Chapter 2088: Entering the Battlefield

The jade slip heavily emphasized that the Abyss Aura significantly impacts the strength of Abyss Outsiders. Abyss Outsiders who haven't forged their Dao Foundation, in particular, will find their strength rapidly diminishing to that of an ordinary cultivator if they leave the Abyss Aura's embrace.

Lu Ye vividly recalled the immense power of the three Abyss Outsiders encountered on the Myriad Manifestations Sea, especially the Ox Demon. It was already remarkable that he and Jiu Yan, fighting together, couldn't defeat it, but its ability to withstand the might of a spiritual treasure seemed utterly exaggerated. However, as the Star Constellation Palace's projection sealed the Gate of the Abyss, the immense power of the Ox Demon and the other two Abyss Outsiders quickly waned. Lu Ye hadn't understood why at the time, but now he did.

Those three Abyss visitors had not forged their Dao Foundation. Their rapid weakening was a direct consequence of the Star Constellation Palace's projection sealing the Gate of the Abyss.

In contrast, Abyss Outsiders who had forged their Dao Foundation and entered the Dao Realm were not as strictly dependent on the Abyss Aura. Even if they left its influence, they could retain their power for some time, not weakening instantly. This was also the primary reason for the significant losses sustained by this star field in its first century. During that period, numerous Dao Realm Abyss Outsiders spread out, causing destruction across the star field. The local cultivators had to slowly wear them down through sheer attrition.

The strong reliance of Abyss Outsiders' strength on the Abyss Aura stems entirely from a mysterious power known as Dao Force. This marvelous power is omnipresent in the Abyss, much like spiritual energy in other realms. Abyss cultivators, upon reaching the Sunlit cultivation level, can refine this power into their bodies during practice, unleashing limitless might against foes.

The Ox Demon's immense power at the time was due to its use of Dao Force. Even though Jiu Yan's cultivation was superior, she was still no match. However, once the Star Constellation Palace exerted its power to seal the Gate of the Abyss, the Ox Demon lost its connection to the Abyss. The Dao Force temporarily stored in its body became like a tree without roots, and it was instantly weakened.

Lu Ye secretly felt fortunate that the Ox Demon had not entered the Dao Realm. Otherwise, even with the Star Constellation Palace's intervention, that day's battle would not have ended so easily. For cultivators of this star field, entering the Dao Realm or not signifies two entirely different states of being, a truth that also applies to Abyss Outsiders.

With these numerous insights in mind, Lu Ye sent a message to Jiu Yan: "Senior Sister, since this is our first visit, let's not venture too far in!" Given the Abyss Outsiders' dependence on the Abyss Aura, the further out one is in this vast battlefield, the weaker the enemies encountered. This is because more powerful Abyss Outsiders are reluctant to remain on the periphery, where the thinner Abyss Aura makes them uncomfortable. While this isn't absolute – a powerful Abyss Outsider might still wander to the periphery – it ultimately provides an opportune moment for the star field's cultivators.

Cultivators at Jiu Yan's level have the opportunity to forge their Dao Foundation as long as they remain in a location imbued with Abyss Aura. For centuries, many cultivators in this star field have entered the Dao Realm this way, thereby gaining the essential power and means to combat their enemies. Lu Ye naturally hoped Jiu Yan could forge her Dao Foundation in the safest possible manner. As for himself, while he yearned to understand what this 'Dao Force' truly was, his cultivation level was insufficient, making it an unfeasible endeavor. The jade slips provided by the Fortress Master clearly stated that cultivators from this star field cannot access Dao Force unless they forge their Dao Foundation and enter the Dao Realm. This differs from Abyss Outsiders, who qualify once their cultivation reaches the Sunlit level. The probable reason is that Abyss Outsiders, being born and raised in the Abyss, possess a fundamental physical essence that differs from star field cultivators, enabling them to better accommodate Dao Force.

Jiu Yan naturally understood Lu Ye's words. While eager to forge her Dao Foundation, she was never reckless, so she promptly nodded, "Alright!"

As they proceeded, they saw no other cultivators, which was clearly due to the immense scale of the battlefield, causing their star system's cultivators to be dispersed. Their cautiousness meant their progress was slow, but the deeper they ventured into the battlefield, the denser the surrounding Abyss Aura became. Though this aura was invisible and intangible, it was nonetheless palpable. Lu Ye's most immediate observation was that the range of his divine sense had significantly diminished compared to when they first arrived.

Suddenly, a dark mass appeared ahead, which Lu Ye and Jiu Yan detected almost simultaneously. Looking up, Jiu Yan immediately identified it: "An Abyss Swarm!" Lu Ye instantly pulled her towards a nearby floating landmass. They quickly reached it, and with a swift sweep of his divine sense, he located a concealed spot. After hiding, he set up a formation to obscure their figures and suppress their aura.

Abyss Swarms are largely unrelated to typical insectoids; they are not sentient beings. They are more akin to star beasts. Abyss Swarms vary in form and strength, and are ubiquitous across the Abyss battlefield. It appeared that such swarms were numerous on the Abyss side. A swarm appearing in this area shouldn't be particularly strong, but caution was paramount. Before assessing the situation, Lu Ye naturally wouldn't risk a rash move. If the swarm contained a Dao Realm entity, he and Jiu Yan would be utterly defenseless.

That momentary probe seemed to have caught the swarm's attention. Shortly after Lu Ye and Jiu Yan concealed themselves, the swarm followed their traces to the vicinity of the floating landmass. Upon closer inspection, Lu Ye saw that the individual insects in this swarm resembled fist-sized mosquitoes, yet they were entirely blood-red, giving them a bizarre appearance. At the center of the swarm, one individual was exceptionally large, almost the size of a baby. This was clearly the swarm's king. They circled the area but found nothing. This highlighted the swarm's inferiority: regardless of their strength, their lack of intelligence meant that as long as one remained well-hidden, there was generally no issue.

Lu Ye cautiously probed the area, then exchanged a look with Jiu Yan. The next moment, they sprang from their hiding spot, each channeling their power and attacking from opposing sides. Moments later, the swarm was almost entirely annihilated, with only the insect king still struggling in a desperate fight.

The insect king's aura was only at the early Sunlit stage. By all accounts, such an entity could be effortlessly slain by either Lu Ye or Jiu Yan. Yet, this insect king stubbornly withstood three fierce assaults from both of them, emerging surprisingly unscathed! It undoubtedly possessed Dao Force, and it was this peculiar power that deflected Lu Ye and Jiu Yan's attacks. However, as an early Sunlit stage insect king, it didn't possess much Dao Force. Three assaults seemed to be its limit. Once its Dao Force was depleted, Lu Ye's Mountain-Shattering Blade struck, and the previously indestructible insect king was effortlessly split in two, as if it were made of paper.

Lu Ye retracted his blade, raising an eyebrow. "It's pretty much as described in the jade slip," he remarked. Jiu Yan nodded. "Indeed," she confirmed. This was precisely why they had acted in such perfect unison to attack, primarily to personally verify the accuracy of the information detailed in the jade slip. It was clear that after centuries of conflict, this star field had developed a profound understanding of Abyss Outsiders.

"Let's continue," Jiu Yan said, taking the lead deeper into the battlefield. The denser the Abyss Aura, the greater its benefit to her in forging her Dao Foundation. However, this also meant increased danger, so selecting an appropriate location was crucial.

As they proceeded, they encountered more skirmishes. Aside from a few insignificant adversaries, most remaining enemies were at the early Sunlit stage. Against enemies of this caliber, Lu Ye and Jiu Yan were largely helpless until their Dao Force was depleted. However, once that happened, they could be effortlessly dispatched.

Days later, a grueling battle concluded. Lu Ye glanced down at the wound on his waist; it wasn't serious. He then looked up at Jiu Yan beside him. "Are you alright?" he asked. Jiu Yan slowly shook her head, then gazed at the enemy lying in a pool of blood nearby. After a moment's thought, she murmured, "This spot will do."

The enemy they had just faced was at the mid-Sunlit stage and incredibly fast, which was why Lu Ye had sustained an injury, though fortunately, it was only superficial. Unlike the previous early Sunlit opponents, this enemy fought them for a full incense stick's worth of time before its Dao Force was finally depleted. Based on this encounter and the records in the jade slip, their combined strength would likely not be a match for a late Sunlit stage enemy, which was the level of the Ox Demon. Consequently, this location marked the approximate limit of their current safe penetration into the battlefield.

There was a small, barren star nearby. They landed on it, found a hidden spot, and Jiu Yan sat cross-legged, entering a state of cultivation. Lu Ye didn't rest; he began setting up various formations around them. He was busy for a full two days before finally taking a break. Not far from Jiu Yan, Lu Ye also settled down. With the formations providing vigilance, there was little to worry about; he would immediately detect any intrusion within their range.

Jiu Yan was cultivating, while he, conversely, found himself with little to do. He couldn't resist checking on his Talent Tree. Since it had transformed into a 'seed of fire' that day, it still hadn't completed its metamorphosis, a process that was taking an unusually long time. However, upon this observation, Lu Ye noticed significant changes in the 'seed of fire.' Amidst the fiercely burning flames, the previously faint sapling had become much clearer. This was undoubtedly good news. Lu Ye had a strong premonition that the Talent Tree's metamorphosis might be drawing near. He began to secretly anticipate its completion.

Withdrawing his consciousness, Lu Ye calmed his mind and focused, cultivating by meditating and absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy in the most ancient manner. Although the information in the jade slip had proven accurate so far, he couldn't help but want to try cultivating this way to see if he could acquire the so-called Dao Force himself. His current cultivation aptitude was far from poor; in fact, it was arguably excellent. However, because he had always relied on the Talent Tree for cultivation, he had rarely employed this traditional method. As his body absorbed and expelled, the sparse spiritual energy from the surroundings flowed into his body, transforming into magic power through the conversion of his law source.