Chapter 2351: Seeking

It was no surprise that Huang Chen knew this. Huang Zhihuan from the Huang family had previously entered the ruins, and Yan Hong was also present at that time. Upon Huang Zhihuan's return, he must have reported this information to Huang Chen.

"Now I can tell you," Lu Ye began slowly, "one of these two passages leads to an ancient herb garden, though there's nothing valuable left inside."

The family heads weren't surprised by this. Lu Ye had clearly already visited that herb garden, so what could possibly be left for them?

"As for the other passage... it's a portal."

"A portal?" Sun Baihan raised an eyebrow, a hint of a guess forming, and his expression became excited.

"Just as Family Head Sun surmised, that portal... is indeed the way out of Banyan!"

Despite having mentally prepared themselves, the family heads still couldn't help but gasp when Lu Ye unveiled this secret.

Only Yan Yao remained composed, as he had known about this for a long time.

Ancient legends spoke of a method to leave Banyan hidden deep within the ruins. This had been the goal of generations of Peak Dao Integration cultivators, as they could never achieve Dao Assimilation while confined within Banyan.

Despite this, they knew that Dao Assimilation existed beyond Dao Integration. For any cultivator, the most agonizing thing was knowing a path lay ahead yet being unable to reach it.

Why was the Dao artifact "Bifang" so important? It wasn't merely because it was stronger than ordinary Dao artifacts. No matter its power, it was only meant for Dao Entry cultivators; how much could it truly enhance their strength? Any Dao Integration cultivator already possessed comparable power.

Its significance stemmed from its connection to exploring the ruins. Regrettably, despite the efforts of countless generations, the secrets within the ruins had remained impenetrable.

That was, until Lu Ye appeared!

However, until today, they only knew that Lu Ye had deciphered the secrets deep within the ruins, but no one knew what those secrets actually were.

Now they understood: deep within the ruins, a method to leave Banyan was indeed hidden, because a portal passage connecting to the outside world existed there!

"This Boundless City is not a product of the ruins; it was brought back from the outside," Lu Ye added.

To conceal the origin of Boundless City, Lu Ye had consulted with Elders Chen and He, agreeing to publicly state that it had been brought out from the ruins.

This was why Elders Chen and He had remained stationed in Boundless City—to prevent outsiders from interacting with its inhabitants and potentially discovering information about the world beyond Banyan. Now that Lu Ye was being open with the four family heads, it also freed the two elders from their responsibilities. In the future, they would no longer need to remain there; it would be best for this immense Boundless City to be managed by the four great families.

The family heads were surprised once more, though this news was minor compared to what they had just heard.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, what must we do to leave Banyan?" Yan Yao asked.

Yan Yao had been waiting for this day since receiving Yan Zhixing's secret letter, and he was naturally a little impatient.

Lu Ye smiled faintly, "Are the family heads truly willing to leave Banyan just like this?"

Huang Chen frowned slightly. "What do you mean, fellow Daoist? Is there something unsuitable about us leaving Banyan?"

"There isn't anything terribly unsuitable. However, you should be aware that Banyan is constantly adrift. If you leave, unless you perpetually follow its drift, you will inevitably drift further and further away from it. Furthermore, after your departure, setting aside the loss of four peak Dao Integration cultivators for humanity and any potential impact on Banyan's overall situation, it's certain that once you leave Banyan, you will seek to advance to Dao Assimilation."

"Naturally!" Huang Chen stated firmly. "Throughout history, Peak Dao Integration cultivators within Banyan have dreamed of one day ascending to Dao Assimilation."

"Good!" Lu Ye nodded. "Then let's discuss the matter of ascending to Dao Assimilation! The path to Dao Assimilation is not as simple as you might imagine. It's not merely a matter of leaving Banyan with sufficient aptitude and foundation to ascend. This also involves the concept of the Outer Realm and Inner Realm!"

"Outer Realm and Inner Realm?" The family heads looked puzzled.

Lu Ye then meticulously explained the concept of the Outer Realm and Inner Realm, with Elders Chen and He providing corroboration. The family heads listened, greatly astonished.

No one had expected the Star Abyss to possess such a miraculous aspect.

"And according to the information we currently possess, if the family heads successfully ascend to Dao Assimilation, you will enter the Inner Realm. Even before that, you will frequently need to travel between the Outer and Inner Realms to comprehend the mysteries of Dao Assimilation. Therefore, whether before or after your ascension, you will be unable to remain in the Outer Realm for extended periods. And after ascending, you will fully transition into the Inner Realm."

Hearing this, the family heads all frowned.

They certainly desired to ascend to Dao Assimilation. Their original intention was to leave Banyan, ascend to Dao Assimilation, and then return to oversee their families, thereby ensuring their families' prosperity for generations.

But if things were truly as Lu Ye described, how would they be able to return?

They wouldn't be able to return at all.

As family heads, they naturally cared deeply for their clans. While there were other potential successors, if ascending to Dao Assimilation meant entering that Inner Realm, then they would need to deliberate carefully. At the very least, they would have to make all necessary arrangements within their clans beforehand and could not act so hastily.

As for Dao Assimilation... they would undoubtedly pursue it; it was their lifelong dream.

"What is your suggestion, fellow Daoist?" Huang Chen inquired.

Lu Ye replied, "To be frank, I have already made arrangements for Banyan's destination. I come from a starfield invaded by the Star Abyss. I plan to moor Banyan near the Star Abyss gate from which I emerged. This way, once the enemies near the Star Abyss gate are cleared, cultivators from my home starfield can pass through to Banyan to temper themselves, participate in battles across various war zones, and hunt the Insect and Blood races to acquire Dao Bones. Therefore, I suggest that if you intend to ascend to Dao Assimilation, you should now begin seeking candidates for the next family heads. Once Banyan is moored, you can leave and enter secluded cultivation. At that point, my starfield and the human race of Banyan will advance together, ensuring that even with a continuous departure of Peak Dao Integration cultivators, the overall situation will remain stable."

The family heads all nodded in agreement. Lu Ye's suggestion was clearly aligned with their own thoughts, indicating that he was genuinely considering their interests and was truly prepared to open the path for them to leave Banyan.

"Then, as fellow Daoist suggested, we will begin arrangements immediately," Yan Yao promptly responded.

Each family possessed numerous talented individuals, so selecting a successor for the role of family head would not be difficult. In fact, even without today's discussion, they had already been considering candidates for the next family head for some time.

"However, there is a problem now that requires your assistance," Lu Ye said with a serious expression.

Zhou Quan quickly stated, "Fellow Daoist, please speak. We will not refuse anything within our power."

"The Star Abyss is vast; I currently cannot find my way back. Therefore, I hope the family heads can help mobilize some personnel. I will send them out of Banyan to investigate nearby star formations, comparing them against the star charts I previously left, to find the correct direction and route."

Yan Yao and the others exchanged glances, completely unexpected that Lu Ye would be facing such an embarrassing predicament.

Not being able to find one's way back sounded somewhat comical, but within the Star Abyss, it was indeed a possibility. Even if they had never truly experienced the Star Abyss's immensity, they had at least heard stories about it.

Straightening his expression, Huang Chen asked, "Would Dao Entry cultivators be sufficient for the task?"

If Dao Entry cultivators were sufficient, the task would be far too simple. The number of human Dao Entry cultivators within Banyan was vast, so drawing out a portion would be straightforward.

Lu Ye shook his head. "The Star Abyss is fraught with peril. Dao Entry cultivators lack sufficient self-preservation capabilities, so Dao Integration cultivators would be preferable."

"If that's the case, then the number of personnel we can dispatch won't be very high." Compared to the large contingent of Dao Entry cultivators, Dao Integration cultivators represent only a small fraction.

"Of course, we don't need too many. Around a hundred to one hundred and eighty should suffice, provided it doesn't destabilize the major war zones," Lu Ye stated. In his estimation, this number of Dao Integration cultivators should be enough for the exploration.

"And they must also have some attachment to Banyan," Yan Yao added. This attachment, whether familial, friendly, or otherwise, was crucial. They couldn't have individuals who, once outside, would simply vanish and never return. This was a distinct possibility. Even if the chosen Dao Integration cultivators weren't Peak Dao Integration, Banyan had, until now, been a cage for all its inhabitants. It was not certain that those without strong ties would wish to return once they were free.

A few Dao Integration cultivators leaving wouldn't disrupt Banyan's overall situation, but it would impede Lu Ye's plan. What if one of those who left was responsible for exploring the correct direction?

"Gentlemen, I entrust this matter to you," Lu Ye said, formally cupping his hands. "Previously, I didn't disclose the method to leave Banyan, primarily because I worried that revealing this secret would cause internal unrest among humans. Furthermore, if too many Peak Dao Integration cultivators left Banyan, it would inevitably destabilize the overall situation. However, things are different now. As long as the correct direction is found and I can stably moor Banyan, then in the future, I can bring all Peak Dao Integration cultivators out of Banyan, allowing them to ascend to Dao Assimilation!"

Huang Chen nodded. "Fellow Daoist's considerations are thorough. Such a secret was indeed best kept unrevealed before now."

"There's no time to lose; we will gather personnel now," Sun Baihan said.

Yan Yao suddenly asked, "Should we inform the Giant Race about this? And ask them to provide some personnel to help?"

Lu Ye pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Let's not involve them for now. Once the news spreads later, they will naturally come to us. I can then have a proper discussion with them."

Speaking of which, although Lu Ye had been in Banyan for a considerable time, he hadn't truly had close contact with the powerhouses of the Giant Race.

Given this, he naturally preferred not to involve the Giant Race.

Furthermore, the Giant Race's sphere of influence extended beyond just their own kind, encompassing various other races. As the Giant Race was the most powerful overall, they controlled that side, making the situation far more complex than among humans.