Chapter 4394: Our Star Odyssey Endures!
In the Tianyuan, the Spirit Nidus, and the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, many had perished during the Plume Immortals’ attack. Countless deaths had occurred across vast regions. Planets had shattered, mainlands had collapsed, mountains and rivers had been overturned, and even universes seemed to have been flipped. The death toll was impossible to calculate.
Lu Yin quietly stood in the Heavens Sect, his eyes closed. Beneath the Stairway to Heaven, a vast crowd of cultivators had gathered, including many from the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus. Everyone was observing a moment of silence.
Rain started to fall, descending from outer space, as if the megaverse itself were weeping.
The three megaverses remained silent. Countless people grieved, many of whom had never even had a chance to grieve. Within a civilization, death was all too common for cultivators. But this had been a war between cosmic civilizations, more importantly, it had been a war against the Plume Immortals, one of humanity’s ancient nemeses.
"The cosmos is boundless. Our human civilization is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. To the countless creatures scattered throughout the Aevum Inch, the survival or extinction of humanity means nothing," Lu Yin spoke slowly. His voice spread beyond the megaverse, reaching even the Spirit Nidus, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, and the Consciousness Megaverse, which had returned to its place despite still being in the middle of a reset.
"They may not care, but we do. We care about ourselves, our families, our friends, our inheritance, and our home."
Lu Yin looked down upon the universe and Earth. "The more that we care, the more that we must fight! Fight against the countless civilizations that wish to destroy us! Fight against the calamities throughout the cosmos! Any one of us may die, myself included, but death cannot stop the continuation of our civilization! What continues is not merely life, but spirit.
"It is the fighting spirit of the living and the unyielding spirit of the fallen. No one dies in vain. Fate and opportunity are their guidance for us. In the cosmos, every shining star is their light, guiding our path. We will not be defeated. We will not perish! No one can destroy us!"
As countless people listened to Lu Yin's words, they gradually lifted their heads to look at the towering figure. In every war, he had always stood at the vanguard. During every struggle for their civilization’s existence, he had carried everyone’s burden. He was the beacon of humanity, the one who truly guided their path.
"I, Lu Yin, cannot promise that you will survive the civilizational wars, but I can promise that your spirit will never perish. If we live, we live with pride. If we die, we die with glory. If the day ever comes when human civilization is completely destroyed, I, Lu Yin, will disappear with you, vanishing from the cosmos without leaving a trace.
"But I will not allow that day to come! Whoever wishes to destroy us must be prepared to be destroyed together with us. No one is an exception. I cannot see how high the sky truly is, but no matter how high it reaches, I will drag it down."
His eyes opened wide as he looked toward the entire human civilization. "In my name, our Star Odyssey endures!"
Countless people shouted with excitement. "Our Star Odyssey endures!"
"Our Star Odyssey endures!"
"Our Star Odyssey endures!"
***
Lu Yin stood high above. He took the heavily wounded Ming Yu out from a Zenith Mountain and threw the bird to the ground.
The Plume Immortal fell to the bottom of the Stairway to Heaven, and its blood spread across the ground there.
Countless eyes were staring forward. Many of humanity’s enemies had been executed in that exact place, and now, it was the Plume Immortals’ turn.
Ming Yu was severely injured and had already fallen unconscious. Lu Yin needed the bird to remain unconscious; otherwise, it might escape by teleporting away or using Thousand Feathers, Thousand Changes. Not even the slightest chance could be risked.
While still in the Mirari Realm, Lu Yin had used the bird to increase his karma. Now, it was time to end things.
"Its name is Ming Yu, and it is a Plume Immortal. The Plume Immortals are the civilization that inflicted immense damage upon humanity in this war, and they were also once one of humanity's greatest ancient enemies. They slaughtered our civilization’s powerhouses, writing an extremely humiliating chapter in our history.
"It is an Immortal powerhouse who resonates with two cosmic laws. Today, it will be used to honor those who died in this war and to console their spirits in the afterlife."
Lu Yin took out his scythe and struck. The blade fell, and Ming Yu's body was severed. Its head flew away, shocking countless onlookers.
A mighty Immortal, one from a fishing level civilization like the Plume Immortals, had died just like that. This was no ordinary Immortal, but rather a terrifying two-law Immortal. In the current human civilization, only Greater Sancte Green Lotus had reached that level.
In other words, Lu Yin had executed a supreme powerhouse whose strength was comparable to that of Greater Sancte Green Lotus. Even for Blood Tower and Awe Gate, it was a shocking sight. They had watched Chang Dou be refined alive, but that had been on the battlefield. This was an execution.
When news of this reached the Plume Immortals, it was sure to provoke their overwhelming fury.
Lu Yin did not care. Humanity and the Plume Immortals were already mortal enemies. Would releasing Ming Yu stop them from hating human civilization? Impossible. Their hatred could never be reconciled.
Green Lotus had also never forgotten. He had called his technique Crimson Lotus Tomb, carrying this hatred into his bones, a hatred that could never be forgotten. Even if the Plume Immortals wished to resolve all grievances, humanity would never agree. If they did, how could they ever face their ancestors?
When Ming Yu died, light illuminated the universe, driving the darkness away. Countless people felt as if they heard the horn of counterattack echoing in their ears. Bathed in that radiance, Lu Yin looked like a god. Every eye that fell upon him carried fervent reverence.
They were certain that, as long as Lu Yin lived, human civilization would never fall. He was the symbol of this era.
***
In addition to commemorating the fallen, the death of Kang Tian also weighed heavily on people's hearts. Although the snail had not been a human Immortal and had even abandoned its own civilization for the sake of self-preservation, it had still contributed greatly to the human civilization. Without its color-glass, even more would have died.
What a pity.
Aside from Ming Yu, the Immortal bird that served the Plume Immortals that Lu Yin had captured during the first battle at the Plume Immortals’ tree and placed in a Zenith Mountain was also killed after increasing Lu Yin’s karma. There was no need to keep it alive.
Before long, Lu Yin teleported into the Consciousness Megaverse. The megaverse was in the middle of a reset, and it would take a long time to recover.
He stood outside the thatched hut that hid the Willbound Spire, intending to enter and see the Origin Progenitor.
"Child, there is no need to come in. I am about to fall asleep again." It was the voice of the Origin Progenitor.
Lu Yin was stunned. "Senior, you..."
"Everything I see right now feels like a dream. I do not know when I will awaken again. Child, I know about the hardships that you bear. Go back and rest well. If you are one day no longer able to endure, then protect yourself. No one will blame you. Child, take care of yourself and live well."
Lu Yin stared at the hut for a long time. He finally nodded, took a deep breath, and turned to leave.
***
Lu Yin arrived in Vestigium. It had been half a year since he had executed Ming Yu, and he had already fully recovered. His injuries had long since healed in the Mirari Realm, but his energy could not recover that quickly. It had taken a full six months for him to fully restore himself.
"Is anyone here? I’m back!" Lu Yin shouted the moment he arrived. Vestigium instantly became lively, and even the Divine Tree seemed to sway.
"Hmph! Making noise the moment you arrive. You are becoming increasingly impolite." It was Furball.
Lu Yin smiled. "Furball, how is it that every time I come to Vestigium, you are here? Don’t you have anything to do?"
"Do I need to answer to you?"
"You weren’t waiting here specifically for me, were you?"
"Brat, do not think so highly of yourself." Furball sounded displeased.
"Hehe, child, your performance in the war against the Plume Immortals was quite impressive. One could say that you played a decisive role. Most impressive," Old Man Hehe said with a chuckle.
Lu Yin replied, "I did nothing. I was merely doing my best to complete the missions I was assigned by Obscura. My loyalty to Obscura can be witnessed by heaven and earth."
"You also ran away quite quickly."
Lu Yin arched a brow. "Who said that? That has to be Second Furball’s voice. By the way, are you really a shield? What is going on with that? Since when can a shield become sapient?"
"Lu Yin, do not break the rules!" Second Furball scolded angrily.
Lu Yin chuckled. "The others don’t know that you’re a shield? Interesting."
"That shield is no ordinary shield. Brat, are you interested?" Furball asked with a smile.
Lu Yin asked in return, "If I were interested, would you tell me?"
"Possibly."
"Hehe."
Second Furball spoke up in a low voice. "Origin Master, do not force me to cut down all of those Mother Trees of yours."
"You can try." Furball was not at all intimidated.
Lu Yin was instantly intrigued. "Furball, you have more Mother Trees?"
"Hehe, they have quite a few."
Lu Yin's eyes flickered. The Mother Trees’ green lights had become increasingly significant to him. They had transformed his body, which had enabled him to handle even more divine energy. It had even freed him from the control of the Ten-Eyed Divine Crow’s innate gift. On top of that, what he had seen upon destroying the Plume Immortals' great tree defied all imagination.
Right now, he wanted even more motes of green light. How could he get them from Furball? He would need to think of a plan.
As he suspected, Furball had been collecting Mother Trees for many years. There was no way that they only possessed the few that Lu Yin had already seen.
"By the way, child, the insect that you recommended is quite good. Its strength is decent, as it was able to pass its trial and join Obscura in a short time." Old Man Hehe chuckled again.
Lu Yin was surprised. "The Immortal Lord passed their trial? I didn’t know about that."
Furball snorted disdainfully. "As long as it’s not as much trouble as you."
Lu Yin smiled. "Furball, no one can replace the relationship between the two of us."
"What does that mean?" Furball suddenly grew uneasy. Lu Yin's tone had changed, becoming unexpectedly gentle.
"Nothing special. I’m just saying that we work well together. Our cooperation is seamless. Hong Xia knows that well."
"I don’t know what you are talking about."
"Then why don’t we meet in person? How about at the Crimson Starshade Civilization?"
"Hmph! Fine. If you want to go, I’ll accompany you."
"You are too polite."
Furball was left speechless and did not know how to respond to that.
From inside another floating coffin, the Immortal Lord listened in silence as Lu Yin spoke with the other Obscura members. The human interacted with the others on completely equal footing, and their voices indicated respect for him, which was entirely different from how they spoke to the Immortal Lord.
Lu Yin was clearly an Aberrant, yet all members of Obscura respected him. Whether they were his friends or foes, what they all respected was strength. It was the strength that he had established through battle.
The Immortal Lord had no intention of interrupting. In Vestigium, one had to speak cautiously.
They had already passed their trial months ago. Over the years, through Luo Chan's ability to teleport, they had learned of many civilizations and megaverses. Using one civilization to destroy another was nothing difficult.
Ba Se had asked the Immortal Lord to worship the Divine Tree and be chosen by a color, but they had delayed it. Their excuse was that they had been injured during the war against the Plume Immortals.
This delay was deliberate. The Immortal Lord still remembered Lu Yin's words. They felt that offending the other members of Obscura might be acceptable, but offending Lu Yin was not. The human was cunning and treacherous, and he also possessed countless means. He was capable of forging alliances even in impossible situations. He was terrifyingly capable.
Moreover, the Immortal Lord could not even be certain whether there was another Dao Sword within their own body.
