"Boss, someone wants to take me away!" Xu San suddenly called out.
Lu Yin replied, "I've already told the Empire about your situation. Remodel your body like Zhang Dingtian and the rest. How far you can go in the future is up to you."
Outside King Zishan's palace, Xu San carefully swallowed and spoke to his gadget, "Boss, remodel my body?
I wouldn't dare. "He would never forget Zhang Dingtian's pain.
Lu Yin laughed, "Well, it's your fault for absorbing energy crystals before meeting me, but you wouldn't have been able to awaken your innate gift otherwise. Alright, that's all for now. Work hard, and your future achievements might not be inferior to Zhang Dingtian and the rest." He then hung up.
Everyone from Earth now had their own homes, and the future was up to them. Lu Yin himself had to become stronger as soon as possible. Astral-10 would descend at any time, and it would be too difficult for him to join with his current strength.
King Zishan's palace had both a training room and a large training ground, but Lu Yin was the only one in it.
There was a gravity room in the training ground, and Lu Yin habitually adjusted the gravity to forty times normal. He crushed a cube of star crystals and began training the Daynight Punch and Skybeast Claw.
Only by using star energy would he be able to achieve better results. Most people didn't have that luxury, but for Lu Yin, this wasn't a problem at all.
He didn't leave King Zishan's palace for seven days straight, and many guessed that he had been reprimanded by His Majesty.
Seven days later, Zhang Dingtian arrived at the second ring outside of Zenyu Star at the Thirteen Imperial Squadrons' encampment. He looked up and saw the word "Five" in front of him. This was the Fifth Squadron.
His identity was verified and he was brought to the Fifth Squadron's encampment.
He felt the surging power all around him, each of which could easily crush him. His gaze was resolute.
The Thirteen Imperial Squadrons were the most powerful organization in the Great Yu Empire. Countless powerhouses were gathered here, and the official members of the Thirteen Squadrons were all Melders at the very least. Every squadron had several space-exploring powerhouses, and the captains were the Cruisers who represented the empire's most powerful forces.
The captain of the Fifth Squadron, Huo Qingshan, was an absolute powerhouse who had followed Undying Yushan into the Innerverse. He was also the head of the Huo Family and Huo Xiaoling's father.
Zhang Dingtian was brought to the bottom of the gigantic volcano. With a deafening roar, lava blossomed in the air like fireworks before crashing to the ground and melting it.
Zhang Dingtian didn't move. He watched as the lava came crashing down on him. If it hit him, he would be melted into ashes.
Just as the magma was about to touch him, it suddenly disappeared. The surrounding high temperature rapidly decreased, as if it was being absorbed by an even more terrifying force. "You're from Earth?" A huge sound wave accompanied by high temperature descended.
Zhang Dingtian was being suppressed, and his skin was being burned, but there was no fear in his eyes. "Yes, I'm from Earth."
"Why did you walk out?"
"Become stronger," Zhang Dingtian said firmly.
"You will die."
"Weakness is even more lamentable than death!" roared Zhang Dingtian as he felt the pressure. His legs couldn't take it anymore, and his clothes began to burn.
"From now on, you will be a member of the Fifth Squadron. You will belong to me, Huo Qingshan."
Zhang Dingtian couldn't take it anymore, and he spat out a mouthful of blood before collapsing to the ground.
Within the volcano, a middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Dingtian. His fiery red hair was hotter than magma, and he was one of the captains that Lu Yin had seen at the imperial court. Compared to his ordinary appearance at the court, this man was the real Huo Qingshan, a man hotter than magma.
Bai Xue was brought to the Sixth Squadron's encampment in the second ring.
The Sixth Squadron was completely different from the Fifth. Most of its members were women, and the environment was beautiful with all sorts of pink trees and fragrant flowers.
Bai Xue hadn't expected the Sixth Squadron to be like this, and she looked around in surprise.
Not long after, Peach came out with a tall woman. The woman was several meters away from Peach.
"You're Bai Xue, King Zishan's friend?" Peach hovered ten meters away from Bai Xue and looked at her curiously.
Bai Xue bowed, "Yes."
Peach nodded in satisfaction, "You're beautiful. Good, you're a member of the Sixth Squadron from now on. Remember, if anyone dares to bully you, tell them my name, Great Peach."
Bai Xue was confused. This was the captain of the Sixth Squadron?
A loli?
It can't be!
She felt like she'd been caught in a trap.
"What, you don't want to?" Peach's dissatisfied voice came from behind Bai Xue.
Bai Xue's eyes narrowed, and she turned around to look at the previous position. Peach was still there, but there was another one behind her. Was this speed?
Why wasn't the afterimage disappearing?
Peach smiled slyly, "See, even space couldn't react to my speed. It's only now that I'm gone."
Bai Xue stared blankly at the previous position, where Peach's afterimage had slowly disappeared. She didn't understand, but she knew that it was terrifying. "Greetings, Captain."
Peach was pleased.
Even further away, at the Eleventh Squad's base, a strange scene was taking place. Their leader, the blind monk, and Seruzen were sitting opposite each other. Neither of them said a word. They just stared at each other in silence …
Quite a few people stole glances at them, feeling like they'd seen a ghost. The two's appearances were more frightening than the other, especially Seruzen. He'd followed the Blind Monk for many years, but this was the first time he'd seen someone whose appearance completely outshined the Blind Monk's. That withered arm was just too awesome; how many years did it take to hold it up?
Xu San was still in the second ring, where the seventh team was stationed. Xu San was trembling with fear as he looked around. It was too scary. Boss, I don't want to stay here.
Seven days later, Lu Yin left King Zishan's palace. Training required a balance between work and rest, and it was time to go out for a walk.
He found that training in the gravity room didn't have much of an effect on his battle techniques, especially the Daynight Fist. It was a technique that had been passed down for an entire race, and it required more than just training. It was more like understanding, alternating day and night.
There was a bar not far from King Zishan's palace. It wasn't large, but it was exquisite.
Lu Yin walked in, hearing cheers and shouts as young men and women sang and danced to their hearts' content.
He didn't take more than a few steps before leaving; he didn't like the noisy atmosphere.
Lu Yin wasn't sure where to go when a man approached him and bowed, "Your Highness, our master invites you for a drink."
Lu Yin followed the man's gaze and saw the Second Prince, Duke Yushan, sitting at a table in an open-air tavern a few kilometers away, raising his glass to him.
Lu Yin was surprised; what a coincidence, "Sure."
The open-air tavern was much simpler than the bar, and the wind was chilly.
Duke Yushan drank alone as he ate. No one would have dared to believe that the Second Prince of the Empire would be in such a place.
"Brother, you're in such a good mood," Lu Yin greeted, sitting across from Duke Yushan and pouring himself a glass of wine.
Duke Yushan smiled, "I didn't expect to meet you here. Don't you like bars?"
Lu Yin shook his head, "It's too noisy, this place is much more comfortable. You can cook wine in the cold wind and have a hundred different dishes."
"I was afraid you wouldn't like it. The owner of this tavern was smuggled in from a barbarian planet and doesn't have much skill, but he's great at cooking wine. You should try it," Duke Yushan toasted Lu Yin.
He took a sip and pursed his lips. To be honest, he didn't know much about wine, but this cup of wine wasn't spicy or dry at all. It felt pretty good, as if it stimulated his appetite. Even though it was warm, there was a cooling sensation that went straight to his brain. "Good wine."
Duke Yushan smiled and filled Lu Yin's glass again, "As long as you don't mind."
"Why are you in such a good mood to drink here?" Lu Yin asked.
Duke Yushan shook his head, "Tired."
Lu Yin was surprised, but he didn't say anything.
Duke Yushan took another sip, "Fighting for the throne is too tiring."
Lu Yin coughed, almost spitting out the wine as he looked at Duke Yushan in shock. That was too direct!
Duke Yushan laughed, "What, is this the first time you've heard of it?"
Lu Yin laughed, "Yes, it is. Brother, you're so forthright."
The corner of Duke Yushan's mouth rose, "Not just to you, I've said it to many people, even to Father."
Lu Yin was surprised; was the fight for the throne so straightforward?
He had stayed on Earth for more than a year and understood some of its history. The struggle for the throne had always been cruel and unpredictable, but he had never met anyone who was as direct as Duke Yushan.
"The Great Yu Empire is huge, with the royal family, the Thirteen Squadrons, Yu Academy, the guards, and so on. Everyone has their eyes on the throne and us. There are four people who are qualified to fight for the throne, with Eldest Brother being the closest, but there are always people who don't want him to take the throne. So many people support me, like Sicar. Similarly, there are people who support Fifth Sister, but her ambition isn't in the Great Yu Empire."
"Four people, who's the last one?"
Lu Yin was curious; he only knew of Crown Prince Dorren Yushan, but Duke Yushan and Fifth Princess Wendy Yushan.
Duke Yushan looked at Lu Yin, "You."