Chapter 2282 - 2280: Becoming Clean

The core of Edgeless City is not difficult to find, as it is located in the central hall of this giant city. Zi Ying started to refine it, which was not too difficult; according to her own estimate, it should take less than a month to complete.

By then, she will be able to maneuver Edgeless City and move it into Banlan for placement.

While Zi Ying was busy, Lu Ye was not idle either.

He first went to the various bone pools and informed the many bone chalices about the demise of the Beast Race's Dao Fusion cultivators in Edgeless City. He expected that upon hearing this news, the bone chalices would be ecstatic, after all, with the oppression from those Beast Race Dao Fusion cultivators gone, they could regain their freedom and no longer live so miserably.

But to his surprise, all the bone chalices reacted indifferently, even coldly.

Even though they knew this news, and Lu Ye personally told them that no one would bully them in the future, the bone chalices still showed no intention of leaving the bone pools...

Many of them even appeared a bit dazed, as if they suddenly lost their direction in life.

Lu Ye sighed inwardly, realizing that the human race in Edgeless City had been oppressed for too long. They had become accustomed to their fate and even more so to their identity as bone chalices. Among the numerous races in Edgeless City, the human race held the lowest status, akin to livestock. Such a significant change was too much for them to adapt to.

To affect change, it won't happen overnight; it probably requires generations or even more time and effort.

Lu Ye did not force the bone chalices, and soon left. Now that the Dao Fusion cultivators in Edgeless City had perished and those who entered the path had fled, these bone chalices were not in great danger by staying there.

In front of a portal, Lu Ye did some investigation, stepped in, and with a blur in his vision, his entire being appeared in a domain.

This domain was hidden within Edgeless City, and also where the human race lived. The Beast Race of Edgeless City treated the human race like livestock, keeping numerous humans penned within this domain, supporting their survival and cultivation, but those qualified to enter the path would be cultivated. Then these path-entering humans were sent into the bone pools to practice that special method, transforming them into bone chalices.

Judging by the environment, this domain was relatively favorable, with birds singing, flowers fragrant, and beautiful mountains and waters. Even the nature's spiritual energy was extremely dense, making it quite suitable for the growth of low-level cultivators.

Hence, those residing here were not only of the human race but also other races creatures, though these other creatures were tasked with overseeing the humans.

The upheaval in Edgeless City did not affect this domain, as the news had not reached here.

Lu Ye stayed in this domain for a few days and truly witnessed a lot of horrifying tragedies.

Because the ultimate purpose of Edgeless City's nurturing of the human race was to produce more bone chalices, entering the path was the most basic requirement. Within this domain, those humans qualified and with the potential to enter the path faced no survival issues. The cultivators responsible for managing humans were even willing to provide the best cultivation environment for such individuals, even if their status remained low, at least they had no other worries.

But for humans not qualified to enter the path, their experiences were far from favorable.

It was common for young, beautiful women to become playthings, and for strong, muscular men to perform chores, barely sustaining themselves. Aside from these, most humans had only one lifelong task—procreation!

Due to the need to nurture bone chalices, the human population base was very important, which the Beast Race's Dao Fusion cultivators in Edgeless City valued greatly.

The Foreign Clans responsible for managing the human race would confine many humans in one place, using secret techniques or drugs, to stimulate their most primal urges, day and night without rest. Once a woman became pregnant, she would be taken out to nurture the fetus. After giving birth, a specialist would raise and cultivate the child, and the mother usually had only two months of rest before being sent back.

And such places specifically used to confine humans for procreation numbered over two thousand in the entire domain, with each holding at least three thousand humans!

Many humans died inside.

Even if they didn't die, when a woman lost her fertility or a man's body could no longer sustain, they would be collectively incinerated.

Lu Ye saw with his own eyes a large group of haggard, ragged humans being gathered into a large pit. A cultivator from a Foreign Clan activated a secret technique, and flames swept through, causing everyone to turn to scorched bones in just three breaths.

The countless millennia of continuation had made humans accustomed to their livestock-like status, and other races accustomed to the humans' meekness.

Just like the numbness of those path-entering bone chalices, it's rooted in the lowest level.

In a few days, Lu Ye slaughtered all Foreign Clans within the domain!

These Foreign Clans, regardless of gender, age, or cultivation level, they all deserved to die.

Now only humans remained within the domain. As for their future path, Lu Ye couldn't decide for them. Once Zi Ying completed the refinement of Edgeless City and moved it into Banlan, let the human battle alliance worry about it.

While Zi Ying continued refining the core of Edgeless City, Lu Ye stood by her side as a protector.

Compared to Banlan, the quality and level of Edgeless City were much lower. Nevertheless, refining it was not an easy task for Zi Ying.

This showed that if it weren't for Jiu Ying secretly assisting back then, it would have been impossible for Dark Butterfly to refine the Banlan Core alone, given the comparable strength and realm between Zi Ying and Dark Butterfly.

Though challenging, Zi Ying did not have to expend too much effort mentally; thus, even during her refinement, she had the energy to chat idly with Lu Ye.

The two of them discussed many aspects regarding Dao Harmony.

Although Lu Ye had just Entered the Path, he was confident that he would eventually reach this stage. His exchange with Zi Ying would surely be fruitful, allowing him to avoid some detours in the future.

They also made some plans for the future of Edgeless City. Upon hearing Lu Ye describe the miserable fate of the human race within that domain, Zi Ying was indignant. Only after learning that Lu Ye had exterminated many Foreign Clans there did she feel at ease.

Just as Lu Ye intended, she did not plan to overly involve herself in the future of the numerous humans in Edgeless City. Instead, they'd be sent into Banlan for the battle alliance to handle.

"Sister Zi Ying, I have a secret technique that might help increase your success rate in Dao Harmony," Lu Ye suddenly remembered something during their casual chat.

Dark Butterfly was always thinking about the power of incineration from the Talent Tree, simply because it benefitted her. Through the incineration of the Talent Tree, her soul body became purer and more refined. For the Insect Matriarch, which mainly focused on the psyche, this opportunity was invaluable.

Zi Ying also wanted to try Dao Harmony, and of course, Lu Ye was not stingy in providing his assistance.

"Can I cultivate it?" Zi Ying immediately became interested.

"No need for cultivation. This secret technique is led by me. Sister Zi Ying, give me your hand."

Unquestioningly, Zi Ying extended her hand. Lu Ye held onto her wrist and silently activated the power of the Talent Tree.

In the next moment, Zi Ying felt invigorated because she could clearly sense a gentle power emanating from her wrist, like a warm current, quickly flowing into every corner of her body.

This warmth was incredibly comforting.

She couldn't immediately sense any benefits, but she trusted that Lu Ye would neither deceive nor harm her.

As time passed, Zi Ying's expression gradually became one of astonishment.

The power of incineration from the Talent Tree slowly revealed its might. No matter how extraordinary her innate talent was, how she cultivated to Peak Dao Fusion, there were still residual impurities within her. Although these impurities were extremely hidden, she could not detect them, let alone eliminate them.

However, under the flow of this gentle power, those impurities had nowhere to hide and were all incinerated.

Zi Ying felt as if her body had become much clearer.

Moreover, her aura was gradually changing.

It took half a month before Lu Ye withdrew his hand.

Zi Ying silently perceived the change and was surprisingly amazed: "Brother Ye, why do I feel like I've become...?" She paused, not knowing how to describe the change, then squeezed out the words: "cleaner?"

"Since Sister Zi Ying was born in Banlan, she naturally wouldn't know about the situation in stellar space. Actually, stellar space cultivators haven't been tainted by Star Abyss ambience before entering the Star Abyss. It's while living and cultivating in the Star Abyss that they gradually become imbued with its ambience."

Zi Ying was taken aback: "Is there anything wrong with this Star Abyss ambience?"

Lu Ye shook his head, saying: "I don't know either. I've never noticed anything bad about it." He smiled, "In her current state, Sister Zi Ying is commonly referred to as a 'lost one'; this is akin to when creatures first enter the Star Abyss right after a stellar space has just ended. Star Abyss living creatures are quite interested in lost ones."

These words reminded him of when he first entered, when just the mere exposure of his aura was like a lighthouse in the night, attracting many Star Abyss living creatures to attack.

"Why are they interested in lost ones?" Zi Ying asked, puzzled.

"I'm not sure, maybe it's just due to them being out of place, or because generally, the perception is that cultivators who have just emerged from stellar space are fragile and easy to bully."

Zi Ying understood, but she became curious again: "Since you can make my aura so clean, why isn't yours the same?"

Lu Ye reached into his bosom and took out a bead. The moment it separated from his body, his aura suddenly changed, becoming clean as well.

"This Filth Race was given to me by a predecessor and can help me mask my aura and avoid some trouble."

It was a gift from Uncle Duan when he left the Qing Palace. These years, he had kept it on him, otherwise, his unique aura would make him a focal point wherever he went.

"Later, after Sister Zi Ying refines Edgeless City, find some time, and I'll help incinerate your soul body as well. This way, the chances of advancing to Dao Harmony should increase." Lu Ye kept the Filth Race bead safely close.

Currently, Zi Ying still needed to refine Edgeless City, making it inconvenient for her soul body to leave, so she could only wait.

Zi Ying looked at him gratefully: "Brother Ye, thank you."

She never expected that Lu Ye could help her so much. It could be said that to date, the greatest gain in her life was having this brother.