Chapter 2424: Chapter 2424
The alien fleet suffered heavy losses, yet their main forces remained intact.
Their colossal flagship had managed to retrieve the bulk of their combat strength in time. That behemoth of a ship was staggeringly vast—capable of housing hundreds of thousands of troops, even accommodating entire warships within its hull. Its defenses were virtually impenetrable. The Sacred Dynasty marshaled every Swift Sparrow and battleship they had, bombarding the flagship relentlessly, yet not a single breach was made.
The flagship’s shields were powered by an immense energy source—likely the very essence of a major world, as their analysts surmised. Despite the Sacred Dynasty’s sustained assault, they failed to bring it down. Instead, many of their Swift Sparrows and warships were obliterated by the flagship’s counterattacks.
In the end, they had no choice but to abandon their ambition of annihilating the alien forces. Still, the battle in the void had been a resounding victory—countless enemies slain, over a hundred enemy ships reduced to wreckage.
Moreover, the remaining Swift Sparrows could still be deployed for guerrilla strikes against the aliens, ensuring that the Sacred Dynasty’s deal with Ye Liuyun remained highly advantageous.
Even so, Ye Liuyun’s proposal for an alliance was shelved by the Sacred Dynasty. They believed their forces were vast and formidable, and in their eyes, the martial cultivators of Outpost Island and Watchtower Island were still beneath their notice. All they wanted was for Ye Liuyun to keep supplying Swift Sparrows.
But when Ye Liuyun informed them that no more Swift Sparrows were available, they cut off contact with him entirely.
There was little Ye Liuyun could do but let them fight the aliens on their own while he waited for the right opportunity.
At last, he received word from Wuhen—the journey of death was about to begin.
Thus, Ye Liuyun instructed Mo Tianheng, Mo Shaowen, Liu Yang, and the others to remain in the Sacred Dynasty to monitor its movements, while Lone Star, Old Beard, and their group stayed with the Black Killers to keep an eye on their activities.
He himself followed Wuhen to the headquarters of the Black Killers.
This was Ye Liuyun’s first glimpse of the true face of the Black Killers.
The headquarters was sparsely populated, with only about two to three hundred people in total.
Most of them wore the uniforms of Black Killer enforcers, likely responsible for various operations within the organization. There were also a few assassins shrouded in black robes.
But regardless of their roles, judging by their auras, each of them was a powerhouse on par with Liao Yunyang.
Only in the area where Wuhen led Ye Liuyun were there seven or eight members with slightly weaker auras. Yet even these individuals were still stronger than Ye Liuyun in terms of cultivation.
"You’ll stay here for now," Wuhen said. "The rest of the group will arrive in the next couple of days, and then you’ll all set out together. Everyone here is preparing for the training—take this time to get acquainted. You might end up relying on each other later."
After giving these instructions, Wuhen helped Ye Liuyun settle into temporary quarters before leaving to report to the main hall.
Ye Liuyun extended his spiritual sense, following Wuhen’s path, and detected the leader of the Black Killers seated at the head of the grand hall.
The leader, in turn, noticed Ye Liuyun’s probing gaze and swept his own spiritual sense over him in assessment.
"So, you’re joining us for the Trial of Death too?"
A martial artist waiting nearby, much like Ye Liuyun, turned to him with a question.
"Yes. I’m Liuyun. And you?" Ye Liuyun replied politely.
"Tch. No point remembering a dead man’s name," the man scoffed dismissively.
Another man beside him chimed in, addressing Ye Liuyun, "Aren’t Black Kill’s training protocols standardized across all regions? How could someone so weak be sent for the Death Journey training?"
"He might as well be walking to his grave!" others jeered in agreement.
Ye Liuyun sighed inwardly. *Here we go again—looked down on.* Since these people clearly disdained his cultivation level, there was no point engaging with them further.
Without another word, he ignored the taunts and retreated to his quarters to meditate while awaiting further instructions.
Before long, an attendant arrived to summon him. "The leader wishes to see you."
Ye Liuyun promptly followed the attendant to the grand council hall.
Activating his Golden Pupils, he pierced through the obscuring black robes to glimpse the leader’s face.
The leader sensed it immediately and flashed him a knowing smile.
Yet when he spoke, his voice resonated directly in Ye Liuyun’s mind, bypassing the ears of the other attendants. "So you’re Ye Liuyun?"
The question sent a jolt through Ye Liuyun. *If the leader of Black Kill is addressing me like this, he must already be certain.* His mind raced, strategizing escape routes should these people turn hostile.
Their strength far surpassed his—even ordinary soldiers would be powerless against them.
*If I had three warriors like Liao Yunyang...*
Before he could finish the thought, the leader reassured him, voice still a private murmur, "Relax. You’re one of Black Kill’s own. We mean you no harm."
Then, with deliberate calm, he revealed, "I am Xiao Qiwu, leader of Black Kill, royal uncle to Youming’s ruler, and younger brother to the current Sacred King, Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty."
"Why are you telling me this?" Ye Liuyun frowned, puzzled by Xiao Qiwu’s intentions. He wasn’t entirely convinced by Xiao Qiwu’s words.
"Ha! Even if I didn’t say it, you’d probably figure it out sooner or later. Might as well be upfront—it’ll make our future cooperation smoother!" Xiao Qiwu chuckled.
"Cooperation?" Ye Liuyun was even more baffled.
Xiao Qiwu continued, "Black Kill is just a means for me to cultivate warriors and gather resources. The forces I control go far beyond them.
"You want allies to fight the Otherworlders, don’t you? Though I’m not the ruler of this world, our goal of resisting the Otherworlders aligns. That gives us common ground for cooperation."
"Then how do we cooperate?" Ye Liuyun pressed. "With the Otherworlders about to invade, I won’t help you take down the Sacred Dynasty."
Xiao Qiwu nodded. "I don’t expect you to move against the Sacred Dynasty now. My conflict with Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty hinges on keeping the dynasty intact.
"Instead, I hope you can set aside past grievances and supply the Sacred Dynasty with more Flying Swifts to eliminate the Otherworlders first. If Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty still refuses to ally with you afterward, I’ll replace him and forge an alliance myself.
"I can even allocate territory for your people to settle. What do you say?"
Ye Liuyun fell silent, deep in thought.
Xiao Qiwu’s frankness about his goals showed sincerity. As for the offer of land for his people, Ye Liuyun had never even considered it.
After all, relocating his people here would make them hostages of the Sacred Dynasty—at best, he’d become a vassal king.
In the past, such a proposal might have tempted him. But now? It held little appeal. Those in his spatial world were living well enough; there was no need to uproot them.
This was a discussion for another time. Besides, whether Black Kill even had the power to replace Xiao Qitian Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty remained uncertain.
