At the same time, humanity had no idea that Yue Lu had temporarily given up on targeting them.
Lu Yin returned with a report about what he had learned in Vestigium. It was bad news for everyone, and it was deeply unsettling for their human civilization.
How long had humanity enjoyed peace for? And so soon, they were being targeted again.
No one believed that the strange bird had appeared by sheer coincidence. Something must have guided it over. If not, how could it have appeared specifically within their human civilization's territory given the endless vastness of the Aevum Inch?
Lu Yin agreed with that suspicion, but he could not determine who might have targeted them.
Lan Meng? It was not qualified. Furball? Possible, but the one who had targeted Ancestor Shan was the more likely candidate.
He specifically sought out Qing Cao to try to open communication with the mysterious Immortal from Obscura.
In fact, Lu Yin had already made several attempts to uncover the identity of that mysterious Immortal through Qing Cao, but Qing Cao himself claimed to not know who that Immortal was. He had also claimed that they might have left. Lu Yin had no way to proceed.
"Having encountered such a crisis twice, you should understand very well just how strong that strange bird is, Senior. I can tell you that that one is just the weakest from the Plume Immortal Civilization," Lu Yin stated. While he himself did not believe Che’s words, believing it to be nothing more than an attempt to incite panic, he could use it to pressure Qing Cao.
The man’s expression grew somber as he looked at Lu Yin. "I really can’t find that mysterious Immortal that you speak of."
Lu Yin frowned. “Senior, our situation is serious. Don’t force me to do something I don’t want to.”
Qing Cao said, “I wasn’t finished speaking. I may not be able to find that mysterious Immortal, but I can relay a message. What do you wish to say?”
Lu Yin stared at Qing Cao, studying the man for a while before softening his tone. "I want to know who was watching Ancestor Shan. It’s possible that that being led the bird here."
“Aren’t you afraid that the one who targeted Ancestor Shan might be the mysterious Immortal you wish to speak to?”
“If they dare to admit to it, I don’t mind having one more enemy.”
Qing Cao sighed. “You won’t get an answer.”
“That doesn’t matter. Just go ahead and ask.”
“Alright.”
Some years later, Lu Yin met Qing Cao again, hoping for an answer.
Throughout those years, humanity had remained on guard against the strange bird, but it had not appeared.
They refused to lower their guard. The longest period of time that bird had waited between its attacks so far was seven years, but to an Immortal, seven years was no different from seventy.
This was also why Lu Yin was anxious to get an answer. They could not remain on edge forever, as that would be too detrimental to humanity’s cultivation. Years had passed without him working on building the wall in his heart, as he was unable to calm his mind.
Qing Cao faced Lu Yin. “There’s no answer.”
Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed, and Qing Cao continued to say, “Even if you kill me, there’s no answer. I asked, but it was like a stone dropping into the sea. From the moment you joined Obscura, that being seems to have left. They may not have even received my messages.”
Lu Yin left without a single word.
More time passed. Ten years had gone by, and yet the strange bird still had not reappeared. Lu Yin and the others had not relaxed. In fact, they had grown even more vigilant.
The more time that passed without an attack, the more prepared they expected the bird to be. Its next ambush might not be as simple as the previous ones.
Soon, more than twenty years had gone by, and the strange bird still had not returned. They could only continue waiting.
Another ten years passed, and still nothing.
Lu Yin could not sit still any longer. He returned to Vestigium to test things further, but no matter what he said, Furball and the others refused to respond. It was possible that they were actually not even present in Vestigium.
Che was there, but Lu Yin did not want to even say a word to the Immortal. There was no point in interacting with someone who could not even be insulted.
Time rolled on. 100 years had passed since the last time the strange bird had attacked Qing Cao. During these years, they had spent the first few decades waiting, and so too with all the following decades.
100 years was nothing more than the blink of an eye for an Immortal.