Liu Lu replied, "This is a special place to receive outsiders." He then looked at Big Sis, "We hope that everyone will see our Liu family that way."
Big Sis sneered, "That's unnecessary."
Liu Lu frowned, as her attitude annoyed him.
Lu Yin was helpless as well. Big Sis was like a pirate, and she had been the same when she had joined the Hall of Honor's board of directors. She didn't deliberately cause trouble, but she just didn't fit in with normal interactions. Only those from Leon's Armada were suitable for her.
Liu Lu led Lu Yin and Big Sis into the house, where a middle-aged man was already standing. This person was Liu Du, the current head of the Liu family.
Lu Yin entered and met Liu Du's eyes. For some reason, he felt that Liu Du looked very familiar.
Liu Du looked at Lu Yin with amazement and a strange feeling, as if he was looking at a junior. "It's been so many years. It's good that you're still alive, Little Seven."
Lu Yin looked at Liu Du in confusion. Calling him Little Seven wasn't something that an ordinary person could call him. When he heard the words' Little Seven ', Lu Yin's gaze towards Liu Du changed. "You … I'm sorry, I lost my memories."
Liu Du sighed, "I'm Little Stone's father. His name is Liu Shi, so you can call him Fifth Brother."
Lu Yin's eyes widened. Fifth Brother's father?
At this moment, he had a vague impression of the Seven Heroes. He recalled their appearances in the Food Paradise, and it was no wonder why Liu Du looked so familiar. He was very similar to the laughing Fifth Brother from his memories. "You're Fifth Brother's father?"
Liu Du shook his head, "Let's not talk about the past. It's good that you're alive. Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to help you, but there are some things that I can't help with. Who is this?"
Lu Yin calmed himself down and introduced, "This is my sister. She was the one who saved me when I was stranded on the Fifth Mainland."
Liu Du looked at Big Sis and said, "Thank you." His words were very sincere, and anyone could hear it.
Big Sis nodded and didn't speak like before, "Little Seven is also my family."
Liu Du smiled and gestured for them to sit.
They all sat down, and Liu Du went straight to the point, "Little Seven, I'll do my best to help you, but there are some things that I can't help with. You sent Wang Wen, right?"
Lu Yin nodded. "Yes."
"Then you should be clear about the Liu family's answer," Liu Du said bluntly.
Liu Du's straightforwardness made Lu Yin feel comfortable, as it meant that Liu Du treated him as one of his own. There was no need for him to beat around the bush. "Uncle Liu, I know what you're worried about. The most important thing for the Cosmic Tree Realm right now is to maintain its balance. The Four Cardinal Scales are at the back of the battlefield, while you're at the Outer Realm. If this balance could be maintained, then I wouldn't have come looking for you."
"What are you trying to say?"
Liu Du asked.
Wang Wen had looked for him and proposed to act as his agent. He had also proposed an alliance. At first, he was tempted, but Bai Qi's words at the farm made them worry. The more they understood the Four Way Balance, the more worried they became. They were afraid that they would fight to the death.
Just like when two people of equal combat strength fought, the coward was afraid of the ruthless, and the ruthless was afraid of the reckless.
If they joined forces with Lu Yin's faction, they might be able to suppress the Four Directions Scale, but if they really did so, it was very likely that they would all perish together. Bai Wangyuan and the others had spent a lot of effort to exile the Lu family, and what they were after was not just a few decades of leadership.
"The Four Way Scales banished my Lu family to control the Cosmic Tree Domain. What's the point of having four families controlling it?"
Liu Du's gaze turned cold.
"Although I've lost my memories from Lu Xiaoxuan's era, I've been here a few times. Long Qi and Yu Hao are my identities, and these identities allow me to be like a fish in water in the Four Way Balance," Lu Yin said. His words made Liu Du feel strange. Like a fish in water?
But it was not that simple; it was practically a disaster.
"Uncle Liu, do you know why these identities allow me to play with the Four Way Balance?"
Lu Yin asked.
Liu Du did not reply.
"Because these identities all have one thing in common." Lu Yin leaned forward and stared at Liu Du. "Genius, a crushing genius."
Liu Du's eyes narrowed as he met Lu Yin's gaze.
Lu Yin said, "Long Qi caused the White Dragon Clan to lose face because the White Dragon Clan placed him on a pedestal so high that they would abandon Long Ke's bloodline for him. Why?
It's because Ancestor Mu Xie wants to take Long Seven as a disciple because of his unparalleled lockbreaking talent, not because of his contributions to the human race. The White Dragon Clan sees a genius who can crush his peers in the future, someone who has the potential to surpass the four sides of the scale. "
"Yu Hao is even more so. His cultivation talent and lockbreaking talent both surpass Long Qi's, and he's also successful. The Four Way Balance saw the possibility of roping him in. Once roped in, he could surpass the other three families in the future."
"The Four Way Balance has always been thinking of ways to surpass the others. They're not willing to let the four families control the Cosmic Tree Domain. Their main goal in banishing the Lu family was to replace them."
Liu Du obviously knew what Lu Yin was talking about. "No matter how they fight, they'll always be balanced."
Lu Yin shook his head. "You think too highly of yourselves, Uncle Liu. If I'm not wrong, the Liu family and the Lu family have long since formed an alliance to deal with the Four Way Balance. Once the Four Way Balance gains an advantage, they'll help the other side to maintain the balance, right?"
Liu Du didn't deny it.
"In fact, it's not just your two families. Ghost Abyss and the others might think that you're just balancing the Cosmic Tree Domain, but I can guess that the Four Way Balance can do the same. Let me ask you, is your combined strength comparable to my Lu family's?"
Lu Yin asked.
Liu Du's eyes flashed. "Of course not."
Lu Yin continued, "If the Four Way Balance can think of ways to banish my Lu family, then there's no need to mention your family. The balance that you're trying to maintain seems more like a balance that the Four Way Balance is willing to allow you to maintain. Once one of them has the strength to break this balance, then whether it's the other three families or your family, everything will just be an illusion …"
Big Sis yawned. Lu Yin had said a lot, and so had Liu Du, but their positions were different and they both had their own concerns. In the end, no one had been able to convince the other.
Lu Yin had not expected to succeed right from the start. Wang Wen was even more eloquent than him, but he had also failed. Lu Yin's true goal in coming here was to plant a seed for the Liu family. This seed would sprout sooner or later, and even if the Four Way Balance did not want it to sprout, he would make it sprout.
"Little Seven, it's not easy for you to come here. Stay for a few days. Little Stone's house is still empty," Liu Du said as they walked out of the house. He was tired, and he looked at Lu Yin strangely. Lu Xiaoxuan had not been so eloquent in the past.
Lu Yin was tired as well. "Uncle Liu, I'd like to visit the sword steles."
Liu Du replied, "Sure, you can visit whenever you want."
"Then can my sister take a look?"
Lu Yin asked.
Big Sis looked at Liu Du.
Liu Du hesitated. "You can, but I'll have to talk to Elder Song first."
Lu Yin's eyes flashed. "I'd like to see Elder Song as well. I have some questions about sword techniques."
"Questions about sword techniques?"
Liu Du wanted to say that he could give Lu Yin some pointers, but after some thought, he decided against it. This person in front of him was not just Lu Xiaoxuan; he was also a Progenitor who had forced Bai Wangyuan and the others to come to an agreement. Although Lu Yin was only at the fourth Origin Tribulation Stage, he could fight against a Progenitor. He was not someone Liu Du could teach, and only Elder Song was qualified to do so.
"Alright, I'll help you."
That day, Lu Yin and Big Sis stayed at the Liu family's residence.
Lu Yin looked at the simple wooden house; this was Fifth Bro's house. He had lived here for many years, and Lu Xiaoxuan had definitely been here before.
With mixed feelings, Lu Yin fell asleep.
The next day, he went to find Liu Yiyi, someone he had once blended in with. He was currently talking to Zhang Dingtian about something.
Lu Yin could not reveal his identity, so he did not acknowledge Zhang Dingtian.
As he approached Liu Yiyi, Zhang Dingtian looked at him warily, and Liu Yiyi looked at him as well.
Lu Yin smiled at them and walked past them. One step, two steps, three steps, and on his third step, he was within five meters of Liu Yiyi. Lu Yin took out a needle from his cosmic ring and stealthily moved it. His perspective changed, and he controlled Liu Yiyi's body to take the needle and place it in the ring.
Everything happened in an instant, and the needle had already entered Liu Yiyi's cosmic ring without him even realizing it.
Lu Yin had thought about many things on his way to the Liu family, and the most important thing was Liu Song's identity. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Liu Song could not be left alone. However, he had no evidence to prove anything, so he could only rely on Liu Yiyi to do something.
This was why he had asked Liu Song to give him pointers on sword techniques. At that time, most of the Liu family would appear, and Liu Yiyi would be no exception.
Zhang Dingtian was puzzled as he watched Lu Yin leave. "Who is he?"
Liu Yiyi was also puzzled. "I've never seen him before, but that mole has quite a personality. Ignore him and continue."
Zhang Dingtian did not mind.
Liu Du had gone to look for Liu Song, but he had not appeared. Lu Yin was worried that Liu Song would simply not show up, but on the third day, Liu Du had come looking for Lu Yin. "Elder Song will be here soon. If you have any questions about swordsmanship, feel free to ask.
He was naturally referring to Lu Xiaoxuan.
Lu Yin and Big Sis looked at each other and waited quietly.
Not long after, the stooped Elder Song appeared. Lu Yin and Big Sis looked over, but there was nothing strange about him.
This Elder Song was exactly the same as the one they had seen at Unbounded's headquarters, and there was no change in his expression. No, there was a hint of joy in his eyes. "If I'd known that Long Qi was Lu Xiaoxuan, I would have kept you here for a few more days."
Lu Yin was polite. "Greetings, Elder Song."
Elder Song nodded and smiled. "A year ago, you played chess with Mu Shang, and I saw how stable you were. Compared to Lu Xiaoxuan's era, you've climbed even higher and further. Very good."
Lu Yin replied, "Thank you for your praise, Elder Song. I took on the fourteenth mission and offended the Liu family."
Liu Song waved a hand. "Liu Ke was a spy. Damn it, the Liu family has to thank you." He paused and then looked at Big Sis. "You may visit the sword stele."
Big Sis kept staring at Elder Song, a hint of fear in the depths of her eyes. "Have we met before?"
Liu Song was puzzled. "You've been to this region before?"
"Just a year ago."
"Then we haven't."
-----
Today was the day of his wedding, and he was hiding in his room to write. Who cares if the outside world is in full swing?
I'll continue writing today at 6: 28 PM, which is when the wedding begins. Brothers, let's be happy together!
Thank you for your support, brothers!