Chapter 1318: I Have a Friend (Happy New Year Everyone)

However, it was no use. If the fatty had continued to stand his ground and maintain the rhythm of his spells, it would have been fine. But with his retreat, his concentration scattered, and the rhythm of his spell barrage faltered. Lu Ye's combat experience was immense; although these minor flaws were fleeting, he seized them precisely, rapidly closing the distance to the fatty.

The fatty's expression turned to panic. Several times, his spells misfired, making the situation increasingly dire.

In less than ten breaths, the distance between them had closed to ten zhang!

Lu Ye leaped high, like an eagle soaring through the sky. As he descended, his long blade spun like a crescent moon.

The fatty's face was deathly pale. He seemed terrified, and feeling the fierce power of the incoming blade, he cried out, "I'm done for!"

Despite his words, he fiercely punched in Lu Ye's direction.

With that punch, the void trembled. The thrown fist rapidly grew, instantly becoming the size of a house, blocking the light from the sky and concealing his own figure.

The pallor on the fatty's face vanished, replaced by a cunning grin that Lu Ye couldn't see.

Against someone familiar with him, his tactic would have been useless. However, this was his first encounter with Lu Ye, who had no idea of his true abilities. He was certain Lu Ye wouldn't be able to dodge such a sudden attack.

Everything before this had just been a disguise, all for the explosive power of this single punch.

Who would have thought a spell cultivator would punch?

Lu Ye, however, had anticipated it. Facing this sudden incoming punch, he seemed to have expected it; his expression didn't change in the slightest. A brilliant light shone on his simple, unadorned Panshan Blade, imbued with divine sharpness, as his spiritual power and vital energy erupted.

The blade struck the giant fist. After only a brief moment of deadlock, the house-sized fist rapidly deflated like a punctured balloon.

An immense force pressed down from above. The fatty's face changed, and his body involuntarily stooped. He cursed inwardly, wondering what kind of monstrous strength this was that he couldn't resist.

With his punch broken, and seeing the long blade still descending with undiminished force, the fatty knew that if he didn't do something else, he would truly be done for...

He quickly pulled out a purple talisman and slapped it onto himself. Instantly, a dazzling golden light enveloped his corpulent body.

When Lu Ye brought his blade down, he had originally intended to reserve some power to retract it. But seeing the fatty's actions, he simply unleashed his full force.

The long blade struck, its light like snow.

"Ahya!" the fatty cried out in surprise. He flew a great distance, and the golden light around him instantly dimmed.

He hastily got up, ready to fight again. However, his corpulent belly suddenly felt loose; he vaguely heard something tear. Looking down, he saw that his clothes had ripped open, revealing his pale, plump stomach.

He quickly covered himself, looking at Lu Ye with shame and indignation. "You fellow..." He couldn't understand how Lu Ye had perfectly countered his sudden punch; by all accounts, his punch should have caught the opponent completely off guard.

Lu Ye quietly looked at him. "I have a friend who appears to be a spell cultivator but is actually a body cultivator. Very naughty!"

And he's also a fatty...

Not to mention, the fatty's acting was truly subpar. As a spell cultivator and a Star Constellation Realm master, no matter how perilous the combat situation, he wouldn't make repeated spell-casting errors. Such mistakes only happen to Spirit Stream Realm cultivators; even Cloud River Realm cultivators rarely make such basic errors, let alone a Star Constellation Realm master.

So, after seeing the fatty's performance, Lu Ye was certain this fellow was trying to lure him closer to deliver a 'surprise.'

The fatty was speechless upon hearing this. He had thought himself flawless, but who knew the other party had been wary all along? He wasn't wronged in losing. He cupped his hands at Lu Ye, gathered his ripped clothes over his stomach, and flew away.

In the grand hall, Su Yuqing's eyes gleamed with a strange light. Wu Qimo pondered in silence. Chen Xuanhai nodded slightly, "This young man's offensive is very sharp. The Grand Elephant Talisman isn't so easily broken. If this young man were to act as an external aid, it would indeed be a good choice."

To defeat a peak early-stage Star Constellation master so easily undoubtedly showed he possessed the combat power of a mid-stage Star Constellation master. Such strength was exactly what this realm currently lacked. Begonia alone couldn't achieve their goals, but with someone to assist, the situation would be different.

Wu Qimo frowned. "But this is ultimately our wishful thinking. Whether he's willing to help is another matter entirely."

"Where there's a will, there's a way. Besides, isn't his senior sister still in this realm?" Su Yuqing smiled faintly.

Chen Xuanhai said, "Daoist Su, are you thinking of making some moves regarding his senior sister? That might be inappropriate. Regardless, this young man saved Begonia's life, and he is also considered Begonia's guest now."

Su Yuqing replied, "Begonia is my disciple; of course, I won't make things difficult for her. Rest assured, both of you, I won't force him into anything. Everything must be done willingly."

Wu Qimo chuckled. "Speaking of which, bringing a beautiful woman home, he wouldn't refuse such a good thing, would he?" He turned to Su Yuqing, "But... Daoist Su, are you truly willing to part with her?"

Su Yuqing said, "If Begonia can find a good home, what would I be unwilling to part with? Begonia herself doesn't reject this matter. In any case, the Black Abyss Martial Arts Competition is currently the most important thing."

"Then I'll leave it to you." Chen Xuanhai nodded, his figure vanishing.

Wu Qimo followed suit and departed.

Only Su Yuqing remained in the grand hall.

Su Yuqing hadn't deceived Wu Qimo and Chen Xuanhai in anything she said. The only thing she hadn't mentioned was the presence of a powerful master behind Lu Ye. It wasn't that she deliberately concealed it, but rather that she felt there was no need to mention it.

That powerful individual could casually produce a nine-star treasure and even seal a secret art to help someone defeat enemies on the Ghost Ship. Su Yuqing admitted to herself that she was far inferior to such a master.

Lu Ye himself had excellent potential and a powerful backer. Such a rising talent was well worth befriending. If this matter could truly be brought to fruition, it wouldn't be unfair to her disciple. Of course, the most important thing was that her own disciple had no aversion to it.

If Begonia had uttered even a single 'no' earlier, she wouldn't have harbored these thoughts.

On the mountainside, Lu Ye waited quietly for a moment. When no one appeared, he began walking upwards.

Before long, he reached the peak of Immortal Spirit Peak. Looking up, he saw only a grand hall standing there; a subtle aura emanated from within.

Although the aura was ethereal, it conveyed a sense of vastness. He immediately understood that the person inside the hall must be a Sun-Illuminated Realm master.

And the one who could be here was undoubtedly Begonia's master.

Adjusting his clothes, Lu Ye stepped inside and saw a woman seated cross-legged in the empty grand hall.

A quick glance revealed her age was indiscernible; she seemed sixteen, yet also in her early thirties. Her demeanor was pure, yet she exuded ample charm. She possessed unparalleled beauty. Clad in a snow-white palace gown, even seated cross-legged, her graceful figure was undeniable.

Begonia was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, but compared to the woman before him, she lacked a certain allure.

Lu Ye respectfully stepped forward. "Junior Lu Ye greets Senior!"

Su Yuqing smiled faintly and raised a hand, saying, "No need for formalities. Please, sit."

Lu Ye obediently sat down.

The grand hall was spacious. Su Yuqing scrutinized Lu Ye from head to toe, silent for a moment. Lu Ye sat still, looking back with a clear expression. He wondered inwardly, 'Begonia's master, why does her gaze seem a little strange as she scrutinizes me?'

After a long moment, Su Yuqing smiled faintly. "Begonia has told me about all her previous encounters. Nephew, you were able to disregard countless treasures and bring Begonia out of the Ghost Ship. This kind of kindness is akin to giving her a new life. I must thank you, nephew."

Lu Ye hastily replied, "Senior Sister Begonia greatly assisted me on the Ghost Ship. It was entirely due to her efforts that I, your junior, was able to pass the trial. Without Senior Sister Begonia, I might be trapped there right now. Senior Sister and I merely helped each other. It was only natural for me to bring her out."

Su Yuqing was undoubtedly pleased with his attitude. Her expression grew even more amiable. "That may be so, but given the circumstances at the time, how many people could have made the choice you did? You made that choice, which makes you Begonia's savior."

Lu Ye's heart skipped a beat. He was afraid she would say something like, 'Since you are her savior, she should pledge herself to you.' That would be a huge problem...

Fortunately, Su Yuqing had no intention of saying such things.

Lu Ye did want to ask what that fatty blocking his path earlier was about. But since the other party didn't mention it, Lu Ye simply pretended it hadn't happened.

So, he went straight to the point. "Senior, I came here with Senior Sister Begonia because I have a favor to ask!"

Su Yuqing replied, "It's about your senior sister, isn't it? Begonia has already told me."

Lu Ye's expression turned serious. "May I ask, Senior, has my senior sister ever been to Fangcun Mountain?"

Su Yuqing nodded slightly. "Indeed, three months ago, a human woman trespassed into this realm. She was captured by Chen Xuanhai, the peak master of Cloud Sea Peak. But rest assured, this realm never uses harsh measures against trespassing cultivators; we merely assign them some manual labor. After Chen Xuanhai captured her, he placed her in a spirit mine to excavate spirit ore. I have already spoken with Chen Xuanhai and asked him to release her. Begonia is going to pick her up now."

Lu Ye let out a long breath. The heavy stone weighing on his heart finally lifted. He hastily stood up and bowed deeply to Su Yuqing. "Thank you, Senior."

Su Yuqing smiled. "You are Begonia's benefactor, which makes you a guest of Immortal Spirit Peak. Since that woman is your senior sister, she should naturally receive somewhat different treatment. However..." At this point, Su Yuqing showed a troubled expression.

"Has something changed?" Lu Ye asked.

Su Yuqing said, "You see, among the three Sun-Illuminated Realm masters of this realm, Chen Xuanhai is the most rigid and stubborn. Any foreign cultivator who trespasses into this realm must serve for a hundred years. This is a rule set by our ancestors, passed down for tens of thousands of years. My intention was that since that woman is your senior sister, she could naturally be treated as a guest of this realm, free to come and go. But that old fool Chen Xuanhai insists on adhering to the ancestral teachings, and I can't do anything about him. After much persuasion, I finally managed to spare your senior sister the hardship of service. Although she can now come and reunite with you, she temporarily cannot leave this realm. For this, I must apologize to you, nephew."

It's New Year's, and I might be a bit busy visiting relatives and friends during the first month. I'll try my best to maintain two updates a day, please bear with me. If there's only one update on any given day, it means I have guests at home.