Chapter 1580: Battle Ship

Volume Seven: Traversing the Human World — Volume Nine: A Hundred Races of the Spirit Realm

Just then, a dull rumbling sound suddenly came from beyond the stone gate. Following that, the surrounding walls glowed with a layer of milky-white restrictive spiritual light, flickering erratically, and the ground shook violently, as if the entire hall was about to collapse. "What's going on? What happened!"

These tremors naturally had no effect on the few people present. However, they caused the three individuals' expressions to subtly change, and the green-skinned alien cried out in alarm and anger. Subsequently, the green-skinned alien and the large-headed alien exchanged glances. Almost simultaneously, their escape lights activated; one transformed into a streaking green rainbow and shot out, while the other's figure blurred slightly and vanished from the spot.

Although there was no flight restriction in this square, given their cultivation levels, as long as they forcefully channeled the spiritual energy within their bodies, this level of restriction naturally couldn't truly bind them from using their escape arts. It would merely consume a bit more magical power.

Han Li didn't hesitate either. After glancing at the magic array, he paused for a moment. Then, with a shake of his sleeve, a streak of green light shot out, circling the array. With a 'bang-bang' sound, the green light instantly shattered it to pieces, then, with a flash, it shot back. At this moment, Han Li's body glowed with spiritual light, and he followed them out, leaving a trail of afterimages.

The moment his figure appeared outside the stone gate, he saw that the square was in utter chaos. People were frantically surging into the surrounding buildings to take cover.

Above the square, a layer of pale blue light curtain had appeared at some unknown point, seemingly enveloping the entire city. And far beyond the light curtain, at an unknown higher altitude, countless white orbs, the size of human heads, were raining down like a torrential downpour.

Blinding bursts of light erupted on the light curtain, accompanied by continuous rumbling roars. This caused the protective barrier to shake violently, appearing to barely hold. Han Li was greatly startled and quickly raised his head to gaze intently beyond the light curtain, blue light flickering wildly in his pupils. A moment later, Han Li's eyes twitched a few times, and he gasped in a cold breath. Under his spiritual eye ability, he clearly saw the source of these attacks. At an altitude of three to four thousand zhang, a gigantic 'island' had appeared.

Indeed. It was a 'silver island' shimmering all over, as if forged from pure silver, spanning nearly ten thousand zhang. The entire bottom of the island was covered with dense white crystal pillars, their surfaces flickering with runes, actively spewing out clusters of light orbs that rained down thickly.

"This is bad, it's a giant war vessel of the Horned Chi Race! How is this possible? Could the Horned Chi Race's army have arrived early?" The large-headed alien, who had at some point taken out a blue mirror, stared intently at it for a few moments before crying out involuntarily.

"What's the use of saying all this now? We need to escape for our lives quickly. Brother Yuan, you've been stationed in this city for so many years. You must know a few secret passages leading out of the city, right?" The green-skinned alien also arrived nearby and, hearing this, asked urgently.

"I do know a secret passage that leads quietly to a small mountain about ten li west of the city. However, there are so many fellow daoists of various races in the city; I can't just leave them. I'll immediately have everyone gather at the city gates and let them escape according to their fate. If they're lucky, perhaps some might truly escape." A flicker of hesitation crossed the large-headed alien's face, then he gritted his teeth and said. "Good, we'll do that then." The red-glowing alien also shot over from the other side of the square and, hearing this, repeatedly agreed. Han Li and the green-skinned alien also had no objections. Seeing this, the large-headed alien no longer hesitated!

A yellow light flashed on his body. Suddenly, a streak of yellow light shot out from him and, with a flicker, transformed into a giant phantom image a hundred zhang tall. Its appearance and attire were identical to the large-headed alien himself. This phantom was so massive, and its entire body glowed with dazzling yellow light, naturally making it extremely eye-catching.

Suddenly, the phantom let out a low roar from its mouth, its voice like the tolling of an ancient bell. Everyone who heard this felt their spiritual consciousness tremble, and their initial panic eased considerably. Immediately, tens of thousands of gazes in the square 'swished' and all fixed upon the large-headed phantom in the sky. The transformed phantom of the large-headed alien then spoke with a solemn expression: "Fellow daoists, there's no need to panic. This city's protective grand formation can sustain itself for a considerable period and won't be broken open immediately.

"Everyone, quickly gather at the four city gates. In a quarter of an hour, I will immediately lift the restrictions at the city gates, allowing all of you to escape for your lives. However, before you flee, let me issue a warning to all fellow daoists. This sudden, undeclared attack by the Horned Chi Race is a clear intent to exterminate our Thirteen Skycloud Races. Do not even consider surrendering or seeking temporary refuge. From what I know, those captured will either be thrown into the Horned Chi Race's Ice-Fire Black Prison as slaves, or their souls will be searched and spiritual infants extracted for use in alchemy and artifact refining." The large-headed alien's words were exceedingly sinister!

The aliens in the square first exchanged bewildered glances. Then, after an unknown cry, they immediately dispersed and scattered in all directions. The moment they left the square, everyone immediately transformed into dense streams of escape light, heading towards the four city gates.

As soon as the large-headed alien performed a hand seal, the phantom image in the sky instantly flickered, dispersed, and vanished. Then he turned his head and said to Han Li and the other two: "Fellow daoists, follow me. Our target is too significant; we cannot mix with them."

The others naturally nodded in agreement.

Thus, the group of four instantly transformed into four streaks of light and flew out of the square.

By this time, the blue light curtain above the city was completely engulfed by the white glow from the exploding orbs in the sky.

The protective blue light began to emit a low buzzing sound, a clear indication that the grand formation was operating at its limit. As the large-headed alien flew, he continuously glanced towards the sky, a hint of bitterness appearing on his face. "What's wrong, Brother Yuan, still reluctant to part with this city?" The red-glowing alien asked indifferently.

"I have been stationed in Greenlight City for over a thousand years. All the restrictive formations and magic arrays in this city were set up by my own hands. Now that I must abandon it, I naturally feel a bit reluctant." The large-headed alien made no attempt to conceal his feelings, sighing softly.

"Brother Wu, there's no need to be so dejected. Even if the Horned Chi Race is powerful, our Thirteen Skycloud Races, when united, are not necessarily much weaker than them. Perhaps, there will even be a day when we reclaim it." The red-glowing alien offered a few words of comfort.

"I hope so," the large-headed alien said with a bitter smile.

"Brother Wu, how could the Horned Chi Race's army arrive so swiftly? Didn't the scouts sent out two days ago say they were still two days away? How is it that the Horned Chi war vessel is already at the city gates today? Could it be those Horned Chi vanguards playing tricks?" The green-skinned alien suddenly asked.

"I'm not entirely sure what's going on. It's true that the previous Horned Chi vanguards didn't carry any 'war vessels' of any rank. However, the war vessel that appeared here is a 'fortress-class' war vessel of the Horned Chi Race, second only to 'domain-class' and 'city-class' vessels. There's likely a being with a cultivation level of the third-rank Saint Race within it. It's simply not something we can contend with." The large-headed alien named Yuan shook his head, his expression turning gloomy again.

"Hmph, even if there isn't a Saint Race-ranked being inside. With a war vessel this large, there certainly wouldn't be few individuals at our same cultivation level. We'd still have to flee all the same. Let's just hope that the high-ranked beings on the war vessel don't notice us and are instead distracted by the other fleeing individuals." The red-glowing alien chuckled.

Han Li, hearing this, was taken aback and couldn't help but glance at the large-headed alien named Yuan. Seeing his calm expression and no intention to retort, Han Li felt a sudden realization!

So, the words he had just spoken, urging others to flee for their lives, were actually intended to make them serve as bait to attract the Horned Chi Race's attention, so that he could execute the 'golden cicada shedding its shell' strategy and quietly depart.

Although Han Li's heart tensed slightly, he didn't say anything about it. Facing something that involved his own life, he naturally couldn't claim there was anything wrong with the other party's actions.

However, Han Li couldn't help but become a little more wary of these three aliens.

Given the cultivation levels of the four, their flight speed was extremely swift. In just a moment, they arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary pavilion.

The pavilion's main door was tightly shut!

The alien named Yuan, without waiting for his escape light to descend, shook his sleeve in mid-air, and a strong gust of wind swept forth. The door, as if struck by immense force, instantly shattered into pieces. Han Li and the others immediately flashed a few times and directly entered the pavilion from outside.

The first floor of the pavilion appeared empty. Aside from a few tables and chairs, there was only an unknown god statue, several zhang tall, leaning against a wall.

The statue was entirely black and sat cross-legged on the ground. It had a potbelly, four eyes, four arms, and slender legs, appearing somewhat bizarre.

After Han Li and the others scanned their surroundings, none of them discerned any obvious passage entrance. They couldn't help but all look towards the large-headed alien.

The large-headed alien ignored Han Li and the others' gazes. Without moving his feet, he instantly slid in front of the statue. He opened his mouth, and immediately a yellow round crystal shot out. Then, with a flash, it disappeared into the statue's head. With a 'zila' sound, a dazzling light flashed, and a layer of ripples, like those on water, instantly spread across the statue's surface.

The originally lifeless statue's four eyes flashed with yellow light. Its four arms moved slightly, and with a 'boom,' it actually stood up. This statue was actually a puppet. Han Li and the others' eyes naturally shone with wonder.

However, as the large-headed alien formed a hand seal and activated the puppet, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.

The puppet's four hands waved once, and as a brilliant yellow light erupted, its size instantly doubled. Its body nearly filled the entire first floor of the pavilion. Then, its arms simultaneously slapped its own belly.

A spiritual light flashed, and a strange rune array appeared. With a 'kachak' sound, a small door appeared on the statue puppet's belly and opened outwards by itself.

A space several zhang wide appeared before everyone. And on the floor of this space, there was, astonishingly, a small teleportation array about a zhang in size!

The alien named Yuan stepped forward without hesitation, entering the puppet's belly and stepping onto the teleportation array.