Chapter 2655: Chapter 2655
Wu Feng transmitted Mo Tianheng’s image to the martial cultivator dispatched by the Alliance for investigation. The cultivator returned and presented it to the Alliance elders. However, Liu Kui recognized Mo Tianheng immediately.
"Huh? Isn’t this the Alliance Leader’s friend? How did he become a demonic cultivator?" Liu Kui muttered in bewilderment.
He had personally handed over the Falcon-class battleship to Mo Tianheng when Ye Liuyun had requested it for him and his companions, so the memory was fresh in his mind.
"Are you certain he’s the Alliance Leader’s friend?" Lie Du also sought confirmation from Liu Kui.
"His face is unmistakable. But I had no idea he was a demonic cultivator!" Liu Kui affirmed.
"If he truly is the Alliance Leader’s friend, wouldn’t sending strong cultivators to protect Wu Feng’s base risk offending him?" one of the elders voiced their concern.
Liu Kui shook his head firmly. "I know the Alliance Leader well. None of his friends would ever engage in such wicked deeds. I suspect this man might be under someone’s control. Even if he has truly turned to darkness, the Alliance Leader wouldn’t bend his own rules for one person."
Having spent considerable time with Ye Liuyun, Liu Kui was confident in his judgment.
"Exactly! I don’t believe the Alliance Leader would condone such behavior either. We should inform him immediately—what if his friend really has been manipulated?" Lie Du agreed with Liu Kui’s reasoning.
Without delay, they sent word to Ye Liuyun.
Only then did Ye Liuyun recall the series of oddities surrounding Mo Tianheng. He first contacted Mo Shaowen and Liu Yang, gathering detailed accounts from them. After cross-referencing their testimonies with Wu Feng’s description, he too concluded that Mo Tianheng was likely being controlled.
However, he was currently too far away—reaching Mo Tianheng would require nearly two months of travel through the cosmos. Moreover, there was no guarantee Mo Tianheng would remain in one place waiting for him.
After careful consideration, Ye Liuyun relayed his decision to the Alliance: "I know Mo Tianheng’s character well—he would never act this way. The possibility of him being controlled is high. But given the distance, I can’t pursue him directly.
"Proceed with issuing the warrant as usual and dispatch martial cultivators to safeguard Wu Feng’s base. The moment you locate him, send me the coordinates. I’ll return to handle the matter myself."
After speaking, he added, "If you encounter him in battle, don’t hold back—eliminate him without hesitation. From now on, handle such matters strictly by the rules."
Ye Liuyun knew that if Mo Tianheng had truly fallen under someone’s control, he would become an extremely dangerous threat. He couldn’t afford to let others risk their lives by holding back just because of his personal ties to Mo Tianheng.
Still, he warned Lie Du and the others that Mo Tianheng was exceptionally dangerous, his strength far surpassing his apparent cultivation level. He instructed them to notify him immediately if they discovered any trace of Mo Tianheng.
Lie Du agreed and went to issue the arrest order, specifically noting Mo Tianheng’s extreme lethality and emphasizing that any sighting must be reported to the alliance at once.
Ye Liuyun couldn’t help but regret his earlier encounter with Mo Tianheng. If only he had stopped to talk, perhaps he might have noticed something amiss. But at the time, he had been too preoccupied with the alien threat to spare Mo Tianheng a second thought. Now, even seeing him again would be difficult.
For this old friend, he would lend a hand if he could. He still believed in Mo Tianheng—after all, Mo Tianheng was even more composed than he was. If anyone could find a way out of this predicament, it was him.
Ye Liuyun didn’t turn back to search for Mo Tianheng. Instead, he pressed forward. Suddenly, it struck him that the path of a martial cultivator was an endless struggle against countless forces, each battle a step toward greater strength, each trial a climb toward the pinnacle.
Perhaps every cultivator’s journey was different, but one thing was certain—none who stood at the peak had reached it without hardship.
Once the arrow was loosed, there was no retrieving it. Once one set foot on the path of cultivation, the dangers ahead were beyond prediction. All they could do was move forward with caution.
The gourd-shaped star system ahead drew nearer. Based on the direction Tuo Lin had fled, Ye Liuyun deduced that this had been his intended destination. In a way, Ye Liuyun had already saved this star system—though its inhabitants would never know.
His gaze fixed on the largest, brightest planet, Ye Liuyun guided his falcon mount toward it. From this distance, the surface details remained indistinct.
Only after flying for some time did his golden pupils pierce the vast expanse of space, finally discerning the planet’s condition. Some worlds were free of alien invaders, teeming with human settlements and even military forces—likely organized under ruling dynasties. But most were untamed wilderness, inhabited only by feral beast, with no signs of demonic presence yet.
"Many of these planets would be ideal for claiming. As expected, a star system untouched by alien invasion is far richer in resources," Ye Liuyun mused.
The same was true of the Bison Star System, where Tian Dao Ye and Yu Xiaofeng had ventured. Reports indicated abundant resources and numerous undeveloped worlds. Tian Dao Ye had even begun raising savage beasts within his spatial realm to bolster his forces.
Just then, a flying vessel emerged from the planet he had been observing, heading straight for an uninhabited world. Only now did Ye Liuyun notice the numerous vessels crisscrossing the star system’s void, their speeds rivaling that of his falcon warship—a testament to the advanced craftsmanship here.
"Why not use a teleportation array? With such high-level artifact crafting skills, one’s array mastery should be equally impressive!" Ye Liuyun mused inwardly, genuinely puzzled.
As his vessel drew nearer to the planet, other flying boats began noticing his approach. One vessel abruptly changed course, heading straight toward him.
With a wary glint in his golden pupils, Ye Liuyun peered through their hull. Seeing that the strongest aboard barely reached the first tier of Heavenly Realm, he relaxed. Whether they meant robbery or otherwise, they posed no threat.
Still, he concealed his cultivation level instantly, curious about their intentions. He signaled his falcon to suppress its aura and reduce speed, maintaining their original flight path as if nothing were amiss.
The approaching vessel halted at a distance. Two lavishly dressed youths—a young man and woman—stepped forth, their bearing aristocratic though their cultivation barely touched the ninth tier of Immortal Realm, their energy reasonably consolidated.
Behind them trailed an elder dressed as a martial cultivator, evidently their guardian, alongside over a dozen guards ranging from eighth to ninth tier Immortal Realm.
They fanned out, encircling Ye Liuyun, forcing him to stop.
"That falcon’s incredibly fast! Uncle Tong, buy it for me!" the girl at the front demanded of the elder, utterly disregarding Ye Liuyun’s presence.
The moment he heard this, Ye Liuyun recognized the haughty demeanor of spoiled nobility. It seemed another lesson in humility was due.
Meanwhile, the elder scrutinized both rider and mount, finding their cultivation depths inscrutable. With measured politeness, he cupped his hands in greeting. "Young master, we are of the Lin family. Might we inquire which clan’s beast tamer you represent?"
