Chapter 448: Free Ride

An Li was filled with doubt.

If she hadn't betrayed Lu Ye, she wouldn't have needed to go to such extremes. Even a hint of madness would've made Lu Ye give in out of concern for her.

But now?

An Li had lost count of how many times she had killed herself.

Yet the Dark Origin hadn't even acknowledged her.

Did that mean her actions now were meaningless? She thought bitterly.

But An Li refused to yield.

The Dark Origin had likely never known defeat. If she just held on a little longer, until the Dark Origin suffered a few failures, it would surely come crawling for her help. Then, she would gain the advantage.

She had to endure!

As for whether the Dark Origin might surrender to Lu Ye?

Absolutely impossible!

Because the Dark Origin was utterly useless to Lu Ye, and Lu Ye would never accept its surrender.

Resolute, An Li choked the life out of herself again.

As she died, she even heard sighs of relief, which cut her to the core.

Her connection to the Dark Origin was too deep. Even after reincarnation, she carried its lingering taint—an aura utterly rejected by the world. Everyone who saw her, even in her newborn form, looked at her like a repulsive abomination.

Even in death, no one would mourn for her—only feel relief.

An Li couldn't help but feel completely drained.

She even missed Vermilion Bird.

...

Lu Ye still hadn't appeared at the Sea of Forgetfulness.

As time passed, the Dark Origin was getting more agitated by the minute.

This wasn't its normal disposition, but its partnership with Yin Qingcheng had left it thoroughly rattled due to her repeated failed predictions.

Since Lu Ye hadn't come and there was no word from him, it made a decision—to go after Lu Ye itself.

Well, not personally, but by sending those who had regained their youth.

These Void Realm cultivators, while restored to youth, had to pay the price by becoming the Dark Origin's henchmen.

When the cultivators heard they were to attack the Celestial Gate, they began to waver.

Though the Nine Heavens were vast, Lu Ye's identity as the reincarnated Celestial Lord was known everywhere—and he was infamous for holding grudges.

Even if they went to him, who could guarantee he wouldn't exact vengeance upon their people?

And rumors said Lu Ye had been strapped for cash recently.

He's been fretting daily about having no powerful backers to plunder, nearly sick with worry.

If we go there now, wouldn't that just give him a reason to raid our families?

If our families were wiped out because of us, how could we ever face our ancestors?

"Brother Lin, if it were anyone else, we'd fight to the death. But we cannot oppose Lu Ye!" someone spoke up.

"Lu Ye is brutal and retaliatory, quick to implicate others. We must not make an enemy of him," another added.

"Indeed, Lu Ye is not someone to provoke. Crossing him would lead to catastrophe," the others all agreed.

Naturally, the Primordial Darkness wouldn't stoop to conversing with these people itself. The one addressing them now was merely its avatar.

As the mighty Primordial Darkness, conversing directly with these insects would be beneath its station.

This representative was once a Quasi-Emperor who had fled into the Primordial Darkness. But as he became too decrepit to survive even there, he was reincarnated.

Now retrieved by the Primordial Darkness, he was reborn as Lin Wuye.

Lin Wuye listened to their protests with a face like stone.

"Do you think I'm bargaining with you?" Lin Wuye said coldly.

"Brother Lin, this isn't about bargaining—we truly can't—"

Before he could finish, thick black mist erupted from his orifices. The acid-like dissolution made the Void Realm cultivator scream horribly.

His body dissolved piece by piece in an agonizing transformation.

The screams made the other Void Realm experts frown, yet their eyes showed little fear.

They were already dying men granted renewed youth—but at the cost of harming their clans?

Unacceptable!

In the Sixth Heaven's clan-dominated world, blood ties meant everything.

"Will you go now?" Lin Wuye demanded coldly.

Silence. Their silence said everything.

Lu Ye's slaughter from the First to Fifth Heavens was proof enough.

Lin Wuye's eyebrows knitted.

His gaze settled on one man.

"Will you go?"

To his surprise, the man suddenly exploded with a roar, "Fuck you and your mother!" and charged at Lin Wuye.

The outcome was predictable—before the attack could land, the assailant was reduced to swirling darkness.

Lin Wuye's scowl darkened.

He turned his gaze to another person.

"After finally regaining your youth and having the chance to walk the Great Dao again, are you all going to abandon this rare opportunity just because of fear?"

Someone sighed softly.

"Save your breath. We've already discussed this before coming here. We'll do anything else, no complaints—even mining is fine—but if there's even the slightest chance it could bring disaster upon our families, count us out!"

As these words were spoken, hundreds of Void Realm elders nodded in agreement.

Lin Wuye was getting pissed.

"You'll die if you keep this up!"

"We were half-dead already!"

"You have a chance to live now!"

"We can also just die."

Lin Wuye felt as disgusted as if he'd eaten something rotten. So these old coots had come here with the mindset of freeloading.

Someone can make us young again? For nothing? Hell yeah, boys, let's move!

What? They want us to work?

Not happening!

"I refuse to believe none of you fear death!"

Lin Wuye pointed at one man. "Will you go?"

"Screw you!"

Melted!

"Will you go?"

"Pfft... *spits*!"

Melted!

"Will you go?"

"Fucking idiot."

Melted!

"Will you go?"

"Fuck your mother!"

...

One by one, the Void Realm cultivators dissolved.

These old farts might've been talentless, but they had spines of steel.

When they say they won't go, they really mean it. If they actually went, you can't even imagine how their families would suffer under the hands of Lu Ye, who's so broke he'd sell his own grandma.

Future generations would ask, "Why is our family so poor?"

And someone would tell them, "Well, it all started with a spineless ancestor..."

How could they show their faces again? They'd be an eternal family disgrace!

As for killing Lu Ye? Hell no. Someone else can play hero—count me out.

And death?

Please—they were already knocking on death's door.