Chapter 256: Discussion Groups
Wei Ping only had to spend a little bit of effort to placate his guest, Wang Xiuying, before the group of young Foundation Establishment cultivators began to be drawn into the conversations around them. After all, there wasn't a whole lot to talk about since he had already gone over his experiences during his travels. Li Lang and Long Yi had heard of the mysterious expert who taught Wei Ping the Lingering Impact Technique, so they were somewhat familiar with the girl's background.
At the same time, the trio simply couldn't ignore the others who were approaching them. The people who had reached their level were all talented or carefully trained by the faction they hailed from. They were all proactive people who took advantage of the opportunity afforded to them.
"Congratulations, you two, for surviving the first round. My name is Feng Qingsong. I couldn't help but come greet you, seeing how young you two are."
Li Lang carefully regarded the newcomer, a man with an unremarkable appearance, sporting a boring gray robe. The only distinctive feature was his prim and proper demeanor, but it could easily be just an act.
"Oh, so Senior Feng can tell our age at a glance? How impressive."
"No need to call me Senior. It makes me feel old," the man replied with a grin as he shook his head lightly. "And it wasn't me who took notice of you at first. My master and seniors, who were spectating in the stands, relayed to me about your remarkable performances."
Li Lang stole a glance at the stands surrounding the platforms they stood on, fighting a frown off his face. Just as he was about to dig further into the motives of the newcomer who approached them, Long Yi suddenly jumped up onto the platform, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and joined the conversation.
"Your master and seniors have good eyes! My companions sure outdid themselves, but I'd love to hear more about their experiences in that desert. How did you figure out the Qi beasts in there were sensitive to Qi?"
Li Lang wanted to ignore the question, but when he looked up, he found more unfamiliar faces gathering around him, eager to hear what he had to say. He immediately had a premonition that if he stayed silent, more people would pester him, and it would show to the world he had something to hide. Having people look into him was the last thing he wanted.
"I didn't know. It was dumb luck, I guess? I was testing the effectiveness of my techniques, and didn't see the need to change up my approach."
"No need to be so humble," Feng Qingsong said with a grin. "A cultivator's instinct is just as valuable as intricate Qi arts. I say you must've instinctively averted using more powerful Qi techniques, seeing how you remained in the formation without doing so for the entire first round."
What instinct? If I knew releasing my Qi would attract more test subjects, then I would've done so! That way I wouldn't have had to run around so desperately to find more Qi beasts!
"Maybe you're right," Li Lang weakly muttered. "But from my perspective, it seemed more like dumb luck."
The young man had hoped his dull answer would cause the curious onlookers to lose interest, but it only acted as a signal to them that he was open to answering questions. Immediately, several others got closer and fired off more inquiries.
"My senior told me you employed some type of poison! From what I heard, it has a pretty decent direct effect, too. I thought most poisons were to drain their target of their energy. Can you tell me more about it? If you're willing, I definitely would like to procure some."
The sound of chatter filled the venue. It wasn't just coming from the area around Li Lang, though. Every participant in the Dark Sea Arena was conversing among themselves. A majority of them focused on topics related to martial and Qi arts, but the occasional talks about alchemy or other crafts didn't escape Li Lang's ears.
While fending off some of the more intrusive questions, Li Lang made his way toward the ones that piqued his interest. It was his way of escaping from the questioning while sating his own curiosity. He completely left his companions behind as he waded through the crowd. Just from eavesdropping on the surrounding conversations, he learned a lot of details and cleared up some misgivings he had until now.
When he had passed by a group of three discussing the art of formations, he heard them appreciating the intricacies of the one used to simulate the desert realm. He confirmed that the desert really was an illusionary realm, but the Qi beasts were real. It was just that their appearance was transformed by the Formation Master's illusions, so their ability to harm the cultivators was very real. It was just that the Formation Master would bring them out of the formation if things got too dangerous.
Li Lang wasn't exactly sure how it was possible to edit just the appearance of those Qi beasts he encountered, considering how real the scorpions were. Their weight distributions, the way they moved, and their attacks all matched up with what he saw. He surmised the Formation Master must've had complete control over these Qi beasts in order for it to be possible.
It also created a problem for him. The data he recorded was based on his visual observations. Now that he discovered it wasn't reliable, his data became invalid. Perhaps it didn't change the fact his poisons still worked, but the dosage, recovery time, and other details were no longer accurate.
Thankfully, I have the Crucible. I'll have to run more tests with the Qi beasts in there when I get the time.
Rearranging the priority of his work list, Li Lang found a group discussing the art of alchemy. He threw himself into their conversation with zeal and eagerly agreed to attend their little gathering taking place later in the day. He then moved on to discussions about the other crafts and made similar promises.
For many of these cultivators, it wouldn't be surprising to discuss the finer details of their crafts or techniques for a whole day or two. There was only so much they could discuss while standing on the barren platform. Many of them naturally decided to move the venue of their discussion to a restaurant back in the city, where they could sit comfortably and leisurely chat while snacking on some refreshments.
That was how Li Lang spent the remainder of the entire day.
Meanwhile, Wei Ping split off with Wang Xiuying not long after the discussions around them started to die down. With Li Lang rushing back into the city to continue picking his fellow craftsmen's brains, Wei Ping was eager to greet his Senior Brother.
"Senior Wang, i-it's been some time," the young man wearing the wooden mask greeted.
The middle-aged man nodded cheerfully upon inspecting Wei Ping. He looked genuinely happy about the progress his Junior Brother had made in his time of absence. He stroked his chin and casually responded with a powerful voice.
"For me, it only feels like it's been a day since I last spoke to you. Perhaps it's because I'm getting old. Anyway, I'm happy to see you have realized your potential. I knew you could do it."
For those who knew him, they would definitely squint an eye at their conversation if they heard the man speaking so straightforwardly. That was because Wei Ping's Senior Brother wasn't just anyone, but one of the Eight Demon Pillars! His title was the Whispering Half Saint. As his moniker implied, he often spoke with a soft voice in public, as if he was whispering. The only time that wasn't true was when he was speaking with his close acquaintances, which caused the onlookers to wonder who the masked individual was.
"It's only be-because of you and Master's guidance. Speaking of, will Master be c-coming to Sword Saint Isle?"
"Ha, that old fogey? He's probably still begging on the streets right now. Did you need him for something?"
A few passersby listening in began gossiping among themselves. Speaking so rudely of one's master was frowned upon, but the man before Wei Ping didn't seem to care.
"Y-Yes. Now that I've b-broken through, I wanted to ask if he would teach me t-the second chapter."
"Right, right. Now that you've reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, you'd like to practice more potent techniques befitting your new powers, of course. I'd be happy to share, but I'd recommend only practicing the second chapter with the old man around. The second chapter isn't a cultivation technique, as you know. It's a Qi art and a volatile one at that. Depending on the Earth-grade cultivation technique you practice, you'll have to modify it carefully. The old man will be able to guide you safely and help you adapt to it. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm qualified for this job yet."
Wei Ping nodded. He had seen how powerful the second chapter of the Linger Impact Technique was from his Senior Brother before. And just earlier in the day, he had witnessed his niece disciple's power as well, even though it paled in comparison to the man before him.
He could still remember watching his senior train at his estate. His Qi arts freely flowed around, weaving through obstacles with ease. However, when it hit its targets, the power it exploded with left a lasting impression. He was determined to replicate such power and make it his own.
"I-I understand. I'll go visit him a-after this is over, then."
Chapter 257: Affinity with Woodsmithing
"Gentlemen, behold," a man wearing dark green robes declared as he held up a seed the size of a coin for all to see. "After a year of hard work, I've had the fortune to complete this masterpiece."
A good portion of the people in the room craned their necks over to get a better look. A sharp-eyed individual would notice they consisted predominantly of members with lower cultivation. That was because the stronger individuals were often more experienced, so they weren't as eager to lay their eyes on every single item presented. In clear contrast to those composed individuals, one of the young men in the room slipped through his peers to get a front-row seat.
Everyone within the room stayed silent for a few moments as they busied themselves trying to analyze their colleague's work
"This shouldn't be a Skyrunner," a man sporting a long ponytail muttered. "It is material devised for the handle of brushes used in brushweaving? No, perhaps for alchemy reagents?"
A heavyset man sitting right next to the previous speaker scoffed. "Anyone with a bit of skill can see that."
The haughty attitude of the large man amused the presenter in green robes.
"Oh, does this friend here see something more?"
"Of course. After all, I've done something similar in the past. Accelerating the growth cycle is hardly a rare goal to pursue. You did a decent job at it, but it seems the drawbacks of these types of improvements remain."
"You're correct in that, but the quality drop once my Truesoul Ginseng matures isn't nearly as severe as most cases. I made sure of that."
The debate continued, with most of the audience staying silent. Most of them simply observed, while the more fervent among them circled the seed the man in dark green robes presented.
Of course, Li Lang was part of the fervent party. He ignored the strange looks he received from a few of the younger experts in the room, taking in every detail he could. It was obvious to all how engrossed he was.
I should've learned Woodsmithing sooner! The basics Wei Ping taught me should've hinted at what it could do earlier, but it took attending this informal seminar for me to realize the possibilities.
Heck, woodsmithing is the closest aligned with my study of biodefense compared to all the other professions.
Having recently tested his poisons that aimed to damage the DNA of its target, Li Lang's passion for his old field of study was reignited. Now that he was exposed to higher-level woodsmithing, he found numerous similarities with his old work.
His main focus was on helping humans adapt to the alien ecology of various worlds they planned to colonize. He had at some point chosen to focus more on cultivation science as that was the most relevant field for him, but now that he had a reason to dip his toes into his old field of study, the lock he had put within his mind was quickly thrown out.
Just by seeing the seed of the supposed Truesoul Ginseng the man held, dozens of ideas filled his mind. He couldn't wait to sample its DNA and start modifying it right away. The only thing stopping him was the lack of equipment. Without access to even the most basic system, such as CRISPR/Cas9, he couldn't perform any genetic modification.
However, he didn't lose hope because he was listening in on an alternative that excited him. It was naturally woodsmithing techniques that experts around him employed. Many of them presented their works, and from the discussions, Li Lang could tell they were doing something similar to gene editing, whether they knew it or not.
It made Li Lang almost want to race to the nearest Woodsmith Guild and find a mentor. While he didn't doubt the addition of Qi into the equation complicated things, he only lamented at the fact he wasn't even at the start line yet. After all, among the five crafts, this was the one he was most confident in!
Still, I can't rush things. I have to hold it in. The gathering to discuss Earth-grade cultivation techniques is starting soon. Legs move! It's time to leave.
With much regret in his heart, Li Lang soon exited from the private room in one of the restaurants within Sword Saint Isle. Wei Ping had somehow managed to track him down, sending a messenger to relay the various discussion groups happening. He was clear on his objectives when attending this event, so he forced himself to go through with it.
Woodsmithing wasn't the only craft he needed to learn. Formations was another one he had yet to learn. Mastering the five crafts was his utmost priority for the moment, as his cultivation would only stagnate without an Earth-grade cultivation technique to practice. If he continued to get sidetracked, he would inevitably fall behind his students again.
Nevertheless, Li Lang didn't fail to make several new entries on his computer about perspective new projects. As his need for resources increased as he expanded his nascent organization, he needed new methods of making wealth. Relying on only a few streams of revenue would only make him vulnerable, but that wasn't all. Woodsmithing had a tremendous affinity with all his future research.
If the art of woodsmithing worked on other biological materials other than plants, his options would be limitless. Even if it didn't, Li Lang believed he could still get around it somehow. The most attractive project he had in mind currently was to create clones. He didn't want fully sentient clones, but simple ones without any cognitive functions just so he could use them as test subjects.
If he could realize that, he wouldn't need to subject his students to as much danger as he currently did. He would be able to do some preliminary trials first, and this would also enable him to carry out more radical tests.
With so much going on in his mind, time went by particularly swiftly, and the next day soon arrived.
The trio returned to the venue of the Dark Sea Arena and awaited the start of the second day. While they waited, the chatter among the participants was even more lively than the previous day. They had the chance to get acquainted with their peers, and there was just too much to learn.
Even among big factions, their disciples seldom left their home territory. Even when they did, it was often with a clear purpose in mind, with little time for any social activities. The Dark Sea Arena provided exactly that. The event itself was to decide the strongest among them, but simply allowed various cultivators to flex their abilities. It was to create talking points while the exchange was the main purpose.
"Hm, is it still not starting?" Long Yi muttered as he surveyed the venue.
The trio had been chatting up their neighboring participants, some of who they recognized from one of the sessions last night, but even those conversations started to die down.
"From the looks of those elders in the stands, they don't seem to know what's going on either," Li Lang answered. "Even if something was wrong, it wouldn't be our place to help anyway. Just relax and let our hosts handle it. With the famous Sword Saint leading them, they're more than capable. I wonder if we can get an audience with him, anyway?"
"Um, B-Boss, I don't think that w-would work out. Publicly, w-we're nobodies."
Li Lang almost wanted to ask if revealing their ownership of the Crucible would help, but he quickly caught himself. Talking with an expert in the Spirit Divide was a special experience, but it wasn't worth revealing their cards. Even he knew being in the spotlight too much would only cause trouble for them. For that, he had to thank Nightmoon Valley for shielding them. They were currently nowhere close to being able to fend for themselves.
It wasn't that he was afraid of being captured for all his secrets the moment he revealed the truth about the Crucible. It was just that he would need to spend a lot of time politicking with the various sects and organizations. Time that would cut into his research and his peaceful life. He valued his research too much to shoot himself in the foot.
As he mulled about the implications of going public with his pocket realm, the breeze intensified. In a short span of time, it became strong enough that it broke him from his musing. It was only then that he realized almost every single person around him was staring in one direction—toward the west, where looming dark clouds swiftly drifted their way.
The scene was so eerie that no one among the tens of thousands of experts present made a sound.
Chapter 258: An Emergency Interruption
Almost every cultivator on Sword Saint Isle stared toward the west at the approaching dark clouds. However, few knew what was happening. Most could only sense something serious was going on, but none of the details.
"Sir Sword Saint," Han Gu, the elder from the Rolling Tide Sect, called out, breaking the silence. "May I?"
Every elder nearby turned their eyes to the Sword Saint in question, who was still looking completely relaxed as he stared at the oncoming storm.
"No need, no need," he nonchalantly remarked. "You old folks think too much. Just because some dark clouds are rolling up on my turf doesn't mean it's an ominous sign or anything. My little island here will be able to weather any storm that comes our way. All of you can relax."
His warm voice thawed everyone who could hear him from their anxiety. The elders began to converse with each other in hushed voices, no longer staring at the clouds blankly. This relaxed atmosphere slowly spread from the platform where the elders were, down toward the rest of the venue. Soon, everyone calmed down, prompting the Sword Saint to nod appreciatively.
However, all the surrounding chatter died instantly when their guest of honor's voice reverberated throughout the platform.
"Forgive me, everyone. It seems your Violet Isle has some matters to attend to. I'll be returning to Sunset Peak while you sort things out."
The tone of the speaker was neither too haughty nor deferential, but the meaning was clear. Zhang Hai, the guest from the mainland, allowed no room for misinterpretation that he wouldn't lift a finger regarding internal matters of Violet Isle.
The two servants behind him swiftly summoned a lavishly decorated Skyrunner with plenty of inlaid gems and adornments made of precious materials. The two servants and master boarded their vehicle without delay.
"Young Master Zheng, please wait!" a voice called out from among the crowd.
A man wearing pale orange robes chased after the guest from afar, stopping only at the entrance to the Skyrunner. Young Master Zheng Hai stared coldly his way without a word, waiting for the man to explain himself.
"Young Master, please allow me to accompany you."
"Oh? Don't you have to deal with your internal matters?"
"It's just a small matter. I'm sure all the mighty heroes gathered here today can handle it. I wouldn't dare to leave an honored guest such as yourself alone just because of these small issues."
The young man nodded, quickly acquiescing to the elder hailing from Sunset Peak. It was different from the cold attitude he displayed throughout the previous day, where he barely replied to anyone. Many wondered if it was because he simply didn't care or if it was due to not wanting to decline a request from a member of the sect hosting him.
Regardless, all the nearby elders didn't bother to hide their displeasure at their peer running away. They didn't mince their words.
"That Song Leiguang, does he have no shame?"
"Hmph, perhaps it's because of the identity of that individual on the way here. Those presumptuous bastards from Sunset Peak don't want to face their humiliating past. Some strongest sect, they are."
Hearing all the criticism of himself, Song Leiguang still boarded Zhang Hai's Skyrunner. His ear twitched, but he was otherwise expressionless. Zhang Hai didn't seem to care for the drama either, and his vehicle soon took to the skies.
It hovered in the air for several moments before a glowing jade threw out in front of it. It expanded in size and grew brighter. Zhang Hai's vehicle then flew straight into it. The light acted as a doorway, allowing the Skyrunner to disappear from view as it passed through. When the entire carriage passed through, the light folded upon itself before vanishing without a trace as well.
"You would think, with treasures like that, those mainlanders could at least give us a hand," a member of the crowd muttered.
Sword Saint Jun Heng clapped his hands together, sending a thunderous shockwave throughout the entire venue before more disparaging could be heard. His next words were projected with power, enabling everyone on Sword Saint Isle to hear him.
"My friends, I am Jun Heng. The more uptight members amongst you may refer to me as the Sword Saint. I unfortunately have some bad news for you all today. I hereby declare the second day of the Dark Sea Arena canceled. We will inform you when it will resume at a later date. For now, please stay where you are, your seniors will come get you. Otherwise, if you're here alone, you're free to return to your lodging. My disciples will be more than happy to assist you."
His announcement caused the crowd to go from silent to uproarious in an instant. Everyone was speculating about what was going on, and how it related to the ominous storm headed their way. Thankfully, the elders acted quickly. Numerous experts materialized all around the venue, right before their disciples.
Even around Li Lang, he could spot half a dozen people abruptly appearing all around him. Jian Beiyun was one such expert, appearing right next to Sima Xue.
"Junior Sister, we have to go. Li Lang, would you three like to come with us?"
Li Lang almost instinctively answered yes, but caught himself a split second before he did. Of course, he wanted to say yes. He would be an idiot to not realize an emergency was happening. However, his students were spread all around the venue. He could only imagine what young teenagers like them were feeling in such situations. As their mentor, he had a duty to go find them. He didn't have it in him to ask for Jian Beiyun's help when he understood there were numerous Nightmoon Valley disciples for him to tend to as well.
"No, it's okay. You go carry out your duty. We have to do the same."
Sima Xue pulled on her senior's sleeve, but he just took a deep breath, sighed, and nodded. Then the shadow beneath his feet shot up and engulfed them. A moment later, their figures were gone.
"Tell me that master of yours has a similar technique that can do that as well," Li Lang asked his friend with the mask as he rested an arm on his shoulder.
"Can't s-say I've seen him employ anything l-like it. My mentor is lying on t-the streets most of the time."
Li Lang shook his head as he summoned his own Skyrunner.
"Which one of you wants to track them down? I'll steer."
"N-No, let Long Yi steer instead," Wei Ping quipped. "I'll track our stu-students down. You channel your fire so they c-can spot us."
"Sounds like a plan."
"No complaints here," Long Yi chimed in.
With roles assigned, the trio was off. The venue hadn't fallen to chaos yet, but numerous vehicles could be seen taking to the skies, retreating back to the city. One black Skyrunner joined the traffic, but it soon differentiated itself as it erupted into silverish-blue flames.
For them, the race was on. They had to gather all the students who were spread around the venue before what caused such a large reaction arrived.
***
The dark storm came to a stop at a hundred li from Sword Saint Isle for some reason. High in the skies above the seas, dozens of disciples of the Sword Saint could be seen facing off against the dark clouds. They all had their weapons drawn and were ready for a fight.
They waited patiently for the other party to make a move first, and soon, several figures emerged from within the storm. They all appeared young and were in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The Sword Saint Isle disciples were just about to hail them when they suddenly made their move!
Several Qi arts were fired from a distance, and an intense battle soon ensued. At first, it looked like both sides were even, but the casualties told another story. Every few moments, a member of the Sword Saint Isle fell into the sea below or was engulfed by the dark clouds lurking nearby.
This didn't escape the losing side's notice for long, but there was nothing they could do about it. They held on for dear life, with none of them showing any signs of retreating. They fought resolutely, and it was for good reason.
Before long, a piercing sound of something shattering rang out. The space around the battlefield suddenly fractured, as if it was made of glass. A wide gaping hole formed in midair and numerous figures began emerging from it.
The defenders all looked relieved upon seeing the scene. That was especially so when they spotted the leading figure. It was naturally because they spotted their master, the current Sword Saint!
The entire place froze as all attention was directed to the newcomers. No matter their personality, no one present could ignore the presence the Sword Saint was giving off. They watched each of his actions carefully, waiting for him to take the lead.
"Oh, it's been some time since you've come visited our little island here. To what do I owe you that you'd bother raising a hand against these poor juniors?"
One moment passed, then two, then three, but no answer came. The Sword Saint didn't seem to mind and asked again after some time.
"Hello? Can you hear me? It's me, Jun Heng. The most magnanimous cultivator within the Violet Isles!"
This time, he finally received a response, but not in the way he wanted.
A hollow clacking sound filled the scene. Then, hundreds of figures emerged from the dark clouds. It quickly grew to thousands, then tens of thousands. As these shadows emerged from the cover of the clouds, their cultivation strength could be detected, along with their appearance. Almost all the Sword Saint disciples grimaced at the same time. They sensed the Qi of many Violet Core Experts coming from the wooden puppets emerging from the clouds.
In contrast to their serious expressions, the Sword Saint let out a chuckle.
"Oh, come on. I was hoping for more of a civilized talk, but I guess beggars can't be choosers."
He twirled the sword in his hand. It was the same round bamboo training sword he had been carrying throughout the event. Once he completed his warmup, he slowly held it up and slashed down, as if to just trace the motion. It was an exercise many beginner swordsmen did, but the moment the Sword Saint completed the entire motion, the surrounding area trembled.
A vertical slit appeared at the space his bamboo sword passed through, then numerous tree branches emerged violently. They kept splitting off into new branches at mesmerizing speed. The branches then honed in on their targets and their color abruptly darkened. To be precise, it wasn't just their color. The branches did an instant changeover, turning into a sharp metal blade. It easily punctured through numerous wooden puppets at the same time.
Splinters of wood rained down to the battlefield, as the remaining puppets clashed head-on with the cultivations of Sword Saint Isle.
Chapter 259: Island Incursion
"Is that everyone?" Li Lang cried out, no longer caring if anyone overheard them. It was no longer the time to care if people found out about his students. They were just as likely to assume they were his acquaintances as well. Either way, the growing intensity of the fighting happening in the distance made the situation too urgent for Li Lang to care.
"Yep, Wu San was the last one."
The mentors and students looked to inspect their own group for a few moments.
"Okay, everyone in! It'll be cramped, but bear with it."
Everyone rushed in as instructed, but instead of cramming into the Skyrunner as onlookers would expect, they were entering into the Crucible one by one. Li Lang had up the entrance inside. He was the last to board and instantly stowed his Spirit-grade artifact away.
As they gained in altitude, they got a better view of the battle in the distance. It was hard to miss. Half the sky was covered in dark clouds that were slowly but surely encroaching toward the island. A colorful array of Qi arts could be seen on display, as they nimbly twirled around in the air, trying to bypass enemy defenses. Occasionally, explosions could be heard as well.
From the sound alone, I can almost mistake this for a scene in a historical war movie.
Li Lang, Wei Ping, and Long Yi were the only ones remaining on the Skyrunner, and they all silently stared at the ongoing clash. None of them said anything as they swiftly flew back to the city. It was where the Sword Saint instructed his guests to go, and who were they to do otherwise?
There was a nonzero chance they would be intercepted if they tried to escape from the island. It would depend on what the objective of the attackers were, but they didn't know that either. Trying to flee was literally gambling with their lives, especially when a powerful Spirit Divide Realm cultivator saw fit to take control of the scene. The trio had visited enough cultivator cities to know hidden fortifications in the form of formations likely defended them.
With their current strength, all they could do was wait out the storm.
"Lighten up, guys," Long Yi suddenly declared as he smacked each of his friends on the back. "Last I heard, representatives from almost every single notable faction within Violet Isle are here. What could possibly beat them?"
"Maybe main-mainlanders? Or a large coalition o-of feral demonic cultivators? It c-could even be members of the hundred races."
"It doesn't matter," Li Lang said as he shook his head and directed his attention back to steering the vehicle. "From the reaction of all those experts back there, it's undoubtedly a very real threat. We just need to survive this without getting caught up in it."
"Shit!" Long Yi yelled.
"What?"
"It seems like surviving may not be as easy as we thought."
Li Lang and Wei Ping turned their head back to the battlefield and their eyes quickly widened.
The flashy fight up in the air was still ongoing, but the clouds had managed to wrap around the Sword Saint Isle cultivators. Not only were they getting surrounded, a notable portion of the dreary clouds headed straight toward for them, ignoring the defenders. It cleared the battlefront in no time and picked up speed rapidly. To be precise, it wasn't only increasing in speed, the clouds were also multiplying at a terrifying rate. Even to the untrained eye, it was obvious it would soon engulf the island in a matter of minutes.
"You don't suppose that's some poison death cloud, is it? The type that'll kill cultivators of a lower realm with ease?" Long Yi presented his nightmare scenario.
He didn't receive an immediate answer. Li Lang was frowning as he stared at the looming clouds. As they drew closer and multiplied further, its color lightened to a deep purple.
"Those clouds—shouldn't be fatal to touch. It will probably obstruct your senses, though," Li Lang hesitantly replied.
"How would you know that?"
"I hate to say it, but those look awfully similar to something I encountered before. And that something was employed by a Spirit Divide Realm cultivator."
"Well—if that's the case, may I suggest retreating into the Crucible once we get back to our rooms?"
Li Lang simply nodded as he redoubled his efforts to accelerate their vehicle. He had already been doing his best, but being swallowed by some purple mist again was not something he was looking forward to for the remainder of his life.
God damn it. Is it really the Abductress? If it is, I really hope the Sword Saint can finish her off. That'll save me the trouble. Wait, I'll need to find out where she took Zi Xi and Zi Xiaomei, first. What are the chances a mighty Spirit Divide Realm cultivator gets captured?
Li Lang was beginning to regret not tagging along with Nightmoon Valley's group right now. Not only would it be a low safer, he knew they had emergency communication artifacts of some sort.
It didn't matter what the cost was, whether it was to get down on his knees and beg or give up the Crucible. He wouldn't hesitate right now if he could request the help of the Valley Master or someone of similar strength. No matter how impressive the Sword Saint's reputation was, he didn't think his chances of capturing the infamous Abductress to be that high. If it was that easy, she wouldn't be considered such a menace to society.
"Umm, Li Lang, I don't mean to complain, but those clouds just hit land! It's going to engulf us any moment now!" Long Yi exclaimed.
Their black Skyrunner was just on the outskirts of the city now. They cleared the sword-shaped mountain and some houses could be seen below. Their lodging was just up ahead, but none of them were confident they would make it back to their room in time and enter into the pocket realm.
"Hold on to my shoulder or something! I'm going to land us as close to the inn as possible. These clouds or whatever it is shouldn't do any harm to us, but we could easily get split up."
Neither Wei Ping nor Long Yi complained. It was more like they couldn't complain. The giant wall of purple mist was close to their tail now, desperately chasing after them. It was gaining on them and they understood what Li Lang meant. His landing was not going to be gentle. They could all agree that damaging their Skyrunner was worth getting out of the danger even one second sooner.
Li Lang aligned his vehicle above the street where the main entrance to their inn was and dove straight down. He was coming in hot, like a plane landing on a runway. Unfortunately, their vehicle didn't have any landing gears. A loud crack sounded out as their Skyrunner crashed into the ground. It skidded for a few seconds, but as soon as it slowed down to manageable speeds, they leaped out of the carriage. Almost immediately, Li Lang stowed his vehicle away even while it continued to slide across the ground.
As all three of them were in the Foundation Establishment Realm, they could fly for a short time, albeit a high consumption of their Qi. Jumping out of a moving vehicle was no danger to them. They safely landed on the ground, but by the time they regained their bearings, the purple clouds had already consumed everything around them.
It limited their vision so badly that they couldn't even see the gates to their inn despite having landed just before it.
Still, there could go on from their memory.
"This way," Li Lang said as he gently tugged toward a direction.
His two friends had a hand on each of his shoulders, and they tightened their grip to convey that they were ready.
Step by step, they cautiously walked further through the thick purple fog. Thankfully, they were only a dozen steps away from their entrance. Despite the short trek, the three cultivators couldn't help but relax upon spotting their destination.
Stepping past the gate, a huge gust of wind swept in from behind. They turned in time to see a figure dashing out of the smokescreen. Long Yi was the fastest to react, intercepting the shadow with a slash of his green broadsword. He locked swords with the newly emerged wooden puppet and used his brute strength to shove it back.
"Not our luckiest day, huh?" he muttered. "This is the wooden puppet you saw during your friends' kidnapping, right, Li Lang?"
"Save the talking for later. We have to go! There are ones that are a lot stronger and we don't want to meet—"
Another gust of wind interrupted their conversation. The puppet relentlessly charged in again.
"Umm, maybe you guys go ahead?" Long Yi suggested.
"That sounds like the worst possible plan in this situation," Li Lang quipped then turned to his masked friend. "Wei Ping, let's help him beat this thing quickly."
With no time to waste, they began fanning out to encircle the puppet. It was eerily quiet, without any clacking noise, and completely unarmed. Through its clash with Long Yi, it proved it was anything but fragile.
Chapter 260: Island Incursion Pt.2
The wooden puppet's behavior didn't change despite being encircled by three people now. It continued to do a straightforward charge to its closest target, Long Yi. As a result, it ran head-first into a Terra Moon Slash, but the wooden chassis surprisingly came out on top with the collision with the earthen Qi art. The hardened stone of Long Yi's attack shattered into little fragments and the puppet continued its charge.
It swung its arm down and locked it against Long Yi's green broadsword. Before either party could make any headways, Li Lang and Wei Ping closed in from its blind spots, forming a triangular formation around their foe.
The wooden puppet didn't respond to the two ambushes, allowing a spear and claws to land on its body. Li Lang cloaked his weapon with his Primordial Star Fire, but it quickly fizzled out when it made contact with the puppet. A thin layer of purple smoke could be seen for a moment while Wei Ping's attack didn't fare any better.
Both strikes barely penetrated its defenses, leaving a shallow wound behind. Before they could back away and retry, the puppet swung its other arm in a full circle. It was such an unnatural movement it caught the three human cultivators off-guard. Their robes were torn apart as they leaped back to make some distance.
Shit, my poison isn't effective against inanimate opponents like this one, while my fire is presumably too low level. I really need to expand my toolbox to be able to handle different types of opponents.
Realizing his lack of offensive capabilities in this fight, Li Lang made a quick tactical decision.
"Let me hold it off! You two try to damage it!"
His two companions just nodded as he threw himself back into the fight. The three of them continued with this triangular encirclement. With them being more aware of their opponent's capabilities, the fight slowed them as they made use of their numbers to accrue damage to the puppet's body.
They got into a rhythm, allowing Wei Ping and Long Yi's technique to come into the spotlight. The largest man among the trio had hyper-focused on one technique. It allowed him to punch above his weight now. He could freely shape his Terra Moon Slash to the point it couldn't even be called a slash sometimes.
The puppet had approximately the strength of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, but not even that could allow it to remain unharmed after taking on a sharp spike of hardened stone.
As for Wei Ping, his mastery of the Lingering Impact Technique rapidly increased every second. He quickly learned that using it normally didn't do enough damage, so he began delaying the activation of his first few attacks. He then tried to time multiple strikes to explode at the same time. The first few tried, but his success rate climbed up the longer the battle went on.
After only a dozen exchanges, the culminating Lingering Impact Technique showed a devastating effect, ripping off a chunk of wood from the chassis.
Being chunked and pierced, the wooden puppet soon ceased activity.
"Is no one in the inn? How has no one come to check on us after all this time?" Long Yi muttered to his teammates, who were trying to recover their breath.
"Must be this smokescreen, cloud, or whatever it is," Li Lang replied. "Either way, let's head inside and we can confirm if that is true or if there truly isn't anyone there."
The other two nodded and turned toward the inn. With Li Lang in the lead, he only took two steps before he heard cries of pain from behind. The scent of something being burnt quickly spread. He turned around to find a person lying sprawled on the ground. Li Lang was astonished when he realized that the person was Long Yi!
Before he could say anything, he felt something prick his left calf, then a jolt spread throughout his body within an instant. He buckled and was brought to his knees.
Shit! We're so screwed, an expert of the metal and—lightning attribute?
The only reason he could recognize the imminent danger was because he could see what happened to Wei Ping. He had met the same fate before him, allowing him to see the metal needle sticking out of his leg.
"Is anyone in the inn?!" Li Lang cried out in a desperate attempt to call for reinforcements. "There's at your doorstep!"
"Umm, I wouldn't bother if I were you. The people inside put up a barrier, so I doubt they could hear you," a voice sounded out from the main street.
While injured, neither Wei Ping nor Li Lang were people who gave up so easily. They swiftly pulled up the needle stuck into them and stood up to prepare for a fight. They positioned themselves in front of Long Yi, who was likely unconscious. Li Lang stole a peek and found he had taken a bad hit with the needle embedded near his spine. He quickly removed it for him while their new enemy slowly approached.
When the two parties came close enough to see each other, they both balked at the same time.
"You—" Li Lang barely managed to get out after being stunned for a full second. "—Yun Ming?"
"Umm, this is awkward," the man replied. "If it isn't my first customer. I—umm, didn't expect to see you here."
"What?! That's my line! I thought you were a righteous cultivator. You're working for the Abductress of all people?!"
"I am an orthodox cultivator," Yun Ming corrected. "Teacher is—misunderstood. Her actions may sometimes be bad, but she means well."
"Means well equals to launching an assault on the island here and indiscriminately attack everyone on it?"
"Well, there's a good reason for this, umm—"
The young man, who was the creator of Li Lang's Tracing Origin Art, froze as he glanced away to the side.
"Yun Ming! No need to come up with excuses, just tell me this!" Li Lang's bellow caused even the mid-stage Foundation Establishment expert to flinch. "If you work for the Abductress, then do you know Zi Xi and Zi Xiaomei?!"
The young former scientist was now seething upon finally coming into contact with someone who was connected to his hated enemy. He had thought he was still years away from being able to make an attempt to save his childhood friends. It had come as a surprise the infamous Abductress had shown herself to him before he could go find her.
"Umm, yes, I've heard—"
"Tell me where they are!"
Yun Ming blinked blankly a few times before glancing around as if he was about to commit a crime. He then took a few steps toward Li Lang and leaned forward, bringing a hand to the edge of his mouth, and whispered.
"I assume you know them—from before?"
Li Lang saw red and recklessly grabbed Yun Ming's collar, pulling him even closer. Beside him, Wei Ping was getting into position to cut in at any time.
"Just tell me. Where are they? Is the Abductress still keeping them locked up somewhere?"
Surprisingly, Yun Ming didn't mind being grabbed and yelled out. He held his hands up in an attempt to calm Li Lang down.
"Calm down, Li Lang. The Zi siblings are safe and they aren't here. Their situation isn't exactly bad, but I can't reveal their location to you. If you just leave them be, I'm sure they'll be able to find you someday."
"After being brainwashed into being a minion of the Abductress, like you? No way I'm letting that happen!"
"Umm, I can't reveal much, but I can assure you none of us who serve our teacher are brainwashed. The only reason we're here is because the people of this island harmed one of our people. Teacher likes to lash out when that happens, and none of us wanted to let her do that alone."
"So instead of watching her, you're here participating in the attack?"
"I was watching Teacher's puppets, to ensure they don't go too far. I didn't do anything but stun your companion there, right?" Yun Ming explained as he gestured toward Long Yi.
"Either way, I'm not letting you go until you tell me where the Zi siblings are. You're coming with me inside and we're having a long chat."
Li Lang pulled the young man by his collar, but he didn't even budge, straining the fabric of his clothes.
"Sorry—I can't. It'll become even more troublesome if you do that. Please listen to me, I have to go. You should head inside with your friends and you'll be safe. Otherwise, you'll be in danger if you stay out here any longer."
"No! Not until you tell me what I want to know."
The two locked eyes for a tense moment as neither side looked like they were going to budge. They only stopped when Wei Ping held onto Li Lang's hand that was pulling on Yun Ming's collar.
"T-This isn't the time. We should g-go inside."
Li Lang snapped his eyes to his friend. It was with an intensity Wei Ping had never seen from him before, but he remained resolute.
"Long Yi needs to get some rest i-inside. Now."
Chapter 261: Shifting Opportunities
For quite some time, Li Lang's gaze was locked with Wei Ping's. Even without any words, the two were able to converse with their eyes alone. Li Lang questioned why Wei Ping would want to let Yun Ming, who was affiliated with the Abductress, go so easily. After all, despite what the man had claimed, it was an undisputable fact that he had ambushed them even if he hadn't aimed to kill them. It made it hard for Li Lang to completely believe his story that he was only out to supervise the puppets.
There were many reasons why Yun Ming could do such a thing. It could be from negative experiences he may have encountered in his past. It wouldn't surprise anyone if he had been attacked on sight before when it became clear that he was a member of the Abductress' faction. It could also be because he was putting on a show for his spirit Divide Realm mistress who could be watching. That was something Li Lang and his party would never know due to their current abilities.
However, one thing was clearly conveyed—Wei Ping's unwavering resolve.
Seeing how his friend was so resolute, Li Lang finally relented when he heard Long Yi coughing as he began to rouse. He turned back to Yun Ming, whose collar was still in his grasp.
"Tell Zi Xi and Xiaomei that they'll be seeing me soon. And if your intentions are truly as good as you say, you better make sure they are safe until then," Li Lang warned before slowly letting go of the young man.
Yun Ming took a moment to straighten his clothes before casually heading toward the collapsed wooden puppet. With a slight touch, it vanished, and he proceeded to walk away. He only needed to take a few steps before his figure disappeared into the purple
As soon as he was gone, Wei Ping hurried over to the entrance of the inn. Long Yi was sent flying into a barrier of some sort that protected the place, so he approached it with care. He gingerly reached for the door, only to find nothing obstructing me. The two managed to enter the building without any incident.
However, as the door opened, they could see the violet mist being thwarted be an invisible barrier, creating a clear border with the interior. They stepped through without feeling anything and were immediately greeted by the innkeeper, a young man wearing clothes that marked him as a native of Sword Saint Isle. It meant he was undoubtedly a disciple of the Sword Saint, as only his disciples lived on the island.
His gaze softened when he recognized the three newcomers as his guests and nodded toward them.
"I'm glad you three made it back despite—some minor injuries," he glanced toward the unconscious Long Yi for a moment before directing his gaze back to the other two. "How's the situation outside?"
"Probably ch-chaotic," Wei Ping replied, as he noticed Li Lang stayed silent, sulking away. "On our way back w-we saw the Sword Saint fighting out a-at sea, but as you can see, the intruder's Qi art man-managed to envelop the entire island. We c-can barely see or sense anything through this smoke."
"I saw as much, but I guess we can only wait for good news from Master, then."
"If y-you don't mind, we'll be returning to o-our room, if that's okay."
"You can if you want," the innkeeper stated. "I recommend you stand guard with us in the dining area just in case anything happens, but I see your companion there could use some rest. Either way, it's your choice."
Wei Ping clasped his fist toward the young man before retreating toward the staircase that led to their rooms. On the way there, they took a peek at the dining area mentioned, spotting a dozen different cultivators gathered there.
As soon as they returned to their room, Li Lang wordlessly deployed the Crucible, and the trio retreated into its safety. It was no surprise that their students were all waiting for them by the entrance, so they immediately noticed the injured Long Yi.
"What happened?" Xiao Dong cried. "Having the intruders breached the island's defenses?"
Li Lang ignored them and walked away toward his room as Wei Ping carefully placed down the much larger man he had been carrying around. He didn't respond until he managed to feed the big guy a Recovery Pill. Almost instantly, color returned to his face.
"It's h-hard to say," Wei Ping muttered. "The entire story m-may be a bit complicated. Let's lay down Long Yi som-somewhere first."
As Wei Ping began to explain the situation to his students, Li Lang had already stormed into his room, racking his brain about the next steps. The ongoing attack by the Abductress had thrown a wrench into his plans. It shook things up, sure, but it also opened up opportunities.
Li Lang had planned to steadily increase both his hard power and soft power by making use of his Crucible and other advantages, such as his Weave Press. He would make connections with any notable genius the various organizations sent to the pocket realm, amass a fortune, and then do the same with members of the orthodox sect through trade.
He did all this in order to grow his influence and then intelligence network until he was in a position to investigate the Abductress. It would also help him petition assistance from his allies. He had even thought of using the Cleansing Drug as a bargaining chip with the righteous sect, as long as he established himself with the demonic cultivators enough so that he wouldn't be in danger when he did so.
Now, the timetable for everything could be changed. He could either remain steady and proceed with his plan as it is, or he had the chance to be more proactive. Proactive wasn't always good, it came at a great risk. However, he was starting to believe it was worth it if it meant he could get rid of the problem known as the Abductress that much sooner.
"Blue, Green, Orange, are you there?" Li Lang blurted out.
Three orbs of light formed around him almost immediately, accompanied by three voices replying in unison as they transformed into their human forms.
"Yes!"
"If a Spirit Divide Realm expert tried to breach into this realm right now, what would happen?"
"Um, that's hard to say, Master," Blue replied with a thoughtful expression. "It depends on their strength and treasures they possess. Even Spirit Divide Realm experts are divided into different stages, and the existence of a Spirit-grade artifact like us would matter a lot. We may be formed with the core of three such artifacts, but our power is—limited without a user of comparable strength."
"So you don't know? There's basically a fifty-fifty chance they could invade the realm forcefully?"
"Hmm, it may be lower if we can make them believe we would self-destruct if they tried."
"Barring them being able to overpower you easily?"
Blue nodded three times, making Li Lang breathe in heavily.
"What about if I temporarily allow another Spirit Realm expert to make use of you?"
"Then we should mostly be fine. Cultivators who have reached such a high realm have lived far too many years. They each have their own tricks, so they won't go down easily. We should be able to escape with the help of such an expert."
"That's at least reassuring. Anyway, thank you. I may need to increase your workload in the future now. You should go prepare as best you can."
"Understood, Master!"
Green and Orange simply repeated Blue's words. They didn't say much at all, leaving their companions to answer for them. However, Orange's lingering gaze was too easy to spot.
"What is it, Orange? Feel free to speak."
"Umm, Master, I ask when you plan to take the trails for woodsmithing and formations? Several of your students have taken them over the past few weeks and have been making steady progress. I believe it would aid Master's goals if you did the same."
Li Lang blinked blankly for a few moments. He soon realized there were so truths to the young boy's words. He had been saving that opportunity for when he knew exactly what he wanted, but for the early levels of the trials, those rewards didn't matter as much. The point was to master the basics, so he could take them at any point.
"Good idea. You should speak your mind more freely in the future. I will probably take the trial immediately after speaking with my friends. That is, if nothing changes in the outside world."
With nothing more to say, the three artifact spirits vanished as abruptly as they had appeared, leaving Li Lang pondering about his future plans as he prepared how to broach the subject with his companions. After all, he wasn't the only one who would face the consequences should his plan fail. Whether he liked it or not, they were currently all bound to the same ship.
Chapter 262: Puppets Versus Coalition
Above the seas west of Sword Saint Isle, the majority of the area was engulfed in dark clouds with intense flashes of light peeking through every so often. The scene could easily be mistaken as a fierce thunderstorm passing through the area. However, the eye of the storm wasn't fixed like it would naturally be. That was because everything was a result of two powerful cultivators clashing.
The Abductress' figure was completely hidden in the darkest part of the clouds, but a large army of wooden puppets repeatedly dashed in and out of the fog, launching numerous attacks from different angles by taking advantage of the limited line of sight.
Not even an expert like the Sword Saint could see through the dark smoke. As a result, he was constantly on the move, while countless branches kept extending in the skies around him. These branches would intercept anything launched toward him and wound constantly regrow while idle. At the same time, the Sword Saint would occasionally launch pure Qi attacks by swinging his sword around. The unremarkable wave of energy would cause a deafening explosion whenever they were sent into the dark clouds.
Taking in the scene, most spectators would conclude the Abductress was at a disadvantage, but that was only true if you only looked at their fight in isolation. Numerous fights were also taking place all around the eye of the storm. While the majority of the participants were either disciples of Sword Saint Isle or the wooden puppets, the more critical fights were between cultivators participating in the Dark Sea Arena and the mysterious allies of the Abductress.
Their strength ranged from the late Foundation Establishment to the peak of the Violet Core Realm. As a result of this large variance in strength, both sides took a drastically different approach to play into their advantages or cover for their weaknesses.
For the side of the defenders, they avoided a scattered free-for-all. The encroaching dark smoke was already hindering their senses. If they split up as well, the chaos that would ensue wasn't something they could afford. That meant their cultivators were tightly huddled together, forming several groups that worked in unison.
Among these groups, Jian Beiyun from the Nightmoon Valley was naturally leading one of them. He stood at the core of the demonic cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm, while the orthodox cultivators formed their own group, as well as those in the Violet Core Realm.
A constant stream of flashy Qi arts was on full display as they repelled the onslaught of wooden puppets. However, unlike in the Sword Saint's case, these defenders were on the back foot. No matter how strong or talented they were, none of it mattered before someone in the Spirit Divide Realm.
As the battle dragged on, it started to sway toward the attackers. They consisted mostly of puppets, allowing their human combatants to take breaks when needed. As a result, half a day after the beginning of the skirmish, a few weaker individuals started making mistakes due to their fatigue. Mistakes that costed their life.
Jian Beiyun was just repelling another attack when a cry of pain sounded out from above below him. They were one of the defenders taking on the role as a frontline shield so their allies at the core of the formation could fire off their Qi arts.
"Ten Mo!" Jian Beiyun shouted upon recognizing the man as a member of the Eroding March Pavilion.
The man had his arm piercing through the torso of a wooden puppet, but in exchange, he received a similar wound near his heart. Pool leaked from his lips as he struggled to breathe. The people behind him immediately tried to pull him back into the formation so someone could address his wounds, but they were cut off by yet another attack. Jian Beiyun himself didn't fare any better, as everyone was overwhelmed.
With no one there to assist the poor man, an unseen force yanked him away with terrifying force. Before the eyes of numerous defenders, Ten Mo disappeared into the pitch-dark cloud.
However, that wasn't the worst part. A few moments later, an ear-piercing shriek came from within the dark clouds. Then, another figure dashed out from within, right at Jian Beiyun. It came at terrifying speed and locked swords with the Nightmoon Valley expert. It gave him a few moments to observe his opponent—yet another puppet, but it was wearing bloodied tanned robes with white embroidery that had designs that were shockingly similar to the one Ten Mo had been wearing.
Jian Beiyun faltered for a split second due to this realization, giving his opponent an opening to stab their arm toward his neck. Reacting late, all Jian Beiyun could do was dodge out of the way, thus failing his role as a shield for the people behind him in the process—or so he thought. The puppet's attack didn't even make it halfway when two explosions rang out around the wooden elbows from opposite directions. Within a split second, it ripped the entire arm off, sending it tumbling toward the sea.
"Some Slithering Shadow you are. I'm disappointed." A quiet voice somehow reached Jian Beiyun's ears with perfect clarity.
"Thank you, Wang Yongjun, but do you have to whisper into my ear like that? You don't have to live up to those titles other people give us, you know?"
"Hmph, you want me to yell over all this chaos happening? Not my style."
While the battle continually grew worse for most of the participants, the Sword Saint wasn't blind to their peril. He kept track of everything happening, but there was only so much he could do when the Abductress kept him in check.
He had heard numerous rumors about this villainess demonic cultivator, but it was the first time he had encountered her.
"Come on, this is only our first meeting," he complained as he sent yet another stream of Qi into the abyss. "I've heard a lot about you from the great sects and organizations. I know we must've stepped on your toes somehow for you to do this, but I promise it wasn't Sword Saint Isle's intention. Why don't we talk it out and I can compensate you appropriately for whatever we have done?"
In response, hysterical laughter sounded out from every direction.
"I don't need any apologies. As they say, I'm only interested in having your stupid island pay tenfold for what your disciples have done!"
A weary sigh escaped from the Sword Saint's mouth as the Abductress lived up to her reputation of being unreasonable.
The Abductress was known to come and go as she pleased, with no permanent residence. It made it almost impossible to track her movements. If anyone came into conflict with her, they would be stuck defending their territory while she could show up at any time. It was why every faction on the mainland of Violet Isle avoided her with a ten-foot pole.
"Is there really no possibility of reconciliation? Our Sword Saint Isle has always been neutral to the infighting of Violet Isle. Our only enemies are the hundred races and their allies. We're only exhausting ourselves for no reason," Sword Saint Jun Heng despondently explained.
He received no more responses as another wave of attacks struck him and the other defenders. See this, Jun Heng finally realized there was no hope of de-escalation. He closed his eyes as the tree branches positioned themselves protectively around him, and everything around him began to tremble.
Ripples in the sea quickly turned into large waves. The island behind suffered from an earthquake, as the sword-shaped mountain rumbled. Pieces of debris fell from the summit, then everything was deathly quiet for a split second. It was as if the entire world lost the capability to produce sound.
Then, a soundless explosion created a crater at the summit of the mountain within a split-second, and a blurry figure was shot toward the fight. It traversed the distance so fast that only the two Spirit Divide Realm cultivators detected it at all. However, the other noticed the aftermath it left behind, notably clearing all the dark clouds in its path.
None of them could even cheer at the annoying smokescreen from disappearing when an intense light drew their attention. They quickly found the area where the two apex experts had been fighting turned into a battle between darkness and light. All the dark clouds gathered together in an attempt to push the bright light away. The two energies were locked into a tug-o-war.
It shouldn't be anything special to these experienced cultivators on scene, but for some mysterious reason, they were all mesmerized by the spectacle. They couldn't even gauge how long had passed since the light appeared, as their eyes refused to move away while their thoughts dulled.
After an unknown amount of time, the struggle between the radiant light and the dreary void finally ceased. As a result of it, every single percent who was watching coughed out a mouthful of blood and found themselves momentarily blinded. The powerful cultivators recovered quickly, spotting a lone figure hovering in the aftermath.
Chapter 263: Endings and Beginnings
Exiting from his room, Li Lang didn't have to search very long until he found Wei Ping and Long Yi surrounded by their students exactly where he last saw them, by the main hall where people first set on when entering the pocket realm.
Long Yi appeared to have made a complete recovery, chatting with everyone with a strong voice that he could hear long before he turned the last corner.
The group noticed Li Lang's arrival immediately, with the students clasping their fists toward him while Long Yi grinned. Without a word, the large man charged toward the newcomer, bringing him into a bear hug.
"Thanks, Li Lang. I heard you had to make a tough choice for my sake."
The smaller man groaned as he fruitlessly tried to push his passionate companion away.
"Get off of me. Your robes are still soaked with sweat. It's unhygienic."
The large man listened, only to heartily slap Li Lang in the back in exchange. A resounding thud sounded out as if to assure the listeners that a red handprint had been freshly marked on target.
"Enough with this," Li Lang managed to wearily squeak out before a sigh came. "I have something I wanted to go over with you guys. Something that will probably affect all of us, so everyone should listen in as well."
All his students looked around at each other, searching for any clues among their comrades, but they soon settled down when Wei Ping cleared his throat.
"Then l-let's sit down in the dining hall," he urged.
The group briskly walked by the thick red pillars in the main lobby and arrived in the spacious hall with multiple tables spread across the room. It was a familiar place for the trio, as they had spent a decent amount of time there during their first time in the pocket realm. Back then, they were accompanied by various members of the Luminescent Realm, but this time, only their students were in attendance.
There was no problem finding a table that sat them all, and soon, eyes were turned to the one who had initiated this formal meeting.
"Just to update everyone in case you haven't heard yet. I am acquainted with the party that is currently attacking the island." He took a pregnant pause to let that fact sink in before continuing. "And by acquainted, I mean I want her dead for kidnapping my friends, but unfortunately, there's no way for me to be able to handle her as I currently am. And I don't see that changing anytime soon."
Surprisingly, the usually timid Ouyang Jie was the next to speak up.
"You mean the Abductress, right? Teacher Wei had briefed us about her."
"That's right," Li Lang frosty replied, unable to keep his calm when talking about his hated enemy.
"Umm," Long Yi interjected, seeing some of the students cowed by Li Lang's harsh tone. "You don't happen to be trying to convince us to launch a sneak attack on her or something, right? You said it yourself. We're not really in the position to directly oppose her."
"No, I am agitated, but I'm not dumb enough to let that affect my actions. I only carry out plans with a reasonable chance of success."
"Then what do you want to do? You've seen those clouds outside. With those around, we won't even be able to tail them to where your friends are being kept."
"No, I agree that we can't oppose her directly, so I plan to do so indirectly. Just like my original plan, except we'll be carrying it out sooner than we thought."
"I'm still not getting what you're saying. Can you say what you want us to do and how it will affect us?"
Upon hearing the mention of how his plan would affect everyone here while in their presence, Li Lang faltered. He slowly glanced around the room at each person, engraving them into his mind. He wanted to clearly understand whose lives he would be risking by carrying out his latest plan. After going through everyone, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"The risks involved are hard to measure. It depends on how far we have to go. At worst, we would be captured and put into a cage for the foreseeable future. At best, we would have to start getting involved in—politics."
This got Long Yi to raise an eyebrow. He had a feeling whatever Li Lang was about to tell him was going to be big, and there would be no going back.
***
Hundreds of cultivators ranging from the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm to the peak of the Violet Core Realm were floating above the seas, waiting with bated breaths to see who had won the confrontation between the Abductress and the Sword Saint.
The blinding light that robbed them of their vision faded away slowly for some annoying reason despite their deep cultivation. Still, those with the higher cultivation recovered first and shocked gasps could be heard when they did.
A chill spread through the spines of anyone who laid eyes on the result. That was because the figure that was hovering high above them was not the Sword Saint, but the attacking party of this battle.
More and more cultivators looked up in shock as they recovered. They had a rare chance to lay eyes on the Abductress before them, but none were happy about it.
The old woman wearing black robes was currently frozen still in the air, with an eerie smile that flashed her teeth for all to see. However, before the cultivators could gawk for too long, the cultivators that had been accompanying her rushed to her side. They swarmed around her, blocking her from view. Soon, dark smoke was once again realized among their ranks, but it was noticeably of a lighter shade this time.
Instead of the pitch-black core, it was now a light purple. Its range barely encompassed their group as well.
Nevertheless, many of the younger defenders grimaced at the scene. Many of them prepared themselves to fight to the death while others tugged on their treasures, assessing avenues of escape.
For a while, the two opposing forces simply stared at each other without taking any action. It lasted until two figures among the defender flew slightly ahead of their peers. They each wore beige robes with an extraordinary bearing about them. Seeing what they were doing, two additional figures in pale orange robes quickly moved to join them.
Without waiting for the newcomers to catch up, the two in the beige robes quickly turned to face their allies.
"People of the Luminescent Domain, this battle is over. Follow me back to the island."
Immediately afterward, the people in orange robes repeated the same spiel but directed it to the orthodox cultivators.
Two leaders of their respective factions had spoken, and the crowd quickly did as told, despite the obvious confusion from the younger members.
"Umm, what's going on, Slithering Shadow?" Wang Yongjun asked upon catching up to the speaker in beige robes. "Is this some official organization stuff that you keep from independent cultivators?"
Jian Beiyun shook his head as he leisurely flew back toward Sword Saint Isle.
"Just look back and you'll understand."
Wang Yongjun was never one to underestimate his enemies. His Qi sense had been locked onto the Abductress' faction this entire time, and they were still unmoving. When he turned back, all he saw was the purple fog struggling to maintain its area of control.
A look of realization hit him and soon things became even more clear. The purple mist began retreating in the opposite direction, growing smaller rapidly.
"She must be quite injured if she decided not to finish us off. Or maybe she thought the Sword Saint's life was enough," the dignified members of the Eight Demon Pillar dejectedly muttered.
However, his gloominess wasn't allowed to spread as a paper fan whacked him on the head.
"Don't be foolish, the Sword Saint wouldn't lose so easily," Jian Beiyun said.
"What do you mean?"
"Did your master not teach you about the powers of a Spirit Divide Realm cultivator?"
"No—I don't dare ask him about it, seeing he's been stuck at that bottleneck for who knows how many years."
Hearing this, Jian Beiyun sighed. He took a moment to evaluate what he wanted to reveal before continuing.
"It shouldn't be much of a secret that Spirit Divide Realm experts can survive without their bodies. As the name of their realm implies, they had to divide their spirit from their bodies in order to achieve their breakthrough. What you saw back there wasn't the Sword Saint's loss, but a draw. Both sides are equally injured. It's just that the Sword Saint suffered—more bodily injuries while the Abductress suffered from damages to her spirit."
Wang Yongjun frowned as he processed the new information. He didn't say a word as they arrived back at the island. Seeing this, Jian Beiyun patted him gently on his back.
"These matters are not for us, who haven't even reached the Violet Core Realm to worry about. Go rest. The Sword Saint should be summoning everyone to talk soon, and you shouldn't present yourself poorly before the orthodox sects."
"Thank you," Wang Yongjun replied with an appreciative nod. "I'll do just that."
With that, the battle concluded, leaving both sides with wounds to lick. It wasn't a particularly rare scene for cultivators. Adversity was an everyday thing they faced. However, those with a knack for politics sensed yet another battle was about to unfold. They rested their bodies as their minds prepared for a different kind of battle.