Chapter 843: Stars Surround the Moon

While they were speaking, the nearby room door suddenly opened, and Lu Ye stepped out. The cultivator was overjoyed and quickly went to greet him.

Lu Ye said he understood and would go check. As he spoke, he soared into the sky, heading towards the Dao Palace entrance.

Outside the entrance, a large number of cultivators had gathered. Two distinct factions stood with swords drawn and bows strung, creating a tense and solemn atmosphere. The number of cultivators already present was significant, and more were continuously arriving from outside, joining the standoff.

A group of Ziwei Dao Palace cultivators, led by Pang Huanyin, stood to the side, earnestly trying to persuade them, but to no avail.

They could face the Corpse Tribe without flinching, fearless of death. However, when confronting the cultivators who had just saved Wushuang Continent, the Ziwei Dao Palace found themselves helpless.

If a conflict of this magnitude erupted, it wouldn't just be a matter of a few deaths; the entire Ziwei Dao Palace could potentially be dragged into it.

Fortunately, despite the fierce arguments among these guests from Kyushu, they still maintained their basic rationality and had not yet truly resorted to violence.

However, if the situation wasn't resolved promptly and allowed to escalate, a full-blown confrontation would be unavoidable.

Pang Huanyin's gaze repeatedly darted towards the entrance. It wasn't until a familiar figure, clad in fiery red, burst forth from it that she let out a long breath.

The fiery red streak of light appeared suddenly, cutting through the air like a wave, soaring between the two factions of cultivators, revealing a figure standing aloft.

Such a dramatic entrance naturally drew the attention of many cultivators instantly. As they looked up, many immediately fell silent, recognizing Lu Ye.

Especially among the Myriad Devils Ridge cultivators, while their expressions were solemn, some also seemed eager for a challenge.

Compared to the Vast Heaven Alliance, Lu Ye's reputation was much greater among the Myriad Devils Ridge. Among cultivators at the Cloud River Realm level, at least five out of ten had seen his image, and the other five, even if they hadn't seen it, had at least heard of his great name.

In any case, over the past year, Lu Yiye of the Verdant Blood Sect had been the most famous person in the Cloud River Battlefield.

Killing two thousand enemies single-handedly, looking back through history, Lu Ye was the first at the Cloud River Realm level to achieve such a feat. No one had ever done it before.

Furthermore, he had claimed the top spot in the Cloud River Hegemony with a cultivation of the eighth level of the Cloud River Realm.

The noisy scene gradually quieted down, as if an invisible hand had swept away the cacophony.

Numerous gazes converged. The young man stood in the air, his hand resting on his saber. Though he displayed no aura, he instantly became the focal point of thousands of eyes.

Pang Huanyin's eyes swept across the scene, her beautiful gaze shimmering with a unique brilliance.

In the silence, Lu Ye slowly began to speak. He stated that everyone present had likely gained significant benefits and that no one would want to die meaninglessly in this place. He suggested that if they truly wanted to fight, they should return to Kyushu, where at least they wouldn't die as strangers in a foreign land. He then turned his gaze to a certain spot within the Myriad Devils Ridge faction and asked Shadow Wuji for his opinion.

Hidden inconspicuously within the Myriad Devils Ridge ranks, Shadow Wuji's mouth filled with a bitterness worse than bitter gourd. He realized he couldn't escape Lu Yiye ever since arriving in Wushuang Continent. Even though he had hidden himself so well, Lu Yiye had spotted him instantly. He suspected Lu Yiye was deliberately targeting him.

While complaining internally, he showed no emotion externally. He knew Lu Ye's strength better than anyone. If a battle truly erupted here, he wasn't sure about the fate of other Vast Heaven Alliance cultivators, but Lu Yiye would definitely not die. Given Lu Ye's strength, the Myriad Devils Ridge would undoubtedly suffer heavy casualties, and Shadow Wuji himself might even be dragged into misfortune.

The reason Lu Ye had called him out first was clear: he wanted Shadow Wuji to step forward and offer a few words of persuasion. Having worked with Lu Ye for so long, how could Shadow Wuji not understand his intentions?

Therefore, Shadow Wuji immediately flashed out, appearing beside Lu Ye. He looked down at the vast crowd and nodded, agreeing with Lu Ye that the two major factions of Kyushu had harbored grievances for a long time, but there was no need to vent them immediately. He urged everyone to quell their anger and wait to return to Kyushu. He stressed that since they had gained benefits this time, they should transform them into their own strength. He declared that if anyone insisted on fighting, regardless of whether they belonged to the Vast Heaven Alliance or Myriad Devils Ridge, he, Shadow Wuji, would be the first to object.

Being ranked sixteenth in the Cloud River Realm still held significant deterrent power, especially since Shadow Wuji was a ghost cultivator, making him incredibly difficult to guard against if targeted.

Mu Qingyun of the Northern Profound Sword Sect also voiced her objection. As the sound of a sword hummed, a flash of sword light arrived, revealing Mu Qingyun's sword-like figure. A sharp sword intent permeated the surroundings, seemingly cutting through the void. Streaks of flying swords, like flowing light, circled her, ready to unleash thunderous strikes at any moment.

Another tall figure silently joined Lu Ye's side. Her face was strikingly beautiful, and she wore a form-fitting purple dress. She said nothing, but a faint smile played on her lips, mesmerizing many who looked upon her.

Someone exclaimed, recognizing her as Lan Ziyi, ranked second in the Cloud River Realm. As one of the few female cultivators in the top ten of the Cloud River Hegemony rankings, and ranked second at that, Lan Ziyi's name was naturally known to all. Even though she had been obscure before, she had become renowned throughout the Cloud River Battlefield after the Hegemony.

Lu Qing smiled as he stepped forward, stating his disagreement, and stood to Lu Ye's right.

Feng Rulie emerged from the crowd, calling out his arrival. He carried a spear on his shoulder, his nonchalant gaze sweeping over the masses below.

Another broad-shouldered, thick-waisted cultivator silently walked out and stood beside Feng Rulie. The hempen clothes draped over him could not conceal his burly physique. Through the gaps in his clothing, numerous unhealed wounds were faintly visible on his body.

The crowd began to murmur, recognizing the formidable individuals: Lu Yiye of Verdant Blood Sect, ranked first in Cloud River; Lan Ziyi of Boundless Isle, ranked second; Mu Qingyun of Northern Profound Sword Sect; Lu Qing of Myriad Law Pavilion; Yang Yuan of Startling Void Mountain; Feng Rulie of Soaring Cloud Sect; and Shadow Wuji of Senluo Hall.

Low exclamations rippled through the crowds of both factions. Everyone was astonished to realize that six out of the top ten cultivators from the Cloud River Hegemony had gathered here.

Although the remaining Shadow Wuji was not in the top ten, this was due to him being a ghost cultivator, not because his strength was inferior to the others. In a true life-or-death battle, the threat Shadow Wuji could pose while hidden in the shadows might even surpass that of those in the top ten.

Thus, even though there were only seven figures, their combined presence exerted an unimaginable deterrent and suppressive force on the cultivators of Kyushu.

More observant individuals noticed something startling: the seven stood in the air with Lu Ye at the center, three figures on his left and three on his right. However, neither Mu Qingyun of the Vast Heaven Alliance nor the other powerful cultivators from Myriad Devils Ridge stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Lu Ye. Instead, they positioned themselves one step behind him.

It clearly appeared as a scene of stars revolving around the moon. Mu Qingyun and Lu Yiye both belonged to the Vast Heaven Alliance and originated from Bingzhou, so it was understandable for her to show him such respect. But the others were all from Myriad Devils Ridge, so why would they give him such deference? These individuals were unparalleled prodigies, representing the pinnacle of the Cloud River Realm for their generation. Even other prodigies of the same era would only incite their competitive spirit, never cause them to willingly fall behind. Yet, this was precisely the situation at this moment. The more they thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

As the seven figures gathered and stood tall, silence fell across the entire scene. The previous tense atmosphere had completely vanished.

Suddenly, an extremely dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged wildly from an unknown source. The sudden change startled everyone, but after discerning the origin, the cultivators from Kyushu immediately felt relieved. This was because a massive portal was slowly forming as the spiritual energy converged. It was clearly the return passage being opened from Kyushu. Counting the time, it seemed to be a bit early, but this was precisely what the Kyushu cultivators welcomed.

Given the current situation, a battle was unlikely to erupt. Both factions of cultivators understood that such a large-scale confrontation, if it truly began, would undoubtedly result in significant casualties. Therefore, many had been exercising restraint. Now, with Lu Ye and others stepping forward and Kyushu opening the portal, it was the perfect opportunity to de-escalate.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Time to go home!" and was the first to rush towards the portal, instantly vanishing. A large number of cultivators followed closely, and the massive portal swallowed their figures, sending them back to Kyushu.

Lu Qing smiled and shook his head as he moved towards the portal, stating that he would go first. He had intended to say a polite farewell, but on second thought, realized it would be best if he never saw Lu Yiye again in his life.

Feng Rulie called out, "Wait for me!" and followed closely behind Lu Qing. Yang Yuan nodded slightly and was the third to depart. Shadow Wuji muttered about how fast they were running. As he spoke, he subtly observed Lu Ye to confirm that he had no intention of keeping him, before swiftly entering the portal.

Finally... he was rid of Lu Yiye! Shadow Wuji couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration, as if the sky was vast for birds to fly and the sea wide for fish to leap. This reminded him of the first time he left his sect's mountain gate years ago; his mood then was remarkably similar to now.

Lan Ziyi nudged Lu Ye's arm and gestured with her chin in a certain direction, indicating that someone seemed to want to speak with him over there. After saying this, she slipped away with a teasing expression, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.

Mu Qingyun spoke, telling Lu Ye she would also be leaving and that they would meet again if fate allowed. Lu Ye wished his senior brother to take care.

In mid-air, only Lu Ye remained, alone. He looked to the side and met Pang Huanyin's gaze. At this moment, the Dao Palace Master's expression was clearly complex. She knew that as a visitor from Kyushu, Lu Ye couldn't stay forever, and that Kyushu would soon open the portal to bring back all the cultivators, including Lu Ye. What she hadn't expected was how quickly it all happened.

Their eyes met. Pang Huanyin sighed inwardly, but maintained her composure. She flashed over to Lu Ye's side and asked if he would walk with her. Lu Ye paused for a moment before nodding. Pang Huanyin smiled and thanked him.