Chapter 1590: Bad Luck to the Extreme

The fleet rested for two days at the edge of the Thousand Mounds and then continued its journey.

Although the Thousand Mounds covered a vast area, traversing it didn't take an excessively long time. Lu Ye had previously passed through in less than a month. The fleet, being a bit slower, would likely take just over a month.

Passing through the Thousand Mounds would mark the beginning of their true test. Lu Ye recalled that when he left the Boundless Star System years ago, they were preparing for a war against a Zerg hive. Several years had passed since then, and he wondered about the current situation.

Ideally, the four star systems would have already allied and eradicated the wandering Zerg hive, ensuring a safe journey for them.

However, the precise trajectory of a war is unpredictable. If the conflict were still ongoing, the Three Realms fleet would be heading directly into a war zone, one involving more than one Sun Glow cultivator!

This was a very real possibility. While a few years was a considerable time, the alliance of the four star systems wouldn't have been formed overnight. Mobilizing troops and resources from various star systems alone would consume significant time, followed by their rendezvous at Boundless before launching the war against the Zerg hive.

On the leading starship, Lu Ye explained the situation to Luan Xiao'e. She gazed at him thoughtfully. "You never mentioned this before, fellow Daoist." Lu Ye replied, "There was no point in mentioning it then; we hadn't reached this point, and it would only have caused unnecessary worry. But now that we are here, we must confront the potential issues. Besides, even if I had mentioned it beforehand, would the Jade Snail Realm have abandoned its journey to the Myriad Manifestations Sea?" Luan Xiao'e remained silent, acknowledging the truth in Lu Ye's words. Even if he had disclosed the situation previously, the Jade Snail Realm would not have given up its goal of reaching the Myriad Manifestations Sea.

"What's your assessment, fellow Daoist, regarding the current stage of the conflict ahead?" Luan Xiao'e asked after a long pause.

Lu Ye shook his head. "It's hard to predict; we'll need to see for ourselves. However, all four star systems possess Sun Glow powerhouses, and they are also very interested in the Myriad Manifestations Sea. They intend to travel there with us, which is why they decided to unite and eliminate the Zerg hive. I've seen that hive from afar; it's quite large, and it's said to have two Sun Glow Zerg in command. But the four star systems are equally formidable, each with their own Sun Glow cultivators. If they cooperate sincerely, eradicating the hive shouldn't be difficult, just a matter of time." Luan Xiao'e said, "It seems we'll need to establish contact with those four star systems. Since you've had dealings with them, how about you handle this?" Lu Ye replied, "It's part of my duty. The fleet can find a suitable place to lie low when the time comes. I'll go ahead first and see if I can contact the Boundless side to ascertain the situation in the war zone. The fleet can then proceed without delay." The matter was provisionally settled this way, with the exact course of action to be determined as they went along.

Luan Xiao'e was particularly attentive to the Boundless Star System because, based on their current information, it was the closest star system to the Jade Snail Realm. By merely traversing the Thousand Mounds and the Chaotic Blast Zone, they could establish contact.

Their lack of prior interaction was likely due to the barrier posed by the Chaotic Blast Zone. Although the Chaotic Blast Zone still existed, its danger level was not as high as before, suggesting that cultivators from the two star systems might frequently interact in the future.

As a prominent figure of the Jade Snail Star System, Luan Xiao'e felt it was her responsibility to seize this opportunity to foster good relations with Boundless. After all, they possessed Sun Glow cultivators, which was a coveted goal for the Jade Snail Realm.

The fleet continued its voyage until, at one moment, everyone sensed something unusual. Figures gathered on each starship, looking towards the depths of the Thousand Mounds.

On the Jade Snail's starship, Lu Ye and Luan Xiao'e stood side-by-side. Luan Xiao'e's expression was grave, and she had already issued the order for the fleet to halt.

Intense fluctuations from a battle were clearly emanating from ahead. Looking out, they could occasionally see vibrant, multicolored light bursting forth.

"Are those Sun Glow cultivators clashing?" Lu Ye asked, somewhat unsure. The distance was too great for him to discern more than a general sense, but Luan Xiao'e, with her much higher cultivation, should have a clearer perception.

Luan Xiao'e nodded. "Two Sun Glows. However, judging by the power fluctuations, it doesn't seem to be cultivators fighting. It's more like Star Beasts!" Lu Ye's heart stirred upon hearing this.

He had found the occasional bursts of multicolored light familiar. Now, it seemed one of the combatants might be the Butterfly Star Beast they had encountered before.

As for the other combatant... could it be the Azure Bird? If it were these two, the fierce intensity of the battle would make sense. Moreover, the Butterfly Star Beast had indeed flown towards the Thousand Mounds previously.

The Azure Bird was very interested in what was inside the Nebula Mound, and like wild animals, Star Beasts also claimed territories. If the Butterfly Star Beast rashly trespassed into the Azure Bird's domain, a conflict was bound to occur.

The aftershocks of such a battle were something the fleet could not withstand, so Luan Xiao'e's order to halt was undoubtedly a wise decision. Standing at the bow, she gazed out, a look of yearning in her eyes.

In terms of cultivation, she had reached the limit of the Moon-Shine realm but had been unable to break through that barrier and glimpse the mysteries of the Sun Glow. Her leading the expedition to the Myriad Manifestations Sea this time was precisely to seek an opportunity for advancement. Otherwise, there were other Moon-Shine cultivators in the Jade Snail Realm, and a mid-Moon-Shine would have sufficed; there would have been no need for her to lead.

Lu Ye looked out, intending to gauge which of the combatants was stronger, but he couldn't get a clear sense of it.

However, deep down, he hoped the Azure Bird would win. After all, he had received its favor, and if the opportunity arose in the future, he might even get a ride.

The Butterfly Star Beast was different; the dust it scattered with its wings was strange. If Lu Ye hadn't had his Talent Tree to protect him, he would have been as embarrassed as Wan Guliu and the others.

It was unknown when this battle had begun; the fleet only sensed its aftershocks upon arriving, and there was no telling how long it would continue.

The fleet waited for over ten days, but the battle showed no signs of ending; it appeared it would continue much longer.

Luan Xiao'e knew they couldn't wait any longer. A clash between Sun Glow Star Beasts might not conclude for several years, and the fleet couldn't afford to waste such a long time there. After consulting with Lu Ye, they decided to make a slight detour. Although this would take a bit more time, it was better than waiting indefinitely.

The fleet resumed its journey, gradually moving away from the area affected by the battle's aftershocks. The detour added nearly a month to their travel time; what was originally estimated to be a one-month journey through the Thousand Mounds ended up taking two months.

Just as the fleet was about to leave the confines of the Thousand Mounds, a powerful aura swiftly approached from behind.

Lu Ye, who was cultivating in his cabin, felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly flashed onto the deck and looked back, only to see a patch of vibrant, multicolored light rapidly approaching from the distant rear, trailing long ribbons of color behind it.

Lu Ye's eye twitched; he felt this journey to the Myriad Manifestations Sea was cursed! He had witnessed the strange properties of the dust scattered by this Butterfly Star Beast. So, seeing its direction align with the fleet's path, he immediately raised an alarm and simultaneously transmitted a message to Luan Xiao'e, telling her to alter the starship's course. They had to avoid this Star Beast at all costs.

Luan Xiao'e also recognized the gravity of the situation. Even though she didn't know the full extent of the Butterfly Star Beast's abilities, having a Sun Glow entity pursuing them from behind would unnerve anyone.

She promptly heeded Lu Ye's advice, personally maneuvering the starship to veer away. The starships and warships behind quickly followed suit.

Moments later, the Butterfly Star Beast swept past not far from the fleet. On every starship, the cultivators of the Three Realms watched it with tense expressions.

To everyone's slight relief, the Star Beast didn't spare them a glance, treating them as if they weren't there. It simply flew past, trailing its multicolored ribbons.

Lu Ye saw clearly that the Butterfly Star Beast was covered in horrifying wounds, and even its wings appeared somewhat tattered.

Clearly, it had suffered losses in the previous battle. If its opponent had been the Azure Bird they had seen before, Lu Ye wondered how the Azure Bird fared.

However, judging by the Butterfly Star Beast's condition, it seemed to have been defeated, which would explain its departure from the Thousand Mounds. This suggested that the Azure Bird was indeed stronger.

"Old Wan, why is your face so pale?" On a starship from the Nine Provinces, Qian Wudang curiously observed Wan Guliu standing beside him. They had both served in Haotian City in Bingzhou — one as the head of the Law Enforcement Department and the other as the head of the Official Rectification Department — and being constantly in each other's sight, they were naturally well-acquainted.

Beside Qian Wudang, Fan Xiangyi also looked over with concern. "Are you alright?" Wan Guliu shivered, yet still insisted, "I'm fine, fine. Just caught a slight chill. I'll be fine after some rest." With that, he quickly scurried back into his cabin.

This left Qian Wudang and Fan Xiangyi bewildered. As Constellation Realm cultivators, how could he 'catch a chill'? That was utter nonsense!

But since Wan Guliu was unwilling to elaborate, they couldn't press him. They merely kept it in mind and showed him a bit more concern over the next few days.

It wasn't just Wan Guliu from the Nine Provinces who "caught a chill," but also Zhou Xingzhi from the Azure Dawn Dao World and Tao Yan from Jade Snail.

The three of them had almost forgotten that unpleasant experience, yet who would have thought the Butterfly Star Beast would appear before their eyes once more?

Fortunately, Lu Ye's warning had been early enough, and Luan Xiao'e's decision-making swift enough, that the entire fleet managed to avoid the area engulfed by the colorful ribbons.

Otherwise, the sight of an entire fleet of five hundred Constellation Realm cultivators all singing and dancing... was simply unimaginable. The fleet successfully exited the Thousand Mounds and entered another expanse of starfield.

This area was not part of the Boundless Star System; it was merely an unnamed region. Such zones were common throughout the starfield, typically barren star regions of little value.

For countless millennia, few cultivators had ventured here, save for Star Beasts. However, when Lu Ye had traveled through this region years ago, it was a territory dominated by the Zerg. The Zerg hive was located just ahead, almost bordering the Boundless Star System.