390: Chapter 390 Interrogation of Intelligence, Decision to Release the Person

In outer space.

Eight members of the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court's reconnaissance team hung before Lu Sheng, each shrinking their necks like quails.

Lu Sheng's gaze swept over them.

In his heart, he was making a judgment.

Kill or keep?

Killing them would be simple. For a Spirit Saint Realm to deal with eight Spirit Venerable Realms and Spirit Emperor Realms, it was as easy as turning over a hand. If the heaven swallowing furnace was opened, not even their Origin would be wasted.

But Lu Sheng wasn't the kind of fool who would mindlessly pounce on prey the moment he saw it. From the first day of his Transmigration, he knew one truth—information is more valuable than power.

These eight people being alive was more valuable than them being dead.

At least at this stage.

"Li Xuan." Lu Sheng called out the reconnaissance captain's name.

Li Xuan's body tensed up. "Present."

"I'll ask you a few questions. Answer them honestly. If you tell the truth, you'll leave alive. If you lie—"

Lu Sheng's dragon devouring spear spun in his hand, its tip casually pointing at a piece of space debris floating nearby.

Without needing any movement, that piece of debris shattered directly into powder under the Qi of the dragon devouring spear.

"I don't mind having a few more bites of snacks."

Li Xuan swallowed hard. "Please ask, Senior."

"First question. In the core control zone of the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court, how many Spirit Saint Realm experts are there?"

Li Xuan hesitated for a second, but quickly abandoned the thought of concealment. He could feel that this person's aura before him was unfathomable; he couldn't afford the price of being caught in a lie.

"As far as this subordinate knows... the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court currently has four great figures in the Spirit Saint Realm."

"Four?" Lu Sheng's brow twitched.

The intelligence Luo Tianfei had pulled from the Old Ancestor's memory said there were three. It seemed there was a delay in the intelligence, and the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court had gained another one in recent years.

"What is the strength of these four people respectively?"

"The strongest is the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate. This subordinate isn't clear on his specific Realm, only knowing it is far above the Middle Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm. People in the Divine Court rumor that he has already touched a higher level, but no one can confirm it."

"Next are the Left and Right Protectors—Qing Ming Protector and Protector Chiyuan. Both are in the Middle Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm."

"The fourth is a newly ascended Spirit Saint Realm from the last ten years, called Elder Xuanyin, at the Early Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm."

Lu Sheng calculated in his mind.

One suspected Spirit Immortal Realm Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate. Two at the Middle Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm. One at the Early Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm.

This lineup was much tougher than the Scavenger Alliance's eleven Spirit Venerable Realms plus one Spirit Saint Realm.

But it wasn't so tough that he felt he couldn't win.

That Elder Xuanyin at the Early Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm, he could consume right now.

The two at the Middle Stage of the Spirit Saint Realm would take some effort, but it wasn't without a chance of victory.

As for the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate...

"That Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate, where is he usually?"

"The Heavenly Venerate stays in seclusion to Cultivate in the Divine Court's core Holy Temple year-round and rarely makes an appearance. It's said he is comprehending a Law that transcends the Spirit Saint Realm and has been in seclusion for hundreds of years."

Seclusion for hundreds of years.

Lu Sheng felt a bit more confident.

If the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate was in seclusion, it was unlikely he would personally take action in the short term. An old monster who had been in seclusion for a hundred years wouldn't easily interrupt his Cultivation for the sake of a reconnaissance team.

"Second question." Lu Sheng continued to ask, "What instructions did the higher-ups give you when the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court sent you this time? Was it just to investigate, or was there another purpose?"

"Just to investigate." Li Xuan answered very straightforwardly. "The order from above was to find out the reason for the loss of contact with the Scavenger Alliance and to collect intelligence data on this star sector. If high-value targets were found, record the coordinates and report back. We are not allowed to act on our own."

"High-value targets? What does that mean?"

Li Xuan's expression became a bit complex.

"The Myriad Manifestations Divine Court has been searching for something called the 'seed of origin'. It's said to be a primordial energy crystal left over from the birth of the Universe. The Heavenly Venerate believes that as long as he obtains the seed of origin, he can completely break through the barrier of the Spirit Saint Realm."

"So they suspect the Scavenger Alliance's loss of contact is related to the seed of origin?"

"This subordinate doesn't know what the higher-ups think. But the star sector controlled by the Scavenger Alliance is at the edge of the Universe, and there have always been rumors of ancient ruins existing there. The higher-ups might think the Scavenger Alliance found something they shouldn't have touched, which led to their destruction."

After Lu Sheng finished listening, he had a good idea of the situation.

The Myriad Manifestations Divine Court came to this star sector partly to investigate the destruction of the Scavenger Alliance and partly to find some seed of origin.

He didn't know what the seed of origin was, but he guessed that the star-sized remains in the Old God Abyss might have something to do with it.

"Third question. If your reconnaissance mission fails, what will the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court do next?"

Li Xuan was silent for a while.

"If the reconnaissance team loses contact, the standard procedure is—send another higher-specification team. Usually, it will be personally led by a Spirit Saint Realm expert."

"How long?"

"From the discovery of the reconnaissance team's loss of contact to the arrival of the new team, it takes about three to four months."

Three to four months.

Lu Sheng's plan quickly took shape in his mind.

If he killed this reconnaissance team now, three to four months later, the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court would send someone from the Spirit Saint Realm.

If he let these people go back and had them report truthfully, what would the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court do after confirming there was a Spirit Saint Realm expert here?

Either shelve the invasion plan and temporarily avoid provoking him.

Or directly send someone stronger.

"Li Xuan." Lu Sheng made his decision.

"Present."

"I'm letting you go."

Li Xuan's eyes widened. He thought he had heard wrong.

The seven team members behind him were also all stunned.

"Go back and tell your superiors." Lu Sheng's voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear.

"I destroyed the Scavenger Alliance. This star sector is now my territory."

"Whoever wants to come, fine. But once you come, don't think about leaving."

"The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate wants to find the seed of origin? Let him come find it personally. I'll be waiting for him here."

Cold sweat broke out on Li Xuan's forehead.

He could hear that every word spoken by the person before him was not a bluff.

These were words that only a truly confident expert would say.

"Senior... are you sure you're letting us go?" Li Xuan asked tentatively.

"Do I look like someone who's joking?"

Li Xuan looked into Lu Sheng's eyes, which were as black as a bottomless pit, and the hair all over his body stood on end.

No.

Not at all.

"Beat it."

Lu Sheng withdrew the spatial seal.

Without another word, Li Xuan turned and fled with his seven team members.

They ran ten times faster than when they came, ignoring any stealth mode and opening their engines to maximum power, desperately rushing out of the star system.

The spaceship disappeared into space, turning into a tiny point of light before vanishing completely.

Lu Sheng shouldered his spear, hanging in space, looking in that direction.

"Go on. Go back and deliver my words."

He turned around and flew back toward Earth.

He knew in his heart that letting these people go was a risky move.

But it was also a necessary move.

He needed the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court to react.

Would they send someone to negotiate, or send a large army to attack?

No matter which one it was, he had a plan to deal with it.

If they came to negotiate, he could obtain more intelligence about the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court and even use the time gap from the negotiations to go to the Old God Abyss to continue increasing his strength.

If they came to attack—

That would be even better.

However many came, he would consume them all.