Chapter 2416: People's Hearts Are Hard to Read

Therefore, one reason Liao was startled today was that, having reached its own limits, it encountered an Attuned Treasure!

This could be easily deduced.

The aura of the Attuned Treasure was undoubtedly the catalyst for Liao's breakthrough, but because there was no precedent, it didn't know exactly how to achieve it, only having some vague, wonderful sensations.

"Can you absorb the profound essence within the Attuned Treasure?" Lu Ye asked.

The fundamental difference between an Attuned Treasure and an ordinary Dao Weapon lies in the profound essence self-generated within the Attuned Treasure. Lu Ye didn't know what this profound essence truly was, but it was undoubtedly related to the ultimate treasure that gave birth to it.

"Want to try?" Liao seemed eager to give it a try.

Lu Ye immediately drew his Panshan Blade and then took out the Attuned Treasure ruler he had previously seized. He placed the two Attuned Treasures crossed together and waited with anticipation.

Liao's ability to break through was undoubtedly an unexpected surprise for him, because, according to the information he now possessed, his own Dao Weapon would play a crucial and direct role in his future promotion to the Conjoining Dao Realm, and even in the full exertion of his strength after the promotion.

Therefore, the stronger the Dao Weapon, the greater one's power in the Conjoining Dao Realm. This was the very foundation of Conjoining Dao.

This was also why, when he was trading with Hai Chen and Bu Luo Mou back at the Star Abyss Gate, these two peak Merging Dao cultivators readily agreed. For them, while shattering the star void could offer a shortcut to ascending to the Conjoining Dao Realm, the power gained from such a Conjoining Dao would be considered the lowest tier. However, if they had an Attuned Treasure and used it for Conjoining Dao, the situation would be entirely different.

If Liao could break through to the Attuned Treasure level, its future assistance to Lu Ye would be immeasurable.

As he waited in anticipation, Liao's voice came: "No!"

Lu Ye wasn't disappointed; he knew things wouldn't be that simple. The Weapon Race clearly didn't possess the ability to devour the profound essence of Attuned Treasures.

"Then think, what should we do?" Lu Ye tried to guide it. "Think carefully about how it felt at the time!"

Liao fell into contemplation.

A moment later, it said: "Try chopping it?"

Without a word, Lu Ye swung his blade towards the ruler. This strike was an explosion of Lu Ye's full power; amplified by the six-layered Divine Edge Dao patterns, the Panshan Blade was enveloped in a faint glow.

Sparks flew in all directions, the ruler remained unharmed, and the Panshan Blade suffered no damage either.

Although it had no master controlling it, this ruler was, after all, an Attuned Treasure, and naturally not so easily cut. In fact, Attuned Treasures themselves were very difficult to destroy. They were treasures, but more like a crystallization of power, the root of which lay in the ultimate treasure that gave birth to them.

"No feeling," Liao spoke again.

Lu Ye was helpless; he had no clue how the Weapon Race was supposed to break through. This matter could only be thought out by Liao itself, and as its master, all he could do was cooperate with Liao's ideas.

Currently, Liao couldn't devour the profound essence within the Attuned Treasure, nor could it cut the Attuned Treasure. It didn't even know what to do itself.

"Ah, ah, ah, this is so troublesome!" Liao seemed a little distraught.

Lu Ye consoled it, "Don't rush. You are already considered the first of the Weapon Race in the Star Void. In the future, the Star Void might nurture other Weapon Races. As an elder, if you can forge a path through hardships for future generations, then they will have a direction to follow. Of course, don't put too much pressure on yourself. We have plenty of time. If you have any ideas, let me know anytime."

Time was indeed abundant. He wouldn't be advancing to the Conjoining Dao Realm anytime soon; as long as Liao could advance before he did, that would suffice.

"Mm," Liao responded with a muffled sound.

When Lu Ye returned to his previous hiding spot, the battle situation there had already changed dramatically.

He then realized something.

There wasn't just one Conjoining Dao Pearl!

If there had only been one, this place would have been empty long ago; why would the fighting still be so fierce?

As for how many there were, Lu Ye didn't know. In any case, he had already obtained one.

Looking around, various large and small battle groups outside the Phoenix Nest were fighting intensely. Most were Merging Dao cultivators, while a few Conjoining Dao cultivators were also locked in one-on-one combat.

Lu Ye's gaze swept around, but he found no trace of Yuan Xi.

He frowned inwardly. Although he hadn't been gone for long, if Yuan Xi had left during that time, he would have no way of knowing. For a moment, he didn't know whether he should continue to stay.

On second thought, Yuan Xi was a Conjoining Dao cultivator, and from their previous interactions, she seemed to be no ordinary one. In a situation like this, her ability to survive was far greater than his own.

He didn't need to worry about her at all.

Furthermore, even if Yuan Xi were to genuinely die in battle here, it wouldn't be any real loss to him.

So the top priority was to get away from this problematic place. Anyway, he had already obtained a Conjoining Dao Pearl, and even without Yuan Xi in the future, he could use this pearl to seek refuge in a good Conjoining Dao City and receive favorable treatment.

In the short term, he had no intention of building his own Conjoining Dao City. Firstly, his cultivation realm wasn't high enough; secondly, he was unfamiliar with the place, and much of his knowledge was hearsay; and he also lacked the financial resources and capability.

It wouldn't be too late to make plans after he had advanced to the Conjoining Dao Realm later.

Having made up his mind, Lu Ye was about to leave immediately.

Just then, a familiar figure suddenly flew out from within the Beehive Wonder. Who else could it be but Yuan Xi?

He didn't know what good fortune she had encountered, but her face was full of radiant smiles.

Lu Ye mused to himself, "Could it be that this woman snatched a Conjoining Dao Pearl from inside? Otherwise, why would she be smiling like a blooming flower?"

If that was the case, then Yuan Xi City's gain this time would be considerable. The entire Yuan Xi City had only two people, from top to bottom, each holding an important position, and this expedition resulted in two Conjoining Dao Pearls, which could be described as a complete harvest.

As he was thinking this, Lu Ye's expression hardened, because right behind Yuan Xi, a huge Conjoining Dao City suddenly burst out—it was precisely the one he had seen earlier.

At this very moment, a series of fierce attacks from the Conjoining Dao City blasted towards Yuan Xi. Most of them she easily dodged, and the few she couldn't avoid she blocked with her techniques!

Lu Ye watched, dazzled and enthralled, finally witnessing Yuan Xi's power firsthand.

Conjoining Dao cultivators with a Conjoining Dao City versus those without one had completely different levels of power exertion. Even the weakest Conjoining Dao City could boost a Conjoining Dao cultivator's strength by about ten percent. If there were other cultivators assisting within the Conjoining Dao City, that boost would be even greater.

So, judging from the current situation, Yuan Xi's strength significantly surpassed that of the Conjoining Dao City's lord; otherwise, she wouldn't dare confront the entire Conjoining Dao City alone.

However, on the surface, although Yuan Xi wasn't in great danger, she was actually at a disadvantage.

The Star Abyss aura all around was constantly in a state of turmoil, which was due to the numerous Conjoining Dao cultivators controlling and mobilizing it.

Once Yuan Xi emerged from the Beehive Wonder, she immediately fled into the distance. The Conjoining Dao City pursued closely; it was unclear what grudge or enmity existed between them.

In such a situation, Lu Ye naturally dared not seek out Yuan Xi.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Xi turned her head and looked in his direction, then playfully winked at him, and casually threw a box towards him, calling out sweetly, "Commander, take this and run!"

Lu Ye's expression darkened!

He naturally knew what was in that box. If his previous guess was correct, Yuan Xi must have snatched a Conjoining Dao Pearl, and during this time, she had some conflicts with that Conjoining Dao City; it was very likely she had snatched it from them.

This thing was indeed a treasure, but for Lu Ye at the moment, it was nothing but a hot potato.

He wasn't sure what Yuan Xi's mindset was in handing this treasure to him. Didn't Yuan Xi know the consequences if he took that box?

This was practically asking him to die!

He had previously thought Yuan Xi was decent, but now he realized that one could never truly know another's heart; in the face of sufficient profit, anything could be abandoned.

As for him, the Commander, in Yuan Xi's eyes, he was very likely just bait to divert trouble!

No wonder she brought him here and specifically made him wait outside. It turned out Yuan Xi had always intended to use him.

There was no resentment, no anger. He and Yuan Xi had no real relationship to begin with. Previously, he hadn't cared about Yuan Xi's life or death, and now it was Yuan Xi's turn not to care about his life or death.

But he could choose to cooperate or not!

So, almost at the same instant the box flew in front of him, Lu Ye dodged to the side, letting it fly off into the distance.

On the other side, after Yuan Xi threw the box, she quickly fled into the distance. The Conjoining Dao City pursued closely, but from within the Conjoining Dao City, a figure flew out!

The lord of this Conjoining Dao City was undoubtedly a shrewd individual. He couldn't be sure whether the box Yuan Xi threw contained a Conjoining Dao Pearl, so he didn't give up on pursuing her, while also sending someone to Lu Ye's location.

The one who flew out from the Conjoining Dao City was an old man with white hair. From a distance, he sent a palm strike towards Lu Ye, and the surrounding void Dao power surged.

A Conjoining Dao cultivator!

Lu Ye only felt a surge of immense power assault him head-on. In haste, he could only activate his Dao power to protect himself, and his body was sent flying.

He was secretly alarmed; the opponent was incredibly strong!

Against a Merging Dao cultivator like himself, the old man clearly hadn't used his full power. Yet even so, Lu Ye barely managed to block that casual strike.

If he had used his full power, Lu Ye certainly wouldn't have been able to contend!

Just as he stabilized himself, he suddenly felt a sharp gaze fall upon him.

Lu Ye turned his head and saw the old man standing not far away, staring at him ominously: "Hand over the Conjoining Dao Pearl, and I'll spare your life!"

In his hand, he held the box Yuan Xi had just thrown, but it was already broken. And inside the box... there was nothing!

Lu Ye's anger turned into laughter.

On one hand, he was annoyed with himself for being so mistaken, for thinking Yuan Xi was simple-minded and would genuinely entrust a Conjoining Dao Pearl to his keeping.

On the other hand, he was annoyed at the old man's blindness.

He hadn't had any actual physical contact with the box just now; even if there was a Conjoining Dao Pearl inside, it couldn't possibly be on him. Yet, the old man was now demanding it from him.

He had clearly misunderstood something, or was convinced that Lu Ye had somehow taken the Conjoining Dao Pearl.

Wait...

Lu Ye suddenly realized he did indeed have a Conjoining Dao Pearl on him. If that were discovered, he wouldn't be able to explain himself even if he had a hundred mouths.

Lu Ye didn't intend to waste words with the old man.

In fact, almost the instant he had stabilized himself, he had already made up his mind to get away from this place.

Void Dao patterns formed around him, spatial ripples undulated around his body, and his figure quickly blurred.