Chapter 2843: Authority
No matter how suppressed Wang Jian might feel, ultimately, his only choice was to be conferred as a god. If he refused, he would become a champion. It made no difference to Lu Qi.
By staying alive, Wang Jian would at least be able to save his own branch of the Wang family.
After Wang Jian was conferred as a god, Lu Qi laughed. "Finally, hahahaha! I’ve never been able to confer another god after Progenitor Wen died. Old Wang Jian, you’re the first, haha."
Wang Jian felt even worse.
Wang Miaomiao glared at Lu Qi, but there was nothing that she could do to him. This was just his personality.
Lu Yin then arrived. "Father."
Lu Qi's expression instantly changed. In front of Lu Yin, the man’s personality completely turned around, and he took on a steady and dignified bearing. Of course, he also tried to be gentle towards his son. "Xiaoxuan, you are here. Where is Ancestor Tianyi?"
Lu Yin replied, "Ancestor said that he needs to talk to the Divine Eagle. He needs to ask it why it did nothing to help the Lu family."
Lu Qi reflexively looked up at the Dominion Realm. "Only Ancestor Tianyi and Ancestor Lu Yuan dare to do such a thing. The Divine Eagle is not easy to deal with."
The man then pointed to the Investiture of the Gods above his head. "Xiaoxuan, Dad heard that you’ve awakened your Investiture of the Gods. Now that you’re a Semi-Progenitor, you should be able to confer a god as well. Your dad will find one for you.”
A person could not be conferred as a god into more than one Investiture of the Gods. Once conferred, unless the member of the Lu family died, the person would not be able to be conferred again. If this were not the case, the Lu family would truly be invincible.
Lu Yin smiled. "I managed to confer a god a bit before I became a Semi-Progenitor."
Lu Qi's eyes lit up. "Really? That's fantastic! Your dad managed to confer a god while I was a Semi-Progenitor. You’re definitely better than your dad."
Lu Yin did not bring out his Investiture of the Gods, as he did not want to scare Lu Qi. After all, Lu Yin had already conferred six gods.
Wang Jian watched the conversation between Lu Qi and Lu Yin, feeling horribly wronged. Lu Qi acted like an arrogant madman before others, but he became as docile as a lamb in front of his son. It was utterly infuriating.
The rest of the people from the four ruling powers quietly watched from a distance, waiting to learn how Lu Yin intended to deal with them.
Out of everyone, Xia Ziheng was the most frightened. Still, when he thought back to Lu Yin’s promise, the man relaxed slightly.
Lu Yin turned to look at the people. He was familiar with almost all of them, aside from Wang Jian. However, Lu Yin had no interest in Wang Jian. Since Lu Qi had conferred the man rather than anointed him, it meant that Wang Jian had not been involved with the Lu family’s exile.
"Xiaoxuan, how do you suggest that we deal with these people?" Lu Qi asked.
In the past, aside from the patriarch, Lu Feng, and Ancestor Tianyi, Lu Qi had not been concerned about the opinions of others in the slightest, not even Lu Xiaoxuan.
However, Lu Yin had shouldered so many burdens for the sake of the Lu family that the entire Lu family felt a debt towards him, especially Lu Qi. When it came to Lu Yin, even though Lu Qi was the father, he wanted to do his best to foster a better relationship with him.
Lu Yin was not accustomed to being treated in this manner, but there was nothing to be done about it. Neither of them were very good at verbally expressing themselves, so it was fine to leave things how they were.
"Throw them into the Middle Ocean to guard the 100,000 currents." Lu Yin stated.
Lu Qi's eyes lit up and he gave Lu Yin a thumbs up. "What a great idea!"
Lu Yin was left speechless.
Within the crowd, Xia Ziheng heaved a sigh of relief. It would be better to die protecting the 100,000 currents. The four ruling powers were being completely suppressed by the Lu family because Bai Wangyuan and the other Progenitors were absent. When the four ruling powers’ Progenitors returned with the support of the Sixverse Association, the Lu family would suffer terribly. Xia Ziheng felt that it was fine to wait a bit.
Just as the man was thinking about this, Xia Ziheng suddenly noticed Lu Yin staring at him.
Lu Yin's eyes were smiling. "Xia Ziheng, stay here. Ancestor Tianyi wants to speak with you."
Xia Ziheng's pupils constricted, and his strength fled his body. He was overcome with an indescribable fear. He knew that this was not a good thing. This meant that the Lu family intended to settle his accounts.
Most of the people from the four ruling powers had not done much to persecute the Lu family, and if they had, they had merely followed orders. However, those who had previously held grudges against the Lu family were different, and Xia Ziheng had been one of those people.
Lu Qi turned to look at Xia Ziheng. "Old man, you’re here too? If Xiaoxuan hadn’t pointed you out, I would have forgotten all about you."
Lu Yin grew curious. "You know him, Father?"
Lu Qi sneered. "I'm quite familiar with him. That old man slandered my Lu family many times in the past, though always in secret. I caught him once and taught him a lesson, and he behaved himself from then on. Xiaoxuan, why are you singling him out? Did he do something particularly outrageous?"
Lu Yin's eyes turned cold. "Father, I can still remember the old servant from my childhood. He was the one who was always there to comfort me whenever I fell."
Lu Qi's expression instantly changed. "What happened to him? Right, I didn’t see him with the others when we returned. Could he have...?"
Lu Yin shared the old servant’s story.
Lu Qi's expression clouded over as he listened, and his eyes blazed with killing intent as he glared at Xia Ziheng.
Xia Ziheng was overcome with a terrible chill. "Lu Xiaoxuan, you promised that you would never attack me in any way! We made a deal! Are you reneging on your word?"
Lu Yin stared at the man. "I won't attack you, but even if I said nothing about what you did, my family would still learn of it during their investigations. Xia Ziheng, I have tolerated you for long enough."
Xia Ziheng jumped up, wanting to escape, but he was casually overpowered by Lu Qi, who simply slapped the man into the ground, crushing all of Xia Ziheng’s bones.
Lu Qi was actually quite gentle, as otherwise, Xia Ziheng would have died immediately.
"Killing you now would be showing you mercy. Old man, you need to slowly pay off the debt that you owe my Lu family."
Lu Yin left, making his way towards Dragon Mountain.
Lu Tianyi had lost all interest in the four ruling powers’ White Dragon Clan after learning of Progenitor Long’s death. There had only been one Progenitor in the entire White Dragon Clan, and Progenitor Long had been responsible for coercing the Python Ancestor to send the Lu Sanctum out of the Higher Realm, not the White Dragon Clan as a whole.
Since there was nothing to do with the Lu family, Lu Tianyi had no interest in visiting Dragon Mountain.
On the other hand, Lu Yin was different. Dragon Mountain was where Long Xi lived, and Progenitor Long’s strange eye that Lu Yin had given to Long Xi was there was well.
...
As the four ruling powers dropped down to the Middle Realm, one by one, the atmosphere on Dragon Mountain grew heavy.
Grand Elder Ni Huang and the White Dragon Clan quietly stood there, waiting for the arrival of the Lu family.
No one from the White Dragon Clan spoke.
Long Tian and Long Xi both stood behind Long Laogui. At the front, Grand Elder Ni Huang’s formidable aura pressed down, leaving Long Laogui very uncomfortable.
It was the aura of Progenitor Long. His special eye had granted Grand Elder Ni Huang the combat strength to fight against a Progenitor-level corpse king. If not for that, the White Dragon Clan would have suffered heavy casualties when Aeternus attacked.
The Lu Sanctum arrived, covering the sky and blocking the sun.
A delegation from the Lu family looked down at Dragon Mountain, their eyes fierce as the golden mountain smashed the highest peak of Dragon Mountain. The impact caused everyone on Dragon Mountain to tremble even deep down in their hearts.
Even if Grand Elder Ni Huang was capable of fighting against a Progenitor, what would happen if he went against the Lu Sanctum? The Lu family’s powerhouses were nothing like other Progenitors.
The White Dragon Clan all bowed their heads as the golden light shrouded them all.
Only Long Tian, Long Xi, and a few others dared to look up.
On the Lu Sanctum, an old woman looked down at Long Tian, and her eyes widened. "Presumptuous!"
"Presumptuous!"
"Presumptuous!"
Long Tian swayed on his feet, and he almost coughed up blood. While the Lu family only had three Progenitors, they had many Semi-Progenitors. Even if those Semi-Progenitors had not awakened the Investiture of the Gods or the Champions’ Stage, they were still incomparable to ordinary Semi-Progenitors, especially after countless years of accumulation. In comparison, Long Tian was nothing.
Long Laogui pulled Long Tian over as he looked up at the Lu Sanctum and at the old woman. The old man’s face was pale as he slowly bowed. "Greetings, Senior."
The old woman looked down at Long Laogui. "Shameful traitors! If not for the young master’s kindness, we would simply execute all of you!"
Everyone in the White Dragon Clan was terrified. Even with Grand Elder Ni Huang before them, no one doubted the old woman's words.
This was the power of the Lu Sanctum. Even without any Progenitors present, they still had the confidence to make such a declaration.
No one from the White Dragon Clan, not even Grand Elder Ni Huang, spoke back. Everyone was silenced by the Lu Sanctum.
Lu Yin soon arrived by tearing through the void. He appeared only a hundred meters away from Grand Elder Ni Huang.
With the backdrop of the golden light, Lu Yin’s shadow seemed to sever Dragon Mountain in two.
Grand Elder Ni Huang instantly wanted to restrain his aura, but with a single step forward, Lu Yin shattered it completely.
Grand Elder Ni Huang was horrified. He was still unable to fully control the increased strength from the strange eye, but even if he had, it would have been useless against Lu Yin.
The boy had the power to completely overwhelm the old man.
"It's quite neat," Lu Yin calmly stated.
Grand Elder Ni Huang took a deep breath, and then slowly bowed, "The White Dragon Clan seeks the Lu family’s guidance."
"We seek the Lu family’s guidance."
"We seek the Lu family’s guidance."
...
Lu Yin clasped his hands behind his back and glanced at the faces of the various members of the White Dragon Clan. He noticed Long Tian's reluctance, Xiao Qing’s panic, Long Zhang’s fear, and many other people’s roiling emotions. Everyone was awaiting the verdict that would determine their fate.
The rest of the four ruling powers had been banished from the Higher Realm, and Dragon Mountain would suffer the same fate.
Lu Yin's eyes fell on Grand Elder Ni Huang. "Is that strange eye fine for you to use?"
Grand Elder Ni Huang stepped forward and offered another deep bow to Lu Yin. "If not for the young master, the White Dragon Clan might have been destroyed. The young master’s kindness knows no bounds. Please accept Ni Huang’s deepest gratitude."
With that, Grand Elder Ni Huang bowed yet again.
He was not alone, as everyone from the entire White Dragon Clan bowed low.
A smile spread across Lu Yin's face. "I don't care if your White Dragon Clan is wiped out."
Grand Elder Ni Huang was startled by these words, and he maintained his bowed posture, not moving at all.
Long Tian stood back up, wanting to say something, but a beam of golden light shot out from the Lu Sanctum, instantly pressing him to the ground.
No one else dared to move without permission. Everyone continued to bow to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin continued in an indifferent tone. "I may have saved you, but I feel deeply apologetic to all of those who sacrificed their lives for my Lu family. How many people died to protect me? You should understand full well just how much my Lu family hates you.
"Don't try to make what I did sound noble. I never meant to save any of you. Rather, I was just saving Long Xi."
Long Xi's body trembled, though she said nothing. She was also bowing to Lu Yin.
Lu Yin looked over at her. "Out of the entire White Dragon Clan, she alone pitied my Lu family. She alone had been kind and affectionate towards me. She alone helped me without any hesitation, even after learning of my true identity. I gave the strange eye to her, no one else.
"White Dragon Clan, let me be perfectly clear. To me, the White Dragon Clan and Long Xi are two different concepts."
The members of the White Dragon Clan maintained their bows. No one dared to move.
Another beam of light fell, but this one gently raised Long Xi back up.
Once again, Long Xi felt the light of the Lu family. It was such a familiar and nostalgic feeling. She lifted her head to look at Lu Yin. "If those are the young master’s words, may I intercede with you on behalf of the White Dragon Clan?"
Lu Yin looked at Long Xi. "Fine."
"Young Master, please allow my White Dragon Clan to go to the Lower Realm. From this day forward, our White Dragon Clan will obey only the Lu family, and none will dare to disobey the Lu family's orders. Even if we are ordered to our deaths, we, the White Dragon Clan, will pay for our past sins."
The expressions of Grand Elder Ni Huang and the others did not change at all. Long Xi had already mentioned that she wanted the White Dragon Clan to descend to the Lower Realm, but that had been right after Progenitor Long’s death. At that same time, the Celestial Frost Sect and the other two ruling powers had offered beautiful platitudes and assurances, promising to never abandon the White Dragon Clan. The White Dragon Clan had wanted to stay in the four ruling powers, and so they had remained in the Higher Realm.
However, as time passed, the true intentions of the other three had been revealed, and the White Dragon Clan had seen through their falsehoods.