Chapter 1578: We Are Truly Family

Under normal circumstances, Yiyi's team couldn't have returned to Kyushu in such a short time, as they had ventured quite far. Fortunately, they managed to contact a Kyushu starship on their way back, which saved them a significant amount of time.

Yiyi was sobbing uncontrollably. No matter how Lu Ye tried to comfort her, it was useless; he could only hold her tightly and let her vent her emotions.

Amber padded closer, nudging Lu Ye's body with its large head, a purring sound rumbling in its throat. This was how the creature showed affection.

Ya Ya's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands, cheering, "Big tiger!" As she spoke, she swiftly climbed down from Lu Ye's neck and mounted Amber's back.

Amber wiggled a few times, then ignored her. Amber was highly intelligent; if anyone else had climbed onto its back like that, it would certainly have been displeased. However, both it and Yiyi had learned about Ya Ya from Hua Ci, knowing that though she looked like a child, she was actually a powerful Sunlit Realm expert. How dare it offend her?

Ya Ya lay comfortably on Amber's back, with a contented expression.

Yiyi cried for a long while before gradually stopping, though she continued to sob.

Lu Ye gently took her arms, positioning her in front of him. "Let me look!"

Yiyi pouted and glared at him, then suddenly giggled. Even with tears streaking her face, she looked enchantingly pretty.

"Still so small," Lu Ye said with a smile, gazing at her.

Yiyi immediately retorted indignantly, "What's wrong with being small? I *am* small!" She knew that Lu Ye had two preferences: large and round, a realm she would likely never be able to reach in her lifetime.

"Small has its advantages," Lu Ye said, rubbing her small head. "From now on, I'll take you wherever I go; you can fit in my pocket!"

Yiyi's eyes lit up. "You said it! If you dare break your promise, I'll... I'll..." After thinking for a long time, she couldn't come up with anything to threaten Lu Ye. Then, inspiration struck: "I'll get Sister Hua Ci to deal with you!"

Lu Ye's face immediately fell. He said earnestly, "Yiyi, look, my name is Lu Yiye, and your name is Lu Yiyi. We're family. Hua Ci is an outsider. If we have any issues, we should resolve them ourselves, internally. We shouldn't bother outsiders; it makes our Lu family seem ignorant."

Yiyi grew even happier listening to him. Her eyes curved into crescent moons. "You do have a point!"

As the two spoke, several more figures swiftly arrived from Guardian Peak.

Lu Ye put his arm around Yiyi's shoulder, smiling as he looked in their direction.

When he had returned earlier, not seeing Yiyi and the others, he had asked Shui Yuan. He learned from his Second Senior Sister that several members of the original Bing Province Law Enforcement Department's Team Nine had successively ascended to the Constellation Realm in the past two years and had ventured into the starry sky together, yet to return. However, Shui Yuan told him not to worry, because even though Yiyi and the others hadn't returned, news about them would occasionally come back. Many Kyushu Constellation Realm experts who roamed the starry sky had seen traces of them.

Now that he saw them, he realized that these members of Team Nine had indeed all advanced to the Constellation Realm.

Li Baxian, Feng Yuechan, Xiao Xinghe, Jujia, and Lin Yinxiu — not one was missing; they were all here. Lu Ye even saw Lan Qiyue.

In over six years, these individuals had made immense progress in their cultivation. Firstly, their innate talent was excellent. There was no need to mention Li Baxian and Feng Yuechan; their talents were top-tier across all of Kyushu, especially Li Baxian, or he wouldn't have dominated the rankings in the Spirit Stream Battlefield for so many years.

Jujia was even more exceptionally talented. Lin Yinxiu, being Qian Wudang's daughter, was naturally a tiger's cub, not a dog's. Lan Qiyue was even more unique. As a human, she could transform into a Blood Clan member after refining sacred blood. Such talent was not something just anyone could possess. Among them, the one with the relatively weakest talent was probably Third Senior Brother Xiao Xinghe, but that was only in comparison.

Furthermore, after Kyushu ascended to a large-scale realm, the cultivation environment became even better than before, and the accumulation of foundations became naturally easier. This was what led to them all advancing to the Constellation Realm together. It wasn't just them; many Constellation Realm experts and promising talents had emerged among the younger generation. In the next decade, Kyushu would produce even more Constellation Realm experts.

Gazing at everyone, Lu Ye wore a smile on his face. He cupped his fists in salute, saying, "Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters!"

Everyone returned the salute. Li Baxian chuckled, "Junior Brother, you've been gone for years, and Yiyi has been terribly worried about you."

Yiyi quickly added, "Fourth Senior Brother and the others were also very worried about you, but they just didn't say anything. Instead, they often came to comfort her."

"I'm sorry to have caused such worry, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters," Lu Ye said with a look of guilt. It was just that under those circumstances, being pursued by Tang Jun and then stranded in the worm path, he had no opportunity or means to send a message. It wasn't just Yiyi who had worried about Lu Ye all these years. Although Hua Ci appeared calm and collected upon Lu Ye's return, in reality, she simply hadn't shown it. Her concern over the past few years was no less than anyone else's.

"It's good that you're back," Li Baxian nodded. "Let's not just stand here. How about we go back and talk? Second Senior Sister and Junior Sister Hua Ci have prepared a lot of delicious food. We can eat and chat."

Lu Ye winked at Li Baxian. "I brought back a lot of fine wine from the Myriad Manifestations Sea!"

Li Baxian's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Then I must have a taste!"

At Guardian Peak, Shui Yuan and Hua Ci had indeed prepared a feast. Lu Ye then took out a spirit fish he had caught from the Myriad Manifestations Sea from his storage ring and gave it to them, asking them to find a way to cook it. Outside, everyone sat in a circle, feasting and chatting freely.

Most of the time, Lu Ye spoke, and everyone listened intently. The more they learned, the more they yearned for and aspired to visit a place like the Myriad Manifestations Sea. They were all eager to go and see the grand spectacle there for themselves.

The banquet lasted for a day and a night. The fine wine Lu Ye brought back from the Myriad Manifestations Sea was almost entirely consumed. Even most of the spirit fish and shellfish caught from the Myriad Manifestations Sea found their way into everyone's stomachs.

After eating their fill and drinking to their content, everyone sought out a place to meditate and cultivate. This was because the spirit fish and shellfish Lu Ye brought back contained enormous energy. If they didn't seize the time to refine it, a significant amount would inevitably go to waste.

Lishang, leading several Kyushu Constellation Realm experts skilled in artifact refining, was currently re-refining the Myriad Souls Banner. In the Kyushu Guardian Hall, a large number of Constellation Realm experts gathered daily to discuss the allocation of spots for the Myriad Manifestations Sea, arguing incessantly. Too many people wanted to go to the Myriad Manifestations Sea, but with limited spots, deciding who went and who stayed became an issue. Moreover, it wasn't just Kyushu; the Constellation Realm experts from Wushuang Continent also needed to be considered. This further reduced the number of available spots.

On Emerald Bamboo Peak, Amber lay on the ground, sound asleep. Ya Ya lay sprawled out on its back, sleeping sweetly, with drool trickling from the corner of her mouth. Yiyi stood by, watching over them.

In the empty square ahead, three figures moved and intertwined. It was Li Baxian and Xiao Xinghe, teaming up to spar with Lu Ye. Lu Ye's long saber remained sheathed. He had also suppressed his cultivation to the early Constellation Realm, the same level as his Third and Fourth Senior Brothers. Yet, even then, he appeared to be at ease while fighting two opponents.

During the sparring, Li Baxian and Xiao Xinghe suddenly stopped simultaneously, both wearing thoughtful expressions.

"Junior Brother, is this the Soaring Prowess technique you mentioned?" Li Baxian asked.

"Precisely!" Lu Ye nodded.

Among the inherited techniques of the Fanged Clan, he had so far only comprehended Qingli's 'Fangs Revealed' and Yanxi's 'Soaring Prowess'. The essence of Qingtang's twin blades had yet to be fully grasped. Compared to Qingli's 'Fangs Revealed', Lu Ye felt that Yanxi's Soaring Prowess technique offered greater benefits in combat. It allowed one to move like thunder, appearing and disappearing at will. In the starry sky, if one encountered an unbeatable enemy, Qingli's inheritance might not be useful, but Yanxi's Soaring Prowess would certainly be effective; one could always run if unable to fight.

Lu Ye intended to impart the subtleties of Soaring Prowess to Li Baxian and Xiao Xinghe, which was why this sparring session took place. Xiao Xinghe, like him, was a weapon master who used a saber, undoubtedly suitable for cultivating this Soaring Prowess technique. Although Li Baxian was a sword cultivator, he was fundamentally still a weapon master. If he could glean even a little insight from this Soaring Prowess, it would only benefit him.

"Quite interesting!" Li Baxian's eyes gleamed, clearly intrigued. He and Xiao Xinghe also used soaring movements during combat, but it was incomparable to Lu Ye's Soaring Prowess technique.

"Again!" Xiao Xinghe raised his long saber and charged towards Lu Ye as he spoke. Although he was only in the Constellation Realm, he could tell that this Soaring Prowess technique was exceedingly profound and unfathomable. Lu Ye was going to great lengths, personally accompanying and instructing them; how could they miss such an opportunity?

Days passed. The three figures on Emerald Bamboo Peak continued their soaring movements without cease. Shui Yuan and Hua Ci cooked delicious meals daily using the spirit fish and shellfish Lu Ye brought back from the Myriad Manifestations Sea. In just one month, everyone felt they had gained tremendously.

Lishang sent a message: the Myriad Souls Banner had been re-refined, and they needed to go to Xian Yuan City again.

Lu Ye hurried over and returned to Xian Yuan City with Lishang. Compared to a month ago, Xian Yuan City was much quieter now. The secret realm had closed, and all the Spirit Stream Realm cultivators who had come for trials had left.

By the Soul Pool at the City Lord's Mansion, Lishang directly unveiled the Myriad Souls Banner. Lu Ye looked intently and found that the re-refined Myriad Souls Banner didn't appear significantly different from before. Of course, this was merely on the surface; he didn't understand the intricacies and couldn't discern much.

The large banner unfurled. Lishang nodded slightly at Zhang Zishan. Zhang Zishan stepped forward and gently caressed the Soul Pool with his hand. Ripples spread, and then, numerous ethereal figures surged out from within the Soul Pool, collectively pouring into the Myriad Souls Banner held by Lishang.

At first glance, this scene had a somewhat eerie feeling. After all, the Soul Pool contained the slumbering souls of those who had lost their physical bodies. However, these souls belonged to ancestors who had sacrificed their bodies for the peace of Kyushu. With that thought, it no longer felt too eerie.

Over ten thousand souls, the process lasted for nearly half an hour. When the last soul entered the Myriad Souls Banner, Lu Ye felt that the chilling black mist on the banner had become as thick and tangible as a physical substance.

Zhang Zishan bowed to Lishang. "I leave everything in your hands, Fellow Daoist!"

Lishang nodded slightly. "Rest assured, City Lord, I will personally guide you all into our Soul Clan ancestral land."

With that, Zhang Zishan merged his body into the Myriad Souls Banner and disappeared from sight.