Chapter 2289: Why Does My Junior Sister Scheme Against Me?

Given Qing Rou's modest cultivation level, it was natural for her to consider evasion. Even if she knew her chances of survival were slim and death here was highly probable, there was still a difference between dying sooner and dying later.

Lu Ye had other plans, but being new to the place, a cautious approach seemed more prudent. Moreover, a piece of information Qing Rou had inadvertently revealed caught his attention.

He immediately agreed, "Alright!"

The two then searched for a nearby desolate and dilapidated planet, which was already reduced to less than half its original size. After some searching, they found a massive cave and entered it to hide.

"Brother Lu, you rest. I'll set some things up," Qing Rou said, moving aside to begin her work.

Lu Ye glanced at her and asked, "Sister, do you understand array formations?"

Qing Rou clearly intended to set up some formations for concealment and protection. This would make it easier to hide, and even if their tracks were discovered, they could use the formations to defend against enemies.

Qing Rou smiled shyly and replied, "I dabble in them when I have time; I understand a little."

Lu Ye nodded, not pressing the matter further. Instead, he asked, "Sister, do you know anything about this contest?"

He asked this because Qing Rou had previously mentioned that this contest wouldn't end quickly. She wouldn't have made such a judgment unless she knew something about it.

Qing Rou continued setting up the array. "Our clan's ancient texts have some records about this. I'd seen them before, but I never imagined I'd actually be chosen."

"If you don't mind, could you tell me about it?"

Lu Ye genuinely wanted to learn more about this. He had been brought here without understanding, and among the tens of thousands of cultivators on the white jade platform, he estimated that at least ninety percent were as unprepared as he was. Only a very small number truly understood the situation.

"Of course, there's nothing that can't be said."

Qing Rou began to recount, and Lu Ye listened carefully.

The title "Child of the Star Abyss" had circulated within the Star Abyss for countless years. There wasn't just one Child of the Star Abyss; such contests would appear intermittently every few hundred, thousand, or even ten thousand years.

However, as Lu Ye had suspected, the selection of the Child of the Star Abyss was related to the Star Abyss's blessings.

The cultivators who arrived at the white jade platform had experienced the same thing as he did: the expected Star Abyss blessings were nowhere to be found. Instead, a pillar of light teleported cultivators from various parts of the Star Abyss to gather them for the Child of the Star Abyss contest.

Such a competition was undoubtedly brutal, akin to raising venomous creatures for a fight. Tens of thousands of cultivators gathered, but only a handful would survive to become the Child of the Star Abyss.

In the past, there was always only one Child of the Star Abyss, but for some unknown reason, this time there would be two.

Once a cultivator became a Child of the Star Abyss, they would gain significant benefits. Among other things, their cultivation speed within the Star Abyss would greatly increase, which was undoubtedly more conducive to their growth.

Furthermore, they would find it easier to obtain Star Abyss blessings, strengthening themselves comprehensively.

Every generation's Child of the Star Abyss eventually achieved immense renown. After all, individuals capable of standing out among tens of thousands of selected cultivators possessed exceptional talent and aptitude. As long as they had sufficient cultivation resources, their achievements would be nothing short of remarkable.

"Aside from these, are there no other benefits to becoming a Child of the Star Abyss?" Lu Ye continued to ask, cultivating diligently and sensing the rich power of the Dao around him.

The benefits Qing Rou mentioned might be immensely appealing to others, but for him... they were quite useless.

As for the increased efficiency of arduous cultivation, that was beside the point. He now had Banyan, and as long as the Insect and Blood tribes weren't annihilated, Dao Bones were an inexhaustible resource for him, rendering strenuous cultivation unnecessary.

As for the easier access to Star Abyss blessings... he received one every time he killed a Fusion Dao practitioner. Why would he need such a benefit?

"Perhaps there are other benefits, but I'm not sure. Our clan's ancient texts don't record much on that specific aspect," Qing Rou's voice came from another direction.

"Who is that Qi?" Lu Ye asked. He was very curious about the female cultivator's identity. From what he observed, she was clearly acting under the guidance of the Star Abyss's will. Her cultivation was extraordinarily high, beyond his comprehension, but where had she emerged from?

Integration Dao practitioners were usually only active in the inner realm. Was this Qi, who was even stronger than an Integration Dao practitioner, also a powerhouse from the inner realm?

"Oh, I don't know that. I haven't seen any records about her."

Well, that question yielded nothing.

"Can one withdraw from this kind of contest early? Or must it continue until the final two spots are decided?"

"It seems possible. And it's not necessarily the strongest who will have the last laugh, because many rare treasures will appear in the contest area. The emergence of a Child of the Star Abyss is also linked to fortune. If one can obtain a powerful rare treasure, there might still be a chance to win, even against a formidable enemy. Among these treasures, there's one that can allow us to leave this place early."

Lu Ye had genuinely not known about such a thing.

"Not just rare treasures, but also affinity treasures!" Qing Rou revealed, surprising him.

Affinity treasures... Lu Ye was certainly no stranger to them.

When he first encountered the Dao Entry realm, Lu Ye believed affinity treasures were not very useful, as they only provided a small increase in a cultivator's Dao power.

However, as his cultivation grew and he learned more about the Star Abyss, he came to understand the true value of affinity treasures.

Simply put, any affinity treasure could be nurtured like a Dao weapon, and its growth potential far exceeded that of any other Dao weapon.

Dao weapons, like cultivators, had a cultivation limit. Once this limit was reached, no matter how much Dao power was invested, they could not improve further.

The limit for a typical Fusion Dao cultivator's Dao weapon was forty-nine Dao power!

In other words, a Dao weapon nurtured to its limit could provide a cultivator with an increase of forty-nine Dao power. However, this increase was not all-encompassing; it depended on the type of Dao weapon. If it was an offensive type, it would boost the cultivator's destructive power. If it was a defensive type, it would enhance their protective abilities.

To some extent, Dao weapons were similar to Dao artifacts, with Dao artifacts being simpler Dao weapons suitable only for cultivators in the Dao Entry realm.

Ninety-nine percent of cultivators' Dao weapons were offensive. Thus, Fusion Dao peak cultivators often faced a common issue in battle: both sides' offensive power typically exceeded their respective defensive capabilities. A single misstep could lead to a breach in their defenses.

Such life-or-death battles heavily emphasized combat experience and the ability to react quickly in the heat of the moment.

Besides these two types of Dao weapons, there might also be other peculiar ones that functioned in different domains.

But regardless of the type, the limit was an increase of forty-nine Dao power.

Affinity treasures, however, were an exception; their limit could surpass forty-nine Dao power.

Therefore, for any Fusion Dao cultivator, affinity treasures were extremely precious. If one could acquire a suitable affinity treasure and nurture it, the enhancement it provided would be far greater than that of an ordinary Dao weapon.

Lu Ye possessed more than one affinity treasure. He even regretted having his Talent Tree devour a 'Dice of Fate' in the past, all for the sake of Dao power.

Then again, even if the Dice of Fate were nurtured as a Dao weapon, it couldn't be used in combat. One couldn't exactly throw a dice in a life-or-death battle to check their luck.

This star fragment contained affinity treasures, and their appearance would undoubtedly trigger a frantic scramble among cultivators. There were also various other strange and rare treasures!

If that were the case, victory and defeat truly couldn't be determined solely by cultivation level.

In the cave, the two conversed, question and answer, as time passed.

Lu Ye gradually gained a deeper understanding of the current situation.

It was well into the afternoon before Qing Rou finished her work. She walked over and sat beside Lu Ye, wiping sweat from her forehead. "I'm exhausted!"

She was covered in a fragrant perspiration, her thin clothes clinging to her delicate figure, and a subtle, alluring scent wafted from her, inviting speculation.

Her cheeks were flushed, her skin soft and delicate. She looked at Lu Ye and asked, "Brother, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

Lu Ye's gaze was profound. He smiled faintly and said, "Actually, there is one more thing."

Qing Rou's expression became serious. "Please speak, Brother."

Lu Ye turned his head and looked around. "I can understand the concealment and defensive formations you've set up, but why did you also arrange a trapping formation? And from what I observe, that formation is the true foundation, with the concealment and defense merely superficial disguises. Care to enlighten me, Sister Qing Rou?"

"Oh my!" Qing Rou playfully stuck out her small, red tongue at Lu Ye. "So Brother is also skilled in array formations? I've made a fool of myself then."

Lu Ye smiled but said nothing.

Qing Rou twirled a strand of hair near her chest with one finger, her head slightly lowered, appearing a little shy. "As for why I set up a trapping formation... of course, it's to trap Brother here!" As she finished speaking, she looked up at Lu Ye and smiled sweetly, wearing an expression of mischievous triumph.

"So that's it!" Lu Ye's expression showed sudden realization. "Sister, you're quite cunning! I wondered why someone would proactively seek me out to team up. So you had your eyes on me all along, and all your previous actions were just a pretense, weren't they?"

Qing Rou looked slightly smug. "Did Brother spot any flaws?"

Lu Ye gave a wry smile. "Honestly, I didn't!"

This was because Qing Rou's initial demeanor had been too perfect and natural. Not only had he not noticed anything amiss at first, but he hadn't during her array setup either.

The female cultivator's mastery of array formations far surpassed his own. It wasn't until the grand formation was complete that Lu Ye suddenly realized what was happening.

Primarily, he hadn't harbored much suspicion toward Qing Rou, and the female cultivator had been earnestly explaining the Child of the Star Abyss contest, which he had listened to intently.

"I don't understand," Lu Ye said, looking at Qing Rou. "We have no grievances, no past enmity. Why would you scheme against me, Sister?"

She had targeted him! Lu Ye was certain of it.

But why?

"Because I don't understand either," Qing Rou said, tilting her head, an innocent expression on her face.

"What is it that you don't understand, Sister?"

Qing Rou scrutinized Lu Ye from head to toe, as if trying to peer into his very soul. Her brows furrowed. "Brother, you might not know this, but I was born with an innate divine ability. It's useless in combat, but it allows me to discern others' cultivation realms. That's why I can't understand why, out of the fifty-three thousand two hundred-plus people there who were all Fusion Dao practitioners, only you... are a Dao Entry practitioner?"

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