Chapter 2773: Enter the Island

By Cloud-Piercer Island, numerous figures surged out of the Blood River, attacking relentlessly, one after another. Xia He found it increasingly difficult to resist and had to move closer to Lu Ye for protection. Where Lu Ye stood, space was severely distorted, and blade light flickered erratically. Although his speed in killing enemies was swift, the sheer number of adversaries meant he would eventually be overwhelmed. In this situation, they could neither advance nor retreat; once their strength failed, their demise would be certain.

"Watch out!" Xia He suddenly cried out, having spotted an enemy stealthily approaching Lu Ye amidst the chaos, launching a sudden attack. At that moment, Lu Ye was too preoccupied to react. Xia He wanted to help, but she was like a clay Buddha crossing a river, barely able to save herself, with no spare energy. Just as she thought Lu Ye couldn't escape this calamity, a hum suddenly emanated from the array formation within Cloud-Piercer Island, followed by a beam of light shooting out from the grand array. The beam, like an arrow released from a bow, grazed past Lu Ye and struck the ambusher directly, causing them to stumble and cry out.

The next instant, a series of light beams continuously shot out from behind Lu Ye, like a continuous rain of light, covering a wide area and instantly repelling all enemies near Lu Ye and Xia He. From behind, Chu Li's angry shout echoed: "Fellow Daoists, quickly enter the array!" Lu Ye, who had remained still, felt a slight easing in his heart. He exchanged a glance with the startled Xia He, and at the same time, withdrew backward.

When Chu Li had earlier refused his and Xia He's entry to the island, Lu Ye actually had an opportunity to lead Xia He back into the Blood River. But that was not a long-term solution; even the most perfect disguise would eventually be seen through. Once that happened, he and Xia He would have nowhere left to hide. That was why he chose to stay and fend off the enemies. As Chu Li held his position, it was reasonable for him to have reservations and deny them entry to the island. However, if Lu Ye could demonstrate sufficient strength and value, he might alleviate Chu Li's doubts and make him feel that taking the risk to accept them onto the island was worthwhile. Chu Li's current decision was undoubtedly what Lu Ye had hoped for.

A sturdy grand array had opened a gap, and as Lu Ye and Xia He retreated, they moved directly inside. Lu Ye, however, did not retreat far, instead standing before the gap with his blade in hand. A figure flashed past him as Chu Li arrived, spear in hand, his gaze cold as he looked forward. He said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist, please hold this position with me for thirty breaths!" The gap in the grand array was open, and although it could only accommodate one person at a time, it would take thirty breaths to close it again. If they couldn't repel the invading enemies during this period, the defensive line would be breached. Therefore, under no circumstances could they allow the enemies to break into the island.

As Chu Li finished speaking, he thrust his spear forward. On the tip of the long spear, Dao power condensed into a tiny black point, striking an enemy cultivator who was pursuing them. The furious Dao intent shattered the opponent's protective Dao power, impaling the cultivator directly. He abruptly retracted his spear, and Lu Ye's long blade immediately followed with a downward slash. A sharp blade light swept out horizontally, stirring up a flurry of blood. However, the open gap in the grand array was like a fish exuding a pungent smell, drawing numerous enemies to attack frantically. Lu Ye and Chu Li took turns fiercely blocking the attacks, while nearby array formations continuously unleashed beam-like assaults, alleviating the pressure on both of them. Even so, enemies continuously found openings and surged into the island. Lu Ye and Chu Li had no time to spare for anything else; they could only leave the invading enemies to Xia He and the other cultivators stationed there. The battle along this section of the defensive line was extremely fierce. Fortunately, as time passed, the gap in the grand array slowly closed. After thirty breaths, the opening was finally completely sealed.

Lu Ye and Chu Li simultaneously turned and charged towards the enemies who had broken into the island. These enemies were not too numerous and had already been entangled by Xia He and others, making it difficult for them to escape. By the time Lu Ye and Chu Li arrived, they could only offer their necks to the slaughter. Chu Li did not stop, immediately going to check the array formation to confirm there were no issues, only then letting out a long breath. "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist!" Lu Ye saluted him with cupped fists.

He understood that Chu Li's decision earlier had come with immense pressure and considerable responsibility. If that section of the defensive line had been breached because of it, Chu Li would have become a sinner of Cloud-Piercer Island, unable to escape culpability even in death. Chu Li gave a slight nod, saying nothing more, simply looking out towards the island's exterior. At the spot where the gap had been, numerous enemy figures gathered, glaring menacingly at the island. But now, there was no opportunity for them to exploit, and despite their reluctance, they were helpless. Currently, the enemies were still accumulating strength; it was not yet time for their full assault. Undeniably, once the enemies launched their full assault, this section of the defensive line would be heavily targeted. Although the gap had been resealed, it had still been opened, making its defensive capability relatively weaker compared to other parts of the line.

"Follow me!" After a moment, Chu Li beckoned. "I'll take you to meet the Island Lord." "Thank you!" Lu Ye nodded. This was expected. After all, he and Xia He had entered the island midway through the conflict. Although their stance had been made clear in the recent battle, proving they were not traitors, having come to Cloud-Piercer Island, it was natural for them to pay their respects to the Island Lord. Ordinary cultivators did not have this privilege, but Xia He was, at the very least, a High Dao Integration expert, and Lu Ye had just demonstrated incredibly powerful strength, which certainly could not be ignored.

The Cloud-Piercer Island Lord resided in a grand mansion at the very center of the island. Chu Li led the two directly inside, where they met the island's lord in a great hall. Cloud-Piercer Island was named after him. This large island had stood above the Caged Sea for thousands of years, having protected countless human cultivators, and thus, Cloud-Piercer Island was quite renowned across the Caged Sea. Not to mention the many human cultivators who gathered there on a daily basis, before every foreign race hunt, many scattered human cultivators would enter the island seeking protection.

Lord Cloud-Piercer was a short, elderly man with white hair. Despite his age, he possessed a dignified and imposing presence. Lu Ye didn't know the full extent of the Cloud-Piercer Island Lord's strength, but judging by the abilities Chu Li had just displayed, his power was roughly equivalent to a Heaven-tier City Lord without the amplification of a Dao Integration Orb. He was comparable to powerful figures Lu Ye had previously encountered, such as the Grand Kun Dragonfly. Based on this estimation, the Cloud-Piercer Island Lord's strength was likely on par with that of the Ten Great City Lords. Indeed, the Origin Realm was teeming with powerful cultivators. And this was just the human race; the foundations of other foreign races were likely even stronger.

After they exchanged greetings, Chu Li recounted the recent events. Lord Cloud-Piercer scrutinized Lu Ye and Xia He from head to toe, and after a good while, he finally spoke: "If Chu Li can trust you, it means you're generally not a problem. However, there's always a chance for the unexpected. If you sincerely wish to stay on the island, take this pill. If not, then return to where you came from." As he spoke, Lord Cloud-Piercer flicked his finger, and two brown spiritual pills flew towards Lu Ye and Xia He. Lu Ye's brows furrowed slightly.

Chu Li explained, "This is a Heart-Control Pill. As long as you harbor no ill intentions, the Island Lord will not do anything to you. After the war ends, the Island Lord will naturally remove the restrictions within this pill. Xia He should know the rules." Xia He nodded, "I understand, of course." Saying this, she picked up the Heart-Control Pill and swallowed it without hesitation. The next instant, both Lord Cloud-Piercer and Chu Li's gazes simultaneously turned towards Lu Ye. Lu Ye scoffed lightly, "Since it's the rule, I'll naturally comply!" He picked up the spiritual pill and, under the gaze of Lord Cloud-Piercer and Chu Li, swallowed it. Only then did Lord Cloud-Piercer nod slightly and turn to Chu Li, saying, "Since you brought them in, you will arrange their placement. I will dispatch some personnel to reinforce your defensive line later. Next time, do not open the array so casually. Cloud-Piercer Island has survived multiple hunts and remains unfallen, becoming a thorn in the side of some. Whether our island can endure this current hunt depends on whether all of you can work together wholeheartedly." "Yes!" Chu Li saluted with cupped fists.

Walking out of the Island Lord's mansion, Xia He softly said to Lu Ye, "We came to the island midway through the conflict. The situation on the island is unstable right now, and the Island Lord and others don't have much energy to expend on us. The Heart-Control Pill won't affect us much; we can just ask the Island Lord to remove the restrictions after the war ends." "Mm," Lu Ye casually responded, while simultaneously dedicating a portion of his mind to sensing. The Heart-Control Pill, though called a spiritual pill, was actually more like a mind-control parasite. At that very moment, a tiny insect was nestled within his heart. If not for his control over the power of the Talent Tree, this parasite would have long been incinerated. In fact, Lu Ye felt he didn't even need the Talent Tree; he himself had the ability to destroy this parasite. Xia He likely possessed a similar ability, though it would require some time and effort. But doing so would certainly alarm Lord Cloud-Piercer, and the situation wouldn't be pretty then. This parasite posed no significant danger remaining in his body; if a problem truly arose, Lu Ye could incinerate it at any time. If not for the Talent Tree as his backing, Lu Ye would never have casually swallowed this Heart-Control Pill. He had never made a habit of entrusting his life and death to others.

A moment later, Chu Li led him and Xia He back to their previous defensive line. Since Lord Cloud-Piercer had instructed Chu Li to arrange for them, he naturally wouldn't send two powerful helpers elsewhere. His section of the defensive line was already in need of reinforcements. The strength of Lu Ye and Xia He was sufficient to significantly ease his burden in the upcoming conflict, which was also why he had risked bringing them in. With the war not yet started, all the human cultivators on Cloud-Piercer Island were preparing for battle, recuperating, and awaiting the grand conflict. Lu Ye and Xia He settled down, each meditating and recuperating. Xia He's expression was downcast, clearly worried about Xiao Man and the others. Earlier, their group had been hunted, and only she and Lu Ye had managed to escape; the rest had all been captured. Yet, she was helpless in this regard, completely unable to rescue anyone. Although she had experienced such separations many times, Xia He still felt heavy-hearted. Lu Ye, however, didn't have as many feelings. After all, they were merely passing acquaintances, and there wasn't much deep friendship between them. At that moment, he had a pile of storage rings laid out before him, which he was examining one by one. The more he examined them, the more he marveled at how different the cultivators of the Origin Realm were from those of the Inner Realm. He had also killed many enemies and seized numerous spoils in the Inner Realm, but the amount of Dao Fish among those spoils was never significant.