Chapter 2286: Qii

Based on his own experience, Lu Ye surmised that the path to becoming a Scion of the Star Abyss was likely through Star Abyss Blessings. He had killed the Blood Race cultivator who had merged with the Dao, and thus should have received a Star Abyss Blessing. However, no blessing descended; instead, the Star Abyss Will brought him to this place, intending to send him to an unknown destination.

Lu Ye's brows furrowed deeply.

Perhaps to other cultivators, being a Scion of the Star Abyss seemed like a great honor, but Lu Ye did not share that view. Bearing such a title might not necessarily be a good thing.

Lu Ye could not determine what the Star Abyss Will truly was. However, based on the abnormalities that accompanied the various benefits bestowed upon him with each Star Abyss Blessing, he concluded that these blessings were not as wonderful as they seemed.

He was fortunate to possess the Talent Tree, which incinerated these recurring abnormalities. But what about other cultivators who received Star Abyss Blessings? While they enjoyed the benefits, those peculiar abnormalities would integrate into their bodies. Lu Ye did not know the exact harm these abnormalities posed, but he was certain they were not beneficial; otherwise, the Talent Tree would not have reacted.

As numerous thoughts surged through his mind, the surrounding darkness abruptly dissipated.

A moment later, Lu Ye surveyed his surroundings with a peculiar expression.

Originally, based on his own experiences and the information he possessed, he had assumed that the Star Abyss Will had chosen him to be a Scion of the Star Abyss. However, only now did he realize he had taken too much for granted.

After a prolonged journey, he found himself on a massive platform. The platform appeared to be forged entirely from white jade, colossal in size. As he looked around, he saw figures everywhere, belonging to various races—some Lu Ye recognized, others he did not. There were not only Star Abyss cultivators but also Star Beasts present!

Periodically, a figure would abruptly materialize somewhere on the white jade platform, similar to himself, casting cautious glances around. Without a doubt, these sudden arrivals, like him, had all been brought here by the Star Abyss Will. The same applied to the numerous beings who had already appeared on the platform before his arrival.

There couldn't possibly be so many Scions of the Star Abyss. The number of beings currently gathered here amounted to tens of thousands; how could there be so many Scions? This implied that to become a Scion of the Star Abyss, one would have to undergo a fierce struggle and competition. Lu Ye mused on this possibility, though he had no way of knowing if it were true.

However, according to his previous conjecture, any cultivator deemed worthy to be brought here must have received Star Abyss Blessings more than once. And cultivators capable of receiving Star Abyss Blessings were either exceptional at slaying enemies or adept at overcoming stronger opponents; none of them were individuals to be trifled with. This was evident from the calm yet fierce gazes of the surrounding cultivators; despite their numbers, there wasn't a single weakling among them. This applied even to the oddly shaped Star Beasts.

The beings gathered here must have originated from various parts of the Star Abyss. Many races were not only unfamiliar to Lu Ye, but he had never even heard of them before. Observing them was truly an eye-opening experience. However, he soon noticed something interesting: the numbers of male and female beings present seemed to be roughly equal. He wondered if this was merely a coincidence.

Furthermore, what truly unnerved Lu Ye was the sheer power of the Star Abyss Will. With such a vast assembly of beings, they must have come from every corner of the Star Abyss, yet the Star Abyss Will possessed the ability to transport all of them here. Such methods were beyond imagination, truly inconceivable.

Given the current circumstances, he could only resign himself to them. If his conjecture was correct, all beings present would participate in a massive competition, from which the Scion of the Star Abyss would be determined. He wondered if it was possible to withdraw voluntarily. He had absolutely no interest in this title.

With these thoughts in mind, he walked in one direction, reaching the edge of the platform. Looking up, he saw a chaotic void stretching before him, exuding a sense of emptiness and peril. He knew, almost without needing to test it, what fate awaited him if he were to fall off this platform. It certainly wouldn't be pleasant. He then explored a few other directions, only to find the same chaotic void.

Many others were doing as he was. Evidently, most people had limited knowledge about the current situation. However, there were also those who sat calmly, meditating and conserving their energy, clearly confident in their profound cultivation and their ability to safely navigate any trial. Although numerous beings from various races populated the platform, they coexisted peacefully. No one initiated any conflicts; those chosen to be brought here were clearly not fools, and they naturally wouldn't seek trouble without understanding the situation.

Lu Ye pondered whether he should try to find someone to gather information. While it was true that most people might be as clueless as he was about this place, there should be a portion of individuals who possessed some understanding. Scions of the Star Abyss had appeared before, and previous ones were likely selected through similar means, so someone here was bound to know something. But whom should he approach for information? He knew no one here, and even if he found the right person, they might not be willing to share.

After a moment of thought, he dismissed the idea. "Things will sort themselves out when the time comes," he mused. Why overthink it? He found a quiet spot and sat down, patiently waiting.

Newcomers continued to materialize on the platform, a situation that persisted for approximately half a month.

At a certain moment, a powerful aura suddenly manifested, ghost-like, in mid-air. Instantly, tens of thousands of eyes turned in that direction. Lu Ye also opened his eyes. Before him, a figure stood poised in mid-air, clad in a pristine white gown. Her figure was graceful, her chest prominent, and her long hair cascaded over her shoulders; she was clearly a woman. However, her face was obscured by a mask. The mask bore no intricate patterns, only a few simple strokes, yet these strokes held immense profundity, making anyone who gazed upon it feel as though they were staring into an endless abyss that consumed their very soul.

Lu Ye quickly lowered his head, a fine layer of sweat breaking out on his forehead. Though it was but a fleeting glance, he clearly saw a large character, "柒" (Qī), inscribed on the mask's forehead!

Qī... He did not know its meaning.

But Lu Ye knew that someone was about to suffer. While the cultivators who had arrived here were undeniably strong, their power still varied. The mask possessed an extreme strangeness; any who gazed upon it with an unstable mind or insufficient spiritual cultivation would likely face a grim fate. If a mere mask rendered her unapproachable, how profound must this woman's cultivation be?

To date, the strongest being he had encountered was undoubtedly Xiaoyue, who projected a portion of her power onto the Mad Lion. However, the pressure Xiaoyue exerted was utterly incomparable to that emanating from this "Qī" before him. This "Qī"... what exactly was she?

Based on Lu Ye's observations over the past few days, the tens of thousands of cultivators gathered on the platform all appeared to be at the Dao Integration realm. Aside from himself, he had yet to discover any other cultivators at the Entry Dao realm. Yet, this "Qī" was certainly, at minimum, at the Dao Conjunction realm. Had she also been chosen by the Star Abyss Will? No, that couldn't be right. If she were a participant, no one here would be her match; she could effortlessly eliminate anyone who dared to oppose her.

Almost immediately after Lu Ye lowered his head, agonizing screams suddenly erupted from all directions, followed swiftly by the extinguishing of numerous life forces. The closest victim to Lu Ye, merely a few feet away, foolishly gazed at the mask of "Qī." His entire body was then twisted by a bizarre force, exploding into a cloud of blood mist amidst horrific screams and boundless terror! Blood even splattered onto Lu Ye's face.

On the white jade platform, where tens of thousands were gathered, life forces began to extinguish one after another with "Qī"'s appearance. This situation persisted for the duration of an incense stick burning. Blood flowed like a river across the white jade platform, with thousands out of tens of thousands perishing. A pungent, bloody stench permeated the air, and all surviving beings were struck silent with dread. Simply by standing there, "Qī" had created this boundless purgatory.

Lu Ye was horrified; he realized he had severely underestimated "Qī"'s cultivation. This woman was undoubtedly far beyond the Dao Conjunction realm! She was even stronger than that. No one knew what would happen if she actually made a move; it seemed likely that all these tens of thousands of beings wouldn't be enough for her to sweep away with a single breath.

Only after all sounds of suffering vanished did "Qī" finally speak. A hollow, emotionless, and somewhat arid voice echoed in everyone's ears, causing immense discomfort, as if cat claws were scratching at their very souls.

"Within one hour, males and females shall pair up and depart this place. Those who linger beyond the time limit will be slain!"

"Within the Starry Fragments, you shall all be each other's adversaries. The last male and female to survive will be the Scions of the Star Abyss."

Only these two sentences were spoken before "Qī" relapsed into silence. Yet, these two sentences caused a dramatic shift in everyone's expressions.

Lu Ye's understanding of the Star Abyss's secret selection of its Scion was incomplete, but among the many beings present, some undoubtedly possessed greater knowledge. Having been chosen to come here this time, they had initially presumed they held an informational advantage over others. However, as "Qī" announced the rules, they realized the situation had changed dramatically. In previous selections for the Scion of the Star Abyss, there had been no mention of males and females pairing up. No one understood why it had changed this time. Furthermore, this time there would be two Scions of the Star Abyss—one male and one female. No one could fathom the mystery behind this change, as there had always only been one Scion previously.

Nevertheless, these were the rules, and the chosen could only accept them, for they had no other option. Lu Ye, of course, did not consider these details, but a sense of relief washed over him. It appeared that "Qī" was not participating in the competition for the Scion of the Star Abyss; this woman was likely akin to a referee. She was, without a doubt, acting under the guidance of the Star Abyss Will.

After a brief silence, someone spoke: "Revered Saint, may I inquire if we are permitted to act alone, without choosing a companion?"

Many individuals turned towards the source of the voice, evidently sharing the same thought. Those who had made it here, regardless of their race or origin, largely possessed confidence in their strength and abilities. The sudden requirement to partner with an unfamiliar individual naturally felt awkward. If they could act alone, that would be ideal.

"Qī" offered no response, as if she hadn't heard the question. The assembled beings then understood that the rule was immutable.

The cultivator who had spoken frowned, then boldly leaped, positioning himself not far from "Qī." "Qī" remained unresponsive to his actions. With an arrogant expression, he cast a commanding gaze downwards and declared, "Is there a Dao Integration Peak cultivator who wishes to accompany me, and together, let us claim the esteemed title of Scion of the Star Abyss?"