Chapter 279: An Eternal Promise
Ming Zhaoshu was very satisfied with Lu Yin’s response. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to the Shenwu Continent for now. Even if Hunters or stronger cultivators attack us, the five planets can protect us for at least another year, and it’s unlikely that they’ll even attack in the first place. That’s why I’m sure that, for the next decade at least, the continent will be completely fine. I’m giving you these ten years to train. That should be enough time for you to obtain the right to speak your mind and make decisions. You’re one of the final four in the Astral Combat Tournament and one of the top geniuses amongst humans after all.”
Lu Yin was rather confused. “Why are you pinning all your hopes on me?”
Ming Zhaoshu narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. He finally replied in a low voice, “Because of Yan’er.”
Lu Yin’s heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed.
“Yan’er likes you, and I can tell that you too feel some affection for her in return. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have exposed your true identity in order to save her,” Ming Zhaoshu stated.
Lu Yin did not deny a thing.
“There’s a huge difference between the two of you in terms of status. Only by letting the Shenwu Continent peacefully enter the greater universe will everything return to normal. At that point, you two can be together. I can promise you that,” Ming Zhaotian spoke gravely.
Lu Yin’s fingers trembled as his heart burned intensely; Ming Zhaotian’s words were extremely tempting to him. Emotions were uncontrollable, and yet, they were also the easiest to control others with, and Lu Yin was no exception to this rule. He could sense Ming Zhaotian’s ambition, but because of his feelings for Ming Yan, Lu Yin was still willing to make an attempt. If the Shenwu Continent were to truly merge with the greater universe, then it would be possible for him to be with Ming Yan.
At the thought of being with the young girl, Lu Yin felt his heart race. He couldn’t control himself at all.
The corner of Ming Zhaoshu’s lips curved up. This was the reason why he had chosen Lu Yin. There was no restraint better than raw emotion. He believed that his daughter would be able to tie this person to their interests, but Lu Yin was not the only person who he would choose, though he would never say that aloud. The Shenwu Continent needed a revolution, and it needed him to save it. It was worth sacrificing some things for this lofty goal.
“How are you planning to help me improve my trial results?” Lu Yin asked.
Ming Zhaoshu glanced at Lu Yin’s finger. “Destroy that thing in your flesh. I’m sure that you don’t want our conversation to be exposed.”
Lu Yin nodded. He lightly flexed his muscles and destroyed the tiny camera without any issues.
“I will now tell you the place where Ming Taizhong is entombed to help you climb up the ranks,” Ming Zhaoshu said seriously.
Lu Yin was startled. “The place where Ming Taizhong is buried? You’re willing to tell me this?”
Ming Zhaoshu nodded. “I can tell you, and you can even tell others if you want. It doesn’t matter. Even my brother has to be careful if he goes there. If you’re not a Martial God, which is what you call Hunters, then it’s extremely difficult to survive in that place.”
“Please tell me,” Lu Yin politely asked.
“Have you heard of the Tower of Resonating Light?” Ming Zhaoshu began with a question, saying two words that Lu Yin never expected to hear.
“The Tower of Resonating Light?” Lu Yin was surprised.
Ming Zhaoshu smiled. “Unexpected, right?”
Lu Yin frowned. “Are you actually saying that Ming Taizhong died in the Tower of Resonating Light?”
Ming Zhaoshu nodded.
“How can that be? If Ming Taizhong really died there, then everyone in the capital should know about it.” Lu Yin was bewildered.
Ming Zhaoshu took out a map and explained, “The Tower of Resonating Light that we see is just a small part of the full tower. Its main structure is actually underground and is even larger than the entirety of the capital. When Ming Taizhong died, he buried himself within the tower. Very few people are aware of this.”
Lu Yin gazed at the map with a shocked expression. So the Tower of Resonating Light is a tower that’s even larger than the capital, Mingdu? Wait, Han Chong and the rest had been planning to attack it, believing it to be one of the nodes for the five sealing planets. It now seemed that their information was false.
“I once heard a rumor that the Tower of Resonating Light was one of the five nodes that controlled the sealing planets,” Lu Yin probed.
Ming Zhaoshu burst into laughter. “Ming Hao spread that news on purpose so that he could capture all of the trialtakers in one go. He’s well aware that the trialtakers will try to attack the Tower of Resonating Light on my brother’s birthday. And in reality, that place isn’t one of the five controlling nodes—it is where Ming Taizhong died. Even Hunters wouldn’t survive there, much less someone like you. Although it’s easy to enter the tower, they won’t get very far once inside.”
Lu Yin fell quiet. Was everything going right according to Ming Hao’s plan?
Ming Zhaoshu looked right at Lu Yin and said, “This is considered a public secret as well as the fairest fight between us and the outsiders so far. During my brother’s birthday celebration, the foreigners will use all they have to attack the five sealing planets. Every expert above the Martial Emperor level has already gathered on the five planets. The continent is where Martial Emperors and those weaker will fight. And on the continent, the most important battlefield will be the Tower of Resonating Light.”
“Ming Hao won’t intervene?” Lu Yin tentatively asked.
Ming Zhaoshu smiled. “Long Yun from the Sword Sect arrived some time ago, and both of them have their own trump cards. It’s just one battle, so he definitely won’t interfere. However, all of the trialtakers attacking the tower are done for. I can guarantee at least this much.”
Not long after their talk, Lu Yin left the study and sighed while looking in another direction.
Ming Zhaoshu’s voice then sounded from behind him. “Yan’er’s awake.”
Lu Yin paused to think for a moment. He took a deep breath and then headed in that direction.
The door to the study opened. As he looked at Lu Yin’s fading back, Ming Zhaoshu grinned. Taking advantage of this youth’s emotions was the best way to handle Lu Yin, and there was nothing that could stop him. With Yan’er around, Lu Yin would definitely work his hardest for the king’s sake no matter how amazing the young man’s talents were.
Within Ming Yan’s bedroom, a maid nervously stood near the princess while holding a cup. “Does your head still hurt, my lady?”
Ming Yan knitted her brows and started rubbing her forehead as she felt her head throbbing. She couldn’t remember what had happened. All she knew was that, at the most critical moment, Lu Yin had defended her. Right, Lu Yin. Was he alright? Ming Yan hastily stood up, only to nearly fall down again. Just as the maid was about to help Ming Yan up, a figure suddenly appeared and caught her.
A familiar fragrance reached Lu Yin’s nose as he tightly hugged the beauty in his arms. He felt like he had the entire world in his arms at this moment.
“Wh-Who are you? Release my lady!” The maid exclaimed in shock as she grabbed him tightly, wanting to pull him away from Ming Yan.
Ming Yan stared blankly at the man who was hugging her, the man with a familiar face and scent.
Lu Yin casually flicked a finger and made the maid collapse, unconscious. Still tightly holding onto Ming Yan, he asked, “Does your head still hurt?”
Ming Yan gazed at him, but then suddenly recalled something and pushed him away hard. “It- It’s got nothing to do with you.” After saying that, she sat back down on her bed with her head turned away from Lu Yin.
Lu Yin smiled wryly, knowing that she remembered what he had done. He sat down beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry.”
Ming Yan’s eyes grew red, but she remained silent.
“The difference between our statuses is too great: we’re from two different lands with entirely different cultures. More importantly, there’s a blood-feud between our people that has lasted for an entire millennia. I don’t want to hurt you,” Lu Yin said sadly.
Ming Yan turned, and she pursed her lips. “I know.”
Lu Yin lifted his hand and began running his fingers through her hair. “Still, I won’t give up on you.”
Ming Yan’s eyes lit up as she looked at him nervously. The anticipation in her eyes was almost enough to almost melt Lu Yin’s resolve. It was impossible for him to perfectly describe the feelings coursing through his veins, but the feeling of being relied upon, being desired… From this point onwards, this girl in front of him was his. He had gained one more person in his life.
Lu Yin hugged her tightly. “I won’t let you go. I promise.”
Ming Yan smiled gently. “Thank you.”
All of a sudden, Ming Yan exclaimed, “You should leave! My father will know that you’re here.”
“You mean my future father-in-law?” Lu Yin teasingly replied.
Ming Yan was embarrassed, “What do you mean, your future father-in-law? Stop joking around! You need to leave or else my father will discover that you’re here!”
Lu Yin tousled her hair lovingly as he said, “Don’t worry. He’s the one who allowed me to come to you.”
Ming Yan was astonished. “How can that be? My father hates all foreigners. You…”
“I have my ways. Besides, my future father-in-law is very intelligent and has great insight. You should know your father’s disposition well,” Lu Yin gently responded.
Ming Yan’s eyes showed that she was lost in her thoughts. She finally nodded after recalling some matters. However, she couldn’t help herself from frowning and cast an anxious look at Lu Yin. “Did my father demand something from you in return?”
Lu Yin hugged her rightly. “Don’t overthink things. You’re your own person, and your father is his own person. I already said that I definitely won’t let you go, so even if your father doesn’t keep his word, I’ll still take you away.”
Ming Yan giggled happily. She had never been this happy—no, this blessed before. At this moment, her cheeks were colored a rosy red, and she was absolutely stunning. Lu Yin found himself so distracted by her radiance that he lowered his head, bringing their lips together into a gentle touch. The two of them lost themselves in the tenderness of the moment.
A loud clap of thunder suddenly shocked the two of them, and Ming Yan hastily pushed Lu Yin away and shied away from him. “H-How dare you!”
Lu Yin looked outside, knowing that this was Ming Zhaoshu’s way of warning him. However, he continued gazing at Ming Yan, unwilling to part from her. He picked out a lock of his hair. “Let’s exchange locks of your hair.”
Ming Yan was caught off guard, but did not hesitate to cut off a section of her luscious black hair and give it to him. However, she did not turn back around, and Lu Yin didn’t force her to do so either. He placed the lock of his hair in her hands and took her hair from her with a serious expression. “Remember, I won’t let you go. I never will.” And with that, he vanished.
Ming Yan tightly clenched the lock of hair that he had left her, giggling happily even as tears welled up in her eyes. She was very smart, and she knew that it would be difficult for the two of them to ever get together. However, Lu Yin had given her a lock of hair in hopes that she wouldn’t give up on him. And if he didn’t give up on her, then she would do the same no matter how much time passed.
After leaving Ming Yan’s bedroom, Lu Yin looked up, thinking to himself that the sky felt incredibly tall and vast. He reached out with a hand. One day, this will all be mine…
The battles in the capital had ended very quickly. The fight between Lu Yin and Zhanlong Daynight was astounding, but compared to the destruction caused by everyone else, it did not stand out.
Zhanlong Daynight had fled, but quite a few of the other Daynight clan members who had been arranged to stay in the capital had been captured and killed. These people meant nothing to Zhanlong Daynight as to him, , because there were too many ants like them in the clan.
“You didn’t succeed, Zhanlong?” a girl from the Daynight clan exclaimed in an isolated room, unable to believe the outcome.
The other people from the Daynight clan were just as shocked. They had been certain that this operation would succeed, and they had sacrificed nearly half of their expendable forces to assure their victory. But in the end, they had failed.
In contrast to everyone else’s surprise and confusion, Zhanlong Daynight was actually extremely excited. He clenched both fists, unable to hold back the excitement that he was feeling. “It’s him! I didn’t think that I’d meet him this quickly. He really did defeat Yanqing. That attack was pretty powerful!”
“Who are you talking about, Zhanlong?” someone asked.
Zhanlong Daynight chuckled and swept his gaze over everyone present. “Lu Yin.”
“Lu Yin?” a few people exclaimed in surprise. “You met him?”
Zhanlong Daynight clenched his fists, causing a small explosion to ring out in the air.