Chapter 2129: Each Going Their Own Way

Of the five weak points, three have already been secured. This leaves only Changyue and Xuanshuang.

Old Tree then spoke, "You don't need to worry about Changyue. Before your return, I contacted the Celestial Asura Clan. Their patriarch, Mi Shi, has already arrived at Changyue with the Asura Field. A large number of personnel have also been transferred there. Later, a few of you will need to go and assist them."

Lu Ye nodded, acknowledging that Old Tree's arrangement was undoubtedly very sound. Indeed, years ago, after Mi Shi achieved Sunlit status, the Asura Field was sealed off, preventing any outsiders from entering. However, Mi Shi had promised Lu Ye that he could visit them whenever he wished. With the Starry Sky now facing an imminent invasion from the Star Abyss and their very survival at stake, the Celestial Asura Clan could not afford to remain uninvolved. Furthermore, with Old Tree personally intervening, Mi Shi naturally prioritized the greater good. While the Celestial Asura Clan's current overall strength is not considerable, the Asura Field is a supreme treasure. Thanks to the Celestial Asura bloodline, Mi Shi wields some authority over the Asura Field, which will undoubtedly be invaluable in future confrontations with the Star Abyss creatures.

"That leaves only one remaining location!" Zi Ji remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Old Tree, how have you arranged things for Xuanshuang?"

"There are no arrangements for it yet."

Zi Ji suggested, "If that's the case, perhaps you could entrust it to me, Zi Xuan. I will personally oversee that area and guarantee that the weak point remains secure."

Old Tree smiled and shook his head. "Zi Xuan's demon clan members are currently gathered at Changyue. I need the Demon Venerable to go and assist the Asura Field there. As for Xuanshuang..." As he spoke, he turned to look at a particular person. Everyone followed his gaze and was slightly taken aback. Old Tree was looking directly at Su Wan.

Lu Ye's expression shifted. Come to think of it, despite sharing so many years of hardships and triumphs with Su Wan, Lu Ye truly had no idea about her origins. Not only he, but none of the others who were captured by the Ghost Sedan at that time knew either. This was quite peculiar, considering that individuals like Zi Ji were widely experienced and had lived for countless years. Even if they hadn't personally met all the powerful figures in the Starry Sky, they would have at least heard of them. Yet, Su Wan was a complete unknown; it was as if she had simply materialized out of thin air. Nevertheless, being chosen and captured by the Ghost Sedan indicated she was no ordinary individual, a fact her current achievements certainly attested to.

"Fellow Daoist Su, how about entrusting the Xuanshuang location to you and your subordinates?"

Su Wan smiled faintly. "If Old Tree commands, this humble one dares not refuse. I will take charge of Xuanshuang."

"Excellent!"

Lu Ye gazed intently at Su Wan. Sensing his stare, she turned her head, looking back at him, and playfully winked.

"So, the arrangements are made. As for which locations the rest of you wish to guard, you may choose yourselves. Lu Ye, don't pick just yet; I have something else to discuss with you."

Lu Ye nodded. Among other things, he still needed to return to Kyushu, await the integration of the western region, and then, once Mount Fangcun was complete, pilot it to the Tian Gang galaxy. He would certainly be very busy.

Zi Ji said, "Since Zi Xuan's demon cultivators have been assigned to Changyue, then I will go to Changyue as well. However, the journey from here to Changyue is not a short one."

Old Tree seemed to have anticipated this. With a wave of his hand, eleven jade slips flew towards the individuals present. "This is the current star map of our Starry Sky," he explained, "including all major galaxies and the locations of newly appeared wormholes. Thanks to these wormholes, traveling from any point in the Starry Sky to another will no longer take much time. Should any new wormholes appear in the future, I will promptly update the map. At that point, you'll simply need to locate any place where one of my clones is present."

Zi Ji nodded. "It is truly our Starry Sky's fortune to have Old Tree coordinating everything." Setting everything else aside, this immense star map alone was something no ordinary power could create. Only Old Tree, with his clones scattered across every corner of the Starry Sky, could effortlessly compile and update such a map by integrating countless pieces of information.

"Old Tree, where is the Stone Clan located now?" Chong Yue inquired.

"In the Myriad Manifestation Sea!"

"Then I will go to the Myriad Manifestation Sea," Chong Yue declared, making his decision.

Most of the others also decided to head to the locations of their respective clans or sects. For instance, Meiying was also going to the Myriad Manifestation Sea, while Shuixian planned to travel to the Tian Gang galaxy. Cultivators from the Boundless Realm had been reassigned to Tian Gang, which conveniently was also where Mount Fangcun was located. Shuixian had a very close bond with Su Yuqing, and the two sisters hadn't seen each other in years, making it an ideal opportunity for them to reconnect.

Lu Ye suddenly glanced at Shuixian with a hint of guilt, only to find her looking back at him with a knowing gaze.

"Old Tree," Chen Wulei said, standing up. He retrieved a storage ring from his robes, walked over to Old Tree, and handed it to him. "These are some items left from our Starry Sky's resistance against the Star Abyss invasion. They might prove useful. Please handle them as you see fit." The Mechanical Starry Sky resisted the Star Abyss for three hundred years. Although they ultimately failed, they nevertheless accumulated a wealth of invaluable experience. While the items themselves might not be intrinsically precious, they undoubtedly represented a significant gift to this Starry Sky, potentially proving invaluable at critical moments. As the Fortress Lord of Thunder Battle Fortress, Chen Wulei had sensed trouble when the Star Abyss Gate first showed anomalies years ago. He had immediately collected these items, intending to save them for future use, but regrettably, things did not unfold as hoped. However, if the extensive experience and intelligence accumulated by the Mechanical Starry Sky could be passed on and utilized by this Starry Sky, then they would indeed be invaluable.

Old Tree accepted the items. "Fellow Daoist, rest assured," he said, "I will handle these properly and will not betray your good intentions."

Chen Wulei nodded.

After the discussion, everyone departed. However, per Old Tree's instructions, they would temporarily remain within the war city, as their return from the Star Abyss needed to be kept confidential for the time being. In fact, thanks to Old Tree's prior arrangements, only a select few within the war city were aware that Lu Ye and the others had returned from the Star Abyss.

In the courtyard, only Lu Ye remained.

"The matter concerning Mount Fangcun is yours to handle, but before that, I need you to complete another task," Old Tree said slowly.

"Please tell me, Old Tree."

A moment later, Lu Ye's expression showed understanding. "I see," he said. "I will follow all your arrangements." In truth, even if Old Tree hadn't made this arrangement, Lu Ye had already intended to take action. He had considered it even before his return. After all, the Starry Sky's current situation demanded stability and unity. Any elements that threatened this unity had to be eliminated preemptively, or disaster would surely follow. And currently, there were only two primary factors causing disunity throughout the Starry Sky!

"When should I take action?" Lu Ye asked.

"Within the next few days. I've already made some preparations and released certain information, so they've been itching for action."

Lu Ye immediately understood; Old Tree's decision to bring them back at this specific time was not without reason. The timing of all these measures had been meticulously calculated by Old Tree.

"Do you have any other questions?" Old Tree asked, noticing Lu Ye's hesitant expression.

"It's not particularly important," Lu Ye began, "but it's about Yang Qing. Old Tree, surely you know something about him?"

Old Tree smiled faintly. "You want to know what exactly is going on with Yang Qing, don't you?"

Lu Ye nodded. "It's only been a few decades since we parted ways. Even if he entered the Star Abyss back then, he shouldn't be *that* powerful. By my estimation, he's at least at the Harmonization stage. How could he have achieved that in mere decades?"

Old Tree replied, "It's quite simple. The Yang Qing you encountered was, strictly speaking, merely a clone. His true self was already a supreme powerhouse within the Star Abyss!"

Lu Ye was momentarily stunned but then found it perfectly logical. In fact, he had harbored such suspicions for a while.

"He possesses numerous clones, active across various Starry Skies," Old Tree explained slowly. "It appears he has been searching for something since ancient times, though what exactly that is, I do not know. Furthermore..."

"Furthermore what?" Lu Ye prompted.

"I suspect the matter with the Ghost Sedan is connected to him."

Lu Ye raised an eyebrow. "What is your basis for that?"

"It's merely a conjecture. Given your experiences over recent years, your journey to the Star Abyss largely benefited you. Thus, I've wondered if Yang Qing manipulated the Ghost Sedan or had some agreement with it. Perhaps, once a weak point in the Starry Sky manifested, the Ghost Sedan would take certain individuals, allowing you all to mature prematurely. This way, when the Starry Sky is genuinely invaded, our side wouldn't be completely defenseless."

Lu Ye considered this carefully, then shook his head. "The Ghost Sedan should be unrelated to Yang Qing. If there truly were a connection, the Ghost Sedan shouldn't have captured *him* as well back then! The Star Abyss was simply too perilous, which was why Yang Qing had tasked Yin Luo with guarding that specific Star Abyss Gate, ensuring Lu Ye would be found and protected immediately upon an invasion."

"If the Ghost Sedan is unrelated to Yang Qing, then it was purely an unforeseen event," Old Tree conceded, nodding. "I don't know much about the Ghost Sedan, as it is a supreme treasure originating from the Star Abyss, while I am from the Starry Sky."

Lu Ye's expression shifted. "Are there any differences between supreme treasures from the Star Abyss and those from the Starry Sky?"

Old Tree smiled. "There's no significant difference, merely distinct environments of origin. In fact, some supreme treasures from the Star Abyss were originally Starry Sky treasures that became associated with the Star Abyss after their respective Starry Skies were shattered."

Having seemingly understood the situation with Yang Qing, Lu Ye asked another question. "One more thing: almost all the supreme treasures I've encountered possess no true sentience, at most a rudimentary will. But Old Tree, why are you different?"

If Old Tree embodied the wisdom of an elder, then the wills of other supreme treasures were, at best, akin to those of naive one- or two-year-old infants, barely more advanced than Star Beasts.

Old Tree mused, "Because true sentience demands a tremendous price. My cycles of reincarnation are precisely that price! Moreover, not all supreme treasures are capable of developing sentience."

Lu Ye understood. The Reincarnation Tree was a supreme treasure, and it surprised him that such treasures also experienced periods of weakness. He hadn't understood this before, but now he knew the underlying reason.

"One final question," Lu Ye said, adopting a serious tone. "Since this Starry Sky has previously faced invasions from the Star Abyss, there must have been Dao Realm cultivators or even more powerful individuals born. Where are they now? It's impossible that they all perished in battle back then."

Old Tree explained, "After the Starry Sky's crisis was averted all those years ago, those Dao Realm cultivators departed. They understood that their safety was only temporary, so they ventured into the Star Abyss to seek paths to greater strength and solutions to the Starry Sky's recurring crises. Many years have since passed, and no one knows whether they are alive or dead, or where they might be if they still live."