"Boss, someone wants to take me away!" Just then, Xu San contacted Lu Yin, his voice filled with alarm.
Lu Yin said calmly, "I've reported your situation to the empire. Go and undergo body reconstruction just like Zhang Dingtian and the others. How far you can go in the future will depend on you."
Outside the King of Zishan's residence, Xu San carefully swallowed. "Boss, body reconstruction? I don't dare," he said into his personal communicator. He couldn't forget the sight of Zhang Dingtian's agony.
Lu Yin chuckled. "Who's to blame for you absorbing energy crystals before you met me? But if not for that, you wouldn't have been able to awaken your talent. Alright, that's settled. Work hard. In the future, your achievements might not be any less than Zhang Dingtian's or the others'." With that, Lu Yin disconnected.
Everyone from Earth now had their own path. What their future held depended on them. As for himself, he also needed to get stronger quickly. The Astral-10 academy could arrive at any time, and with his current strength, joining would be very difficult.
The King of Zishan's residence had a training chamber and a training field, both very large, but sadly, Lu Yin was the only one there.
The training field had a gravity room. Lu Yin habitually set the gravity to 40 times, directly crushed a cubic meter of Star Crystals, and began practicing the White Night Fist and the Heavenly Beast Claw.
Only by using Star Energy to cultivate combat techniques could one achieve the best effect. Most people didn't have such a luxury, but for the current Lu Yin, it wasn't an issue.
For seven consecutive days, Lu Yin didn't take a single step out of the King of Zishan's residence. Many people speculated that he had been reprimanded by His Majesty.
Seven days later, at the second ring outside Planet Zhenwu, the garrison of the Imperial Court's Thirteen Squads, Zhang Dingtian arrived. He looked up ahead, and a large character for 'Five' was deeply etched into his sight. This was the Fifth Squad.
Zhang Dingtian verified his identity and was led into the Fifth Squad's garrison.
Feeling the countless surging powers around him, each one capable of easily crushing him, Zhang Dingtian's gaze remained firm.
The most powerful department in the Great Yu Empire was the Imperial Court's Thirteen Squads. It gathered countless experts from the empire. The official members of the thirteen squads had at least the combat power of the Melting Realm, each squad had several Star-Wandering experts, and the captains were Cruisers who represented the empire's peak martial power.
The captain of the Fifth Squad was Huo Qingshan, an absolute powerhouse who had once followed Undying Yushan through the Innerverse, the patriarch of the Huo family, and the father of Huo Xiaoling.
Zhang Dingtian was brought to the base of a huge volcano. With a sky-shaking roar, molten rock shot up like fireworks, then crashed to the ground, melting the earth.
Zhang Dingtian didn't move an inch. He watched as a pool of molten rock was about to smash down on his head. Once hit, he would surely be melted to ashes.
Just as the molten rock was about to hit him, it vanished abruptly. The surrounding high temperature rapidly weakened, as if absorbed by an even more terrifying force. "You're from Earth?" A huge roar carrying intense heat descended.
Zhang Dingtian was oppressed, the skin on his body burning, yet his eyes showed no fear. "Yes, I am from Earth."
"Why did you come here?"
"To become stronger," Zhang Dingtian said firmly.
"You will die."
"Weakness is more sorrowful than death!" Feeling the pressure, Zhang Dingtian couldn't help but roar. His legs could barely hold him up, and his clothes were incinerated.
"From this moment on, you join the Fifth Squad. You are one of my, Huo Qingshan's, men."
Hearing these words, Zhang Dingtian finally couldn't hold on any longer, spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed.
Inside the volcano, a middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Dingtian. His fiery red hair was even hotter than the molten rock. He was one of the captains Lu Yin had seen in court. Compared to his ordinary appearance in court, at this moment, he was the true Huo Qingshan, a man more scorching than magma.
Also in the second ring, a great distance away, was the garrison of the Sixth Squad, where Bai Xue was being led.
The Sixth Squad was completely different from the Fifth. It was mostly composed of women, the environment was beautiful, filled with all kinds of pink trees, and the fragrance of flowers was everywhere.
Bai Xue hadn't expected the Sixth Squad to be like this and looked around in surprise.
Before long, Tao Xiang came out with a tall, slender woman who stood several meters away from her.
"You're Bai Xue, the King of Zishan's friend?" Tao Xiang stopped ten meters from Bai Xue, floating in mid-air and looking at her curiously.
Bai Xue hurriedly bowed. "Yes."
Tao Xiang nodded in satisfaction. "You really are beautiful. Good, from now on you're part of my Sixth Squad. Remember, if anyone bullies you, just mention my name, the great Tao Xiang."
Bai Xue felt strange. This was the captain of the Sixth Squad? A loli? No way! She had a feeling she had boarded a pirate ship.
"What, you don't want to?" Tao Xiang said, displeased, her voice coming from behind Bai Xue.
Bai Xue's pupils shrank. She suddenly turned around, then looked back at the original spot. The figure of Tao Xiang was still there, but another Tao Xiang had appeared behind her. Was this speed? Why hadn't the afterimage disappeared yet?
Tao Xiang smiled slyly. "See? My speed is so fast that even space can't react in time. It's only disappearing now."
Bai Xue stared in shock at the original spot, where Tao Xiang's afterimage was slowly fading. She didn't understand, but she knew that being able to do this was incredibly terrifying. "Greetings, Captain."
Tao Xiang looked smug.
In a more remote location, also in the second ring, a bizarre scene was unfolding at the garrison of the Eleventh Squad. Captain Meng Seng and Shi Wuzhang were sitting opposite each other. Neither had said a word, just quietly facing each other, quietly facing each other...
Many people peeked at them, feeling as if they had seen ghosts. The appearance of the two was more frightening than the other, especially Shi Wuzhang. They had followed Meng Seng for many years, and this was the first time they had seen someone whose appearance completely defeated Meng Seng's. That withered arm was too awesome. How many years must it have been held still?
Still in the second ring, at the garrison of the Seventh Squad, Xu San was trembling as he looked around. Too scary! Boss, I don't want to be here, take me away!
Seven days later, as the sky gradually darkened, Lu Yin left the King of Zishan's residence. Cultivation required a balance of work and rest; it was time to go out for a walk.
He found that staying cooped up in the gravity room to train wasn't very effective for his combat techniques, especially the White Night Fist. This kind of technique, passed down by a race, required not just cultivation, but more like enlightenment—the cycle of day and night.
Not far from the King of Zishan's residence was a bar, not large, but very exquisite.
Lu Yin walked in, his ears filled with sounds of wild revelry and shouts as groups of young men and women sang and danced with abandon.
After a few steps, Lu Yin left. He didn't like overly noisy atmospheres.
Leaving the bar, Lu Yin was wondering 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. A few miles from the bar, at a table in a small open-air tavern, the Second Prince, Duke Yushan, raised his cup to him from a distance.
Lu Yin was surprised. What a coincidence. "Alright."
The small open-air tavern was much simpler than the bar, with cold winds blowing in gusts.
Duke Yushan was drinking alone, eating snacks, with no one to talk to. No one would believe that the dignified Second Prince of the empire would be in such a place.
"Royal Brother, you're in a fine mood," Lu Yin greeted, sitting down directly opposite Duke Yushan without any ceremony, and poured himself a cup of wine.
Duke Yushan gave a faint smile. "I didn't expect to run into my royal brother while out for a drink. You don't like bars?"
Lu Yin shook his head. "Too noisy. It's more comfortable here. Drinking wine in the cold wind, tasting the hundred flavors of life."
"I was afraid you would find it beneath you, Royal Brother. The owner of this tavern illegally immigrated from a primitive planet. He has no special skills, but his wine-making is second to none. You can try it," Duke Yushan toasted Lu Yin.
Taking a sip, Lu Yin smacked his lips. To be honest, he didn't know how to appreciate wine, but this cup went down without any spiciness or harshness. It felt great, with a refreshing and thirst-quenching sensation. It was clearly warm wine, yet it carried a cool feeling that rushed straight to his head. "Good wine."
Duke Yushan smiled and refilled Lu Yin's cup. "It's good that you don't dislike it, Royal Brother."
"Why is Royal Brother in the mood to drink at this time?" Lu Yin asked.
Duke Yushan shook his head. "Tired."
Lu Yin was surprised and said nothing.
Duke Yushan took a sip of wine. "Fighting for the throne... it's too tiring."
Cough, cough. Lu Yin nearly spat out his wine. He looked at Duke Yushan in shock. Those words... that's too blunt!
Duke Yushan laughed loudly. "What, first time hearing it?"
Lu Yin chuckled. "Indeed, it's the first time. Royal Brother, you are truly forthright."
The corner of Duke Yushan's mouth turned up. "Not just to you. I've said this to many people. I've even said it to Father Emperor."
Lu Yin was astonished. Was the struggle for the throne in a great empire so blatant? He had stayed on Earth for over a year and understood some history. The fight for the throne had always been ruthless, with endlessly shifting political tides, but he had never seen anyone as direct as Duke Yushan. How big must his heart be?
"The Great Yu Empire is vast. The imperial family, the Thirteen Squads, the Martial Hall, the guards... everyone is watching the throne, watching us. Right now, there are four people qualified to contend for the throne. Big Brother is the closest, but there are always people who don't want him to ascend, so many people support me, like Sika. Similarly, there are also people who support Fifth Sister, but unfortunately, Fifth Sister's ambitions do not lie with the Great Yu Empire," Duke Yushan said calmly.
"Four people? Who is the other one?" Lu Yin was curious. He only knew of Crown Prince Dolan Yushan, Duke Yushan before him, and the Fifth Princess, Wendy Yushan. Where did a fourth person come from?
Duke Yushan looked at Lu Yin. "You."