Chapter 1656: Did Not Leave

The Immortal Yuan Guards had settled down, each reborn, and began cultivating with fervent eagerness. Moreover, with Li Shang's guidance, they could now begin practicing the secret arts of the Soul Clan. Without the restriction of the Soul Pool, their strength could grow just like that of regular Soul Clan members.

Lu Ye greatly anticipated the day he would see them again, wondering what earth-shattering changes they would undergo.

Yi Yi was also cultivating in her personal small space, accompanied by Amber. She seemed to be using this method to tell Lu Ye that she would not waste time and would surely surprise him when they next met.

Lu Ye was not in a hurry to leave the Soul Clan Ancestral Land; instead, he spent several days exploring the area. Although he already sensed the tranquility of the Soul Clan, he wanted to observe more.

After a few days, Lu Ye found the place genuinely peaceful, with virtually no conflicts. Most Soul Clan members stayed quietly within their Lotus Lands, while a few wandered outside, appearing carefree.

The only thing that puzzled Lu Ye was the friendly attitude of the Soul Clan's powerful figures towards him. Over these past few days, Lu Ye had visited many Lotus Lands. Not to mention Moon Illumination cultivators, he had even encountered several Sun Illumination Soul Clan members. Although none of them engaged in deep conversation with him, these powerful Soul Clan individuals were very amicable when they met.

This left Lu Ye somewhat perplexed, but upon closer thought, it might have been due to Amber. Although the Soul Clan chief didn't show much reaction upon seeing Amber, Amber was, after all, the Soul Clan's Sacred Beast. Given his close relationship with Amber, perhaps these Sun Illumination Soul Clan members had developed affection for him by extension?

Such an environment undoubtedly put Lu Ye at ease; it was unlikely Yi Yi would face any danger staying in a place like this.

Releasing all his worries, Lu Ye returned to Li Shang's Lotus Land, found her, and bid her farewell.

"Are you leaving now, fellow Daoist?" Li Shang asked.

Lu Ye replied, "I can't stay here forever. I'd also like to ask you for guidance on how to leave."

Li Shang said, "Then follow me to meet the Elder on Duty. A Soul Clan member can only leave the Ancestral Land with the Elder on Duty's permission." She had snuck out previously and expected to be punished upon her return, but surprisingly, she wasn't.

Lu Ye glanced in the direction of Yi Yi's home, then turned and said, "Let's go." No need for farewells; it would only add to the trouble.

Following Li Shang, they flew towards the Lotus Land of the Elder on Duty. In just over an hour, they arrived at a seven-colored Lotus Land. Seven-colored Lotus Lands were limited in number across the entire Soul Clan Ancestral Land; only Sun Illumination Soul Clan members were qualified to occupy them.

This particular seven-colored Lotus Land was not very large. When Li Shang led Lu Ye to land there, the Elder on Duty clearly sensed their arrival and appeared proactively.

Lu Ye looked up and saw an elderly figure. He quickly bowed respectfully, "Lu Yi Ye of the Nine Heavens, greetings, Elder Xu Yuan!" Li Shang had already informed him of the Elder on Duty's name.

Although Xu Yuan knew of Lu Ye's existence from Hun Que, this was his first time meeting him. He couldn't help but examine Lu Ye carefully for a moment, genuinely curious as to how a human of seemingly moderate strength could trigger the Ancestral Land's will and cause it to issue such instructions. It couldn't possibly be the reincarnation of that great powerful being, could it? That would be too outlandish.

Dismissing his thoughts, Xu Yuan chuckled, "My Soul Clan rarely has guests. Young friend, you are truly the first in history."

"Please forgive my intrusion," Lu Ye said, feeling a little embarrassed. Truth be told, his uninvited entry was indeed improper, but he couldn't be blamed. At the time, he had only intended to grab Amber and leave, unaware that he would be directly enveloped by the lotus and brought here. He had been forced into it.

Xu Yuan said, "No matter, no matter. My Soul Clan does not inherently dislike outsiders. It's just that the Ancestral Land has never accepted external flesh-and-blood bodies. Young friend, your ability to enter the Ancestral Land surely indicates something extraordinary about you." He was subtly probing, wanting to understand why Lu Ye was accepted by the Ancestral Land. But Lu Ye clearly had no intention of explaining. He couldn't possibly bring up the Talent Tree, and even if he could, he couldn't explain why the Talent Tree resonated with the Soul Clan Ancestral Land.

Seeing that Lu Ye wasn't taking the bait, Xu Yuan felt somewhat helpless and could only ask, "Young friend, what brings you here?"

Lu Ye replied, "Elder, please forgive me, but I wish to leave this place, so I must ask for your convenience."

Xu Yuan was instantly taken aback. Lu Ye wanted to leave? How could that be? The Soul Clan hadn't even had a chance to properly host him yet. The Lotus Pond was still several days away from opening, so naturally, Lu Ye couldn't be allowed to leave now.

Hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately showed a troubled expression. "Under normal circumstances, young friend, there would be no issue with your departure, but at this moment, it's a bit difficult."

"Why?" Lu Ye frowned slightly.

Xu Yuan said, "To be frank, young friend, the Lotus Pond in our Ancestral Land is about to open. During this period, it's impossible to enter or exit the Ancestral Land's space."

Li Shang, standing nearby, asked curiously, "Is that true? Why haven't I heard about this?"

Xu Yuan glared at her. "If I say so, it is so! Less chattering from you! I haven't even settled the score with you for leaving the Ancestral Land without permission!" By regulation, as the Elder on Duty during his watch, he had the authority to punish Li Shang for violating clan rules. Confining her for ten or twenty years would be no problem.

Sensing Elder Xu Yuan's displeased gaze, Li Shang quickly shut her mouth. Although Elder Xu Yuan had always been affable towards others, Li Shang felt he was acting somewhat strangely today. And... the Lotus Pond was actually about to open, though by her calculations, it shouldn't be time yet!

Lu Ye asked, "Then how long must I wait?"

Xu Yuan replied, "Not long at all. The Lotus Pond will open in a few days, and then close a few days after that. You can leave then, young friend."

That was fine. It was just a matter of staying a few more days, and Lu Ye could afford that amount of time. Just as he was about to say that he would return in a few days once the Lotus Pond closed, Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled and asked, "Young friend, would you be interested in participating in my Soul Clan's Lotus Pond Contest?"

Lu Ye didn't yet understand what the Lotus Pond Contest entailed, but Li Shang, upon hearing this, couldn't help but reveal a look of shock. Elder Xu Yuan... was he losing his mind? The Lotus Pond Contest had always been a major event for the Soul Clan, and the number of spots was consistently limited, barely enough for their own members. Now, they were actually offering a spot to an outsider? She naturally had no objection to Lu Ye, but she was simply astonished that Elder Xu Yuan would say such a thing.

Lu Ye was also quite surprised. "I can participate?"

Xu Yuan smiled, "As the first guest of my Soul Clan in history, yes, you can!" He paused, then continued, "If you're interested in participating, when the Lotus Pond opens, have Li Shang take you there. You can also learn from her what the Lotus Pond Contest is all about. This old man has important matters to attend to, so I'll excuse myself now." Originally, he wasn't in a hurry to open the Lotus Pond, but with Lu Ye wanting to leave, he naturally had to act quickly. He needed to contact a few old friends to open the Lotus Pond as soon as possible.

Lu Ye then left with Li Shang. He felt that Li Shang was looking at him strangely. Although he didn't understand why, he was certain it had something to do with the Lotus Pond Contest.

And it was only after Li Shang's explanation that Lu Ye finally understood what the Lotus Pond Contest truly was. Within the Soul Clan Ancestral Land was a treasured place called the Lotus Pond. A unique Divine Lotus would grow within it, and if a Soul Clan member could refine and subdue it, it would greatly benefit their own growth. One could say that every Soul Clan member harbored the dream of refining a Divine Lotus!

However, throughout history, only those with the most exceptional aptitude among the Soul Clan were qualified to enter the Lotus Pond. Li Shang herself had never obtained such a qualification; every time the Lotus Pond opened, she could only watch longingly. The qualification to enter the Lotus Pond was extremely precious and rare within the Soul Clan. Nearly every Soul Clan member who entered the Lotus Pond gained something, and successfully refining a Divine Lotus would provide lifelong benefits!

After hearing Li Shang's explanation, Lu Ye couldn't help but be astonished. He truly couldn't understand why Elder Xu Yuan would allow him to participate in such a significant event for the Soul Clan. He didn't want to judge a gentleman by his own narrow-mindedness or maliciously speculate about others, but this matter was somewhat outlandish. If he participated, the Soul Clan would lose one spot. Yet, no matter how he thought about it, Xu Yuan, a Sun Illumination cultivator, wouldn't need to go to such lengths even if he had some designs on him. Could it be because of Amber again? But if that were the case, this spot should have been given to Yi Yi, not him.

Unable to figure it out, he could only wait and see. If there was anything amiss with the Lotus Pond, he should be able to sense it, given the unique nature of his Talent Tree.

Lu Ye then stayed for a few more days with peace of mind. Over these past few days, the Soul Clan Ancestral Land had become noticeably livelier. Many Soul Clan members were appearing outside their Lotus Lands, a sight Lu Ye hadn't seen before, clearly due to the impending opening of the Lotus Pond.

According to Li Shang, the Soul Clan always became very lively whenever the Lotus Pond opened. This was because the Ancestral Land was usually too peaceful, with hardly any major events occurring, so when the Lotus Pond opened, everyone could go and enjoy the spectacle! Lu Ye was speechless, further realizing the monotonous nature of life for the Soul Clan. It made sense; although the place was peaceful and comfortable, it also lacked much excitement. So naturally, any lively occasion was very appealing.

A few days later, several figures set off from the five-colored Lotus Land. Not only Li Shang and Lu Ye, but Yi Yi and Amber also came along. Yi Yi would likely live here for a long time in the future. Although she didn't have a spot for this Lotus Pond opening, she could strive for one next time, so observing beforehand wouldn't hurt.

To Li Shang's delight, she actually had a spot to enter the Lotus Pond this time! Logically, she didn't have the qualifications. After much thought, she concluded that Elder Xu Yuan had probably rewarded her with this spot because she had brought back the Sacred Beast, performing a great service.

In fact, there was no need for Li Shang to lead the way, as Lu Ye saw many Soul Clan members heading in a single direction as they traveled, which was undoubtedly where the Lotus Pond was located. As their group passed, they attracted the attention of countless Soul Clan members, causing continuous commotion! Even without having seen a White Tiger before, the Soul Clan knew of the Sacred Beasts' existence. However, the previous generation of Sacred Beasts had passed away ten thousand years ago, so the Soul Clan members never expected there to be a Sacred Beast in the Ancestral Land now! In contrast, Lu Ye's presence didn't attract much attention from the Soul Clan. Outwardly, Soul Clan members appeared similar to humans, and if Lu Ye didn't activate his spiritual power, Soul Clan members of lower strength wouldn't be able to discern anything unusual about him.