Chapter 2131: The Lu Family’s Traitor
Chapter 2131: The Lu Family’s Traitor
Lu Yin had brought Ku Wei with him to the prison because the bastard could insult people on Lu Yin’s behalf, while Progenitor Smoke’s presence was able to completely suppress the Semi-Progenitors’ arrogance. Pride was etched into their very bones, as they were the four ruling powers, each having their own Progenitors. In particular, two of them controlled some of the Mountains and Seas. What about Progenitor Smoke? She stood at the same level as these people’s Progenitors.
"You’re going to have to get on your knees and beg if you want me to tell you who I am," Progenitor Smoke answered indifferently.
Bai Laogui felt increasingly puzzled. "Who the hell are you? Stop messing around!"
"Old Bai, do you want to die?" Lu Yin suddenly asked while calmly looking at Bai Laogui.
Bai Laogui stared at Lu Yin, and the old man’s eyes flickered. "Are you actually threatening me?"
Lu Yin smiled. "I’ve already killed Marquis Green Bamboo and Marquis Wu Yi. I don’t have any problem getting rid of another Semi-Progenitor, even if you have made sacrifices for humanity."
Bai Laogui's eyes narrowed. He could not tell whether or not Lu Yin was bluffing. He was a majestic Semi-Progenitor, which gave him an elite status and made him a top powerhouse even within the Perennial World. He had never considered the possibility of being killed by another human.
Despite being imprisoned for more than half a year, not once had Bai Laogui even considered that Lu Yin would actually dare to kill him.
He was a Semi-Progenitor from the Celestial Frost Sect. There was a Progenitor behind him who controlled one of the genuine Nine Mountains and Eight Seas, as well as the entire Perennial World. How could some bastard from the Lu family ever have the courage to kill him?
However, when the old man looked into Lu Yin’s calm eyes that held not even the slightest hint of bloodlust, Bai Laogui’s heart dropped. He suddenly felt that this youth really would end his life.
"If you kill me, the Celestial Frost Sect will never let you go! They will go after you and everyone connected to you." All Bai Laogui could do was threaten Lu Yin.
However, Lu Yin just gave a small smile and clasped his hands behind his back. "So, if I don't kill you, will the Celestial Frost Sect let me go?"
Bai Laogui's expression instantly changed.
"I find it very interesting how you sent out an entire army just to kill me, and while that’s fine, I’m not allowed to retaliate or kill you. Do you really think that threatening to kill me means a thing to me?" Lu Yin remained as calm as ever, and he just smiled faintly at Bai Laogui.
However, this smile gave the Semi-Progenitor chills.
This was the first time that Bai Laogui had felt any sliver of fear towards Lu Yin. Even when the young man had used Progenitor Chen's power to suppress an entire crowd of Semi-Progenitors, Bai Laogui had not feared for his life.
"Actually, I don't have any questions to ask you. Instead, you should find some way to buy your life," Lu Yin said as he turned around and left.
If Xia De did not know the information Lu Yin wanted, then Bai Laogui would not either. Semi-Progenitors could not interfere in matters that concerned Progenitors, not unless they were someone at Bai Xian'er’s level.
Bai Laogui was indeed a Semi-Progenitor, but he was definitely not the most powerful Semi-Progenitor within the Celestial Frost Sect. If he were, he would have never been sent to the Fifth Mainland to hunt down and kill Lu Yin.
Lu Yin had already learned quite a few things by speaking to Xia De, and his only hope to get any further information was to speak to Ni Huang.
The man was the White Dragon Clan’s Great Elder, which meant that his status was only inferior to a Progenitor’s. It was quite likely that the man knew more than Lu Yin’s other prisoners.
Thus, the third prisoner Lu Yin met with was Ni Huang, and it unexpectedly proved to be the most difficult of all of his visits.
"I didn't expect Progenitor Smoke to still be alive. This junior is currently a prisoner, and I am unable to offer you my respects." Elder Ni Huang spoke in a very respectful manner, as he had instantly recognized the Progenitor.
The woman was quite surprised. "You know me?"
At this moment, Ni Huang looked quite forlorn, and his situation barely looked better than Xia De or Bao Laogui. However, the truth was that Ni Huang’s injuries were even worse than any of the others, and he merely looked a bit better. This was because the man was stronger than the other Semi-Progenitors. After all, Ni Huang’s strength was comparable to the gatemasters of the Twelve Heavenly Gates.
"During the Daosource Sect era, this junior accompanied an elder to pay respects to Senior Progenitor Smoke. My elder was struck by enlightenment, and he hurried off to comprehend his enlightenment as soon as he finished meeting you, Senior. This junior still remembers a servant leading us into your Mountain and Sea back then," Ni Huang respectfully explained.
Progenitor Smoke nodded as she looked at Ni Huang. "The White Dragon Clan was considered a powerful clan back then, especially with your connection to the Ancestor Python. You all live exceptionally long lives, but unfortunately, those with exceptional power struggle to reproduce. Not even your clan with a close connection to the Ancestor Python can avoid that fate."
Ni Huang agreed, "That is true. At present, my White Dragon Clan has become one of the four ruling powers of the Perennial World, and we stand equal to the Celestial Frost Sect, the Wang family, and the Xia family. It’s all thanks to you, Senior."
Progenitor Smoke was puzzled by this comment, and Lu Yin also grew curious.
"While you were in a hurry during your meeting with my elder, you still offered my elder some advice. That advice directly allowed my elder to achieve enlightenment, and he broke through to become a Progenitor. Senior’s kindness to us is something that the White Dragon clan will never forget." Ni Huang was truly grateful, and even with his limbs fixed to the walls of his cell, the chains shook from his powerful emotions.
Progenitor Smoke dismissively waved a hand and simply replied, "It was just a small bit of advice. It was nothing to take so seriously."
"While it might just have been a small bit of advice to you, Senior, to me and the White Dragon clan, it was a gift that transformed our clan." Ni Huang remained excited to see Progenitor Smoke.
Lu Yin felt incredibly frustrated, as the two people were acting as if he did not even exist. He glanced at Progenitor Smoke and saw how proud she was at this moment, which left Lu Yin feeling a bit down. He started processing what he had just heard, and he realized that if Progenitor Smoke had not given a bit of advice all those years ago, then the White Dragon clan’s ancestor would never have broken through to become a Progenitor. Then, the White Dragon clan would have never cooperated with the Celestial Frost Sect and the other two families, which might have led to the Lu family not being exiled. Without the White Dragon clan, the coup would not have simply lacked a single Progenitor. Regardless, Lu Yin did not dare to mention this realization to Progenitor Smoke.
"Great Elder, Senior Progenitor Smoke offered your White Dragon clan some advice all those years ago, and that allowed your clan to gain a powerful Progenitor. However, your Progenitor acted against my Lu family and took advantage of the White Dragon Rolls Over to banish my Lu family, which gave Aeternus a tremendous advantage. You’ve really done well to repay your elders." While Lu Yin did not dare say anything to Progenitor Smoke, he felt no such hesitation towards Ni Huang.
Ni Huang finally glanced at Lu Yin. "Progenitor Smoke showed us kindness, which has nothing to do with the Lu family."
Lu Yin’s voice dropped low, "Well, since your White Dragon Clan owes Progenitor Smoke a favor, she came here with a question: how did your four ruling powers exile my Lu family?"
Ni Huang turned his focus back to Progenitor Smoke. "I'm sorry, Senior, but this junior is merely a Semi-Progenitor. I truly don’t know what happened back then. As a Semi-Progenitor, I simply did not possess the qualifications to participate in that matter. All that this junior knows of the matter is that there was a traitor within the Lu family."
Lu Yin's eyes grew cold. He had already been absolutely certain there had been traitor. "Who was it?"
Ni Huang shook his head. "You want a name? Do you mean Lu Zhen? Oh, right. I believe he’s called Bai Zhen now."
Bai Zhen?
Lu Yin suddenly remembered the person that he had seen use the Hidden Needle when he had Possessed White Sage and attacked the army sent from the Perennial World. Also, Yu Chen had once mentioned the name “Bai Zhen” when saying that he had once asked her to be his maid.
No matter how Yu Chen's status might have changed, she would always remain Junior Progenitor Bai Shaohong's maid. The fact that Bai Zhen had left Yu Chen feeling helpless and unable to refuse proved that he had an extraordinary status within the Celestial Frost Sect.
"Who is Bai Zhen?" Lu Yin asked.
Ni Huang laughed. "Just a traitor. Just one such person from your Lu family."
Lu Yin’s expression grew sharp as he glared at Ni Huang.
Ni Huang looked away. "If you want to know more, just ask him yourself. He should be scared to death right now. Traitors like that are the ones who fear death the most."
Feeling sullen, Lu Yin turned and left. There was nothing more that he could get from Ni Huang at this time, but Lu Yin did want to meet Bai Zhen.
Ni Huang stared at Lu Yin's back as the young man walked away. Helplessness filled the old man’s eyes. It was shocking to see Progenitor Smoke suddenly appear after so long, and she was even following Lu Yin. With her protection, how would the four ruling powers ever manage to deal with Lu Yin? The child had taken control of the Forsaken Land, and he now ruled the entire Human Domain, which had come to include the remnants of the Sixth Mainland. Lu Yin had authority over more than a dozen Semi-Progenitors, and countless other cultivators.
With even Progenitor Smoke suddenly helping Lu Yin, even if the Aeternals were suddenly no longer able to threaten the four ruling powers, they would still struggle to eliminate the young man.
How could he have risen so high so fast? Lu Yin was clearly just an Envoy, so how was he capable of achieving so much?
Ni Huang could not help but think of Long Quan's words before the man had died. It really would have been best if the White Dragon clan had not taken action against Lu Yin when he had been in the Perennial World.
Lu Yin left the prison, and then he took out Zenith Mountain and brought out Yu Chen.
It was a sudden change for Yu Chen, and so she was momentarily stunned. Before she was even able to say a word, Lu Yin grabbed her and dragged her off to see Bai Laogui.
Yu Chen was horrified by what she saw. How could she not recognize Bai Laogui?
"Did you see what I’ve done to him?" Lu Yin casually tossed Yu Chen to the ground while looking at her with cold eyes.
Ku Wei stepped towards Yu Chen, glaring at her in an aggressive manner. "Woman, my master asked something! Speak, or else you’ll face an even worse fate than that old man."
Progenitor Smoke frowned. She felt uncomfortable bullying the young woman in such a manner, but if she were a saint, she would never have succeeded in becoming a Progenitor. In the end, she simply returned to the pocket dimension within the mirror and ignored the matter.
Yu Chen took a deep breath. Her face was pale as she lifted her head to look at Lu Yin, terror filling her eyes. "What do you want to ask me? I’ll tell you what I know."
Ku Wei understood the situation and his role quite well, so he simply moved to stand behind Lu Yin. This was not the moment for Ku Wei to speak.
Lu Yinju looked down at Yu Chen on the ground. "Who is Bai Zhen?"
Yu Chen was not surprised that Lu Yin knew this name, but she was a little surprised by the question. "You managed to capture even Bai Laogui, but you still don't know who Bai Zhen is?"
"I’ll ask, you’ll answer." Lu Yin's voice was glacial. He was in a terrible mood, as this was a matter that involved a traitor to his Lu family. Capturing the Semi-Progenitors from the four ruling powers had indeed allowed Lu Yin to draw slightly closer to the truth of how the Lu family had been exiled, but closer was not what Lu Yin wanted. He wanted to know the truth immediately.
Yu Chen closed her eyes and took a moment to speak. "Bai Zhen used to be known as Lu Zhen. He was Lu Xiaoxuan's page."
Despite his various guesses, Lu Yin could not help but feel rather surprised by this answer. Bai Zhen had been his own servant?
Yu Chen stared at Lu Yin. "He was your servant, your page, and yet he betrayed the Lu family and fled to my Celestial Frost Sect. While his status within the Lu family was never very high, after his betrayal, he obtained an exceptional status within my Celestial Frost Sect."
"How did he betray us?" Lu Yin asked.
Yu Chen shook her head. "That’s something that I really don't know anything about. When it comes to information involving the Lu family, forget me—even my Junior Progenitor was not allowed to learn of such things. I don’t know if Bai Laogui was allowed access to such information, but I would not expect him to."
"Tell me everything you know about Bai Zhen," Lu Yin ordered.
Yu Chen answered in a bitter voice, "I've already told you everything. I don’t dare to try to hide anything. I know that you can kill me at a whim."
Lu Yin frowned, and he slowly walked closer to Yu Chen. He bent down to get level with her face. Yu Chen felt chills as Lu Yin stared at her.
"Do you know your greatest value to me?" Lu Yin asked slowly.
Yu Chen's eyes flashed. "The fact that I can contact Bai Xian'er."
Lu Yin nodded. "That’s right, but that’s also not completely accurate. I don’t necessarily have to get in contact with Bai Xian'er. After all, I gain nothing by doing so, and I would even risk exposing myself by doing so."
Yu Chen started to get nervous, and her mind raced to come up with a different answer. "If you want to know what happened to the Lu family back then, I can help you."
Lu Yin straightened back up. "How?"