With a chuckle, Xu Xiangyin said, "The feud between the Void Yang and Void Yin clans has gone on for a very long time. Xu Heng and Xu Leng’s relationship is even a legendary tale in the Voidforce Universe, with many stories woven around it. Even so, you resolved their matter so quickly."
Lu Yin replied, "They only needed the chance to voice their grievances. I stumbled upon them by accident. Many people should understand the issue better than I do even now, but they just didn’t have the chance to step in."
Xu Xiangyin continued, "Regardless, you’ve resolved the trouble that laid between the Void Yang and Void Yin clans for so long. In the future, they will become your greatest backers in this Voidforce Universe. Even if they are both Void Morphora for now, they are able to combine their strengths with their clans’ techniques to become the equal of a Void Suprema. What I’m saying is that you have a Void Suprema backing you here in the Voidforce Universe. Along with having Senior Xu Wuwei guiding you, I'll be the one who needs you to look after me in the Voidforce Universe, haha."
Lu Yin showed a bitter smile. "Senior, stop teasing me. I still don't know what sort of attitude Senior Xu Wuwei's will show towards me."
Xu Xiangyin tried to reassure the young man. "Senior has a broad mind. Even if he does not like you, he won't treat you poorly. Since he is now your guide, he will definitely teach you wholeheartedly. Don’t worry."
"When were you allowed to gossip about me, kid?" A voice that carried the vicissitudes of life rang out.
Xu Xiangyin whirled around, startled to see Xu Wuwei standing behind him, holding a drink.
"Junior Xu Xiangyin greets Senior.”
"Junior Xuan Qi greets Senior."
Xu Wuwei sipped a bit of his drink and let out a breath of satisfaction. "Tastes pretty good."
He dismissed Xu Xiangyin with a wave of his hand. "Leave us."
Xu Xiangyin knew what to do, and he quickly took his leave, abandoning Xuan Qi to Xu Wuwei.
Xu Wuwei moved closer to Lu Yin and then circled him once. Lu Yin started to feel rather uneasy.
"Not bad, kid. You even managed to cross the Void Pass. You certainly have some skills," Xu Wuwei praised.
Lu Yin bowed. "This junior took some liberties in asking Senior to act as my guide. Please forgive me, Senior."
Xu Wuwei chuckled sardonically. "Why didn't you become Lord Xu's disciple?"
Lu Yin started to answer, but then he hesitated.
"Have you met Lord Xu?" Xu Wuwei inquired.
Lu Yin nodded in confirmation.
Xu Wuwei took another sip of his drink. "You’ve concealed your original cultivation and strength and held impure intentions. Disappointed by how things have turned out, lad? The chance of having Lord Xu become your master was already cut off for you. If not, your status would have instantly become equal to that of He Ran or Bai Qian.”
"That's the true peak of status. Are you uncomfortable, finding that you are unable to reach that level?"
Lu Yin straightened up. "Yes."
Xu Wuwei rolled his eyes. "Well, at least you can be honest."
Lu Yin forced a bitter smile. "I can't hide anything from you, Senior."
"It’s good that you know that," Xu Wuwei replied before taking another sip of his drink. "Given your other motivations, wouldn't it have been better for you to take another peak powerhouse as your master? Xu Wuji is quite good, so why are you so determined to have your path cross mine?"
"I wish to learn from you, Senior."
Xu Wuwei stared into Lu Yin's eyes. "Something's not right."
Lu Yin's heart skipped a beat as he met Xu Wuwei's eyes.
It took a while before Xu Wuwei spoke again, "Your cultivation is very impressive. To reach such a level by such a young age, you must have a master."
Lu Yin's eyes flickered, but he remained silent as Xu Wuwei continued, "Your master isn't someone simple, are they?"
Lu Yin nodded. "I do have a master."
Xu Wuwei continued to stare at Lu Yin. "Who your master is hardly matters at all. I doubt that they are a peak powerhouse, as if they were, the Transcendent Universe would not have failed to detect them, and you would have never been able to approach He Ran. In fact, you having a master is a secret. You gave up the chance to become the disciple of a peak powerhouse because of your master. Do you regret that choice?"
Lu Yin replied solemnly, "There's no reason for any regret. My master has treated me like a son and saved my life, in addition guiding my cultivation. I don't mind admitting to you, Senior, that it was not because Lord Xu saw through my secrets that I do not wish to have him as my master. For someone like Lord Xu, whether or not I try to keep things hidden from him is irrelevant."
Xu Wuwei raised an eyebrow.
Lu Yin continued, "I turned down the chance to become Lord Xu's disciple because I already have a master. Regardless of my master's level of strength, I will never consider acknowledging another as my master, not even Lord Xu."
Xu Wuwei stared at Lu Yin for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
Lu Yin shrugged. "Believe it or not. It’s the truth."
Xu Wuwei scoffed at the youth. "Do what you want. After all, I'm not your master, but merely your guide. My only role is to help you cultivate voidforce energy. I will not interfere or get involved in anything else, though I do suggest that you keep your schemes to yourself. If you try any tricks, I'll be the first to put you down."
Lu Yin nodded. With how things had developed, he decided to forgo the traditional formal bow. "In that case, thank you, Senior."
Xu Wuwei chuckled. Suddenly, voidforce energy completely surrounded them, and somehow, the void instantly seemed to be inverted. Lu Yin suppressed his urge to retaliate. After all, anything that he was capable of doing would be futile before Xu Wuwei's power.
"I will first take you to the Voidchaos Territory to find a voidforce puppet," Xu Wuwei explained.
Lu Yin quickly spoke up, "I already have a voidforce puppet, and it can even be used as my life-bound voidforce puppet."
Xu Wuwei froze, and immediately became curious. "You have a life-bound voidforce puppet? Show me."
Lu Yin certainly would not mind obtaining another puppet, but Lord Xu was already aware of his bone pike, and he had even personally placed voidforce energy inside the pike. If Lu Yin visited the Voidchaos Territory to obtain another voidforce puppet and Lord Xu learned of it, it might mean trouble for Lu Yin. He had no choice but to admit to what he had received.
He brought out the bone pike and handed it to Xu Wuwei.
Xu Wuwei appeared startled by the sight of the pike, and he quickly tossed the bone pike back to Lu Yin. "So, you really did meet Lord Xu."
Silently, Lu Yin put the weapon back away.
"The amount of voidforce energy contained within that voidforce puppet is rather terrifying, as it’s quite possibly equal to this old man's. That should be enough for you to cultivate until you become a peak powerhouse," Xu Wuwei explained as he observed Lu Yin. "It appears that Lord Xu favors you. I hope that you won't disappoint his expectations."
"I understand," Lu Yin responded.
Xu Wuwei moved over, "This has somewhat convinced me that you refused to take Lord Xu as your master because you already have one. Given the amount of voidforce energy that Lord Xu has given you, he doesn't seem at all bothered by your hidden cultivation."