Lu Yin's expression grew solemn. "How big is the Transcendent Universe?"
Zi Jing took a deep breath. "Very. It's not much smaller than the combined size of the Fifth Mainland and the Perennial World."
Lu Yin was taken aback. "Despite their size, they were still able to analyze all matter and energy in their universe?"
"That's precisely why the Transcendent Universe is so remarkable. Despite being a cultivation wasteland, it still managed to become one of the six members of the Sixverse Association," Zi Jing explained.
"I fled from the Transcendent Universe and stumbled into the Fifth Mainland by chance. I thought that the Transcendent Universe would never find me here, but after coming here and learning about the Fifth Mainland, I realized that it was only a matter of time…" Zi Jing sighed. "This universe has a profound history that exceeds anything that I could have imagined. As you grow stronger, Dao Monarch, you will inevitably interact with the Transcendent Universe. That's why I provided you with the battlefield navigation system in exchange for your promise."
Lu Yin silently listened.
"Despite knowing that this universe will one day make contact with the Transcendent Universe, I still didn't expect it to happen so soon. I don't understand why I was located a few days ago, but now that the Transcendent Universe has found me, they will undoubtedly try to capture me and take me back."
Zi Jing rose to her feet to bow deeply to Lu Yin. "Let me formally introduce myself. I am Zi Jing, the deputy leader of the Transcendent Universe’s Energy Research Group. I greet the Dao Monarch."
Lu Yin stared as Zi Jing maintained her bow.
Are you important to them?" He asked.
"Extremely. While my skills are not the best, they are absolutely essential. Without me, they will have to spend a much longer time developing their technology, and there is also no guarantee that they will ever make a breakthrough. The fact that I was able to do so was due to sheer luck," Zi Jing explained.
Lu Yin understood. "Is the battlefield navigation system their technology?"
"It's a technology that we accidentally developed and simulated in the Energy Research Group, which was later applied in the Transcendent Universe. I was one of the developers," Zi Jing said.
"No wonder you created the network to connect the entire Fifth Mainland after arriving here. For someone like you, not having access to a unified network must have been like living in a remote mountain village."
Zi Jing maintained her deep bow without saying a word.
Lu Yin suddenly raised his hand and drew an image in the air. It was of the two young men who had accompanied Sage Yuan. "Look at this. Do you recognize them?"
Zi Jing looked up, and the moment she saw the man who had worn the blue and white metal outfit, she exclaimed, "He Shu?"
Lu Yin let out a breath. Her recognition of the man had solved the mystery of how she had been found.
It should have been impossible for Zi Jing to be located from among the countless parallel universes, not unless her pursuers had been unbelievably lucky. Since they had managed to suddenly locate Zi Jing, the only possibility that Lu Yin could come up with was Sage Yuan's group, especially the young man who had worn a lens over his eye. His style of dress and the tool over his right eye had made him stand out, and the lens had looked quite similar to the battlefield navigation system and power-level testing devices that Lu Yin was familiar with, which was why it had caught his attention.
"No wonder I was found. He Shu must have detected that the Fifth Mainland has a battlefield navigation system, which would have confirmed my presence here. That was how I was located." Zi Jing came to the same conclusion.
Lu Yin was taken aback. "Can the Transcendent Universe locate our universe?"
Zi Jing replied, "The Transcendent Universe has developed cultivation technologies that reach beyond their universe. No other universe possesses a comparable technology. However, that particular technology can only locate someone. To actually travel over, the spatial coordinates are still required, but that is not a difficult task for the Transcendent Universe. The members of the Sixverse Association have each others' spatial coordinates, so it is also possible for them to come to our universe."
Over the next few hours, Lu Yin asked many more questions about the Transcendent Universe. The more he heard, the more interested he became in the universe. If Zi Jing was not exaggerating, then the cultivation technologies that the universe possessed could allow humans to undergo a complete transformation, just like what microarray technology had done.
After a while, Lu Yin reached for his teacup again. "Since I promised to protect you, I won’t break that promise. But-" He paused as he stared at Zi Jing while thinking for a moment. "What sort of punishment will you face if you return to the Transcendent Universe? Why did you flee from them in the first place?"
Zi Jing understood Lu Yin’s line of thought. "Do you want to visit the Transcendent Universe, Dao Monarch?"
Lu Yin's eyes lit up. "We know nothing about the Sixverse Association, while they are able to watch our every move. We are in too passive a position."
Zi Jing pondered, "If the Dao Monarch really wants to visit the Transcendent Universe, then you will need to be prepared, or at least ensure a way to return."
Lu Yin replied, "You don't need to worry about that. I already have a plan."
The coordinate seal to the parallel universe with Aeternus Nation was able to hold more than just a single person’s trace as a locator. He could easily get someone who had been born in the Fifth Mainland to leave a trace on the coordinate seal, and with that, he would be able to use the seal himself to locate Aeternus Nation, and then the other person’s ability to return to the Fifth Mainland.
"What about you? What sort of punishment will you face if you return to the Transcendent Universe?" Lu Yin asked. He did not want Zi Jing to die.
Zi Jing replied, "Imprisonment, coercion, and intimidation."
"But you won't die, right?"
"No, they need me. They will do everything in their power to take me back to that universe."
Lu Yin nodded. "Can you find the Transcendent Universe from among the numerous parallel universes?"
"Yes, I can find it."
"How quickly will people from the Transcendent Universe arrive here?"
"Very soon."
Lu Yin told Zi Jing to return to her own home, as he believed that it would be safer for her to remain in the Heavens Sect. People from the Transcendent Universe might not dare to look for her there.
After making arrangements for Zi Jing, Lu Yin went to visit Arch-Elder Zen and then led the man to Aeternus Nation so that he could leave his own mark on the coordinate seal. Qing Ping was also taken there to do the same thing. He also asked the two men to regularly visit Aeternus Nation to see if he had returned.
Two people were more reliable than one.
After that, Lu Yin started to organize various arrangements in the Fifth Mainland. There was no need to publicly announce that he was going into seclusion. After all, if he was too transparent about his actions, it might actually look more suspicious.
Before leaving, Lu Yin also visited Sapling. Sapling was delighted to see Lu Yin, and he happily played with the tree for a bit.
The Perennial World was quiet for the moment. The four ruling powers had to be discussing how they would handle reinitiating the war against Aeternus. The Sixverse Association would surely pressure them into doing something, but that did not bother Lu Yin. Sage Yuan’s attitude also was not enough to affect him.
The only thing that he was worried about was Shenwu Continent’s situation. Lu Yin was afraid that the Three Monarchs Universe might be able to force the passage open, which would result in the three Monarchs and Xia Shenji entering the Fifth Mainland.
Fortunately, with Arch-Elder Zen taking charge there and Lu Yin’s Senior Brother Mu Xie offering his support, Lu Yin felt much more at ease.
With all of his preparations made, Lu Yin went to Zi Jing's home in CyNet World in the Neoverse to quietly await the arrival of someone from the Transcendent Universe.
Nothing had changed within CyNet World, and business continued as usual.
However, after arriving, Lu Yin was reminded of someone: Bai Qian.
"Where is Bai Qian?" Lu Yin asked.
"She first went to the Perennial World, but then she went to the Transcendent Universe."