The older man leading the trio had listened to his companion grumble and curse the entire way. Finally unable to bear it, he spoke up. "Forget it. They've got the power, and our Flowing Cloud Valley can't afford to cross them. Just grit your teeth and it'll pass. You know what the Battle Sky Alliance is like — why keep harping on about it?"
"I just can't swallow this insult," the man said, his face dark with anger. "So what if it's the Battle Sky Alliance? Qu Changfeng acts like he's somebody. If the Battle Sky Alliance weren't backing him, would he dare carry on like this? I think the man is all reputation and no substance. If it really came to blows, he wouldn't stand a chance against either of you, Senior Brothers."
The older man's expression darkened. "Now that's where you're wrong. Qu Changfeng may be an arrogant, overbearing brat with a terrible reputation, but he genuinely has the skills to back it up. Otherwise, how could his name be known throughout the entire Dark Star on the strength of the Battle Sky Alliance alone? You know Fang Tianzhong of the Lei Tai Sect? I've heard he's sparred with Qu Changfeng no fewer than ten times, and every single bout ended in a draw. If he can fight Fang Tianzhong to a standstill, then I certainly wouldn't stand a chance against him. You must never underestimate people with famous reputations — if they're famous, there's a reason for it."
"Fang Tianzhong couldn't beat him either?" The junior brother was visibly startled, only now realizing just how much he had underestimated Qu Changfeng's abilities.
"Of course not. That's why the two of them go at each other tooth and nail every time they cross paths — like fire and water. Your Senior Brother Lu Ye knows all about this." As he spoke, the older man glanced toward the third member of their party.
"Why would Senior Brother Lu know?"
The older man said, "Because your Senior Brother Lu once happened upon those two fighting when he was out on his own. Junior Brother Lu, tell him what happened — maybe it'll teach him not to underestimate the world's heroes and get himself killed without even knowing why."
In that instant, the Saint King two-layer warrior turned curious eyes toward the senior brother called Lu Ye.
But Lu Ye was frowning deeply, his expression shifting between dark and light, as though lost in deep thought. He didn't seem to have heard a word the older man said.
"Junior Brother Lu, what are you thinking about?" the older man asked, a note of suspicion in his voice. Ever since they had emerged from that stone chamber, Lu Ye had seemed absent-minded and faraway, as if his soul were wandering elsewhere. He still hadn't snapped out of it.
"Heh heh..." Lu Ye suddenly let out a low chuckle. For reasons neither of them could explain, that laugh sent a chill through both men and raised goosebumps all over their skin.
The older man's expression shifted to alarm. He feared something had gone wrong when Lu Ye had been immersed in the Soul-Washing Divine Water, and he asked hastily, "Junior Brother Lu, are you alright?"
"Me? Of course I'm alright. I'm wonderful — hahaha, I'm better than I've ever been!" As he spoke, two points of eerie green light surfaced in Lu Ye's eyes, like a pair of flickering ghost fires — a sight that made one's blood run cold. The previously gentle expression on Lu Ye's face twisted into something savage in an instant. His hand shot forward, Sacred Yuan surging, and plunged straight through the Saint King warrior's chest.
How could that warrior have imagined that the ever-courteous, humble Senior Brother Lu would suddenly strike to kill? By the time he felt the pain in his chest and looked down, Lu Ye's hand had already pierced clean through his body.
His heart spasmed inexplicably, and then he watched as Lu Ye withdrew his hand from his chest — drenched in crimson. Clutched in that palm was a still violently beating heart.
His heart? That single thought flickered through the warrior's mind before he toppled backward, a torrent of blood erupting from the gaping wound in his chest.
"Lu Ye, what are you doing?!" The older man's face drained of all color. Fellow disciples turning on each other — a murderous betrayal happening right before his very eyes — was the last thing he could have expected.
With an angry roar, he gathered his Sacred Yuan, ready to strike down this murderer of his own.
But without warning, a terrifying wave of Divine Sense slammed into his mind, instantly shattering the defenses of his Sea of Consciousness. His spiritual sea was thrown into utter chaos.
The older man let out a muffled groan. In that single instant, his Sea of Consciousness had been damaged, and the Sacred Yuan he'd been gathering dissipated without a trace.
Then he saw Lu Ye lunging toward him with a savage, grinning smile, the green glow in his eyes burning ever brighter and more sinister.
"You're not—" The older man's cry of alarm was cut short as Lu Ye's palm blade sheared his head clean off his shoulders. Blood from the headless corpse sprayed a good dozen feet into the air.
Lu Ye alighted lightly, flicking the blood from his hand. "Of course I'm not!" he snorted coldly.
Though he had dispatched two Saint King realm warriors with apparent ease, Lu Ye still wore a look of dissatisfaction. This body had decent aptitude and was well-suited for his cultivation technique, but its realm was far too weak. Compared to his former peak, it was as insignificant as an ant.
Still, Lu Ye was satisfied. He had finally escaped that wretched place. How many years had it been? Five thousand? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand?
So much time had passed that he could no longer remember. If another thousand years had gone by without anyone finding that stone chamber, his soul would likely have dissipated completely into the void.
Back then, to break through some of the restrictions on the chamber so that someone might discover it, he had not hesitated to expend the very essence of his soul. Otherwise, that stone chamber would still be buried under dust to this day. Fortunately, every sacrifice had been worth it — someone had finally gone there, and his long-held wish had been fulfilled.
His face paled for an instant before Lu Ye forced it back under control. Forcing the use of that secret technique had placed enormous strain on this body, and he still hadn't fully familiarized himself with his new vessel.
It seemed he wouldn't be able to use any secret techniques again for some time.