Chapter 1596: Chaos in the Turmoil

Lu Ye suddenly recalled why the insectoids had behaved so strangely at the very beginning of the battle. They hadn't concentrated their forces in one direction; instead, they had dispersed them. What seemed like a thoughtless maneuver was, in fact, a deliberate strategy to distract the cultivators from the Four-Directions Star System, thus facilitating the Blood Tribe's encirclement of the battlefield.

Their strategy proved highly successful. All the cultivators from the Four-Directions Star System, including the Three Realms cultivators alongside Lu Ye, were completely engrossed in the accomplishment and exhilaration of hunting insectoids, paying almost no attention to the unfolding situation on the outer fringes.

By the time the Blood Tribe finally revealed themselves, realizing the danger was largely meaningless. Blood tides surged from all directions with astonishing speed, clearly driven by powerful figures within the Blood Sea itself. In just a few moments, the entire battlefield was almost completely enveloped by the Blood Sea, and its pervasive expansion showed no signs of abating, threatening to engulf the entire area.

Once the Blood Sea fully descended, the human cultivators caught within would be at a severe disadvantage, while the Blood Tribe and insectoids would be able to operate with complete freedom.

Lu Ye himself had previously unleashed the Blood Sea to defeat enemies, so he understood its profound intricacies very well. Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning, and his immediate thought was to quickly gather the Three Realms cultivators and make a swift escape!

The Blood Sea had not yet fully formed its encirclement, meaning there were still gaps and a potential window for escape. However, Kang Cheng's prior arrangements had foiled his plan, as the Three Realms cultivators were currently dispersed across various locations on the battlefield, making it utterly impossible for him to gather everyone quickly.

In this situation, it was impossible to gather the Three Realms cultivators quickly; even assembling just the cultivators from the Nine Provinces was out of the question. Everyone, including the cultivators from the Four-Directions Star System, was embroiled in the conflict and could not easily disengage.

What could be done? Lu Ye repeatedly asked himself, yet he couldn't conceive of a solution. Furthermore, he considered an even graver consequence: if the insectoids and Blood Tribe truly conquered the Four-Directions Star System, then Jade Snail would be in grave danger. As these two races expanded their reach, they would inevitably pass through the Thousand Hills Burial Ground and the Chaotic Blast Zone. Once they entered the Jade Snail Star System... it was fair to say that Jade Snail and Wuding shared a common destiny, like lips and teeth.

Power fluctuations, even more intense than before, emanated from the insectoid nest. Lu Ye instinctively turned his head to see the colossal nest abruptly shatter.

Although incredibly sturdy, the insectoid nest could not withstand several Sun-Glow realm experts clashing within it for such an extended period. At this moment, it finally exploded, scattering into countless fragments across the sky.

Six figures emerged from the wreckage: Ning Bu'ao of Wuding, Li Guan, and Luo Xie of Daluo.

Of the remaining three, two were clearly Sun-Glow realm insectoids, and one was distinctly a Blood Tribe member. This individual bore a striking resemblance to Bai Jin, yet they were noticeably taller and their skin was entirely blood-red.

The six Sun-Glow realm experts were currently locked in a fierce, all-out battle. The cultivators from the North Profound Star System, unable to spot Chen Zong, finally realized that he had fallen, and sorrow welled up within them.

Meanwhile, the cultivators from Silent Moon felt even more conflicted. Bai Jin, a figure who had been a pillar of their realm, turned out to be a Blood Tribe member in disguise and had even killed a Sun-Glow realm ally. This realization filled them with both shame and unease.

As a terrifying aura rapidly spread, three streaks of blood-red light shot forth from different directions within the distant, approaching Blood Sea. Each of these streaks unequivocally emanated the aura of a Sun-Glow realm expert!

This sight sent a chilling dread through all the cultivators, who immediately knew that it was truly over. The Blood Tribe had unexpectedly deployed three Sun-Glow realm experts, and these were only the ones who had revealed themselves; no one could tell if more were hidden.

Originally, in one-on-one combat, Ning Bu'ao and the others could hold their own, but with three Blood Tribe members now entering the fray, they were forced to fight two against one, and the situation instantly deteriorated.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, quickly, follow me!" Suddenly, a Moon-Bloom realm cultivator, his face etched with panic, rushed towards Lu Ye, shouting as he drew closer. Judging by the spiritual energy fluctuations surrounding him, he was clearly only in the early stages of the Moon-Bloom realm.

Lu Ye glanced back, said "Alright," and charged directly towards him. The moment their figures converged, the panic vanished from the early-stage Moon-Bloom cultivator's face. He reached out to grab Lu Ye, and spiritual energy surged in his palm, forming a vortex that instantly pulled at Lu Ye's body with an invisible force.

Lu Ye's expression remained unperturbed, as if he had anticipated this. A brilliant blood-red light burst forth from him, and in an instant, a Blood Sea unfolded, engulfing both him and the Moon-Bloom cultivator.

The opponent clearly hadn't anticipated such a turn of events and was caught off guard, instantly enveloped by the Blood Sea. He was immediately surprised and suspicious, as to his knowledge, Lu Ye was a Weapon Cultivator, and it was highly unusual for him to be able to unleash such a sophisticated Blood Dao secret art.

But in the very next instant, the Moon-Bloom cultivator's expression shifted, as an overwhelmingly intense and irresistible pressure emanated from within the Blood Sea.

Under the shroud of this mysterious pressure, the Moon-Bloom cultivator felt his entire strength profoundly suppressed. Not only did his spiritual power circulate sluggishly within him, but even his vital energy seemed on the verge of solidifying.

Immediately afterward, a flash of saber light struck fiercely at his neck. Yet, even the Mountain-Slayer Saber, imbued with Divine Edge, failed to completely sever the Moon-Bloom cultivator's head, only cutting halfway through, a testament to his formidable physique.

The Moon-Bloom cultivator's face twisted in pain; he tilted his head, staring at Lu Ye in disbelief: "A Holy Seed?" What this Weapon Cultivator before him had unleashed was no mere Blood Dao secret art; it was the purest, most ultimate Blood Tribe Blood Sea technique. What terrified him even more was the almost tangible sacredness surging within that Blood Sea—a sacredness so potent it was beyond his wildest imagination.

Could there truly be a Holy Seed in this world with such overwhelming sacredness? How much holy blood would one have to refine to achieve such a state?

"Fellow Daoist, please spare me, I am of the Blood Tribe!" the Moon-Bloom cultivator cried out in panic. Though he didn't understand why Lu Ye was a Holy Seed, he reasoned that if he was, then they were on the same side.

Lu Ye's expression remained indifferent. "Understood!" he replied. With his other hand, he suddenly gripped the hilt of the Mountain-Slayer Saber, and with both hands applying force, the long saber, already halfway embedded in the neck, cleanly severed the head!

The head flew upward, eyes wide and unseeing, unable to comprehend why Lu Ye had still delivered the fatal blow even after his Blood Tribe identity had been revealed.

The Blood Sea dissipated, revealing Lu Ye, his Mountain-Slayer Saber utterly pristine. The moment his opponent approached, Lu Ye had already sensed something amiss; this Moon-Bloom cultivator gave him a feeling similar to Bai Jin, and he instantly realized that this individual was also a Blood Tribe member in disguise.

Killing an ordinary Moon-Bloom cultivator would not have been so easy for Lu Ye, but he possessed a natural advantage against Blood Tribe Moon-Blooms. He recalled how, after leaving the Blue Jade Realm, he had managed to slay a late-stage Blood Tribe Moon-Bloom who pursued him. Facing merely an early-stage Moon-Bloom now was even less of a challenge.

Of course, his success in killing a late-stage Moon-Bloom that time was largely thanks to Li Shang initiating a soul battle; otherwise, with his power at the time, it would have been truly difficult for him to subdue others.

Things were different now. The Mountain-Slayer Saber, transformed by Liao, was incomparably sharp. Although the physical body of an early-stage Moon-Bloom cultivator was powerful, under the suppression of the sacred essence, it simply could not withstand Liao's fatal cuts.

Chaos. Utter chaos had erupted. The situation was already somewhat disordered after Li Guan issued the command for the Silent Moon cultivators to return to their warships and await further orders. Now, with the Blood Tribe's large-scale assault, the scene became even more chaotic.

The Silent Moon cultivators could no longer return to their warships, as it was unknown how many Blood Tribe members were hidden among them. This left the cultivators from the other three star systems fighting with caution, as no one knew if they would be secretly ambushed.

Lu Ye gazed at the chaotic battlefield, watching the Blood Sea expand from all directions. He knew that if he didn't act quickly, the allied forces of the Four-Directions Star System, and even the Three Realms cultivators, would be annihilated here!

Even he himself might not escape with his life! But on such a vast battlefield, could he, a mere Constellation realm cultivator, or even a true Sun-Glow realm expert, truly possess the power to turn the tide?

Lu Ye suddenly extended his hand, and an object materialized. He looked down at it, unsure if his idea would succeed, or even if it did, how much of an impact it would have. But given the desperate circumstances, he had no choice but to try everything, even if it seemed like a last resort.

He brought the object to his mouth, fingers pressing against several sound holes, and gently began to blow, allowing his breath to resonate through it.

Even amidst the vastness of space, a low, melancholic sound emanated from the object in his hand. The surrounding cultivators, amidst their panic, cast curious glances, bewildered as to why Lu Ye would be playing a bone xun at such a critical moment, and playing it so badly!

However, no one was paying him any mind. As the Blood Sea drew closer, everyone was focused solely on their own survival. Suddenly, a figure appeared beside Lu Ye—it was Luan Xiao'e.

She appeared largely unharmed, her long spear still stained with fresh blood, likely from her recent insectoid kills. As a late-stage Moon-Bloom cultivator, and with no Sun-Glow realm experts directly engaging her, there was hardly anyone on this battlefield who could pose a fatal threat to her.

Looking at Lu Ye, Luan Xiao'e's face was filled with guilt. "I'm so sorry!" she said. Originally, Kang Cheng had instructed them to proceed to Wuding first and only discuss advancing to the Myriad Forms Sea after the current battle concluded. However, Luan Xiao'e, feeling this was a rare opportunity, had decided to participate and experience it. Now, her decision to join had led to this predicament.

The Three Realms cultivators had ambitiously set out from the Green Dawn Dao Realm, only to find themselves halfway to their destination and now on the verge of being wiped out by the Blood Tribe and insectoids.

Lu Ye continued playing the bone xun for a while longer, then put it away with a disappointed expression. He stated, "Participating in this battle was a decision we made together, so any consequences will be shared by us both. You needn't blame yourself. Furthermore, even if we had gone to Wuding first, we might not have avoided this catastrophe. After the insectoids and Blood Tribe defeat the allied forces of the Four-Directions Star System, their primary target will be the Wuding Star System. We would still be drawn into the conflict there." He added that once the Blood Tribe and insectoids occupied the Four-Directions Star System, the Jade Snail Star System would be the first to suffer.

"Fellow Daoist," he continued, "please try to gather the Three Realms cultivators with me..."