Chapter 1106: Comprehensive Alliance

Lu Ye had originally intended to visit his sect after meeting Taishan, as it was nearby, and he genuinely missed his second senior sister and master whom he hadn't seen for a long time. However, after obtaining the jar of insect blood and the jade slip containing the special refining method, he had to abandon that plan. He bid farewell to Taishan and promptly rushed towards Haotian City.

The sooner he reported these items, the sooner Jiuzhou could organize forces to infiltrate the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm and resolve the insect plague. Jiuzhou was facing severe problems, affecting not only cultivators but also mortals. The insect plague had ravaged the land for several years, making farming impossible. Even the surplus food stored from previous years was nearly exhausted, forcing every human settlement to tighten its belt and live frugally. If this situation persisted, large numbers of mortals would inevitably starve to death, which would, in turn, destabilize the very foundation of the cultivation world.

Midway, he sent a message to the Sect Master, providing a brief explanation.

He arrived in Haotian City half a day later and proceeded directly to the Sect Master's private courtyard. The Sect Master was awaiting his arrival. Lu Ye presented the insect blood and the jade slip. After carefully examining them for a moment, the Sect Master asked, "Did Taishan give you all of these?"

"Yes."

"That's odd; he's suddenly changed his tune," the Sect Master remarked, clearly puzzled. Ever since Lu Ye had previously told him about Taishan, the Sect Master had been secretly investigating Taishan and the Chaos Organization. However, Taishan's concealment was so deep that there had been no tangible progress. The Sect Master was keenly aware that, given Jiuzhou's current circumstances, such a hidden power was highly unstable. If Taishan remained dormant, it would be acceptable, but if he were to suddenly rise up, it would only plunge Jiuzhou into greater chaos. Furthermore, for Taishan's personal ambitions, the more chaotic Jiuzhou's situation became, the more advantageous it would be for him, as only in times of turmoil do people seek change. Yet, to his surprise, Taishan had voluntarily handed over such crucial items to Lu Ye. Given the current predicament, these two things were truly vital.

"I spoke with him about the Blood Refining Realm and Senior Brother," Lu Ye explained. "In fact, when I returned from the Blood Refining Realm, Senior Brother had given some instructions concerning Taishan. I had a detailed discussion with him, and I suppose I managed to persuade him."

The Sect Master understood. "He holds your Senior Brother in high regard. It makes sense that he would heed your Senior Brother's words."

"Sect Master, Taishan doesn't wish for his existence to be revealed, so the origin of these two items will likely need to be attributed to me," Lu Ye stated. Taishan had specifically cautioned him about this before his departure.

Lu Ye understood Taishan's specific instruction. Regarding everything Lu Ye had previously said, Taishan believed some of it, but not all. Therefore, he still had to prepare for a contingency: what if Lu Ye had deceived him, there was no Blood Refining Realm, and Feng Wujiang was long dead? If that were the case, Taishan would still proceed with his original plan, and he would need to build momentum for Lu Ye in advance. The special refining method for insect blood was nothing short of a lifeline for Jiuzhou in its current state. At such a critical juncture, anyone who presented this item would be considered a savior to all of Jiuzhou and would gain immense public esteem.

Of course, from Lu Ye's perspective, Taishan's actions were meaningless, as the Blood Refining Realm genuinely existed, and Senior Brother was indeed still alive. However, since it was Taishan's request, agreeing to it caused no harm.

The Sect Master mused for a moment, then replied, "That works well."

Compared to his significant contribution during the last infiltration of the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm, this new merit was undoubtedly far greater. Last time, the Sect Master had taken the credit to protect Lu Ye. After all, many top experts hadn't been able to penetrate deep into the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm, yet Lu Ye, who had just been promoted, managed to. It was hard to guarantee that some wouldn't feel apprehensive towards him. This time, however, the situation was different. This was both a great merit and a profound act of benevolence. If the insect blood, refined using the special method, proved truly effective in helping Jiuzhou overcome the insect plague, then every cultivator and mortal across Jiuzhou would owe Lu Ye a debt of gratitude. At that point, anyone who dared to act against him would be defying the will of the entire world, and all of Jiuzhou's humanity would rise to condemn them.

An incense stick's time later, Lu Ye departed Haotian City, leisurely flying towards Jinglan Lake Pass. This proactive outreach and detailed discussion with Taishan had undoubtedly been a very wise decision, significantly alleviating the heavy burden on his mind. Now, what remained was simple: merely to wait. The Sect Master needed to personally test whether the insect blood was truly effective, as practical verification was essential for conviction. If it proved useful, he would then summon personnel to convene a grand council to deliberate on the subsequent course of action. Lu Ye was not yet able to participate in such high-level deliberations, nor was he inclined to. In some ways, his mindset was similar to Taishan's: he preferred to act upon orders or follow his instincts, rather than being a decision-maker, a role he found mentally exhausting and bothersome.

The following days passed uneventfully.

At Jinglan Lake Pass, Lu Ye entered seclusion for cultivation while simultaneously refining Exploding Fire Spirit Stones and Connected Qi Formation Discs. He had been promoted to the Fourth Layer Realm for a month. Within Jiuzhou's cultivation environment, and aided by his unique cultivation method, his progress was rapid, allowing him to generally advance one realm layer every few months. As his cultivation advanced, his refining efficiency also improved. Furthermore, with both his main body and clone engaged in refining, the production of both Exploding Fire Spirit Stones and formation discs had significantly increased compared to their initial output.

Half a month later, news arrived from the Sect Master.

The insect blood was indeed effective. Just as Taishan had stated, even when deep within the insect tunnels, it allowed cultivators to maintain 60% of their combat capabilities. This time, the Sect Master had fought his way to the end of the insect tunnels and seen the same portal Lu Ye had previously encountered. However, he did not rashly venture further. The Insect Race Grand Secret Realm contained countless insect creatures, and a solo charge would yield little success while easily plunging him into grave danger. Consequently, upon reaching the end of the insect tunnels and seeing the portal to the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm, the Sect Master immediately turned back. He urgently gathered his staff and convened a grand council. During the council, he produced the remaining half-jar of insect blood and the jade slip detailing the special refining method, which deeply stirred the high-ranking members of the Bing Province Haotian Alliance. With his personal experience and verification, his accounts were undeniably compelling. Everyone immediately realized that this marked a crucial turning point in Jiuzhou's fight against the insect plague.

Bing Province had already shared the refining method with the other eight major provinces, holding nothing back, even informing the Myriad Demons Ridge faction. This was not solely a matter for the Haotian Alliance; it was a problem confronting all of Jiuzhou, so the Myriad Demons Ridge also needed to contribute. What the Jiuzhou cultivation world needed to do now was to refine as much insect blood as possible. Once sufficient reserves were amassed, all available personnel could be deployed to launch an assault into the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm!

As for the source of the special refining method, the Sect Master attributed it entirely to Lu Ye, as Lu Ye had requested. This immense contribution, originating from Bing Province, brought radiant pride to the high-ranking officials of the province. Some were puzzled as to how Lu Yiye, a newly promoted Divine Sea Realm military cultivator, had managed to devise such a refining method. However, compared to the significance of the refining method's existence itself, these were minor details, and there was no need to delve too deeply into them. Everyone had their own unique opportunities, and Lu Yiye was, after all, a person favored by heavenly destiny. Even if he claimed to have simply found it by the roadside, who could possibly verify that?

It was from this very moment that the two major factions officially entered a period of large-scale collaboration. This marked a profound, epoch-making change. For two to three millennia since their emergence, these two factions had been locked in ceaseless confrontation and endless disputes. This was their first instance of sincere cooperation, a moment destined to leave an indelible mark in Jiuzhou's historical records.

Since it was joint cooperation, naturally, nothing should be held back. Taking the opportunity, Myriad Demons Ridge then made a request to the Haotian Alliance: they wanted the Haotian Alliance to share the Connected Qi Formation Discs. The Myriad Demons Ridge faction had coveted these items for a long time. Although they had previously managed to acquire some formation discs from the Haotian Alliance for study, their research frustratingly revealed that no one within their ranks could refine them in large quantities.

Preparations for the Jiuzhou cultivation world's counterattack against the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm were now in full swing. For any cultivator residing in Jiuzhou, regardless of their faction, combating the insect race was an inescapable responsibility. The Myriad Demons Ridge faction's stance was clear: they were willing to contribute and cooperate sincerely with the Haotian Alliance, as both sought to maintain Jiuzhou's stability. However, as the saying goes, if you want a horse to run, you must feed it. The number of personnel Myriad Demons Ridge would dispatch would be directly proportional to the number of formation discs the Haotian Alliance could supply! If the Haotian Alliance could provide a sufficiently large quantity of formation discs, the entire Myriad Demons Ridge, from Divine Sea Realm cultivators down to Spirit Stream Realm cultivators, would mobilize all their forces without any objection!

Such a demand from Myriad Demons Ridge was entirely reasonable. Everyone knew that once Jiuzhou's insect plague was resolved, the relationship between the two factions would revert to its previous state. At that point, the Haotian Alliance would possess the advantage of the formation discs, while Myriad Demons Ridge would not, surely putting them at a disadvantage in future confrontations. This was a rare opportunity; if they didn't secure some benefits from the Haotian Alliance now, they would miss their chance entirely. This was their sole opportunity to obtain such strategic materials in large quantities.

The Haotian Alliance understood that Myriad Demons Ridge's demands were difficult to reject. A complete refusal was impractical; they couldn't expect the Haotian Alliance alone to handle the insect plague. That would be unreasonable, as Jiuzhou belonged to everyone, not just one faction. The current challenge for the Haotian Alliance was how and how much to provide. Naturally, the primary pressure fell on Bing Province, as it was the source of the formation discs.

Currently, the high-ranking officials of the two major factions were in intense negotiations. However, it was foreseeable that once the initial preparations for the counterattack against the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm were complete, these discussions would swiftly yield a result that was broadly satisfactory to both parties.

Currently, all sorts of news circulated throughout Jiuzhou, and along with it, the distinguished name of Lu Yiye of the Crimsonblood Sect resounded across the entire land. The refiner of the Connected Qi Formation Discs, the pioneering investigator of the Insect Race Grand Secret Realm, and the discoverer of the insect blood refining method... Any one of these three accomplishments alone would be enough to bring a person renown across the world. With all three converging upon him, even if Lu Ye were only at the Spirit Stream Realm, it would be enough to make him the most brilliant and dazzling individual in existence. Not to mention, he was now a Divine Sea Realm cultivator.