Chapter 2377: Hai Chen (With Notice)

Lu Ye naturally didn't need to get involved in cleaning up the post-war mess. After giving a few instructions to Hua Ci, he instantly appeared before the Star Abyss Gate.

Originally, his plan was to seize this opportunity to resolve the troubles on the Myriad Manifestations Sea side in one fell swoop. Had it not been for the unexpected turn of events, this plan would very likely have succeeded. With a powerful expert like him blocking the Star Abyss Gate, as long as his Dao power reserves were sufficient, he could have annihilated any number of enemies who came through.

However, human schemes are ultimately no match for divine plans. He hadn't expected his identity as a Child of the Star Abyss to become a restraint. Within the range enveloped by the Star Abyss's aura, his extensive slaughter undoubtedly hindered the Star Abyss's invasion of the starry sky. Unintentionally, he triggered an unknown rule, which brought down punishment upon him, the "rebellious son." Fortunately, he was immensely powerful.

But the plan was thus aborted. News from this side must have already reached the Star Abyss; the absence of further enemy invasion was the best proof. In fact, if the enemies had truly continued their previous invasion pace, Lu Ye genuinely wouldn't have known what to do. If he continued to kill, similar punishments would surely keep coming. The first punishment might have been just a warning, but if he persisted, who knew what the consequences would be? One could say that the current situation was favorable for Lu Ye.

However, the trouble on the Myriad Manifestations Sea side still needed to be resolved. And to resolve it, there was only one way: he had to personally go to the Star Abyss!

At this very moment, chaos reigned among the creatures of the Star Abyss. Hai Chen, in particular, was seething with rage. By now, he knew perfectly well that he had fallen for the starry sky's trick. The so-called Blood Clan Integration and the Butterfly Star Beast were clearly working together. In this battle, his subordinates suffered countless casualties. Fortunately, the enemy's arrangements seemed to have gone awry, allowing subsequent news to reach their side. Otherwise, if those tens of thousands of creatures had charged in, it would likely have been a suicidal venture.

While furious, he also felt a chilling dread. Even as a peak Dao Integration expert, he couldn't have caused such immense slaughter in such a short time! It wasn't a lack of power; it was insufficient Dao power reserves. The opposing starry sky was merely one entity, yet how did it manage such a feat?

As he pondered this, he suddenly felt a stir and looked towards the Star Abyss Gate. A figure abruptly appeared there—a human, with a long saber at his waist. From his stance, he seemed to be a martial cultivator. The moment he appeared, his deep gaze landed directly on Hai Chen. The instant their eyes met, Hai Chen's heart sank, and a sense of crisis instinctively arose within him.

This human... was very strong! For a powerful expert like him to feel a sense of crisis, the opponent must undoubtedly be at the peak of Dao Integration. But how could a single starry sky possess a peak Dao Integration expert? Considering the Butterfly Star Beast and the Blood Clan Integration, what exactly was the situation with the opposing starry sky?

At such a critical juncture, a human suddenly emerging from the Star Abyss Gate naturally drew attention. Not only Hai Chen, but also countless Star Abyss creatures noticed him. Gradually, tens of thousands of gazes converged on him. Lu Ye paid no heed, walking directly towards Hai Chen, and soon arrived before him.

Hai Chen felt a tremor in his heart. From afar, he had only sensed the human's strength, but only when the opponent came close did he realize the extent of that power, which now exerted a palpable pressure on him.

Not daring to be negligent, Hai Chen asked with a grave expression, "How should I address you, fellow Daoist?"

"Lu Ye!"

"Fellow Daoist... are you from the starry sky?" Although he was almost certain of this fact, Hai Chen couldn't help but ask.

Lu Ye did not answer, merely gazing at him calmly, "Hai Chen, do you want to die or live?"

Hai Chen's pupils constricted. He was certain he had never interacted with this human martial cultivator named Lu Ye before, nor had they even met. Yet, the other party had called out his name without hesitation. Although a sense of wariness arose in his heart, he was still a peak Dao Integration expert, and with tens of thousands of his subordinates watching, he naturally had to maintain his dignity. He immediately replied with a stiff expression, "Fellow Daoist, you speak with great arrogance!"

"Care to try?" Lu Ye slightly raised his chin, an untamed look on his face. "If I challenge you now, you won't be able to refuse, but your outcome might not be too favorable!"

Hai Chen almost blurted out, "Try me!" Even if the opponent truly was a peak Dao Integration expert, he wouldn't be afraid. He was also at that level; while the opponent might indeed be stronger than him, killing him wouldn't be so simple. Yet, the words caught in his throat. He recalled the loss of several thousand of his subordinates in such a short span of time. The opposing starry sky was somewhat strange and couldn't be judged by common sense.

"Fellow Daoist, your words are rather disrespectful towards others, aren't they?" Hai Chen snorted coldly, his face displeased.

How could Lu Ye not see through his feigned bravado? The purpose of his demonstration had been achieved, and now it was time to proceed with his plan. Moreover, this Hai Chen was no fool; if he were simple-minded and easily provoked by a single sentence, he would have accepted the challenge directly. On the contrary, such a clever person was a worthy partner for cooperation.

"There's no need to be displeased, fellow Daoist. I came here today to discuss a business proposition with you."

"Business?" Hai Chen was bewildered. Someone wanted to discuss business in the Star Abyss? For a moment, he wondered if this human had lost his mind.

"This business concerns the opposing starry sky..." Lu Ye said mysteriously.

Hai Chen's interest was immediately piqued. What was this about? Was this Lu Ye not a cultivator from the starry sky? Furthermore, one thing had puzzled him from the start: Lu Ye was definitely a Dao Integration expert, but if so, how had he emerged from the Star Abyss Gate? The Star Abyss Gate, as it currently was, should not allow Dao Integration experts to pass through.

"What do you wish to discuss, fellow Daoist?" Hai Chen suppressed his doubts, deciding to listen to what Lu Ye had to say first.

Lu Ye remained silent, merely turning his head to look at the numerous Dao Integration experts standing behind Hai Chen. These experts had gathered here, drawn by the Star Abyss's summons, but at this stage, they were theoretically considered Hai Chen's subordinates. If they successfully invaded the starry sky in the future, a portion of their merits would be credited to Hai Chen.

Lu Ye's meaning was so obvious; how could Hai Chen not understand? Without showing any apprehension, he waved his hand and said, "All of you, step back!" In any case, battles were not permitted here, unless Lu Ye was challenging his position as the overseer. If that were truly the case, no matter how many people stood by him, they wouldn't be able to help. The many Dao Integration experts immediately retreated to a distance.

"Now can you speak?" Hai Chen asked, a hint of impatience in his voice.

Lu Ye got straight to the point: "Fellow Daoist, do you desire Sub-treasures?"

The original plan could no longer be executed, so he had to switch to another. However, if this new plan was to be implemented, Hai Chen's cooperation would be essential. Yet, it was no easy feat to sway a peak Dao Integration expert. After much consideration, Lu Ye concluded that only Sub-treasures could truly appeal to him. If Hai Chen was unwilling, it wouldn't matter. He would kill him, find another overseer, and continue the discussion. There would always be someone willing. Of course, other overseers lacked Hai Chen's strength, and their positions might be unstable, potentially being replaced by another Dao Integration expert one day. Therefore, Hai Chen remained the top priority for cooperation.

"Sub-treasures!" Hai Chen's eyes lit up. For a peak Dao Integration expert who had reached their limit and could only advance by promoting to Dao Confluence, there weren't many things left in the world that could genuinely interest them. Sub-treasures were an exception.

Lu Ye's understanding and knowledge of Sub-treasures had grown incrementally. Initially, he thought Sub-treasures merely boosted a cultivator's single strand of Dao power. If that were the case, Sub-treasures would be practically useless for Dao Integration experts, though somewhat beneficial for Dao Initiation cultivators, as a one-strand power increase was quite significant for those at the peak of nine strands. However, he later learned that Sub-treasures could be nurtured into Dao Weapons. The reason why Ri Yan was so powerful during the Child of the Star Abyss conflict was precisely because he possessed a Sub-treasure Dao Weapon, allowing him to display strength surpassing that of ordinary peak Dao Integration experts. Only later did he gradually understand that Sub-treasures were also immensely useful for Dao Confluence experts! But those were things beyond his current level; with insufficient strength, he couldn't access them for now. However, not having eaten pork didn't mean he hadn't seen a pig run.

As expected, mentioning Sub-treasures immediately piqued Hai Chen's interest. His gaze immediately fell upon Lu Ye's Mountain-Shattering Saber, clearly a misunderstanding. He quickly withdrew his gaze and eagerly asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you mean that starry sky possesses a Supreme Treasure?" Sub-treasures could only be nurtured from Supreme Treasures, so if there were Sub-treasures, there must certainly be Supreme Treasures.

"Of course," Lu Ye nodded. Not all starry skies contained Supreme Treasures; many had never given birth to one. Why were Dao Integration cultivators willing to wait decades outside the Star Abyss Gate to invade a starry sky? Their biggest objective was actually to contend for any potential Sub-treasures! They had no designs on Supreme Treasures, as those were beyond their coveting or refining capabilities. But Sub-treasures were different; if they could acquire one in a starry sky, their strength would increase significantly, making them even stronger after advancing to Dao Confluence, and even increasing their chances of achieving that promotion.

Learning that the opposing starry sky possessed a Supreme Treasure, Hai Chen was clearly delighted. He glanced at Lu Ye, "Please enlighten me, fellow Daoist, how can I obtain a Sub-treasure?"

"I'll give you one."

"What?" Hai Chen hadn't heard clearly, or rather, he couldn't believe his ears.

"If you want one, I'll give you one," Lu Ye repeated. "There's more than one Sub-treasure in that starry sky; there are many."

Hai Chen, however, grew wary. As the saying goes, "Unsolicited kindness hides ill intent." He and Lu Ye had never met before, so why would a Sub-treasure be given away so casually? Combining this with Lu Ye's previous demeanor and the information revealed in his words, he frowned and asked, "But I wonder, fellow Daoist, what do you need me to do?"

"Let's not discuss what I need you to do yet. If fellow Daoist Hai Chen is willing, why don't we have a sparring match first? Otherwise, anything I say would be useless."

Lu Ye's repetition of his earlier point made Hai Chen somewhat annoyed. "Fellow Daoist, are you truly confident you can defeat me?"

"Come!" As Lu Ye spoke, he flashed away towards the distance.

Hai Chen frowned. He wasn't afraid of Lu Ye setting an ambush there. He had personally witnessed Lu Ye emerging from the Star Abyss Gate, so there could be no ambush here. The reason for moving away was that near the Star Abyss Gate, no combat was allowed unless Lu Ye was challenging his authority as the overseer. If that were truly the case, no matter how many people stood by him, they wouldn't be able to help.