Chapter 2414: Under the Big Tree is a Good Place to Cool Down

In ancient times, more races than just the Crimson Race evolved from humanity. As a result, many human-like beings now exist throughout both the Starry Sky and the Star Abyss. At first glance, these races all resemble humans, but they invariably possess some distinct differences.

Lu Ye hastened behind Yuan Xi. They traversed several wormholes during their journey, and half a month later, Lu Ye had no idea where they were.

Initially, Lu Ye refrained from asking questions, but by now he could no longer hold back. "City Lord, what exactly are we going to do?" he asked.

Yuan Xi's demeanor clearly indicated a specific objective; otherwise, she wouldn't have traveled such a great distance. However, Lu Ye struggled to comprehend what a powerful individual like her could possibly be plotting.

"We're going to seize a Dao Integration Orb!" Yuan Xi declared without hesitation.

Hearing this, Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, a look of realization dawning on his face. If anything in this world truly interested Yuan Xi, it could only be a Dao Integration Orb. This is because a Dao Integration Orb serves as the core of a Dao Integration City. Only a city possessing an Orb is a true Dao Integration City; without it, it's merely an empty shell.

Yun Shiwang had previously spoken to Lu Ye about Dao Integration Orbs. It is said that the Dao Integration Orb was originally a supreme treasure of the Starry Sky, rumored to be capable of mobilizing the very Dao power of the entire Star Abyss. However, for unknown reasons, this treasure shattered, fragmenting into countless smaller Dao Integration Orbs. These fractured orbs are essentially shards of the supreme treasure and are considered a type of lesser artifact in terms of quality.

They cannot be refined or used by individual cultivators, so they function exclusively as the core of a Dao Integration City. Within the Inner Realm, conflicts and rivalries between Dao Integration Cities typically revolve around seizing each other's Dao Integration Orbs. This is because Dao Integration Orbs are graded; the higher the grade, the greater the improvements bestowed upon the Dao Integration City, and the more profound the benefits for its cultivators. City Lords, in particular, can often exert power far beyond their personal capabilities by drawing support from their Dao Integration City.

Since Yuan Xi intends to expand and strengthen Yuan Xi City, repairing the foundational framework of the grand formation within the city is merely the initial step. Most critically, she must acquire a Dao Integration Orb of her own. Only with a Dao Integration Orb would Yuan Xi City truly gain its soul.

Lu Ye himself was quite interested in Dao Integration Orbs. When Yun Shiwang had discussed them with him before, Lu Ye had imagined building his own Dao Integration City upon entering the Inner Realm, provided he accumulated enough resources. This would offer a natural base for cultivators from both the Starry Sky and the Kaleidoscopic Realm whenever they entered the Inner Realm.

However, his personal ambition to establish a Dao Integration City was a distant prospect. Since Yuan Xi harbored such an intention now, he could observe and familiarize himself with the process in advance.

"City Lord, we're not going to attack another Dao Integration City, are we?" Lu Ye couldn't help but ask, despite feeling it was unlikely, primarily because Yuan Xi often seemed somewhat unpredictable. He worried she might impulsively decide to lead him in an assault on another Dao Integration City. While Yuan Xi possessed immense power and would not fear such a confrontation, Lu Ye's comparatively fragile frame could never endure such turmoil.

"You want to attack another Dao Integration City?" Yuan Xi asked, turning to him with surprise.

Lu Ye was unsure how she had inferred that from his words, and immediately shook his head vigorously. "No!" he exclaimed.

"You startled me; I actually thought you had such daring," Yuan Xi said, raising a hand to pat her chest. After a moment's thought, she couldn't resist scolding Lu Ye. "Grand Marshal, you are now the most crucial elder of Yuan Xi City. At all times, your primary focus must be preserving your own life. Do not engage in dangerous endeavors. If anything were to happen to you, the development of our Yuan Xi City would suffer a severe setback."

This sudden display of concern caught Lu Ye off guard. He knew, of course, that Yuan Xi wasn't genuinely worried about him personally, but rather about the sole Grand Marshal under her command. Nevertheless, his expression subtly changed as he replied, "Your subordinate will bear that in mind!"

Yuan Xi nodded and handed Lu Ye a jade slip. "This is a star map of the Inner Realm. Take it and study it thoroughly. Many of the wormholes within are not fixed, so you can update it whenever you have the opportunity."

Lu Ye accepted it like a priceless treasure, quickly taking it. "Thank you, City Lord!" he said. His months of flattery had not been in vain. Had he not received this star map directly from Yuan Xi, Lu Ye wouldn't have known how long he might have had to wait to acquire one.

It truly was beneficial to shelter under a mighty tree. Lu Ye increasingly felt that becoming the Grand Marshal of Yuan Xi City by sheer chance had not been a bad turn of events. Now, if the sky were to fall, someone else would bear the brunt, and good fortune wasn't withheld from him. His journey into the Inner Realm had begun quite smoothly.

"Furthermore, remember the route we took to get here," she added. "Later, if we seize the Dao Integration Orb and get separated, you are to return on your own. Understood?"

"Understood," Lu Ye nodded, sensing Yuan Xi's immense confidence, as if it were impossible for her to fail in seizing the Dao Integration Orb once she made her move. To be honest, he still had no precise idea of Yuan Xi's true strength, only that it was formidable.

A Dao Integration City Lord can acquire a Dao Integration Orb through only two methods: either by plundering other Dao Integration Cities, or by seizing one of the Orbs that frequently emerge within the Inner Realm. Of these newly emerged Dao Integration Orbs, only a small fraction have remained hidden and undiscovered. The majority, however, are fragments that result from a Dao Integration City being breached and its core Orb splitting apart. For instance, when a Dao Integration City is breached, its Orb is not entirely plundered. Instead, it fragments into numerous smaller Orbs; only a fraction is seized, while the rest vanish into obscurity, reappearing elsewhere in the Inner Realm to be contested anew.

Lu Ye was unaware of the origin of the Dao Integration Orb Yuan Xi intended to contend for this time. He didn't even know how Yuan Xi had acquired her intelligence. However, given her extraordinary background, it was entirely possible she possessed her own intelligence channels.

Several days later, they finally reached their destination. It was, remarkably, a celestial marvel. From afar, it resembled a colossal beehive suspended in the void, riddled with countless massive orifices that plunged into unknown depths, imparting a profound sense of both immensity and peril.

Even though Lu Ye had never seen a Dao Integration Orb, he had, in fact, sensed peculiar power fluctuations emanating from this direction several days prior. Had he been alone, he would undoubtedly have been drawn to investigate the phenomenon. And that peculiarity grew more pronounced with every step closer. This was clearly the commotion caused by the emergence of a Dao Integration Orb.

Had he truly been alone upon arriving at such a place, Lu Ye would certainly not have ventured deeper, as he would have been unaware of the inherent dangers within. However, having accompanied Yuan Xi, there was naturally no possibility of retreating.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Xi suddenly spoke: "Grand Marshal, you remain outside and provide support!"

Lu Ye paused, taken aback. "Your Excellency intends to enter alone?"

Yuan Xi's lips curved into a smile. "Don't worry, I can operate more effectively by myself. You wait patiently outside; I'll emerge once I've seized the Dao Integration Orb."

In all his years of cultivation, Lu Ye had never been so openly treated as a hindrance, and for a moment, he felt a strange sense of unaccustomedness. Yet he did not insist, for Yuan Xi was correct. Many powerful cultivators from the Inner Realm, including numerous Dao Integration experts, must have converged within this celestial marvel. It was indeed more advantageous for Yuan Xi to proceed alone, as bringing him would only necessitate more caution.

"Then please be careful, Your Excellency. I will wait for you outside," Lu Ye said, a peculiar feeling stirring within him.

Yuan Xi acknowledged him with a sound, then surged directly towards the beehive, quickly darting into one of its orifices and vanishing from sight. Lu Ye moved a short distance away, concealing himself within an asteroid belt and suppressing his aura. For added security, he even manifested a clone of his talent tree, sending it far from the immediate vicinity.

The emergence of the Dao Integration Orb clearly drew many nearby powerhouses. After Lu Ye concealed himself, he observed from a distance and soon saw several more figures arrive in succession, surging into the celestial marvel. Shortly thereafter, another lone figure appeared. Within a mere three days, five or six waves of cultivators had entered the marvel.

Then, at one point, Lu Ye's pupils suddenly constricted as he witnessed a majestic city rapidly approaching their location. A Dao Integration City! He had no idea which Dao Integration expert's city this was, only that it had coincidentally arrived here.

Lu Ye couldn't help but frown. Yuan Xi's strength was undeniably great, but she was ultimately operating alone. While the previous competitors might not have posed significant issues, the sudden arrival of a Dao Integration City entirely altered the circumstances. Those with the qualifications and capability to construct their own Dao Integration City are never ordinary Dao Integration experts. Moreover, a City Lord, by relying on their Dao Integration City, can often manifest power far exceeding their personal might. Furthermore, was it possible there was only one Dao Integration expert within this City? There could be two, or even three... A formidable adversary!

Although he couldn't precisely gauge the full power of this Dao Integration City, Lu Ye knew unequivocally that it represented Yuan Xi's chief rival in the struggle for the Dao Integration Orb. If she could withstand the might of this City, she would have an opportunity to seize the Orb; otherwise, she would likely return empty-handed this time.

Being outside, Lu Ye had no clear understanding of what lay within. Given the circumstances, however, he dared not rashly intrude and could only wait quietly.

Then, at a specific moment, the peculiar power fluctuations reached their peak and abruptly vanished. Lu Ye knew in his heart that this signaled the emergence of the Dao Integration Orb. As expected, in the moments that followed, intense ripples of conflict erupted from within the beehive, which Lu Ye could distinctly perceive even from his hiding spot outside. This was undoubtedly the culmination of numerous powerhouses vying for the Dao Integration Orb. He carefully distinguished the energies but detected no trace of Yuan Xi's aura among them.

To claim he was worried would be false. Though he had spent some time with Yuan Xi, there was little genuine affection between them. Should any misfortune befall Yuan Xi, it would not have a significant practical impact on Lu Ye. However, if Yuan Xi were to genuinely perish here, Lu Ye would then have to embark on a solitary journey through the Inner Realm, which would undoubtedly introduce many uncertainties. Therefore, from his own perspective, Lu Ye hoped Yuan Xi would succeed. He was also eager to witness the profound mysteries that a Dao Integration City, once equipped with its Orb, would possess.