Alliance Master Lu, we will meet again. The war between the Human Domain and the Astral Beast Domain won't end so easily," said Xu Qing calmly. He had admitted defeat in this war.
He could not break through the Great Eastern Alliance, and it was even more impossible for the Sixth Mainland to break through. The Great Eastern Alliance had successfully made up for the time difference that they had wanted. Once the Sixth Mainland took over, the war would become meaningless.
"President Xu Qing!"
Lu Yin suddenly asked. "Commander, after this war, do you think the Sixth Mainland will put up a full defense or launch a counterattack against the Astral Beast Domain?"
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. If it were him, the Sixth Mainland would definitely launch a counterattack, as they had suffered too much damage from their battle with the Great Eastern Alliance. The Sixth Mainland had purged the Secret Progenitor Realm, and they had received news that a large number of people from the Secret Progenitor Realm had been incorporated into the army. These people were not trusted, and their only use was to die on the battlefield.
They were about to face the Sixth Mainland's crazy counterattack.
"The Sixth Mainland's purge of the Secret Progenitor Realm has caused everyone to panic, but once things settle down, those people will definitely step onto the battlefield in the Primal Zone. If I were you, President Xu Qing, I definitely wouldn't give them that chance. We would take advantage of this opportunity to attack and at least stretch the battle line to the west of the Outerverse instead of waiting for the Sixth Mainland to launch a counterattack. What do you think, President?"
Xu Qing's gaze turned cold. "That's what you wanted to say. What exactly are you planning to do?"
Lu Yin seriously replied, "Let's make another deal. I won't hand over the eastern weave to the Sixth Mainland, and I'll also open up the route from Northcastle Weave to Armament Weave. That way, you can attack the central weave without any misgivings and directly face the Sixth Mainland. How about that?"
Xu Qing was shocked. This was too crazy! Lu Yin's actions were tantamount to shedding all pretense of cordiality with the Sixth Mainland.
The Great Eastern Alliance had taken over the war against the Astral Beast Domain, but the Sixth Mainland did not care. To their knowledge, the eastern weave could be taken back at any time. However, Lu Yin did not intend to hand it over to them. This was equivalent to becoming enemies with them and possibly even starting a war. This meant that he was facing both the Astral Beast Domain and the Sixth Mainland at the same time.
"Aren't you afraid that we'll destroy your Great Eastern Alliance first?
The Sixth Mainland has always been your enemy, "Xu Qing said.
Lu Yin's lips curled up. "If we're destroyed, the Sixth Mainland will occupy the eastern weave, and you'll have even less of a chance. We won't leave right now, and we also promise that we won't take the initiative to attack the Astral Beast Domain. We won't start a war against you, so your only enemy is the Sixth Mainland. We'll also help you block the eastern weave. Otherwise, you'll face the counterattack of the entire Outerverse."
"But I'm helping you."
Xu Qing sneered. "You're just using us to pin down the Sixth Mainland and achieve your goal of controlling the eastern weave. Your goal is too obvious, Lu Yin."
"So, do you accept or not?" Lu Yin asked.
Xu Qing fell silent. Accept or not?
He had no choice but to accept unless he could defeat the Great Eastern Alliance. However, he could not defeat the Great Eastern Alliance at this point. If he did not agree to this deal, the Great Eastern Alliance would smoothly take over the Sixth Mainland, and they would have even less of a chance. Not only that, they would also have to face the Sixth Mainland's counterattack, and they might not even be able to hold the Primal Zone.
To Xu Qing, this was unacceptable. Too many experts had died in this war, and the empire's suspicions of him had already reached a peak. The Sword King's death had pushed the empire's suspicions of him to new heights. If he lost the Primal Zone as well, then he would be finished. He would only be a hired thug for the rest of his life and would forever be a laughingstock.
If he agreed to Lu Yin's deal, then he could lead countless astral beasts to attack the Sixth Mainland. He did not expect to take any weaves, as he was not stupid. He only hoped to attack one of the central weaves and become the first commander in the history of the Astral Beast Domain to attack a weave in the Outerverse. That way, he would be able to offset the negative effects of the previous war, and the Yao Emperor would be able to legitimately protect him.
This was also why Lu Yin was most confident when he proposed this deal. The Astral Beast Domain understood the Human Domain, and they had been confident in using Spirit Taizu and the other Emissaries to incite internal strife in the Innerverse. The Human Domain also understood the Astral Beast Domain. Lu Yin knew Xu Qing's current situation, which was why he was so confident in proposing this deal.
Xu Qing could not refuse unless he was confident in defeating the Great Eastern Alliance's fleet. Otherwise, he could only rely on a short period of time to make up for his losses.
Although he was confident that Xu Qing would agree, Lu Yin still wanted to add fuel to the fire if the Astral Beast Domain and the Sixth Mainland fought to the death.
"Soon, the Sixth Mainland will fall into chaos, and that will be your chance. Perhaps you can not only attack one of the central weaves, but also the western weaves," Lu Yin tempted.
Xu Qing's gaze turned cold. "Attack the western weaves?
Alliance Master Lu, do you think I'm stupid? "
Lu Yin smiled. "I can only tell you that the Sixth Mainland will definitely fall into chaos. When that time comes, exactly where you can attack will depend on you. However, regardless of whether or not you can attack the western weaves, you will become the commander of the Celestial Beast Empire's furthest expedition against the Human Domain's Outerverse. Your name will go down in history."
Regardless of whether it was a beast or a human, as long as they had intelligence, they would not be able to resist the temptation to go down in history.
Xu Qing was no exception, as he did not have a choice. However, he was not stupid and had his own misgivings. "Alliance Master Lu, once we enter the central weaves, we will be pincered by you and the Sixth Mainland. That would not be expanding our territory, but rather stupidity."
Lu Yin laughed. "You said it yourself. We are also enemies with the Sixth Mainland. If the Sixth Mainland allows the Great Eastern Alliance to go to war with you and fight to the death, do you think that I will help them?
I was the one who told you to hand over Ironblood Weave. Commander, have you forgotten? "
Xu Qing's eyes flashed. In theory, it was impossible for the Sixth Mainland to cooperate with Lu Yin, but he still had his misgivings. A single mistake could lead to a complete loss. This was war, not a game.
"If Commander Xu Qing still has misgivings, I can swear that I will not attack the Celestial Beast Empire's astral beasts that invade the Outerverse. How about that?" Lu Yin asked.
In the end, Xu Qing accepted Lu Yin's conditions. Once a cultivator made an oath, especially someone like Lu Yin, who was extremely talented and had the potential to become a Progenitor, oaths were especially important. Xu Qing also believed that Lu Yin would not cooperate with the Sixth Mainland.
There was no basis for cooperation at all. The Sixth Mainland had destroyed the Fifth Mainland's Daosource Sect and was still occupying its ruins. They had also invaded the Fifth Mainland and caused countless blood debts. At least half of the Great Eastern Alliance's cultivators had enmity with the Sixth Mainland, so there was no reason for them to cooperate.
Xu Qing also believed that Lu Yin wanted to occupy the eastern weaves. If that was the case, then using them to restrict the Sixth Mainland would be the most appropriate choice. He did not believe that the Sixth Mainland would be willing to hand over the eastern weaves to Lu Yin as a means to deal with them.
Not long after, Lu Yin put down his gadget and let out a long breath. His strategy had been achieved.
Ever since he had learned that the Astral Beast Domain had invaded the Outerverse, his heart had been tense. On one hand, he had gathered the Great Eastern Alliance to take over the war, mobilized the experts, and coerced them. On the other hand, he had also discussed the general direction of the war with Shui Chuanxiao, Wei Rong, and the others. Now, the general direction was more than half complete.
Wei Rong had been transferring people from Armament Weave and Flaxen Weave, so he had not appeared on the battlefield. The route that Lu Yin had given Xu Qing had been developed by Wei Rong, and it was a route that was specifically used for war.