Chapter 2362 - 2360: Recent Developments

Unfortunately, no one expected the speed of the Star Abyss invasion to be so fast.

According to Lu Ye's original thought, even if he wandered in the Star Abyss for decades or hundreds of years, it wouldn't be too late to return because, under normal circumstances, even after such a long time, the progress of the Star Abyss invasion would still be within the range that the stellar space could handle.

As it turned out, the situation in this stellar space was quite different from other stellar spaces, and in just over a decade, the Destroyed Illusion side could accommodate 7th Dao cultivators.

The Destroyed Illusion Star Cluster is led by the Yellow Dragon World, with the strongest figures being Chen Wulei and Chang Yu, two cultivators from Cover Armor stellar space.

A large number of enemies invaded, and this side couldn't resist at all. The battle fortress retreated again and again, almost withdrawing beyond the range of the Destroyed Illusion Star Cluster.

Fortunately, these invading enemies weren't of one mind; they themselves were also engaged in fighting and slaughtering, so the Destroyed Illusion side barely had some resistance.

The biggest reason wasn't this.

It was that the invading Star Abyss living creatures mostly didn't want to leave the area covered by the Star Abyss ambience, namely the area now encompassed by the Destroyed Illusion Star Cluster.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ye quickly gained insight into the reasons behind.

Those Star Abyss living creatures, with their strength only reaching the 7th Dao at best, had very little Dao force reserves in their bodies. Once they left the Destroyed Illusion Star Cluster and truly stepped into stellar space, the Dao force they consumed would have no source of replenishment because, in the current stellar space, apart from near the Star Abyss Gate, there's no area covered by Star Abyss ambience, nor is there any Dao force.

It is because of this reason that the majority of Star Abyss living creatures remain in the Destroyed Illusion. Staying here, they can still hunt each other to strengthen themselves, but if they leave, although they can kill stellar space spiritual beings freely, they wouldn't gain any substantial benefit, at most just satisfying their desire for slaughter.

Of course, some Star Abyss living creatures did leave the Destroyed Illusion, ventured into various parts of stellar space, causing numerous deaths and injuries, but such Star Abyss living creatures are not many, and nowadays the entire stellar space also has specialized cultivators pursuing and hunting these enemies.

After roughly listening to Gu Sheng's account of the current situation, Lu Ye felt fortunate. Luckily, the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred.

For him, the worst would have been the previously invading enemies already scattered throughout stellar space.

If that were the case, the entire stellar space would face an immense catastrophe, and who knows how many living beings would die in vain.

As they spoke, the two gradually exited the area covered by the Star Abyss ambience. After a while, a giant battle fortress appeared on the horizon.

This was the battle fortress crafted by the Yellow Dragon World back then. Originally, it was erected near the Star Abyss Gate, but over the years, it continuously retreated. Today, it has receded to the edge of the Destroyed Illusion Star Cluster.

Gu Sheng led Lu Ye straight into the battle fortress, their Mental Consciousness surging with audio transmission for a moment. The next moment, several figures flew out from a building in the center of the fortress, welcoming them.

Soon they were close, and at the forefront was none other than the World Lord of Yellow Dragon World, Gu Yunliu.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you've returned?" Gu Yunliu was full of joy, and the cultivators beside him were equally exhilarated.

Everyone knew that years ago, Lu Ye left stellar space alone to enter the Star Abyss to find a way to save stellar space, but there was no news for years. No one knew if Lu Ye was alive or dead, and if alive, what the situation was.

Unexpectedly, today he suddenly returned.

Gu Yunliu wanted to ask Lu Ye how he fared, but considering Lu Ye had left for only a dozen years, he refrained from asking.

Not asking leaves a bit of hope.

Asking might extinguish all hope.

After all, a mere dozen years is too short. When Lu Ye left, he was just an Enter the Path cultivator, akin to a pebble entering the sea, what kind of waves could he stir?

"World Lord Gu, Fellow Daoists." Lu Ye clasped his fists.

A moment later, in a grand hall, everyone took their seats.

"Where are Fellow Daoists Chen Wulei and Chang Yu?" Lu Ye asked. Although he had received quite a lot of information from Gu Sheng earlier, the return journey was too short, and they didn't discuss much. Gu Sheng hadn't deeply entered the Destroyed Illusion to battle enemies; nowadays, no cultivator in stellar space dares to delve too deeply. The aura of stellar space cultivators is different from Star Abyss living creatures; once discovered, it's very dangerous.

Chen Wulei and Chang Yu are the strongest here, so naturally, Lu Ye wants to inquire about their situation first.

Gu Yunliu said, "Brother Chen is in seclusion, refining his Dao Bone. In terms of cultivation and strength, he is far superior to us. He has been trying to ascend to Dao Fusion these years, and we have devised a plan to assist him in breaking through. If he can ascend, the crisis of Destroyed Illusion can temporarily be resolved, as for Brother Chang, he is outside pursuing those scattered invading enemies."

Lu Ye raised his eyebrows.

Gu Sheng had previously mentioned those scattered invading enemies, distributed across various parts of stellar space, with designated individuals pursuing and hunting. It now appears that Chang Yu is among them.

Because he has the strength for it.

As for assisting Chen Wulei with ascending to Dao Fusion, it's quite a good plan. Truly letting Chen Wulei ascend to Dao Fusion should be able to stabilize the situation in Destroyed Illusion.

"Regarding the foundation of advancement from Enter the Path to Dao Fusion, it involves Dao Runes. Do you all know this?" Lu Ye asked.

This matter was something he learned after entering the Star Abyss. If those in stellar space were unaware, then Chen Wulei would never be able to ascend to Dao Fusion.

"Of course we know. Brother Chen had already confirmed his foundational Dao Runes for the Dao Fusion ascension." Gu Yunliu replied.

"Oh? Which powerful figure gave guidance?" Lu Ye was somewhat surprised.

Gu Yunliu smiled, clapped his hands, and said, "Let this powerful figure speak to you directly."

With his motion, a beautiful maid walked gracefully to Lu Ye with a potted plant in her hands, gave a polite bow, and then placed the plant on the table next to Lu Ye.

Lu Ye carefully examined the potted plant, suddenly stood up, extremely joyful: "You've awakened, Elder?"

This potted plant was no ordinary plant; it was clearly a young sapling and carried the aura of the Reincarnation Tree!

When Lu Ye left back then, the Tree Elder had already entered the cycle of silence, and the Reincarnation Tree doppelgangers across the stellar spaces had all withered and decayed.

Unexpectedly, upon returning today, the Tree Elder had awakened.

This undoubtedly meant its cycle had ended.

The one before him should only be a doppelganger of the Tree Elder, just different from the ones he had seen before, mainly because it was much smaller.

"I have been awake for a while, though I have not fully recovered yet." The sapling swayed, and the Tree Elder's voice came through, "So, even when you returned, I did not sense it."

If the Tree Elder were in a normal state, the moment Lu Ye returned, no matter where he was, it would perceive him instantly due to the Reincarnation Tree's imprint Lu Ye carried.

But because the Tree Elder's condition was weak, it did not detect this.

Upon seeing the Tree Elder, Lu Ye immediately understood who was the powerful figure guiding Chen Wulei.

As a stellar space supreme treasure that had lived through countless ages and the previous invasion of Star Abyss, the information held by the Tree Elder far exceeded everyone's imagination.

Lu Ye felt very happy.

The awakening of the Tree Elder made him feel relieved, even though the Tree Elder might not be very effective now... before his return, Lu Ye felt the peace and safety of the stellar space rested upon him alone, but after seeing the Tree Elder, this pressure instantly diminished greatly.

After exchanging a few words with the Tree Elder, Lu Ye turned to Gu Yunliu: "World Lord Gu, what's the overall situation here in Destroyed Illusion? When I returned, it seemed like I didn't see much of our own people's presence."

"It's tough." Gu Yunliu sighed, "Currently in Destroyed Illusion, we only have eighty-three cultivators who have Entered the Path, and occasionally there are casualties scattered throughout the star system, so you naturally have difficulty seeing our people's presence."

"Hmm? Eighty-three?" Lu Ye was momentarily taken aback.

This number was not too few but rather much more than he imagined.

To know the entire stellar space's six Star Abyss Gates, Destroyed Illusion alone had eighty-three, so other places would be about the same.

This means there are close to five hundred who have Entered the Path in the entire stellar space.

This hasn't accounted for those who died; if included, there would be even more.

Upon his departure from the stellar space, there were only a few who had Entered the Path. In just over a decade.

As if seeing through Lu Ye's confusion, Gu Yunliu chuckled, "Fellow Daoist, have you forgotten the arrangements you made before leaving? With the foundational depth of this stellar space, the birth of those Entering the Path was not difficult under your arrangements; the difficulty lies in cultivation after entering."

Lu Ye thought carefully and suddenly recalled he had indeed made some arrangements before leaving.

Firstly, the Nine Provinces had been teleported by Number Nine to the Thousand Mounds Cemetery; the Nine Provinces is a domain that can rapidly grow. With the convenience of Thousand Mounds Cemetery, it was elevated to a top-tier domain before Lu Ye left, and Spirit Jade Veins had formed within the domain.

Moreover, Number Nine could use the Nine Provinces' foundation to assist cultivators entering the realm in rapidly advancing.

In this way, the Nine Provinces were absorbing the foundation from each mound in Thousand Mounds Cemetery, thus expanding its own capacity and transferring it to select cultivators chosen by Number Nine.

With such aid, the cultivator's growth time at the Sun Blaze level was greatly reduced, allowing for swift advancement.

Additionally, Lu Ye had negotiated with the Soul Race, allowing access to Soul Race's tribal land for the entire stellar space, removing the access restriction for only Soul Race members.

In such circumstances, Sun Blaze cultivators could swiftly enhance their psyche profundity.

With these dual approaches, the growth rate for Sun Blaze cultivators was exponentially faster than before.

Additionally, the invasion by Star Abyss increased the activity of stellar space spirit energy, making breakthroughs easier for cultivators compared to before.

Once cultivators met the requirement for advancement, they could enter areas shrouded by Star Abyss ambience and ascend by the Smelting Furnace Method or other methods into Entering the Path.

With Gu Yunliu's reminder, Lu Ye did recall the arrangements he previously left.

Of course, the main reason the stellar space could generate so many who have Entered the Path in such a short time is the accumulated number of Sun Blaze cultivators through generations!