Chapter 1595: Sunshine Falls

The battle was progressing extremely smoothly. The cultivators of the Constellation Stage held a significant advantage on their battlefield, while the Moon-Splitting cultivators were either containing or suppressing the bug race's Moon-Splitting experts.

This time, the four star systems had joined forces, deploying significantly more cultivators at both the Sun-Embracing and Moon-Splitting levels than the bug race. This ensured that all bug race Moon-Splitting experts were engaged, allowing the Constellation cultivators to fight freely. Some Moon-Splitting cultivators even struggled to find suitable opponents, resorting to overpowering lesser foes by targeting Constellation-level bugs.

When a Moon-Splitting cultivator fought a Constellation-level bug, they could kill at will. Barely an incense stick's worth of time after the battle began, the bug race had suffered nearly thirty percent casualties, with even some Moon-Splitting bugs falling in combat. In this situation, the bug race's plight worsened significantly.

Lu Ye soared across the vast battlefield, leaving a trail of death wherever he went. He even set his sights on an early-stage Moon-Splitting bug whose opponent, an early-stage Moon-Splitting cultivator from an unknown star system, was locked in an intense struggle with it.

Lu Ye was about to use his soaring technique to ambush the Moon-Splitting bug, hoping to create an opening for his ally. However, before he could act, a furious roar suddenly erupted from within the bug nest.

The roar was strange, filled with anger and astonishment, as if something incredible had just happened.

As the roar echoed, a powerful aura suddenly dissipated. Lu Ye raised an eyebrow and turned to look towards the bug nest. Since the start of the battle, only Sun-Embracing cultivators had been fighting within the nest, with the four Sun-Embracing experts from the allied star systems confronting the bug race's two. Consequently, violent energy fluctuations constantly erupted from inside, creating chaos.

The dissipation of an aura clearly indicated that a Sun-Embracing expert had fallen! Lu Ye thought the allied Sun-Embracing cultivators were quite strong to have killed a bug race Sun-Embracing expert so quickly, as battles between such powerful individuals rarely ended swiftly unless there was a significant disparity in strength.

However, considering that the four allied star systems had a two-on-one advantage in that fight, it wasn't too outlandish. Yet, as Lu Ye looked, Li Guan, who had been guarding outside the bug nest, suddenly changed expression. Her body transformed into a sword-rainbow, and she shot directly towards the nest.

Lu Ye was startled, immediately realizing something was wrong. Li Guan's role outside the bug nest was primarily to prevent any bug race Sun-Embracing experts from escaping. She was clearly a sword cultivator, confident she could intercept them if they tried to flee.

But now, she had charged into the bug nest, which was clearly abnormal. The one who had just fallen... could it not be a bug race Sun-Embracing expert?

This thought surfaced, and Lu Ye found it hard to believe. But if that weren't the case, Li Guan wouldn't have reacted so suddenly.

Moreover, it made no sense. With a two-on-one advantage, how could one of their own have been counter-killed? Were the bug race Sun-Embracing experts really that powerful?

While he was puzzled, a voice suddenly emanated from within the bug nest. It was Li Guan, who had just rushed in: "All Quiet Moon cultivators, heed my command! Return to your warships immediately and await orders. Any who dare defy will be killed by cultivators from all three sides!" When this order was relayed, all the cultivators on the battlefield were bewildered. No one understood what was happening. This battle was a joint effort by the four star systems, and the situation was progressing incredibly smoothly. Yet, at this critical juncture, Li Guan had issued such a strange command.

This command came right after a Sun-Embracing expert had fallen within the bug nest. Close on the heels of Li Guan's cold voice, Luo Xie of the Great Luo star system also shouted, "Great Luo cultivators, obey the order!" The next moment, Bai Jin's voice rang out: "Fellow cultivators, why are you targeting my Quiet Moon? Quiet Moon has contributed greatly to this joint effort of four. Isn't it inappropriate to abandon us after crossing the river?" Upon hearing Li Guan's initial command, the Quiet Moon cultivators were already confused, not understanding why they suddenly had to return to their warships when the battle was going well. Now, hearing their own Sun-Embracing expert's voice, they instantly harbored suspicious thoughts.

The four star systems had coexisted in this part of the cosmos for many years, and it was natural for conflicts to arise. However, they generally avoided open hostility to prevent inter-system warfare.

So, as soon as the Sun-Embracing experts began to argue, the cultivators below started to speculate, wondering if Quiet Moon was being targeted jointly by the Boundless and Great Luo systems.

Regardless of the four star systems' cultivators' speculations, Lu Ye's expression was grim. Sun-Embracing experts from three star systems had spoken, but Chen Zong of North Profound remained silent.

Considering the earlier commotion of a Sun-Embracing expert falling, and Chen Zong's existing injuries... Lu Ye suddenly had a very bad feeling.

Li Guan's voice echoed again: "Bai Jin, are you still trying to muddy the waters at this point?" Then, she cried out, "Bai Jin of Quiet Moon is a blood race disguised as human! Chen Zong of North Profound was ambushed and killed by him!" She hadn't revealed this directly earlier to avoid unsettling morale, which was why she ordered the Quiet Moon cultivators to return to their warships. Since Bai Jin was a blood race imposter, it was unknown if there were more hidden blood race members within Quiet Moon. If they suddenly attacked allies in the midst of such a chaotic battle, they would undoubtedly succeed.

Since it was impossible to distinguish which Quiet Moon cultivators were blood race imposters, having them all return to their warships was the best solution. Those not of the blood race would naturally obey, but the blood race members would likely seize the opportunity to cause trouble.

As Bai Jin attempted to sow discord with his words, Li Guan, with no other choice, revealed the truth. When Li Guan's words fell, the entire battlefield erupted in an uproar, especially among the cultivators from the North Profound star system, who all looked stunned, almost disbelieving their ears.

When the sound of a Sun-Embracing expert falling came from within the bug nest earlier, everyone had assumed a bug race Sun-Embracing expert had been killed. But who would have thought the one who died was not a bug, but Chen Zong of North Profound!

A Sun-Embracing cultivator was a pillar in any star system, and losing even one was an immense loss. North Profound only had two Sun-Embracing experts in total; now that Chen Zong had fallen, only one remained.

On the battlefield, Lu Ye coldly reaped the lives of the bug race as he soared, his expression stern. Because he had harbored suspicions beforehand, he wasn't overly surprised when Li Guan spoke those words.

He finally understood why Bai Jin had given him a strange feeling when they met in the central hall. At the time, Lu Ye wasn't sure what kind of strangeness it was, and with a Sun-Embracing expert present, he couldn't investigate deeply. Recalling it now, if Bai Jin were of the blood race, it would all make sense!

He had refined a vast amount of blood race sacred blood, making his sacred properties unparalleled by any other blood race member in the cosmos. Therefore, although he still maintained a human form, he possessed a latent sensitivity towards the blood race. That strange feeling was clearly from the blood race's bloodline.

He had even considered before, when instructing Lan Qiyue, that some blood race members practiced wondrous secret techniques to conceal their blood race characteristics and disguise themselves as humans. Who would have thought he'd genuinely encounter one now?

Perhaps there was more than one. Quiet Moon had Bai Jin, but who knew if there were more hidden blood race members? That's why Li Guan had issued such an order.

However, this Bai Jin was formidable. Though it was unknown how long he had been hidden in the Quiet Moon star system, to have cultivated to the Sun-Embracing stage without being exposed showed his remarkable skill.

Chen Zong died unjustly. He must have been targeted by Bai Jin long ago. Seizing the opportunity while Chen Zong was injured and fiercely battling a bug race Sun-Embracing expert, Bai Jin suddenly struck the killing blow, which Chen Zong naturally could not withstand.

What Lu Ye couldn't understand, however, was why Bai Jin chose to reveal himself at this moment. He had operated for years in Quiet Moon under a human disguise, surely with his own objectives. It seemed too unlikely that he would expose himself just for the sake of two bug race Sun-Embracing experts.

Because even if he exposed his identity now and ambushed Chen Zong, the bug race still wouldn't gain the upper hand. While they might be able to contend at the Sun-Embracing level—currently a three-on-three situation within the bug nest—below the Sun-Embracing stage, the bug race was still no match.

Or perhaps his goal was merely to rescue the two bug race Sun-Embracing experts? It was said that the bug race and blood race colluded like wolves and a den of rats, but such camaraderie seemed a bit too strong.

Just as Lu Ye was utterly bewildered, a terrified shout suddenly came from a certain direction.

"Blood race! Many blood race members are here!" Lu Ye quickly looked up and scanned the horizon, his expression hardening at what he saw.

Because in the distant starry sky, vast swathes of blood-red light were sweeping in. The crimson hue was unmistakable, like a sea of blood overturning, with towering blood waves approaching not just from his direction, but from all other directions as well.

Lu Ye's heart sank. He realized the trouble was immense. Bai Jin's revelation of his identity at this moment was indeed not merely to rescue the two bug race Sun-Embracing experts; he intended to annihilate the allied forces of the four star systems here!

In other words, this was a joint operation between the bug race and the blood race, and it had now reached its most critical juncture.

Lu Ye suddenly understood what Bai Jin was plotting. What he was plotting, to his surprise, was the four star systems themselves!

Because if the allied forces of the four star systems were annihilated in this battle, four Sun-Embracing experts alone would perish, and Moon-Splitting cultivators would be countless. At that point, the bug race and blood race, with the momentum of a great victory, would assault the Boundless Star System. How could Boundless possibly defend itself?

Once Boundless was taken, the remaining three star systems could be defeated one by one. The four star systems were a large piece of fat meat for the bug race and blood race. The blood race could turn the living beings of the four star systems into blood slaves for enslavement and breeding, while the bug race could freely devour the vitality of those realms, expanding their scale.

Therefore, even though the bug race had suffered heavy casualties so far in the battle, if they won this fight, the rewards for them would undoubtedly be hundreds or thousands of times greater!

Seen in this light, the bug nest drifting to this location was no coincidence; it had specifically targeted the four star systems. With Bai Jin acting as an inside agent, the bug race and blood race had long coveted the four star systems. This scheme had likely been years in the making.

Only one point left Lu Ye somewhat puzzled: his