Lu Yin frowned. He did not consider going to the spiritualized universe for the time being. Even if he could go, it would be too dangerous if he could not disguise himself.
When he had first learned about the Eternals' bone ships, he had dared to go to the Calamity Zone because he could disguise himself and avoid detection from the Seven Skygods. Now, he could not even disguise himself. If he went, it would be an endless battle, and he could not guarantee that he would return alive.
He was not someone who would seek death.
The Ancestor of the Past had said that there was no other way. She hoped that Lu Yin would go to the spiritualized universe and wreak havoc. This would not only benefit the Tian Yuan Universe, but also the consciousness universe. It would cause the spiritualized universe to retreat from both universes.
Lu Yin had asked the Ancestor of the Past for her plan because he wanted to understand the spiritualized universe and not because he was really asking for her opinion.
There would be a day when the Tian Yuan Universe and the spiritualized universe would have a showdown. Who would be the next enemy?
Wang Wen was right. Perhaps it would be the consciousness universe. This was also what the Ancestor of the Past had considered. They were all potential enemies.
"You have been in our universe for so long. How can you be sure that the consciousness universe does not exist?
Perhaps your consciousness universe has already been defeated, "Lu Yin suddenly said.
The Ancestor of the Past replied, "I have never considered the issue of victory or defeat. If things remain the same as in the past and we are suppressed by the spiritualized universe, then I will think of a way to use you to deal with the spiritualized universe. If we are defeated, then I will take revenge. I am alone, and I have no way to investigate the situation of the consciousness universe. I can only do what I can."
"Are there no more creatures from your universe in our universe?
Other than the Black and White Godless? "Lu Yin asked.
The Ancestor of the Past replied, "Absolutely not. I am very sure. If there are, then they have always been in hiding and have never interfered in the battle between the humans and the Eternals. I cannot guarantee this."
Lu Yin waved and dismissed the Ancestor of the Past.
Not long after, he arrived at the Cosmic Sea and under the Fifth Pagoda. He raised his hand and wrote.
"Nong Yi, died in battle at the border of the Tian Yuan Universe. Today, I will engrave his name so that the descendants will never forget."
"Forsaken …"
"Xu Wuwei …"
"Dan Zheng …"
"Wang Jian …"
"Leng Qing, died in battle at the border of the Tian Yuan Universe. Today, I will engrave her name so that the descendants will never forget.
After writing Leng Qing's name, Lu Yin's gaze turned complicated.
Leng Qing was once the leader of one of the twelve Heavenly Gates. Ever since she had awakened, she had been loyal to him because he wielded the Ancestral Sword. No matter where she went, wherever the sword pointed, there was no fear of death.
Lu Yin would never forget how Leng Qing had taken his place and blocked his path time and time again. She had entered the unknown universe alone in order to increase the Above Heaven's Sect's strength. She had been the first of the twelve Elysium Sect's Sect Masters to attempt a breakthrough, and she had even gained enlightenment from watching Lu Yin's breakthrough.
Leng Qing had deep feelings for him and the Above Heaven Sect.
Lu Yin also had feelings for him. They had been comrades, friends, and now, this old friend was dead.
Lu Yin stood at the foot of the fifth tower in a daze. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He raised his hand and continued writing. "Elder Chan died in battle at the border of the Tian Yuan Universe. Today, I will engrave his name so that I will never forget it."
Ye Futian clenched his fists. Old Chan was also dead. The old man who had once trusted Ye Futian so much, who had paved the way for Ye Futian, who had blocked powerful enemies for Ye Futian, was dead.
This old man who was willing to risk his life to go through the tribulation and establish the Ancestral World just to help him take care of the Above Heaven Sect was dead.
This selfless old man who had dedicated his entire life to the Fifth Mainland was dead.
Lu Yin slowly sat down at the foot of the fifth tower. He looked up and saw the names written there. They were not cold names.
They were heroes who had died in battle for the Tian Yuan Universe. Their smiles were still there. On that battlefield, they had fought to the death without retreating.
Without them, how could the spiritualized universe look up to the Tian Yuan Universe?
Willpower and spiritual strength could surpass everything.
"Choose again," Lu Yin muttered to himself as he looked at the fifth tower. "Can I really choose again?"
If he could, he also wanted to choose again. But what would the result be if he chose again?
If he had to experience pain all over again, then what was the point of choosing again?
Lu Yin also hoped that he could start over again. For this reason, he had deliberately left the mirage domain open. He was afraid that the mirage domain would not be included in the opportunity to start over again.
But even if he wanted to start over again, he would have to see the possibility of victory.
How long would that last?
He did not know.
Was it really possible to start over again?
He did not know either.
That was just a possibility, and he would not place all his hopes on it. The dead did not regret, and the living fought to the death without retreating. In this war, there was no victory or defeat. There was only life and death.
Lu Yin stood up and bowed slowly. He lowered his head, but his gaze was resolute. "There will be a day when this junior will come to find you. Farewell, seniors. Farewell."
At the border of the Tian Yuan Universe, outside the stone door, on a battleship.
The round-faced old man stood outside the door angrily. "Bao Qi, what's wrong with you?
This is a war to invade the Tian Yuan Universe, and it concerns our breakthroughs to the Eternal Realm. You actually stopped at such a crucial moment. Hmph. If there's another war, you must participate. Otherwise, don't blame me for lecturing you in front of Lord Yu Sang Tian. "
A black-robed figure stood not far away. It was Meng Sang.
Palace Mistress Yao and the other spiritualized universe experts also looked at Bao Qi curiously. Bao Qi had officially entered Bitter Adversity. Everyone wanted to know what his Bitter Adversity was and why he had stopped at such a crucial moment, allowing the enemy to steal the Heaven Devourer Parasol.
That was a Sequence Foundation, a supreme treasure of the spiritualized universe.
The door opened, and the round-faced old man walked in. Bao Qi was staring at the cauldron bell in a daze.
When he saw the cauldron bell, the round-faced old man's eyes flashed with fanaticism. Everyone in the spiritualized universe liked the Sequence Foundation. Unfortunately, this Sequence Foundation was not suitable for him.
The Sealed World did not belong to the round-faced old man. It was only lent to him for this battle.
Just like the Landscape Map, it did not belong to the Origin and was only borrowed.
Only the cauldron bell belonged to Bao Qi. Only Bao Qi could unleash the true power of the cauldron bell.
"Bao Qi, what is your Bitter Adversity?" the round-faced old man asked as he stared at Bao Qi.
Bao Qi retracted his gaze and looked at the round-faced old man. His previous arrogance and irritation were replaced by a gentle and refined aura.
He had short red hair and a rough body. No matter how one looked at him, he looked like a battle maniac. However, his temperament had changed instantly. The round-faced old man was shocked, and his heart sank.
"President, do you know how many people I've killed on my path of cultivation?"
"I've heard of it. This is your Bitter Adversity?
I thought it was related to the cauldron bell. "
"Heh, I also thought it was related to the cauldron bell. In order to continue using the cauldron bell, I didn't step into the Bitter Adversity. I didn't expect it to be related to killing. I regret it. I shouldn't have chosen to become a human but a beast. That way, I wouldn't have any psychological burden no matter how many people I killed."
"You have a psychological burden?"
"I thought I didn't, but I've been accumulating it."
"Then what is your Bitter Adversity?"
Bao Qi looked at the round-faced old man. "No killing."
The round-faced old man was puzzled. He sized Bao Qi up. "You?
No killing? "
Bao Qi mocked himself.
"Yes, it's very strange. However, this is my Bitter Adversity. It can't be changed, and it can't be retracted. Everyone who goes through the Bitter Adversity is a madman. Go ask those people outside. From now on, I, Bao Qi, won't kill. Their first reaction is that I'm crazy."
"Bitter Adversity is a reflection of the deepest part of a person's heart. I didn't expect it to be like this."
The round-faced old man was helpless. "I didn't expect it either. However, are you going to tell me this?"
Bitter Adversity was everyone's secret. Not everyone was willing to tell others about it.
Bao Qi didn't care. "Why do you think I can't tell others about this Bitter Adversity?"
The round-faced old man frowned. "Your Bitter Adversity is a good thing for our spiritualized universe. However, this is the Tian Yuan Universe. It's the most tragic battlefield. Your Bitter Adversity can't be spread."
"I know. That's why I don't plan on going out," Bao Qi said.
The round-faced old man was depressed. He had lost an expert. "If you don't kill, just guard the battleship. Tell others that you're in seclusion to comprehend the Bitter Adversity. It's very likely that you'll be the first among us to pass through the Bitter Adversity."
Bao Qi didn't refuse. He still looked at the cauldron bell in a daze. From now on, it wouldn't have much room to display its power.
The round-faced old man was very regretful. He regretted that he hadn't been able to stop that person from the Tian Yuan Universe from attacking Bao Qi in time. Who would have thought that such a weak person would be able to bring Bao Qi to the Bitter Adversity level? The Tian Yuan Universe was full of strange things.
The spiritualized universe had decided to wait for reinforcements and would no longer attack the Tian Yuan Universe.
This result wasn't good for the Tian Yuan Universe, as it meant that the spiritualized universe's reinforcements were already on their way. No matter how long it took to travel from the spiritualized universe to the Tian Yuan Universe, the next wave of reinforcements wouldn't be too far away.
Either the spiritualized universe had a way to quickly reach the Tian Yuan Universe, or the next wave of reinforcements would arrive shortly after the president's group.
The Tian Yuan Universe would rather have the latter.
The biggest problem now was that the spiritualized universe had obtained information from Tianci and the Eternals. They knew a lot about the Tian Yuan Universe, but the Tian Yuan Universe only had a rough understanding of the spiritualized universe. They didn't know how many powerhouses the spiritualized universe had, how many reinforcements they had, or how they were related to each other.
Lu Yin met with Wang Wen in the back mountains of the Above Heaven Sect.
"Don't be too sad. We might follow in their footsteps at any time. Chess Path Master, perhaps one day, I'll have to trouble you to write my name on the fifth tower, but I won't be your senior anymore. Hehe." Wang Wen smiled.
Lu Yin laughed. "You're the military advisor of the Above Heaven Sect."
Wang Wen shook his head. "That's too old-fashioned. I think it sounds better."
Lu Yin was speechless. Wasn't a think tank even more old-fashioned?
"Chess Daoist Master, it's going to be interesting next. We're entering a new battlefield. It's different from any war in the past. The key to victory in this war might not be absolute strength, but the cultural attributes of cultivation. This is a war of civilizations." Wang Wen said something that seemed to be true but was actually false.
Others might not have understood what he meant, but Lu Yin did.
He kept thinking back to his conversation with the round-faced elder. The spiritualized universe had an advantage over the Tian Yuan Universe in terms of combat power, but they were also at a disadvantage. The fact that Bao Qi, Sang Tian, had been hit by the crazy headmaster was proof of this. This was like an ant tripping over an elephant, and the elephant simply didn't know what method the ant was using.
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2022 is here. I hope that everyone will be able to make a lot of money in the new year. I sincerely wish you all the best!
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