âYou can drop the act.â Lu Yun shook his head when he met the plotterâs cowering eyes. âItâs only one of your replicas here.â
The strained expression on the plotterâs face shifted when he heard the young manâs words.
âSo you saw right through me.â The man shed the pretense of being terrified out of his wits and stood up to face Lu Yun. âThatâs right, this is just one of my replicas.â
He no longer displayed the same fear that heâd shown moments ago, but wariness still gleamed out of his eyes when he looked at the withered wood. The flash of emotion wasnât fake, he really was cautious, or even afraid of, the wood.
His interactions with Lu Yun had been playing for time so that his other replicas could rush to the scene. There was more than the Roastwave World King whoâd fallen into his trap; some of his victims were even stronger.
âYou didnât show any flaws, just that your acting was over the top. How would someone who schemed against the Hallowed Emperor and Cloud Sovereign, one who stole the existence of this tomb, be afraid of a newly budded Nihil World Sovereign?â Lu Yun gestured welcomingly at the plotter.
âWhen you hit me⌠were you trying to get me to lose my temper so Iâd make mistakes?â A new thought occurred to the plotter.
âWhat do you think?â Lu Yun smiled. âSit.â
His consciousness abruptly shifted into a world that was a magnificent palace tower. A large table groaning with fine wine and delicacies appeared to ply its wares, replete with chairs for both of them.
âRefining illusion into reality⌠Return to Origin! The ultimate peak for formation dao.â The plotter raised an eyebrow. âYouâre not only a Nihil World Sovereign, but a powerful supplemental grandmaster as well.â
âOh no no, Iâm not a grandmaster yet. My soul force is only ninth level,â Lu Yun hastily corrected.
âHahahaha!!â the plotter threw his head back with laughter. âWhen did soul force become the barometer for grandmaster? Is one a grandmaster just because oneâs soul force exceeds ninth level?â
He snorted with laughter. âThat Xing Wuliang outside possesses a grandmaster-level soul force, but can he utilize the methods befitting his level? Can he deploy his connate divine weapon and draw out the true strength of the Horizonâs Edge?
âYouâre a grandmaster even if your soul force is still ninth level. You can use the Horizonâs Edge and summon its second form.â
Lu Yun started. He didnât know too much about the supplemental dao of the fourth realm. Xing Wuliang had once been an ant gazing up at the world of dragons when he hadnât been a grandmaster. Heâd used the perspective of an ant to derive the domain of dragons.
But in this moment, a grandmaster whoâd reached the peak of his craft discussed his cultivation level with Lu Yunâthe real perspective of dragons.
âPlease grace me with your instruction!â Lu Yun regarded his trespasser with great respect.
âAnd why should I teach you? Iâm your prisoner at the moment,â the plotter scoffed. âMy other replicas have all been reborn through possession, itâll be your doom when they get here. So what if youâre a Nihil World Sovereign? I control more than half of the rules in this tomb.â
Lu Yun shook his head. âYou canât kill me, and your replicas will end up the same as you if they dare come.â
âOh?â The plotter looked at Lu Yun with a supercilious smile.
âIâve learned the tricks that the overlord of Ice commands. Though I canât truly access sequence, I can open its doors. Specifically, the sequence of time.â Lu Yun grinned radiantly. âHave your replicas try me if you donât believe me.â
The plotterâs expression froze.
âThe overlord taught me this method so I could banish the withered wood into time. If even the wood can be exiled, do you think your replicas will be any challenge whatsoever? If I want to, I can exile this entire tomb.â Lu Yun bared his teeth in a bloodthirsty grin, eliciting a shudder from his audience.
The plotter absolutely believed Lu Yun because the young man had already banished the huge face in the world of treasures. That face had been another one of his poisonous tumorsâone to devour souls instead of leading people into a trap.
Lu Yun had completely dismantled it.
âAlrighty then, letâs sit down and have a nice chat. I donât care if you want to draw things out, I have nothing else to do. Iâve got nothing but time.â
The plotter took a deep breath and picked a chair. âWhat do you want to know? I didnât lie about the withered wood, that is all I know.â
âWhatâs your name?â Lu Yun asked.
The plotter rolled his eyes. âIs that important?â
âItâs important to be honest with each other if weâre to converse. My name is Feng Feifan,â Lu Yun said without skipping a beat.
âYun Zhongzi.â The plotter flicked a glare at Lu Yun.
âHuh?!â Lu Yun blinked. âYun Zhongzi?!â
The plotter nodded solemnly.
âDisciple of the Jade Pure One, the foremost, the golden immortal of the Chan Sect??â Lu Yun asked again while taking a close look at his guest.