Chapter 2362: Creating the Dao of Fusion

Novel:

Now that Tree Elder had awakened, intelligence transmission became simple, as his clones were stationed at key locations throughout the Starry Sky.

Any intelligence he received here would be immediately known by all his clones. Therefore, it wouldn't be long before the news of Lu Ye's return after his breakthrough to the Fusion Path, bringing a large contingent of reinforcements, spread throughout the Starry Sky, boosting morale!

"Tree Elder, the Banyan human race will be handed over to you for coordination," Lu Ye said, looking at Tree Elder. "I'll speak with them later."

With Tree Elder serving as an intelligence hub, entrusting the Banyan human race to him would ensure proper coordination, whether they were dispatched to other battlefields to eliminate enemies or sent to hunt down the Star Abyss extraterrestrials scattered across the Starry Sky.

"No problem!" Tree Elder readily agreed, then changed the subject. "But, young man, how are these Dao artifacts... crafted?"

Lu Ye shook his head. "I understand your intent, Tree Elder. I do know how to craft Dao artifacts, but the necessary materials are not found in our Starry Sky; they can only be found in the Star Abyss."

Having spent so much time with Nine Infants, Lu Ye had naturally inquired about the crafting method for Dao artifacts. Nine Infants wouldn't conceal this, as it was knowledge he had already disseminated within Banyan, so even if he hadn't told Lu Ye directly, Lu Ye could have learned it through other channels.

Gu Yunliu asked, "There should be quite a few Dao artifacts, right? Can we procure some from Banyan to equip our Starry Sky cultivators?"

"While there are indeed many Dao artifacts within Banyan, they aren't inherently sturdy and can easily be destroyed in combat if one isn't careful. So, the actual usable number isn't as high as it seems. The Banyan human race has nearly reached its limit in terms of Dao artifacts provided to support me this time..." He paused, then raised an eyebrow. "I'll think of another way; I should be able to gather a batch of Dao artifacts."

That's right, while the Banyan human race couldn't spare more Dao artifacts, the Giant Race and the Blood-Worm Race could!

He hadn't intended to interfere too much with Banyan's internal situation previously, so this possibility hadn't immediately occurred to him. However, now that the human race had already contributed personnel and Dao artifacts, it was only fair to balance the contributions from the other two factions, especially the Blood-Worm Race! A plan quickly formed in Lu Ye's mind.

In the time that followed, he focused on inquiring with Tree Elder about the situations at Mount Fangcun and Myriad Manifestation Sea, as his closest connections were in those two places.

As for Kyushu, there wasn't much to worry about. For the current Starry Sky, Kyushu and the Soul Race's ancestral land were of paramount importance, serving as incubation grounds for the rapid growth of Sun-Illuminated cultivators. The Soul Race's ancestral land was naturally concealed, so even if the Starry Sky were to collapse, no external enemies would disturb it. Kyushu, on the other hand, had cultivators of the Dao Integration realm stationed there year-round, ensuring that any invading enemy who inadvertently approached Kyushu would be swiftly eliminated.

After a long discussion, Lu Ye finally spoke, "Tree Elder, I can help with the plan to create more Fusion Path cultivators."

Tree Elder's interest was immediately piqued. "How do you intend to do that?" For the current Starry Sky, powerhouses at the Fusion Path level were crucial; as long as there was a Fusion Path cultivator stationed at each Star Abyss gate, the situation could remain stable. As for the future, they would have to take it one step at a time. The battlefort had already initiated this plan, but progress was slow. Lu Ye's proactive offer naturally filled Tree Elder with anticipation, as this young man was known for creating miracles.

"You'll know when the time comes, Tree Elder," Lu Ye said, keeping him in suspense.

"Then I shall look forward to it," Tree Elder chuckled.

"This undertaking comes at a significant cost, making it difficult to produce them in large quantities. Furthermore, Tree Elder, you'll need to help find suitable candidates in other battle zones."

"What are the requirements?" Tree Elder asked.

"Nine Paths of power, and a solid foundation, that's all."

"No problem, I'll start working on this immediately." While the requirements were not low, there were still suitable candidates.

"Additionally, I have some Dao patterns here, and I'd like to ask Tree Elder to help transmit them."

In the Starry Sky, cultivators no longer faced issues with advancing to the Dao Integration realm. The next major hurdle, however, was the Fusion Path, and the biggest challenge for Fusion Path advancement was Dao patterns. The numerous Dao patterns Lu Ye possessed could undoubtedly offer the Starry Sky cultivators more options for their cultivation.

Over the next few days, Lu Ye remained with Tree Elder. There were many Dao patterns on the Talent Tree, but not all were suitable as foundations for the Fusion Path. Lu Ye selected a portion, totaling ten Dao patterns, inscribed them onto jade tablets, and entrusted them to Tree Elder for safekeeping. He lacked the energy to create a place similar to Banyan's Dao Pattern Pavilion, so he could only use this rudimentary method. In the future, any cultivator wishing to advance to the Fusion Path could use Tree Elder's power to observe and study these Dao patterns, thus making their own choices.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, the Banyan human race is outside, seeking an audience." Just as he finished his tasks, Gu Yunliu approached.

"Let them in," Lu Ye said. The Banyan human race had come here because he had instructed them to a few days prior. In recent days, he hadn't just been discussing Dao patterns with Tree Elder; he had also made other arrangements.

"Tree Elder, shall we meet them?" Lu Ye looked at the bonsai in front of him.

Tree Elder's crown swayed slightly. "Of course!"

A moment later, Lu Ye emerged, holding the bonsai. Outside, a group of Dao Integration cultivators waited respectfully. Seeing him, Huang Cui'er, who was at the forefront, clasped her fist in salute. "By Master-Uncle Lu's command, 1,200 members of the Banyan human race are all present. Please give your instructions, Master-Uncle!" Of course, more than 1,200 Dao Integration cultivators had come this time, closer to 1,500 or 1,600. The reason they weren't all present was Lu Ye's instruction. The eradication of invading enemies in Phantasm Extinction couldn't be completed in a short time, so some personnel had to be left behind. As for the 1,200 individuals currently before him... they had other arrangements.

"Also, these are the items Master-Uncle requested." Huang Cui'er stepped forward again and handed a storage ring to Lu Ye.

Lu Ye took it, nodding slightly. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone!"

"Master-Uncle, you're too kind. This is our duty," Huang Cui'er replied on behalf of the more than one thousand cultivators.

These cultivators, who had been mobilized to fight enemies in the Starry Sky, were not without their benefits. For those from established families, their family heads had specifically instructed them before their departure to fully cooperate with Lu Ye without any defiance. This was because their families were in Banyan and might need Lu Ye's assistance in the future; by helping Lu Ye here, they would naturally receive rewards and recognition from their families upon their return to Banyan. As for cultivators not from families... the Dao artifacts in their possession were their payment! Under normal circumstances, ordinary cultivators of the Seven Paths would not be qualified to own their own Dao artifacts, but now they did. Who wouldn't want such a good deal: receiving a Dao artifact as compensation in advance just for obeying orders in a relatively safe Starry Sky?

Regardless of their family background, they executed Lu Ye's commands meticulously, without the slightest hint of negligence.

Lu Ye nodded and slightly raised the bonsai in front of him. "This is Tree Elder, an incarnation of a supreme treasure from our Starry Sky. From today forward, all of you, and any colleagues who join later, will operate under Tree Elder's unified command and deployment. Please remember, Tree Elder's orders are to be obeyed without question!"

At his words, the previous silence below was broken as everyone gazed at the small bonsai with astonishment and wonder. There were no supreme treasures within Banyan! So they had only ever heard of them, never seen one with their own eyes. They hadn't expected their horizons to be broadened today. Although this was merely an incarnation of a supreme treasure, it was still a supreme treasure. Upon closer inspection, it didn't look particularly special, but everyone knew that as a supreme treasure, it possessed boundless and unfathomable power, far beyond what they, as Dao Integration cultivators, could perceive.

"Young friends, your ability to gather here and assist our Starry Sky is truly noble; I am endlessly grateful..." Tree Elder's voice rang out, steady and sincere. In just a few words, he subtly elevated the more than a thousand Dao Integration cultivators present, making them feel highly valued without being overtly flattering.

As Tree Elder's voice continued, Lu Ye clearly saw many Dao Integration cultivators with excited and zealous expressions, as if they couldn't wait to go and fight the invading enemies immediately. Gu Yunliu stood nearby, and Lu Ye subtly glanced at him, observing that he remained perfectly still and calm, like an ancient well without ripples. Lu Ye secretly mused that longevity indeed offered advantages, and Tree Elder certainly had a knack for influencing people. Of course, this was also related to Tree Elder's identity as a supreme treasure. A group of Dao Integration cultivators who had never seen a supreme treasure were naturally flattered to suddenly receive a personal welcome from one.

Moments later, under Tree Elder's precise arrangements, over a thousand Dao Integration cultivators departed the battlefort. Approximately one thousand of them were to be dispersed to the three Star Abyss gates other than Myriad Manifestation Sea and the Celestial Star System, to cooperate with the Starry Sky cultivators in defending against invading enemies. The remaining two hundred were divided into teams to begin hunting down the Star Abyss extraterrestrials scattered throughout the Starry Sky.

These tasks carried little danger, as each cultivator possessed a Dao artifact. When the Star Abyss extraterrestrials' peak strength could only match their own, the Dao artifact's enhancement would undoubtedly give them a decisive advantage. Once these thousand-plus Dao Integration cultivators reached their respective positions, the entire Starry Sky should rapidly stabilize. As for Myriad Manifestation Sea and the Celestial Star System... those were beyond their capabilities and required Lu Ye's personal intervention. However, there was no immediate rush, as these two locations were personally overseen by Azure Bird and Dancer. Before the Star Abyss gates could allow Fusion Path cultivators to pass through, the enemies were unlikely to make any significant moves.

Led by Gu Sheng, Lu Ye arrived before a secret chamber in the battlefort. After knocking, he pushed the door open and entered.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, it's been a while." A figure rose, showing no surprise at Lu Ye's arrival, evidently having been informed in advance. "Brother Chen," Lu Ye greeted, cupping his fist. The person in the secret chamber was Chen Wulei. The Yellow Dragon Realm had previously had a plan to cultivate Fusion Path cultivators, and Chen Wulei was the only suitable candidate. This was because, in the entire Phantasm Extinction battle zone, he was the only one who possessed the power of Nine Paths; no one else did.