Chapter 1345: Again with This Routine?

Numerous attacks struck the blood sphere, causing the blood within to surge, agitate, and evaporate. While these assaults seemed to have little visible effect, the Smallfolk understood that such continuous attacks would heavily drain the practitioner channeling the bloodline secret technique.

Once the practitioner could no longer maintain the sphere, they would be able to strike directly at the heart of the enemy.

Within the blood sphere, the five trapped cultivators were also utilizing their own techniques. The Mid-Constellation cultivator, in particular, attacked with the most ferocious intensity, holding nothing back. He understood that his chances were slim in such a predicament, so he intended to exert his full power to weaken the enemy before his inevitable demise.

His strategy was sound, but in a mere instant, a spectral figure materialized behind him. A long saber flashed out, leaving him no time to react, and with a single strike, severed his head.

Concurrently, at four other points within the blood sea, and guided by Lu Ye's covert instructions, the Eastern cultivators paired up and began their assault on the entrapped foes.

The battle flared up and subsided rapidly, returning to stillness within a few breaths.

Following Lu Ye's guidance, the eight individuals returned to the main camp's platform. They sat cross-legged and began extracting spirit jade to restore their energy.

Soon, however, everyone noticed something unusual. Their recovery rate in this environment was several times faster than their usual cultivation. Not only was the power from the refined spirit jade flowing into their bodies, but an additional, inexplicable energy was continuously pouring into them from the surrounding blood sea, replenishing their spiritual reserves.

Most of them were unaware of what was happening, but Huang Li and Xu Xinghe, who had been with Lu Ye all along, understood that this was his handiwork.

They had experienced this phenomenon before. Ever since joining Lu Ye, they had never worried about their spiritual energy endurance, as their reserves consistently remained at full capacity thanks to his Connected Aura Formation Plate.

Unbeknownst to them, Lu Ye was not utilizing the Connected Aura Formation Plate this time, but a Connected Aura Spirit Mark instead.

While the formation plate's range was ultimately limited, Lu Ye, being within the blood sea, could create a Connected Aura Spirit Mark that encompassed everyone. At that moment, spirit jades were piled at his feet, and the roots of his Talent Tree plunged into them, voraciously absorbing their energy. This simultaneously replenished his own reserves and aided Haitang and the others in their recovery.

Furthermore, he took out the demon cores from the lantern fish star beasts he had previously slain and chewed and swallowed them.

While the other Eastern cultivators were unaware of the external dangers, Lu Ye, as the practitioner of the blood art, had complete knowledge of the situation in both the Southern and Western camps.

It must be said that the current strategy employed by the Southern and Western camps was precisely what he had hoped to avoid, and it was causing him considerable trouble.

Since they only engaged in long-range attacks and kept their distance from the blood sea, he had no effective way to counter them.

Furthermore, given the current circumstances, he could only sustain this for a maximum of a few hours. The spiritual energy he was refining was not only maintaining the blood sea but also assisting Haitang and the others in their recovery—a level of consumption that a Constellation realm cultivator could simply not withstand.

Only he, possessing the Talent Tree, could endure this for a little longer.

After a few more hours, he would need to retract the blood sea. Otherwise, if his spiritual energy dropped below a critical threshold, it would undoubtedly impair his subsequent combat effectiveness, making the overall situation far worse.

A question arose regarding whether to recall his roaming clone. If he did, he could quickly replenish his reserves, as the energy separated for the clone was ultimately his own and could swiftly reintegrate with his main body.

However, even if he recalled it, there was no guarantee he could endure until the end of the drill.

After a moment of thought, Lu Ye decided against recalling it. The clone had another, distinct purpose, and it was nearly time for it to act.

With a shift in his thoughts, several individuals who had just fallen in battle within the blood sea at the Southern main camp swiftly reappeared. They hurried towards the Eastern main camp, clearly intending to reinforce the ongoing battle.

Only after these individuals had departed did the clone emerge from its hiding place, charging directly towards the Southern main camp.

Fighting two factions alone would be too strenuous; dividing the enemy was still the only hope. This tactic had been employed once before during the capture of the ninth spirit orb, and there was no harm in using it again.

However, previously five individuals had collaborated to breach the formation, whereas now only the clone was available. Breaching the Southern main camp's protective formation would thus require more time.

This timing was crucial for the clone's deployment. If it acted too early, the reinforcements, even after returning, could still hasten back to the main battlefield, defeating the purpose of dividing the enemy. Conversely, if it acted too late, the Southern camp wouldn't detect the movement of their spirit orb without their protective formation being breached, and thus wouldn't send aid.

This precise moment was perfect.

The Southern camp was chosen over the Western because the Western camp only possessed two spirit orbs, and they would certainly prioritize securing at least those.

The Southern camp, however, had three orbs. Even if they acquired no more, maintaining their current gains would be enough to report a successful outcome upon returning. Thus, they absolutely could not afford to lose any of their existing achievements.

As time passed, the five cultivators who had fallen from the Southern and Western camps successively rejoined the battle on the main battlefield.

Lu Ye experienced increased pressure, most visibly manifested by the continuous shrinking of the blood sea's volume. Observing this change, the enemies naturally redoubled their frantic bombardment.

A few hours later, feeling his spiritual energy reach its designated limit, Lu Ye knew he could no longer procrastinate. He immediately sent out telepathic messages in all directions.

Haitang and the others, in the midst of their recovery, simultaneously opened their eyes, each with a sharp gaze. Thanks to Lu Ye's aid, their spiritual energy reserves had been restored to their peak. This was their optimal state.

Everyone knew that the decisive moment had arrived. Whether they could secure their current achievements depended entirely on this final stand.

Concurrently, at the Southern main camp, the clone finally breached the grand formation. It then channeled its full spiritual power to strike a spirit orb, pushing it outwards with great speed.

The cultivators from both camps, who were relentlessly assailing the blood sphere, sensed the change simultaneously. Duan Xiuchen cursed loudly, "What the hell? Are they pulling this stunt again?"

Such an event had occurred before, and they weren't entirely unprepared. However, upon their initial assault, they had personally witnessed all nine Eastern cultivators gathered together, leading them to assume that a similar breach was impossible. With the Eastern forces concentrated at their main camp, who else would attack their base?

Yet, it happened regardless, which was truly unfathomable.

All nine Western cultivators were right there, and there were no indications that any Eastern cultivator had left. So how was their camp's formation breached? And how was the spirit orb moved?

It couldn't possibly mean that a fourth faction had appeared from the Black Abyss, could it?

They couldn't investigate, but the fact remained that their spirit orb was moving, and its speed was accelerating. If they didn't intervene quickly, it might truly be stolen.

Duan Xiuchen made an immediate decision, designating a Constellation Initial-stage cultivator. "Go back and check the situation!" he ordered.

Receiving the order, the Constellation Initial-stage cultivator immediately self-destructed.

The next moment, he reappeared at his main camp. Following the traces of the spirit orb's fluctuation, he rushed out in pursuit. He quickly spotted the orb, and then, focusing his gaze, saw a familiar figure vigorously pushing it.

The cultivator was instantly dumbfounded, barely able to believe his eyes. The person pushing the spirit orb was none other than Lu Ye!

Before he could even retrieve a communication talisman, a streak of sword light, like a bolt of silk, descended upon him. Unable to dodge in time, he was instantly cut in half, his blood scattering into the void.

Reappearing at his main camp, the cultivator's face was visibly pale. Dying twice in quick succession had severely depleted his mental state and spiritual energy. Coupled with his previous assault on the Eastern main camp, his spiritual reserves were now less than half of their normal capacity.

He retrieved a communication talisman and sent a message, informing Duan Xiuchen of the situation.

Duan Xiuchen was also dumbfounded upon receiving the message. He had consistently believed the blood sphere before him was a secret technique conjured by Lu Ye. But if Lu Ye was raiding their camp, then who was responsible for this blood sphere technique?

What was even more perplexing was how he had managed to leave. There were no traces of anyone departing from this location; both the Southern and Western camps had been continuously monitoring the area.

Without further hesitation, Duan Xiuchen immediately selected four individuals and ordered them to return as reinforcements.

Having previously witnessed Lu Ye's tactics, he understood that sending too few people would be pointless. However, if they were only dealing with one person, there was no need for everyone to return. He, in particular, needed to remain here to secure the spirit orbs, and he preferred not to undergo another resurrection, as it consumed too much spiritual energy unless absolutely necessary.

The four chosen individuals included two Mid-Constellation cultivators. Along with the one who had already returned, this five-person team, in Duan Xiuchen's assessment, was sufficient to handle Lu Ye. Even if they couldn't kill him, they could at least retrieve the spirit orb, which would be enough.

"What's happening?" Ye Chaoqun inquired, eager to know the situation at the Southern main camp.

Duan Xiuchen looked vexed. "That Brother Lu somehow slipped out and is currently raiding my Southern main camp!"

Ye Chaoqun, far from being surprised, was delighted. "Is that really true?"

"My junior brother saw it with his own eyes. How could it be false?"

Ye Chaoqun immediately smiled. "Is he doing this because he knows he can't win, so he's trying to annoy you?"

Raiding a camp at this stage was bound to fail, yet Lu Ye had done exactly that, even abandoning the defense of the Eastern main camp. This was a completely thankless and futile endeavor.

As for the Eastern forces, their greatest concern was Lu Ye. With him gone, who among the remaining individuals truly posed a threat?

"Instruct your junior brothers to simply retrieve the spirit orb and keep Lu Ye occupied," Ye Chaoqun hastily advised. "Whatever you do, don't kill him!"

If he were killed, he would simply reappear, creating another unpredictable variable.

Keeping him tied down would prevent his return, allowing them to easily handle the situation here.

Of course, if he insisted on self-destructing, there was nothing they could do.

"I understand," replied Duan Xiuchen, even as he continued his relentless assault on the precarious blood sea. "I've already instructed them to do just that."

No sooner had his words fallen than his communication talisman vibrated once more. He hastily checked it, and his expression instantly contorted in shock, for the five-person team he had deemed foolproof had been utterly annihilated by Lu Ye!