Xie Man hurriedly knelt down. “Of course I respect you, Master. Without you, there would be no me today.”

Meiran Dan looked down at her. “You cultivate the Path of Dispassion, and yet you still speak of respect?”

Xie Man trembled and did not dare to speak further.

“That Elder Qiu understands how to respect his master better than you do. At the very least, he knows what amuses me.”

Xie Man’s eyes tightened. “This disciple understands. Your disciple will go right away.”

Meiran Dan smiled. She reached out with a foot, hooking it on Xie Man’s chin and pulling her face upwards while smiling down at her. “The more I look, the more captivating you are. Remember, you belong to me.”

With that, the woman vanished.

Xie Man panted hard as sweat dripped from her forehead. Her expression slowly transformed into a ferocious one. Her rage was directed not at Meiran Dan, but rather at Elder Qiu. If that old thing hadn’t said those words, Master would not have appeared!

Sooner or later, she would kill him.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and stared into the distance. Lu Yin? Let’s see how capable you really are.

Elsewhere, Elder Qiu sought out Chu Songyun. Chu Songyun was also a Sixfold Crimson, but despite being an independent cultivator, he was easy to find.

“You are the child blessed by our civilization. The Path of Dispassion values ruthlessness, and you were born with your heart closed off, making you both dispassionate and loveless. You have cultivated smoothly until now, but before you could break into the Immortal realm, you have been surpassed by someone from another civilization. Do you not want to force him down?”

“Not interested.” Chu Songyun was a young man. His indifferent expression and ordinary features belied his extraordinary bearing.

Since his sudden rise, countless people had wanted to take him as their disciple. Even the Sect of Dispassion had tried to recruit him, only to be refused.

The man had never participated in the slaughter of the Dispassion Valleys, nor had he ever accepted any master. He roamed the land alone. The methods of the Path of Dispassion were known throughout all of Crimson Starshade. When one’s mind was able to separate from all emotions, it meant that they had stepped onto the Path of Dispassion. Realistically, whether one joined the Sect of Dispassion meant little.

Chu Songyun enjoyed wandering around their civilization, getting involved in nothing, but he was impossible for anyone to ignore.

Elder Qiu had gone to Xie Man first and then Chu Songyun because he knew that, compared to Xie Man, Chu Songyun was even less likely to act without someone taking the initiative against him.

“He is also a Sixfold Crimson, and yet he was heavily injured by a single strike of that Mr. Lu, and it was impossible to even see how he attacked. Are you not curious about what his true level of strength might be?” Elder Qiu was unwilling to let things go. He did not know why he was so fixated on this matter. Even if Chu Songyun and the others defeated Lu Yin, what benefit would it bring the old man?

Perhaps he simply wanted to see how strong Lu Yin truly was. Perhaps it was an obsession, but more likely, it was resentment that had gathered after so many years of failing to become a Sevenfold Crimson.

The old man did not need to know his own reasons. At the moment, he only wanted to drag that Mr. Lu down.

But Chu Songyun did not care.

Elder Qiu looked at the young man’s back. “He comes from another human civilization, one that walks a different path of cultivation. Do you truly not care?”

Chu Songyun paused and turned to look back at Elder Qiu. “A civilization that walks a different path of cultivation?”

Elder Qiu nodded. “He does not cultivate the Path of Dispassion, and yet he possesses such strength. It is even said their civilization has Immortals. That means that his civilization must have another cultivation path.”

Chu Songyun pondered for a moment. “Lead the way.”

Elder Qiu let out a breath. No one truly cared about nothing. Chu Songyun had refused to join the Sect of Dispassion because he did not want to walk the Path of Dispassion, which was his civilization’s cultivation path. Even so, the man had been born with his heart tightly sealed off. Even if he did not cultivate the Path of Dispassion, his mastery of it would only continue to deepen. He wanted to break free, but he could never break free in this place.

Lu Yin’s arrival had offered Chu Songyun a glimpse of hope.

Many people could see what Chu Songyun was thinking, but no one would help him. He had been born perfectly suited for the Path of Dispassion, and he was forced to cultivate it.

Even though Ba Yue did not cultivate the Path of Dispassion, she could not possibly help Chu Songyun.

Elder Qiu led Chu Songyun to the outside of Canglan Valley. At this moment, many people had gathered nearby, either watching openly or from the shadows. What surprised Elder Qiu was that Xie Man had also arrived. She stood beneath the shattered mountain range and was staring forward blankly.

“City Lord Xie, why are you here?” Elder Qiu asked.

She turned to look at the old man, not concealing the killing intent in her eyes. Elder Qiu was confused, not knowing what had happened.

Xie Man looked at Chu Songyun again and raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to act?”

Chu Songyun looked towards Canglan Valley. “We will see.”

Xie Man sneered. “For so many years, you have only acted when forced. It’s unusual for you to take the initiative. Should I let you go first?”

Chu Songyun fell silent, staring at the sourcebox array outside Canglan Valley. Did this sourcebox array also come from another human civilization? He hoped that it would not disappoint him.

“City Lord Xie, why have you come here?” Elder Qiu asked, curious.

Xie Man shot Elder Qiu a cold glance. “Old thing, you go first.”

Elder Qiu froze. “Me?”

“Did you not bring us here? What? You want to hide behind others?” Xie Man’s gaze grew even colder.

Elder Qiu shook his head. “I am old. I no longer have the ability to act. You should do it.”

“Nonsense. You have done so many filthy things, but now you want to step back and push others forward. Do you think we are idiots?” With that, Xie Man raised her red umbrella and held it horizontally between Elder Qiu and herself. “Today, you will act, whether you want to or not.”

Elder Qiu’s expression turned ugly. What was this supposed to mean? If he wanted to take action, he would have done so long ago. He knew that he could not block Lu Yin’s strike, so how could he act? Would that not be seeking death?

Recalling the previous strike and seeing the shattered mountain range, the old man grew more determined. “If you do not want to act, then just leave on your own, City Lord Xie. I did not force you, and regardless, I will not step forward.”

“You!” Xie Man was enraged. Her eyes grew icy as she glared at Elder Qiu.

This old man was determined not to act.

Helpless, she turned to Chu Songyun, suppressed her anger, and put on a sweet smile. “Brother Chu, will you act?”

Chu Songyun remained silent.

Xie Man maintained the smile while leaning in. “Brother Chu, this little sister admits that her strength is inferior to yours. If you won’t make a move, then your little sister has even less of a right to make a move, doesn’t she?”

After saying that, she even blew a breath at Chu Songyun. He finally looked at her. “Men and women should not touch each other. Show some restraint.”

Xie Man’s expression stiffened. What kind of person was this? How many in the world could resist her allure? Since he was acting like this, she stopped pretending. “Chu Songyun, are you going to step forward or not?”

Chu Songyun remained silent.

Xie Man could say nothing more. Elder Qiu directly retreated into the crowd. He had led people to this valley, but what happened next had nothing to do with him. Xie Man glanced at him. That old fox.

Lu Yin looked out from inside Canglan Valley. By the looks of things, the strongest Sixfold Crimsons had arrived, but none of them were willing to act. What was going on? Had they truly been frightened by that one flick of his finger?

This was Crimson Starshade, and for those who followed the Path of Dispassion, emotions like fear should be rare. If they did not act, then they were either afraid or were waiting, waiting for someone else to test the waters first.

He smiled and resumed feeding the fish. It would be the same no matter who acted first. He had already waited for more than half a year, and he did not mind waiting a bit longer.

Everyone could wait, except Xie Man. She feared that, if she waited any longer, her master might lose all patience.

The timing of her master’s appearance had been too perfect. How could she have just happened to hear Elder Qiu’s words, unless she had been watching all along? But that was also impossible.

If Meiran Dan had not been keeping an eye on Xie Man, yet had still arrived with such convenient timing, then there was only one possibility: her master had orders for her. But Xie Man had received no orders at all, other than being sent to this valley. Even though Meiran Dan had used Elder Qiu’s words to force her disciple, Xie Man understood the truth: her master also wanted her to test this Mr. Lu.

This meant that her master was very likely watching this place. Xie Man also knew that her master did not like to wait.

Thinking of this, Xie Man started to grow anxious. She glanced back at Chu Songyun and then reluctantly looked over at Elder Qiu and the others. With no other choice, the woman stepped forward and started walking toward Canglan Valley.

Everyone stared at Xie Man. Was she going to act?

Of the Sixfold Crimsons, the most formidable were Xie Man and Chu Songyun. One was the disciple of an Immortal, while the other possessed extraordinary talent. If not even the two of them were a match for Mr. Lu, then his status as a Sevenfold Crimson would be fully deserved.

Chu Songyun watched Xie Man’s back. Though taciturn, he was not foolish. Xie Man had made it a point to speak to them and had repeatedly tried to provoke someone else into attacking. It was clear that the woman was unable to wait. Since she was impatient, then she could be the first to act.

It was only surprising that she was rushing ahead. Chu Songyun had expected to wait for much longer.

Lu Yin looked out from within Canglan Valley.

“Sixfold Crimson, Xie Man. I ask that Mr. Lu give everyone an explanation in person. You do not cultivate the Path of Dispassion, nor are you an Immortal, and yet you are a Sevenfold Crimson. This is unfair.”

Lu Yin smiled. Unfair? Interesting.

He continued feeding the fish, not offering any response.

Xie Man waited for a moment but received no reply. Her gaze grew sharp. What an arrogant man! Even their own civilization’s Immortals would not ignore her like this, let alone some outsider from another civilization.

She was considered someone who had a strong chance of becoming a Sevenfold Crimson.

An Immortal would always be a Sevenfold Crimson at minimum, but being a Sevenfold Crimson did not necessarily mean being an Immortal.

Throughout the ages, nearly everyone who had become a Sevenfold Crimson had only done so after becoming an Immortal. According to their records, there had only ever been one exception: Ancestor Hong Xia.

Legends said that Ancestor Hong Xia had become a Sevenfold Crimson without overcoming Dukkha, which was a unique accomplishment throughout their entire history. His breakthrough into the Immortal realm had triggered a phenomenon which had descended from above. The man was invincible throughout their megaverse.

Legends also said that only by doing that could one achieve the strongest Twelvefold Crimson.

Xie Man had hoped to become a Sevenfold Crimson before breaking into the Immortal realm, and many believed her capable of doing just that.

This was why her status in the civilization was extremely high.

But only Xie Man and her master, Meiran Dan, knew that that was impossible. Forget Sevenfold Crimson—it would be difficult for Xie Man to even touch the Immortal realm. The rumors outside were all exaggerations.

Still, because the outside world believed her capable of it, her status remained lofty. Despite her status, she was being ignored by Lu Yin. What gave him the right to dare to do that?

“Mr. Lu, will you not come out to say a few words?”

Lu Yin calmly fed the fish.

Xie Man’s expression fell. “It appears that Mr. Lu does not wish to come out, but this is not something that you can avoid by hiding. Mr. Lu, can you bear the burden of being a Sevenfold Crimson?”

There was still no response.

The people around Canglan Valley all watched. Was Lu Yin arrogant or ignorant? Even if he had obtained the strength to fight against Immortals, he should not ignore Xie Man. In people’s minds, Xie Man was close to that level as well.

Having been ignored three times in a row, which had never happened ever since Xie Man had started cultivating, she stopped talking and walked closer to Canglan Valley. She was greeted only by the sourcebox array.

Flowers bloomed beneath her feet, spreading through the void to cover both heaven and earth. Gradually, they completely wrapped around Canglan Valley.

The red umbrella in the woman’s hand opened. Six ribs were clearly visible on the umbrella, inciting envy from those watching.