Chapter 538: Dare to Kill?

Lu Ye landed outside the Crescent Moon Gate encampment. He used the Insightful Spirit Mark to enhance his vision, observing the nodes of the grand formation.

Immediately, a guarding cultivator noticed his presence. The cultivator flew over, looked at him across the grand formation, and demanded, "Who are you?"

A seemingly suspicious figure had suddenly appeared outside their grand formation, apparently with ill intentions. Naturally, the cultivator's tone was less than polite when questioning him.

Lu Ye glanced at him indifferently. "Who do I look like to you?"

His words startled the cultivator. Upon closer inspection, the cultivator suddenly found the newcomer somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

However, he was certain he hadn't met this person and couldn't recall where this inexplicable sense of familiarity came from.

Just as he was about to ask again, Lu Ye had already located a node. He instantly moved to its position and began throwing out formation flags from his hand.

If he could utilize his Cloud River Realm third-layer cultivation, Lu Ye estimated he could forcibly break through the defensive formation with brute strength. After all, the formation's power hadn't been fully activated yet; it was only operating at its most basic level. However, given that he could only exert his Heavenly Nine strength, breaking the formation by force was unrealistic. It was better to quietly infiltrate.

"What are you doing?" the cultivator asked again, seeing Lu Ye's actions.

Lu Ye remained silent, his hands continuously working.

The cultivator's expression changed. After another careful look at Lu Ye, he finally remembered why the face before him seemed familiar.

He hadn't met Lu Ye in person, but he had seen Lu Ye's portrait!

However, Lu Ye had been away from the Spirit Creek Battlefield for nearly three months, so the cultivator had never imagined he would reappear there, let alone outside their encampment.

"You're the Sect Destroyer!" the person exclaimed, stumbling backward as if Lu Ye were a terrifying beast to be avoided at all costs.

Immediately afterward, he turned around, summoned his spirit artifact, and flew back into the encampment, shouting as he went, "The Sect Destroyer is here! The Sect Destroyer is here!"

Disaster loomed. The Sect Destroyer had actually appeared, and their encampment was likely doomed.

His shouts startled many Crescent Moon Gate cultivators, all of whom became alarmed and uncertain.

An angry shout rang out: "Who's spouting nonsense?"

As the voice sounded, a burly man arrived on a spirit artifact.

"Senior Brother Tan Li, the Sect Destroyer is here!" the cultivator who had just fled back quickly reported upon seeing him. Tan Li was the Garrison Commander of the Crescent Moon Gate encampment, currently ranked fifty-eighth on the Spirit Creek Ranking, making him the strongest cultivator at the encampment.

"Who's here?" Tan Li frowned, wondering if he had misheard.

"Lu Yi Ye, the Sect Destroyer from the Blood Jade Sect!"

"Nonsense!" Tan Li snapped. "That guy advanced to the Cloud River Realm three months ago. He should be in the Cloud River Battlefield now. Why would he come here?"

"But Senior Brother, I wasn't mistaken! That person really is the Sect Destroyer! I've seen his portrait."

Tan Li's brow furrowed. "Perhaps someone just resembles the Sect Destroyer?"

People with similar appearances always exist. Tan Li was somewhat skeptical that the Sect Destroyer would come to the Crescent Moon Gate encampment.

"But he's breaking the formation!"

"What?" Tan Li was greatly alarmed. Just then, the jade slip in his possession, which controlled the defensive formation, showed some unusual activity. Before he could even take it out to check, he saw a streak of light rapidly approaching from afar, reaching a short distance away in the blink of an eye.

Tan Li stared intently, involuntarily gasping.

It really was the Sect Destroyer!

He had, in fact, dealt with Lu Ye before. When Lu Ye was trapped outside the Myriad Poison Forest, Crescent Moon Gate had participated, and he had led a team of junior brothers and sisters.

So, he had truly seen Lu Ye, though Lu Ye certainly wouldn't remember him, as there were too many Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators bothering him at the time for him to recall specifics.

Why would the Sect Destroyer return to the Spirit Creek Battlefield, and why would he come to their encampment?

A huge question arose in Tan Li's mind. Though his expression was solemn, he showed no panic.

If Lu Yi Ye still possessed Heavenly Nine cultivation, he would indeed be nervous. However, Lu Yi Ye had forcibly entered the Spirit Creek Battlefield with Cloud River Realm cultivation, so there was no need to be anxious.

Fighting was certainly out of the question. Lu Ye's terrifying achievements during his dominance of the Spirit Creek Battlefield were well-known, and Tan Li was self-aware enough to recognize this.

But so what?

Did Lu Yi Ye dare to kill?

Heaven's secret punishment was no joke. If high-level cultivators could truly kill indiscriminately in the Spirit Creek Battlefield, then the encampments of the major sects would have long been flattened.

The current question was, what was this guy doing here?

It was certain that the other party had malicious intentions. After all, they weren't from the same faction. For the major sects of Myriad Demon Ridge, Lu Yi Ye carried a blood feud; countless Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators had died by his hand in the past two years, making it no exaggeration to describe him as a cold-blooded killer.

With that thought, Tan Li stepped forward a few paces, gazing solemnly at Lu Ye. "Fellow Cultivator Lu, instead of making a fortune in the Cloud River Battlefield, you've come to my Crescent Moon Gate encampment. What is your intention?"

"Tan Sheng... is he from your Crescent Moon Gate?" Lu Ye asked lightly, his hand resting on his saber hilt.

Tan Li frowned upon hearing this. "He is indeed my elder brother. What advice do you have, Fellow Cultivator Lu?"

"You're Tan Sheng's younger brother?" Lu Ye raised an eyebrow. This was quite an unexpected gain.

"Yes."

"Very good!" Lu Ye nodded. "Tan Sheng showed me considerable care in the Cloud River Battlefield. I've come today simply to repay a small debt of gratitude to him!"

As the last word fell, Lu Ye had already left a lingering afterimage behind him, pouncing directly towards Tan Li.

Although Tan Li was on guard, he clearly hadn't expected Lu Ye to strike so decisively.

This was completely different from what he had imagined. In his mind, Lu Ye, a Cloud River Realm cultivator who had forcibly entered the Spirit Creek Battlefield, surely wouldn't dare to kill indiscriminately, or the taste of the Soul-Destroying Divine Lightning would be unbearable.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ye actually attacked without further ado.

Enveloped by immense danger, Tan Li hastily summoned a large spirit shield, pouring his spiritual energy into it and holding it horizontally in front of him.

The next instant, a huge crash echoed. Tan Li was sent sprawling towards the ground, his eyes wide with shock at the overwhelming power. Even more terrifying to him was that his spirit shield had dimmed in luster and lost much of its spiritual essence from that single strike!

He possessed Heavenly Nine cultivation, ranking in the fifties on the Spirit Creek Ranking, making him a strong cultivator across the entire Spirit Creek Battlefield.

Lu Yi Ye, who could only exert Heavenly Nine cultivation at the moment, had nearly shattered his defense with just one strike. What terrifying destructive power!

He had never truly fought Lu Ye before, so although he knew Lu Ye was powerful, he hadn't fully grasped the extent of that power until this very moment!

"Senior Brother Tan!"

The surrounding Crescent Moon Gate cultivators cried out in alarm as they saw Tan Li being struck down.

At the same time, Tan Li felt another fierce attack land on his spirit shield.

With a shattering sound, the nine-forbidden low-grade defensive spirit artifact completely broke apart, revealing Tan Li's panicked face.

Lu Ye followed closely behind him, slashing horizontally with his Firm Mountain Saber!

This time, Tan Li had no spirit artifact left to use. He could only forcefully channel his spiritual energy and vital qi to form a protective barrier on his body.

The Firm Mountain Saber descended, blood splattered, and Tan Li crashed heavily to the ground. A massive gash on his abdomen revealed his internal organs.

He was terrified, feeling death to be incredibly close.

If he weren't a body cultivator with a tough physique, that last saber strike would surely have cut him in half.

Seeing that Tan Li wasn't dead, Lu Ye was somewhat surprised and mused that body cultivators indeed had much stronger physiques than cultivators of the same level.

Just as he was about to rush forward and deliver another blow, dense whistling sounds filled the air around him.

With their Garrison Commander attacked, how could the Crescent Moon Gate cultivators hold back? Regardless of whether he was Lu Yi Ye or Lu Er Ye, they would fight first and talk later.

With so many of them, there was no reason to fear one person.

For a time, spells, spirit artifacts, and streaks of light rained down, assailing Lu Ye from all directions.

Left with no choice, Lu Ye put away his intent to kill. He moved swiftly, dodging the attacks, while simultaneously, his saber sheath at his waist hummed, and nine spirit artifacts flew out.

The scene instantly became chaotic, and more Crescent Moon Gate cultivators were alarmed and rushed towards the commotion.

Beside Tan Li, a medical cultivator rushed over to examine and treat his injuries. Tan Li himself roared in anger, "Lu Yi Ye, as a Cloud River Realm cultivator, you're not cultivating in the Cloud River Battlefield but instead flaunting your power in the Spirit Creek Battlefield. Do you truly think my Crescent Moon Gate fears you? I understand now! My elder brother must have taught you a lesson in the Cloud River Battlefield, and since you couldn't defeat him, you came here to bully the weak. How utterly shameless!"

When Lu Ye suddenly asked about Tan Sheng earlier, Tan Li had vaguely suspected something. Although he couldn't be certain, he was almost positive; otherwise, there was no reason for the Sect Destroyer to come to the Crescent Moon Gate encampment.

As his angry roar echoed, a scream suddenly pierced the air.

The cultivation levels of the Crescent Moon Gate cultivators varied. Although Lu Ye was fighting against many, he had experienced countless similar situations throughout his cultivation. He had much experience in how to handle such scenarios.

He moved swiftly, defended himself, and used his spirit artifacts to attack. Eventually, a Crescent Moon Gate cultivator, caught off guard, was struck down by his spirit artifact, and blood sprinkled from the air along with the falling corpse.

Tan Li was furious. "You dare to kill!"

He had never imagined that Lu Yi Ye would actually dare to kill here. Didn't he fear Heaven's secret punishment?

After killing one person, a visible purple glow suddenly appeared around Lu Ye. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't just a purple glow but streaks of purple lightning coursing over his body.

With the Soul-Destroying Divine Lightning affecting him, Lu Ye's eye twitched instantly.

No other reason: it was too painful.

Throughout his cultivation, he had sustained countless injuries, big and small, and had been severely wounded to the point of unconsciousness several times. However, never before had an injury made him feel unbearable pain.

The punishment of the Soul-Destroying Divine Lightning gave one an unbearable sensation.

That pain wasn't merely physical; it was also spiritual, as if countless ants were frantically gnawing at his body and soul, subjecting him to a torturous ordeal.