Chapter 124: Confrontation

Lu Ye's team had five members, and the Qin family's team also had five. Not only were their numbers the same, but their cultivation levels were identical as well.

It wasn't that neither side wanted better configurations; it was simply due to a lack of manpower. Hundred Peaks Mountain was vast, and each faction had several hunting teams like Lu Ye's, each responsible for a specific area.

Within moments of contact, four members of the five-person team were dead, leaving only one fourth-level cultivator scrambling to escape.

The reason this fourth-level cultivator managed to escape wasn't due to superior strength, but rather good fortune. During the initial charge and collision, he wasn't thrown from his mount. When he intended to dismount and assist in the battle, he saw Lu Ye kill one of his clansmen, which immediately made him feel uneasy. After Lu Ye and Xie Jin jointly killed the fifth-level cultivator, he no longer hesitated and fled on his mount.

Tao Tiangang pursued him, but it was likely futile; it's difficult to catch someone intent on fleeing when they have a mount.

Amidst the bloody scene, Xie Jin and the others exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

They won just like that? It was simply too easy.

They had frequently engaged in battles with enemy hunting teams before, but those encounters were always fierce and chaotic, with a stalemate often occurring due to similar numbers and cultivation levels, making it incredibly difficult to determine a victor.

However, this time, they not only achieved a resounding victory, killing four enemies, but also emerged almost unscathed, with only Qiao Qiao'er sustaining some minor injuries.

The difference between then and now was enormous.

Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to Lu Ye. Recalling the battle, it was Lu Ye who first killed a fourth-level cultivator, creating an opening. He then swiftly assisted Xie Jin, quickly dispatching the opponent's fifth-level cultivator, which led to their subsequent overwhelming victory.

He truly lived up to his reputation as someone who single-handedly fought his way through the Tai Luo Sect's territory. Although they had heard of Lu Ye's remarkable feat before and greatly admired him, they always felt that luck played a significant role.

Now they understood that it wasn't just luck; without the corresponding strength, even the best luck would be insufficient.

The enemy's fourth-level cultivator died too quickly, which easily allowed the Green Feather Mountain side to gain a numerical advantage.

Xie Jin let out a long breath. Lu Ye's outstanding performance in his very first battle with the team greatly reassured him; he finally understood why Senior Brother Tang Wu valued this person so highly.

He gave Lu Ye a slight nod and said, "Thirty breaths! Clean up the battlefield!"

Everyone immediately sprang into action.

During the recent battle, the Qin family's hunting team not only lost four cultivators but also had one monster beast killed by Amber – specifically, the one ridden by the first cultivator Lu Ye killed. The other monster beasts had fled; without their masters to control them, they would not return to the Qin family but would instead roam Hundred Peaks Mountain until captured or killed by another cultivator.

It could be said that this encounter directly crippled one of the Qin family's hunting teams, which would be of great help to the future situation.

Lu Ye stepped forward and hastily dismembered the monster beast killed by Amber, storing it in his storage bag. This creature would serve as food for him and Amber, providing excellent nourishment.

Thirty breaths later, everyone was ready. Xie Jin, still leading the charge on horseback, guided the four others toward a mountain peak, which was their original mission objective.

At this very moment, a fierce battle was raging on that peak, with Green Feather Mountain defenders clashing against Qin family attackers.

Because Green Feather Mountain's territory had been reduced to fewer than thirty peaks, the number of defending cultivators had increased, making their defense very strong.

It wasn't realistic for the Qin family to take this mountain, nor did they truly expect to; their main goal was to put on a show for the Tai Luo Sect. Han Zheyue's anger hadn't subsided, and the Qin family, acting on others' whims, had no choice but to proceed in this manner.

Originally, a Qin family hunting team was supposed to block Green Feather Mountain's hunting team, making the assault not too dangerous. However, just moments after the two hunting teams made contact, four red dots symbolizing the Qin family on the Shadow Moon Disk consecutively flickered out, leaving only one remaining dot fleeing.

This greatly alarmed Qin Wanli, who had been monitoring the situation. He immediately ordered the assault team to retreat, as they risked being encircled by Green Feather Mountain if they didn't withdraw quickly.

Green Feather Mountain had also been seething with anger for the past two days. With peaks being captured and many fellow disciples dying, their eyes were red with fury. When the Qin family came to harass them, they naturally retaliated. The defending side already had a geographical advantage, and with more numbers, Green Feather Mountain's assault this time was overwhelming.

Originally, they only needed to drive off the Qin family to complete their mission. However, with the delivery of a new order, a leading fifth-level cultivator raised his arm and roared, "Kill!"

With a roar, more than half of the defending cultivators rushed out in pursuit.

The two sides clashed continuously on their way down the mountain, with spiritual talismans and techniques flying about, creating an extremely chaotic and intense battle.

Just as the Qin family's assault team barely managed to retreat to the foot of the mountain, a rumbling sound emanated from one side. The leading cultivator fixed his gaze and saw five cavalry charges approaching, instantly turning cold.

It was, of course, Xie Jin's hunting team that arrived. The five individuals on their five mounts formed an arrow-shaped charge formation and slammed into the Qin family's ranks, cutting them off. With a clang and crash, several cultivators with lower cultivation levels immediately fell into pools of blood.

Xie Jin did not dismount; instead, he changed direction and led Lu Ye and the others in another charge, completely disrupting the Qin family's formation.

After two charges, everyone had sustained some injuries, whether minor or significant. Only then did they dismount and seek out their individual targets.

Lu Ye moved along the edge of the battlefield, his body constantly flashing with the light of defensive spiritual markings, blocking attack after attack. With a swing of his long blade, a cultivator in front of him was directly cut down, blood splattering several feet.

The Qin family wasn't without fifth-level cultivators, but they only had two. The majority were second and third-level, whose cultivation in front of Lu Ye was like paper. While it couldn't be said he killed one with every swing, after two or three slashes, few could withstand him, and those who tried to block directly had their weapons cut clean through.

He also occasionally unleashed a spiritual art. Although he was only a fourth-level cultivator, any cultivator he targeted rarely survived more than three breaths.

Cries and curses erupted, mixing into the chaotic battlefield.

The Qin family suffered heavy losses. On the Shadow Moon Disk, red dots extinguished one after another, making Qin Wanli's eyelids twitch and Han Zheyue's expression grow incredibly grave. Since the start of the Dragon Spring Gathering, no battle had ever seen such bizarrely rapid casualties.

In past battles, even if one side incurred losses, they weren't typically severe, and the side with the advantage wouldn't press the attack relentlessly, as doing so could easily put themselves in danger.

Yet, in just a short while, the Qin family's assault team was reduced by half, and judging by the situation, their numbers were still rapidly dwindling.

They fought as they retreated, heading towards a mountain peak behind them, a peak occupied by the Qin family. The defending team stationed there was already rushing to assist, but it would take a little more time.

Lu Ye now sought out a fifth-level cultivator, as killing one offered the highest reward in Green Feather Mountain's incentive system: twenty spirit stones for battle merits, plus an additional ten, totaling thirty. This was enough to buy three bottles of Spirit Accumulation Pills.

He looked at the blood-stained fifth-level cultivator before him as if gazing at a pile of shimmering spirit stones!

Participating in the Dragon Spring Gathering was partly going with the flow, but more importantly, it was to accumulate resources for his future cultivation. Lu Ye naturally wouldn't miss the chance to kill an enemy fifth-level cultivator.

His long blade slashed down, its light flickering. The fifth-level cultivator, looking fierce and relying on his superior cultivation, fearlessly exchanged blows with Lu Ye. However, he quickly paid the price for his confidence.

Because his attacks were mostly blocked by Lu Ye's defensive spiritual markings, yet the blows Lu Ye landed on him were unstoppable.

After only ten breaths of combat, the man was covered in blood. Had he not quickly slapped a Golden Body Talisman onto himself, he would likely have died already.

He stared at Lu Ye with an expression of utter disbelief, his mind consumed by a single thought: what kind of spiritual artifact was in his opponent's hand, and why was it so incredibly sharp?

Before he could fully process the thought, Lu Ye raised his hand, and spiritual energy surged, sending a plump bird flapping towards him. The man reacted quickly, instantly dodging to the side.

The plump bird grazed past the man's body and flew by, but a vulnerability was exposed. Lu Ye slashed down. Having experienced the sharpness of Lu Ye's blade, the man dared not meet it head-on, so he rolled on the ground, clumsily dodging.

Just as he stood up, a long whip coiled around his neck from behind. Spiritual light shimmered on the whip as it yanked him forcefully backward.

The man was immediately yanked into the air.

Lu Ye swiftly advanced and delivered three slashes to the airborne man: the first dimmed the light of his Golden Body Talisman, the second broke through the talisman's protection, and the third directly cut his body open.

When he landed, blood instantly stained the ground crimson, and he was lifeless.

Lu Ye looked up to see Qiao Qiao'er, whip in hand, winking at him. Combined with the bloodstains and swollen cheeks on her face… it was quite a sight!

"Watch out!" Qiao Qiao'er yelled.

From behind Lu Ye, a long spear thrust forward, aiming directly for the back of his head.

However, the attacking spear was blocked by his defensive spiritual markings. Lu Ye turned, raised his arm, and clamped down on the spear, then sliced his blade along it.

Half a palm flew off. The cultivator who had ambushed Lu Ye screamed and retreated, only for a Green Feather Mountain disciple to rush out from the side and kill him with a single sword stroke.

In such a chaotic melee, a person's adaptability was most tested; even a slight lapse in attention could result in immediate death.

"Green Feather Mountain bandits, don't get too arrogant!" a loud shout suddenly came from nearby. It was the Qin family's defending disciples from a nearby peak arriving as reinforcements.

After receiving the order, they had rushed towards the location, initially expecting to coordinate with the assault team for a counterattack. However, upon arriving and taking a closer look, they saw that only a few members of the assault team remained alive.

In the chaotic battlefield, more than thirty Green Feather Mountain cultivators were drenched in blood, their killing intent soaring. The ground was littered with the corpses, severed limbs, and scattered flesh of Qin family cultivators, with blood staining the earth crimson.

In this veritable Asura's purgatory, all the Green Feather Mountain cultivators turned their heads toward the source of the voice, their eyes glowing red.

The cultivator who had shouted felt his scalp tingle, and the arriving Qin family reinforcements quickly halted.

"Quick... quick retreat!"