Star Odyssey-Chapter 3557: High And Far

Because of the Grandverse Manor, Yuan Qi had no way out of his situation. But ironically, it was also because of the Grandverse Manor that he was able to retain his title as Seraph.

The Grandverse Manor could not be destroyed.

Yuan Qi’s warning did not raise any concerns for Lu Yin. "He can be as strong as he wants. Does it mean that he can do anything?"

"Don't forget about what happened in Beacon City. Ba Liu thought he was a threat to Yi Xia, but Yi Xia easily defused the matter."

"I am not Ba Liu, and the High Seraph isn't Yi Xia. If he wants to eliminate the threat that I control, it’s quite easy for him to do so. Do you think that he hasn't acted against me for so long just because of that threat?"

"Is that not so?"

Lu Yin lowered the spirit cloudstone. Was it? It was possible, but not very likely. He had always felt like the High Seraph was waiting for something and that that something was somehow related to Lu Yin.

On the surface, it appeared as if Lu Yin’s knowledge of the Lesser Spirit Megaverse was threatening the High Seraph and preventing him from taking action. While it was indeed true that exposing the megaverse would eliminate the High Seraph’s ability to rule the Spirit Nidus as his actions were deceiving the entire megaverse, the man also secretly wanted to use Lu Yin to eliminate his critics within the Spirit Nidus.

This was another detail that Lu Yin could see, but he increasingly felt like he had never truly threatened the High Seraph. The High Seraph had chosen not to act against Lu Yin because of something else—that something else was the information that Lu Yin wanted to uncover the most.

Whatever the High Seraph sought, it was undoubtedly something that Lu Yin should destroy.

However, Lu Yin’s question could only be answered by the High Seraph himself. There was no one else capable of providing an answer, not even Old Yu.

His journey to the Clearflow Realm had not exposed the identity of Ba Liu and Yi Yao’s murderer. Yue Ting had no connection to the matter, and neither should Yi Shang, Zhan Ming, or any of the others. In that case, who had attacked?

It could not have been a mere coincidence. The Hundred Grasses Domain had become famous throughout the Spirit Nidus, and not even the Seven Seraphs would brashly act in the domain. On top of that, all signs indicated that Yue Cheng had not voluntarily gone to the Hundred Grasses Domain. Yue Ting had also said that Yue Cheng had never shown any intention of parting from the Sima Chamber of Commerce.

The man had not done anything that warranted fleeing to the Grandverse Manor and becoming an enemy of the entire Spirit Nidus.

Everything about Yue Cheng was shrouded with mystery. A pair of eyes had been watching the Grandverse Manor from the shadows as they plotted against Lu Yin, yet he was unable to learn anything at all.

Additionally, he had never managed to grasp any hints about the two people who had attacked him with the Projection Sequence Technique. It was vital that he find those two, and it was even possible that they were connected to the matter regarding Yue Cheng.

Since there were no more leads to pursue, Lu Yin decided to directly go to the Ascendant Hall.

That place had always been one of Lu Yin’s goals. He had never forgotten that he needed to carve a message on the walls of the Apex Palace.

At this time, in the Spirit Treasure Domain, Su Shidao moved out and entered another parallel universe within the domain. He also proceeded to make his way towards the Ascendant Hall.

The Spirit Nidus consisted of thirty-six domains, each centered on one of thirty-six parallel universes that had been connected to form the "灵" (Spirit) character. Unsurprisingly, the Ascendant Hall was connected to the thirty-six parallel universes that formed the character. It was possible to access the Ascendant Hall from any of those thirty-six universes.

After traveling for several days, Su Shidao arrived at the entrance of the Ascendant Hall, and after receiving approval, he entered.

Despite having already grown accustomed to the massive, awe-inspiring figure, Su Shidao was still amazed. He stayed there and waited for Lu Yin to join him.

Lu Yin had left the Clearflow Realm several days earlier, and he was also on his way to the Ascendant Hall.

...

The Ascendant Hall was not in any of the megaverse’s thirty-six domains. It also was not built atop a landmass or planet. Rather, it was held up by an enormous creature that had a humanoid body and a bestial head; the Ascendant Hall itself hovered above the creature. The Ascendant Hall could move to any location, subject to the High Seraph’s needs.

This beat was known as the Morrow Behemoth.

The Morrow Behemoth was so large that it could not be wholly seen by the naked eye. It carried the entire Ascendant Hall, which symbolized the most prestigious place in the Spirit Nidus with the highest authority. It stood above all in outer space, and the palace was above a beast that seemed to separate the heavens and the earth.

When Lu Yin saw the Morrow Behemoth, he was absolutely shocked, despite previously seeing colossal giants and even super giants.

The Morrow Behemoth was simply too enormous, far surpassing even the super giants in size. Such a creature could not be adequately described with the word “giant.” Its size seemed to challenge the very limits of reality, supporting the foundation of the universe itself. It was like seeing another Mother Tree.

"You’ve finally arrived. I’ve been waiting for several days," Su Shidao called out.

Lu Yin continued to stare at the Morrow Behemoth, his expression serious. "This beast is incredibly strong, isn’t it?"

Su Shidao shook his head. "I have no idea. The Morrow Behemoth has never attacked. From the beginning of recorded history in the Spirit Nidus, the beast has always been carrying the Ascendant Hall. The only ones who might actually know something about it is the High Seraph himself, along with the Wisdom Domain.

"Since the Wisdom Domain predates even the High Seraph, they should have records regarding the Morrow Behemoth."

Lu Yin exclaimed, "The beast has really lived for that long? Does that mean that it’s an Immortal?"

Su Shidao replied, "Not precisely. While no one knows just how powerful the Morrow Behemoth might be, the Ascendant Hall has revealed some information regarding its condition. It remains still, as though in a deep sleep, which is similar to our cryostasis. The Morrow Behemoth has barely ever moved."

Lu Yin just stared at the immense Morrow Behemoth. He was eager to test the creature’s strength and learn just how powerful it truly was.

No matter how strong it might be, surely it could not surpass the High Seraph.

Honestly, the beast’s size was quite intimidating. Progenitor Chen’s giant clone could not even come close to comparing to the Morrow Behemoth’s height. Not even the super giants from the Giants’ Purgatory came anywhere close to the Morrow Behemoth in terms of size.

"The Morrow Behemoth carries the Ascendant Hall, which symbolizes the future of the Spirit Nidus. See those lights drifting about like stars? Those are spirit seeds being scattered," Su Shidao explained.

Lu Yin looked up and saw countless spirit seeds falling. Sure enough, they were the same spirit seeds that could allow someone to start cultivating. They were the foundational currency of the Spirit Nidus, and yet they were being scattered about. There were easily billions of seeds falling.

"There’s a spirit tree that blooms outside of the Apex Palace, and it bears countless spirit seeds. Every so often, some female attendants will shake the tree, allowing its spirit seeds to scatter. Anyone who sees the seeds is welcome to collect them. This is an opportunity offered by the Ascendant Hall," Su Shidao continued.

"Do the spirit seeds grow on that tree?" Lu Yin asked in surprise.

Su Shidao laughed. "Of course not! The Apex Palace’s servants place them on the tree to make it look as if they grew on the tree."

"Isn’t that a bit excessive? While spirit seeds might not be worth much to cultivators like you and me, as we can easily obtain many, it’s unusual to be this wasteful. So you’re telling me that, periodically, billions, or even tens of billions, of spirit seeds are dropped."

"Do you know how long the Ascendant Hall has been around for? If you can determine its age, it would be so high that it could match the oldest era you’ve ever heard of."

Was scattering so many spirit seeds really that excessive? Not really. Lu Yin had once been stunned by a similar sight at a Mavis Bank. Beside a branch of the bank, there had been a large tree that was covered with currency. Whenever the wind blew, money would fall, and anyone could go and pick it up. Lu Yin had been amazed the first time he saw that scene.

How much wealth was required for one to act so extravagantly?

As Lu Yin’s status and perspective had risen, he had obtained a broader view of things. That tree covered with money had been nothing more than a small trick. It was less than a decoration to any real powerhouses.

Similarly, to the High Seraph, a tree covered with spirit seeds was nothing more than another decoration.

Eventually, any spirit seeds that fell from the tree would be returned to the Ascendant Hall, by one means or another. The Ascendant Hall served as both the starting point and the ending point of the Spirit Nidus.

Some people saw wealth, while others saw results.

Space twisted ahead of the two men, and someone appeared. She was a graceful woman with a beautiful face. Her bearing was elegant, and her aura radiated a sense of majesty. She bowed to Lu Yin and Su Shidao. "Lan greets the two of you."

Su Shidao looked at the woman. "We meet again, Lan."

Lan smiled. It looked like an intimate expression, but there was a sense of distance to it. "Since we last met, Brother Su has become a Seraph. Congratulations."

Su Shidao returned a wry smile of his own. "I never wanted to become a Seraph, but I was forced into it."

Lan laughed. "How many people in the Spirit Nidus dream of becoming a Seraph? Brother Su was able to take the title so easily, so what is there to complain about?" She then turned to Lu Yin. "Third Boss, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Lan, and I handle the matters in the Apex Palace for Lord High Seraph."

Lu Yin nodded. "Are you the Apex Palace's steward?"

Lan chuckled. "You could say that."

Lu Yin was impressed. "The Spirit Nidus is truly amazing, for a Dukkhan to serve as a steward."

Lan smiled. "Serving the Ascendant Hall is a blessing for any cultivator in the Spirit Nidus."

She gestured them forward. "Please, follow me. Lord High Seraph is waiting."

Lu Yin and Su Shidao exchanged glances before following the woman inwards.

As they walked along, Su Shidao transmitted his voice to Lu Yin’s ears. "Do not underestimate this woman! The High Seraph may rule the Spirit Nidus, but she essentially rules the Ascendant Hall. The Ascendant Hall has thirty-six Ascensii, all of whom are Ortusers, and all of whom have cultivated the Treasureform Sequence Technique. They can endure attacks from experts as powerful as the Seven Seraphs.

"As for Lan, not only does she practice the Projection Sequence Technique, which allows her to transmit the power of the Ascendant Hall to any part of the Spirit Nidus, but she is also the master of the sixth-ranked sequence base: Untamed. She is the equal to any Seraph."

Lu Yin's eyes flickered. The Projection Sequence Technique... He was immediately reminded of the palm strike and finger attack. Could that ambush have been connected to this woman?

Of course, Lu Yin had also heard of the sixth-ranked sequence base, Untamed. It was said to be formed from Treasureform sequence particles, and it offered the user an impenetrable defense. As a consequence, the sequence base offered no offensive abilities, but its abilities were sufficient for the Ascendant Hall.

Lan was a Dukkhan who wielded the sixth-ranked sequence base, and she also commanded the thirty-six Ascensii. Clearly, the woman’s strength could not be underestimated.

The Ascendant Hall stood above even the seven major powers, and its foundation was certainly unfathomable. Just the Morrow Behemoth alone was enough to make anyone hesitate, but no one had any idea just how many experts were hidden within the Ascendant Hall.

After moving past the Morrow Behemoth, Lu Yin and Su Shidao followed Lan into the Ascendant Hall itself.

The sight that met them was ethereal, looking like something from a dream. Starlight twinkled, coming from a massive tree that was surrounded by beautiful women. Every time one of the tree’s branches swayed, spirit seeds would flutter from its bows, scattering in all directions.

Far away, white clouds draped across towering mountains. The occasional cultivator could be seen soaring into the sky, disappearing past the distant horizon.

Even further, columns could barely be made out. They held the Apex Palace up, and they were covered with lifelike carvings of beast-form Spirit Rebirth experts. The carvings looked ready to release roars that would shatter the sky and crush the ground.

Looking around, the entire Ascendant Hall was filled with a gentle atmosphere and an ethereal, otherworldly quality.

There was none of the awe-inspiring sensation synonymous with the Heavens Sect. Instead, there was an indescribable feeling of being above all else in existence. It was a feeling that could make any cultivator feel their own inferiority with every step that they took.

The Heavens Sect represented a power that controlled a megaverse from above, while the Ascendant Hall represented a distant tyrant who oversaw all.

While certain heights might seem unreachable, once attained, people tended to feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Countless cultivators in the Tianyuan Megaverse aspired to join the Heavens Sect and cultivate there.

Distance, however, was not always measured in space. It could reside within the heart as an unseen divide. Even if one traversed countless mountains and rivers to arrive, they might still lack the courage to take the final step.

Was this really the Ascendant Hall?