Chapter 2144: Within the Warm Divine Lotus

Uncle Duan once warned Lu Ye never to provoke insectoids near a swarm, as doing so would be akin to provoking the entire swarm.

Currently, the area around this Abyssal Gate is swarming with insectoids, which implies that a swarm has surely occupied the other side, thus explaining the current situation.

These insectoids remain near the Abyssal Gate for one reason only: they have not established their Dao foundation and are not Dao Realm cultivators. Their power would significantly weaken if they left the Abyssal aura's embrace.

However, judging by what happened in the previously encountered realm, Dao Realm insectoids have already left this place and ventured deep into the starry sky. There are likely more than just the one he killed.

With Lu Ye's main body now here, his nine Dao avatars have begun searching everywhere, hoping to find something, as any Dao Realm invasion into a realm would result in widespread death.

Leaping forward, he rapidly approached the Abyssal Gate. The numerous insectoids there immediately detected him, and with hissing cries, figures rushed to meet him.

Lu Ye neither dodged nor avoided. He charged straight through, activating only three threads of Dao power to protect himself.

Abyssal insectoids gathered around him, growing in number like a snowball. By the time Lu Ye reached the Abyssal Gate, more than half of the insectoids had been drawn to him.

His figure abruptly stopped, and his long blade was unsheathed.

As the blade light flickered, a giant lotus suddenly bloomed, enveloping the surroundings.

Lotus Sun!

Tiny, fragmented blade lights danced and spun. In that instant, the insectoids' boasted carapaces offered no effective protection. Severed limbs and shattered flesh flew, blood flowed like rivers, turning an area of a thousand zhang into an Asura's hell.

Not a drop of blood stained Lu Ye. He moved agilely, each pause an act of slaughter.

The insectoids were terrified and horrified, just like the Dao Realm insectoids Lu Ye had slain in that previous realm. They simply could not comprehend how such a powerful cultivator could exist in the starry sky!

In their understanding, any cultivator within the starry sky was merely a lamb to be slaughtered. They only needed to invade to do as they pleased.

Therefore, within the Abyss, some beings referred to the starry sky as a slaughterhouse, and they, the high and mighty Abyssal beings, were butchers holding cleavers, taking whatever they desired.

Finally, some insectoids, sensing danger, tried to flee. Even if leaving the Abyssal aura's embrace would drastically weaken them, it was better than waiting for death here.

Other insectoids even tried to escape back into the Abyss.

However, Lu Ye would not allow them to succeed. If these insectoids escaped back into the Abyss, the other side would learn about the situation in this starry sky, and the swarm mother there would certainly not send more of her kin to their deaths.

Leaping forward again, Lu Ye blocked the Abyssal Gate. He slew several insectoids hastily rushing towards it, and with a wave of his hand, the Talent Tree Avatar appeared.

With no time to dress it, he had the avatar guard the Abyssal Gate, while his main body began hunting down the fleeing insectoids.

Although it wouldn't be a major issue if these insectoids were left unchecked—their power would at most be that of a Sun-blessed if they left this area—given the opportunity, he naturally wanted to exterminate them completely.

A short while later, his main body returned.

The avatar continued its slaughter, as unsuspecting insectoids occasionally walked through the Abyssal Gate. These ambitious insectoids had no idea what they were about to face; often, before they could even steady themselves, they were smashed to pieces by the avatar, one punch at a time.

Standing intently before the Abyssal Gate, Lu Ye observed it carefully. He noticed that, currently, this Abyssal Gate was only slightly smaller than the one near the Myriad Manifestation Sea.

In other words, it must have opened not long after the Abyssal Gate in the Myriad Manifestation Sea, with a difference of no more than three months.

However, since this was a desolate star region with virtually no cultivators passing through, it had remained unnoticed.

It wasn't until the previous Dao Realm insectoid ventured into the realm called Lan Yun Realm that Tree Elder's avatar detected it and urgently summoned Lu Ye.

There was no need to worry about the situation at the Abyssal Gate anymore, but there were certainly more Dao Realm insectoids that had invaded the starry sky, which needed to be dealt with quickly.

The Blood Treasure Avatar was already searching. Lu Ye left the Talent Tree Avatar to hold the fort, and his main body departed as well.

A few days later, Chang Yu, Zhong Yue, Mei Ying, Chen Li, and Du Qingsha received the news. They arrived one after another, joining the hunt and extermination effort.

As expected, traces of Dao Realm insectoids were found by the group. There were over a dozen of them, scattered in different directions. These insectoids, generally only at the two or three Dao level, had no power to retaliate against the group. Once discovered, they were simply killed.

Only half a month later did Lu Ye depart.

This Abyssal Gate near the Lan Yun Realm would be guarded by Zhong Yue and Mei Ying.

As for the Myriad Manifestation Sea, Ma Bin had emerged from seclusion. Although he hadn't accumulated much Dao power, his five-Dao strength was enough to replace Zhong Yue and assist Jiu Yan. As long as he could acquire more Dao power later, he would have the chance to become even stronger.

There was no immediate activity in the Evergreen Galaxy where Mei Ying came from. With Ziji guarding that area, it wasn't a major concern.

In the Soul Clan ancestral land, as soon as Lu Ye entered, he felt the call of the Soul-Soothing Lotus.

This supreme treasure, which had opened the ancestral land's space, seemed to know his purpose for coming.

Following this call, he ventured deeper into the ancestral land. Along the way, Lu Ye sensed the aura of some external Sun-blessed cultivators from the various lotus lands.

The Soul Clan ancestral land had been open for some time. All eligible Sun-blessed cultivators had been brought in by the Soul Clan members to cultivate in seclusion within the ancestral land, awaiting a future surge.

The ancient rule of the ancestral land—that no physical body could enter—no longer applied.

The Soul Clan's contributions would undoubtedly be a huge aid for the starry sky to overcome this calamity.

Soon, Lu Ye arrived beside the Soul-Soothing Lotus once more.

Gazing at this magnificent and wondrous object, the image of that ancient powerful being involuntarily reappeared in Lu Ye's mind.

He mused about what kind of person that being truly was. The Soul-Soothing Lotus was considered his supreme treasure, yet he was able to take it out for the survival of the Soul Clan, using it to create the ancestral land's space. His benevolence was unmatched.

Moreover, he was accompanied by sacred beasts like divine dragons and phoenixes.

Lu Ye vaguely felt that Yang Qing might have some connection to this being, as Yang Qing was of the Dragon race. What that connection was, however, remained unknown.

Tree Elder had said that Yang Qing was originally a supreme powerhouse from the Abyss. He had many avatars scattered across various starry skies, seemingly searching for something.

What such a supreme powerhouse sought was likely no ordinary item.

Gathering his thoughts, Lu Ye sat cross-legged before the Soul-Soothing Lotus, preparing to refine his Soul-Suppressing Secret Art. What followed would be a long and tedious period of secluded cultivation.

While cultivating near the Myriad Manifestation Sea, he still had his Talent Tree Avatar outside, monitoring the movements in the starry sky at all times.

But here, that wouldn't work. Aside from the ancestral land's space being sealed, the refinement of the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art itself required complete immersion.

As his spiritual sense surged, his soul departed his body!

The Soul-Suppressing Secret Art had reached great completion. The act of his soul leaving his body was no longer a major danger for Lu Ye, unless someone could break his Soul-Suppressing Secret Art and directly harm his soul body.

His tiny soul body was only about three inches tall, miniature and delicate. Yet, this was Lu Ye's spiritual essence. If it were damaged, even if his physical body remained intact, his soul would scatter.

In the outside world, a soul departing the body like this would consume soul power. But within the ancestral land's space, his soul body felt a warmth.

Just as he was about to begin cultivating, Lu Ye suddenly narrowed his eyes. The Soul-Soothing Lotus before him unexpectedly emitted an extremely dazzling light, and then Lu Ye felt his soul body enveloped by a gentle force, drawing him forward.

The Soul-Soothing Lotus rapidly expanded in his vision. In an instant, only brilliant colors filled his sight.

When Lu Ye regained his senses, he had entered an boundless ocean. The water was deep, and the surface was calm.

Lu Ye appeared on a small, nine-colored island. This island felt somewhat like the lotus lands in the ancestral territory, yet not entirely the same.

He was momentarily stunned, then turned his head to survey his surroundings.

He soon understood where he was.

This place was, astonishingly, inside the Soul-Soothing Lotus. This boundless ocean was the vast soul energy he had previously felt emanating from the Soul-Soothing Lotus.

Moreover, enveloped by the glowing mist emanating from the nine-colored island, Lu Ye's entire soul body felt warm. He didn't need to do anything; merely being in this environment caused his soul power to steadily increase, as if invisible and pure soul power was flowing into his soul body, strengthening him!

He could even sense the presence of his physical body. He could return his soul to his body anytime he wished.

But in such an environment, probably no cultivator would do something so foolish. The interior of the Soul-Soothing Lotus was simply the supreme sacred ground for cultivating the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art.

Because in this state, no matter how Lu Ye refined the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art, his soul power would not only not decrease but would even increase.

This meant that he could cultivate without limit. And with the convenience of the Talent Tree, his efficiency in refining the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art was incomparable to ordinary people.

Lu Ye was overjoyed.

Knowing that this was the Soul-Soothing Lotus caring for him, he immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Senior Divine Lotus!"

He didn't know how to address it, nor if the Soul-Soothing Lotus could understand his meaning.

After expressing his gratitude, Lu Ye sat down cross-legged. With a thought of his spiritual sense, a tattered warship appeared out of thin air beneath his feet. As soul power was consumed, the warship rapidly became complete, and the figures of the crew members appeared one after another.

Lu Ye tirelessly activated the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art repeatedly, refining its intricacies.

Now that the Soul-Suppressing Secret Art had reached great completion, further advancement meant reaching the perfect stage. Only at this stage could Lu Ye truly be considered at the peak of Sun-blessed cultivators, and only then would he be qualified to establish his own Dao foundation and truly become a Dao Realm cultivator.

Unlike now, where he could control Dao power but was still, in essence, only a Sun-blessed cultivator.

Lu Ye greatly anticipated the coming day, because what he aimed to achieve was not merely the peak of Sun-blessed cultivation, but also ultimate perfection in his soul.

He had already completed most of the Three Flowers cultivation. The Flower of Body and the Flower of Qi were complete. Now, only the Flower of Spirit remained.