CHAPTER 1400: CHAPTER 1398: EXPERTS OF THE FORMER NINE PROVINCES

Lu Ye understood upon hearing this; no wonder everything was so coincidental and went so smoothly. As soon as Cao Xiang gathered intelligence about the Jade Conch, he went to Zhaolai Island and happened to see the cultivators from the Tianyan Star System recruiting manpower. Negotiations with Zhu Yuan on the compensation went smoothly, and then he accepted the recruitment.

This explained why Zhu Yuan was unwilling to even take a trip to Zhongzheng Island before leaving. In his view, among the three people recruited, the other two, regardless of their nature, weren’t going to survive. Whether he went to Zhongzheng Island or not made no real difference.

All of this was just a setup, a trap aimed at him, with the ultimate goal of luring him here to meet Ma Bin.

He even got Tang Jun to lend him two thousand spirit jades for travel expenses...

"Senior went to such great lengths to bring me here; is there any instruction?" Lu Ye collected himself and asked.

Since the intelligence received was false, using the Tianyan route to return to the Jade Conch was unrealistic; further intelligence gathering was needed.

But as for Ma Bin’s purpose in having Zhu Yuan bring him here, it was unknown.

Lu Ye wasn’t worried about them harming him, but matters at the Sun Blaze level were difficult for just a Constellation to meddle in; he feared disappointing the expectations of the old senior.

"Just wanted to meet you," Ma Bin said with a slight smile. "To be honest, the plan to move Nine Provinces millennia ago was decided in haste. Nobody could guarantee success, but without moving, Nine Provinces would’ve faced the fate of total annihilation. So, it was a gamble we had to take. Yet, moving a domain is something never done before; most don’t dare due to the high risks. A single mistake and the entire domain could collapse, leading to the extinction of all life within. Looking at it now, has it succeeded?"

If it hadn’t succeeded, Nine Provinces wouldn’t exist now, and Lu Ye sitting here, alive and well, undoubtedly signified something.

Lu Ye nodded, "It was very successful. Over these ten thousand years, although not entirely peaceful, the Nine Provinces maintained a good cultivation environment; cultivators thrived, and the domain’s potential increased steadily. Until a few years ago, it upgraded to a large-scale domain."

Ma Bin was a little surprised, "Logically, Nine Provinces shouldn’t have grown this quickly. The seniors of that time were even mentally prepared for Nine Provinces to lose its status as a cultivation domain, because implementing that plan greatly depleted domain resources, potentially crippling Nine Provinces, causing its potential to vanish, spiritual energy to dissipate, turning it into an ordinary domain, eventually devoid of cultivators."

Compared to being exterminated, this result was acceptable. At least the beings in Nine Provinces could continue living, just without cultivation.

In the stellar space, there are many such domains without cultivators.

However, upon seeing Lu Ye for the first time, Ma Bin knew Nine Provinces had become a large-scale domain, as only such a domain could cultivate Constellation Realm beings.

Lu Ye said, "I dare not comment on the seniors’ predictions about Nine Provinces, but the domain’s resources indeed waned for a while. The cultivators’ levels within the domain were low; today’s development owes much to the Heaven’s Augury Compass. Senior might not know, but years ago, an Artifact Spirit appeared by chance in the Heaven’s Augury Compass, merging with the Heaven-Earth Origin of Nine Provinces, possessing strong independent thinking. Under its management, Nine Provinces developed as it did."

"Oh?" Ma Bin’s eyes brightened, "The Heaven’s Augury Compass’s Artifact Spirit is so remarkable?"

This was something even the seniors of that time couldn’t predict and was indeed a pleasant surprise. Speaking of which, no matter how high one’s cultivation level, even at Sun Blaze, it’s impossible to foresee every eventuality.

The strong ones from the pre-Nine Provinces era had prepared for the worst possible outcomes and the best countermeasures, relinquishing other concerns, as each went off to the stellar space battle zones and perished in combat.

At that time, Ma Bin had just reached the Constellation stage and, despite his low cultivation, wasn’t regarded as a threat, thus narrowly surviving by chance.

Seeing Ma Bin’s intrigued demeanor, Lu Ye said, "If you’re interested, I can tell you more about Nine Provinces?"

"I would like that." Ma Bin adjusted his position to make himself more comfortable and looked at Lu Ye with great interest.

The events from too long ago were beyond Lu Ye’s knowledge; he could only speak of what he had experienced and understood.

He spoke of the structure of the opposition between the two major factions in Nine Provinces, the Spirit Stream battlefield, the Cloud River battlefield, and the checkpoints at the front lines. He also mentioned Number Nine, who shielded Nine Provinces, allowing it to pass through these ten thousand years safely. Furthermore, he spoke of how, akin to scavenging, Number Nine collected various pieces of floating land and shattered domains from the stellar space, turning them into secret realms, allowing Nine Provinces cultivators to experience the styles of other domains early.

He also recounted the insect calamity, where, for the first time in history, the two major factions collaborated sincerely, jointly venturing into the Insect Race secret realm and destroying the insect hives.

Furthermore, there was the vast army that ventured to the Blood Refinement World like divine weapons from the heavens, crushing the Blood Race and freeing the human race of that domain.

In the view of the Sun Blaze level, all these events were mere trivial matters, akin to sesame seeds, but Ma Bin listened intently, even showing a look of fascination, regretting that he couldn’t personally partake in them.

The span of ten thousand years is so long; even with his formidable cultivation, he can’t help but feel homesick.

Yet over the years, he has never actively sought any information about the Nine Provinces, nor has he tried to find it; he doesn’t even know if the Nine Provinces still exists.

Because his goal is too significant, any action might easily attract enemies’ attention. If that were to bring calamity to his homeland, he could never escape the guilt.

The current Nine Provinces was preserved by countless predecessors shedding their blood in the era before. He cannot assist the Nine Provinces in any way but must never do anything to harm it.

Upon hearing that the enhancement of the Nine Provinces’ foundation is related to absorbing the Blood Refinement World, Ma Bin’s expression turned stern: "In that case, is the Nine Provinces now a rapidly growing domain?"

"It should be." Lu Ye nodded, "Speaking of which, the Nine Provinces was previously targeted by a Sun Blaze shortly after it advanced to a large domain and connected with the stellar space."

Ma Bin’s expression cooled, his intent to kill evident: "What’s that Sun Blaze’s name? Where did they come from?"

He looked as if he was about to strike to kill the person.

"Not sure where they were from; the name was Yueh Xin, but no need to worry, senior. At the time, under Number Nine’s guidance, I found Senior Yang Qing and helped him get free. Yueh Xin was killed by Senior Yang Qing."

"Yang Qing..." Ma Bin froze for a moment, then realized: "Oh, right, he’s the Sect Master’s old friend. Because of some mistakes, the Sect Master sealed him, probably just going through the motions, quickly releasing him. When the Nine Provinces faced an invasion by a formidable enemy, during the most perilous moment, this senior wanted to help, but the Sect Master didn’t allow it, lest he suffer the same fate as us. He’s very powerful; defeating a Sun Blaze is normal. So, is it Senior Yang Qing who now guards our homeland?"

Lu Ye shook his head: "After freeing himself, Senior Yang Qing took me to the Reincarnation Tree to join the Divine Sea struggle. Upon returning, he left alone; he didn’t say where he went, and I don’t know."

Ma Bin’s gaze flickered, as if realizing something.

Speaking of the Reincarnation Tree, Lu Ye suddenly remembered: "Senior, the Reincarnation Tree has a doppelganger in the Nine Provinces. It should know the Nine Provinces is intact and also knows the exact location. Haven’t you gone to inquire?"

Ma Bin shook his head: "Outside the Reincarnation Tree, strong figures lurk in the shadows. If I appear, I certainly can’t hide my trace. I wanted to inquire by the Reincarnation Tree, but unfortunately never had the chance."

Lu Ye felt slightly disappointed because if Ma Bin had inquired by the Reincarnation Tree about the Nine Provinces, he might have known its exact location; then Lu Ye here could know the specific path to return to the Nine Provinces. But since Ma Bin hadn’t inquired, there was no way to check.

"Then how did you come to the All Phenomena Galaxy? Since you’re here, why don’t you know the path back, still needing to inquire with the All Phenomena Merchants Guild for information?" This point particularly puzzled Ma Bin.

But thanks to Lu Ye seeking information from the All Phenomena Merchants Guild, or else Zhu Yuan wouldn’t have had the chance to lead him here.

"It’s a long story." Lu Ye sighed, narrating how Yueh Xin set up a big array connecting Unparalleled Continent and the Nine Provinces, turning Unparalleled into a crucial training site for the Nine Provinces’ True Lake and Divine Sea, and mentioning the Constellation Realm invasion in Qingli Dao World, how he killed Moon Jade using a red talisman, ultimately chased by Tang Jun, triggering the formation of the Insect Path.

"I fell into the Insect Path with Tang Jun, finally breaking free using a certain item. When I came to my senses, I was in the All Phenomena Galaxy, and that Insect Path had just formed, still unstable, so I couldn’t return."

These twists and turns amazed even a Sun Blaze like Ma Bin when hearing them; as for the item helping one break free in the Insect Path, Lu Ye didn’t elaborate, and Ma Bin didn’t ask.

Though he was interested in another matter: "How do you have a red talisman from the Dwarf Race in your hand?"

Logically speaking, since the Nine Provinces has just advanced to a large domain, it knows nothing about stellar space; Dwarf Race red talismans are extremely precious—where did Lu Ye get one?

"Senior knows, too; when the Nine Provinces advanced to a large domain, we Constellations began exploring surrounding stellar space. I inadvertently saved a Dwarf Race member and then entered Mount Fangcun, where I helped them a lot. The red talisman was given by a Dwarf Race Sun Blaze."

"That help must have been significant; you are indeed someone with fortune!" Ma Bin praised, seemingly recalling some amusing incident. "Entering stellar space initially must have been overwhelming, right? When I first entered stellar space years ago, I was dumbstruck, fortunate that my senior brother and sister guided me, or I wouldn’t even find my way back."

Speaking of these amusing stories, a nostalgic gleam appeared in his eyes. Unfortunately, after ten thousand years, those familiar faces and voices have long vanished; recalling now only adds to the sadness.

Shaking his head: "Continue speaking about yourselves; the old man’s tales are gloomy—the youth have the vigor!"