Chapter 1246: Seeking the Trail

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Winds Rise Across the Nine Provinces

Winds Rise Across the Nine Provinces

Somewhere in the Grand Beginning Realm, three figures lay dormant: two men and one woman.

At this stage of the Divine Sea Contest, some participants had begun to team up. However, due to the low probability of encountering others, companions were typically limited to two or three. For instance, Lu Ye had previously encountered a combination of a body cultivator and a spell cultivator. These three had met by chance. Concerned about potential dangers ahead, they quickly agreed to temporarily join forces.

After observing for a while, they had made a discovery.

“Those Blood Race dogs have indeed set up defenses ahead; this is going to be tricky,” said one of the three, a man with a mustache, grinding his teeth with a pained expression. It was no secret that the Blood Race possessed a secret art allowing them to sense and communicate with each other within the Grand Beginning Realm, enabling them to gather. Because of this, many cultivators participating in the Divine Sea Contest had been warned by their elders to proceed with extreme caution at this stage, emphasizing that they must not be discovered by grouped Blood Race members, or they would face certain death. This was an advantage no other race possessed. While it couldn't be called cheating, the Blood Race's strategy was undoubtedly bad news for cultivators from other realms.

To proceed, they would have to break through the Blood Race's defenses, incurring significant risk. Previously, some had made tactical adjustments against the Blood Race: upon entering the Grand Beginning Realm, they would rush directly to the center, crossing dangerous areas before the Blood Race defenses were fully formed, then lie low and wait until the final moment to contend for victory. However, the Blood Race were not fools. After several such occurrences, they also adjusted their strategy, choosing to lie in wait at the center, a tactic that proved consistently effective. Thus, currently, before the situation became clear, no one knew where the Blood Race would appear. If one assumed they were at the center, they might instead be found setting up defenses in the mid-section of the Grand Beginning Realm to intercept cultivators heading towards the center. If one rushed to the center believing it safe, they might well run headfirst into a Blood Race blood river. It all came down to luck.

Previously, powerful individuals from various realms had protested this matter to the Samsara Tree, but the Samsara Tree would not concern itself with such affairs, and the protests ultimately amounted to nothing. Fortunately, the Blood Race also understood not to go too far. While they secured more winning spots in each Divine Sea Contest, their rankings were generally lower. They did not contend for the top spots, which was a compromise on their part. They knew that if they pushed too much, they would inevitably provoke hostility from all other races, leading to a situation where, even with their miraculous secret arts and ability to group together, they would be hunted everywhere. It was through this strategy that the Blood Race gained considerable benefits in each century's Divine Sea Contest, indirectly allowing many elite Constellation Realm experts to emerge across generations, thus perpetuating their power.

The mustached man, Ding You, was from the Profound Crossing Realm. His two temporary companions were Zhao Yunliu, a man from the Overlord Star, and Yu Yaorao, a woman from the Nine Profundity Realm. All three were the most outstanding Divine Sea Realm cultivators of their generation from their respective realms. Yet, even with their temporary alliance, it was ill-advised to reveal themselves rashly.

Yu Yaorao suggested, “Should we take a detour? The Blood Race’s defense line can’t be too long, at most a hundred thousand li. If we bypass this section, we should be safe.”

Ding You shook his head. “The Blood Race has a significant number of members. What we observed earlier was likely just one of their teams. Don’t be fooled by that surging blood sea; there are probably only five or six Blood Race members within it. They likely have at least three or even four such teams, with each team responsible for a defensive line. If we try to detour, we don't know how far we'd have to go, and there's no guarantee we'd avoid their defensive zones. If we evade this team only to run into another, the situation would only become more passive.”

Yu Yaorao understood his reasoning and sighed softly. “Then we can only wait and see who loses patience first.” It was certain that they weren't the only group of three stuck here, unable to advance or retreat. Many more were surely lying low, but no one wanted to be the first to act. So, everyone remained hidden, waiting for someone else to make a move. Once others initiated action, they could then either seize the opportunity to push forward, or fish in troubled waters. Both would be good options.

“What do you think, Fellow Daoist Zhao?” Ding You looked at Zhao Yunliu. Unlike their own origins from ordinary large realms, Zhao Yunliu was from Overlord Star, considered a top-tier realm. Thus, in terms of strength and foundation, he surpassed them both. However, from their brief interactions, Zhao Yunliu was not easy to communicate with. This was likely a common trait among experts from top-tier realms, who often felt they were paramount and somewhat looked down upon those from larger realms. If it weren't for the Blood Race blocking their path ahead, Zhao Yunliu probably wouldn't have allied with them.

Zhao Yunliu replied indifferently, “You two decide. No need to ask me.”

Ding You couldn't help but feel a headache coming on… He most dreaded dealing with such individuals; without deeper communication, it was difficult to reach consensus on matters.

“Something is approaching!” Yu Yaorao suddenly exclaimed. She cultivated a perception-based secret art, making her significantly better than the other two at detecting enemy movements.

Ding You quickly asked, “Which direction?”

Yu Yaorao pointed, and Ding You looked astonished. “How could it be coming from this direction?” He had assumed someone else was rushing in from outside. If so, they could try to recruit them to act together—there was strength in numbers, and with a few more people, they might even be able to confront the Blood Race defenses head-on. But Yu Yaorao was pointing to their side! At this point in time, only those rushing inward should be present. How could someone be approaching from the side?

“This aura…” As she spoke, Yu Yaorao also showed a surprised expression, sensing that the approaching aura was strange, somewhat similar to that of the Blood Race…

“A Blood Race member!” There was no longer any doubt, as a mass of blood-red light had already appeared in their sight from that direction. It was a blood cloud, roughly ten zhang in diameter. Due to its high compression, its color was intensely rich, and its speed was not particularly fast. It swayed unsteadily, as if drunk, looking at first glance like a large block of fresh blood curd.

While Ding You and Yu Yaorao were still observing, Zhao Yunliu's previous indifference vanished. His eyes gleamed with ferocity. “There’s only one; it must be responding to a summons to rendezvous. Kill it!” Born from a top-tier realm, proud and arrogant, he had intended to make a name for himself in the Grand Beginning Realm. Unexpectedly, he was now blocked by a group of Blood Race members, and he had long been fuming with frustration. Seeing a lone Blood Race member, he wouldn't let the opportunity slip away. The reason he could determine it was a lone Blood Race member was simple: the blood cloud was too small, clearly formed by a single Blood Race individual for convenience in travel. As he finished speaking, he disregarded his companions' opinions and charged straight out, heading towards the mass of blood curd.

Ding You raised his hand, but it was too late to stop him. He could only curse under his breath and follow closely. This was precisely why he was reluctant to team up with someone like Zhao Yunliu from a top-tier realm; typically nonchalant, at critical moments he preferred to act unilaterally, completely disregarding his companions' feelings. As the two moved, Yu Yaorao had no choice but to follow.

Instantly, spiritual power surged. Sword light, like a flowing river of silk, converged and shot towards the blood cloud from a distance. Zhao Yunliu was a sword cultivator, and controlling flying swords to engage enemies was his specialty. It was for this reason that he didn't pay much heed to this approaching Blood Race member, as the Blood Race's Blood River technique held little use against him. Of course, he wouldn't be foolish enough to forcibly enter someone else's blood river and entrap himself. Close behind the flying swords were Yu Yaorao's various spells. Ding You had fewer tricks; as a body cultivator, he could only unleash his vital energy and spiritual power by swinging his fists, delivering punches from a distance.

In an instant, the three formed a triangular formation, encircling the blood cloud. A series of sharp attacks hammered into the blood cloud, depleting its essence. This was also the best method for the various races in the starry sky to deal with the Blood Race: first, weaken the foundation of their Blood River technique, only then would there be a chance to slay them.

Lu Ye had a headache. He had followed an inexplicable intuition to this location, expecting to see the scene he had envisioned. Instead, halfway there, three human cultivators suddenly emerged and launched a fierce assault on him. If it were just that, it would have been fine, but he was startled to see a familiar figure among them: Yu Yaorao, from the Nine Profundity Realm! This charming woman, who had been sent with him into the Fairy Tree Realm for trials, though they weren't particularly close, Lu Ye had nonetheless received some favors from her in the Fairy Tree Realm; many things he only understood after Yu Yaorao's careful explanations. This made it difficult for him to kill her. Moreover, in this situation, fighting one against three, even if Lu Ye wanted to kill them, he didn't have much of a chance, unless he could find a way to draw them into his blood river. But these three were clearly very experienced; all were using long-range attacks, not approaching his blood cloud at all, giving him no opportunity whatsoever.

He could only run, choosing one direction and desperately trying to break through. That direction happened to be where Ding You was, infuriating him! Zhao Yunliu's impulsive actions had already put him in a bad mood, and now being targeted as the breakthrough point by a Blood Race member naturally enraged him. However, as a body cultivator, he truly was the weak point in the current situation, and his anger was useless. On Zhao Yunliu and Yu Yaorao's side, flying swords and spells flew together. Both were acting with full power, knowing that the opportunity was brief. Once the battle started here, nearby Blood Race members might become aware, so to kill this lone Blood Race member, they had to finish quickly, allowing no delay.

To their great astonishment, however, this Blood Race member's blood cloud was unyieldingly tough. From the feedback received from their spells and flying swords, it seemed they were attacking not a cloud of blood, but a highly tenacious piece of taffy.