Chapter 1301: Life Is So Short

Lu Ye slowly clarified his situation, immediately realizing this was a perilous place where he shouldn't linger. The information he currently possessed, though seemingly comprehensive, was utterly useless. In such an environment, the best course of action was naturally to escape first.

As for the opportunity Feng Rumou had mentioned... whatever it was, ensuring his safety came first. He immediately started walking towards the exit.

Xu Qingwei quickly followed him. "Captain, are you really alright?"

Lu Ye initially didn't want to answer her, but after a moment's thought, he turned his head and said coldly, "I'm going out for a walk. Don't follow me!" Xu Qingwei stopped in her tracks.

Stepping out of the cabin, Lu Ye realized he was on the third deck of the battleship, the same deck his clone had initially explored. The place he had just left was likely the command center of the Azure Dragon Battleship.

He looked up to see a sky full of stars. The Azure Dragon Battleship was currently sailing through space. Lu Ye tried to locate the familiar Sun Star and Venus, but found nothing.

This sent a chill down his spine. The previous inexplicable changes were already baffling enough; how had even his surroundings transformed now?

There was no time for contemplation; his immediate priority was to leave this place quickly.

He launched himself into the air, flying outward, but soon realized something was wrong. No matter how he flew, he couldn't leave the spirit vessel; he was confined to within a hundred *zhang* of it. The Azure Dragon Battleship seemed to possess a mysterious power, trapping him firmly. He didn't notice it ordinarily, but it activated whenever he tried to depart.

Such a method was beyond his comprehension. Things were clearly not so simple.

Although he was mentally prepared, Lu Ye couldn't help but frown when he discovered this problem.

It seemed related to his current identity. As the captain of the Azure Dragon Battleship, he was inextricably linked to it. It was as if his fate was tied to the ship's: if the ship endured, so would he; if it was destroyed, he would perish.

The moment this thought sprang into his mind, Lu Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a vague sense of impending doom. "Enemy attack!" Suddenly, a sharp cry echoed across the deck. Lu Ye looked towards the source of the sound and saw a young cultivator shouting a warning from the lookout platform at the top of the mast.

Lu Ye quickly scanned his surroundings and indeed spotted a trace in one direction: three battleships, distinctly different in design from the Azure Dragon Battleship, were rapidly approaching in a triangular formation.

From a distance, the front ends of the three battleships lit up, clearly charging their weapons.

While in Kyushu, Lu Ye had encountered similar vessels. The Haotian Alliance in Kyushu possessed Flying Dragon Battleships, specifically designed for sieges, which wielded immense power far beyond what cultivators could typically achieve.

If battleships within a realm were so powerful, let alone those from outside, who knew the capabilities of these three rapidly approaching vessels? Now, with them targeting the Azure Dragon Battleship, Lu Ye instantly sensed grave danger.

And he couldn't even fly away from the battleship.

After the warning was sounded, crew members rushed from various locations, taking their positions at the array cores scattered across the deck, quickly resuming their duties.

As one female crew member swept past Lu Ye, she sent him a telepathic message: "Quickly go to the place you came from! Don't die too many times, or you'll never be able to escape!"

Lu Ye turned his head, watching the woman's retreating back. He had a faint feeling that this woman was somehow different from the other crew members.

But there was no time to ponder this, as Qin Zong had already appeared beside him, his expression tense. "Captain, quickly control the battleship!"

Lu Ye took one last look at the woman's back, then flew up and entered the cabin he had just left. His gaze swept across the room, immediately spotting a spherical object at the center of a complex formation. This was the control core of the Azure Dragon Battleship.

Lu Ye quickly stepped forward, placing his hand on the sphere. His divine sense and spiritual power surged, pouring into the orb simultaneously. The next instant, he experienced a peculiar sensation.

He felt as if he had merged with the Azure Dragon Battleship; he was the battleship, and the battleship was him. He could clearly perceive every minute change in the vessel and discern its strengths and weaknesses.

However, Lu Ye had no experience controlling a battleship. As he was still processing this new sensation, a chilling feeling suddenly enveloped him.

He looked up, his gaze profound, as if it could pierce through the void. He clearly saw three bright lights, forming a triangular pattern, rapidly approaching the Azure Dragon Battleship.

These were the attacks launched by the three battleships he had seen from the deck earlier.

Lu Ye instinctively wanted to dodge, but his consciousness was now merged with the Azure Dragon Battleship. Dodging wouldn't be easy; he needed to control the battleship to execute the evasive maneuvers.

This was completely different from controlling his own body.

The battleship shuddered violently as the first attack struck. Although he couldn't dodge it, fortunately, the Azure Dragon Battleship crew was well-trained and had already activated the defensive array.

The attack hit the array's energy shield, causing ripples to spread instantly. Then came the second, and the third...

Lu Ye desperately tried to control the battleship, but a moment's delay led to further delays. The continuous barrage of attacks, though unable to breach the defensive energy shield, struck the Azure Dragon Battleship with such immense force that it sent it tumbling uncontrollably.

It wasn't just the battleship tumbling; Lu Ye's mind was reeling as well.

In Lu Ye's perception, he was like a target suspended in mid-air, completely unable to control his movements, let alone dodge subsequent attacks.

Qin Zong, on the side, was frantic, stomping his feet. While urging his spiritual power to calm his mind, he shouted, "Captain, dodge quickly!" *Don't I know I need to dodge? I need the ability to do so!* Lu Ye almost swore.

Lu Ye nearly cursed out loud.

For someone who had never controlled this type of battleship before, taking the helm for the first time involved far too many uncoordinated aspects.

In just ten breaths, the Azure Dragon Battleship's defensive energy shield shattered with a crash. As the bright lights, once again in a triangular formation, came hurtling towards them, Lu Ye couldn't help but sigh.

The starry void... it was truly dangerous. He never imagined his life would end like this.

The triangular formation of attacks struck, shattering the defensive energy shield and simultaneously slamming into the hull. A violent force rampaged through the ship, and crew members on deck screamed as they died.

Lu Ye didn't struggle; he calmly accepted it all, as any struggle at this point was meaningless.

In his final moments, Hua Ci's face appeared in his mind. He wondered... if that woman would truly bear him a child.

In this very calmness, Lu Ye suddenly noticed something strange. He turned his head and saw Qin Zong and the others beside him all looking at him. Their previous fear and despair had vanished without a trace, replaced by peculiar smiles directed at him.

Enveloped in white light, all life within the Azure Dragon Battleship was extinguished! Even the entire battleship became utterly dilapidated.

Lu Ye's eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air. The sensation of death was incredibly unsettling, but he quickly looked puzzled.

Because just a moment ago, he had clearly felt himself die, yet he was alive again. His divine sense moved, checking his body; there were no traces of injuries, no deficiencies. What was happening?

He looked around and saw Qin Zong and the others. And he was clearly back in the battleship's control center.

Seeing Lu Ye look their way, Xiao Jianming asked, "Captain, any orders?" Lu Ye stared at him for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

Bizarre! It was far too bizarre!

Lu Ye didn't believe in resurrection, even if someone truly possessed such an ability, it wouldn't be widespread. Yet, to his divine sense, all the battleship crew members who had just died were still alive and well.

It was as if everything he had just experienced was an illusion!

But was something like that truly an illusion? If so, it was far too real. Lu Ye had distinctly felt the tearing pain of his body when he died.

"Captain, are you feeling unwell?" Xu Qingwei asked with concern.

Lu Ye looked at her, his expression somewhat dazed. Just before he died, these very people had all turned their heads and given him strange smiles, especially Xu Qingwei, who had clearly been facing away from him, yet her head had completely rotated.

Now, they all acted as if nothing had happened... "No!" Lu Ye replied somewhat stiffly.

Qin Zong let out a hearty laugh. "Our captain must be nervous on his first voyage. Remember, we all went through this. Captain, let me tell you, there's no need to be nervous. Robbing is a skill; the first time is difficult, the second time is easier, and by the third, you'll be an old hand. You'll get used to it with more experience."

"What's wrong with you all?" Lu Ye asked. The others looked utterly bewildered.

Lu Ye rephrased his question: "What happened just now?"

Their expressions grew even more confused. Qin Zong scratched his head. "Captain, what are you talking about? What happened just now?"

Lu Ye stared intently at their faces, but found no hint of a flaw, making him start to doubt himself.

Just then, a sharp cry suddenly came from the lookout platform on the deck: "Enemy attack!"

Throughout the battleship, scattered crew members immediately sprang into action, rushing onto the deck and taking their designated posts. Lu Ye's expression stiffened.

He quickly raised his hand and pressed it onto the sphere in front of him. The next instant, the familiar sensation from before flooded his mind, and he seemed to merge with the Azure Dragon Battleship.

His gaze once again pierced through the void, seeing three battleships rapidly approaching in a triangular formation from the depths of space. Bright lights were already glowing at the prows of the three vessels.

This scene... how eerily familiar. It was as if time had rewound! Lu Ye's eye twitched involuntarily.

Qin Zong shouted from the side, "Captain, quickly control the battleship!"