Chapter 2148: Casting the Foundation

Lu Ye frowned. "Something bad..."

The Azure Bird said, "In the Star Abyss, if you are abandoned by the Star Abyss Will, there's no good outcome."

"But this is the Starry Sky!" Lu Ye responded.

"That's why I can tell you this."

Half a day later, Lu Ye departed, deep in thought. He had gained a general understanding of the Dao Merging process, making his trip worthwhile. However, his immediate priority was still to enter the Dao Realm himself. Another pleasing development was that he had persuaded the Azure Bird and the Dancer. If any Star Abyss Gate in the Starry Sky became critical, he could ask them for support.

Both of them were Dao Mergers. They had missed the closing of the Star Abyss Gate last time, which was why they remained in the Starry Sky. They were the only two ancient behemoths left in the entire Starry Sky. Their strength at the Dao Merging level was formidable even in the Star Abyss, and absolutely unrivaled in the Starry Sky. With their promise, even if problems arose in the future, a solution would be available.

A few days later, Lu Ye returned to the Myriad Phenomena Sea. On Three Realms Island, Lu Ye listened to Tang Jun's report on the many changes in the Myriad Phenomena Sea over the years before heading towards Jade Sword Island. No further preparations were needed; everything had been done. It was time for the true test.

During Lu Ye's decade-plus of secluded cultivation, the Myriad Phenomena Sea had not experienced significant changes. With Jiuyan and Ma Bin guarding it, invading enemies could not cause any major trouble. Because the Star Abyss Gate had not expanded enough, its current state only allowed beings of three Daos to pass safely. Forcing passage with four Daos would likely lead to accidents. Therefore, until now, the strongest invaders from the Star Abyss Gate into the Starry Sky possessed merely the power of four Daos, and their numbers were very small.

This situation was not unique to the Myriad Phenomena Sea; other Star Abyss Gates were generally in the same state. Only when the Star Abyss Gates continued to expand would more powerful beings be able to pass safely. At that point, the enemies of the Starry Sky would grow increasingly strong. This undoubtedly provided the Starry Sky with a crucial period for accumulation and preparation.

Currently, the Myriad Phenomena Sea alone had seen the birth of over forty Dao Realm cultivators. Although most were at or below the Five-Dao level, consistent accumulation would allow them to gradually grow stronger. The pervasive Star Abyss aura had already covered almost half of the Myriad Phenomena Sea. For safety, all spiritual islands within the Star Abyss aura's covered area, except for those in the Dao Realm, had been evacuated, with their inhabitants dispersed to other islands. However, with the passage of time, the entire Myriad Phenomena Sea would likely be enveloped by the Star Abyss aura, leaving no safe haven.

Lu Ye directly entered the area enveloped by the Star Abyss aura. After not walking long, he suddenly felt something and turned his head to look to the side. In that direction, on a small island, a tall figure stood, looking towards him. Their eyes met, and Lu Ye was slightly startled before a smile appeared on his face. The other person also seemed surprised, clearly not expecting to see Lu Ye at that moment. With a beaming smile, she leaped up and flew towards him.

The two quickly approached each other. Just as Lu Ye was about to speak, the newcomer suddenly spun, and a long leg whipped towards him like a long whip. This sudden attack was completely unannounced. Lu Ye hadn't perceived any intention for her to fight him, and he was caught off guard.

However, he simply raised an arm and lightly blocked the attack. The woman immediately showed a look of astonishment, clearly not expecting Lu Ye's strength to be so great. She didn't give up, instantly gathering her fingers into a cone and thrusting it directly towards Lu Ye's chest. Lu Ye casually patted her arm aside.

The woman was furious and prepared to strike again, but suddenly felt a tightening at the back of her neck. Her entire neck was gripped by a large hand. Lu Ye lifted the woman in front of him, like lifting a small chick, and gazed at her with a smile, "What are you doing? Starting a rebellion?"

The woman, shrinking her neck, blinked in astonishment, "Didn't they say you were only late-stage Sun Cultivation?" When she had attacked earlier, she was even afraid of injuring Lu Ye, using only one Dao's power for the first strike and two Dao's power for the second. She had expected an easy victory, but it turned out like this.

"Yes, I am late-stage Sun Cultivation," Lu Ye nodded. Although he didn't know where she got her information about him, the information itself was correct; that was indeed his cultivation level when he left back then. However, the person who told her this information seemingly hadn't elaborated sufficiently.

"Then how could you..." The woman was bewildered. Her eyes darted around, and she crisply called out, "Daddy!" Calling him "Daddy" when she couldn't win, Lu Ye was left speechless and amused, but could only release her. It wasn't the first time she had called him that; back when she hadn't fully recovered, Ya Ya had called him that more than once.

Lu Ye hadn't expected Ya Ya to be in the Myriad Phenomena Sea. But then he reconsidered: Ya Ya was also at the peak of Sun Cultivation. To forge a Dao Foundation, she would have to go to one of the Star Abyss Gate locations, and the Myriad Phenomena Sea was the most familiar to her, so it was natural for her to come here. Perhaps there was another reason... Like coming to beat Lu Ye up, to vent her frustration from recognizing him as her father when she had memory loss back then. But now she found out she couldn't win at all!

"How many Daos?" Lu Ye asked, looking Ya Ya up and down.

"Five Daos!" Ya Ya replied.

Lu Ye nodded slightly. Those like Ya Ya, who had reached the peak of Sun Cultivation long ago, possessed profound foundations and typically achieved four or five Daos upon entering the Dao Realm. In contrast, the Sun Cultivation peak cultivators later nurtured in Kyushu and the Soul Clan ancestral land might be slightly weaker upon reaching the Dao Realm, but there were opportunities to compensate. As long as they continued to cultivate diligently, they would eventually catch up.

Ya Ya eyed Lu Ye with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, "Old man, how many Daos are you?"

"Me?" Lu Ye rubbed her head. "Guess!"

Ya Ya angrily took a few steps back, "I won't guess!"

Lu Ye sighed, "You were cuter when you were little. Growing up isn't fun at all!"

Ya Ya clenched her fist and waved it at him, "You really think you're my dad? I wasn't using my full strength just now. If I had used my full strength..."

Lu Ye had already leaped away, his voice drifting back from afar, "Be careful."

Ya Ya gazed exasperatedly in the direction he had left, muttering to herself for a while. She somewhat regretted not using her full strength; if she had, she might have succeeded!

At the open Star Abyss Gate, a red vortex slowly rotated. It had undoubtedly expanded significantly compared to when it first opened. The Star Abyss aura in this location was also denser than in other places.

A solitary figure guarded the area. Any creature coming through the Star Abyss Gate had to undergo her scrutiny. If a four-Dao being appeared, it would be instantly slain. As for those below four Daos, they were left unaddressed; others would handle them. However, some thoughtless ones, after being spared, would continue to pester her. In such cases, she had no choice but to kill them.

Even with Ma Bin's assistance, guarding the gate day in and day out for over a decade was by no means easy. Suddenly, the slender figure sensed something, turned her head, and immediately saw a familiar figure strolling towards her.

"You've worked hard," Lu Ye said, approaching Jiuyan and looking at her. He could see a hint of fatigue in her eyes. Lu Ye felt she had become a bit thinner.

"It's nothing," Jiuyan slowly shook her head. "Why are you here?" Then she suddenly realized, "Are you going to forge your Dao Foundation?"

"Yes, the time has come."

Jiuyan smiled gently, "Then I'll protect you."

Lu Ye nodded, walked directly to one side, sat down cross-legged, and immersed his mind. Jiuyan took a few steps forward, standing almost directly in front of the Star Abyss Gate, a long spear in her hand, intently staring at the red vortex. Any Star Abyss creature that dared to show its head, regardless of strength, would be instantly killed by a single spear thrust.

Not far away, Lu Ye was ready to forge his foundation. Currently, several methods for forging a Dao Foundation had spread. Lu Ye chose the Furnace Method, which he had first encountered and which Jiuyan and others had verified. The Furnace Method involves treating one's body as a furnace to refine one's entire foundation. Success leads to entering the Dao Realm, while failure means losing all cultivation. The risk was indeed high, but Lu Ye was a fire-attributed cultivator, so relatively speaking, this method was the most suitable for him.

He sat upright, his mind calm. His body transformed into a furnace; vital energy, magical power, and soul power surged together, pouring into it like firewood, beginning to rumble.

Jiuyan had said that the Furnace Method required no thoughts, no desires, no self, no form. Back then, she herself had been unable to enter the Dao Realm for a long time due to an unresolved emotional knot. Lu Ye had no issues in this regard, as after so many years of cultivation, he had no such unresolved knots. Furthermore, he possessed an unusual tenacity when it came to becoming stronger.

His entire body began to grow hot, as if it were about to ignite. But Lu Ye knew this was merely an illusion. Lu Ye had consulted Jiuyan and the others about forging a Dao Foundation using the Furnace Method while he was in the Star Abyss, so he was very clear about all the details.

With more input of his essence, qi, and spirit, it felt as if a ball of fire was truly ignited in the unseen. Lu Ye, deeply immersed, could even clearly see this flame. The Dao Fire! This was a common illusion when forging a Dao Foundation with the Furnace Method; its appearance signified the formal commencement of the foundation forging.

Once this step was taken, there was no turning back. Success meant entering the Dao Realm; failure meant losing all cultivation. Others required significant time to ignite their Dao Fire. In the Mecha Starry Sky, the fastest was half a year, while in this Starry Sky, it took longer due to the current low concentration of Star Abyss aura. Lu Ye, however, achieved it with ease. He wasn't surprised, because strictly speaking, he already possessed a Dao Foundation; the Talent Tree was his Dao Foundation. Furthermore, he now wielded the power of Nine Daos, making the ignition of his own Dao Fire incredibly effortless. The step he was taking now held more symbolic significance than practical, as it was a necessary step if he wished to continue advancing his cultivation. After others ignited their Dao Fire, they would use their essence, qi, and spirit as fuel, pouring it into the Dao Fire to burn a chosen bone, transforming it into a Dao Bone. Once the Dao Bone was initially formed, it signified entering the Dao Realm. From then on, like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, they could refine Dao Power into their bodies.