Chapter 2714: Future Fragments

The Phoenix Lord’s attention to Lu Ye was no less than the Dragon Sovereign’s, so she also noticed that something was amiss. She and the Dragon Sovereign immediately rushed over, and to avoid attracting attention, they deliberately isolated this area.

Lu Ye still stood motionless, his eyes vacant, but a closer look would reveal strange, flickering light and shadows within them.

"Dragon Sovereign, ever since the River of Time appeared just now, my brother-in-law has been like this," Zhu Yin said, appearing anxious. She had good intentions when she specially asked Lu Ye to observe the River of Time, but she never expected such an incident. She couldn't help but wonder if non-dragon lineage cultivators were forbidden from looking directly at it. If so, then her good intentions had truly backfired. Yet, there were so many cultivators present, and Lu Ye wasn't the only one without a dragon lineage. Everyone else was fine and had already retreated in an orderly fashion. Why was Lu Ye the only one affected?

The Dragon Sovereign intently gazed into Lu Ye's eyes. A moment later, his expression became stern. The Phoenix Lord, sensing something, whispered, "Could he have seen some fragments of time and space in this state?"

"Fragments of time and space?" Su Yan looked puzzled.

The Phoenix Lord explained, "Legend has it that the River of Time contains the past, present, and future of this entire universe. These manifest as fragments that compose the river. With the right methods and fortune, one can glimpse its true nature."

The Dragon Sovereign had previously used methods to peer into the River of Time, paying a heavy price for it. Even now, his vitality had not fully recovered. But that was the Dragon Sovereign's method. Lu Ye clearly didn't possess such a method, so if he had glimpsed any fragments of time and space, it must have been by pure chance.

"Don't disturb him!" The Dragon Sovereign raised a hand and gestured downwards lightly. He exchanged a look with the Phoenix Lord, both secretly astonished. Lu Ye's current state indeed indicated he had seen fragments of time and space. The only question was whether he had seen the past or the future.

Not long after, a mere few breaths, Lu Ye suddenly snapped back to his senses. His body trembled violently, and he staggered back several steps, his face etched with gravity and resistance. He involuntarily let out a low cry: "Absolutely not!"

"Lu Ye!" the Dragon Sovereign called out. Though his voice wasn't loud, it undoubtedly employed a certain dragon secret technique. As it reached Lu Ye's ears, his vacant eyes regained their focus. A warm, soft touch came from his hand. Lu Ye turned his head to see Su Yan standing beside him, holding his hand. She didn't know what Lu Ye had just witnessed, but his gravity and resistance were too obvious. He had clearly seen something he wished not to, and his firm refusal carried an unspeakable pain. This made Su Yan's heart ache.

Lu Ye turned his head and saw pairs of concerned eyes. Then he remembered the scene he had just witnessed.

"Dragon Sovereign..." Lu Ye quickly began, wanting to consult the Dragon Sovereign. What had just happened was too bizarre; Zhu Yin hadn't mentioned that such things could be seen in the River of Time.

The Dragon Sovereign, however, suddenly raised a hand to stop him. "Don't speak yet. I ask you, did you see the past or the future?"

Lu Ye immediately understood that the Dragon Sovereign must have insight into his recent experience. He quickly replied, "It was the future." It was definitely a scene from a moment in the future; he was certain of it!

The Dragon Sovereign nodded. "Then say nothing. Keep it to yourself." If what Lu Ye had seen was from a point in the past, he could speak about it, because what had already happened could not be changed. But since it was the future, it was different. The future is not set in stone. Any choice made at any given moment could trigger a significant change in the future. This change could be for the better, but it was far more likely to be for the worse.

Lu Ye instantly felt extremely distressed. What he had seen was something he absolutely did not want to happen and did not want to face. He had originally intended to ask the Dragon Sovereign for advice on the matter but had received this answer instead.

After a slight pause, Lu Ye frowned and asked, "Is the future seen in the River of Time destined to happen? Is there any way to change it?"

The Dragon Sovereign smiled. "No one can guarantee what the future holds. The future is constantly changing; what you saw may not necessarily come to pass. Of course, changing the future is also not an easy task."

Lu Ye looked thoughtful.

"Alright, the Tower of Time has closed. It seems you all gained quite a bit. Lu Ye, you've advanced to the Hedao realm, haven't you?" the Phoenix Lord interjected, changing the subject.

"Yes," Lu Ye nodded.

"Very good. Now that you've reached Hedao, you must cultivate even harder. For now, let's head back."

"Phoenix Lord, Dragon Sovereign, I have something important to report," Zhu Yin suddenly spoke.

The Dragon Sovereign turned to her. "Tell us, Yin'er."

Zhu Yin recounted, "During this opening of the Tower of Time, the Blood Lord of the Blood Race secretly plotted an operation against my brother-in-law. He dispatched many Hedao cultivators, led by Green Mantis and Blood Reversal, into the Tower of Time..." She slowly narrated the entire incident.

Upon hearing the initial details, both the Dragon Sovereign and the Phoenix Lord broke into a cold sweat. Even with Lu Ye standing perfectly fine before them, they couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. Although Blood Guilt had underestimated the Dragon and Phoenix races' regard for Lu Ye, even if Green Mantis and Blood Reversal had succeeded in capturing Lu Ye, they would have had no chance of leaving Dragon City alive. However, conflicts are unpredictable. If any accident had befallen Lu Ye during such a confrontation, it would have been an immense loss for both the Dragon and Phoenix races.

They finally understood why Lu Ye had advanced to Hedao. He had clearly been pushed to a desperate situation within the Tower of Time, forcing him to rapidly advance to protect himself. Upon hearing that Lu Ye had single-handedly slaughtered numerous enemies and even exchanged blows with Green Mantis several times, emerging unscathed, the Dragon Sovereign and Phoenix Lord both looked incredulous. Green Mantis was a Cosmos-tier City Lord, a powerful figure they both knew of. Could such a formidable expert truly be resisted by a newly advanced Hedao cultivator like Lu Ye? Had Zhu Yin not said it herself, they would never have believed it. After also hearing that Zhu Yin and the others had summoned many helpers to assist Lu Ye, ultimately annihilating Green Mantis and his group, the Dragon Sovereign and Phoenix Lord finally felt relieved.

"How audacious!" the Dragon Sovereign thundered in anger. "To act like this within my Dragon Race's Tower of Time, Blood Guilt truly has no regard for my Dragon City!" He looked at Lu Ye and reassured him, "Don't worry, young man, I will hold them accountable for this."

The Phoenix Lord couldn't help but frown. "How do you intend to hold them accountable?"

The Dragon Sovereign asserted, "I will declare war on his Blood Drinker City! I want to see if Blood Guilt truly is immortal!"

The Phoenix Lord said, "He's certainly not immortal, but killing him won't be easy. Moreover, once war breaks out, the conflict could engulf the entire inner realm." During the previous Snowfield conflict, everyone tacitly agreed to keep the situation contained below the Universe-tier Hedao cities. Even the number of Cosmos-tier Hedao cities involved was limited, precisely because they all had reservations about the conflict spreading too widely and becoming uncontrollable. If Dragon City truly declared war on Blood Drinker City, it would undoubtedly be a catastrophe for the inner realm. Because once Dragon City made a move, Phoenix Nest certainly wouldn't stand by. Blood Drinker City also had its allies, and at that point, it wouldn't just be a conflict between two of the Ten Greats.

"Why should I be so concerned about so many things when I act?" the Dragon Sovereign declared, exuding an aura of dominance, intent on helping Lu Ye vent his anger.

The Phoenix Lord sighed. "What would be the reason then? For many years, while there have been frictions among the Ten Greats, there haven't been any large-scale, substantial conflicts. If Dragon City suddenly makes such a move, it will inevitably provoke speculation. Lu Ye's experience in the Tower of Time isn't a secret; many Hedao cultivators know about it. If someone with ill intent connects these dots, Lu Ye will be pushed into the eye of the storm."

The Dragon Sovereign couldn't help but frown. To be honest, in his earlier rage, he hadn't considered this angle. If that were to happen, it wouldn't be good for Lu Ye. A newly advanced Hedao cultivator, previously unknown, suddenly gaining fame throughout the inner realm in such a manner would likely lead to him being watched wherever he went. This action, far from helping Lu Ye vent his anger, would instead bring him endless trouble.

"Let's destroy one of their Cosmos-tier cities instead. Conveniently, our clan recently pinpointed the location of one," the Phoenix Lord suggested.

The Dragon Sovereign looked at Lu Ye. Lu Ye's mood remained heavy, preoccupied by the scene he had just witnessed in the River of Time. Noticing the Dragon Sovereign's gaze, he said, "You two can decide. I am actually fine." Despite being targeted by Blood Guilt this time, not only was he unharmed, but he also gained immensely. Although it involved some risk, where in this world can one gain benefits without taking any risks? However, since the Dragon Sovereign had already made his stance clear and possessed the capability, Lu Ye was naturally pleased with the outcome.

"One Cosmos-tier city isn't enough," the Phoenix Lord said, winking at the Dragon Sovereign. "Let's open the Dragon Pool once. Lu Ye's significant assistance to the Dragon Race this time makes a Dragon Pool reward entirely appropriate."

The Dragon Sovereign understood and nodded. "Agreed! It's perfect since Lu Ye just advanced to Hedao; the Dragon Pool can strengthen his physical body and enhance his foundation." Opening the Dragon Pool was already something the two had discussed as a reward for Lu Ye's previous efforts. Bringing it up now had no other intent than to distract him.

"The Dragon Pool!" Lu Ye was indeed captivated, his eyebrows raising. He had long heard of the Dragon Pool's esteemed name. It was a secret location of the Dragon Race with extremely potent effects for strengthening the physical body. Traditionally, only members of the Dragon Race or dragon descendants who had made significant contributions to Dragon City were qualified to enter. While cultivating in the Dragon Pool to strengthen their physical bodies was important, there was also a great chance to enhance their own dragon lineage. Thus, the opening of the Dragon Pool was a highly coveted opportunity for all with a dragon lineage. Of course, those without a dragon lineage could also enter, but for them, it would only serve to strengthen their physical bodies.

Lu Ye had only recently advanced to Hedao. Although he had cultivated for over a hundred years in the Tower of Time, he had ultimately only achieved one resonance, making him a lower-tier Hedao. A strong physical body meant an enhanced personal foundation, which would be greatly beneficial for his future second resonance. Not only was he delighted by this opportunity, but Su Yan and Su Yun also looked pleasantly surprised. With the Dragon Pool opening this time, they clearly also had a chance to enter, and would undoubtedly all benefit from it.

"This matter is settled for now," the Dragon Sovereign declared definitively. "You all should go back and rest. Preparing for the Dragon Pool's opening will take some time; we will send for you when it's ready."