Chapter 1229: Solid Egg

Yuanshan Su's voice reached everyone's ears.

They exchanged glances, each forming their own judgments. However, Xu Qing understood one thing clearly: having integrated into the Fifth Star Ring and gained resources for his growth within it, he must adhere to its rules. As both a quartermaster and a transport envoy, he was obliged to complete his missions on this battlefield. Gaining a deeper understanding of the battlefield's dynamics would simply make tasks smoother, and more importantly, better protect themselves. With this in mind, Xu Qing spoke slowly.

"Maintain vigilance, divide into several small teams, advance with spacing, and deploy scouts for constant mutual support."

"Zhou Zhengli, you're in charge of the specifics."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhengli immediately assented. With his deeper understanding of the team members, he quickly organized the eighty-plus individuals into five groups. They formed combat formations. Additionally, more than ten cultivators skilled in stealth and speed were dispatched to scout ahead, behind, and to the sides, closely monitoring all changes in their surroundings. Afterwards, Xie Lingzi and others took out their respective treasures to shroud everyone's aura. Xu Qing also produced a banner to conceal their surroundings, maximizing their group's ability to hide their tracks. Once these preparations were complete, they began to advance. Their caution proved rewarding throughout the journey.

Half a month passed in a flash. Overall, their travel and multiple teleportations during this half-month proceeded smoothly. They proactively detected and bypassed any unknown or suspicious areas. Their stealth capabilities also grew increasingly robust with continuous reinforcement along the way. Along the way, Xu Qing also encountered the Dao Banner! As their current area was the rear-left flank of the overall battlefield, within the cultivators' territory, a Dao Banner existed in every universe.

It was shaped like a star-sized altar, with a silver battle flag suspended above it. That battle flag was the Dao Banner of the Fifth Star Ring. It exuded an incredibly rich and continuously emanating immortal aura, radiating a suppressive power that made all beings tremble. Wherever a Dao Banner existed, the immortal aura of its corresponding universe persisted endlessly, preventing any intrusion of foreign matter. Everything related to deities was suppressed in the vicinity of a Dao Banner. Therefore, many cultivators were stationed around the Dao Banners. As Xu Qing and his group traveled, they passed through hundreds of universes, directly seeing or indirectly perceiving hundreds of Dao Banners. They varied in size, depending on the scope of their suppression. Additionally, the Dao Banner had another function: it ensured uninterrupted communication among the cultivator armies.

As Xu Qing's group continued their advance, Zhou Zhengli took on the role of communications, connecting with the outside world, primarily with other transport teams like theirs. Thus, time flowed on, and another half-month passed. As they pressed on, Xu Qing and his group traversed several universes, moving from the rear of the left flank battlefield to its central region, as if on a quick tour. If they passed through this area composed of hundreds of universes, they would reach their destination: the front lines of the left flank battlefield. However, in the central region of the left flank battlefield, the excitement emanating from Xie Lingzi's broken sword and the concentration of foreign matter detected by Xu Qing were both significantly higher than before.

Especially as they now sped silently, Zhou Zhengli's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately sent a telepathic message. "My Lord, a transport team I contacted earlier has lost all trace in the central battle zone... Either their external communication was mysteriously cut off, or... they've encountered a life-or-death crisis!"

At his words, everyone's hearts grew heavier. "The bait worked; a fish has bitten."

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. Without needing an order, the group acted with extreme caution from then on. They minimized spiritual energy fluctuations, increased the distance between themselves, and perfected their overall concealment. Their vigilance was particularly heightened before and after each teleportation. Sometimes, if they sensed something was amiss, they would not hesitate to choose an alternative teleportation array, even if it meant taking a detour. Each of them kept their cultivation circulating internally, maintaining a state where they could unleash their peak power at any moment.

A month passed. Although, to this point, perhaps due to luck or the effectiveness of their caution and concealment, they had remained smooth, the external information received by Zhou Zhengli frequently indicated crises. Almost half of the hundreds of transport teams had encountered enemy attacks! Some teams were instantly wiped out before they could even transmit a message. Others managed to hold on and sent out distress calls, but their ultimate fates remained unknown. However, the identity of the attacking force had become clear. It was, of course, the deities! But they weren't from the front lines; rather, they were hidden agents of the deities, deployed by unknown means within the left flank battle zone. They had been well hidden and had no reason to expose themselves. Yet now, for some unknown reason, they had launched an active offensive, specifically targeting the transport teams. It was as if a dark net had enveloped the entire central region of the left flank battlefield.

Despite their extreme caution and months of safety, Xu Qing's group finally encountered deities on this day. The first to detect something amiss was Xie Lingzi, the scout on the team's right flank. Xie Lingzi's own cultivation was at the peak of the Dominator realm, just a hair's breadth from being a Quasi-Immortal. However, with his broken sword, he was confident he could contend with a Quasi-Immortal. He also possessed some puppet techniques and was not alone, accompanied by two puppets. Thus, entrusting him with the right flank scouting was naturally more secure.

His broken sword, of mysterious origin, seemed to contain an inseparable karma of life and death linked to Xie Lingzi. The extreme excitement emanating from the sword in that instant made Xie Lingzi tremble. Without hesitation, he abruptly retreated. Almost the moment he retreated, surges of divine aura tore through the void from that location, appearing out of thin air and instantly erupting with overwhelming power upon manifestation. They formed a colossal storm, sweeping forth with devastating force, laden with dense foreign matter and divine might, intent on annihilation.

The two puppets accompanying Xie Lingzi, though they tried their best to evade and unleashed their full power, still could not resist the deities' sudden assault. In a mere instant, they trembled, withered completely, and were utterly destroyed in both form and spirit. As for Xie Lingzi, he spat out several mouthfuls of blood, barely managing to avoid the deities' first wave of annihilation by relying on his broken sword. As he retreated, his pupils contracted, and he immediately sent a message to Zhou Zhengli. "Encountered deities! Seven Divine Platforms, twenty-three Flawless!"

The moment he transmitted the message, Xie Lingzi rapidly fell back. Behind him, as foreign matter surged, terrifying divine fluctuations erupted, forming a vast momentum that suddenly rolled towards him. It was about to engulf him. Xie Lingzi's eyes were bloodshot; it was a life-and-death crisis.

The next instant, a figure appeared behind Xie Lingzi with imperceptible speed, grabbed his shoulder, and abruptly pulled him backward. The figure pulled him directly out of the engulfing attack, then raised their left hand and pressed it towards the surging divine essence storm ahead. "Suppress!"

As the single word was uttered, the Laws of Time and Space surged forth with a roar, and superimposed universes appeared layer upon layer, forming a spatiotemporal suppression. It blocked the divine essence storm. After an instantaneous collision, violent fluctuations erupted, sending shockwaves in all directions. The newcomer stood firm, while the divine essence storm trembled and disintegrated. This revealed thirty deities within, varied in form but each embodying terrifying power. Their eyes collectively locked onto the person standing before them. This person had long hair, wore a black robe, and possessed an exquisite beauty that surpassed the light of stars. As they stood there, an aura infinitely close to that of a Lower Immortal ascended from their body. This aura caused the divine hearts of all Flawless beings to fluctuate, and even the eyes of the seven Divine Platforms gleamed with golden light.

At the same time, a whistling sound came from behind Xu Qing. Chains of Order instantly enveloped the surroundings, and within them, Star Ring appeared, stepping forth on the chains. Giant trees spontaneously grew in the starry sky, seemingly transforming into an endless jungle. On one of these colossal trees, Yuanshan Su stood with a cold gaze. Furthermore, a colossal eye materialized in the starry sky, gazing at the scene. Within this eye, Zhou Zhengli sat cross-legged. Concurrently, poison spread, and killing intent diffused. The distinct Laws of other ascenders merged, creating an oppressive aura. On the outermost perimeter, a gigantic sea plant had fully extended its body, forming a blockade. It no longer looked like the deities were launching a surprise attack; instead, it seemed as if Xu Qing's group was hunting deities!

Soon, the sea plant rapidly contracted, and the ascenders within it unleashed their trump cards. Star Ring and the others also fought with full power, holding nothing back. As the 'Thousand Armies Yield' sword qi whistled, the deities' minds were shaken. In particular, the strange eye formed by Zhou Zhengli's Law seemed to foresee the deities' actions and divine authorities, creating interference and constantly informing everyone, which further disturbed the deities. But what most rattled their divine souls was Xu Qing! His bell could banish all. Wherever his iron rod passed, a deity was bound to fall! And the layered spacetime surrounding him also contained the will of the heavens, shocking everything.

After an incense stick's time, when the sea plant unraveled from its enveloping state, Xu Qing and the others emerged one after another. As for the deities who had ambushed them here... they had vanished. However, upon careful inspection, it could be noticed that each of their auras had grown to varying degrees, as if they had just received a significant boost.

"Indeed, living and healthy deities possess the most delicious and potent source essence," Li Mengtu said, licking his lips.

"It's a pity, though. The battlefield situation here is uncertain. If we're too conspicuous, we'll inevitably attract significant attention from the deities..." Xie Lingzi, his injuries already healed, also expressed regret.

Yuanshan Su was thoughtful, while 'Thousand Armies Yield' seemed eager for action. Star Ring, however, remained expressionless. As for Zhou Zhengli, he shook his head. "That's because of My Lord's presence; otherwise, we wouldn't have had it so easy. But I just had a premonition and learned that the leader of this deity ambush was a True God, and there were also some at the peak of the Divine Platform."

"If we were to encounter them..."

Li Mengtu fell silent. Xu Qing calmly glanced at them and spoke plainly. "As before, maintain caution and stealth. Continue onward!"