The shockwave cracked the walls, dispersed the clouds, and swept in all directions with thunderous force. At the top of the tower, Lu Yin ultimately blocked Gurlbach's full-force Exploration-level strike. Not only that, when the fifth star burst open, it even suppressed Gurlbach's Lightning Arrow, dispersing all thunder and breaking through his techniques effortlessly.
Though Gurlbach himself was uninjured, his techniques being dismantled meant his defeat.
Lu Yin withdrew his palm, noticing a black mark on his palm from the thunder's power, which had scorched it, though not severely.
"You win," Gurlbach admitted.
Lu Yin took a deep breath. "It's a draw. I'm injured," he said, raising his palm.
Gurlbach chuckled. "Using external force to perform techniques is cheating. I believe you didn't give it your all either. I, Gurlbach, am not someone who can't take a loss. A win is a win."
Lu Yin didn't argue further; indeed, he hadn't exerted his full strength. At least, he hadn't used Bai Xue's talent, which could have amplified the power of the Heavenly Star Palm even further.
"Although fighting with a suppressed realm isn't satisfying, it's not bad. With your strength, you can easily rank in the top ten of the Astral Hall," Gurlbach said with satisfaction.
Lu Yin was surprised. "The Astral Hall has more than ten Fusion Realm experts, right?"
Gurlbach sneered. "Fusion Realm? So what? Let me tell you, with that last arrow of mine, the Astral Hall can't handle more than ten people. So you're good enough to rank in the top ten."
Lu Yin suddenly thought of Thiesen who had provoked him in the Body Sculpting Pool. That man was also a Fusion Realm expert but had been defeated by Lu Yin's Heavenly Star Palm. And Mono, with his current strength, he could definitely defeat him in Fusion Realm. Thinking about it, he realized he could surpass Fusion Realm experts.
Are Fusion Realm experts weak? No, Fusion Realm is strong. However, the Fusion Realm of the Grand Universe Empire is weak. Gurlbach is strong in the Astral Hall, but in the Inner Universe, he wouldn't be considered that powerful. That's the difference between the Outer and Inner Universes.
Thinking about this, Lu Yin didn't rush to break through Fusion Realm. He wanted to learn more about Fusion Realm. He didn't want to end up like Mono, a low-level Fusion Realm expert.
At this moment, Lu Yin saw that his request had been accepted by Gurlbach.
"Thank you," Lu Yin said.
"There's still Ruiz. How do you plan to make him agree?" Gurlbach asked.
Lu Yin hadn't thought about this. He had heard of Ruiz, indisputably the strongest among the younger generation of the Grand Universe Empire, the top figure in the Astral Hall, surpassing Tianming and even Gurlbach. He was a member of the former Grand Universe Empire Youth Council. With so many accolades, even an ordinary person would be at the peak. Lu Yin really didn't understand such people.
Gurlbach smiled, "I'll help you out. But you've already learned fifteen styles. The difference between five more styles isn't that great, but the price you'll pay isn't small. Have you thought it through?"
Lu Yin was curious. "It depends on what I have to pay."
Gurlbach was surprised. "I thought you would go for it without hesitation."
Lu Yin shrugged. "As you said, the difference between five more or five fewer styles isn't that great. If the effort I put in doesn't match the reward, then it's not worth it."
Gurlbach studied Lu Yin for a moment. "Honestly, I've met many people, and faced with powerful techniques, they are all fearless. Especially the elite of the Astral Hall, who fight whoever dares to stop them. You are one of the few who are so practical."
Lu Yin smiled. He would be willing to put in a lot if it meant learning all twenty styles of the Heavenly Beast Claw. However, just twenty styles weren't necessary. He didn't rely solely on the Heavenly Beast Claw in combat; his focus was on the Heavenly Star Palm.
In fact, he hoped Gurlbach would use the twenty styles of the Heavenly Beast Claw to let him see. But he knew this request was a bit excessive; no one liked having their techniques stolen, even if they were popular techniques. It was like no one liked having their privacy invaded.
Gurlbach understood that Lu Yin had learned the ability to learn the Beast Claw during combat, so he would no longer use the Beast Claw to fight himself.
Gurlbach opened his personal terminal, and a light curtain popped up, showing a young man with a cold gaze, carrying a red war knife on his back, bare-chested, covered in numerous scars. This person was Ruiz, who, compared to Gurlbach, looked ordinary, but was able to suppress countless young people in the Grand Universe Empire and become the strongest.
"What's up?" Ruiz's voice was hoarse and indifferent.
"I lost," Gurlbach said.
There was a gleam in Ruiz's eyes. "Lost to whom?"
"Lu Yin, the Purple Mountain King," Gurlbach replied.
Ruiz pondered. "He's Exploration."
"I lost to him with my Exploration-level strength, and I displayed fifteen styles of the Heavenly Beast Claw, all perfectly demonstrated," Gurlbach said.
Ruiz fell silent.
"In my opinion, he's already invincible within Exploration. Anyway, the Astral Hall can't find anyone who can match him. His overall strength is enough to rank in the top ten of the Astral Hall. Once he breaks through Fusion Realm, he may even threaten the positions of the five Hall Masters. What do you think?" Gurlbach asked.
Ruiz looked at Gurlbach. "Where is he?"
"Just left. Why, do you want to see him?"
"I want to fight him, Exploration."
Gurlbach said, "He might not have time. You know, he's the Purple Mountain King, not an ordinary student of the Astral Hall, and he doesn't belong to any hall."
Ruiz's gaze sharpened. "Tell him I can promise to let him learn the first twenty styles of the Heavenly Beast Claw, as long as he dares to fight."
Gurlbach thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll find him."
Without further ado, Ruiz directly closed the light curtain.
Gurlbach turned to Lu Yin and smiled, "Done. What do you think? Are you willing to pay this price?"
Lu Yin's lips curled, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "To spar with the strongest in the empire is my honor. When?"
Gurlbach was about to say something when both of their personal terminals rang simultaneously. It was a sound that only appeared for important notifications, unable to be closed, mandatory to accept, just like the news about the Tenth Court of Stars.
Lu Yin and Gurlbach looked at their personal terminals at the same time. After a while, they looked up, staring at each other in shock. Princess Wendy Yu Shan of the Empire had joined the Outer Universe Youth Council, becoming a decision-making member, and also served as a member of the Grand Universe Empire Youth Council, fully responsible for selecting empire councilors.
"Something big is going to happen," Gurlbach said solemnly.
At the same time, countless people in the Empire received the news that Princess Wendy Yu Shan had joined the Outer Universe Youth Council and was responsible for the Empire Youth Council. Most people cheered excitedly that the Empire finally had a say in the Outer Universe. However, there were also many sighs of relief from those who knew Wendy Yu Shan, including Immortal Yu Shan.
In the Imperial Palace, Immortal Yu Shan sighed and smiled bitterly. "Trouble."
In the Crown Prince's Mansion, Dolan Yu Shan stared blankly at the light curtain, then sighed like Immortal Yu Shan. "With the temperament of the princess, can anyone in the empire impress her?"
Duke Yu Shan laughed heartily. "This is interesting. It looks like the empire will be lively next."
Many people sighed.
On the top floor of the First Ring Tower, Lu Yin was puzzled. "Why do you look like this? Isn't it a good thing for Princess Wendy Yu Shan to join the Outer Universe Youth Council? And she's also responsible for the Empire Youth Council."
Gurlbach sighed. "Do you understand Princess Wendy?"
Lu Yin shook his head, completely unaware, having only heard that this woman was doing well in the Inner Universe and had a high opinion of herself, looking down even on the Grand Universe Empire, with no one able to control her.
"Wendy Princess," Gurlbach hadn't finished speaking when another message came, 'The Grand Universe Empire lacks effective talent, and the Council has temporarily stopped recruiting. It is now under the control of Outer Universe Youth Council members, who will soon arrive at True Star.'
Lu Yin stared blankly. What did this mean?
"You see, this is Princess Wendy. None of the younger generation of the Empire has impressed her, including the five of us Hall Masters. In her eyes, we don't even have the qualifications to enter the council. So the Empire doesn't have a Youth Council at all; it's directly taken over," Gurlbach said helplessly.
For the first time, Lu Yin felt Wendy Yu Shan's dominance. A woman decided everything, and this decision could not be violated by anyone, including Immortal Yu Shan.
He had a purported engagement with her. Thinking of this, Lu Yin felt a chill down his spine. Could this woman use notifications like this to break off the engagement? Although he was pretending to
be her, it would be too embarrassing.
"How powerful is this woman? Even you don't look up to her?" Lu Yin asked.
Gurlbach's gaze was complex, and he said in a low voice, "You should know she's the Captain of the Thirteenth Court, Second Team."
Lu Yin nodded; he had heard Bronson mention it.
"She did it all by herself," Gurlbach said admiringly.
Lu Yin's gaze changed. "What? She did it all by herself?"