Chapter 1744: Request for Arbitration

When Lu Ye and Ma Shangsi were pursuing Yu Huan, Lu Ye had actually considered a possibility—that another Moon-tier cultivator might intervene to save Yu Huan's life. This would not violate the rules of the Myriad Manifestations Sea, because from the moment Yu Huan escaped Baiyue Island, he was no longer on the battlefield of the Spirit Island Hegemony War. Lu Ye and Ma Shangsi's pursuit of him could be seen as a continuation of the war or a personal vendetta. Therefore, if anyone wished to save his life, they were entirely at liberty to act. Yu Huan had been active in the Myriad Manifestations Sea for many years; how could he not have some connections? If he were truly willing to pay a price to have someone intervene and save him, it wouldn't be impossible.

What Lu Ye didn't expect was that the one who came to save him was not a Moon-tier cultivator, but merely a Star-tier!

As the cry "Stay your hand!" echoed, a star-skiff swiftly approached. Onboard stood a person who appeared young, with delicate skin. He had clearly rushed here, and seeing Yu Huan still alive upon arrival, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiped sweat from his forehead, and said, "Fellow Daoist, please halt your hand and show mercy."

Lu Ye's Mountain-Shattering Blade was plunged into Yu Huan's chest, with spiritual power surging but not yet released from the blade. Beside him, Ma Shangsi's hands glowed with two pulsating masses of crimson light, his divine sense firmly locked onto Yu Huan. The formidable deterrence from the master and servant made Yu Huan fear even twitching an eyelid, dreading that misfortune might strike him at any moment!

"Who are you?" Lu Ye asked, though he already had a hunch.

Standing on the star-skiff, the young man smiled faintly, showing no deference typical of a Star-tier facing a Moon-tier. He bowed openly before saying, "My surname is Yuan!" Then he looked at Lu Ye with a meaningful gaze.

Lu Ye thought, *Just as I expected.* Surname Yuan, and the direction he came from was Myriad Manifestations Island. It must be him. He recalled Tang Jun mentioning that he had once visited Myriad Manifestations Island to pay respects to a Sun-tier powerful cultivator named Yuan Du, hoping to forge a connection. However, he hadn't been able to meet Yuan Du himself, only being dismissed by Yuan Cheng, a Star-tier under Yuan Du's command. That Yuan Cheng was indeed a Star-tier cultivator, young in age but exceptionally arrogant. Tang Jun had been quite indignant when recounting this, as Yuan Cheng's attitude towards him had been very disrespectful.

Now, it was clear that this person was undoubtedly Yuan Cheng. He had only stated his surname, not even his given name, which was far from the proper etiquette when addressing a Moon-tier cultivator. Without a powerful backer, he would have no confidence to speak in such a manner.

"What is it?" Lu Ye narrowed his eyes slightly.

Yuan Cheng smiled. "My intention has already been stated, Fellow Daoist should have heard it."

Lu Ye stared at him expressionlessly. Yuan Cheng showed no fear, looking back calmly, and spoke again, "I ask that Fellow Daoist spare his life."

"What if I refuse?" Lu Ye said.

Yuan Cheng revealed a troubled expression and spoke earnestly, "Fellow Daoist, cultivation is not easy. For a cultivator to reach the Moon-tier, they endure countless hardships. To perish due to a moment's impulse would be too tragic, don't you agree?"

Although his words initially sounded like they referred to Yu Huan, anyone could discern the underlying threat. He was practically warning Lu Ye not to impulsively kill Yu Huan, lest he himself face a tragic end. Lu Ye looked at him indifferently and remained silent.

Seeing that Lu Ye was unmoved, Yuan Cheng couldn't help but frown and said, "I believe Fellow Daoist Yu Huan now understands his mistake. If Fellow Daoist spares his life this time, he will certainly reform himself and is willing to offer you a certain compensation."

Yu Huan, who hadn't dared to move until now, quickly spoke up, "Indeed! If I can keep my life this time, Baiyue Island will foster good relations with Three Realms Island for generations to come, and I am willing to compensate..."

He stopped mid-sentence, not daring to continue, as the spiritual power in Lu Ye's Mountain-Shattering Blade began to surge. Yu Huan's face instantly turned pale; he felt as if he had one foot in the gates of hell. Fortunately, Lu Ye withdrew his spiritual power in time. Even so, Yu Huan felt his whole body go weak. Never had he felt so close to death.

"Are you here to mediate?" Lu Ye asked, looking at Yuan Cheng.

Yuan Cheng was momentarily stunned, then nodded, "You could say that."

Lu Ye's expression suddenly turned cold. "Do you even qualify?" Gu Chuan of Yellow Dragon had previously acted as a mediator, though without any effect. However, given Yellow Dragon's status and Yu Huan's secret plea, Gu Chuan was indeed qualified to be a mediator. In contrast, Yuan Cheng's qualifications were far inferior. Moreover, with the conflict having escalated to this point, how could Lu Ye show mercy simply because of a few words from Yuan Cheng?

As he finished speaking, the Mountain-Shattering Blade in his hand vibrated with a thunderous hum, poised to take Yu Huan's life.

Yuan Cheng's face changed dramatically. His divine sense surged rapidly as he transmitted a message to Yu Huan, the content of which was unknown. The next moment, Yu Huan, in his despair, instinctively cried out in terror, "Yu Huan of Baiyue, earnestly requests the Guardian's arbitration..."

The spiritual power on the Mountain-Shattering Blade was already erupting, ready to end his life the next instant. But at that very moment, an immense pressure descended with a thunderous force. Lu Ye felt as if an entire world had pressed down upon him, causing his spiritual power to circulate sluggishly, preventing him from killing Yu Huan. Not only him, but even Ma Shangsi, a peak Moon-tier cultivator, was suppressed on the spot, unable to move, his expression strained.

Lu Ye's bones creaked and groaned throughout his body. He suddenly looked up. At some point, an additional figure had appeared in his line of sight, standing on Yuan Cheng's star-skiff. It was a white-haired old man, appearing dignified without showing anger. There were no traces of spiritual power fluctuations around him, yet there was no doubt that the immense aura of power originated from him.

A Sun-tier, personally present!

Under normal circumstances, even the most intense conflicts in the Myriad Manifestations Sea would not see intervention from Sun-tiers, provided no rules were broken. This was because they had established these rules themselves and would not intentionally violate them, also wishing for the Myriad Manifestations Sea to prosper indefinitely. If any Sun-tier here in the Myriad Manifestations Sea dared to break the rules they had set, then tomorrow, the Myriad Manifestations Sea would not be solely for the local Sun-tiers. Sun-tiers from various star systems could freely descend upon this place to protect their own factions' interests. How then would the local Sun-tiers control the Myriad Manifestations Sea? Therefore, compared to other external forces, the Sun-tiers of the Myriad Manifestations Sea were more inclined to adhere to the rules they had established. Only if someone broke the rules would the Guardian Sun-tiers have a reason to intervene.

Of course, there was another situation, precisely like this moment! As Yu Huan, the Great Island Master of Baiyue Island, had actively requested Sun-tier arbitration, the Sun-tier's arrival was justifiable, as it fell within the rules. However, the opponent's swift arrival was clearly abnormal. The Sun-tier appeared almost the moment Yu Huan requested arbitration, indicating prior preparation. In fact, it suggested that he had been hiding nearby all along, appearing as soon as Yu Huan called out.

Yuan Du!

Lu Ye knew, even without deep thought, who this suddenly appearing Sun-tier was. From this perspective, Yuan Cheng's attempt to save Yu Huan's life was at Yuan Du's instruction. Since Lu Ye hadn't given Yuan Cheng face, Yuan Du had no choice but to intervene personally. The urgent message Yuan Cheng had just transmitted to Yu Huan was precisely to instruct him to request arbitration.

On the star-skiff, Yuan Du watched Lu Ye and the disheveled Yu Huan with a grim expression. If possible, he would have preferred not to show himself. As a Sun-tier, his arrival would cause too much of a stir, which was why he had instructed Yuan Cheng to speak with Lu Ye. However, Lu Ye showed no inclination to compromise whatsoever.

He was one of the three Sun-tiers who replaced the one killed by Ma Bin. Having operated in the Myriad Manifestations Sea for a relatively short time, the number of spirit islands paying homage to him was naturally not large. He highly valued Baiyue Island because it could provide many cultivation slots for his disciples. In his heart, he did not wish for Baiyue Island to fall. Previously, when he heard that Three Realms Island was launching a major attack on Baiyue, he thought the cultivators of Three Realms Island had gone mad and paid little attention, as he believed Three Realms Island could not possibly conquer Baiyue. But as the war progressed, Yuan Du realized he had underestimated Three Realms Island. Now Baiyue had been conquered, and nothing could reverse the situation. However, only Yu Huan could not die; he had to be protected.

From an outsider's perspective, Yu Huan had pledged allegiance to him. If he couldn't even protect Yu Huan's life, his prestige would undoubtedly suffer a significant blow. Which other spirit island would come to pay homage in the future? Among the five Sun-tiers in the Myriad Manifestations Sea, he was not the only option; besides him, those spirit islands could pay homage to other Sun-tiers. Therefore, his personal presence here was not due to any deep personal connection with Yu Huan, but purely from the consideration of his own self-interest. For a dignified Sun-tier to be forced into such a situation, he was naturally enraged. Had it not been for his regard for the rules, he would likely have personally intervened to teach this arrogant young man, Lu Ye, a lesson.

"Ancestor!" On the star-skiff, Yuan Cheng respectfully bowed, his face full of shame. "Your disciple is incompetent, please forgive me, Ancestor!"

Yuan Du merely waved his hand, his gaze fixed piercingly on Lu Ye, a faint, almost mocking smile playing on his lips. "Since this young friend says you are not qualified, then step back."

"Yes!" Yuan Cheng pursed his lips and shot a resentful glance at Lu Ye. Failing to properly handle a task personally assigned by the Ancestor was a dereliction of duty for him. One such instance might be negligible, but repeated failures would certainly lead to him falling out of favor.

Yuan Du then said coldly, "Young friend, I wonder if this old man has the qualification?"

The immense pressure on Lu Ye showed no sign of diminishing. His flesh rippled violently within his body, and his bones creaked. Hearing this, he grit his teeth and retorted, "Is Guardian Yuan also here to mediate? On what grounds does the Guardian stand? If I'm not mistaken, Sun-tier Guardians are not permitted to casually intervene in the conflicts of the Myriad Manifestations Sea!" By the time he finished speaking, Lu Ye's teeth were almost shattered, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, a testament to the immense pressure he was enduring.

"Mediator?" Yuan Du scoffed. "Since I have come, it is naturally not to be a mediator. Did you not hear? Someone requested arbitration, so I am naturally here to arbitrate."