Chapter 2410: Mysterious Woman

Although the woman showed no discernible aura, Lu Ye could clearly discern that she was a Harmonizer. Moreover, she was very likely not an ordinary Harmonizer; otherwise, he wouldn't have been completely unaware of her arrival. While hiding in this dilapidated city, he had maintained constant vigilance over his surroundings, yet he had no idea when she had entered. Lu Ye's expression was solemn as his thumbs rubbed the Panshan Blade, wondering if he would be able to contend with her should a fight break out.

The woman, however, seemed oblivious to his evident hostility. She walked directly to a spot not far from Lu Ye, leaned slightly, and gazed at him with a smile. "A Harmonizer?" she asked. Lu Ye remained expressionless. "Or a Fusionist?" the woman asked again. Lu Ye still did not respond. As if she had already received her answer, the woman nodded slightly, straightened up, and walked past Lu Ye.

Throughout the entire process, Lu Ye remained tense, prepared for any sudden attack. However, even after the woman had moved away, the imagined assault never materialized. Where did this woman come from? Regardless of her origin, this was not a place to linger. This was merely a temporary stop for Lu Ye, seeking peace and solitude. Now that such a powerful individual had suddenly appeared, he no longer dared to stay. Although the woman had not attacked him or shown any hostility, who knew what she was truly thinking?

Lu Ye swiftly rose and darted outwards. From a distance behind him, the woman's joyous laughter suddenly echoed, though he had no idea what good fortune she had encountered. Lu Ye ran even faster. Instinctively, he felt there was something mentally off about the woman. After leaving the dilapidated city, with no specific destination in mind, Lu Ye chose a random direction and sped forward. What brought him a small measure of relief was that the woman indeed held no ill will towards him and did not try to prevent his departure.

The Star Abyss was vast, and a surge of ambition suddenly welled up within Lu Ye. He decided that his journey into the Inner Realm would begin now. Yun Shiwang had once overcome all obstacles to cultivate to the Harmonizer realm, and Lu Ye's starting point was far higher than Yun Shiwang's. His future achievements would surely be no less remarkable. While lost in boundless reverie, he suddenly sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching him. Lu Ye frowned. What was happening today? He had been in the Inner Realm for half a year without encountering so much as an insect, yet today he first met a strange woman, and now another powerful individual, likely a Harmonizer. The reason he suspected the latter was a Harmonizer was primarily due to the overwhelming strength of their aura. Lu Ye wanted to avoid them, but the opponent had clearly detected him and was approaching rapidly, making it impossible for Lu Ye to shake them off. Indeed, it was a Harmonizer, as their speed was significantly greater.

Moments later, Lu Ye stopped. There was no escape, so he would have to fight! He looked up to see a middle-aged man swiftly appear before him, glaring at Lu Ye with displeasure. "Why are you running?" he demanded. This question was utterly pointless. In such an environment, being pursued like this, who wouldn't run? However, since the man hadn't attacked immediately, it was clear he didn't truly intend to harm Lu Ye. Lu Ye composed himself and asked, "How may I help you?"

The middle-aged man raised a hand, and a lifelike image suddenly appeared in Lu Ye's vision. "Have you seen this woman?" he asked. Lu Ye took a look; what a coincidence. The image was clearly of the woman he had encountered in the dilapidated city, appearing as if she were standing vividly right before him. The middle-aged man clearly had some connection to the woman and had likely been pursuing her. However, he was unaware of any special method the woman possessed to conceal her aura, which was why he hadn't detected her despite being nearby at that moment.

Lu Ye immediately pointed. "There's a ruined Harmonizer city over there. She's inside." He sold out the woman without hesitation. After all, they were neither relatives nor friends. If someone asked him directly, and he knew the answer, he had no reason to conceal it. In fact, intentionally hiding information might provoke the other party. As for what would happen after the middle-aged man found her, that was no longer Lu Ye's concern.

The middle-aged man's eyebrows shot up. Clearly surprised to have found his target so easily, he reached out and grabbed at Lu Ye. "Come with me!" he commanded. He didn't fully trust Lu Ye's words. If they truly found the target, all would be well; if not, he would certainly direct his anger at Lu Ye. Lu Ye frowned inwardly at the man's reaction. He had pointed the way; it was one thing not to be thanked, but to then resort to force? What kind of logic was that? He didn't want a conflict, but that didn't mean he was genuinely afraid of the man.

Almost simultaneously with the middle-aged man's reach, the long blade at Lu Ye's waist was unsheathed. Dao power surged, a faint glow bloomed on the blade, and a brilliant flash of light vanished in an instant. Blood splattered! The middle-aged man had undoubtedly underestimated Lu Ye. He had always believed Lu Ye was merely a Fusionist and thus hadn't taken him seriously, only realizing his mistake when the blade struck. Although he reacted quickly and put up a defense, his hand was still injured. Having gained the upper hand with one strike, Lu Ye pressed his advantage relentlessly, lunging forward with a continuous flurry of blades, determined to finish off his opponent in one go.

However, after only three breaths, his expression turned grim. This opponent was far stronger than he had anticipated, especially after harnessing the surrounding Dao power, displaying capabilities clearly superior to his own. "Are you a Fusionist or a Harmonizer?" the middle-aged man asked, confused. He had never encountered such an unusual opponent as Lu Ye before. To call him a Fusionist, his strength was astonishing. To call him a Harmonizer, he showed no signs of controlling the surrounding Dao power. Everything Lu Ye displayed was his own true power. Lu Ye was fighting with all his might, yet the middle-aged man could still casually pose questions, clearly indicating who held the advantage.

This was indeed the Inner Realm! His first opponent here was so powerful; the pressure on Lu Ye was immense. He had indeed slain Harmonizers in the Starry Sky before, but those Harmonizers, once in the Starry Sky without the encompassing aura of the Star Abyss, couldn't exert their full power, which Lu Ye had exploited. Here in the Inner Realm, the environment was a natural battlefield for Harmonizers, whereas Fusionists like Lu Ye had no way to leverage the surrounding power. He was no match. If he continued fighting like this, he would undoubtedly be in grave danger within mere moments.

With this realization, Lu Ye immediately activated his Blood Sea Art. A sanguine glow manifested, and the Blood Sea unfolded. The middle-aged man suddenly lost sight of Lu Ye, yet he showed no panic. With a slight exertion of force, the Blood Sea dispersed. Looking up again, he saw Lu Ye scrambling to escape in one direction. Having just suffered a minor setback at Lu Ye's hands, the middle-aged man naturally wouldn't let him leave easily. Furthermore, the power Lu Ye had displayed moments ago puzzled him, and he was eager to understand the situation, so he immediately gave chase.

As they pursued and fled, the distance between them steadily closed. Until, at a critical point, the middle-aged man unleashed a fierce attack. Lu Ye clearly felt the danger approaching from behind and dared not delay, fully channeling his power to protect himself. However, as the attack landed, his protective Dao power, nearly six hundred layers strong, was instantly shattered. The next moment, Lu Ye felt a tremendous force strike his back, his chest swelled, his internal organs churned, and a mouthful of dark blood, mixed with fragments of his viscera, gushed out. Secretly alarmed, he knew the middle-aged man was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this powerful. Clearly, the man had not been fighting at full strength before. Now that he was using his full power, Lu Ye couldn't withstand it. It had been many years since he had suffered such a severe blow, yet Lu Ye became even calmer. Harnessing the force of the impact from behind, he increased his speed and plunged headlong into the ruined city ahead!

The moment he realized he was no match for the middle-aged man, he decided to flee here. The woman the middle-aged man was looking for was here, and it was highly probable they had a vendetta. Therefore, by leading the man here, the woman would inevitably have to fight him, whether she wanted to or not. At that point, he could find an opportunity to make his escape. This tactic of diverting trouble was his only way to resolve the crisis.

The moment Lu Ye rushed into the ruined city, he extended his divine sense to scan his surroundings, and then his heart sank. He detected no signs of life within the city. The woman... she was gone? He had only left half an hour ago; how could she have already departed? Just as Lu Ye was in a desperate state, the middle-aged man pursued him, launching another attack from a distance. Lu Ye clumsily parried, his condition worsening rapidly. He was sent flying high like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and sliding a considerable distance before finally coming to a stop.

He quickly got up and turned to look at the middle-aged man. The man walked towards him from a short distance, observing Lu Ye with interest. "Your strength is quite intriguing," he said. "Are you a Fusionist or a Harmonizer?" Lu Ye held his blade, remaining silent, secretly beginning to summon a talent tree avatar. If he couldn't face the opponent alone, he would have to fight alongside his avatar. The opponent was very strong, and even with the avatar's help, they likely wouldn't win, but self-preservation should be achievable. He didn't need to kill the man, only make him retreat from the difficulty. If all else failed, the avatar could escape first, and his main body would then seek an opportunity to teleport.

The next instant, Lu Ye's eyebrows suddenly lifted as he looked behind the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man, however, paid no mind. "Such petty tricks are just embarrassing," he scoffed, evidently thinking Lu Ye was trying to distract him. Yet, no sooner had he spoken than a clear, light female voice rang out from behind him: "What are you doing in my city?" Only then did Lu Ye realize that his initial failure to detect the woman was not due to his lack of strength, but to her extraordinary abilities. For when she suddenly appeared, even the powerful middle-aged man remained completely unaware. Had Lu Ye not been facing that direction, he too would not have noticed her.