Furball sneered. "As expected, it was Lu Yin. Ba Se, look at what Lu Yin has done. Even if he didn’t break the rules, it is still a slap in Obscura’s face, a slap in your face. You invited Miao Zun."
Old Man Hehe laughed. "How interesting."
Another voice spoke up. "That human is truly despicable."
"Ba Se, make Lu Yin give us an explanation. There must be some way in which he broke the rules. Obscura cannot allow such a thing to happen," another voice called out.
Furball was surprised. "Oh? Even old geezers who never speak are talking? Heh heh, Ba Se, you can’t refuse to give them a bit of face."
Ba Se replied, "In this matter, Lu Yin has not violated any rules. If any of you wish to confront him about this, you may."
They had already contacted Master Qing Cao and learned from the man that Lu Yin was at the Crimson Starshade Megaverse. Ba Se immediately reached out to Hong Xia.
It was not long before Lu Yin arrived in Vestigium. It seemed that matters with Miao Zun had already been resolved.
"Ba Se, why are you looking for me so urgently?" Lu Yin asked.
Ba Se said, "Miao Zun has failed their trial. Their life or death remain unknown. The one who acted was a Seven-Treasure Anura."
Lu Yin was startled. "A Seven-Treasure Anura? Where are those traitors? Tell me! My human civilization kindly took them in, only for them to run away. I will never let this go!"
Furball sneered. "Lu Yin, stop playing dumb. You sent that Seven-Treasure Anura to deal with Miao Zun. How else could they have gotten there? Given such a great distance, without something like your teleportation or Obscura’s gates, they could have never possibly arrived in just a few decades."
Lu Yin arched a brow. "Are you suggesting that I went after Miao Zun?"
"Isn’t that the case?"
"Furball, your brain must be full of fur if you can say something like that."
"You!"
"What ‘you?’ Use your own brain and think. Why would I sacrifice the Seven-Treasure Anuras just to deal with a mere Miao Zun? Ba Se, go ahead and check what I’m saying. The Seven-Treasure Anuras have run away, completely abandoning my human civilization. That isn’t something that can be faked. Also, how would I know where Miao Zun’s trial was being held? Go ask Hong Xia. For more than twenty years, I’ve been at his Crimson Starshade, not moving even half a step away. Go ask for yourselves."
His words caused even Furball to grow a bit uncertain. It was not particularly important if the Seven-Treasure Anuras had separated from Lu Yin’s human civilization. It was possible that their departure had already been planned and that the current incident was simply a cover story. However, if Lu Yin truly had not left the Crimson Starshade Civilization for more than twenty years, how could he have taken the Seven-Treasure Anuras to Miao Zun? For anything to have been arranged in advance, Lu Yin would have needed to know the coordinates of the target megaverse beforehand. The problem was that Lu Yin had arrived at Crimson Starshade when the location had first been announced, and Hong Xia was stupid enough to immediately give Lu Yin the coordinates.
Vestigium fell silent.
An unfamiliar voice asked, "Orange, is Lu Yin speaking the truth?"
Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. A voice I’ve never heard? One of Obscura’s hidden old monsters?
Hong Xia did not answer.
Lu Yin sneered. "What, Hong Xia? You don’t want to testify for me? That isn’t your decision to make. The truth is the truth, and there’s no hiding it."
Ba Se spoke, "Orange, please answer."
Helpless, Hong Xia spoke, his tone low and reluctant. "Yes."
"Be a bit clearer," Lu Yin encouraged.
Hong Xia’s tone grew colder. "For the last twenty-three years, he has been at my Crimson Starshade Civilization and has not moved even half a step."
Having to testify to exonerate an enemy was indeed suffocatingly humiliating. All of Obscura could sense Hong Xia’s feelings, but there was no choice. Facts were facts, and Hong Xia’s words were the most credible.
Furball could not say anything more. Everyone knew that Lu Yin had been the one to deal with Miao Zun. That was a fact, and yet it was also a fact that no one could prove.
At this moment, Lu Yin could not even be said to be flirting with Obscura’s rules. How could the Seven-Treasure Anuras have found Miao Zun and traveled to them within just twenty-three years? No one asked that question. Lu Yin could easily say that he did not know. There was no reason for him to claim responsibility for the toads.
"Since that is the case, let this matter rest. Miao Zun has failed the trial. If any of you have suitable candidates, you may invite them to join," Ba Se concluded.
Yellow was unwilling. "That’s it? What about the Seven-Treasure Anuras?"
Lu Yin frowned. This Yellow was even more infuriating than Furball, targeting him.
Ba Se spoke slowly, "What I will say next concerns the Seven-Treasure Anuras. They have already disappeared through the Jade Thread of Heaven. To find them, the Jade Thread of Heaven must be captured. At the same time, capturing that Jade Thread of Heaven and destroying the Jade Megaverse are Obscura’s missions. Once the location of the Jade Megaverse is confirmed, we may announce a mandatory draft. All of you, make preparations."
Lu Yin was surprised. "A compulsory campaign? Again? Also, isn’t the destruction of the Jade Megaverse just a four-star mission? Who accepted it? How can it become a mandatory draft?"
"I did not say that the target of the mandatory draft would be the Jade Megaverse," Ba Se replied.
"Hehe, while there haven’t been many compulsory campaigns throughout Obscura’s history, they certainly haven’t been just a few. Child, do you want me to save you again this time?" Old Man Hehe asked with a laugh.
Lu Yin said, "Even if the target of this mandatory draft doesn’t have something like the Mudwater Dominion’s ability to designate karma, a bit of carelessness will still increase your karmic chain. Do you want to discuss having me help you this time?"
"Hehe."
Yellow said, "Eradicating the Jade Megaverse is a mission, but at the same time, the Seven-Treasure Anuras must be dealt with. Those toads were once an enemy of our Obscura. If not for their Ancestor Shan being so formidable, they would have been wiped out long ago."
Lu Yin’s expression sank.
"Ba Se, since Lu Yin says that the Seven-Treasure Anuras have betrayed his civilization, let him be the one to eliminate them. Have them be the target of his mission," Yellow continued.
A sharp glint flickered across Lu Yin’s eyes. "Yellow, I think that your brain might be even worse than Hong Xia’s. Obscura has already given me a mission, while the Seven-Treasure Anuras’ Old First is a two-law Immortal. If anyone is sent to deal with them, it should be you. Or are you incapable?
"If you are incapable, just tell me. To me, you’re clearly weaker than Furball. Calling you Second Furball back then was the right choice. What do you think, Second Furball?"
Yellow cooly replied, "You don’t want to deal with the Seven-Treasure Anurad? But their species must be exterminated, no matter if it’s you or me. If you refuse to do it, fine. Leave this to me."
Lu Yin sneered. "Fine."
Second Furball really dares to say “Leave it to me?” Are they really confident that they can deal with Old First and the others? Wait, could they have been the one watching Ancestor Shan back then? Lu Yin suddenly thought of a possibility.
"Alright then, Lu Yin has escaped from yet another calamity. You were able to stop Miao Zun, but you can’t stop the next one. Isn’t that right, Lu Yin?" Furball taunted.
Lu Yin blandly said, "It has nothing to do with me. I’m innocent."
"Hmph! Ba Se, I’m going to capture that Jade Thread of Heaven. Open a gate for me," Furball said, not pursuing things with Lu Yin any further.