C426 Splitting!!

He boarded the Nebula Gem solely to make it easier to find Liu Ying. Yu Yuan was indifferent to the lives and deaths of everyone inside the Gem.

"The Tears of the Azurefiend" is the Blood Altar of the Azurefiend, requiring a surge of vitality. Hence, evilkind are the preferred sacrifice, followed by dark adepts, and lastly, the physically frail humans.

Moreover, Yu Yuan was aware that the Abyssal Leviathan, one of the three wonders of the Embers Sea, was also a target of the Tears of the Azurefiend. The Leviathan desperately fought to free itself from the sunken ship, refusing to die.

Given its rank and intelligence, the Leviathan could hide its presence, evading the detection of the Tears of the Azurefiend—if not for the thirty-six stone pillars restraining it. Unfortunately, the evilkind's golden bull lacked this ability.

Being so close to the golden bull, the Nebula Gem was in grave danger, even at this distance. And yet, Lu Baichan was intent on moving closer to rescue the golden bull. Wasn't that a death wish?

"Leave?"

Tang Cen's face was grave as he stood between the upper sects, the Ruby Hand, and the Skyblight Cult. He gestured to Lu Baichan, signaling her to prevent Yu Yuan from escaping. She nodded subtly.

The light that emerged from behind her solidified into runes with reinforcing properties, blending into the glow.

"You won't leave until you make things clear!" Tang Cen finally said. "You claim evilkind are in peril, but what about that creature?"

He pointed to the Abyssal Leviathan. "This odd fish lacks a strong life force, yet we all know there's no seawater inside the Gem. How can it float? Only powerful evilkind possess such buoyancy! To me, this fish is a formidable evil!"

"This individual is indeed peculiar," someone from the Ebon Star interjected.

A member of the Sword Sect agreed, "They appeared out of the blue, spouting alarming claims. They say evilkind are the primary targets of extraterrestrial beings, yet here he is with a strange fish in tow. His words don't add up! It's difficult to trust him; it's unclear which of his statements are true and which are false."

The trial-takers from the three upper sects had always been united in their cause. When Tang Cen voiced his skepticism, they all chimed in with support.

"Shut up."

Kong Banbi turned and sharply reprimanded a fellow Sword Sect disciple, silencing him.

"Kong Banbi, do you actually believe him?"

Tang Cen whirled around, his eyes blazing with fury. "Your behavior was off from the start, accepting his story! I need to know, what makes this youngster from the Silvermoon Empire worthy of your trust?"

Kong Banbi replied icily, "It's not your place to lecture me, Young Master Tang."

His emphasis on "Young Master Tang" was a clear jab at Tang Cen's privileged background, suggesting that his elevated status in the Sunlit Order was due to his indulgent grandfather.

"Kong Banbi!"

Tang Cen erupted in rage. He was particularly sensitive to insinuations that his rapid progress in cultivation was due to Tang Zheng's influence rather than his own efforts.

"Hehe, how amusing, truly amusing!"

Hou Tianzhao of the Ruby Hand fiddled with the copper ring on his earlobe, glanced at Lu Baichan, and then turned to Tang Cen, declaring, "Yu is a brother to me, bound by life and death. I take great offense at your attitude!"

"Life-and-death brother?"

"You became life-and-death brothers after just one meeting?"

Members of the Ebon Star and Sword Sect smirked, their expressions filled with incredulity.

"Enough, enough, no more bickering!"

Lu Baichan, fed up with the dispute, raised her voice to halt the quarrel. She then fixed her gaze on Yu Yuan and demanded, "What exactly do you know, and how much? Can you clarify? And what's the deal with that strange fish? If you can't give us clear answers, how can we possibly trust you?"

"I'm leaving!"

Yu Yuan had made up his mind before she could finish speaking.

The scabbard he had placed into the Bracelet of Holding was back in his hand. He gave Lu Baichan a wry smile, pointed the scabbard towards the shimmering light, and challenged, "Step aside!"

"No..."

Lu Baichan began to speak but her face suddenly contorted with shock.

In that moment, Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect's eyes shone with an intense light. He gazed at the scabbard in Yu Yuan's hand, his body shaking, and commanded, "Let him pass!"

The outburst came from an unexpected source: Kong Banbi, known for his usual composure!

Lu Baichan was jolted awake by his roar.

"Huff! Huff!"

A swirl of light burst from the outer ring of the Nebula Gem, enveloping Yu Yuan. Like a bubble filled with vibrant hues, it whisked Yu Yuan away from the gem.

The bizarre fish was taken along for the ride.

Outside the Nebula Gem, Yu Yuan waved to Hou Tianzhao and called out, "Thanks for the hospitality. No need for a send-off."

With that, the man and fish drifted away in the opposite direction of the golden bull.

Inside the Nebula Gem, members of the upper sect, Ruby Hand, and Skyblight Cult were left with odd expressions, momentarily at a loss for words.

Ten breaths later.

Hou Tianzhao of the Ruby Hand inhaled deeply and suddenly declared, "Follow me out!"

With a sweep of his sleeves, a flurry of flames appeared.

The Nebula Gem, now devoid of barriers, couldn't contain him. He burst through the light in a flash and materialized in the sea.

Without looking back, he didn't even give a second glance to his Ruby Hand comrades. He boldly followed Yu Yuan.

The Ruby Hand members paused, sighed, and with reluctance, all followed suit.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Qi Nandou of the Skyblight Cult looked bewildered as his fellow sect members turned to him pleadingly. With resignation, he said, "Let's go! I may not buy into Yu Yuan, but Hou Tianzhao is certainly no fool!"

He then led the Skyblight Cult out of the Nebula Gem, hurrying after Hou Tianzhao.

Inside the gem, Lin Zhuyun and those from Winter's Bite, Sunlit Order, Ebon Star, and Sword Sect were left dumbfounded, standing motionless, struggling to grasp what had just occurred.

Had a minor disagreement, Lu Baichan's mistrust, and Tang Cen's skepticism really caused everyone to go their separate ways?

Yu Yuan might be inconsequential, but why did he manage to draw the Ruby Hand and Skyblight Cult away with him?

The power within the Nebula Gem had been halved without the Ruby Hand and Skyblight Cult's influence!

"That..."

Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect wore an apologetic expression as he addressed Lu Baichan, "I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. How can I say this? I apologize. Can we hope to meet again?"

"Senior Brother, what do you mean?" The girl with the round face exclaimed in shock.

Lu Baichan was equally bewildered.

The others from the Ebon Star and the Sunlit Order, including Lin Zhuyun, were completely taken aback.

"I don't want to die, and I don't want any of you to die either," Kong Banbi said, turning around with a grave and earnest look. "Follow me and leave this place. Whether or not you choose to join Yu Yuan, we must avoid that golden bull at all costs!"

His words indicated a deep trust in Yu Yuan and confidence in his judgment.

He then immediately backed up his words with action—by flying straight out of the Nebula Gem!

"Kong, Kong Banbi?"

"Senior Brother?"

The survivors from the Sword Sect were still inside, not yet fully aware of the situation.

Once outside the Nebula Gem, Kong Banbi's expression turned stern as he bellowed a single command: "Quickly!"

Without further hesitation, the trial-takers from the Sword Sect who had been slow to respond began to fly out of the Nebula Gem one after another, gathering outside.

Kong Banbi paused only briefly before heading in the direction Yu Yuan had gone, with the Sword Sect members closely tailing him.

In an instant, only the Ebon Star, Sunlit Order, Winter's Bite, Lin Zhuyun, and a few others remained inside the Nebula Gem.

Lu Baichan, still in a daze, watched the departing figures for a long while before murmuring to herself, "Did I make a mistake?"

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