Chapter 157: I Have Something to Say

Knowing Li Baxian had left the Danxin Gate stronghold, Yan Xing recognized his opportunity. He arrived early, concealed himself, and indeed, Li Baxian eventually appeared.

He cared nothing for the struggle between Myriad Demon Ridge and Haotian Alliance. His objective was simple: kill Li Baxian and settle decades of enmity!

"I'll handle him! You protect our junior brother," Weiyang declared.

Li Baxian shook his head. "Senior Sister, you know I'm good at killing, but not at protecting. Besides... Yan Xing isn't the only one from the Spirit Stream Ranking who's here."

"You mean..." Weiyang's expression subtly changed. Her senses were significantly dulled due to the effects of the Soul Extinguishing Divine Thunder.

Li Baxian scoffed, "They're all hiding in the crowd, watching the situation, each hoping to capitalize on our struggle." His eyes flickered. "I'll create an opening; you take our junior brother away. It's a slim chance, but we have to try."

"Be careful!" Weiyang urged.

Li Baxian took a mouthful of wine from his gourd, but instead of swallowing, he spat it forward. Instantly, over ten streaks of sword light surged forth, while he himself, enveloped in another sword light, charged towards Yan Xing.

As he made his move, Weiyang also acted. A verdant leaf wrapped around Lu Ye. She grabbed his collar and shot skyward, clearly intending to use the commotion Li Baxian created to spirit Lu Ye away.

Wrapped within the leaf, Lu Ye couldn't see what was happening outside. He only felt waves of spiritual power surging around him, punctuated by strong impacts.

With a muffled grunt from Weiyang, Lu Ye regained control of himself. He looked around and found he was back where he started; clearly, Weiyang had failed to take him away successfully.

Though Weiyang had just demonstrated formidable power, slaughtering Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators with barely any resistance, the true experts among them hadn't made a move. They sensed Weiyang's might and were simply biding their time.

Weiyang had, after all, forcefully entered the Spirit Stream Battlefield, and the more people she killed, the worse her situation became. If she dared to kill just two more, there would be no need for them to intervene; the Heavenly Secret's punishment alone would obliterate her soul.

Now, with Weiyang attempting to forcibly remove Lu Ye, those individuals naturally couldn't stand by. With their combined attacks, Weiyang was forced to retreat. Had she not, Lu Ye would likely have died.

Due to Li Baxian and Weiyang's actions, the previously calm Golden Light Peak once again erupted into chaos. Numerous Haotian Alliance cultivators were encircled, struggling to repel attacks from all sides.

Fortunately, Weiyang and Li Baxian had killed many Myriad Demon Ridge members earlier, significantly alleviating the pressure on the Haotian Alliance. Otherwise, they might not have been able to hold out.

Weiyang no longer attacked, instead staying close to Lu Ye, her war scythe swinging to block incoming spells and spiritual talismans.

With her there, Lu Ye was safe.

However, she repeatedly tried to take Lu Ye away, but each time she soared up, she was forced to descend. Under such concentrated attacks, she might survive, but Lu Ye would never be able to withstand them.

More Haotian Alliance and Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators were rushing to the scene. News of Lu Ye being trapped at Golden Light Peak had spread quickly, and cultivators from both factions were converging there. As time passed, the number of cultivators gathered steadily surpassed a thousand and continued to grow.

With Golden Light Peak at its center, battle circles of varying sizes formed in all directions. Cultivators from both sides fought fiercely, transforming the entire Golden Light Peak into a veritable slaughterhouse.

This battle raged from day into night, and then from night back into day. Cultivators from both sides fell one after another, yet fresh reinforcements continually arrived from outside.

Over a dozen powerhouses from the Spirit Stream Ranking arrived, pairing off and engaging in fierce combat, making the situation intensely competitive.

No one had anticipated that this encirclement of a Blood Sect disciple would escalate to such a degree. Originally, Myriad Demon Ridge's plan was simple: Lu Ye of the Blood Sect was merely a fifth-level cultivator, and any practitioner with a bit of strength could kill him given the opportunity. His death would secure victory for Myriad Demon Ridge.

However, the Haotian Alliance's response was unexpectedly resolute. Under the powerful protection of numerous Haotian Alliance experts, Lu Ye had managed to survive until this point.

Although he was currently trapped, as long as the Haotian Alliance members weren't wiped out, killing Lu Ye would be an extremely difficult task for them.

They were in too deep to back out!

Since its inception, the outer ring of the Spirit Stream Battlefield had never witnessed a battle of such scale and ferocity. At this point, neither Myriad Demon Ridge nor the Haotian Alliance could easily disengage; too many lives had already been lost on both sides.

At the heart of the maelstrom, Lu Ye, protected in the center of the crowd, lowered his gaze to his long saber. The feelings of helplessness and rage within him intensified.

This feeling of having no control over his own life and death was truly terrible.

Weakness, it seemed, was indeed the greatest sin.

The weak can shout themselves hoarse and no one cares, but the strong only need to whisper to be heard. So, he thought, what did the struggle between the two great factions matter? Even if he were to die, he would choose his own death, rather than stand foolishly here, waiting for this battle to decide its victor.

With a crash, a figure stumbled and fell before Lu Ye. It was Li Baxian, driven back, his body covered in wounds. There was indeed a significant gap between the tenth and second positions on the ranking.

"That bastard isn't having an easy time either!" Though battered, Li Baxian, refusing to concede defeat, grinned at Lu Ye. "Don't worry, junior brother, I'll go chop off that dog's head myself!"

Saying this, he prepared to rise and re-enter the fray. As a sword cultivator, he never feared engaging those stronger than himself. While he was somewhat outmatched by Yan Xing currently, in a life-or-death struggle, he was confident he could perish alongside Yan Xing.

Lu Ye raised his hand and pressed it onto Li Baxian's shoulder.

Li Baxian looked at Lu Ye in surprise.

"Enough!" Lu Ye said softly. "It's already enough, Senior Brother."

"Huh?"

"Stop fighting." Lu Ye smiled at him, then raised his head to gaze at the chaotic battlefield. Taking a deep breath, spiritual power surging, he bellowed, "Everyone, stop fighting!"

Although he was only at the fifth level of cultivation, this angry shout, empowered by spiritual energy, exploded like thunder and echoed in all directions.

Hearing such a cry, many cultivators on both sides who were already struggling immediately ceased fighting and retreated. Those nearest to Lu Ye stopped first, and this pause spread like a ripple. The outer conflicts gradually subsided, and after thirty breaths, all fighting ceased. The chaotic battlefield grew quiet, and the turbulent spiritual energy fluctuations slowly faded.

Pairs of eyes from all directions fixed on Lu Ye. Only then did everyone realize that it was this individual who had called for the halt to the fighting.

"Junior Brother?" Weiyang, who had been guarding Lu Ye, looked at him in confusion, then glanced at Li Baxian. The latter shook his head, indicating he also had no idea what their junior brother intended to do.

"I have something to say," Lu Ye began, speaking to Weiyang. Then, he looked around and declared loudly, "I have something to say!"

This last sentence was addressed to the numerous cultivators around them.

"Though my cultivation is not high, since all of you are here because of me, I believe I have the right to speak a few words. Do any of you object?"

"Feel free to speak, fellow cultivator."

"Indeed, we have no objections!"

Immediately, a group of Haotian Alliance cultivators echoed their agreement. Lu Ye's interruption of the battle, though abrupt, brought a sigh of relief to both sides. Everyone could use this rare opportunity to recuperate, as most could no longer endure such prolonged, large-scale chaotic combat.

"Speak!" a Myriad Demon Ridge cultivator interjected. This individual was a top-twenty powerhouse on the Spirit Stream Ranking, hailing from a first-grade sect. Since Yan Xing had not spoken, this person's stance represented the entire Myriad Demon Ridge.

As for Yan Xing, his eyes were solely fixed on Li Baxian, caring nothing for anyone else.

Lu Ye nodded. "Half a year ago, I joined the Blood Sect. On my way back to the sect, I was ambushed, and the Sect Master sent me to the Spirit Stream Battlefield. To be honest, I didn't even know what the Blood Sect looked like, who was in it, or what the previous generation's grudges were within the sect. It wasn't until someone sought me out recently that I realized I had become the focal point of the struggle between these two great factions. How could I, Lu Ye, a mere fifth-level cultivator, possess such influence? But things have come to this point, and I am powerless to resist; I can only accept it. Myriad Demon Ridge wants to kill me, and my journey here has been fraught with danger at every turn. Fortunately, I had the protection of many senior brothers and sisters from the Haotian Alliance, allowing me to survive to this moment. Many have died—some in front of me, some where I couldn't see them. I don't even know the names of those who perished. Today, many more have died here. If we continue to fight, only more will die. Do you still wish to continue?"

No one replied.

"If we continue this way, the casualties will only mount. Is this the outcome you truly desire?" Lu Ye asked again.

The Spirit Stream Ranking powerhouse who had spoken earlier scoffed, "Then, in your opinion, should we just let it go?"

"Naturally not," Lu Ye shook his head. "So many people have already died. I believe neither Myriad Demon Ridge nor the Haotian Alliance can simply cease hostilities. If we just let it go, you in Myriad Demon Ridge wouldn't be able to account for it to your respective sects."

"Quite the clever one, aren't you?" the person scoffed. "If you truly don't want to see so many Haotian Alliance members die for you, then just take your own life. Once you're dead, this conflict will naturally end!"

"That's right, die quickly, kid! You can't escape!"

"At least by ending it yourself, you'll preserve your body. If you're hacked to death by others, you'll be disfigured beyond recognition."

Many Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators began to clamor.

Standing beside Lu Ye, Weiyang's beautiful face darkened. She almost couldn't resist striking down every one of those shouting individuals.

Lu Ye slowly shook his head. "So many senior brothers and sisters from the Haotian Alliance have already died because of me. If I were to die, how could they rest in peace, knowing it? Besides, I'm still so young; I don't want to die!"

"If you're not willing to die, why are you talking so much nonsense?" the person snapped, his face showing anger.

Lu Ye lowered his gaze and spoke slowly, "While being protected feels good, as a cultivator, when it concerns oneself, one should always bear some responsibility!"

"However, my cultivation is not high enough to bear too much." He slowly drew the long saber from his waist and pointed it directly at the Myriad Demon Ridge faction: "I, Lu Ye, a disciple of the Blood Sect, hereby challenge the major sects of Myriad Demon Ridge! Those of the same cultivation level who wish to kill me, come and fight!"