Chapter 2992: Chapter 2992
Ye Liuyun quickly scanned the spatial ring—it contained five hundred units of primordial energy.
"No, this is too much!" he immediately feigned refusal.
"Just take it!" Liu Yan insisted bluntly. "Once the boss and I complete our recruitment mission, we’ll receive rewards too. No reason to shortchange you! If you don’t take it, I’ll feel too awkward to work with you in the future!"
"Alright then, I’ll accept it. Thank you, Brother Liu. Please pass on my gratitude to the boss as well," Ye Liuyun finally relented.
Liu Yan burst into laughter, pleased that Ye Liuyun knew to express thanks to both him and their leader. "Haha, good! I’ll make sure he hears it. Now, all of you focus on recovering. I’ll head back to report. We’ll regroup in seven days. By then, bring those people along—they’ll count as your team members. Once we set out, you’ll command them directly. And when we need expendable forces, they’ll serve as the front line!"
After a few more instructions, Liu Yan took his leave.
The moment he was gone, Ye Liuyun and the others immediately turned their attention to inspecting the spoils.
This haul wasn’t as impressive as their last one. Though they’d acquired a decent amount of primordial energy, there were noticeably fewer high-tier cultivation resources.
Tang Xinyao and the others didn’t mind—these resources were more than enough to sustain their cultivation journey, and they considered it a windfall.
But Ye Liuyun wasn’t entirely satisfied, and Lei Ming made no effort to hide her disappointment.
"Terrible luck! We ran into a bunch of paupers—barely anything worthwhile!" she grumbled before suggesting, "Why don’t we go out again?"
"If we all go, we’ll draw too much attention. And targeting ordinary bandits would only yield results like this. We’d need to aim for stronger prey to make it worthwhile," Ye Liuyun reasoned. "For now, focus on cultivating with what we have. I’ll scout around alone tonight."
At that, Lei Ming quickly backtracked. "Never mind, then! This amount is still plenty for breakthroughs. No need to take unnecessary risks!"
She was worried that the cultivators here were at a higher level, making it too dangerous for Ye Liuyun to venture out alone.
Ye Liuyun merely smiled, ruffling her hair as he reassured her, "I also think these resources are too ordinary. Don’t worry—since I dare to go, I won’t let anything happen to me!"
Tang Xinyao also tried to dissuade him. "These resources are actually quite substantial—enough for us to advance at least one more realm. You really shouldn’t take the risk."
She still vividly remembered the strikes from that sixth-level Guiyi expert. Even from such a distance, they had struggled to withstand the force. If Ye Liuyun went alone, the danger would only be greater. Just dealing with the ordinary bandits outside would be perilous enough.
"Don’t worry, I won’t push myself beyond my limits!" Ye Liuyun’s spatial abilities had improved significantly, bolstering his confidence. Even if a powerful cultivator detected him, he was sure he could escape.
Meanwhile, the Thieving Cat volunteered to test the waters outside. Ye Liuyun agreed, thinking it was a good opportunity for him to put his skills to use.
After the others left to cultivate and recover, Ye Liuyun, his clone, and the Thieving Cat began practicing how to infiltrate each other’s storage rings.
The cat hadn’t expected Ye Liuyun to actually pick up his signature skill. Though Ye Liuyun wasn’t as adept or stealthy as him, he was still shocked—worried that Ye Liuyun might steal his "business."
Ye Liuyun laughed it off. "Haha, I’m just practicing how to breach spatial barriers. Unlike you, I’m not constantly scheming to steal from others. You’ll still be the one handling that job, so no need to worry."
Reassured, the Thieving Cat began coaching him, pointing out his shortcomings based on instinct.
Once night fell, Ye Liuyun and his clone donned their invisibility cloaks, while the cat simply melded into the void without one. The three of them slipped through space and left the city together.
They had already devised a plan—the cat would do the stealing while the clone kept watch. The clone would also take the opportunity to observe the cat’s techniques with his golden pupils.
As for Ye Liuyun himself, he took on the role of a shadowy assassin, targeting powerful martial cultivators to kill and loot their storage rings.
Thus, they split into two groups, striking at different martial cultivators.
Outside the city, the stronger cultivators each had their own territories, which others rarely trespassed upon—making it all the more convenient for Ye Liuyun to act.
After his realm breakthrough, he could already easily blend into the surrounding world. Now, cloaked in invisibility and employing shadow concealment techniques, even fifth-level Harmonization experts could hardly detect him.
Moreover, he didn’t engage in direct combat. Instead, he launched soul attacks, swiftly collected the corpses, and left—everything went smoothly.
At one point, he even encountered a powerful expert’s residence protected by a defensive formation. Using spatial power, he pierced through the barrier. However, the spatial fluctuations alerted the expert inside. Yet, by manipulating time, he dodged the counterattack and devoured the expert’s soul.
Dealing with sixth-level Harmonization experts proved far less smooth. Previously, he had infiltrated one’s Interspatial Ring undetected due to lingering effects of a special pill. Without that aid now, even approaching such experts was difficult.
Still, the distance he could manage was enough to unleash soul attacks. It took two attempts—combining time manipulation with soul strikes—to eliminate those two experts. After that, he wisely retreated without pushing his luck.
Meanwhile, the Thieving Cat had smooth sailing, and his clone wasn’t idle either. While the cat stole from one target, the clone killed another to prevent leaks.
Against sixth-level Harmonization martial artists, the clone refrained from direct action, instead observing the Demon Lion from afar with golden pupils, studying how it wielded spatial power.
After the Thieving Cat reached second-level Harmonization, its spatial abilities grew stronger. Since the martial artists here weren’t particularly skilled in spatial techniques, it could remain undetected with careful maneuvering.
However, after four successful thefts, complacency set in. On the fifth attempt, its departure triggered spatial ripples, alerting the expert, who immediately gave chase.
The cat instantly tapped into the power of its spatial domain, fleeing at full speed before the expert could strike. Yet, the pursuer clung stubbornly to its trail.
*"Run toward me—I’ll handle him!"* the clone transmitted.
With a single spatial leap, the cat bypassed the clone, luring the expert straight toward it.
The clone held its breath, remaining utterly still.
The expert arrived in an instant. Though his divine sense swept over the area and detected something amiss near the clone, he couldn’t pinpoint its presence. Suspicious, he scrutinized the spot carefully.
Without hesitation, the clone activated time manipulation and launched a soul attack.
The expert’s soul was formidable—even under time suspension, it resisted complete immobilization, still capable of sluggish movement. After a moment’s thought, the clone opted to brand him with a slave seal instead, keeping him alive for future use.
