Chapter 2454: Dao Pool

If one had to trace a reason, the only thing Lu Ye could think of was the bizarre experience he had when he first left the Hehe Realm. Something definitely entered his body at that time, but strangely, even the Talent Tree showed no reaction, and to this day, he hasn't noticed anything amiss.

Upon returning from the Hehe Realm that time, the first time Lu Ye saw Yuanxi City's Dao Integration Orb, he felt something was different. Later, he followed Yuanxi in attacking Liuguang City. When Yuanxi shattered Liuguang City's Dao Integration Orb, he instinctively managed to intercept many fragments of the Dao Integration Orb.

In that vast, unknown white space, there was also an old voice claiming to have been waiting for him for a very long time... Yet, it was clearly his first time entering the Inner Realm, his first time entering the Hehe Realm. Some things had traceable origins, but others left him completely bewildered.

Regardless, his ability to intercept fragments of Dao Integration Orbs was now fully confirmed. This would make it much easier for Yuanxi City to grow stronger in the future; as long as they could conquer enough Dao Integration Cities, Yuanxi City's expansion speed would be absolutely unmatchable by other Dao Integration Cities.

Yuanxi excitedly collected all the Dao Integration Orb fragments and then instructed Lu Ye: "Commander, have You Die stay to guard our city, and have the others come help."

"Yes," Lu Ye replied, acknowledging the order and quickly sending out the message.

Although Shenshuang suffered heavy losses in this battle, the Dao Integration City itself was virtually intact. Many items within the city were useful, and it was naturally time to collect the spoils of war. Having their own Integration Realm cultivators come over would also increase efficiency.

Yuanxi, meanwhile, headed straight for Shenshuang's treasury. Unfortunately, there weren't many valuable items left in the treasury. Although He Qu had heeded Fan Wu's advice not to shatter the Dao Integration Orb before fleeing, he certainly hadn't left behind the treasures in the vault.

A moment later, led by Yayi and Kuzhi, the city's Integration Realm cultivators rushed over and busied themselves everywhere, collecting everything that could be taken, whether useful or not.

Lu Ye didn't participate in this; he was currently squatting in front of a small pool, observing it with great interest. It was called a small pool, but it contained no water, only an extremely dense, visible aura of the Star Abyss swirling and surging within it. The pool wasn't large, about the size of a small pond, but it was very deep. Lu Ye estimated it to be dozens of *zhang* deep, almost penetrating the entire Shenshuang Dao Integration City. Its sides and inner walls were covered with intricate array patterns.

"Have you not seen a Dao Pool before, fellow Daoist?"

As Lu Ye observed, a voice sounded beside him. It was Fan Wu. Since Yuanxi had confirmed the Dao Integration Orb was intact, and Fan Wu himself was highly proficient in array formations, he naturally had value in remaining. So, although Yuanxi hadn't explicitly stated it, he was effectively already part of Yuanxi City, including the few Integration Realm cultivators who stayed with him.

Lu Ye had long sensed his arrival, so he wasn't surprised.

"I've seen them in the Outer Realm, but never in the Inner Realm."

Fan Wu's eyes suddenly showed a nostalgic look. "The Outer Realm... that was a very long time ago."

Lu Ye tilted his head and looked at him. "With your cultivation level, fellow Daoist, you should be able to return to the Outer Realm at any time."

Fan Wu smiled. "If one hasn't pledged allegiance to a Dao Integration City, then of course they are free. But once allegiance is pledged, one is no longer free. The Inner Realm is not a place where you can come and go as you please."

Lu Ye immediately understood. Just as Yuanxi had left some means of restraint in his Divine Sea when she tried to recruit him, every city lord should have their own contingency plans to prevent their subordinate cultivators from defecting. Of course, for Lu Ye, the methods Yuanxi had left at that time were useless; he could resolve them at any time. The reason he hadn't was simply because his interactions with Yuanxi had been quite good lately, and he didn't want to create any rift.

"The Dao Pools you saw in the Outer Realm should be different from this one. I, too, once encountered a Dao Pool in the Outer Realm."

"Indeed, they are different," Lu Ye nodded. In the Outer Realm, Dao Pools contain swimming fish-like entities, which are actually pure manifestations of Dao power. There are none here in the Inner Realm. The reason for this is the difference in the density of Dao power. Just as white mist appears when one exhales in winter, those swimming fish are the manifestation of the Inner Realm's dense Dao power permeating into the Outer Realm.

"What's the output of this Dao Pool?" Lu Ye asked curiously.

Fan Wu had spent many years in Shenshuang and naturally knew all about it, so he quoted a number.

Lu Ye was surprised. "That little?"

Compared to his expectations, the number of Dao Fish this Dao Pool could produce was not much.

"It's quite a lot, actually," Fan Wu smiled. "If accumulated over years, it becomes a very considerable number. It might not meet the normal cultivation needs of one Dao Integration cultivator, but it's perfectly fine for several Integration Realm cultivators. Moreover, generally, cultivators within Dao Integration Cities aren't extravagant enough to use Dao Fish for cultivation."

What he said was true. Although Lu Ye himself had just consumed a large quantity of Dao Fish, he was, after all, an anomaly. In the Inner Realm, no other Integration Realm cultivator had ever acquired so many Dao Fish at once.

"Can this Dao Pool be moved to our city?" Lu Ye asked.

Yuanxi had said that only Heaven-grade Dao Integration Cities were qualified to establish Dao Pools, because Dao Integration Cities below Heaven-grade didn't have sufficiently dense Star Abyss aura. Even if they tried to establish one, they wouldn't be able to condense Dao Fish. Heaven-grade was the most basic requirement. If this Dao Pool could be moved to their city, it would save a lot of trouble.

"No," Fan Wu shook his head. "Establishing a Dao Pool requires many valuable materials, and merely inscribing the array formations within it is no simple task. It's not a treasure that can be moved at will; it must remain where it was established. Unless we annex Shenshuang City, but unfortunately, our city's grade is probably not high enough right now, making it unsuitable for annexing Shenshuang."

"Annex?" Lu Ye showed a puzzled expression.

Fan Wu glanced at him and suddenly realized, "How long have you been in the Inner Realm, fellow Daoist?"

"Not very long."

"No wonder," Fan Wu understood. He had noticed Lu Ye seemed unfamiliar with some basic information about the Inner Realm, realizing he was a newcomer. "When a Dao Integration City reaches a certain grade, it can annex other Dao Integration Cities. For instance, if our city were to annex Shenshuang, the two Dao Integration Cities would merge into one, significantly increasing its size. It would then accommodate more cultivators, and its foundation would improve. In that case, moving this Dao Pool wouldn't matter. However, I observe that our city's grade isn't very high, and forcibly annexing isn't a good idea, because if the Dao Integration Orb's grade isn't sufficient, the city's size shouldn't be too large."

This naturally involves the issue of Star Abyss aura density. Dao Integration Orbs of the same quality, when placed in Dao Integration Cities of different sizes, result in varying densities of Star Abyss aura within the city. The smaller city will inevitably have a denser aura, leading to higher cultivation efficiency for its cultivators.

"Most of the legendary Ten Great Top Dao Integration Cities are immensely vast. Did you think they were built little by little? They all grew this way, through a process of 'the big fish eating the small fish,' annexing others step by step."

Lu Ye understood.

Fan Wu continued, "Getting back to Dao Pools, most Dao Pools in Dao Integration Cities are built to emulate natural Dao Pools. These man-made Dao Pools cannot be moved. However, if one encounters a natural Dao Pool and possesses sufficient means, it is possible to move that natural Dao Pool into a city. But looking across the entire Inner Realm, not many can achieve this. And if it were done, there would be a drawback."

"What drawback?" Lu Ye asked curiously.

"No one can guarantee how long a natural Dao Pool will last after being moved. It might dry up immediately after relocation, or it might endure for a long time. The birth of Dao Pools in the Inner Realm is actually a very mysterious phenomenon. Even the high-ranking, top Dao Integration cultivators have yet to fully understand its mysteries. There was once a Dao Integration cultivator who spent his entire life researching this, only to gain nothing in the end."

Lu Ye secretly sighed with emotion, realizing that the older one gets, the more knowledge one gains. In terms of experience alone, Fan Wu far surpassed him.

"Also, fellow Daoist, you just thought this Dao Pool's output wasn't high. Actually, there are ways to increase its output."

"Such as?" Lu Ye asked, intrigued.

Fan Wu smiled faintly. "If Dao Bones are thrown into the Dao Pool, the Dao power within them will precipitate out. This will naturally increase the Dao Fish output in a short period. Now, fellow Daoist, you should understand why so many Integration Realm cultivators in the city didn't dare to stay behind casually, right?"

Because staying carried too much risk. They might be killed, with their Dao Bones used for cultivation or thrown into the Dao Pool to increase Dao Fish output. They might also be captured alive and sold as slaves in the Hehe Realm. No one would willingly put their life and death into others' hands. Therefore, with the tide of battle lost, fleeing was the best option. Fan Wu, confident in his ability to survive and being elderly, was unwilling to wander tirelessly and live without a fixed abode, which is why he chose to stay.

"Besides that, there are other methods. I know of a treasure in the Inner Realm called the *Danqing Stone*. If placed in the Dao Pool, it significantly increases the speed at which Dao Fish condense. There's also a peculiar Star Beast; if captured and kept in the Dao Pool, it can similarly boost Dao Fish output."

"There's one more way!" Yuanxi's voice suddenly came from the side.

Lu Ye and Fan Wu both turned simultaneously.

Fan Wu bowed and saluted. "Greetings, City Lord."

Lu Ye couldn't help but glance at him, secretly admiring the old man's sharp perception. Having only met Yuanxi once, he had already accurately grasped her temperament.

Indeed, Yuanxi beamed. "Dispense with the formalities."

"Are you done, Milady?"

"Darn it, that runaway scoundrel took all the good stuff and left us with nothing but junk! Don't let me encounter him in the Inner Realm, or I'll make him regret it."

The scoundrel she referred to was undoubtedly He Qu. Seeing her look so utterly vexed, Lu Ye couldn't help but want to laugh.