C65 You Are Weak but We Are Strong

"There appears to be a damaged Pearl of Illusion where the Wethtalos folks are located. Without it, we can't use the Veil of Illusions to monitor their movements."

At the entrance to the forbidden area, Lee Yuchan extended a finger toward the shimmering Veil of Illusions.

The scene emerging from the Veil rippled and vibrated, yet it stubbornly refused to stabilize the previously visible image for her to view again.

Earlier, she was able to discern the Wethtalos group scattered around a mural, deciphering its enigmatic secrets.

As Yuchan attempted to shift the scene and bring back the image, she found it was no longer possible.

She immediately deduced that a Pearl of Illusion in that region was definitely malfunctioning.

The ability to project the Moonfall Sanctuary through the Veil of Illusions was due to Pearls of Illusion secretly placed in every nook, cranny, and Moon Shard throughout the area.

Each Pearl of Illusion, like an eye, could vividly display the scenes and images within its vicinity.

Moreover, the Pearls of Illusion served as an additional medium.

In critical moments, both Yuchan and the old general could convey their will through the Veil of Illusions and the Pearls of Illusion.

They could even exert control over situations by projecting their Soul Power directly from within a Pearl of Illusion!

In essence, these Pearls were vital for overseeing the forbidden area.

"A problematic Pearl of Illusion just requires a bit of attention," the old general remarked nonchalantly, soaking up the sun. "These Pearls aren't the most stable Divine Artifacts, and it's not unusual for a few to develop issues over time."

"We've had similar incidents in the past."

"If it's only one or two Pearls, there's no need to rush. We'll keep an eye on it."

"In theory, those youngsters shouldn't be able to detect the Pearls or pinpoint their exact locations. Lee Yu might, but he's not the type to go around destroying Pearls of Illusion."

"I'll take another look then."

...

From midday until dusk approached.

Yu Yuan continued to refine the Seed of Life, harnessing the pill's potency to nourish and heal his wounds.

Numerous sword lights remained etched into the bones of his arms. He attempted to decipher the intricate sword spells hidden within the sword light, but the chaotic arrangement of the lights made them incredibly elusive and complex. Even with a heaven soul that far exceeded that of an ordinary person, he felt dizzy after trying to grasp their meaning for a while.

He quickly realized that the true essence of swordsmanship contained within the sword light was not something he could grasp at his current level, in the Soul Awakening Realm. It was a knowledge that would have to wait until after he had made further breakthroughs in his cultivation.

"The Soul Awakening Realm is insufficient; I'll have to revisit this later. Those sword lights seem like they might be useful when I'm in danger or facing the threat of death," he mused, opening his eyes.

The Soul Awakening Realm emphasized the forging and tempering of the body. He had another spell in mind, one he intended to practice diligently as soon as he advanced. But for now, his priority was to heal his wounds. The body-refining spell he had was potent and could easily cause injury if not handled with care. He certainly didn't want to compound his current injuries.

Before he began practicing the spell, he needed to ensure his body was in peak condition. "With the aid of the Seed of Life, the internal injuries inflicted by Van Le should heal within a day or two," Yu Yuan thought as he rose to his feet and surveyed his surroundings.

His gaze fell upon Han Hui of Asenalenor. This leading figure of Asenalenor, who was only nineteen according to Zhao Yafu, had reached the middle period of the Golden Sanctum. She was slightly older and a step behind in her cultivation compared to the likes of Su Yan and Lin Zhuyun, the Empire's New Moons.

Thus, she was part of the second tier of the Empire's new generation. The first tier, without question, consisted of the five New Moons of the Empire. "In terms of appearance, she's just a bit less striking than Su Yan and Lin Zhuyun," Yu Yuan thought to himself with a hint of sarcasm. "Is there some cruel irony at play here? That those with the most stunning looks are also blessed with extraordinary talent? Su Yan, Lin Zhuyun, and Zhao Yafu clearly outshine their peers in every way."

"Yu Yuan!" Han Hui approached him with a forthright stride.

"It's like this," she said candidly, sharing her thoughts. "We've had a discussion and concluded that both our Asenalenor and your Asvetaesi are among the weaker factions within the forbidden area. Therefore, it might be beneficial for us to form an alliance. By doing so, we can share any discoveries and stand united against external threats."

After her explanation, she inquired, "What's your take on this?"

Yuan Ting, Zhao Yafu, Yu Feifei, and the others approached as the conversation unfolded.

"I'm not impressed," Yu Yuan shook his head. "Your Asenalenor might be on the weaker side within the forbidden area, but that's not the case for us. We should be counted among the stronger factions!"

"Therefore, I see no need for an alliance. And if we were to ally, we certainly wouldn't split the gains equally."

He expressed his opinion with earnest sincerity.

Han Hui was taken aback.

The other young men and women from Asenalenor were equally shocked by his response.

They had never anticipated such a reply from Yu Yuan.

Asvetaesi, the stronger faction, and Asenalenor, the weaker?

Could Yu Yuan be joking?

The entire empire was aware that Asvetaesi was at the bottom of the rankings.

That was the established order of the seven cities!

Not to mention city rankings, among the two teams participating in the trial, there were two at the Golden Sanctum level. Han Hui was in the middle period of the Golden Sanctum, and there was another young man in the early period.

From Asvetaesi, only Zhao Yafu had reached the Golden Sanctum, and she had been there for only a brief period.

Asenalenor had nine members, while Asvetaesi had just seven.

On what basis did Yu Yuan consider Asvetaesi to be the stronger party?

"You must be joking," Han Hui finally managed to say after a long pause.

Yuan Ting and Zhao Yafu exchanged glances. Yuan Ting seemed inclined to defuse the situation, but Zhao Yafu subtly shook her head, signaling him to let it be.

"I'm not joking," Yu Yuan said with a slight smile. "If we're to form an alliance, Asenalenor will have to follow our lead. Any future findings and spoils should be ours to pick first."

Han Hui inhaled deeply, steadying her nerves before turning her gaze to Yuan Ting and Zhao Yafu.

Yuan Ting wore a wry smile.

Zhao Yafu's face was etched with regret.

"Alright, I get it."

After a long wait, Han Hui gave a slight nod. "Our kindness has been thrown back in our faces. Let's just go."

The group from Asenalenor shot Yu Yuan a cold glare and then followed her lead.

"Good luck to you."

"Hopefully, you won't have an encounter like ours with the Van family or the people of Wethtalos. May you avoid being cast out."

"With your kind of luck, I doubt you'll stumble upon any fortune!"

"Take care!"

The Asenalenor party, frustrated with Yu Yuan and not achieving their desired outcome, trudged away in a sullen mood.

"Yu Yuan," Yuan Ting said, scratching his head in bewilderment, "why did you insist on provoking them to leave? What was the point?"

"I didn't set out to provoke them," Yu Yuan stated earnestly. "I believe that if we were to truly ally with them, they would only hold us back. You've seen it yourself; Han Hui fancies herself the leader. If we formed an alliance, she would undoubtedly assume command over us."

"I don't believe that Han Hui possesses the wisdom or the capability to lead."

"Moreover..."

Yu Yuan let out a light laugh, "Sister Zhao can already outmatch her with her current level of cultivation and strength. In a few days, Miss Zhao's cultivation will make another leap, reaching the middle period of the Golden Sanctum!"

"Once she's in the middle period of the Golden Sanctum, Sister Zhao's power will be more than enough to handle Han Hui with ease."

"What makes her think that Asenalenor's strength surpasses ours?"

Yuan Ting was visibly taken aback by these words and turned to Zhao Yafu with a look of astonishment, "You?"

"Absolutely," Zhao Yafu affirmed confidently, "Brother Yu is correct. I'm confident I can best her now, and once I achieve a breakthrough to her level, not even three of her would be a match for me."

"What I'm curious about is whether you can truly achieve another breakthrough so soon?" Yuan Ting inquired.

"Three days at the soonest, five at the latest," Zhao Yafu confirmed with a nod.

"My goodness! How is that even possible? How can it happen so quickly?" Yuan Ting was utterly flabbergasted.

Yu Yuan and Zhao Yafu exchanged a knowing smile.

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