Yuan Qi had already betrayed the Spirit Nidus. His actions meant that it was impossible for the Spirit Nidus to accept him, even if he was able to eventually explain himself. Since he knew about the Lesser Spirit Megaverse, the High Seraph was guaranteed to find a way to eliminate Yuan Qi, likely in some manner that prevented him from ever explaining anything. The man’s only path to survival was with Lu Yin’s protection. That meant that Yuan Qi had to do whatever Lu Yin asked. "Do you recognize this young man?"
Cai Jun stared out at Cai Bi, hatred blossoming in the young man’s eyes.
Cai Bi looked at Cai Jun, and the patriarch’s pupils contracted. "Cai Jun?"
Down below, Cai Junhao and Cai Junyi saw Cai Jun standing on Boundless’s bow, and their faces turned pale from shock.
How was this possible? Why was Cai Jun still alive? Why was he on Boundless? What connection could he possibly have to Seraph Yuan Qi?
Cai Junhao was dumbfounded, and his thoughts were in turmoil. His worst fear had just come true. Boundless was in the Cai Domain because of Cai Jun. But how could that be? A mere descendant of some branch of the Cai family, someone who should have died in the Aevum Inch, had gained a connection to a Seraph and brought Boundless to the Cai family’s doorstep. Why? What gives him the right?
No one could answer Cai Junhao's questions. Cai Bi was wondering the same thing at this moment, as nothing else seemed quite as important.
Just what qualified Cai Jun?
How could someone as insignificant as him have gained Boundless’s attention?
The patriarch turned back to Yuan Qi. "Senior, why is Cai Jun on Boundless?"
Yuan Qi clasped his hand behind his back. He said nothing at all.
Cai Jun gritted his teeth as he stared at Cai Bi. "Patriarch, it’s been a long time."
Cai Bi met the young man’s gaze and saw the bloodlust in his eyes. The patriarch’s mind raced, and he quickly changed his expression to that of concern and confusion. "Junhao and Junyi returned long ago. Why didn’t you return with them, Little Jun? Why are you on Boundless? What happened?"
The sight of Cai Bi’s feigned concern caused Cai Jun to laugh. He laughed long and loud, but his laughter rang with scorn.
Cai Bi’s fingers twitched. He wanted to do nothing more than simply kill Cai Jun, but at this moment, the only option was to continue the act.
“Little Jun, what happened? Why are you laughing?”
Cai Jun laughed louder than ever. "Oh, Patriarch, your hypocrisy is disgusting! It’s so bad that it makes me want to puke."
Cai Bi continued to look confused. "Little Jun, what do you mean? What happened? Could there be some sort of misunderstanding?"
Cai Jun sneered. "Don't tell me you don’t know what your precious children did! They wanted what belonged to my parents, and they’ve always looked down on us branch family members, using us. After my parents died in the Consciousness Megaverse, Cai Junhao and Cai Junyi threw me off the ship while traveling through the Aevum Inch, leaving me to fend for myself. Cai Bi, you've raised admirable children."
Cai Bi roared angrily. "Something like that happened? Don’t worry, Little Jun! The Cai family will never tolerate such behavior. If what you say is true, I will kill them myself in order to maintain our family’s reputation!"
"You would execute your own children for a member of a branch family like me?" Cai Jun mocked.
Cai Bi gritted his teeth. "It’s not for you, but for our family’s honor. The Cai family will never tolerate internal scheming and sabotaging fellow family members, much less stealing the treasures of those who have served us and accomplished great deeds."
The man looked downwards. "Little Jun, come with me. I’ll give you a proper explanation."
"That won't be necessary," Yuan Qi stated coldly. "Those two are already on Boundless."
Cai Bi's face turned ashen. Were Junhao and Junyi already on Boundless? When had that happened?
On Boundless, rain fell in the Rain Observatory, splashing onto the stone pavement, as well as onto Cai Junhao and Cai Junyi.
They were cultivators, and yet this rain still chilled them to the bone.
The two were standing in front of Lu Yin, terror etched into their expressions as they stared at him.
They had no idea how they had ended up in a different place. There had been no trace of any movement or transfer, and no one from the Cai family had been able to stop it.
Pressure radiated from the young man in front of them. It exceeded anything they had felt, even from their ancestor, Cai Sandao. It reflected unimaginable strength.
Lu Yin observed the two with a great deal of interest, but he did not ask any questions. The Cai family needed to pay a price. Everything happening now was about building a reputation. How else would desperate people even consider the Grandverse Manor?
Cai Bi suppressed his fear as he looked at Yuan Qi. "Since Junhao and Junyi are already on Boundless, this matter should be resolved face-to-face."
The man then looked at Cai Jun. "Little Jun, I will leave them for you to deal with. If they truly did wrong you, do not hold back. Consider your actions to be upholding our family’s honor."
Cai Jun scoffed.
In order to save the Cai family, Cai Bi had given his own children to the wolves. His heart bled, but he had no choice. Against the monster that was Boundless, the Cai family was far too weak.
So what if they had Ancestor Cai Sandao? A mere pet from Boundless had torn Threeheaded Fiend apart, and that creature had been confident enough to pursue the title of Seraph and had challenged Yuan Qi. Cai Sandao could not compare at all.
The White Spirit List represented future potential, not present strength.
Unless Cai Sandao became an Ortuser, he would not be qualified to try to negotiate with Boundless.
What Cai Bi did not know was that Cai Sandao was even more terrified at this moment. He had personally witnessed the people from Boundless slaughter the defenders at the boundary. Even Seraph Yi had only barely escaped.
The High Seraph had never gotten involved at all.
There were terrible secrets concealed in recent events. Cai Sandao knew that much, but he did not dare to consider things any more deeply than that.
The fact that Boundless had arrived for the sake of getting justice for a mere child made Cai Sandao wish that he could simply erase Cai Bi’s entire line, just to make Boundless leave faster.
“I’ve heard that the Cai family has someone named Cai Sandao, who’s ranked ninth on the White Spirit List. Have him come out,” Lu Yin’s voice echoed out from Boundless.
Cai Bi reflexively glanced into the depths of the vessel, but he was unable to see anyone.
The voice had sounded young, and yet it had also carried an inexplicable sense of authority, which made Cai Bi feel quite uneasy.
Who could that voice belong to?
Yuan Qi looked out, his eyes scanning the Cai family’s territory as he sternly called out, “Cai Sandao, step forth!”
All of the watching people, both those openly observing and those hidden, watched with schadenfreude. Cai Sandao was about to be incredibly unlucky. For years, the Cai family had monopolized the Cai Domain, all thanks to Cai Sandao. This had incited envy in many people. If Cai Sandao successfully broke through to the Origin realm, the Cai family’s status would rise even further.
However, since Cai Sandao had drawn the attention of Boundless, his luck had run out.
In contrast, Cai Bi heaved a sigh of relief. With Ancestor Cai Sandao making an appearance, Cai Bi would be relieved of his burden.