Chapter 2861: Floating Light (Wishing Everyone a Peaceful Dragon Boat Festival)

## Winds of Kyushu

The small courtyard was dilapidated, looking as if no one had lived there or maintained it for a long time; it seemed like unclaimed land. This surprised Lu Ye. Hehe Realm was a place where every inch of land was exceptionally valuable, making it difficult for ordinary cultivators to own any property of their own. The shops and residences in this realm had been passed down through generations of cultivators. Unclaimed land like this should have been taken over long ago, but in fact, this small courtyard truly had been vacant for a very long time.

"Hmm?" Jin Yao suddenly frowned and looked in a certain direction.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ye asked.

Jin Yao said nothing, but a slight puzzlement appeared on her face, as if she had encountered something inexplicable.

Almost simultaneously, in another courtyard in the direction she was observing, an unremarkable middle-aged man suddenly opened his eyes, also revealing a perplexed expression. Because at that very moment, he sensed a repulsive aura that felt both somewhat familiar and somewhat dreaded! But how was this possible? If his sense was correct, the owner of that aura should have died tens of thousands of years ago; there was no way they could still be present in the world.

Without hesitation, he flashed out of his courtyard. On a normal day, he would never be so impulsive. He had lived discreetly in Hehe Realm for countless years, and no one had ever noticed his presence. But when it concerned *that person*, he simply couldn't restrain his curiosity. Only cultivators from that era knew the true terror of that individual. One could say that person was the very shadow and nightmare of their time, far surpassing even today's Ba Qiu. While Ba Qiu was powerful, he wouldn't act as capriciously as that person. That individual was different; in that era, the entire Inner Realm virtually prostrated at her feet, and everything she desired would be achieved at any cost.

The man was remarkably swift, reaching the location in just two breaths. Looking down, he instantly spotted the familiar figure. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Jin Yao!" It really *was* her! But... how was this possible? This woman should have died long ago; how could she appear before him after so many years?

"Fuguang..." Jin Yao was stunned. She never imagined that after so many years of escaping from that desolate place, the very first person she would encounter would be her arch-nemesis. After all these years, this guy was still alive? Amidst her astonishment, numerous unpleasant memories quickly flashed through her mind. Just as in their encounters during that era, she almost instinctively raised her hand, and the Soul-Suppressing Bell appeared in it, which she then violently shook.

Ding-a-ling-ling... A crisp sound emanated, and a visible wisp of mist surged from the Soul-Suppressing Bell, streaking directly towards Fuguang.

"Oh no!" Jin Yao quickly snapped back to reality. This was Hehe Realm; anyone who made a move would be sent into that desolate place. For a brief moment, she had truly been overcome by those unpleasant memories. No sooner had she thought of this than a flash of white light swept across her vision.

Above the small courtyard, Fuguang's body jolted, and a fleeting expression of pain crossed his face, but it vanished in an instant. He looked down again, but there was nothing there. But he knew it wasn't an illusion; he had absolutely seen Jin Yao! Upon recalling, it seemed a young man had been standing beside Jin Yao just moments ago, but his attention had been entirely fixated on Jin Yao, so he hadn't noticed him. Now, thinking back, that young man... wasn't he Lu Ye, the human who had killed Zong Shenliang in the Primal Hall a few days ago? The incident that day had caused too much of a stir. Countless cultivators from Hehe Realm had gone to witness the spectacle, and he, of course, had joined them. Thus, he had a very deep impression of Lu Ye. When Zong Shenliang died, he had secretly marveled at how truly brave, fearless, and exceptionally powerful the young cultivators of this era were. But that shouldn't be possible! After killing Zong Shenliang, Lu Ye had triggered Hehe Realm's restrictions and should have been banished to the Nameless Land. How could he possibly appear before him? Then again, Jin Yao had also been banished to that Nameless Land back then...

A boundless, stark white world stretched out before them. Lu Ye and Jin Yao stared at each other, the latter's face filled with apology. "Apologies, I couldn't help myself for a moment..." This was truly awkward. Lu Ye had just taken her away from that place, only for her to send them both right back again.

"Can we still get out?" Jin Yao asked.

Lu Ye gave her a steady look. "Come with me." He turned and led the way. He had sensed that guiding presence again; as long as the spirit of the Dao Fusion Pearl was with him, this place couldn't trap him.

"That person just now, did you mistake him for someone else?" Lu Ye asked as they walked. This matter was quite bizarre. Jin Yao was a cultivator from tens of thousands of years ago. Cultivators from that era were highly unlikely to still be alive, and even if they were, with so many years of accumulation, they would undoubtedly be exceptionally powerful, widely renowned, and at least on par with the Ten City Lords. Yet the name Fuguang... Lu Ye had never heard of it.

"No mistake!" Jin Yao shook her head. No matter how many years passed, she could never mistake his aura. Furthermore, she had only just escaped from this place, and Fuguang immediately came to investigate; it was clearly no coincidence. The other party had also sensed her aura. So it must undoubtedly be Fuguang. As if sensing Lu Ye's confusion, Jin Yao explained, "I once heard that Fuguang had a strange encounter and obtained a Spring of Life, which granted him an unlimited lifespan. However, it was never confirmed. Now, it seems this is actually true."

"A Spring of Life..." Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, secretly guessing that this must be a treasure capable of extending one's lifespan. "Do you have a grudge?" he asked.

Jin Yao's voice was chillingly cold: "To the death!" This was undoubtedly a profound, irreconcilable hatred, the kind where both sides swore to destroy the other. No wonder Jin Yao had suddenly attacked upon seeing him. Lu Ye wondered, "You were so strong at your peak, did you still have no way to deal with him?" After all, Jin Yao had previously claimed to be the top cultivator in the Inner Realm of her era, just like the current Ba Qiu.

"He was also very strong, only slightly inferior to me back then," Jin Yao said.

Lu Ye chuckled. "Your banishment here, it wouldn't have anything to do with this Fuguang, would it?"

"It has nothing to do with him." Jin Yao shook her head. "Before my advancement back then, I deliberately inflicted heavy injuries on him. When I was undergoing my breakthrough, he was recuperating somewhere, I don't know where." After a brief pause, she continued, "Being banished here was my own choice."

"What do you mean?"

Jin Yao replied, "You haven't taken that step yet, so you don't know the truth of this world."

The truth of the world... How familiar that phrase sounded! Lu Ye turned to her. "You severed your own foundation?"

Jin Yao was utterly astonished. "How do you know?"

Lu Ye silently looked at her for a moment. "I have a senior who experienced the same thing as you. He told me some things, and... I've been to the Origin Realm. I've seen more than any of you know."

"You've been to the Origin Realm?" Jin Yao was genuinely shocked now. Back then, she had only glimpsed the fringes of the Origin Realm, and it was precisely that awareness that led her to make the same choice as Ba Qiu.

"So you didn't want to become a puppet, which is why you severed your foundation. But you had too many enemies, so you could only hide within Hehe Realm."

Both were the top cultivators in the Inner Realm of their respective eras, and both made the same choice during their advancements and breakthroughs. After countless millennia, the trajectory of history was strikingly similar. However, Jin Yao was different from Ba Qiu. After Ba Qiu severed his foundation, he decided to entrust everything to Lu Ye. Jin Yao had no one to entrust herself to, so she could only hide within Hehe Realm. But even then, she was merely clinging to life, destined to constantly weaken and eventually become a cripple. How could she possibly be content with that, or willing to let others witness her in such a pathetic state?

That's why she proactively attacked people in Hehe Realm, choosing to be banished to this place. Her divine soul was able to survive entirely by relying on the power of the Soul-Suppressing Bell; she had transformed her soul body into the spirit of the supreme treasure; otherwise, she would have vanished into thin air. Time passed, and her formidable reputation had faded from the world. Had she not encountered Lu Ye this time, in a few more years, even the supreme treasure would no longer have been able to protect her divine soul.

Lu Ye couldn't help but feel fortunate. If Jin Yao had not chosen to sever her foundation like Ba Qiu back then, but instead taken that final step, the Abyss's consciousness would likely have successfully revived long ago. The seals left by the Dragon and Phoenix ancestors were gradually weakening. Once nine True Saints were gathered, the Abyss's consciousness would awaken to full sentience, rather than remaining in its current ignorant, mostly instinctive state. Currently, there were eight True Saints in the Origin Realm, with only one more needed. It could be said that the self-sacrifice of both Jin Yao and Ba Qiu held immense significance for the entire Star Abyss, enough to be remembered by the world.

Jin Yao's situation was now clear, but there was one thing Lu Ye still couldn't understand: "You said Fuguang was only slightly inferior to you back then, so why has he been hiding in Hehe Realm for so many years?" If this Fuguang were still active outside, his great name would have spread throughout the Star Abyss long ago, and Lu Ye wouldn't have only heard of him today. But in fact, if Jin Yao hadn't explained, Lu Ye would have had no idea such a powerful individual existed within Hehe Realm.

As he spoke, he suddenly recalled something. When he first met Qin Feng, the master of the Battle Arena had said something to him: Within Hehe Realm, there were actually hidden talents; some individuals were far from as simple as they appeared. Just like Qin Feng himself, he undoubtedly possessed the strength of a Ten City Lord, yet he had always remained in the Battle Arena, never seeking to venture into the Star Abyss. At the time, Qin Feng's casual remark hadn't held much significance for Lu Ye. It wasn't until he encountered Fuguang today that Lu Ye truly realized the truth in Qin Feng's words. Fuguang appeared utterly unremarkable on the surface, the kind of person who would blend into any crowd unnoticed. But who could have known he had lived for tens of thousands of years, a powerful being who fundamentally did not belong to this era? In that era, his strength was only slightly inferior to Jin Yao's. After so many years of accumulation and refinement, how powerful must he be now?