Chapter 2341: Another Starry Sky Encountered Calamity

Lu Ye soon understood why Su Yan had changed her mind about accompanying him: after the Phoenix Clan's nirvana, her strength had plummeted significantly. By the standards of Starry Sky cultivation realms, Su Yan's current strength was only at the Moonlit level! With such a cultivation level, she obviously couldn't venture into the Star Abyss alone; even a casual encounter with a Star Abyss creature would endanger her life. Therefore, Su Yan had no choice but to follow Lu Ye.

"Senior Brother, don't worry," Su Yan said, "this state won't last too long. I can recover to the Dao Enlightenment level within half a year." By then, she would have a certain degree of self-preservation. Coupled with the Phoenix Clan's innate divine abilities, she would even be able to escape if she encountered a Dao Fusion expert.

Lu Ye naturally had no concerns. His sole focus was to quickly return to Banlan, and taking Su Yan with him would not be a hassle. If they encountered enemies, he could even use his clone for her protection.

Without further delay, they resumed their journey. This time, however, Lu Ye was no longer alone. Although Su Yan pretended not to know him, both of them were fully aware of the truth, and as long as Lu Ye didn't expose her pretense, everything would be fine. Without the previous awkwardness, their interactions were quite pleasant.

Lu Ye took the opportunity to inquire about the Star Abyss Will, but Su Yan did not say much, clearly appearing hesitant. What she had told Lu Ye previously was already her limit; saying more would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention. Traveling together significantly reduced the sense of desolation. Occasionally, they encountered enemies along the way, all of whom Lu Ye easily slew.

After obtaining his second Star Abyss Coin, Lu Ye finally received a definitive answer from Su Yan. The claim that the probability of receiving a Star Abyss blessing would significantly increase after becoming a Star Abyss Child was incorrect; it was, in fact, merely a rumor. Upon becoming a Star Abyss Child, one would not receive a Star Abyss blessing; instead, it would be replaced by Star Abyss Coins. This was clearly recorded in the Phoenix Clan's ancient texts.

Of course, if a Star Abyss Child wished to obtain benefits similar to a blessing, it was simple: a precious liquid could be exchanged for Star Abyss Coins from the treasure vault, and consuming it would achieve the same effect. This essentially gave the Star Abyss Child an autonomous choice.

As time passed, their distance from Banlan gradually decreased. One day, as they were flying, Lu Ye and Su Yan simultaneously turned their heads to look in a specific direction. Lu Ye stopped. In that instant, he had an inexplicable sensation, as if something in the direction he was looking was guiding him. As he pondered, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Su Yan's expression. She looked profoundly sorrowful.

"Junior Sister, did you sense it too?" Lu Ye asked. Su Yan's expression clearly indicated she had sensed something, just like him, but Lu Ye didn't understand why she was so sorrowful.

"The Star Abyss's summons," Su Yan said slowly. Perhaps because she had become younger, her voice was much clearer than it had been in the Starry Sky Shard. "Senior Brother, another Starry Sky has fallen into disaster."

Lu Ye paused, then realized what was happening. "Are you saying a Star Abyss Gate has opened over there?"

Star Abyss Gates only ever opened at weaknesses in the Starry Sky. Once a gate appeared, all nearby Star Abyss creatures would be drawn to it. Lu Ye had known about this, but had never experienced it firsthand. Other than his own Starry Sky, the only other one he had encountered was the Mechanist Starry Sky, to which the Ghost Palanquin had brought them. However, by then, the Star Abyss's invasion was already in its final phase.

"It may not have opened yet, but a Star Abyss Gate will eventually appear," Su Yan sighed, turning to look at Lu Ye.

How could Lu Ye not understand her meaning? The Phoenix Clan was benevolent. Even though the struggle for the Star Abyss Child was so perilous, for the sake of the Four-Eared Realm, she still chose to defend that domain alone, resisting powerful enemies from all directions with her own strength. And that was merely a single domain. Now, an entire Starry Sky faced a catastrophe. How could she simply stand by? Yet, her current strength wouldn't allow it! Although her cultivation had been recovering during this period, it was a gradual process. Currently, she wasn't much stronger than when she had first been resurrected. Therefore, if she wanted to intervene, only Lu Ye could step forward.

"Let's go, let's take a look," Lu Ye said without hesitation. While he was eager to return to Banlan, he couldn't ignore the present situation. His own Starry Sky had been fortunate: before its Star Abyss Gate opened, the Ghost Palanquin had taken them to the Mechanist Starry Sky, allowing Lu Ye and others to achieve Dao Enlightenment early and learn much about the Star Abyss. After the Star Abyss Gate opened, they also encountered Yin Luo, a contingency left by Yang Qing. With her guarding that Star Abyss Gate, no major trouble could arise. Other Starry Skies, however, were not so fortunate. The Star Abyss's invasion was a catastrophic disaster for all Starry Skies, and if Lu Ye lived in such a realm, he would naturally hope for a divine savior to rescue its countless inhabitants.

As they traveled, the frequency and number of Star Abyss creatures they encountered noticeably increased. Previously, Lu Ye would not have encountered other Star Abyss creatures so easily. These were undoubtedly all creatures from the vicinity that had sensed the activity of the Star Abyss Gate. Whenever they encountered them, Lu Ye showed no mercy, slaying them all. After nearly a month of travel, he finally arrived at the location with Su Yan.

From a distance, they observed a mass of black mist condensing, twisting, and transforming in a certain part of the void ahead. This scene was somewhat different from the pre-opening signs of a Star Abyss Gate he had witnessed before. Lu Ye recalled that the Star Abyss Gate near Yin Luo had been shrouded in a mass of red light before it opened. But whether it was red light or black mist, these were ultimately just different phenomena; what remained constant was that a Star Abyss Gate would open in this place.

The Star Abyss Gate had not truly opened yet, but the number of Star Abyss creatures gathered here was already immense. Everywhere one looked, there were Star Abyss cultivators of various races, along with star beasts of different sizes. It was utter chaos! This was normal; it would be strange if there were no conflicts among so many Star Abyss creatures gathered together, especially since, for them, other Star Abyss creatures were resources for their own cultivation and growth. Back near Yin Luo, before the Star Abyss Gate opened, all Star Abyss creatures were in a state of chaotic battle. Only the Azure Palace remained aloof and undisturbed because Yin Luo and Elder Duan were strong enough that no one dared to bother them.

"This Star Abyss Gate should open soon," Su Yan said, looking at the scene and sighing faintly.

"What do you intend to do?" Lu Ye asked.

Su Yan was silent for a long moment before replying, "I'd like to ask Senior Brother to escort me. Once the Star Abyss Gate opens, I wish to enter that Starry Sky."

Lu Ye immediately understood. As the saying goes, 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' Su Yan intended to enter that Starry Sky and teach its cultivators how to resist the Star Abyss's invasion. Facing unknown dangers, without guidance, that Starry Sky would undoubtedly have to pay an extremely heavy price to gradually uncover the mysteries of Dao Enlightenment. However, with someone to teach them, it would be different; the elites among them could quickly gain the necessary capabilities to resist Star Abyss creatures. As for whether this invaded Starry Sky could ultimately be preserved, no one could guarantee it! Perhaps one day this Starry Sky would be eroded and shatter into fragments to merge with the Star Abyss, but at least someone would have tried.

"Can you enter?" Lu Ye asked.

Although Su Yan was of the Phoenix Clan, strictly speaking, she was also considered a Star Abyss creature. The Star Abyss's invasion was gradual, and the permeability of the Star Abyss Gates increased slowly. Initially, only the weakest Star Abyss creatures could enter a Starry Sky, with stronger ones only gradually gaining entry as time progressed. Su Yan, after all, was once a Dao Fusion expert.

"No problem," she replied. "After nirvana, my current strength is very low. As long as the Star Abyss Gate opens, I can enter freely." Su Yan's current cultivation was below the Sunlit level. Even if she recovered to the Sunlit level after a while, passing through the Star Abyss Gate should be no issue. This level of cultivation was top-tier in any Starry Sky. Once inside, her self-preservation would be assured. As a pioneer guiding that Starry Sky, as long as its cultivators weren't foolish, they would undoubtedly revere Su Yan like a deity and never dare to slight her.

"Alright, I'll send you in when the time comes!" Lu Ye nodded. The matter was quite simple; with his strength, if he merely revealed a bit of it, the Star Abyss creatures gathered there would not dare to act imprudently.

"But before that, we can't just wait around," Lu Ye said, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Do you have any ideas, Senior Brother?" Su Yan asked.

Lu Ye replied, "Currently, these Star Abyss creatures are in a state of chaotic battle. Since that's the case, why not add fuel to the fire and make them fight even more fiercely? The more of them that die, the less pressure you'll face later." As for killing all the Star Abyss creatures here, that was unrealistic due to their sheer numbers. They were continuously gathering from all directions; even if Lu Ye could eliminate the current batch, a second and third would arrive, unless he could stay here permanently like Yin Luo. But that was not realistic.

Su Yan's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Senior Brother."

"Between us, there's no need for thanks," Lu Ye said, waving his hand casually.

Su Yan froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing slightly. Lu Ye's words carried a hint of intimacy, which he might not have realized, but having feigned amnesia for days and constantly avoiding certain things, her mind was somewhat sensitive. Lu Ye didn't notice her unusual reaction; he was observing the chaos over there. To him, such a large gathering of Star Abyss cultivators was a rare sight; even the major battle zones within Banlan wouldn't amass such numbers. Even if ninety-nine percent of them were at the Dao Enlightenment level, their sheer numbers were overwhelming. Many in number meant many Dao Bones... His Dao power reserves had been significantly depleted by Su Yan's repeated borrowing during their previous battles. Although not completely exhausted, only a few thousand remained, a portion of which he had gained from slaying enemies recently. This was a perfect opportunity to replenish his Dao power. Therefore, what he was about to do would both help the invaded Starry Sky and benefit himself.