Chapter 1996: Unrestrained

Shangcheng Yue’s face registered profound shock as the golden light flashed once more. "How is this possible?" he exclaimed.

As Mu Qing had surmised earlier, Shangcheng Yue’s lack of fear, even after witnessing Lu Ye’s display, stemmed from his conviction that the artifact’s power couldn't be invoked a second time so quickly. This newly ascended Sunlit Realm cultivator, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, was clearly naive to think he could act with impunity just because he had captured Ying. That’s why Shangcheng Yue had unhesitatingly ordered her execution. Yet, another golden light now shimmered...

Everyone had witnessed Ying’s fate, so the instant the golden light erupted, nearly all present recoiled. No one wished to confront the power of an artifact directly. When the chaotic movements subsided, the Sunlit Realm cultivators of Boundless Palace all wore grim expressions. Lu Ye now held another Sunlit Realm cultivator captive: the burly man who had just called Ying’s name. Like Ying, this man was covered in golden light, his vital energy and spiritual power sealed, leaving him utterly immobile.

Not far off, Ju Lan’s face showed deep lingering fear. He was certain Lu Ye had initially aimed for him, as he had been leading the charge. Fortunately, Ju Lan’s reaction was swift; he recognized the danger and retreated faster than anyone else, prompting Lu Ye to abandon his original target and strike someone else instead. Ju Lan knew that once that peculiar golden light was activated, he had no chance of evading it. To be captured by a mere newly ascended Sunlit Realm cultivator would completely tarnish his reputation as the Fourth Palace Master.

"You want to..." Lu Ye placed his Mountain-Rock Saber against the burly man's neck, using him as a shield. His gaze, slightly distorted, swept over the man’s shoulder towards Shangcheng Yue. "Kill whom?" he challenged. Only at this moment did the turmoil in his Divine Sea begin to subside, slowly soothed by the radiance of the Seven-Colored Divine Lotus.

Shangcheng Yue’s eye twitched violently. He was utterly baffled by the situation. Logically, any treasure capable of restraining a Sunlit Realm cultivator with such ease had to be a unique artifact; only such items possessed powers of this caliber. Yet, if it truly was an artifact, it defied all reason for it to be activated a second time so rapidly! And if his opponent could use it a second time, what about a third, or even a fourth...?

While their Sunlit Realm contingent was indeed large—eleven had come on this expedition—only seven remained alive, with one more captured and in constant peril of death. Only six were still capable of fighting, a number now equal to the Sunlit Realm cultivators from the Myriad Manifestations Star System. Their initial advantage had completely evaporated! Three Sunlit Realm cultivators had already mysteriously perished earlier.

A sudden thought struck Shangcheng Yue. "Tian Yan, Ma Zhuo, and Kui Shan – did you kill them?" he asked. He had initially attributed the deaths of those three to the Myriad Manifestations Star System’s Sunlit Realm cultivators. However, after engaging Yuan Se in combat, he realized that the cultivators from Myriad Manifestations Star System neither possessed such overwhelming lethality nor the means to eliminate Sunlit Realm cultivators so silently. But if it was this young man, who wielded an artifact...

Lu Ye’s expression remained fierce, but this time it wasn’t due to the turbulence in his Divine Sea. Rather, it was from him actively suppressing the surging desires within his heart. When he had captured Ying earlier, a persistent voice in his mind had urged him with an intense craving: to activate the power of his Talent Tree, devour Ying, and once more savor that intoxicating sensation. Yet, he knew he absolutely could not succumb to it. To do so would be utterly monstrous, and once that avenue was reopened, it might become an uncontrollable urge. He had been forced to act that way previously to advance to the Sunlit Realm, solely to complete his Dharma Source as quickly as possible. Now that he was already in the Sunlit Realm, he couldn't continue down that path. The black fruit on his Talent Tree was an ominous sign, and Lu Ye had no desire for it to fully ripen.

"I'll say it one last time!" Lu Ye ground his teeth. For some inexplicable reason, he detected a fragrance emanating from the captured Sunlit Realm cultivator before him—a scent that ceaselessly agitated the power of his Talent Tree, making it almost impossible to suppress his growing urge. With a hardened resolve, he brought his long saber down once more. The burly man instantly followed Ying’s fate, his resilient body severed in two and plummeting towards the Myriad Manifestations Sea.

Lu Ye raised his long saber, pointing it menacingly at Shangcheng Yue. His face was a mask of ferocity. "You may leave," he snarled, "but the goods stay!"

The expressions of the Boundless Palace’s Sunlit Realm cultivators shifted repeatedly. Lu Ye’s killing of Ying moments ago had caught them completely off guard. Everyone had assumed he would use her as a hostage and wouldn't easily resort to violence, yet Ying was dead. Now, Lu Ye had unleashed another lethal strike, acting with complete disregard, as if the presence of a hostage—or lack thereof—meant nothing to him. The fact that the mysterious golden light had been activated twice in quick succession forced many unsettling thoughts upon them.

Shangcheng Yue was pondering the most. By now, he was certain that Lu Ye was inextricably linked to the deaths of Tian Yan, Ma Zhuo, and the third Sunlit Realm cultivator. In other words, in just a short span of a few hours, five Sunlit Realm cultivators from Boundless Palace had fallen to Lu Ye. He couldn't possibly have achieved this with his own strength, so he must have relied entirely on the artifact’s power. Even if each activation was used to kill one person, the artifact had already been invoked five times... What ultimate treasure does this damned artifact belong to?

As the Third Palace Master of Boundless Palace, Shangcheng Yue had extensively studied the ultimate treasures scattered throughout the starry sky. Yet, even with his vast knowledge and experience, he couldn't deduce the origin of this artifact. Regardless, Lu Ye's unbridled audacity made Shangcheng Yue extremely wary. He tried to convince himself that no artifact power in the world could be activated indefinitely, and that his opponent couldn't possibly conjure that golden light again. But he dared not risk it...

As these thoughts whirled in his mind, Yuan Se suddenly stepped forward from the Myriad Manifestations Star System’s contingent. "What Fellow Daoist Lu means," he stated coolly, "is precisely what Myriad Manifestations means!" Mu Qing, standing behind him, let out a soft sigh. Earlier, when several Boundless Palace Sunlit Realm cultivators launched a combined attack, she had seen an opportunity and privately urged Yuan Se. However, he had remained unswayed. Yet now, with Lu Ye having withstood Boundless Palace’s offensive and even slain one of their members, Yuan Se had stepped forward. This was because, in terms of overt combat strength, after losing two cultivators, Boundless Palace still had six Sunlit Realm cultivators remaining—a number now identical to Myriad Manifestations Star System’s forces! By actively aligning themselves with Lu Ye, they would now outnumber their opponents by one, not to mention Lu Ye’s mysterious golden artifact... This was Myriad Manifestations Star System’s final chance to save face, and Yuan Se, naturally, would not let it slip by. Hence, he stepped forward.

Shangcheng Yue abruptly turned his head, fixing Yuan Se with a cold stare. His eyes betrayed both irritation and disdain. He saw through Yuan Se’s intentions instantly, deeply disdaining his opportunism. Yet, it was undeniable: if Myriad Manifestations and Lu Ye joined forces, Boundless Palace would gain no advantage. The losses this time were too severe; a total of five Sunlit Realm cultivators had perished. While Boundless Palace was a vast organization with numerous Sunlit Realm cultivators, they were not meant to be squandered in such a manner. Furthermore, if they surrendered the plundered resources, his position as Third Palace Master might not be secure upon their return.

He cast a cold glance at Yuan Se before turning his attention back to Lu Ye. "Can you still activate that golden light?" he challenged. Lu Ye tilted his nose defiantly, a rebellious look on his face. "Try me!" he retorted. Shangcheng Yue’s gaze flickered, his thoughts unreadable.

Just then, an aura rapidly approached from the distance. In an instant, the attention of all Sunlit Realm cultivators was drawn towards it. Lu Ye’s expression also shifted, and he turned to look. Moments later, a familiar figure appeared in their sight. The newcomer was exceptionally imposing and heroic, though his aura wasn't overtly ostentatious. Yet, upon seeing him, the Sunlit Realm cultivators from Myriad Manifestations Sea all underwent multiple changes in expression. For the person who arrived was none other than the Azure Demon King, Ma Bin!

"Why is it so lively?" Ma Bin wondered, a little confused. He had been pursuing Hei Yun earlier and was unaware of the subsequent events. Now, returning, he was surprised to find so many Sunlit Realm cultivators gathered here. Had he not detected Lu Ye’s aura, he wouldn't have appeared so openly. He had clearly endured a grueling battle, his clothes tattered. Yet, even with his aura unstable at that moment, he seemed to be a natural focal point. All eyes were drawn to his right hand. In it, he held a severed head, its eyes wide and vacant, indicating it had died with a grievance.

"Hei Yun!" Mo Wenli’s eyes narrowed within the Myriad Manifestations camp. Originally, it was he and Hei Yun who had jointly besieged Ma Bin. Mo Wenli had personally experienced Hei Yun’s formidable power, yet now, to his shock, Hei Yun was dead, his head carried back by Ma Bin. This was one of Zixuan’s five Great Demon Lords, a peak powerhouse in the Sunlit Realm. Could he truly have died so easily?

Ma Bin glanced around, then looked at Lu Ye with a touch of surprise. He clearly hadn't expected Lu Ye to have advanced to the Sunlit Realm. When Ma Bin had left to pursue Hei Yun, Lu Ye was still in the Moonlit Realm; only a few hours had passed... His surprise was fleeting. For a Disciple of the Dao Tree, no speed of cultivation advancement was too astonishing. Casually, he tossed Hei Yun’s head to Lu Ye, nodding slightly. Lu Ye caught the head, gave it an indifferent glance, and crushed it to dust in his hand. With Hei Yun dead and Yuan Du also gone, some matters were now settled. As for what came next... that would have to wait. For now, the pressing issue at hand still needed to be addressed.

"Boundless Palace?" Ma Bin glanced at Shangcheng Yue and his group, a slight frown creasing his brow.

"The Azure Demon King, Ma Bin!" Shangcheng Yue had clearly heard of Ma Bin’s name. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the composure he had maintained since arriving at Myriad Manifestations Sea finally gave way to a hint of grim solemnity. Even though he could discern that Ma Bin was injured and not in peak condition, Shangcheng Yue still dared not underestimate him in the slightest. This subtle shift was noted by the six Sunlit Realm cultivators of Myriad Manifestations Sea, filling them with a bitter taste. This was, after all, Myriad Manifestations Sea, yet the Boundless Palace cultivators had shown them no regard whatsoever. Instead, they displayed palpable apprehension towards Ma Bin. The stark comparison left them feeling profoundly frustrated.

"What's the situation?" Ma Bin asked Lu Ye.

Lu Ye explained, "Boundless Palace invaded Myriad Manifestations Sea, killing, burning, and plundering resources. They were about to withdraw, so I told them to leave the goods and depart. They refused, so we started fighting."

"You didn't suffer any losses, did you?" Ma Bin asked, looking at him with concern.

"None," Lu Ye replied, shaking his head.

"Good," Ma Bin said, nodding slightly.

Both Shangcheng Yue and Yuan Se’s eyes twitched. They yearned to tell Ma Bin that not only had Lu Ye suffered no losses, but he had also slain two prominent Sunlit Realm cultivators from Boundless Palace, now cornering them in an impossible, embarrassing situation. But neither of them dared to utter a word.