Chapter 1916: Trouble at the Asura Field?

Lu Ye was willing to exchange Asura Order marks with Aburo and Gusheng, not due to their formidable strength, but because he had a vague feeling they wanted something from him. However, since he had denied his identity, they found it awkward to bring it up. Lu Ye didn't know what their exact purpose was, but he figured there was no harm in listening.

Furthermore, Lu Ye had his own agenda. From his previous encounter with Aburo, it was evident that Aburo had condensed the "Body Flower." Given the unique environment of the Ancient Barbarian Realm, it was highly probable that Aburo knew the secret of the "Three Flowers." While Lu Ye's theory that condensing the "Qi Flower" required perfect completion of the Law Source was merely a conjecture, obtaining definite information from Aburo would undoubtedly be a great help. Even if Aburo hadn't sought him out this time, Lu Ye had already planned to find an opportunity to interact with him. Thus, Gusheng's proposal to exchange marks perfectly aligned with his intentions, and he naturally wouldn't refuse.

After Aburo and Gusheng departed, Lu Ye pondered for a moment before accepting the bounty task to cure the group of people of their poison.

After a brief wait, a gaunt, pale-faced individual with severely depleted vital energy walked in. Lu Ye could tell at a glance that the person's condition was critical, as their vital energy was alarmingly weak. He didn't know their original cultivation level, but even if they still possessed some, with such depleted vital energy, they likely couldn't exert any real power. The bounty description stated that the individual was afflicted with a strange poison that consumed vital energy, with an unknown origin and no known cure. Given the vastness of the Asura Field, there were undoubtedly many medical cultivators. The fact that the person could afford to pay 300,000 Asura Marks meant they must have consulted numerous medical cultivators, yet they still looked like a mere shadow, clearly indicating that all those medical cultivators had been powerless.

The person sat down, coughing softly like an ordinary individual on their deathbed, their dim eyes filled with expectation as they gazed at Lu Ye. Their bounty task had been on the board for several years, unaccepted, and they had already resigned themselves to fate. To their surprise, someone had finally accepted it. They reasoned that whoever accepted the task must be confident in their abilities. However, upon closer inspection, the person's expression grew strange. They had expected the task to be accepted by a medical cultivator, but the sturdy man before them didn't look like one. "Fellow Daoist..." the person wheezed, "This strange poison has been afflicting me for years, constantly consuming my vital energy..."

"Give me your hand," Lu Ye instructed. The person immediately extended their hand. As Lu Ye examined them, they continued to describe their condition, hoping to provide Lu Ye with a clearer and more intuitive assessment. However, Lu Ye didn't listen at all; while such information would be crucial for a true medical cultivator, he was not one.

After a brief examination, Lu Ye said, "There might be some pain. Please bear with it!" The person nodded, "I can endure it!" Having been tormented by the strange poison for so many years, they had endured all kinds of suffering, their heart long since hardened like a rock.

Lu Ye immediately activated the power of his Talent Tree. Invisible roots extended from his palm, reaching into the cultivator's body, then gently incinerated the strange poison within. He recalled how his Talent Tree had once incinerated the curse poison inherited in the mermaid race's bloodline; what was this mere strange poison in comparison? However, the person's physical condition was truly dire, so Lu Ye had to proceed cautiously, lest he accidentally cause their sudden demise.

The cultivator's willpower was indeed remarkably tough. Despite the immense pain accompanying the Talent Tree's incineration process, he didn't utter a sound, merely clenching his teeth tightly, his body drenched in sweat. As time passed, his eyes gradually brightened, for he truly felt the strange poison that had plagued him for years slowly disappearing. It was as if a flowing flame had entered his body; wherever the flame burned, new life emerged.

Incinerating this strange poison was much easier than incinerating the curse poison in the mermaid race's bloodline. Yet, even so, it took Lu Ye a good part of the morning to complete the task. After Lu Ye withdrew his hand, the cultivator closed his eyes, focusing intently to perceive the condition within his body. He was still incredibly weak due to years of being afflicted by the strange poison. However, his vital energy was no longer disappearing, and when he circulated his spiritual power, it flowed smoothly without any obstruction. This undoubtedly meant that with sufficient rest and recuperation, he would eventually recover.

Opening his eyes, he was overjoyed and bowed to Lu Ye, saying, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your wondrous skill and compassionate heart, saving me from dire straits. This kindness and grace will be etched in my heart forever." Lu Ye waved his hand, "I merely take people's money and eliminate their troubles."

The person then wished to exchange Asura Order marks with Lu Ye, clearly wanting to form a connection, but Lu Ye naturally declined. With regret, the person departed, intending to recuperate well.

After the person left, Lu Ye checked the bounty board again and accepted a similar task. The next day, Lu Ye left the Bounty Hall, as there were no more suitable tasks for him on the board, making prolonged stay pointless.

Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Lu Ye checked his Asura Order and found that his accumulated Asura Marks had exceeded seven million. Feeling pleased, he secretly decided to visit the Bounty Hall more often in the future, hoping to come across other suitable and simple tasks. Seven million Asura Marks, according to the Asura Field's pricing for treasures, was enough to exchange for six pieces of White Moon Crystals, which he had previously refined. However, Lu Ye did not immediately exchange them. Instead, he took out a storage ring and emptied its contents. These were treasures Walnut had previously exchanged for him, which could enhance the quality of his Law Source. Including the Azure Moon Spirit Marrow given to him by Nan Lian, their total value was four million Asura Marks. Converted to spirit jade, they wouldn't be worth much; forty million spirit jade was no longer a large sum for Lu Ye. However, these were valuable items that couldn't be bought with spirit jade. Only in the Asura Field, where treasures abounded, could anything be exchanged as long as one had enough Asura Marks. Lu Ye increasingly felt that his decision to come to the Asura Field was correct; otherwise, such opportunities wouldn't exist by merely waiting and collecting in the Myriad Manifestations Sea.

He immediately began refining these treasures one by one. With the power of his Talent Tree activated, refining these items was simple and effortless, merely consuming some of his fuel reserves. After half a day, Lu Ye sensed a noticeable change in his Law Source. He then took out a piece of spirit jade. This time, instead of activating the Talent Tree's power, he refined it himself, which was the normal cultivation method for all cultivators. He could feel wisps of power flowing from the spirit jade, permeating his body, and under the operation of his Law Source, converting from spiritual energy into spiritual power, which was then stored within him. Unfortunately, he had rarely cultivated in this normal manner before, so he lacked an accurate comparison point and couldn't precisely gauge how much his Law Source's quality had improved. For a precise comparison, he would need to return to the Myriad Manifestations Sea; only by delving deep into the sea could he make a clear judgment. However, what was certain was that while the Law Source's quality had improved, it was far from its limit, with ample room for further enhancement.

Glancing at the seven million Asura Marks in his Asura Order, Lu Ye pondered for a moment and decided to keep them for now. Refining those treasures was easy; he could exchange for them whenever he needed. Keeping the Asura Marks would also allow him to prepare for unforeseen circumstances, as they might be useful at any time. While he had earned Asura Marks so easily this time, it wouldn't be as simple in the future; he would need to undergo trials repeatedly and accumulate them gradually.

Stepping out of his cave dwelling, Lu Ye soared upwards. Several days had passed since his last trial, and the Moon Radiance Ranking had now been finalized. Lu Ye was naturally ready to enter his next trial. In the Asura Field, trials not only served to temper oneself but also allowed one to earn Asura Marks to exchange for resources. This was why many cultivators, once they arrived, chose to stay for many years, unwilling to leave. Even places like the Myriad Manifestations Sea, where numerous star systems converged, were in many aspects less appealing than the Asura Field.

As his body steadily ascended, Lu Ye's expression remained calm. His last trial hadn't been very difficult, but he wondered how this one would be. Theoretically, every trial any cultivator underwent carried the risk of death; even someone as strong as Gusheng had been severely wounded in his last trial. However, Lu Ye felt that at his current Moon Radiance realm level, nothing should be able to threaten him. Thus, he didn't know what kind of trial scenario the Asura Field would arrange for him. Such things couldn't be predicted in advance, so he could only remain vigilant.

Upon reaching a certain height, the same experience as last time recurred. The surrounding scenery abruptly shifted, plunging him into complete darkness.

Suddenly, a beam of light appeared in the darkness, and a blurry image vaguely presented itself. Lu Ye focused intently, looking forward. Having had the previous experience, he naturally knew that everything he saw and heard now would form the background for his next trial, so he wouldn't be careless.

As he waited, the blurry image suddenly distorted and shifted. Lu Ye frowned, unsure what was happening.

Just as he was puzzled, a faint sound echoed in his ears, but it seemed to be distorted by some force, becoming blurred and intermittent. The blurry image before him distorted even more frequently. Lu Ye's eyes widened, yet he still couldn't discern what the image was. This... Lu Ye was bewildered. An absurd thought suddenly crossed his mind: Was there something wrong with the Asura Field? He couldn't be blamed for thinking this; what he saw was simply too strange. The inability to see the image or hear the sound made no sense.

Abruptly, he was once again enveloped in complete darkness. Even the intermittent and indistinct sounds near his ears vanished. Lu Ye was entirely wrapped in darkness, as if thrown into a bottomless black hole. Such an environment inexplicably caused him to feel panicked and oppressed. "Is anyone there?" he shouted. But he couldn't hear his own voice. He tried to move, but his legs wouldn't budge. This was bad. It seemed the Asura Field truly had a problem; otherwise, such a situation wouldn't occur.