Star Odyssey

Chapter 1976: The Location

Lu Yin’s comment caused God Taiyi's expression to change. "Brother Lu, don't worry about what happened with Yao Hong a little while ago. She’s changed since then, and she won’t cause you any trouble when she goes out."

"Yao Hong?" Lu Yin took a moment to catch up, and when he finally understood God Taiyi’s comment, Lu Yin laughed. "Who do you think I am? Why would I be bothered by her?"

God Taiyi replied, "I of course know that Brother Lu was never really put out by Yao Hong, but I still want to apologize for what she did. Many of the disciples here in Gods' Origin aren’t bad-natured, but the atmosphere has a clear distinction between those in superior and inferior positions. Thus, it becomes very difficult to lose yourself.”

"If not for the competition during the Astral Tower that made me realize the truth of the matter, it’s possible that Yao Hong wouldn’t have been the only one to offend you."

Lu Yin smiled. "It’s just a matter of fate. It means that you and I were destined to become friends."

God Taiyi's eyes lit up. "True enough! With you as my friend, I, God Taiyi, will have a life with no regrets."

"Hey! What are you two tough guys talking about? Are you still trying to avoid me? Hurry up, Brother Lu! I want to show you the biggest Platform of Trials here in Gods’ Origin." God Xiaobai waved at the two men from a distance.

Lu Yin's eyes flickered—the largest Platform of Trials?

"Brother Lu, let's go with her. We’ll check out the Platform of Trials first, and then you can spend some time practicing Truesight. I’ll take you to some of the ruins that we’ve gathered in a bit," God Taiyi suggested.

Lu Yin nodded and then followed God Taiyi to catch up with God Xiaobai. The three of them made their way to a region that was on the back of another giant.

It was not long before the three of them arrived at a screen of solid blue light. God Xiaobai started to explain, "Brother Lu, this is the entrance to the biggest Platform of Trials in Gods’ Origin. Most people aren’t allowed to see it, but I’ll show it to you."

The girl then picked up a foot and moved to step into the blue light.

However, God Xiaobai ended up striking an invisible barrier.

She was confused. "Why can't I go in?"

God Taiyi frowned and approached the entrance as well. He reached out with a hand and touched the blue light with a finger, only for him to also be knocked back a few steps. He was quite surprised, and he glanced over at God Xiaobai. Neither of them had ever encountered something like this before.

Lu Yin’s eyes flickered.

"I’m going to ask God of Wind to come out. The entrance’s broken," God Xiaobai said as she moved to call her elder.

"There’s no need. I'm here." God of Wind stepped out from behind the light screen. She looked calm as her gaze swept past God Xiaobai and God Taiyi to look at Lu Yin. She politely said, "Alliance Leader Lu, I'm truly sorry, but God of Magenta has recently returned and is training on the Platform of Trials. So, it’s closed to others for the moment."

God Xiaobai was surprised by the news. "Uncle God of Magenta is back?"

God of Wind confirmed it. "He’s back."

God Taiyi frowned. "The Platform of Trials is enormous, so even if God of Magenta is using it, he can only use one section. I’ll show Brother Lu around from a distance. We won’t disturb God of Magenta's training."

God of Wind looked at God Taiyi, a firm warning deep in her eyes. "The traitor Jin Mie that God of Magenta was chasing after seriously injured him, and he cannot disturbed at all."

The woman then turned back to Lu Yin and gave him a slow bow. "My sincere apologies, Alliance Leader Lu."

"We’ll just take a quick look, okay? I just told Alliance Leader Lu that we’d come take a look," God Xiaobai begged.

God of Wind just bowed again. "Alliance Leader Lu, I'm sorry."

God Xiaobai shot a look of helplessness towards Lu Yin.

God Taiyi gave God of Wind an odd look, but then he turned to speak to Lu Yin. "Brother Lu, why don't I show you the Rune Technology ruins for now?"

Lu Yin gave God of Wind a long look. “Sure, I don’t mind. Whatever you want."

"Brother Lu, let’s go this way." God Taiyi gestured for Lu Yin to follow him and started leading them elsewhere.

After she saw that Lu Yin and the others were gone, God of Wind heaved a sigh of relief.

A figure wearing a purple robe stepped out of the blue screen of light behind God of Wind. This person was God of Magenta. The man had left a deep impression on Lu Yin during the war in the Cosmic Sea when he had fought against Jin Mie.

God of Wind turned around and spoke in a very respectful manner, "They're gone."

"Did they question anything?" God of Magenta asked softly.

God of Wind shook her head. "They shouldn’t have."

God of Magenta gave a word of caution. "Don't let your guard down. That kid is sharp. You can’t let him see the Platform of Trials, and don't even let him access the buildings that might have any records about the Platform of Trials."

"This disciple understands," God of Wind acquiesced.

God of Magenta frowned. If he had known that this day would come, he would have never taken Lu Yin into Gods' Origin. He had assumed that the youth would never be able to escape from him, but he had done just that. Even if Lu Yin had only been taken to the Platform of Trials that only elders and core disciples of Gods’ Origin could enter that the ordinary disciples never saw, if Lu Yin ever got a single glimpse of the place, he would instantly realize God of Magenta’s connection to Xia Ji, and that would be a problem.

Lu Yin could never be allowed to see that place.

***

"Brother Lu, Gods’ Origin has gathered seventeen ruins that have Rune Technology, including cities, battlefields, and worlds that were hidden in pocket dimensions or parallel universes. They were found throughout the Cosmic Sea, Outerverse, Innerverse, and Neoverse. Do you want to just visit them one by one, or is there something specific that you’d like to see?" God Taiyi asked.

Lu Yin was surprised. "Can I see them all?"

God Taiyi suddenly looked solemn. "Of course. I can show you anything, as long as God of Mirrors doesn’t outright object."

God Xiaobai jumped in, "I can show you around too, Big Brother Lu. God of Mirrors won’t say no."

Lu Yin nodded and then followed the two to visit the first of the ruins.

They entered an abandoned city that looked similar to the one that Lu Yin had seen in the Outerverse, only larger and more complete.

He saw various weapons formed solely from runes. These weapons were simply casually laying around on the ground, and disciples from Gods’ Origin could be seen wandering about from time to time, and they would bow whenever they saw Lu Yin and the others.

"These ruins are essentially my Gods’ Origin’s equivalent of a battle technique catalog that other powers might have. In these places, we can study and learn from the long-gone Rune Civilization. Even a broken brick or a rag of cloth might be able to grant people inspiration, and the entire ruins are a treasure," God Taiyi explained in a pious tone.

God Xiaobai nodded in agreement. "I spent a long time staring at a jade hairpin, and eventually, I was able to reach the Clarity level of Truesight."

Comprehension and breakthroughs related to Truesight could not be accomplished with a single day in the ruins, but Lu Yin did not expect to reach the Infinity realm anytime soon. He was visiting the ruins more so because of his curiosity regarding the era when the Rune Civilization had flourished. It was impossible to thoroughly explore all these ruins in a short amount of time.

Over the course of two days, God Taiyi took Lu Yin to visit four of the ruins, but Lu Yin did not continue after that. This was not due to a lack of interest, but rather a lack of time.

It was certainly possible for him to reach the Infinity level of Truesight with the ruins in Gods’ Origin, but that would not happen for some time.

On the third day of Lu Yin’s visit, God of Mirrors met with him to formally ask for the location of the statue that Lu Yin had mentioned.

During the two days that God Taiyi showed Lu Yin around the different ruins. Lu Yin had noticed that none of the ruins apparently had complete statues, and some had no statues at all. The statues that he had seen were all broken, just like what he had seen in the ruins in the Outerverse.

"Alliance Leader Lu, you previously told me that you would share the location of that statue when you came to visit our Gods’ Origin," God of Mirrors said.

Lu Yin remained silent.

God of Mirrors could not hold himself from continuing, saying, "Alliance Leader Lu, you’ve gotten to know my Gods’ Origin a bit better these two days. Honestly, even if you don’t share the information of that statue with us, for the sake of your friendship with God Taiyi, we will still allow you to visit all of the ruins."

Lu Yin finally looked up at God of Mirrors. "I can tell you where it is, but I have one condition."

God of Mirrors became very excited. "Please tell me what it is!"

…

A short time later, God of Mirrors left, and God Taiyi and God Xiaobai returned to see Lu Yin. They had hoped to continue touring around Gods’ Origin, but Lu Yin told them that he needed to leave.

"Brother Lu, why are you leaving so soon?" God Xiaobai was surprised.

Lu Yin nodded. "I need to go to the Cosmic Sea and oversee the construction of the Tower of the Fifth. I can’t stay any longer given my current commitments."

God Taiyi was impressed. "Brother Lu, you’re building that Tower of the Fifth and opening a path to allow the entire Fifth Mainland to grow stronger. It’s really admirable."

God Xiaobai started jumping up and down. "Brother Lu, can I visit the Tower of the Fifth?"

Lu Yin smiled at the girl. "Of course. It will have many inheritances, and even if you aren’t interested in any of them, there will be many resources available."

"How could anyone not be interested?" God Xiaobai was extremely excited. "These are your inheritances we’re talking about, Big Brother Lu! There’s the Sword Sect’s Thirteen Swords, Hollow Palm, sourcebox arrays, and even your unique golden battle force that everyone’s so jealous of."

Lu Yin laughed. "That golden battle force is far from unique, and you’ll understand more once you get there. The Tower of the Fifth will be open to everyone from the Fifth Mainland, but it won’t be easy to grab any of the inheritances.”

"Alright, I need to head out. I’ll see you at the Tower of the Fifth."

God Taiyi nodded and solemnly bid farewell. "See you at the Tower of the Fifth."

God Xiaobai was reluctant to say goodbye. "Brother Lu, I’ll see you at the Tower of the Fifth as well."

After Lu Yin left Gods' Origin, all of the disciples offered him another bow, and the ordinary humans knelt down and bowed towards Lu Yin.

Lu Yin was not used to such treatment, so he merely offered some polite words to God of Mirrors and quickly left.

After Lu Yin and the Second Nightking were gone, God Xiaobai said, "Brother Taiyi, Brother Lu isn't that bad. You made him sound like a villain."

God Taiyi’s voice grew emotional as he replied, "He sees us as his friends, but you’ll see his cruelty once he faces an enemy."

God of Mirrors interjected, "Don't underestimate Lu Yin. He crushed and suppressed City Lord Qing. He is someone who does not show mercy to his enemies."

The elder then turned to glare at God Xiaobai. "Especially you! Don’t go making a mess of things and copy Yao Hong’s mistakes."

God Xiaobai stuck out her tongue. "I know."

God of Mirrors gave the girl another look of warning before returning to Gods’ Origin’s main hall.action

A short while later, God of Magenta arrived. "Did Lu Yin tell you where that statue is?"

God of Mirrors nodded. "I spoke to him. Fortunately, God Taiyi showed him around the various ruins, and I didn’t do anything to stop them. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had such an easy time of things. The Wen family’s still being strung along by that kid."

"Where is it?" God of Magenta had no interest in listening to God of Mirrors’ rambling.

God of Wind struggled with himself. "He told me, but he had a condition to sharing the information. He insisted that no one know about it other than me. He made me swear to follow this condition."

God of Magenta's expression changed. "Are you saying that you won't tell me?"

God of Mirrors replied, "Don't worry about it. I’ll bring the statue back here as soon as possible, and then you’ll be able to see it."

God of Magenta frowned. "Even if we’ve never been able to obtain a complete statue for Gods’ Origin, you might not be able to succeed. Tell me the location, and we’ll go together."

God of Wind was getting annoyed. "I already told him that I would keep the information to myself, and I even swore an oath. Breaking my word will impact my state of mind, so drop it. I’ll go fetch the statue."

God of Magenta's eyes turned cold, but he turned and left.

God of Mirrors frowned. God of Magenta was becoming more and more overbearing. He had spent all of his time chasing after Jin Mie, making him absent from Gods’ Origin. The man had done very little for their home, yet he was still so arrogant.

After spending a brief bit of time settling matters, God of Mirrors verified the location that Lu Yin had given him, and he was ready to leave after just half a day.

At this time, God of Wind approached and respectfully said, "God of Mirrors, I need to report something."