Chapter 2230 - 2228: The Nine Infants' Medicinal Garden

Huang Zhihuan finally remembered where he had heard the name Lu Ye before. The As-Close-As-Siblings Dao Runes were personally delivered by Huang Zhen from Blue Water, causing quite a stir on the home planet at the time. Over the years, many powerful figures on the home planet have been studying these runes, attempting to create array discs based on them. However, due to the scarcity of materials, progress has been slow.

Huang Zhen was a member of the Huang family and was an uncle to Huang Zhihuan. During a casual conversation, he had mentioned Lu Ye, expressing a high regard for him.

Moreover, recently, Huang Zhihuan had heard about some of Lu Ye's experiences. Huang Zhen felt regret because he had sincerely tried to recruit Lu Ye as a Family General for the Huang family during their time in Blue Water, but was politely declined.

If Huang Zhen had known about Lu Ye's subsequent encounters, he would have forcibly taken him back to the home planet, sparing him later disasters.

"Indeed!"

Just as Lu Ye finished speaking, Huang Zhihuan rushed at Lu Ye like an arrow off a bowstring, reaching out with a palm strike aimed at Lu Ye, his palm brimming with Dao force, seemingly without mercy.

Yan Hong was shocked, "Brother Huang, stop!"

Huang Zhihuan's sudden attack was completely unexpected for Yan Hong, leaving him unable to intervene.

Lu Ye was also unprepared for this sudden assault, but even though Huang Zhihuan was formidable, he was still only a Beginner Realm cultivator. Thus, Lu Ye easily raised a hand to block Huang Zhihuan's offensive.

Dao force surged and then calmed. In the grand hall, the two figures faced each other. Lu Ye remained composed, while Huang Zhihuan was utterly shocked!

His compatibility with the giant ants was unprecedented, reaching heights no one had ever achieved. Both the Huang family and other families held great expectations for him.

They hoped he would uncover the secrets of the ruins and find a way to leave Banlan.

That's why he had lingered in the Beginner Realm for hundreds of years. It wasn't that he couldn't advance, but that he chose not to!

Throughout Banlan, he was undeniably the foremost in the Beginner Realm, unmatched even by other giant ant handlers.

His sudden attack was almost a half-sneak assault; no other Beginner Realm cultivator could withstand his offensive.

However, the outcome left him astounded. Lu Ye nonchalantly received his fierce attack, seemingly without exerting his full strength?

Lu Ye frowned slightly. Although he was displeased with Huang Zhihuan's surprise attack, he could understand his actions if he considered the situation from Huang's perspective.

He must have believed that Lu Ye had been controlled by the Insect and Blood Races.

"Brother Huang, may I speak a word?" Lu Ye looked at him, beginning to speak slowly.

Huang Zhihuan immediately snorted coldly, "No need for more words, Yan Hong, attack together!" No matter what, he decided to capture Lu Ye first and discuss matters back on the home planet. Alone, he might not be a match, but with Yan Hong, it could be different.

Dao force surged again, transforming from palm to fist, launching violently.

Yet, in the next instant, Huang Zhihuan's eyes widened as he flew out like a paper kite. His full-force strike had no effect; instead, it was Lu Ye's attack that broke through his defense and struck him.

This sudden turn of events left Yan Hong dumbfounded.

In truth, he was reluctant to fight Lu Ye, so even when Huang Zhihuan called him, he hesitated. However, Lu Ye's appearance here was inherently suspicious, having been missing for days.

As a member of a noble family, he naturally knew the fate of humans who fell into the hands of the Insect and Blood Races: either death or control, with no other option.

Despite this, he shared a connection with Lu Ye. In fact, Lu Ye was still considered a Family General for the Yan family, albeit one with autonomy.

Huang Zhihuan hit the ground in a wretched state, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Lu Ye sighed, "Can we talk things over now?" He hadn't used much force, just slightly surpassing Huang Zhihuan.

Yet Huang Zhihuan didn't give him a chance to speak. Upon landing, he spun around and swiftly fled the way he came, vanishing in the blink of an eye, not forgetting to call out to Yan Hong, "Run!"

After two confrontations, he realized he was no match for Lu Ye. Even with Yan Hong, it would be challenging, so naturally, he chose to escape!

Lu Ye's expression turned even more helpless.

He turned to Yan Hong, who was still standing by, "Brother Yan, why don't you leave?"

Huang Zhihuan ran off, yet Yan Hong remained in place.

Yan Hong sighed, "I believe Brother Lu will not make things difficult for me."

Lu Ye nodded.

Yan Hong asked, "Brother Lu, you now..."

He didn't finish, but Lu Ye already knew what he wanted to ask and said, "The situation is not as you think. It's complicated, and hard to explain quickly, but please believe me, Brother Yan, I will never become a puppet of the Insect and Blood Races, nor will I turn against the human race!"

Yan Hong exhaled deeply, "Hearing this from you, Brother Lu, I am relieved."

Lu Ye smiled, "Brother Yan trusts me so much?"

Yan Hong replied, "Though our interactions have been brief, the feeling you give me differs from others. Since Brother Lu says so, it must be so."

"Thank you for your trust, Brother Yan."

Yan Hong waved his hand, then earnestly said, "Brother Lu, may I ask you something!"

"Go ahead."

"Rumor has it that deep within the ruins lies the secret to leaving Banlan. You arrived ahead of us; have you discovered anything here?"

Lu Ye pondered slightly, then looked up, "In this grand hall, there is no way to leave Banlan!"

Yan Hong blinked, then nodded after a moment, "Understood. Brother Lu, I won't ask you to return with me. Just take care of yourself, and perhaps we'll meet again in the future."

"Brother Yan, take care!"

"Farewell!"

Yan Hong turned and retraced his steps, soon disappearing from view.

Lu Ye stood in place, gazing in the direction he departed, naturally aware that a grand hall lay beyond, containing an altar that connected to the human race's domain.

Yet both Lu Ye and Yan Hong knew that Lu Ye could not take this path.

Yan Hong was willing to trust Lu Ye, but others might not, as evidenced by Huang Zhihuan's prior actions. If Lu Ye followed Yan Hong back to the human territory, nothing good would surely await him.

The exit from the relic was surely met with Dao Fusion.

Thus Yan Hong spoke those words.

If Lu Ye previously had any hope of returning to the human side, today's events had erased that glimmer of hope.

Being the first to reach the relic's depths, others would assume he uncovered some secret here, likely related to the method of leaving Banlan.

The temptation was something no one in Banlan could ignore.

A secret indeed lay hidden here, only it was Jiu Ying's soul body in slumber, something Lu Ye had no way to explain externally.

Killing to silence or uprooting the problem was one solution, but Lu Ye could not kill Huang Zhihuan, nor could he kill Yan Hong.

This predicament had no resolution.

With determined steps, Lu Ye arrived at the large door indicated by Jiu Ying, and pushed it open.

Glancing around, he saw yet another long corridor.

Moving forward, he soon reached the corridor's end.

No door was there, only a teleportation array.

Lu Ye stepped onto it, powered it, activating the array, and his figure vanished.

When he reappeared, he found himself in a fragrantly scented place.

Beneath his feet lay another teleportation array, corresponding with the previous one, allowing mutual passage.

Lu Ye took a deep breath, immediately enveloped by various fragrances, and upon looking up, found a somewhat familiar large tree in view.

Studying it closely, Lu Ye was a bit surprised: "There is actually a Stellar Tree here? Isn't it said these usually exist only within various marvels?"

Years ago, when first arriving at Star Abyss, Lu Ye, along with Jiu Yan and others, coincidentally discovered a Stellar Tree and fought with a group of Beginner Realm cultivators, laying the foundation for Jiu Yan and the others' 6th Dao strength.

Yet since then, Lu Ye hadn't encountered a Stellar Tree again.

This thing was indeed quite rare.

Unexpectedly, there was one here!

But this wasn't a stellar marvel; it was Jiu Ying's medicinal garden, hidden within the relic as preparation resources for its revival.

According to its plan, after reviving, it would likely only be in the Beginner Realm and naturally would need to quickly enhance its strength, hence the preparations before its slumber.

If all went well, Jiu Ying could swiftly elevate its cultivation here, not to full recovery, but at least achieving Dao Fusion wouldn't be an issue.

Unfortunately, it encountered Lu Ye, and after a fierce battle, its soul body nearly shattered, leaving only a bit of Spiritual Sense.

At this point, it had no intention to conceal anything further, nor could it, given it and Lu Ye had sworn by the Will of the Star Abyss. All it sought now was for Lu Ye to later find it an appropriate physical body.

Jiu Ying's voice emerged in his mind, sounding somewhat proud: "My original cultivation peak far exceeded your imagination, what of transplanting a Stellar Tree? But why is there only one left?"

Lu Ye was startled: "How many did you originally transplant?"

"Five or six, give or take."

Lu Ye felt inexplicable heartache, a twist like a knife!

Now possessing Hundred Dao Power, every advancement requires a full five to six thousand Dao force, but with Stellar Fruit, that changes. This item significantly boosts a cultivator's Dao Bone honing success rate.

Its efficacy could rival the Star Abyss Blessing's one-shot success!

For him, one Stellar Fruit is worth at least five to six thousand Dao force.

Originally, Jiu Ying transplanted five or six, and now only one remains, evidently due to the vast passage of time causing the other trees to vanish.

Not just the Stellar Tree, as Lu Ye glanced around, he noticed the medicinal garden's many strange flowers and fruits were sparse, indicating the disappearance of many.

Yet, the Dao force here seemed particularly concentrated.

As expected, all these strange flowers and fruits were prepared by Jiu Ying for itself; it had the means to transplant Stellar Trees and to enrich the Dao force here, facilitating the growth of those flowers and fruits.

Through countless ages of accumulation, these flowers and fruits rotated through many cycles, wasting unknown amounts, and with unknown losses.

Until today, Lu Ye's arrival marked the garden's first guest.

All arrangements Jiu Ying made before its slumber would now become wedding attire.