Thinking further, it was even possible that Lu Yin was the strongest person from his native civilization. This was not Ji He’s solitary speculation, as countless people from Crimson Starshade also believed that theory.

That was because everyone believed that Lu Yin was hiding the fact that he was really an Immortal. After all, he had to be an Immortal, as it was impossible for anyone to be that strong without being an Immortal.

Ji He said, "I have no such intention. I merely wish to avoid cultivating the Path of Dispassion and to break free of Jiu Wen’s blockade."

Lu Yin grew puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Ji He rose to his feet and gestured to the distant Sect of Dispassion. "The Sect of Dispassion was founded by Jiu Wen alone. He established that sect and spread the Path of Dispassion, building one Dispassion Valley after another. On the surface, his goal seems to be to make Crimson Starshade stronger, but in reality, this is all his way of cultivating his own Path of Dispassion.

"Right now, the entire Crimson Starshade Civilization is flooded by his Path of Dispassion. When cultivating here, no one can ever surpass him. Only by leaving this place, by going to a new human civilization and breaking free of the blockade placed on the Path of Dispassion, is it possible to surpass him."

The man turned back to look at Lu Yin. "Do not think that Jiu Wen is actually helping you. He may have agreed to a bet with you, but he does not care whether your human civilization makes contact with us or not. Win or lose, there is no difference to him. He is the most hypocritical one of all."

Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. "If Jiu Wen’s Path of Dispassion encompasses the entire Crimson Starshade Civilization, then what about Ancestor Hong Xia?"

When he had first met Jiu Wen, the old man had claimed that he had been forced to cultivate the Path of Dispassion, but in Ji He’s account, Jiu Wen was the chief culprit behind spreading the Path of Dispassion throughout the Crimson Starshade Civilization.

Ji He shook his head and sighed. "My master has long since perfected the twelvefold Path of Dispassion and no longer concerns himself with worldly matters. Jiu Wen’s goal is to perfect the twelvefold Path of Dispassion, and that is also what my master hopes to see. My master is selfless. If one more person can perfect the twelvefold Path of Dispassion, then our Crimson Starshade civilization will become markedly stronger. Two masters of the twelvefold Path of Dispassion would be enough to deter most fishing civilizations from daring to touch us.

"However, my master has never considered the rest of us. All of us merely serve to complete one Jiu Wen. On what grounds? I can also strive to perfect the twelvefold Path of Dispassion as long as I overcome Jiu Wen’s blockade." The man’s eyes blazed as he stared at Lu Yin. "Mr. Lu, helping me is helping you. Cooperate with me. If you help me break past the blockade that Jiu Wen has placed on the Path of Dispassion, then I can promise you that, once I surpass him, your own human civilization will be free and that you may do as you wish. Our Crimson Starshade Civilization will never interfere with your civilization’s choices.

"If you do not cooperate with me, you will certainly lose this wager, and your civilization will be forced to make contact with Crimson Starshade. Jiu Wen will not mind expanding his Path of Dispassion even further. It may mean nothing to him, but can you accept it?

"Cultivating the Path of Dispassion is cruel and utterly inhuman. You simply cannot accept it."

Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. Jiu Wen already knew the location of Lu Yin’s civilization, but he had not acted for so long because it meant nothing to him. The Path of Dispassion could encompass Crimson Starshade, and it could be expanded as he so chose. Was that really the case?

According to Ji He, if Lu Yin’s Human Trio was discovered now, then before Jiu Wen’s Path of Dispassion encompassed everything there, many people would be able to break free from the blockade that he had placed on the Path of Dispassion, which would be unfavorable to Jiu Wen.

"Then according to your story, Jiu Wen should be trying to lose this wager."

"Wrong. He cares nothing about losing or winning. In fact, even if he learns of the existence of the civilization behind you, he may not necessarily tell everyone."

Lu Yin understood. There were things that Jiu Wen might not care about; he might be able to go on without them, allowing them to persist, but he would never allow another to use them.

"I can simply reveal the coordinates to the entire Crimson Starshade Civilization," Lu Yin said.

Ji He gave a mocking smile. "You won’t do that."

Lu Yin frowned. "Why not? From the very beginning, I planned on revealing the location of my civilization to your entire civilization if I lost this wager."

Ji He shook his head. "Believe me, you will not do that. When the time comes, Jiu Wen will let you know why you should not. Of course, I can also let you know in advance."

The man’s face fell, yet a smile lingered in his eyes. It was a strange and eerie expression. "Go investigate Jiu Wen’s disciples, and you will find the answer."

"The Stonewall clan?"

"No. His other disciples."

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed.

Ji He left, but before that, he reminded Lu Yin to consider things carefully. The next time they met, the Immortal would need his answer.

Also, he told Lu Yin to consider the attitude that Bing Xu and the others showed towards Jiu Wen.

Lu Yin sat in Canglan Valley, going over everything that Ji He had said.

Jiu Wen and Ji He presented two completely opposing accounts. One said that he had been forced to cultivate the Path of Dispassion and that, although the Path of Dispassion was ruthless, it could still distinguish between right and wrong. That same man had promised to honor the wager, but he had also allowed the people of Canglan Valley to be killed. In all appearances, he was at least open and aboveboard.

The other claimed that Jiu Wen had created the current mainstream Path of Dispassion, was the architect behind the Path of Dispassion that Crimson Starshade cultivated, and sought to perfect the twelvefold Path of Dispassion at the cost of the entire Crimson Starshade Civilization’s cultivation. That painted a picture of an extremely hypocritical person.

To know the truth, Lu Yin could simply look with karma, but neither man was someone whom Lu Yin could examine with karma. They were just as strong as he was, and this was not yet the time to reveal his mastery of karma.

Ji He wanted to cooperate with Lu Yin and go cultivate in his native civilization. Lu Yin was not opposed to that at all, and he even looked forward to it. He would take the man away, but not yet.

He had not yet gotten a clear picture of the relationship between Jiu Wen and Green Lotus. Rashly taking Ji He away would be unwise. The man could not possibly know about the previous connection between the two human civilizations.

Ji He had told Lu Yin to look into Jiu Wen’s disciples, and he had also reminded him about the attitude that Bing Xu and the other Immortals showed towards Jiu Wen.

Their attitudes certainly did warrant consideration. They were not ordinary people, but rather experts who followed the Path of Dispassion. Despite that, they were all very respectful of Jiu Wen. Even when they were disrespectful, Jiu Wen simply suppressed them, and they did not dare to resist.

The old man’s authority was grim and crushing.

Lu Yin soon left Canglan Valley and went to find Elder Qiu. Their destination was Floral City.

Floral City was Xie Man’s city. Lu Yin had already read through many clan’s archives and records, so next, he was going to examine the records left by those who had lived for a long time. People like Xie Man, who was a Sixfold Crimson with very high status, were particularly valuable. It was very likely that she knew certain secrets and rumors.

There were many things that could not be recorded openly, and so it was necessary to hunt down clues in person.

First, Lu Yin asked Elder Qiu about Jiu Wen’s disciples.

"Disciples? The Stonewall clan?" Elder Qiu was puzzled. Had they not already gone to see them?

The old man was very respectful towards Lu Yin, as he was a powerhouse who had beaten Bing Xu like a stray dog and torn open his Umbrella Dominion with one hand. That was a scene that Elder Qiu would never forget for the rest of his life. He firmly believed that the entire Crimson Starshade Civilization would never forget it either.

He had read the clan records of various families, and he knew that those records would all have this incident added to them. This was someone who had already been added to history.

Lu Yin asked. "How many disciples does Jiu Wen have?"

Elder Qiu replied respectfully, "None. Ba Yue might count as half a disciple, but the rest have all already passed away."

Lu Yin had asked this question before when they first left the Stonewall clan, and Elder Qiu had given the same answer as just now.

Lu Yin looked at Elder Qiu. "How many disciples did he once have?"

Elder Qiu’s eyes flickered. "I do not know. After all, Sect Master Jiu Wen has lived for a very long time, and his affairs are not something that people like us can pry into."

"Then tell me what you do know."

"Why are you asking about this, Mr. Lu?"

"Out of curiosity."

Elder Qiu hesitated. "The truth is that all of Sect Master Jiu Wen’s disciples have already died, so there is nothing to talk about."

"Then take me to their clans."

"Aside from the Stonewall clan, I truly do not know of any others," Elder Qiu replied.

Lu Yin stared at the old man, his expression calm.

Faced with the blank stare, Elder Qiu bowed low. "I beg you not to make things difficult for this lowly one, Mr. Lu."

"Make things difficult?"

"Since you are asking about this, you must have heard something, but it is forbidden to speak of this matter. I beg you to not make things difficult for me."

Lu Yin’s voice grew cold. "If I want to know something, I will know it."

Elder Qiu’s face grew pale, and he suddenly dropped to his knees. "I still beg you to not make things difficult for this lowly one."

Lu Yin stared at the old man. "Are you that afraid? Afraid of me, or afraid of Jiu Wen?"

Elder Qiu did not dare answer and lowered his head even further. He had not expected to be asked about this matter. It was a taboo for their entire civilization. Even Immortals like Bing Xu and the others would not dare to speak of it recklessly. How did Mr. Lu know about it?

"If this matter is a taboo, why did you dare to take me to visit the Stonewall clan? Were you not afraid that I would ask this same question?"

Elder Qiu’s voice was hoarse. "No one will touch this question. This matter has already fallen outside of everyone’s awareness."

Lu Yin studied Elder Qiu in silence. Ji He’s words had struck true. A taboo? Then it could only mean that Jiu Wen had deliberately turned this matter into one. So many years had passed that it had been erased from the civilization’s collective awareness. People no longer even considered it, subconsciously treating it as something that did not exist and believing that none of their actions could ever be connected to it.

When Lu Yin had first left the Stonewall clan, he had asked Elder Qiu about Jiu Wen’s disciples. The old man had answered quite casually, with no indication of anything being amiss. It had been so natural that Lu Yin had not noticed anything at all.

When he had just asked again, the answer had still been completely natural.

The more natural the response, the more taboo the matter at hand. It was something so forbidden that people had simply forgotten about it. If Lu Yin had not repeatedly pressed the matter, Elder Qiu would not have reacted this way.

When someone hides a secret, they become nervous when others approach it. But if they themselves forgot about the secret, then it would be impossible for anyone to learn about it.

From Elder Qiu’s attitude alone, Lu Yin could tell that the entire civilization was helping Jiu Wen forget about this matter, or rather, conceal it.

Karma coiled around Lu Yin’s fingertips and then pierced Elder Qiu.

The old man was startled. He did not know what had stabbed into him, but he did not dare to move.

Lu Yin observed for a while, only to be disappointed. This matter had nothing to do with Elder Qiu. He merely knew of it, but he had not taken part. Given that it was not one of his own experiences, the matter could not be seen through karma, much less deduced.

"Get up. I was only asking casually."

Elder Qiu let out a breath. "Th- thank you, sir."

As he stood up, beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. He was badly shaken.

Lu Yin walked forward. "How much farther?"

"We’re very close. This lowly one will lead the way."

Elder Qiu was again visiting Floral City, but this time, he was leading Lu Yin.

Last time, the old man had been driven away by Xie Man, but he did not believe that she had the nerve to try that this time.

The singing in Floral City was beautiful, and Xie Man was beautiful as well. The woman in her arms was even more beautiful, but all of that beauty shattered in an instant.

When Xie Man saw Lu Yin standing outside Floral City, she felt pure absurdity at that moment. What is he doing here?

She dismissed the singing girls and hurried out of Floral City to greet Lu Yin. The people of Floral City also stood respectfully in place, none of them daring to move. "Xie Man greets you, Mr. Lu."

Lu Yin looked at the woman before him. "My apologies for the disturbance."