Chapter 1785: Full Evacuation

Just then, several bird-demons flew in hurriedly, reporting one after another:

"Disciples of the Illusion Sect have suddenly appeared by Kidney Lake, and their numbers are growing, now reaching two to three hundred!"

"The Illusion Sect sent people to Upside-Down Lake to pick Silver Pearl Fruit branches and bring them to Kidney Lake!"

"Illusion Sect disciples, holding Silver Pearl Fruits, have jumped into the lake!"

It sounded like the Illusion Sect intended to retreat to the real world via Kidney Lake. Bai Ziqi's heart tightened. Had it finally begun?

"Just as you predicted," the gray parrot burst into laughter, scaring a four-legged lizard that had just emerged from underground back into its hole. "Excellent, Qianhuan truly won't wake up!"

If Qianhuan could awaken, would the Illusion Sect still need to jump into the lake to escape? Kidney Lake was a one-way trip. If Xiao Wencheng and the others had even a shred of hope, they wouldn't risk their lives like this.

Its laughter was incredibly joyful.

"The Illusion Sect timed their jump into the lake perfectly. Should we pursue?"

"No rush, we're not far from Kidney Lake, and we still have plenty of time." While directing the operation, Bai Ziqi didn't relax his investigation of Kidney Lake. Since Miao Zhantian also judged it to be a path to the real world, Bai Ziqi keenly perceived a hidden trap they had encountered in this invasion of the Upside-Down Sea: a time limit.

The Silver Pearl Fruits glowed for only one night. Glowing Silver Pearl Fruits were the pass to cross Kidney Lake. Once they missed this night, the Silver Pearl Fruits would no longer glow, and they would miss their chance to return to the real world! The next time the Silver Pearl Fruits glowed would be a month later.

However, the Wall of Storms would close again in nine days! This meant that if they didn't leave now, they would have to wait five years until the Wall of Storms reopened to have a chance to depart. Of course, Bai Ziqi wasn't sure if Miao Zhantian could find other ways to leave the Upside-Down Sea, but he felt the chances were slim.

However, Bai Ziqi wasn't in a hurry to jump into the lake. He wanted to wait for the Illusion Sect's reaction to determine if Kidney Lake was another trap. What kind of temperament did immortals have that they would trap themselves in a desperate situation?

Sure enough, the Illusion Sect began to withdraw as the morning sun first rose. Miao Zhantian's praise for their well-timed withdrawal revealed that he had seen through the Illusion Sect's little scheme, knowing that Xiao Wencheng and the others wanted to trap them in this illusory realm.

At that moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed Bai Ziqi's mind. If Qianhuan had awakened and was merely feigning unconsciousness, would there still be a risk for Illusion Sect disciples jumping into Kidney Lake? But this hypothesis was vague, impossible to deduce, and unlikely given all the signs. Decision-makers usually didn't consider possibilities that were too small. Besides, if they wanted to leave the Upside-Down Sea, they would ultimately have to pass through Kidney Lake to reach the real world. This path had to be taken.

So Bai Ziqi also gave the order: "The entire army is to advance towards Kidney Lake."

Soon, the White Guards randomly captured dozens of prisoners, selected one, and dragged him before Bai Ziqi. This was a large, powerful wolverine, not low in cultivation, but it was hog-tied. Its right front leg was broken, dragging on the ground at an awkward angle, clearly indicating that the White Guards had used some torture during interrogation. Its ears were drooped, and its gaze towards Bai Ziqi showed more fear than hatred.

Bai Shi, standing nearby, reported, "Lord Commander, other prisoners have identified this wolverine as the sixteenth disciple under Elder Liu. It accompanied him throughout the battle and knows many internal sect affairs. I've already questioned it; its mission was to transport Silver Pearl Fruits from Upside-Down Lake to Kidney Lake because Stone Dragon Peak has issued a withdrawal order, stipulating that everyone must enter the lake with the fruits within two hours."

"Within two hours? Why?"

The wolverine answered honestly, "Once the deadline passes, Kidney Lake will close. The bottom of the lake actually glows until two hours after sunrise."

Bai Ziqi gave a faint smile. So it was as he suspected. "What are the risks of Kidney Lake?"

"The Upside-Down Sea is impossible to leave, but over the past few decades, four Grand-Uncles in the sect vanished without a sound. Rumor has it they entered Kidney Lake and haven't returned to this day." As Elder Liu's disciple, this wolverine knew more insider and unofficial information than ordinary disciples. "I heard that the higher-ups ordered us to jump into Kidney Lake, and everyone who knew was terrified. Some even defied the order and fled."

The White Guards had promised leniency for confession. Moreover, with the sect and the immortals' image having plummeted, and the organization seemingly on the verge of collapse, the wolverine saw no reason to resist to the death. It might as well confess; why be stubborn?

"Several of those who spread rumors were beheaded on the spot. Later, some junior disciples who swam across the lake swam back, unharmed, which reassured others to enter the lake." The crucial point was that they couldn't *not* go; the Heavenly Palace forces had gained the upper hand, and everyone knew that jumping into Kidney Lake might offer a slim chance of survival, whereas staying would certainly mean death.

"The sect didn't say what would happen to you after crossing the lake?"

"The Sect Master ordered that the 'gate of life' for the Upside-Down Sea opens at the bottom of Kidney Lake. We would be safe as soon as we crossed. But they demanded an orderly withdrawal, with fellow disciples from Stone Dragon Mountain going first, and Elder Liu leading us to fight while retreating."

How many people were left on the mountain? What about resources? Stone Dragon Peak was covered by a barrier, and the Heavenly Palace's bird-demons would be detected as soon as they approached, making reconnaissance difficult.

"I don't know, but the last time I transported Silver Pearl Fruits, I saw Ya Taomachine by the lake. This large creature usually guarded the treasury outside the bottom level of the Immortal Light Cave; in the past thirty years, I've only seen it stroll out twice. But this time, it was also dispatched to the lake, probably to escort the Immortal Light Cave's valuables away."

"Fighting while retreating..." Bai Ziqi's eyes flickered slightly. He recalled that the Heavenly Palace forces had indeed been driving the Illusion Sect disciples all the way here, which was truly odd. "How many people did the Illusion Sect arrange to transport the Silver Pearl Fruits?"

"About two hundred or more, all nimble-footed or excellent at escape techniques." Nimble-footed meant they had to transport by land. "Why didn't they use the Haoyuan Golden Mirror for direct transmission?"

Previously, the Illusion Sect forces had used the Haoyuan Golden Mirror to move directly. Why were they fighting and retreating this time?

"The sect only issued this order without explicitly stating why. But I privately asked my master, and he said the sect's reserve of profound crystals was insufficient and needed to be saved to deal with you, so everyone had to rely more on their feet."

"Insufficient reserves?" Was that the reason? Bai Ziqi's eyes darted. "Then how did the people on the mountain get down?"

The Illusion Sect disciples by Kidney Lake had suddenly appeared in large numbers; the bird-demons circling the lake had not detected their southward movement beforehand.

The wolverine immediately replied, "They themselves said they were teleported here."

So, the Illusion Sect could still teleport instantly, but they were conserving profound crystals because their reserves were genuinely low? After all, Wu Shidao had infiltrated the Immortal Light Cave and stolen over sixty thousand catties of high-grade profound crystals for Bai Ziqi, significantly depleting the Illusion Sect's stock. Were they strapped for cash so quickly?

Bai Ziqi asked a few more questions, and seeing that the demon could not provide any new useful information, he waved his hand for it to be taken away.

Then he turned to the gray parrot and asked, "Venerable Deity, what are the current locations of those marked targets?" The Divine Gaze had been cast upon more than just one or two targets; the Heavenly God had discreetly marked several key figures.

"Either they are by Kidney Lake or moving towards it," the gray parrot replied. "Several of them disappeared as soon as they reached the lakeside."

Disappeared by jumping into the lake? It seemed the Illusion Sect was indeed genuinely retreating by jumping into the lake, not playing any tricks. Bai Ziqi asked again, "What about the spider-demon by He Xiao's side?" This was a target he had specifically asked the Heavenly God to mark.

"It's also at the lakeside." The gray parrot clearly knew what he was worried about. "It previously left Upside-Down Lake and traveled north to Stone Dragon Mountain. Twenty breaths ago, it was still over twenty miles away, but then suddenly it moved to Kidney Lake."

"Then He Xiao was likely teleported with it." If the Illusion Sect was leaving, He Xiao would also escape with them.

"Disappeared," the gray parrot said, looking towards Kidney Lake. "Just now."

"They have also entered Kidney Lake." Bai Ziqi unconsciously pressed his knuckles. "It's our turn. Seventeen, relay my order: full army, increase speed!"

Entering Kidney Lake would surely bring new risks. But so what? Hadn't they entered the Upside-Down Sea precisely because greater risks meant greater rewards? Having come this far, were they afraid of a little more risk?

The Heavenly Palace forces advanced rapidly. The Illusion Sect's withdrawal was ultimately too hasty; the Silver Pearl Fruits couldn't be transported quickly enough. The Heavenly Palace forces also sent people to intercept, resulting in over a hundred Illusion Sect disciples being unable to enter the water and being cut down on the spot.

The Heavenly Palace occupied Kidney Lake. The light grew brighter and brighter, and less than an hour remained until Kidney Lake closed. This calculation was based on the full brightness of the Silver Pearl Fruits; the actual time limit was likely even shorter. If they didn't leave soon, it would be too late.

A new batch of Silver Pearl Fruits still on their branches arrived, and several demons were the first to enter the water, holding the fruits. The crowd on the shore watched as they dove deeper and deeper, disappearing into the shimmering waves. Almost a quarter of an hour later, these demons resurfaced from the lake and reported to Bai Ziqi:

"It's passable! It's safe on the other side." Only then did Bai Ziqi wave his hand: "Enter!" Each tribe distributed Silver Pearl Fruits and entered the water in an orderly fashion.

Bai Ziqi himself plucked a Silver Pearl Fruit, holding it in his hand, and took a deep breath. Just as he was about to jump into the lake, Bai Shi suddenly rushed over to report: "Lord Commander, Dong Ying found Suduo's whereabouts in Qinggang. He seems to be heading this way too, but he's being blocked by our people by the lake."

Only three elders of the Illusion Sect remained: Xiao Wencheng, Liu Qingdao, and Suduo. But this fellow was quick and had just killed a tribal leader among the Heavenly Palace forces. However, it acted stealthily and was lucky, never having been noticed by the Heavenly God, so there were no golden threads wrapped around its body. Tracking its whereabouts wasn't easy. "Just him?"

"He has three disciples with him."

Pursuing an Illusion Sect elder now would be very tight on time. Bai Ziqi pondered for a moment, but the gray parrot had already spoken: "Jin Na, Chi Zha, you two go find Vulture to guide you. Cross the lake as soon as you've dealt with Suduo."

"Understood." With a single reply, two gray figures flew into the sky and vanished in an instant. Bai Ziqi watched their departing figures. Excluding Miao Zhantian, they only had six immortals and demons left. Now, two more had been dispatched to pursue Suduo, leaving only four to enter the lake in pursuit. If it were up to him, he might have ignored Suduo. But this was Miao Zhantian's arrangement, and he didn't feel it was his place to say much.

(There's also an update.)