Chapter 1969: This Is How You Got In Yourself

In front of the Kyushu Guardian Palace, Black Cloud's heart pounded.

Ten thousand years ago, Kyushu was celebrated as the preeminent realm in the entire starfield, its reputation even greater than that of the current Yellow Dragon Realm. But today, ten thousand years later, this realm was merely an unremarkable large realm. His recent secret investigations revealed that while it had many Constellation cultivators, it lacked even a single Moon Glimmer, let alone a Sun Shiner.

Although he didn't know why Kyushu had fallen into such a state, it was clearly due to a significant loss of its foundational power. This, however, was irrelevant to him. What was initially just a journey of revenge had unexpectedly yielded further gains, which was a delightful surprise.

In a large realm inhabited only by Constellation cultivators, the power of a Sun Shiner was unimaginable. Pondering how to search for clues regarding the Dao Tree inheritance, he eventually decided to display his supreme power and forcibly subdue the realm. Once he controlled it, he would inevitably discover the Dao Tree inheritance and claim it for his own. This was the confidence of a Sun Shiner.

Meanwhile, on Fangcun Mountain's Immortal Spirit Peak, Lu Ye arrived to find Su Yuqing looking astonished. Lu Ye had previously stated he was going to train in the Asura Arena, yet somehow, after only a few years, he had returned. Before she could even inquire, Chen Xuanhai and Wu Qimo received Lu Ye's summons and converged at that location. With the situation urgent, Lu Ye immediately briefed the three on Black Cloud's presence.

Wu Qimo erupted in fury: "That demon must be blind to dare cause trouble right under Fangcun Mountain's nose! Junior Brother, rest assured, I'll go expel him from Kyushu immediately." With those words, he made to depart. Fangcun Mountain now shared an unbreakable bond with Lu Ye. When Lu Ye was away from Kyushu, they naturally took on the responsibility of safeguarding its peace. However, having remained within Fangcun Mountain's confines, they had completely failed to detect a Sun Shiner's infiltration into Kyushu, which undoubtedly infuriated him.

"Senior Brother Wu, not so fast," Lu Ye quickly intervened. He had indeed come to seek the assistance of the three Pygmy Race Sun Shiners, but the battle absolutely could not erupt within Kyushu itself. He then meticulously explained his plan. Su Yuqing and the other two listened, nodding repeatedly, and promptly began preparations.

A moment later, Lu Ye again left Fangcun Mountain, secretly contacting Xiao Jiu. The feasibility of his plan depended on the power of Xiao Jiu and the Asura Arena artifact. If Xiao Jiu could utilize the artifact to create an environment suitable for a Sun Shiner battle, then there would be no worries. However, if not, the Pygmy Race's Sun Shiners would be forced to intervene directly. Soon, Xiao Jiu's reply arrived, greatly easing Lu Ye's mind.

In front of the Guardian Palace, Black Cloud, having made his decision, was about to unleash his Sun Shiner might to assert his presence and intimidate the Kyushu cultivators when he suddenly felt a stir and looked up towards the outer reaches of the sky. His perception was exceptionally keen, and he instantly detected a familiar aura rapidly approaching Kyushu. After a brief discernment, he chuckled, "Excellent, excellent, truly good fortune coming in pairs!"

He hadn't expected Lu Ye of Three Realms Island to appear at such a critical juncture! Admittedly, his original purpose for coming here was simply to destroy Kyushu and retaliate against Lu Ye for his massacre of the Purple Jade demon cultivators. However, such an act would only offer temporary relief for his hatred and could not be considered true revenge. But Lu Ye had long remained on Three Realms Island within the Myriad Forms Sea, never venturing out, leaving Black Cloud with no effective recourse. Lu Ye's appearance at this moment was undoubtedly a welcome surprise. He had interacted with Lu Ye face-to-face years ago and naturally remembered his aura. Thus, he unequivocally identified the approaching figure as the same arrogant human youth who had been so defiant in his presence.

"Then you'll be the first to fall!" Black Cloud snorted coldly, his figure shooting skyward to intercept Lu Ye.

Near Kyushu's airspace, Lu Ye wore a leisurely expression, much like a traveler who, after prolonged wanderings, finally remembered the way home. Suddenly, he paused, his expression transforming into one of surprise and suspicion: "This is..." He gazed deeply into the heart of Kyushu, then, as if discovering something incredible, exclaimed, "Demon Venerable Black Cloud? How are you here?"

Black Cloud rapidly closed in on Lu Ye, chuckling, "Island Master Lu, well met?" After years of pent-up frustration, seeing Lu Ye's panicked expression brought him unprecedented relief, as if all his past humiliations had finally been purged.

Lu Ye's face had already paled. He raised a hand and pointed at the void before him. As he did so, a swirling vortex abruptly materialized. Immediately, Lu Ye plunged into it like a startled rabbit, and as his figure vanished, the vortex began to rapidly contract. Black Cloud was momentarily stunned, failing to comprehend the nature of this technique. Yet, regardless of its specifics, he dismissed it as merely a means of escape. Seeing the vortex on the verge of collapsing and vanishing, Black Cloud's speed surged dramatically. In an instant, he lunged to its opening, and without a trace of hesitation, plunged in pursuit. For a Sun Shiner to act personally and allow a Moon Glimmer to escape would truly be a laughingstock.

His vision shifted, and his surroundings became exceedingly strange. It appeared to be a starry expanse, yet it was distorted and felt incredibly artificial. Even the nearby planets were oddly shaped; one, for instance, resembled a sheet of paper. This was undoubtedly due to Xiao Jiu's unfamiliarity with controlling the artifact. Creating such an environment in haste was already a considerable feat. Of course, this was also because the artifact was not a true supreme treasure of the starfield. It was, after all, merely an artifact, incapable of unleashing the full power of a genuine supreme treasure.

Black Cloud had no inclination to investigate these details. He simply looked up and saw Lu Ye standing not far away. A slight smile played on his lips, an expression of triumph: "Run, why aren't you running now?" However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly sensed something was amiss. There was not a shred of panic on Lu Ye's face; he stood there with an air of composure, appearing even more self-assured than Black Cloud himself.

"You walked right into this yourself!" Lu Ye regarded him with pity. Truth be told, while Xiao Jiu could barely manage to create such a scenario, if Black Cloud had been cautious enough not to enter, Xiao Jiu truly wouldn't have been able to forcibly draw him in. Unfortunately, Black Cloud, blinded by hatred, was lured into this location by Lu Ye.

Black Cloud finally realized the gravity of the situation. Although he didn't know what hidden stratagem Lu Ye possessed, a powerful sense of alarm surged within him! Daring not to hesitate, he swiftly channeled his demon power, reaching out to seize Lu Ye. Regardless of the opponent's schemes or tricks, they would be futile against such an absolute disparity in strength! However, as his claw extended, a startling sword light abruptly materialized from thin air. The sword light was piercing, and its immense power made Black Cloud's expression falter.

"A Sun Shiner!" He abruptly widened his eyes, hastily withdrawing his hand. Yet, even so, a considerable portion of his demon power was severed.

"Condense!" A clear, cool voice rang out, immediately followed by a purple light striking from the side. Although Black Cloud detected it, the purple light still grazed him, instantly causing his body to stiffen.

"Break!" Another resonant voice echoed, and a purple light similarly streaked towards him. When Black Cloud turned, he was stunned to see the purple light transform into a colossal, heaven-shattering axe, cleaving down towards him. Moreover, from this very light, he perceived a Sun Shiner aura distinct from the previous one. His face contorted in terror, and he attempted to flash away, but the chilling sword light reappeared.

Moments later, Black Cloud stood rooted to the spot, his face etched with horror. Having been suddenly ambushed, he had already sustained minor injuries. Now, he stared with immense astonishment at the three figures that had materialized before him. Two men and one woman, each exuding the aura of a Sun Shiner. And aside from the burly Sun Shiner in the center, the other two did not appear to be ordinary Sun Shiners, particularly the woman... And that purple light...

"Are you of the Pygmy Race?" Black Cloud finally understood. Although he had no prior experience engaging with Pygmy Race Sun Shiners, his many years of life had granted him extensive knowledge. In this world, only the Pygmy Race was known to employ talismans in combat. But... how could the Pygmy Race be here, and three Sun Shiner experts at that? He had previously found no cultivators above the Constellation level in Kyushu.

"Honorable three, I am Black Cloud of the Purple Jade Demon Star. I merely passed through this place unintentionally. Why have you attacked? Is there some misunderstanding?" Black Cloud spoke in a deep voice. The Fangcun Mountain Pygmy Race was highly renowned, but the Purple Jade Demon Star was by no means weak. Faced with being outnumbered, he could only hope that the three before him would be wary of Purple Jade, allowing for a truce. This was why he readily disclosed his name and origin. Furthermore, he knew that the various factions of Fangcun Mountain, being wanderers of the starfield, would not readily form grudges with powerful cultivators. Such animosity could easily lead to targeted ambushes. To his disappointment, however, the three Pygmy Race Sun Shiners merely regarded him indifferently, showing no intention whatsoever of acknowledging him.

He suddenly turned his head to look at Lu Ye, who stood observing the scene from a short distance, his mind reeling with disbelief. Under the current circumstances, he was absolutely certain that all three Sun Shiners were allies summoned by Lu Ye. He had indeed heard that Lu Ye had a good relationship with the Pygmy Race; a talisman shop run by the Pygmy Race even existed on Three Realms Island. But no one had ever mentioned... their relationship was this close, that three Sun Shiners could be summoned so casually? The crucial question was... how were they summoned? He simply couldn't comprehend it.

"Begin," Lu Ye said softly.

"Dragon's Roar!" Chen Xuanhai uttered a low cry. His talisman sword, like a roaring dragon, merged with the sword light and surged towards Black Cloud. Su Yuqing, with a single hand seal, maintained a serene expression on her dignified face as beams of purple light shot forth. Meanwhile, Wu Qimo's body was enveloped in swirling purple light, and he had inexplicably transformed into a ferocious beast, pouncing wildly.

In any other location, even with three against one, if Black Cloud truly intended to escape, the three Pygmy Race Sun Shiners might not have had an effective way to stop him, unless they were willing to risk injury. However, this was, after all, a scenario meticulously crafted by Xiao Jiu, with limited capabilities. The environment was not as vast as it appeared; the actual space where Sun Shiners could contend was a confined area, while other regions were illusory and completely inaccessible. As a result, Black Cloud's fate was sealed.