Chapter 115: Thunder?

This was related to Qingyushan’s initial occupation of the largest number of mountain peaks. In the early phase of the Dragon Spring Assembly, holding numerous peaks wasn't necessarily an advantage, as it forced Qingyushan to spread its forces thin to defend these strongholds.

Now, having lost ten peaks consecutively, Qingyushan’s defensive strength had paradoxically become more concentrated, making it difficult for the Tai Luo Sect to achieve further breakthroughs. Furthermore, Qingyushan had not suffered significant casualties. The cultivators originally stationed on those peaks, realizing the enemy's overwhelming strength, chose not to engage in direct confrontation, thus preserving a substantial portion of their forces. The current disadvantage was merely temporary and would not determine the final outcome.

After several days of strategic maneuvers, Qingyushan was clearly poised to counterattack. On the topographic map displayed by the Shadow Moon Disk, in the areas where blue and black light points intersected, fierce battles had already erupted on several peaks. Cultivators from both sides fought relentlessly, and light points representing fallen combatants would occasionally vanish. The blue light points represented Qingyushan cultivators, the black represented the Tai Luo Sect, and red signified the Qin clan.

Tang Wu and the other two fixed their gazes on the battleground, assessing the ebb and flow of the conflict by the diminishing number of light points. Gradually, Han Zheyue’s expression darkened, as it was evident that the Tai Luo Sect was losing ground in this engagement.

Half an hour later, the outcome was clear: Qingyushan had retaken two mountain peaks!

Han Zheyue immediately looked displeased and snorted coldly, “A bunch of good-for-nothings!”

Tang Wu remained standing, unmoving as a mountain, neither pleased nor troubled.

“A rogue cultivator has entered,” Qin Wanli suddenly announced.

Tang Wu and Han Zheyue simultaneously turned their heads, immediately noticing a new white light point on the Shadow Moon Disk, appearing in the peripheral zone.

“Spirit Stream Fourth Layer…” Han Zheyue immediately deduced the intruder’s cultivation level from the white light point’s brightness, her lips tightening. “This fellow’s luck is truly terrible.” She said this because the white light point had appeared squarely within the Tai Luo Sect’s territory. That entire sprawling mountain range was occupied by the Tai Luo Sect, with at least five or six black light points garrisoned on each peak. While a Fourth-Layer cultivation was not low for the region, it was certainly not high; any Fifth-Layer cultivator could easily handle such an opponent.

The Hundred Peaks Mountain range was vast, and the three factions hosting the Dragon Spring Assembly wouldn’t expend resources to blockade the entire area. Furthermore, nearby rogue cultivators were well aware that the Assembly was in progress, so apart from those summoned by Qingyushan, others would not trespass rashly. However, there were always exceptions. During previous Dragon Spring Assemblies, rogue cultivators had indeed stumbled into Hundred Peaks Mountain, and most of them had met with unfortunate fates.

If the intruder had entered from Qingyushan’s territory, there might have been a chance for them to be recruited by Qingyushan. However, if they entered from the Tai Luo Sect’s or Qin clan’s territory… then they were out of luck. Due to a prior agreement, Qingyushan was permitted to recruit such outsiders as allies. In contrast, the Tai Luo Sect and the Qin clan could only rely on their own forces to prevent potential threats, and thus would not allow outsiders to operate freely within Hundred Peaks Mountain.

“Which faction do you think he belongs to?” Han Zheyue asked, watching the white light point with interest. As a Ninth-Layer cultivator, being compelled to return and oversee the Dragon Spring Assembly was quite tedious. She couldn't kill or truly fight these “little ones,” so she had to find her own amusement.

Qin Wanli chuckled, “If Senior Sister Han says he belongs to that faction, then he belongs to that faction.”

This was a noncommittal answer.

“What about you, Tang Wu?” Han Zheyue looked over at him.

Tang Wu completely ignored her, which made Han Zheyue pout. “Wooden stump!” she muttered, then turned to Qin Wanli. “Want to make a bet?”

Qin Wanli replied, “Since Senior Sister Han has such an elegant interest, your junior brother would be pleased to participate.”

“Two hundred merit points!” Han Zheyue immediately perked up.

“Cough, cough…” Qin Wanli suddenly coughed. “Small bets for amusement, small bets for amusement.” Without giving Han Zheyue a chance to speak, he directly declared, “I bet twenty merit points that this person is from Ten Thousand Devil Ridge!”

Han Zheyue let out a light snort, her interest waning. “How dull!” she exclaimed, then leaned back, sprawling on the grand armchair with her arms outstretched, a revealing posture that invited various thoughts. She displayed not an ounce of the typical demeanor of a Ninth-Layer cultivator.

“Two hundred merit points,” Tang Wu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “I bet he’s from the Vast Sky Alliance!”

Han Zheyue abruptly sat upright, gazing at Tang Wu, and giggled, her lips pursed. “Alright, I’ll take that bet with you!”

“Heavenly Mechanism bears witness!”

“Heavenly Mechanism bears witness!”

Instantly, all three pairs of eyes fixed on the white light point, watching it approach the nearest mountain peak at an extremely rapid pace.

On the tiger’s back, Lu Ye frowned. He couldn’t tell if it was a delusion, but ever since a moment ago, he had felt as though he was being watched. Yet, despite a thorough check, he found nothing. This put him on high alert, even prompting him to call back Yiyi, who had been gathering herbs nearby.

They continued their journey without incident until they ascended the nearest peak, where Amber suddenly halted. Seated on the tiger’s back, Lu Ye’s right hand rested on his saber hilt, subtly channeling his spiritual energy. Amber, too, crouched low, letting out a soft growl. An ambush lay here. Lu Ye clearly perceived this; he had already stepped into an ambush. He didn’t know who was ambushing them, or why they were there, or even their cultivation levels. The current situation was highly unfavorable.

A strong wind swept across the mountaintop, rustling the leaves. Suddenly, a voice rang out nearby: “Lightning Flash!”

Following the voice, Lu Ye turned his head and saw a young man perched on the trunk of a large tree. The young man was quietly observing him; he was the one who had spoken. Activating his spiritual energy, Lu Ye discerned the spiritual glow around the opponent’s body. A Fourth-Layer cultivator!

He frowned and tentatively asked, “Thunder Roar?”

A whistling sound ripped through the air. Lu Ye quickly ducked his head as two sharp arrows flew past him from either side, just above his scalp, severing a few strands of hair. The opponent’s attack came without warning. Had Lu Ye not experienced numerous life-or-death struggles recently, he wouldn’t have been able to evade it. He had clearly misunderstood the opponent’s signal, and the cultivators in ambush were exceptionally decisive, striking immediately upon the misinterpretation.

Amber had already charged to the left. Lu Ye pushed off the tiger’s back, leaping into the air. In mid-flight, he parried an arrow aimed at his face, his gaze locking onto the young man who had spoken earlier. As the attack commenced, the opponent leaped from the tree trunk, brandished a long sword, and charged at Lu Ye. Lu Ye had barely landed when the opponent was already upon him, the long sword darting like a viper’s tongue, aiming directly for Lu Ye’s heart. Indeed, a single misstep or wrong word meant a swift, lethal strike.