Chapter 2344: This is Just a Lunatic

Though the Winged Race individual grumbled inwardly, he dared not be careless. He was certain that if the Human soldier-cultivator across from him made a move, he would be the first target. Therefore, he wished to avoid any conflict with the other party at all costs.

He immediately adopted an even humbler stance: "Brother cultivator, please forgive us. Our strength is indeed inferior to yours. We humbly request you not to forsake us and to take us in. When the Gate of Star Abyss opens in the future, we will all be at your service."

The clone gazed at him indifferently, sending chills down the Winged Race individual's spine.

"Alright!" the clone suddenly declared casually. "However, I don't need so much trash. I'll take in half of you. As for the other half..." He left the sentence unfinished, a playful expression on his face.

But all the Fusion Dao cultivators understood what he implied. Because they knew, the expressions of the Fusion Dao cultivators changed accordingly. Their initial panic and apprehension slowly faded, and one by one, they looked calmly at Lu Ye. How could they fall for such a childish tactic of division? If they were that easily deceived, they wouldn't have reached their current level of cultivation. At worst, they would engage in battle. They were numerous, and although the Human sword-cultivator was at the peak of Fusion Dao, killing them would still exact a very heavy price.

"Just kidding, no need to be so tense!" The clone suddenly chuckled.

Many Fusion Dao cultivators, led by the Winged Race individual, couldn't help but frown. They felt that this Human clearly had some mental issues; such mood swings were obviously abnormal.

"Alright, from now on, we're all on the same side. Just do what you need to do." With a wave of his hand, the clone suddenly vanished.

The Winged Race individual and the other Fusion Dao cultivators helplessly watched the eccentric Human sword-cultivator before resuming their own killing spree. The Dao Entrance cultivators had no power to resist his onslaught. Even attempting to evade him was futile unless they fled far from the area. But in such a vibrant hunting ground, which Dao Entrance cultivator would be willing to leave? Even if some did, they would be very few, as any gains made here could far surpass the results of much arduous cultivation.

This slaughter continued for several days. No one knew how many Dao Entrance cultivators the sword-cultivator had killed. Though the other Fusion Dao cultivators found it unbearable to watch, they were powerless to intervene and could only let him continue his frenzy.

Then, at a certain moment, the Human sword-cultivator suddenly returned. He casually sat down and began refining Dao Bones, taking them out one by one from his storage ring. The group of Fusion Dao cultivators immediately felt uneasy, as if sitting on pins and needles.

Typically, a peak Fusion Dao cultivator, being the primary figure, would not stay with them, as there was no need. For instance, Yin Luo remained alone in the Azure Palace. Once the Gate of Star Abyss opened, she would be recognized by the Will of Star Abyss. With numerous Star Abyss creatures invading the starry sky until it shattered, even if she did nothing, the benefits she would receive would be her reward, unimaginable in scope. However, this Human sword-cultivator had suddenly come to stay with them. Given his previous behavior, the other Fusion Dao cultivators naturally felt uneasy. They suddenly felt that letting him continue his slaughter outside might not be such a bad thing after all, as it would at least spare them this constant apprehension.

But since he was already there, no Fusion Dao cultivator dared to say anything or show any unusual reactions, fearing they might provoke him and cause further trouble.

Abruptly, an unforeseen change occurred. The Human sword-cultivator, who was in the midst of refining Dao Bones, suddenly roared, "What are you staring at?" As his words faded, a flash of sword light shot forth. All the Fusion Dao cultivators were aghast. When they looked up, they saw that one of their own had been instantly slain!

"Brother cultivator, you..." The Winged Race individual glared at the clone, his face contorted in anger. He wasn't well-acquainted with the slain Fusion Dao cultivator, but the Human sword-cultivator's actions left him completely devoid of any sense of security. Who could tolerate such sudden, unprovoked violence and murder?

"He kept staring at me," the clone stated arrogantly. "I suspected he had ill intentions and wanted to seize my Dao Bones, so I preemptively killed him! Does anyone here have an objection?"

The Fusion Dao cultivators remained silent, and the Winged Race individual dared not utter another word. No one knew if the slain cultivator had actually been staring. Now that he was dead, what could the others do? Demand justice for him? That was out of the question.

"If you want Dao Bones, just say so; there's no need to be shy. I've acquired quite a few recently. Come, come, I'll share some with you." As the clone spoke, he took out a large quantity of Dao Bones from his storage ring, divided them into several portions, and with a wave of his hand, sent them to a few of the Fusion Dao cultivators.

The few Fusion Dao cultivators exchanged glances, truly perplexed by the sword-cultivator's intentions. The crucial point was that, aside from these few, the other Fusion Dao cultivators received nothing. And those who didn't receive any Dao Bones were precisely the ones who seemed to be closer to the Winged Race individual.

"What? Someone gives you something, and you don't even say thank you?" the sword-cultivator yelled again, behaving like a madman.

The few Fusion Dao cultivators who received the Dao Bones didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Still, who would refuse free Dao Bones? They were essentially a bonus. They all offered their thanks.

The sword-cultivator nodded with satisfaction: "That's better. Let's all get along well here from now on. If you need more Dao Bones, just let me know."

The Winged Race individual watched impassively, genuinely unable to comprehend the sword-cultivator's intentions. Was he trying to sow discord among them again? As the saying goes, "one worries not about scarcity, but about inequality." The sword-cultivator had an abundance of Dao Bones, so there was no need to only share them with a select few Fusion Dao cultivators. He could have given them to everyone, offering small favors to improve their general perception of him, which would have been a very cost-effective strategy. Yet, he chose not to. While these Fusion Dao cultivators could easily hunt for Dao Bones themselves, the sword-cultivator's actions undoubtedly made some of them feel uncomfortable. Even the Winged Race individual himself couldn't help but feel a sense of being underestimated. In essence, the sword-cultivator's approach seemed entirely self-defeating.

In the following days, this situation recurred several times. Each time the sword-cultivator distributed Dao Bones, he would only give them to the same select few Fusion Dao cultivators. The Winged Race individual, along with those who were closer to him, were completely ignored by the sword-cultivator. This left them all seething with indignation! Furthermore, while the sword-cultivator only offered small favors, with increasing frequency, the cultivators who benefited gradually began to show him respect. In the Star Abyss, strength commanded respect. The sword-cultivator was powerful enough, and now that he was treating them decently, everyone was naturally willing to defer to him.

The Winged Race individual gradually grew uneasy. If this continued, should the sword-cultivator eventually decide to target them, it would likely be difficult to recreate the initial unity they once shared. However, he dared not make any rash moves. The sword-cultivator provoked trouble without any reason; he was clearly a lunatic, and someone he couldn't afford to offend.

Days passed by in this manner.

One day, two figures suddenly appeared in the chaotic area: a Blood Race warrior with a long saber at his waist and a delicate, blonde-haired young woman. A period of slaughter ensued. This quickly drew the attention of many Fusion Dao cultivators. The Human sword-cultivator, of course, also noticed these two unwelcome guests. He stood there, stroking his chin with a look of keen interest, observing them from a distance. The other Fusion Dao cultivators also exchanged whispers, having noticed that the newly arrived Blood Race soldier-cultivator appeared to be a Fusion Dao expert with considerable strength. As for the blonde-haired young woman who remained by his side, no one knew her cultivation level. From beginning to end, she simply stood quietly beside the soldier-cultivator, showing no signs of engaging in battle. She only assisted in extracting Dao Bones after the soldier-cultivator had defeated an enemy.

"Hmph, daring to act presumptuously in my hunting ground! Hey, you there, go deal with him!" The Human sword-cultivator suddenly spoke.

The Fusion Dao cultivators, who had been quietly conversing, immediately turned their gaze towards him. The Winged Race individual's expression momentarily froze in surprise, as the sword-cultivator was looking directly at him. It was clear he was being told to act. What kind of logic was this? The Winged Race individual instantly felt annoyed. During this period, the Human sword-cultivator had been frequently venturing out to hunt for Dao Bones, killing Dao Entrance cultivators with great enthusiasm. Now that a Fusion Dao cultivator had appeared, he was unwilling to act himself, instead specifically telling the Winged Race individual to deal with it.

Before he could react, the sword-cultivator's face darkened: "What's wrong? You were so eager to pledge your service as a pawn earlier, but now that I ask for your effort, you're unwilling?"

The Winged Race individual's heart tightened, and he quickly stood up. "Brother cultivator, you misunderstand! I'll go at once!" Lately, he had felt the sword-cultivator was growing increasingly displeased with him, having fixed him with sinister gazes on several occasions. At such a critical juncture, he didn't want to provoke the other party; if he truly refused, the sword-cultivator certainly wouldn't let the matter rest. He had considered leaving, but the allure of the Gate of Star Abyss was too strong. Moreover, he reasoned that even if he couldn't defeat the sword-cultivator, with his own ninth-level cultivation, the sword-cultivator would not find it easy to kill him. That was why he had remained. Now, having been called out by the sword-cultivator, he had no choice but to comply. He secretly resented not being a peak Fusion Dao cultivator; otherwise, why would he need to endure such humiliation?

He flashed out, soaring towards the Blood Race soldier-cultivator who was engaged in slaughter. Reaching him swiftly, his heart seethed with anger, so he attacked without mercy. With a flutter of his gray-white wings, a vast expanse of gray light enveloped the soldier-cultivator. He was quite familiar with the Blood Race, having engaged them in battle numerous times. Since this was also a soldier-cultivator, he had no intention of fighting him in close quarters. He preferred to engage from a distance, believing that even if the Blood Race soldier-cultivator was strong, he certainly wouldn't be as powerful as himself. His plan was to kill him if possible, to vent his frustration, or at least defeat him. As for whether the opponent fled or stayed, that would depend on his own will and the Human sword-cultivator's decision.

The next moment, he was taken aback. Facing his full-force attack, the Blood Race soldier-cultivator didn't dodge; instead, he met it head-on. The Blood Race warrior's long saber swept out, unleashing brilliant light that instantly shattered his assault, and the distance between them rapidly closed. The Winged Race individual was horrified, realizing he had underestimated his opponent. He swiftly retreated backward, intending to widen the distance. As a member of the Winged Race, his speed was considerable. But while he was fast, the Blood Race soldier-cultivator was even faster. A burst of blood mist erupted around the Blood Race warrior, and the distance between them closed at a visibly rapid pace. In barely three breaths' time, their proximity reached its limit.

This... could it be another peak Fusion Dao cultivator?