“This plan was proposed by Elder Shufu Jianli. If he is the traitor… this is bad!”
Realising the most likely possibility, the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder’s face instantly showed urgency.
If the one who suggested the entire plan was a spy for You Province’s Hong family.
Then all the Tianji Holy Land elders and disciples were walking into the enemy’s ambush.
The teams suffering ambushes were probably not limited to their twentieth team.
The other teams had surely encountered powerful traps as well.
The enemy might not deploy that many experts everywhere, but they could concentrate their strong fighters, roaming to wipe out teams one by one.
A Martial Saint could even personally annihilate teams systematically.
He did not care about the outsiders from Sacred Province, but the Tianji Holy Land elders and disciples were brought here by him. Many were highly promising geniuses.
If they fell because of this, Tianji Holy Land’s losses would be enormous.
Moreover, the Blood Sect main stronghold and the timing of the blood sacrifice might not be as he understood them.
“All of you, go reinforce the team that headed west. I will go alone to aid the other team. The Blood Sect stronghold is certainly a trap. When the time comes for our Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder to launch the general assault on the Blood Sect headquarters, everyone will be summoned.”
The Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder spoke urgently.
The “Martial Saint elder” he referred to was himself.
With that, he took off, flying rapidly eastward across the sky. He paid no heed to whether the others would actually go to help the other team.
The group exchanged glances.
Something clearly felt wrong. The Tianji Holy Land leaders had instead fallen into someone else’s ambush.
The fate of the others had nothing to do with them. You Province’s forces were evidently strong. Should they go to reinforce or not?
Lin Xiao hesitated too. His hesitation was not about whether to help.
It was about whether to follow the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder.
If he did not follow and the elder went alone to the Blood Sect headquarters, would he not miss the chance?
But if he chose to tail him, he was not a Martial Saint. His speed was far inferior. Whether he could keep up was another matter entirely.
Even if he could, the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder would very likely detect him.
Then he would probably be attacked. Finding the Blood Sect headquarters by following would become impossible.
Unless he chose to strike the Tianji Holy Land elder, blasting him dead on the spot to remove the threat to Huo Ruyan.
But if he killed him and still could not locate Huo Ruyan, what then?
After all, there were still the Hong family and Jiang family Martial Saints.
If he failed to find her while the other two succeeded, Huo Ruyan would be in danger.
In the end, Lin Xiao held back and made the conservative choice.
He did not tail the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder.
For now, the elder was surely rushing to save the other Tianji Holy Land members. When the general assault came, he would likely regroup his forces. Outsiders might not be summoned, but his own people from Tianji Holy Land certainly would be.
As long as Lin Xiao located the other Tianji Holy Land groups and followed them, it would suffice.
Lin Xiao let out a long breath of relief. If it was only Tianji Holy Land people, things would be much simpler.
“If you are afraid, hide by yourselves. Those who are not, follow me!”
At that moment, an elder spoke up and flew westward.
After brief thought, the group followed. Though reluctant, they did not want to leave the main force. They still needed Tianji Holy Land to guide them.
Lin Xiao went along with the crowd.
The other team had not been attacked.
After the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder joined them, he split forces again to reinforce the nineteenth team.
Later, they indeed encountered You Province and Xuan Province forces.
The Jiang family-led You Province troops, the Hong family-led Xuan Province troops, and the Tianji Holy Land-led Sacred Province troops clashed fiercely.
Each province had countless teams. Battlefields spread across tens of thousands of li. Tactics, splits, encirclements, evasions emerged endlessly.
The fighting lasted a full seven days. More than half the forces from all three provinces perished.
Some refused to be mere pawns for the major powers. They hid alone. There were deserters, slackers, those with hidden agendas. Every kind of person existed.
Lin Xiao blended among them.
Once, facing a powerful team, he escaped using special methods without revealing his strength.
After that, he no longer joined teams. Instead, he shadowed other Tianji Holy Land elders from the darkness.
While Cold Demon Ridge burned with fierce battle, far away in Yang Province, outside the Nanyang Mountains.
Ling Hu and the others had ambushed and slain Ji family forces and various other powers along a thirty-thousand-li sweep for over ten days. Countless experts had fallen.
The large and small forces suffered heavy casualties.
After the nine judged they had killed enough, they prepared to withdraw.
“Though we acted cleanly, the commotion was too great. Leaks are inevitable. Shuan Village is a huge problem. When Ji family people arrive, they will certainly discover it.”
At this point, Ziling spoke. “The Ji family is powerful and has a Martial Saint. Heading north would likely be dangerous.”
Over these days, they had gathered much information about the Ji family, the continental overlords, and Yang Province forces.
Naturally, they had also heard news of Lin Xiao.
But it was all from before Lin Xiao entered the void rift last year.
The news of Lin Xiao winning the continental spirit controller tournament and killing a Ji family Martial Saint had not yet reached Yang Province.
“Heading east means crossing heavy mountain ranges and spirit beast territories to reach eastern Cang Province. Though we have sky boats, the resources we have now are not enough to traverse the entire region. Anything could happen along the way.”
Ziling continued analysing.
As a spirit controller, she obtained information most easily from captives.
The others mostly learned from her.
Thus, her analysis was the most crucial.
“This area is the southwest part of Yang Province. It is relatively close to the western Yan Province. Yan Province is dominated by the Wang family. The Ji family would not pursue too aggressively there. West is the safest direction.”
Ziling went on. “However, to avoid the risk of being caught in one net, we should split up.”
“We nine can divide into three teams. One team heads straight west, away from Yang Province. Another heads northwest into Yan Province.”
“And the third team.”
She paused, then continued. “Heads north to Canglong Gate. The journey will be dangerous, but once we reach Canglong Gate, we will be safe. It is another conservative option.”
“Moreover, only there will we have a chance to find Lin Xiao. As a spirit controller, I can more easily gather information. Ling Hu has great combat strength and is Lin Xiao’s brother. For the northern route, Ling Hu and I will go.”
At these words, Lu Chuyou stepped forward first. “North is too dangerous. My cultivation is higher, and I am also Lin Xiao’s senior brother. Let Ling Hu and me go north. You head west to Yan Province.”
