Chapter 1402: Star Lodge Hall Opens

The Wind Rises in Kyushu

Fishing Island in the Myriad Manifestations Sea, a quiet place.

Lu Ye sat cross-legged, gazing at the formation plate in his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Two months had passed since he sent Chu Shen back to the Chime Realm and returned to the Myriad Manifestations Sea. For these two months, he had primarily stayed on Fishing Island. Mainly because there was nowhere else to go. While there were inns on Myriad Manifestations Island, they required spirit stones, and the prices were not low. Though Lu Ye had a good number of spirit stones saved as reserves, he was unwilling to spend them on such trivial matters.

During the fishing quiet period, there were few people on Fishing Island, and many secluded spots, making it ideal for cultivators like him with nowhere else to stay. He could simply find a spot, set up a formation, and establish a temporary resting place. For two months, besides cultivating, Lu Ye continuously refined the 'Conjoined Spirit-Vein' spirit patterns that he had not yet completed. They were finally perfected today.

He had no shortage of materials for crafting the Conjoined Spirit-Vein formation plate. With his previous experience, he could easily craft one. After a slight activation and careful inspection, he found some minor imperfections. However, with his current mastery of the spirit-pattern path, further refinement to a more exquisite level was unlikely. He would have to wait until his skill in the spirit-pattern path improved in the future. Compared to the formation plates he had crafted in Kyushu, this one in his hand appeared no different, yet its coverage was undoubtedly wider and broader, thus meeting the demands of Star Constellation Realm battles. By his estimation, such a formation plate should allow five or six people to fight side by side. With five or six Star Constellation cultivators connected by their energy, forming a battle array, the power they could unleash would be considerable.

It was predictable that if this item were released, it would surely cause major factions to scramble for it! In fact, as early as the previous fishing quiet period, Lu Ye had considered finding a stable source of income. Otherwise, relying solely on attracting work on the island would hardly meet his cultivation needs. But in an unfamiliar place, without any backing or connections, how difficult would it be to find a way to earn a living? Unless one possessed a special skill. He had a few areas of expertise, but his strongest skill, apart from combat, was the path of spirit patterns. It could be said that this small Conjoined Spirit-Vein formation plate held his hope for continued cultivation in the future, and would undoubtedly allow him to accumulate substantial wealth.

Although the item was crafted and Lu Ye could predict its popularity, at this moment, he dared not casually take it out. Ultimately, it came down to one problem: he lacked a sufficiently powerful backing or connections; there was no one to support him. As the saying goes, "a common man commits no crime, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty." If this formation plate were to be exposed, Lu Ye himself would naturally become a coveted target. However, it was more likely that he would be noticed by a major power and then forcibly conscripted. Should such a situation arise, Lu Ye's future freedom would not be guaranteed. He would likely be permanently monitored and held under house arrest, spending his entire life slaving away, crafting these formation plates for others. According to information he had gathered, apart from formation talismans, there were no other treasures in the current cultivation world that allowed people to casually form battle arrays. However, formation talismans were not only extremely difficult to craft but also exceptionally expensive. Lu Ye had once experienced the power of a formation talisman in the Black Abyss of the Pygmy Race. Compared to the Conjoined Spirit-Vein formation plate, formation talismans were undoubtedly more rigid because they were talisman-based. Once activated, they could only evolve into one specific formation, unlike the formation plate, which was person-centric and could change unpredictably according to one's will. In contrast, the materials for the formation plate were simple, and the crafting time was extremely short. The superiority and inferiority were immediately apparent. Of course, this was from Lu Ye's perspective. If others were to craft it, it might not be so easy. For one, the newly derived Conjoined Spirit-Vein spirit patterns were more complex than before. Without the Talent Tree, Lu Ye would not have been able to construct them with such ease. The matter of the formation plate could only be temporarily shelved. He would wait and see if a suitable opportunity arose to sell it in the future.

Putting away the newly crafted formation plate, he continued his cultivation. He had to reconsider his plans for the Jade Snail Star System. However, apart from the Myriad Manifestations Chamber of Commerce, Lu Ye couldn't think of any other way. He even considered going to the Reincarnation Tree to inquire. But ultimately, he didn't go, mainly because he couldn't ascertain how much time it would take to travel from the Reincarnation Tree's location to the Jade Snail Star System. A few years or a decade or so would be manageable, but he feared it might take hundreds or even thousands of years. If that were the case, he would be beyond tears.

Several days later, as Lu Ye was cultivating, he suddenly felt a mysterious wave of power ripple from a certain direction. Initially, he paid no mind to it, as conflicts were constant on the Myriad Manifestations Sea, with people frequently coming to blows over disagreements, and the residual energy of battles sweeping in all directions. While cultivating here, he often felt the movements of people fighting, so it was nothing new to him. But gradually, he realized something was amiss. The power fluctuation didn't seem like the aftermath of a fight, and its source was extremely ethereal, feeling both very close and very far away. Lu Ye opened his eyes and tried to sense it, but he couldn't pinpoint its origin. A moment later, the mysterious power fluctuation became clearer. Then, a deafening voice, imbued with boundless killing intent, suddenly resonated in his mind.

“Sharpening blades and wiping swords, who dares to contend? Hiding blades towards the heavens, none dare to be an enemy.”

Lu Ye abruptly turned his head and looked in one direction—the very direction from which the voice came. Even while cultivating, the killing intent and fighting spirit in his heart were involuntarily stirred by that strange voice, making him eager to find someone to fight right then. Secretly alarmed, Lu Ye didn't know who had uttered that voice. Yet, merely by its sound, it had stirred his murderous intent from an unknown distance—a skill beyond imagination. Just as he was bewildered, the sky above the Myriad Manifestations Sea erupted with activity. Numerous Star Constellation cultivators, either alone or in groups, transformed into streaks of light, rushing towards the source of the voice, as if something good was happening there. Those with Star Boats piloted them, calling out to friends, while those without even summoned ferry boats to rush over. This left Lu Ye completely bewildered...

But then, he suddenly remembered something. He quickly took out his sound talisman, and just as he was about to send a message, the talisman vibrated. Upon checking, he found it was a message from Puker. This was a stroke of telepathy; he had just been about to message Puker, as what he had realized was related to something Puker had told him earlier. “The Star Constellation Palace has opened! Are you coming to join the fun?” Puker's tone was clearly excited and expectant. “Let's go!” Lu Ye replied concisely. Immediately after, the two agreed on a meeting point on Fishing Island. Lu Ye waited quietly.

In the Myriad Manifestations Star System, there were three great celestial wonders. Foremost among them was the Myriad Manifestations Sea, the source of prosperity and flourishing in the entire Myriad Manifestations Star System. One could say that without the Myriad Manifestations Sea, there would be no bustling Myriad Manifestations Star System as it is today, nor would there be the sight of visitors from all directions. But besides the Myriad Manifestations Sea, there were two other great wonders in this star system. The Star Constellation Palace was one of them! Some said it was an unevolved cosmic treasure, because superficially, its form indeed resembled a treasure, yet it could not be collected by anyone. From ancient times to the present, it had always resided in a certain part of the Myriad Manifestations Star System, appearing more like a cosmic wonder. Considering everything from ancient times to the present, this Star Constellation Palace indeed possessed some characteristics of cosmic treasures, which led to the rumor that it was an unevolved cosmic treasure. Most cosmic treasures and cosmic wonders were conceived when heaven and earth first opened. They had existed for as long as the cosmos itself. Even now, many cosmic wonders and treasures were still in the process of being conceived. As for when they might be born, or if they would be born at all, no one knew. If the Star Constellation Palace had encountered an accident during its conception and failed to fully evolve, it was certainly a possibility. It was called the Star Constellation Palace primarily because only cultivators of the Star Constellation Realm could enter it. One could say that every opening of the Star Constellation Palace was a grand event for Star Constellation Realm cultivators. Lu Ye didn't know much about the Star Constellation Palace; what he did know was from a few casual remarks Puker made while they were fishing together. He would have to inquire further with Puker later.

A moment later, a large gourd-shaped object flew from a distance, approaching him. Its shape unmistakably belonged to the gourd Puker always carried at his waist—it was a Star Boat, just with a slightly unique design. Lu Ye flew up and landed on it, discovering that besides Puker, there was another person. It was the Ghost Clan's Youling, whom he had met before. “Isn't this my bosom friend?” Youling teased casually upon seeing Lu Ye. Back then, Lu Ye buying her fishing gear had helped her out of a tight spot. However, this woman was also poor, mainly having gone broke from fishing, which was why she still didn't have a Star Boat and had to hitch a ride with Puker... Lu Ye strongly suspected this woman was very ugly. Otherwise, there was no reason Puker wouldn't be tempted by a woman with such a captivating figure. He nodded to Youling, acknowledging her. While Puker piloted the large gourd, Lu Ye took the opportunity to inquire about the Star Constellation Palace.

With Puker's explanation, Lu Ye finally learned more about the Star Constellation Palace. Generally, cosmic wonders concealed numerous dangers. Any cosmic wonder, even if a Sunlit Realm cultivator ventured deep into it rashly, posed a risk. Take the Myriad Manifestations Sea, for instance. While countless cultivators usually moved about on its surface without danger, the Myriad Manifestations Sea itself was the most perilous place, and no one dared to venture deep into it casually. The Star Constellation Palace was different. On ordinary days, it stood still, its gates tightly shut, posing no risk. This was considered the Palace's dormant period. However, every certain number of years, the Star Constellation Palace would open. When its gates swung open, it signaled that it had entered an active period. During this time, cultivators could enter the Star Constellation Palace, act under its various rules, and gain substantial benefits. Both cosmic wonders and cosmic treasures possessed their own unique rules or patterns, and it was these rules and patterns that established the legends and reputations of these wonders and treasures.