Chapter 2304: Time Is Running Out

"So what? I'll kill you before I die!" Ning Gu glared fiercely at Lu Ye. His clone, cultivated over countless years and with immense effort, had been cut down by Lu Ye's single strike. This had weakened his true body, and the hatred in his heart was boundless; there was no appeasing it unless Lu Ye was dead.

Lu Ye remained noncommittal.

Such verbal threats were utterly useless; he naturally didn't care. Besides, he was confident that Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang wouldn't last much longer. Both he and the two on the opposite side were nearing their limits in their current positions. The invisible pressure descending from above required them to constantly activate their Dao power to resist it. Although this wasn't combat, it consumed more Dao power than actual fighting because there was no opportunity to relax.

Lu Ye, with his vast and unparalleled reserve of Dao power, naturally wasn't afraid of such consumption. But what about Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang? Even if they were at the peak of Dao Integration, they surely couldn't hold on for long. Therefore, these two couldn't maintain this state indefinitely.

As expected, a moment later, Junior Sister Shuang cast a strained glance at Ning Gu, her spiritual sense conveying a message.

Despite his reluctance, Ning Gu nodded. Immediately, the two retreated downwards, moving all the way to the very bottom, where they finally felt the pressure disappear.

Lu Ye, however, did not retreat with them. With Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang no longer coveting his position, his gaze turned upwards instead.

There were twenty steps. He was currently on the sixteenth, and the portal at the very top was open. So, if he could climb four more steps, he could leave this place!

He had to try, no matter what, otherwise he would truly be trapped here.

He put away his Mountain-Shattering Blade, steadied his mind, and then took a step upwards.

Ning Gu had been closely watching his movements, and seeing this, he couldn't help but worry.

He was somewhat confused as to why Lu Ye's pressure resistance was stronger than his and Junior Sister Shuang's. After all, they were both at the peak of Dao Integration, yet they could only reach the fourteenth step.

Even if Lu Ye was indeed at the peak of Dao Integration, it made no sense for him to be so much stronger, unless he possessed a defensive Dao weapon in addition to his long saber Dao weapon.

This wasn't impossible.

For cultivators at their level, the peak of Dao Integration, if there was no hope of reaching Dao Assimilation, they would naturally seek to cultivate a second Dao weapon to enhance their strength.

Some who even had a chance of reaching Dao Assimilation wouldn't rush into it, choosing instead to invest their energy in a second Dao weapon.

Not only Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang, but other Dao Integration cultivators were also watching Lu Ye.

Having escaped the first trap only to fall into this one, everyone was in a bad mood. Just by observing Lu Ye's, Ning Gu's, and Junior Sister Shuang's previous experiences, they could discern the danger of this second trap.

To leave this place, one could only rely on their own formidable strength; numbers were no longer a factor.

Lu Ye's movements were exceedingly slow, and the leg he lifted trembled violently, clearly under immense pressure. Yet, it finally landed on the seventeenth step.

After a brief adaptation, he lifted his second foot.

Just like before, it took a long while for him to barely stabilize himself on the seventeenth step, his face noticeably pale.

Gritting his teeth, Lu Ye continued upwards again.

A moment later, as he stood on the next step, his body suddenly jolted, and he spat out a mouthful of blood mist.

Daring not to linger, he swiftly floated downwards, landing directly on the fifth step, where he finally stabilized himself.

He didn't just walk down directly, because if he did, Ning Gu would surely cause him trouble, and that wasn't something he wanted to deal with.

His current position was good; the pressure wasn't great, and his Dao power wasn't being consumed much. If Ning Gu made a move, he would have time to react.

And through his recent attempt, Lu Ye learned his limit: the eighteenth step!

It was important to note that he had used 240 units of power to resist that immense pressure, yet he still felt it was almost unbearable. Among all the Dao Integration cultivators present, it was impossible for anyone else to reach that position.

There were still two steps above, and although the distance wasn't far, they represented a chasm of despair!

It was truly a desperate situation.

Seeing Lu Ye injured, a flicker of satisfaction crossed Ning Gu's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by deep worry.

In this situation, were they truly doomed to be trapped here until death?

How could he accept this? On the white jade platform, he was the first to step forward, carefully selecting his companions. With two peak Dao Integration cultivators working together, he had held great hope of competing for the title of Star Abyss Child.

If he had been outmatched and killed in combat, that would have been acceptable; it would simply mean Ning Gu's skills were inferior.

But to be trapped and die here would be utterly meaningless.

His mind was filled with chaotic, agitated thoughts, and the hatred for Lu Ye, fueled by the destruction of his clone, intensified.

On the fifth step, Lu Ye quietly healed his wounds. His injuries weren't severe, so recovery wasn't difficult.

However, the current situation was somewhat troublesome. He pondered how he could leave this place.

He still had a clone he hadn't revealed, but the clone's strength was identical to his true body's. Even if he sent the clone, the eighteenth step would still be its limit.

To reach the topmost steps, only greater pressure resistance would suffice.

Relying solely on himself wouldn't work. Since that was the case, he could only form a formation!

While he was pondering, other Dao Integration cultivators were already attempting to climb the steps. However, among the Dao Integration cultivators present, only Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang were at the peak; the strongest of the others were merely at the seventh stage of Dao Integration.

With such cultivation, they could at most only reach the tenth step.

Everyone's mood began to grow irritable; for a time, no one had any ideas.

Lu Ye ignored them. While healing, he examined the token he had seized from Ning Gu's clone.

This was the second treasure he had obtained in this competition. The first, the Dao power bottle, had some use, though its effect on him wasn't significant.

This second item was clearly a special treasure.

But Lu Ye looked at it repeatedly and couldn't figure out its purpose...

After a brief thought, he quickly took out another Star Abyss Coin. Using the coin to connect with the mysterious space, he searched and indeed found a token identical to the one in his hand within this treasure-vault-like space.

The reason he did this was because Lu Ye believed that all special treasures appearing in the Starry Sky Fragments should have corresponding items in that space. Since he didn't know the token's purpose, finding its counterpart would allow him to investigate.

The result was as expected.

A moment later, Lu Ye's eyebrows rose as he understood the token's function.

This treasure wasn't entirely useless, but its function was a bit peculiar. If used at the right moment, it could produce extraordinary effects.

His injuries were slowly recovering.

Even Ning Gu's severed arm had recovered. For Dao Integration cultivators, a severed arm wasn't a major injury. However, Ning Gu had only recovered his own arm; his clone was gone forever, unless he expended more time and effort to cultivate another.

"You two, the time left for us... is not much!"

Just as Ning Gu was feeling frustrated, Lu Ye, who was seated on the fifth step, suddenly sent a slow spiritual message.

Ning Gu abruptly looked up at him. *This scoundrel, after severing my clone, now has the audacity to send me a message?*

Junior Sister Shuang, on the other hand, looked thoughtful and replied via spiritual message, "Friend, what do you mean?"

Since it was a spiritual message, it was clearly not meant for others to hear. Junior Sister Shuang didn't understand Lu Ye's intention, but there was no harm in cooperating.

"I don't know if either of you has been to the edge of the Starry Sky Fragments, but I have. At the edge, chaotic mist surges forward, and the Starry Sky Fragment we are on is dissolving!"

Junior Sister Shuang was slightly startled; she genuinely hadn't known this.

She couldn't help but turn to look at Ning Gu beside her.

Ning Gu slowly shook his head as well.

"The Stairway to the Clouds Marvel we entered earlier isn't actually far from the fragment's edge. So, if we don't do something, our fate will likely not be to die trapped here, but to be swallowed by the chaotic mist along with this starry sky marvel!"

Both Ning Gu and Junior Sister Shuang were greatly alarmed by these words.

If Lu Ye wasn't exaggerating, then this could indeed happen.

And in such a situation, Lu Ye seemed to have no reason to exaggerate.

"So, to survive, we must leave this place quickly!"

Junior Sister Shuang's eyes lit up. "Friend, do you have a way to leave?"

Lu Ye said calmly, "We can try!"

Junior Sister Shuang blinked. "If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask. Brother Ning and I will definitely do our best and hold nothing back!"

Lu Ye glanced at her, thinking to himself that this ice-cold woman was quite intelligent. He hadn't even spoken yet, and she already knew he needed help.

After all, if he truly didn't need anyone's assistance and could leave by himself, he wouldn't have approached them.

Ning Gu also understood, his expression shifting between clear and clouded for a moment before he sent a spiritual message: "If we can leave this place and you need help, feel free to ask."

Lu Ye shook his head. "It's not help; it's mutual aid!"

"It's all the same!" Ning Gu grumbled.

Only then did Lu Ye say, "We can form a formation!"

Junior Sister Shuang immediately reacted. "Friend, you intend to use a formation to resist the pressure?"

"Precisely."

Junior Sister Shuang shook her head. "The idea is good, but forming a formation is something utterly beyond what casual acquaintances like us can achieve."

Leaving aside the enmity between Ning Gu and Lu Ye due to the severed clone, which made harmonious cooperation impossible, even she and Ning Gu weren't particularly familiar with each other.

The two had only partnered due to the rules; their minds weren't in sync, so how could they form a formation?

She had thought Lu Ye had a good idea, but it turned out to be this, leaving her utterly disappointed.

Lu Ye was unconcerned. "Indeed, under normal circumstances, we wouldn't be able to form a formation. But what if we used a special treasure?"

"A special treasure? What kind?" Junior Sister Shuang was somewhat stunned, and Ning Gu couldn't help but look at Lu Ye.

Lu Ye smiled slightly. "As the saying goes, 'Heaven never seals off all paths.' The special treasure from the previous trap is exactly what can allow us to easily form a formation."