With Lu Huai’s ability to teleport combined with others’ Mirrorlight Art, Lu Yin estimated that they would complete the mission in about 100 years.
This was only a three-star mission for mapping a star chart. For Immortals without the ability to teleport or even the Mirrorlight Art, it would take a very long time to complete it. However, the greatest advantage of this mission was the relative safety, and time meant little to Immortals. Compared to capturing a branch of the River of Aeons, anyone would prefer this kind of mission.
The danger came from the fact that they were operating in an unfamiliar region, and no one knew what they might encounter. Thus, after Lu Huai and the others stayed behind to map the star chart, Lu Yin would return to check on them once every few years. In this way, 100 years passed.
During this century, Ancestor Lu Yuan’s group completed the star chart that extended in a fifty years’ travel radius from the Human Trio. Their efficiency was higher than Lu Huai’s group, though Lu Huai’s side was also nearly finished with their task.
Mapping star charts naturally led to the discovery of megaverses. They discovered several megaverses, and Lu Yin absorbed more green lights from those megaverses’ Mother Trees.
There was also another gain: a piece of black armor.
While mapping their star chart, Ancestor Lu Yuan’s group had discovered a piece of black armor floating along. It was an entirely unexpected harvest.
This piece recorded a conjecture once heard by Ancestor Shan:
Does every creature perceive the Aevum Inch the same way, or does each see something different? When a creature makes a choice, is it based on what is commonly accepted as reason, or on its own understanding of reason? What we call right and wrong is nothing more than a choice in how that “reason” is perceived. All things in the universe evolve from a most fundamental substance. If such a substance exists, would it mean that everything in the universe could be created from it?
These were the conjectures of a senior I greatly respect. That senior’s knowledge reached the heavens, and his understanding of the Aevum Inch was beyond compare. Even now, I cannot tell whether these words are speculation or guidance. Still, I write them down as a remembrance of that senior. Whether they are right or wrong is of no consequence.
That was all that was written on the piece of armor. It was somewhat disappointing, as it had absolutely nothing concerning human civilization, but it was not entirely disappointing either.
The Aevum Inch was boundless, and that meant that even Immortals could only speculate about its true nature. Many speculations from the past had proven correct, while many others had become jokes.
Regardless of the outcome, each conjecture at least indicated a direction. It was like the cosmic laws comprehended by Immortals; some laws made no sense at all, but if the Immortal believed them to be true, they became true. How could that be explained?
A substance capable of manifesting everything? If such a substance truly existed, then species, time, space, and even karma and evolution would originate from that substance. It would be truly omnipotent.
The cosmos that each species saw might not be the same. Humans could never understand the perspective of the Plume Immortals, just as the Plume Immortals could not understand the worldview of the Mudwater Dominion.
What would happen if, one day, someone could see how every other species understood the omniverse?
Thinking of this, Lu Yin raised his hand, and his die appeared. Six pips: Possession. That isn’t impossible.
But that possibility was too distant. There were still many things left undone. It was like a dream, unreachable yet also undeniably real.
As for the senior whom Ancestor Shan had respected so much, Lu Yin wondered what kind of being they had been. A scholar whose knowledge reached the heavens? Someone capable of earning that kind of acknowledgement from Ancestor Shan had to have been extraordinary. Whether that person was still alive was unknown.
***
In Vestigium, Lu Yin turned in his mission and received another three-star reward. As before, he did not exchange it and simply kept it saved. Three-star rewards meant little to him.
"Lu Yin, please choose the mission you wish to accept."
"Three star mission: mapping a star chart."
"Approved."
After accepting the mission, Lu Yin spoke so that his voice spread throughout Vestigium. "A hundred years just to finish a three-star mission, how exhausting. I’m going to take it slow from now on. Furball, Old Man Hehe, are you there?"
No one replied. Lu Yin called out several more times, but still received no reply. Just as he was about to leave, a voice spoke up. "I am Black."
Lu Yin’s heart skipped a beat. He exhaled slowly. Black? So it’s that one.
He had completed the star chart mission within a century precisely for this moment. Since the other party had asked Ba Se to issue a mandatory mission, it meant that the task was urgent. Ba Se might not care, but whoever had issued the mission clearly did. Completing it within 100 years was unusually fast.
However, Lu Yin had just accepted the same mission again, only to deliberately state that he would take things slowly this time. How could whoever had issued the mission tolerate that? They would inevitably approach him, just like Old Man Hehe had.
Whoever approached Lu Yin had to be the one who had issued the star chart mission.
"Obscura’s Black, what advice do you have?" Lu Yin asked. Their conversation did not spread outward, as Ba Se had made it private.
"Completing a three-star star chart mission within 100 years is very fast."
Lu Yin raised a brow. "Thank you for the compliment."
"Have you accepted another star chart mapping mission?"
"Didn’t Ba Se say that Obscura’s missions can’t be shared? Have they broken the rules?"
Black calmly replied, "I asked Ba Se to issue this mission, so I know."
Lu Yin nodded. "I see. Yes, I accepted it. The mission is easy and pleasant, so it’s a good way to earn rewards."
"Will you complete it within 100 years again?"
Lu Yin smiled. "If I want to, I can finish it even faster, but I’m tired. Since I’ve accepted it, I’ll just take it slowly. No rush."
Black remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I hope that you can complete this mission as soon as possible."
Lu Yin narrowed his eyes. "Is it that important to you?"
"Yes."
"Sorry. As fellow members of Obscura, we should certainly help each other, but I’m truly exhausted. First there was the Mudwater Dominion, and then the Plume Immortals Civilization. My human civilization also has Hong Xia to deal with, and there are many uncertainties outside. I really don’t have time to focus on mapping star charts. I hope that you can understand."
Black’s voice remained calm. "What would it take for you to complete this star chart quickly?"
Lu Yin frowned slightly. "A star chart corresponding to a three-star mission should be within your attack range. It doesn’t cover a vast distance. You don’t need to see things clearly within that distance, so why is it so important?"
Black remained as calm as ever. "This is only one part. There are still many regions that need to be mapped."
Lu Yin had not expected the other party to answer so honestly. However, he was only using this mission to test who was behind these missions. He had never intended to actually help with the creating the star charts.
Obscura was a mortal enemy of human civilization. Even Che, who appeared polite, was a great enemy of humanity. Who knew what species this member of Obscura might be? Given their strength, they might have very well participated in the war that had destroyed the Nine Ramparts.
If Lu Yin helped this creature, no one could predict the consequences. His previous exchange with Furball for a branch of the Divine Tree already left Lu Yin feeling uneasy. He would not help another member of Obscura.
Not even if Obscura’s Black could offer him important benefits.