Chapter 2759: Chapter 2759
Soon enough, Lu Xiao received an imperial decree ordering him to mobilize all nearby city garrison troops to assist the empire in eradicating the Wolf Hunt Mercenary Corps and the Mercantile Guild.
The empire, seeing no sign of Ye Liuyun, had decided to strike at the foundations of his power. Of course, they also suspected Lu Xiao had defected to Ye Liuyun’s side. And truth be told, if they truly wanted to crush the guild and mercenaries, they wouldn’t have needed Lu Xiao’s help at all.
After relaying the message to Ye Liuyun, Lu Xiao analyzed that this was likely a deliberate ploy by the empire—a tactic to flush their quarry out of hiding by stirring the grass and startling the snake.
Ye Liuyun pondered carefully. He realized that at this stage of his growth, it would be nearly impossible to continue operating in the shadows. If the empire refused to tolerate him, he would have to find another way. His advantage lay in the fact that he could move freely in the darkness, vanishing whenever necessary.
One thing was certain—he would never leave these resources for the empire. After some deliberation, he made his decision: he would simply take these planets into his spatial world.
That way, all the resources and manpower would come with him. As for those unwilling to follow, they could flee on their own—he wouldn’t stop them.
No sooner said than done. Ye Liuyun mapped out his plan, starting with the planet closest to the empire. First, he connected with the planet’s origin force, then notified all martial cultivators to evacuate. Those who refused would be forcibly absorbed into his spatial world.
Naturally, city lords and major factions chose to leave voluntarily. But by the time they reported the incident and the empire scrambled to send forces after Ye Liuyun, fourteen planets had already vanished without a trace.
The speed at which these planets were taken shocked the empire. Their martial experts concluded that it couldn’t possibly be the work of a single person—no one could absorb three or four planets a day. Not even a seventh-level Dominator could achieve such a feat.
Yet, it was indeed Ye Liuyun acting alone. His spatial world already housed over a hundred planets, so absorbing a dozen more was well within the capacity of his origin force. The last few were a bit of a strain, but they could be refined gradually without causing any major instability.
Whether the empire believed it was his doing or not, they issued a full-scale manhunt for him. Absorbing planets right under the empire’s nose and seizing their resources was a grave crime, after all.
Ye Liuyun had now openly severed ties with the empire. The communication talisman Liu Haotian had given him was long stored away in his spatial world to avoid detection. If needed, he could still reach out to Liu Haotian, Meng Wenxiang, Han Qiao, and others later.
As for himself, he altered his appearance and continued expanding his mercenary influence on nearby planets. The method remained the same—only the name changed.
After establishing control over four or five planets, he would absorb them, relocate, change his alias, and repeat the process.
Over time, the Star Disk Empire found itself tormented by Ye Liuyun’s relentless tactics. Their control over individual planets was weak, making it difficult to receive timely updates. By the time they caught wind of his movements, the planets were already gone—and Ye Liuyun had vanished without a trace, impossible to track down.
Only when planets began vanishing did they realize—based on the methods of disappearance—that it must all be the work of Ye Liuyun and his crew.
Eventually, the empire launched a crackdown on mercenary groups across the realm, aiming to prevent them from growing too powerful. Many were left with nowhere to turn, their grievances spreading like wildfire.
Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun discreetly sent Mo Ran out with a team of seasoned martial cultivators to recruit in secret. These were older warriors, rich in experience but no longer fit for the elite Vanguard Corps. Their age made them perfect for blending in, quietly absorbing displaced mercenaries into their ranks.
Ironically, the empire’s relentless pursuit only amplified the fame of Ye Liuyun’s Wolf Hunt Mercenary Corps. Struggling mercenary bands, encountering the recruiting elders, eagerly pledged allegiance. In no time, Ye Liuyun’s forces swelled rapidly.
But suspicion gnawed at him—what if imperial spies had slipped in? He ordered Mo Ran and the others to abandon the Wolf Hunt name entirely. Instead, they scattered, adopting different banners while enforcing the same rules.
Just like that, the Wolf Hunt Mercenary Corps seemed to vanish from the world. The empire, desperate to infiltrate it, found no trace.
Yet large mercenary groups sprouted everywhere, each operating independently. To the empire, they appeared as nothing more than desperate fighters banding together for survival—hardly worth serious attention.
The empire’s hunt for Ye Liuyun hit a dead end. Their crackdown on mercenaries gradually lost its initial ferocity.
Walls have ears. Before long, Liu Haotian learned why the empire was after Ye Liuyun and shared the truth with Han Qiao and Meng Wenxiang.
"Disgraceful! They’re no better than bandits—damn empire!" Han Qiao spat, furious at the injustice and worried for Ye Liuyun’s safety.
Meng Wenxiang sighed. "Who knows if we’ll ever fight alongside him again?" He doubted Ye Liuyun could ever return to the imperial forces after burning bridges with the Star Disk Empire.
Yet Ye Liuyun remained silent, unreachable. Liu Haotian’s communication talismans had long been monitored by the empire, but they caught no sign of their target.
Everyone assumed Ye Liuyun was in hiding, evading the empire’s grasp. Little did they know—he had simply changed his face, living leisurely while systematically undermining the empire.
The Vanguard Corps had swelled to nearly ten thousand, the weakest among them at Dominator Tier Three, the strongest a dozen at Dominator Tier Seven—all captured from imperial pursuers.
The true strength of the Wolf Hunt Mercenary Corps exceeded fifty thousand, not counting the forces Mo Ran’s elders had gathered. Each elder commanded over a thousand, totaling more than two hundred thousand.
They thrived under the guise of trade, supplied by Ye Liuyun’s vast resources—which also lined his pockets. He lacked nothing now, neither manpower nor wealth.
His days were spent sparring with otherworldly beings, cultivating in peace, or wandering freely, studying how to claim more planets and expand his spatial realm.
City lords across the land often found themselves extorted, each encounter yielding hefty spoils. The Thieving Cat struck frequently, its hauls never small.
He had even subverted five or six imperial inspectors, keeping tabs on the empire’s every move. No matter how they baited him, he refused to surface—leaving them powerless.
