Chapter 4200: The Mission

Ba Se spoke again. “Lu Yin, the red coffin belonged to Qi Xu. With her dead, her coffin must be returned to Obscura, as well as her red line.”

Lu Yin frowned. “What if I don’t pay homage to the Divine Tree and the red coffin stays with me?”

“Hehe, then that’s just your bad luck.”

“This kid wants to keep everything for himself. Quite ambitious.”

Ba Se replied, “The red coffin must be returned.”

Lu Yin said, “Then I choose red.”

“Individuals do not decide their colors. They are decided by the Divine Tree,” Ba Se responded.

Lu Yin felt helpless. They were clearly forcing him to visit Vestigium in person.

However, he could also choose not to go. At worst, his mission would remain unfinished. Qi Xu had been dead for so many years, and yet Obscura had never pressed the issue before. There was no time limit on the matter.

He would treat joining Obscura the same as purchasing an insurance policy for the human civilization.

“If you want it, I’ll return it to you,” Lu Yin said.

Ba Se's voice sounded again. “When you pay homage to the Divine Tree, or when a new member joins, the red coffin must be returned without fail.”

Lu Yin’s heart stirred. A new member, is it? So, if no one new joins, I might never need to give it back.

“Next, you may choose your reward for destroying the Thorn civilization. The rewards include the coordinates for that megaverse, its history, battle techniques and cultivation arts, knowledge of the cosmos, mirebound artifacts, and so on. Everything corresponds to the tier of the civilization you destroyed.”

Lu Yin was curious. “What tier was the Thorn Civilization considered?”

“The lowest.”

Lu Yin pursed his lips. “Does knowledge of the cosmos mean that I can ask about any civilization I want?”

“Provided that Obscura can answer, as well as that the information matches the tier of whatever mission you have completed.”

“Can the others hear this?”

“When it comes to choosing rewards or missions, no one can hear our conversation but you and me.”

“All right. I would like to know if there are any other human civilizations in the Aevum Inch, and I would like their coordinates.”

“There are.”

Lu Yin’s eyes lit up.

“The coordinates of any human civilization are considered a higher tiered reward than the mission you have completed. They cannot be given to you.”

Lu Yin exhaled. That was fine. Just knowing that there were still other human civilizations out there was a comfort in and of itself. He just needed to complete a higher tier mission.

“Does a higher tier mean that the strength of a civilization surpasses that of the Thorn Civilization?”

“Tiers are not absolute and are not directly bound to the strength of a civilization. They can be related, but they may also not be.”

Ridiculous. Lu Yin then asked, “Are Mirebound artifacts included among the possible rewards? What kind of mirebound artifacts?”

“There are two that you may currently choose from. The first contains a strange fragrance and can also emit any scent that you can imagine. The second, once put in place, will allow you to see any corner of a given megaverse.”

The first was useless. At least, Lu Yin could not think of any use for such a thing. As for the second, it would have been invaluable when he was a Progenitor. At that time, being able to survey the entire Tianyuan Megaverse from a single point would have been incredibly useful. Unfortunately, at his current level, he was already able to observe the entire Tianyuan whenever he wished. For someone with his level of strength, such a mirebound artifact held no real value.

After all, it could only encompass a single megaverse.

While the two mirebound artifacts sounded mystical, they were essentially worthless to him.

Lu Yin was in no rush. He considered what else he could request. Battle techniques and cultivation arts could be set aside, as such rewards might require his physical presence. The most valuable rewards were knowledge of the cosmos or coordinates to a specific megaverse. Those were the things that could actually benefit him.

“Lu Yin, have you decided?” Ba Se asked.

Lu Yin was curious. “Are mirebound artifacts separated into tiers as well?”

“Yes.”

“How are they separated?”

“Is that your chosen reward?”

“Is that considered a reward?”

“This is knowledge of the cosmos.”

Lu Yin was displeased. “How stingy! You consider this knowledge of the cosmos? I was just asking in passing.”

“Then you may ask other civilizations and see if they can answer you.”

Lu Yin shook his head. “In that case, can I ask if fishing civilizations are divided into tiers as well?”

“Is that your chosen reward?”

“Even that counts as a reward?”

“This is knowledge of the cosmos.”

The exchange felt very familiar. Lu Yin could not hold back his suspicions. “Ba Se, are you actually a living creature, or are you some sort of machine?”

Ba Se's tone remained gentle. “If you complete the corresponding mission, you may learn what I am.”

Lu Yin felt helpless. He was genuinely interested in Ba Se since they were Obscura’s coordinator, but who knew what kind of mission Lu Yin would have to complete to access the truth. “In that case, what level of mission do I need to complete to learn about you?”

“I will tell you later. For now, choose your reward.”

Lu Yin thought for a moment, then asked, “Do you have any method that lets someone see very far?”

“A method? Such as a battle technique? A mirebound artifact? A weapon?”

“Anything is fine, as long as it will allow me to see far enough.”

“Given the tier of the mission you completed, I can grant you a single battle technique.”

“How far would it let me see?”

“Approximately the distance that an Immortal can see.”

Lu Yin was not satisfied with that. He was very aware of just how far an average Immortal could see, and that distance fell far short of his needs. He needed something that did far more than merely match what typical Immortals were capable of. “Nothing else?”

“If you are not satisfied, you may merge your current reward with your next one. Upon completing another mission, your choices will expand.”

Lu Yin hesitated for a moment, but this was the only sensible option. Taking a single, useless reward would be a waste.

“Fine. I choose to merge my reward.”

“In that case, choose the mission you wish to accept next. Mission tiers are determined by the corresponding number of stars. A one star mission requires you to destroy a cosmic civilization that has a single Immortal.

“A two star mission requires you to destroy a cosmic civilization that possesses two Immortals.

“A three star mission requires you to destroy a cosmic civilization that possesses five Immortals.”

Lu Yin was startled. “Three stars jumps straight to five Immortals?”

Ba Se continued, “A four star mission corresponds to ten Immortals.”

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. Ten Immortals. That was more than what the human civilization currently possessed, and yet it was a difficulty that Obscura felt was reasonable to assign as a mission.

“A five star mission requires destroying a fishing civilization.

“Here are the missions you can currently take, or you may also choose to have Obscura directly assign you the mission that best suits you. If Obscura assigns the mission, your completion reward will be doubled.”

Lu Yin’s expression grew solemn. “Has any member of Obscura completed a three star mission?”

“Naturally.”

“Many?”

“No comment.”

“What about four star missions?”

“There are some who have completed them.”

Lu Yin’s gaze grew heavier. “And five star missions?”

“Lu Yin, are you trying to understand Obscura’s strength with these questions?”

“Yes,” Lu Yin admitted, hiding nothing.

Ba Se gave a small hum. “Even higher tier missions, such as six star missions, have been completed by members of Obscura. Does that answer satisfy you?”

Lu Yin’s heart sank. “What are the requirements for a six star mission?”

“No comment. You must first complete a five star mission before you can accept a six star one.”

Lu Yin immediately realized that he had been underestimating Obscura. He had assumed that having multiple Immortals would allow humanity to at least be able to somewhat threaten Obscura. However, the full strength of their human civilization did not even qualify them to be considered a four star mission. He could not help but wonder what Master Qing Cao had witnessed Obscura accomplish in the past. His feelings at that time must have been much like Lu Yin’s current feelings.

He inhaled deeply. He had felt such despair more than once before, though it was a heavy burden each and every time.

“Lu Yin, choose the mission that you wish to accept or allow Obscura to assign you one.”

“What level of difficulty would reward me with a method that will allow me to see a great distance?”

“Any three star mission or above.”

Lu Yin stared at the multicolored Divine Tree before him. “I choose to accept a three star mission.”

He did not intend to rush to complete his mission quickly, so he might as well choose a three star one. At the very least, he would receive the coordinates of the target megaverse and would be able to learn the capabilities of a cosmic civilization that was home to five Immortals. That alone might prove useful.

If, by some chance, humanity was able to communicate with that civilization and form an alliance, a group of more than ten Immortals standing together should be enough to make even Obscura choke.

He refused to believe that Obscura had many members who were capable of completing missions at the four star level and above. That was absolutely impossible.

Ten Immortals was an absurd number. Even if both the Origin Progenitor and Uncle Jiang broke into the Immortal realm, their human civilization still would not have that many.

Besides, if he somehow did manage to complete a three star mission, he would receive a method that would enable him to see far.

Awe Gate offered one possible path, but Lu Yin would not pin all of his hopes on her. It was possible that Obscura would offer a better method.

Being able to see farther would result in the greatest transformation that Lu Yin could gain for himself.

He could already imagine the day when his gaze could reach every corner of the Aevum Inch. What would that feel like? Human civilization would, in effect, be able to spread across the entirety of the Aevum Inch.

Ba Se's voice rose. “Very well. Your three star mission is: destroy the Seal-Eater Civilization. There is no time limit for this mission. Here is the location of the Seal-Eater Civilization, calculated according to your current location. There is no time limit. You may leave at any time.

“Also, there is one more thing: you may refuse a compulsory draft to fight on behalf of Obscura just one time. Use it wisely.”

Lu Yin was puzzled. “Will Obscura force us into battle?”

“Should Obscura face a crisis, it will.”

Lu Yin understood. That was only reasonable. Otherwise, given that there were no time limits for the missions, no monitoring of the members of Obscura, no attacking the civilizations of its own members, and even rewards for completing missions, what would Obscura get out of recruiting more members?

Even so, Lu Yin still could not fully fathom Obscura’s ultimate goal.

All he had learned was that Obscura was extremely difficult to see through. If he wanted to better understand Obscura, he would have to complete missions.

Knowledge of the cosmos, is it?

Knowledge of Obscura was itself a form of knowledge of the cosmos.

Since he could leave, he might as well say his goodbyes.

“Lan Meng, Furball, I’m leaving. See you next time.” With that, Lu Yin was gone.

Laughter echoed across Vestigium, along with Furball’s furious, suppressed curses.

Those curses were not aimed at Lu Yin, but rather at Kuang.

“Lan Meng, don’t bring trash like that here again! It can’t even compare to an Aberrant.”

Lan Meng replied in a low voice, “The civilization that the human used was a fishing civilization, a technological fishing civilization. Can you use any civilization that compares to that?”

“Trash is still trash. Talking about loyalty? What a joke.”

Another being spoke up. “Ba Se, humanity and Obscura are mortal enemies. He joined merely to gain stability for his human civilization. Just because he has accepted a mission does not mean that he will complete it. He might never finish it.”

Ba Se slowly replied, “Desire is a floodgate. Once it is opened, the surging river cannot be stopped by anyone.

“Obscura encompasses everything. Whatever he wishes to know or obtain, Obscura can offer. He will not be able to resist. Allow time to deliver an answer.”

After leaving Vestigium, Lu Yin passed along everything he had learned to Greater Sancte Green Lotus and the others.

With this, they gained a new understanding of Obscura’s strength.

For creatures to have completed even six star missions indicated that their strength was no longer determined by how many Immortals were in the civilizations they controlled, but rather by some sort of qualitative transformation. This placed immense pressure on their human civilization.

“Senior, find Master Qing Cao. At this point, he should tell us exactly what he saw back then,” Lu Yin suggested.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus replied, “There is no need to look for him. He is already here.”

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