405: Chapter 405 The Sincerity of the Celestial Venerable of Myriad Manifestations

Six hours later.

Outer Space.

Lu Sheng hovered on the periphery of Earth's defense perimeter, watching a silver-gray point of light rapidly approaching from the distance.

It was Elder Profound Sound's small spacecraft.

It was moving even faster than her last visit.

The spacecraft stopped three thousand miles away from Lu Sheng. The hatch opened, and Elder Profound Sound floated out.

She wore the same dark green, narrow-sleeved long dress with a golden ribbon tying back her hair. However, her expression was different this time.

During her last visit, although she had been polite, there was a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.

This time—

Lu Sheng scanned her expression with his Dragon Eyes.

Nervousness. And it wasn't the kind of nervousness one felt when facing a Mid Spirit Saint. It was a different kind of tension.

She looked like a negotiation representative holding a contract that had been revised several times, uncertain if the other party would be satisfied.

"Your Excellency Lu Sheng." Profound Sound performed a formal bow.

"Have you brought the reply?"

"I have."

Profound Sound took a deep breath. "The Heavenly Venerate has agreed to Your Excellency's additional conditions."

Lu Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

Agreed?

All of them?

He had asked for the coordinates of all known Ancient Ruins and anomalous spatial regions within the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court. The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate was willing to give up such core intelligence just like that?

"Are there any additional conditions?" Lu Sheng asked.

"Yes," Profound Sound nodded candidly. "The Heavenly Venerate has two additional conditions."

"Speak."

"First, the Star Charts and ruin coordinates can be given to Your Excellency. However, Your Excellency must swear a Law Oath as a Spirit Saint Realm Cultivator, guaranteeing that this intelligence will not be leaked to any third-party forces."

A Law Oath.

Lu Sheng had heard of this. Cultivators at the Spirit Saint Realm and above could swear oaths through the power of Laws. Once violated, the Law backlash was enough to severely wound a Spirit Saint Realm Cultivator.

This condition wasn't excessive. They could give him the intelligence, but he couldn't turn around and sell it to others. It was reasonable.

"And the second?"

"Second—" Profound Sound lowered her voice slightly.

"The Heavenly Venerate hopes that Your Excellency will allow me to accompany you during the process of searching for the seed of origin."

Lu Sheng's brow twitched.

Allowing Profound Sound to follow him to find the seed of origin?

"The reason?"

"The Heavenly Venerate said that the characteristics of the seed of origin are very unique; ordinary Cultivators might not be able to identify it even if they find it. I have followed the Heavenly Venerate in cultivation for many years and have a certain ability to discern the aura of the seed of origin. Taking me along can improve the efficiency of the search."

Lu Sheng quickly calculated in his mind.

Did the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate really let Profound Sound follow him just to 'discern the seed of origin'?

Unlikely.

The greater possibility was—surveillance.

The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate wasn't comfortable leaving such an important matter entirely to an outsider. Sending an Early Stage Spirit Saint subordinate to follow could both monitor the progress and ensure the interests of the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court at critical moments.

But Profound Sound was only an Early Stage Spirit Saint.

To Lu Sheng, the threat of an Early Stage Spirit Saint—was practically non-existent.

He was currently at the Peak of the Mid Spirit Saint. An Early Stage Spirit Saint wouldn't even have many chances to strike back in front of him.

Taking her to the Old God Abyss?

No. Absolutely not.

The Old God Abyss was his private granary. The secret of that stellar remains must never be known by a second person.

But he couldn't directly refuse this condition. A direct refusal would arouse the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Venerate's suspicion. Why are you unwilling to let someone follow? Is there something you're hiding?

He had to use another approach.

"I have no objection to Elder Profound Sound following me to find the ruins," Lu Sheng spoke.

Profound Sound's eyes lit up slightly.

"But there is a prerequisite."

"Please speak, Your Excellency."

"During my search of the ruins, she must stay in the locations I designate. If I say move, she moves. If I say stop, she stops. If I say close her eyes, she closes them. Any violation—"

Lu Sheng's tone didn't change at all.

"I will send her back to the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court. But in the form of remains."

Profound Sound's expression shifted.

Lu Sheng's words were very blunt.

You can follow me, but you must obey me. Disobey, and you die.

"This condition—" Profound Sound hesitated for a moment.

"You can go back and ask the Heavenly Venerate if you wish," Lu Sheng said, "but my patience is almost exhausted. This trade of yours has been dragged out for nearly three months. If it drags on any longer, I'll lose interest in searching for the ruins altogether."

Profound Sound pursed her lips.

"There is no need to ask. I can accept Your Excellency's conditions."

"You're making the decision yourself? Aren't you afraid of being punished by the Heavenly Venerate upon your return?"

"The Heavenly Venerate gave me a certain degree of decision-making power before I left. As long as the core conditions remain unchanged, I can decide on the details myself."

Lu Sheng nodded.

"Very well. Where are the Star Charts and ruin coordinates?"

Profound Sound took out a palm-sized emerald green Jade Slip from her sleeve.

"The complete Star Charts of the star sectors controlled by the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court, as well as the coordinates of one hundred and thirty-seven known Ancient Ruins and anomalous spatial regions, are all here."

One hundred and thirty-seven locations?

Lu Sheng took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Dragon Eyes.

The amount of information within the Jade Slip was immense. Dense star system coordinates, stellar serial numbers, planetary data, civilization markers, ruin types...

He casually flipped through a few pages and found the section labeled 'Anomalous Spatial Regions'.

The location of the Old God Abyss—

Was not there.

There was no marker for the Old God Abyss on the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court's Star Chart.

Lu Sheng felt a sense of relief.

It seemed that while the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court knew there were 'spatial anomalies' in the Scavenger Alliance's star sector, they did not know the exact coordinates of the Old God Abyss. Sending reconnaissance ships to wander around before was just a large-scale search.

Good.

This left him room to maneuver.

"I've received the items." Lu Sheng put the Jade Slip into his storage space.

"When will the Law Oath be sworn?"

"Anytime."

"Then let's do it now."

Lu Sheng raised his right hand, and a gray light of Law emerged from his palm.

"I, Lu Sheng, as a Spirit Saint Realm Cultivator, swear a Law Oath—the Star Charts and ruin coordinate intelligence provided by the Myriad Manifestations Divine Court shall not be leaked to any third-party forces. If violated, let the Law backlash me."

The gray light flashed in his palm and then sank into his skin.

The Law Oath was established.

Profound Sound watched this scene and nodded slightly.

"The oath is sworn. So—when does Your Excellency plan to set out to find the ruins?"

"In three days."

"Three days. I understand. Then, for these three days, I—"

"You wait on Earth," Lu Sheng said. "I will arrange a place for you to stay. Do not leave the perimeter of Dengxian Island within these three days."

"Very well."

Lu Sheng led Profound Sound through the atmosphere and landed on Dengxian Island.

The plaza was still empty.

Lu Sheng called Luo Tianfei over through the communicator. "Arrange a room for her. Keep it away from the command room and the secret chambers. Her range of activity is restricted to the residential area. If she leaves the residential area, notify me immediately."

"Understood."

Luo Tianfei led Profound Sound away.

Lu Sheng stood in the plaza, watching Profound Sound's back disappear at the end of the corridor.

He took out the emerald green Jade Slip from his storage space and looked through it carefully once more.

One hundred and thirty-seven Ancient Ruins.

Was there any place similar to the Old God Abyss among them? Were there other treasure lands that could allow him to obtain a large amount of Origin?

He needed time to study them slowly.

But the most important thing right now was not this.

The most important thing was—in three days, he had to take Profound Sound to 'find the ruins'.

In reality, where he wanted to go was the Old God Abyss.

But he couldn't let Profound Sound know where the Old God Abyss was.

"I have to find a way to shake her off."

Lu Sheng turned and walked toward the secret chamber, already calculating in his mind.