Chapter 1230: Pointing the Blood-Red Lantern

Chapter 1235: Lighting the Crimson Lamp

Zhou Zhengli's words dispelled many people's thoughts of attempting a reverse ambush.

While primordial essence was appealing, their own lives were clearly more important. After all, the enemy had true gods and peak God Altar experts. If they became too conspicuous, they would inevitably be targeted. At that point, their lives and deaths would no longer be their own. Moreover, with a difficult road ahead, maintaining their usual caution and stealth was the most sensible choice.

Thus, Xu Qing and his group swiftly vanished from this part of the cosmos.

Meanwhile, within the cultivators' left flank, numerous divine squads, similar to the one Xu Qing and his team encountered, were present. Their concealment methods, previously unseen, seemed to be augmented by external forces, making it difficult for the cultivators to detect them immediately. The manner of their appearance was also unusual, making rapid detection challenging. The divine power contained within them was novel. Furthermore, these emerging deities were not ordinary gods; they were powerful divine authorities, which made their surprise attacks highly effective. This plunged the central part of the left flank into scattered chaos. It also drew in the local cultivator army, causing them to split up to suppress and contain the threats. For a time, the central area of the left flank descended into a degree of disarray.

Amidst this chaos, within the Qianyuan Cosmos, one of the many universes in the central left flank, and among countless star systems, a small, inconspicuous star system lay. There, a seemingly ordinary star existed. This star was earthy yellow. But in the next instant, viewed from space, the star seemed to churn like disturbed earth, and a massive fissure gradually appeared. This fissure grew larger and larger, finally opening wide! Like an eye opening! Or more precisely, it wasn't a star at all; it was a divine eye disguised as a star, and now, it had opened!

Within its golden pupil, a divine army, numbering no less than ten thousand, was revealed! They might have been there all along, or perhaps they were transported using special methods, but regardless, at this moment, they emerged. Every single one of them was at the Divine Flame Upper God realm, with a startling number of God Altar experts, many of whom were at the peak. And leading this divine army were three true gods! One was like mist, its exact form unclear, but its divine might twisted the very fabric of space. Another was enveloped in golden flames, exuding an incredibly sacred aura, like a celestial deity. The last one appeared to be human-sized, clad in a black robe that covered its head, radiating an endless sense of mystery.

And the moment this divine army descended, the entire battlefield suddenly changed!

The battlefronts of the Fourth and Fifth Star Rings were a struggle of 'momentum,' manifesting spatially like a black-and-white ink wash painting, where black flowed and white surged. They devoured and repelled each other. Originally, from a high vantage point, the vast central area of the left flank was visible as a region suffused with white immortal spiritual energy. However, now, due to the machinations of the Divine Lord and Immortal Lord in the void, and their engagements incomprehensible to those below the Immortal Lord level, the momentum of both sides had shifted.

A sizable battlefield, previously shrouded in divine black energy, instantly thinned out; the alien substance dissipated, and white immortal spiritual energy erupted within it like falling chess pieces. Similarly, in an area originally covered by white immortal spiritual energy, a section of that energy was instantly dispelled, replaced by a dense black energy formed from the alien substance that appeared out of nowhere. This location was precisely... the central part of the left flank!

This was the anomaly! The ensuing impact was that throughout the central part of the left flank, the alien substance surged instantly, causing countless cultivator armies to destabilize, and even those with weaker cultivation were rapidly corrupted. As black energy surged, divine aura erupted, and the alien substance swept across, the Dao Banner Altars in all universes within the central part of the left flank began to shake violently. Cracking sounds echoed, as if they were on the verge of collapse. And once they collapsed, it would signify the cultivator faction losing control of the area. The left flank would be severed, and the front lines would become isolated.

Consequently, the cultivators immediately rallied, exerting all their strength to protect the altars and Dao Banners, attempting to buy time. Simultaneously, the divine beings who had been ambushing the transport teams no longer concealed themselves. They revealed their true forms, utilizing the alien substance in the environment to unleash even greater divine power, stirring up storms of divine aura. They surged towards the nearest Dao Banner Altars. Additionally, in multiple universes, entities similar to that earthy yellow star were revealed. They now opened their eyes one by one, revealing divine armies within. War had fully erupted.

It was unclear whether these divine armies had always been present or if they had used the prior chaos to divert the cultivator army's attention and thus concealed their descent. However, judging by the ambush of the transport teams, the latter possibility was the most likely. Regardless, the timing of their activation indicated a precise and proactive strike from the divine side! Otherwise, they wouldn't have appeared so quickly and precisely the moment the Divine Lord and Immortal Lord's momentum shifted; this clearly showed they held the initiative. Their objective, naturally, was to utterly destroy all Dao Banners in the central part of the left flank, to turn this area into divine territory!

Simultaneously, as the divine forces 'bloomed' in the central left flank, appearing successively and erupting comprehensively, in the core of the central area, within a universe named Yun Guan, there... numerous cultivator armies were spread in all directions. Every star system within it was like a major army. Every star was like a military tent. Now, an intense aura of solemnity and killing intent permeated the area. This was precisely the central hub of the left flank, the command center! All battle orders for the left flank originated from this location.

At the very center, suspended in space, was a colossal Immortal Platform radiating endless immortal light. There... a truly vast being sat cross-legged. He was the First Commander of the left flank, Immortal Monarch Jidao, renowned throughout the Fifth Star Ring! He was the foremost disciple of Immortal Lord Zhanlu! His cultivation was at the peak of Lower Immortal, and he excelled in killing; among peak Lower Immortals, he was an absolute powerhouse. He had also cultivated his Dao to near perfection. At this moment, he slowly opened his eyes, which held a deep killing intent, and spoke softly.

"They've taken the bait."

This was a massive, distinct strategic layout by both the divine and cultivator factions! Not only were the transport teams bait, but also the Dao Banners, the cultivators guarding them, and even the entire central part of the left flank... Even he himself was bait! The goal was to turn the central part of the left flank into a massive vortex of blood and flesh. Like a bright lamp in the night, it would draw in the divine army to the greatest extent possible, thereby concealing the true plan: a cultivator of mysterious origin would act as an assassin, approaching the battlefield from the Fourth Star Ring to assassinate the commander of the divine right flank army, a peak true god.

"It remains to be seen whether your side will first isolate our region and kill me, or if... our mysterious cultivator will succeed in the assassination!" Jidao narrowed his eyes, gazing into the distance. "Who is that mysterious cultivator... To earn master's trust and cooperation, and possess the ability to assassinate a peak true god, such beings are not many..."

In the central part of the left flank, the alien substance surged overwhelmingly, omnipresent and growing denser. The transport teams within it, caught off guard by this sudden event, felt their minds reel, and hundreds of teams suffered terribly.

"Based on my judgment, at least seventy percent of them... will surely die!" Zhou Zhengli spoke in a low voice. "The remaining ones will likely choose to head towards the nearest Dao Banners, but they will then face a divine war."

In the starry sky, amidst the alien substance, the members of Xu Qing's team all looked extremely grim. "So now, we also face a choice," Zhou Zhengli continued. "Should we search for the nearest Dao Banner Altar, or... continue forward?" Zhou Zhengli looked at Xu Qing. Not only him, but all ascenders present looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing was silent, looking around. The sudden changes had caught even him off guard. In an instant, the starry sky reversed. Immortal spiritual energy vanished, and the alien substance erupted completely. This sensation made Xu Qing feel momentarily disoriented. Now, sensing the alien substance here, he was not unfamiliar with this environment; he was accustomed to the feeling of the alien substance permeating everything. Just like the Wanggu Continent. He understood that even if cultivators, due to their powerful cultivation, could resist the alien substance, prolonged exposure to this environment would eventually lead to subtle, gradual invasion, especially when cultivation was active and replenishment was needed. The absorbed cosmic energy would be entirely composed of the alien substance. At that point, mutation would also occur.

It was precisely because he knew all this that Xu Qing was well aware that seeking the Dao Banner location was not a safe option, and failure there would mean losing control over life and death. As for continuing forward, traversing the warzone, leaving this area, and entering the front lines was also unknown. On one hand, the situation on the path was unknown; on the other hand, whether the front line warzone was also shrouded in alien substance and whether it had been lost was also unknown.

"But precisely because it's unknown, there's a possibility of survival, and a certain degree of self-control!" Xu Qing mused. "Whereas staying here, seeking the Dao Banner, and joining them would be like being locked down, and everything would become passive."

So, after a moment, determination gleamed in Xu Qing's eyes. His voice echoed: "I choose to continue forward, traverse the warzone, and enter the left flank's front lines! As for the rest of you... if you have other choices, I, Xu, will not hinder you."

As Xu Qing spoke, his body blurred, and he shot forward. Li Mengtu and Zhou Zhengli followed immediately. While Xie Lingzi and Yuanshan Su hesitated, Xinghuanzi stepped forward and walked with Xu Qing. Qianjun Biyi gritted his teeth and followed as well. Seeing this, Yuanshan Su moved to follow. Xie Lingzi sighed inwardly and also chose to join them. As for the other ascenders, they quickly made their judgments. Most chose to continue, but some, with different conclusions, chose to leave.

Thus, after experiencing various events, the group of over eighty people split for the first time here. More than fifty went forward. Over thirty left. It was impossible to say who was right or wrong.