Chapter 1541: 妖族青离

Individuals like Du Lang had no knowledge of the Soldier Race; they likely believed the trial itself was the true opportunity. Lu Ye initially shared this assumption until Lango consumed his Mountain Crusher saber.

However, constellations like Xu Dingyang and Luo Shenzi were different. Their realms were overseen by Sun-blessed cultivators. Since these powerful figures were aware of the Soldier Race, it was only logical that they would instruct their successors to attempt to subdue them.

The immediate benefits gained from the trial were secondary; Lango was their true objective. Regrettably, no one had succeeded in subduing it for a century.

"Yes!" Lu Ye affirmed.

Xu Dingyang's expression brightened with delight, and he eagerly inquired, "May I take a look?"

Lu Ye appeared to ponder, a hint of reluctance on his face, but he nonetheless tossed over a storage ring.

Xu Dingyang took the storage ring and quickly inspected its contents. However, the joy on his face swiftly faded, and he looked up at Lu Ye in disbelief, "Is this all you obtained from Sirius Star?"

The storage ring contained numerous corpses of Sirius Star beasts.

Yet, these were not what he had hoped to see. Although star beast corpses held some value, they were insignificant to Xu Dingyang.

"These are the only gains," Lu Ye stated, looking at him impassively.

Xu Dingyang frowned, then fixed his gaze on the Mountain Crusher saber at Lu Ye's waist. "I want to see your saber!" he demanded.

Lu Ye slowly shook his head. "You are also a weapon cultivator; you should understand the significance of a personal weapon to those of our path. My saber... cannot be shown!"

Xu Dingyang stared him down. "What if I insist on seeing it?" he challenged.

He found it hard to believe that Lu Ye, originating from an external star system, could have subdued the Soldier Race within Sirius Star. Before his departure, his own Sun-blessed had informed him that the Soldier Race was exceptionally difficult to subjugate. It wasn't merely a matter of a century; even after a millennium or ten millennia, cultivators from these four star systems might not succeed. Each ancient Soldier Race had served numerous formidable masters, individuals of unparalleled genius across countless eras. Ordinary cultivators simply did not merit their attention.

Indeed, even a figure as formidable as Luo Shenzi had failed, making it highly improbable for an outsider like Lu Ye to succeed.

Nevertheless, it was a fact that Lu Ye had endured longer within Sirius Star than Luo Shenzi. As a precaution, Xu Dingyang still desired to inspect Lu Ye's saber.

For if Lu Ye had indeed subjugated the Soldier Race, his personal saber might exhibit certain alterations.

Xu Dingyang's demeanor was resolute, betraying no regard for Lu Ye. He possessed this confidence due to his origins in a realm like Wuding. Although his strength might not match Luo Shenzi's, he did not consider himself inferior to other constellations.

The atmosphere grew tense. Beside Xu Dingyang, the auras of several cultivators gradually became menacing.

Du Lang's expression darkened, and he spoke in a low, serious tone, "Senior Brother Xu, Brother Lu is my friend. He is merely passing through this area. Senior Brother Xu, you..."

Before he could finish, one of Xu Dingyang's companions interjected coldly, "Silence! You have no right to speak here!"

Du Lang was about to argue, but Lu Ye subtly raised a hand, stopping him. He calmly gazed at Xu Dingyang and his group. "Do you truly wish to see it?"

"If it is convenient for fellow Daoist..." Xu Dingyang replied.

"Of course... it is!" As Lu Ye finished speaking, he leaped from his star-boat, lunging forward. His long saber unsheathed with a resounding clang, and a flash of blade light erupted.

Du Lang had barely registered what occurred. By the time he regained his bearings, Lu Ye was already standing on the opposing star-boat, clutching the storage ring he had previously given Xu Dingyang in one hand and casually holding his long saber in the other, its blade faintly stained with blood.

Xu Dingyang and his companions, however, recoiled as if struck by lightning, scattering in various directions, each bleeding profusely and looking terrified.

While these individuals possessed considerable strength, they were still significantly weaker than Luo Shenzi. Even if Luo Shenzi had been present, Lu Ye could have subdued him in a few strikes, let alone Xu Dingyang and his group.

Having hastily regained their footing, the shock in Xu Dingyang's and his companions' eyes had yet to dissipate. They all gazed in utter disbelief at Lu Ye, who stood holding his long saber, finally comprehending why Luo Shenzi had previously held Lu Ye in such high regard.

At the time, everyone had dismissed Luo Shenzi's assessment as a mere pretense. Now, they understood that Luo Shenzi indeed possessed extraordinary discernment when it came to judging individuals.

"Did you see it clearly?" Lu Ye asked Xu Dingyang blandly.

Xu Dingyang's face was pale; he was clearly still recovering from that terrifying saber strike. Had his opponent intended to take his life with such a blow, he would have been utterly defenseless.

He nodded instinctively.

Only then did Lu Ye sheath his saber. "My apologies for the disturbance!" he stated.

He swiftly returned to his star-boat. Without needing any instruction, Du Lang quickly piloted the vessel away into the distance.

It wasn't until Lu Ye's star-boat vanished from sight that Xu Dingyang and his companions slowly recovered, returning to their own vessel. The cultivator who had just reprimanded Du Lang spoke with lingering trepidation, "This person is no less formidable than Luo Shenzi!"

Xu Dingyang replied hoarsely, "He is stronger than Luo Shenzi!"

The others had not engaged Luo Shenzi in combat and thus were unaware of his true strength. However, Xu Dingyang had been defeated by Luo Shenzi, allowing him to clearly ascertain the difference. While Luo Shenzi was indeed powerful, he could not have inflicted such an injury in a single strike.

Yet, the individual who claimed to be from the Jade Snail Star System achieved precisely that!

Jade Snail... where exactly is it located? Can a mere constellation wield such power?

"Senior Brother Xu, did he obtain it?" someone inquired.

Xu Dingyang lowered his gaze to inspect the wound on his abdomen. Blood welled from it, but there was no trace of peculiar power lingering. He slowly shook his head. "Probably not. The Soldier Race within Sirius Star possesses a unique power; wounds inflicted by them are notoriously difficult to heal, as you should know. However, the saber in this person's hand did not exhibit that kind of power."

The cultivator nodded in agreement. "I knew it; how could an outsider be so fortunate as to subdue the Soldier Race?"

"Let's go, back to Wuding!" Xu Dingyang commanded. Observing the star-boat's trajectory, it was clearly headed for the Wuding Star System. While he was indeed no match for his opponent, once he reached Wuding, he would be on his home ground. What then would he have to fear about the other party's defiance?

The saber strike that had wounded him could not be so easily forgotten or forgiven.

"You should have killed them," Li Shang commented from the star-boat. "That Xu Dingyang does not appear to be a magnanimous individual. He is from Wuding, and if you continue to Wuding, he certainly won't let this matter rest."

Lu Ye shook his head, offering no explanation.

He had, in fact, discerned Xu Dingyang's true nature. If circumstances allowed, he would have preferred to eliminate them entirely to settle the matter. However, Xu Dingyang and his group had departed Sirius Star shortly after him, heading in the same direction, and their presence would likely have been noticed by many.

If Xu Dingyang and his companions were to die, even in the absence of evidence, the powerful cultivators of Wuding Realm would not simply abandon the matter.

This would impede his subsequent plans. He had no desire to create friction with Wuding Realm; on the contrary, he wished to cultivate a good relationship and establish cooperation.

However, this would not be easy. After all, as a mere constellation, his strength was quite humble in the vastness of the starry sky, making it difficult for him to secure a position of equal dialogue with Wuding's powerful cultivators.

Not killing, but merely wounding, was not an impulsive decision. Xu Dingyang's desire to see his saber stemmed solely from his intent to ascertain whether the Soldier Race had been subdued by him. By wounding his opponents without leaving behind any of Lango's peculiar energy, Lu Ye could likely dispel any suspicions regarding his acquisition.

Xu Dingyang and his companions were likely unaware that Lu Ye possessed the ability to control Lango's unique power. This peculiar energy was an intrinsic characteristic of Lango itself, and as its current master, Lu Ye could unleash or suppress it at will.

The star-boat continued its journey, encountering no major disturbances along the way. Whenever star beasts appeared, Du Lang would steer clear of them, occasionally glancing at Lu Ye, his heart filled with envy.

He recalled how they had once both been in the Divine Sea realm, participating together in the Divine Sea competition within the Grand Beginning Realm. Yet, years later, he remained only in the early stage of the Constellation realm, while Lu Ye had already reached its late stage—a vast chasm in cultivation.

That alone was remarkable, but the truly astonishing aspect was the incredible power Lu Ye exhibited. Xu Dingyang, an exceptionally talented constellation of his generation from Wuding Realm, possessed the same late-stage cultivation as Lu Ye. Yet, he was wounded in a single exchange, as were several of his companions.

Du Lang couldn't help but fantasize: if only he possessed such potential, he wouldn't have to worry about not becoming strong enough in the future to save the Scarlet Sky Continent.

But ultimately, it was merely a fantasy. He was well aware of his own limitations. Scarlet Sky was currently in decline, its foundational essence draining away, and its talent pool dwindling. It might not be many years before Scarlet Sky descended into a mundane realm, where the presence of cultivators would be no more. Each time this thought crossed his mind, Du Lang felt an inexplicable ache in his heart.

With Du Lang piloting the star-boat and Li Shang providing protection, Lu Ye had no concerns. He immersed his consciousness into the Mountain Crusher saber, slowly channeling his spiritual power into it.

Inexplicably, he found himself within a grand azure hall.

This azure hall was precisely the place where he had previously contended with Lango.

At this moment, a figure stood not far from Lu Ye. It was not Lango, for the figure was slender, appearing valiant and spirited—evidently a woman.

The woman was exquisitely beautiful, her sword-like eyebrows sweeping upwards into her temples, exuding a spirited aura. However, it was clear she was not human, as two fluffy ears stood erect on the top of her head.

She appeared as if a rabbit had attained sentience.

*This must be a demon race*, Lu Ye mused silently.

At this moment, the rabbit-like demoness stood motionless, propping herself up with a long saber, her hands crossed over the hilt, radiating not a single trace of aura.

Her long saber bore some resemblance to Lu Ye's Mountain Crusher saber, yet it appeared thicker and more substantial.

As Lu Ye looked at her, her eyes slowly opened. Instantly, two points of golden light emanated from them. Lu Ye's body involuntarily tensed, and he was seized by an inexplicable illusion, feeling as though he faced not a mere rabbit, but a ferocious tiger.

A ringing sound resonated as the rabbit demon slowly drew her saber, uttering, "Hundred Battles, Demon Clan Qingli!"

This was indeed a cultivator of demon origin. Qingli was likely her name, and as for Hundred Battles... Lu Ye surmised it referred to her origin, either a star system or a realm.

However, Lu Ye had no time for further contemplation. The instant her long saber cleared its sheath, Qingli lunged at him with the speed of a startled rabbit, and Lu Ye swiftly raised his saber to counter.

Before he could even react, he saw the opponent's saber light explode, followed by the illusion of an ancient colossal beast opening its gaping maw, its fangs bared, lunging to bite him.

(End of Chapter)