Chapter 1676: The Most Peace-Loving Wood Spirit

At this moment, the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator was surprised to find that the fleeing clone, which had been quietly escaping, was now surging with power, as if a strange spirit pattern was slowly unfolding around it.

He didn't know what was happening, but he knew he couldn't let the clone act freely. However, there was still some distance between them, and even if he attacked, he couldn't immediately threaten the clone, so he could only desperately give chase.

This clone was constructing a void, and the other two clones were doing the same!

Lu Ye didn't have many plans for the most powerful white-haired elder; the difference in strength was too great. Even with Muhe and the Black Umbrella as helpers, there was little they could do against him.

However, aside from the most powerful white-haired elder, Lu Ye had no intention of letting anyone else go. This wasn't about vengeance; primarily, Lu Ye didn't want his Precious Blood clones to be continuously targeted by enemies.

Reducing the number of enemies as much as possible would aid his escape.

In the blink of an eye, the void spirit patterns on all three Precious Blood clones almost simultaneously took shape!

The clone being pursued had significantly slowed down due to the construction of the spirit pattern and was now finally within the attack range of the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator.

Seeing this, the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator naturally showed no mercy, unleashing a powerful punch in the clone's direction from a distance.

With that punch, the flames on his body surged wildly. Simultaneously, a hundred-zhang-long, lifelike fire dragon roared forth, shaking its head and tail, instantly sweeping in front of the clone.

The clone, however, remained calm, and the void spirit pattern beneath its feet burst with light.

The pursuing Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator looked on coldly, certain that with his attack, the opponent would either die or be severely wounded, given the clear disparity in their strengths.

The light engulfed the clone's position, temporarily obscuring the situation from the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator's view. But soon, his expression froze slightly because the developing situation seemed to deviate from what he had expected.

As the light dissipated, the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator was astonished to find three figures appearing there, each looking identical. For a moment, he couldn't distinguish which one he had been pursuing.

What was happening?

How did his punch split the opponent into multiple entities?

In that moment of shock, the three Precious Blood clones scattered and fled in three different directions.

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator was stunned, unsure which one to pursue...

Gritting his teeth, he randomly chose a direction, still puzzled as to why his punch hadn't injured the opponent.

After he had gone far enough, Lu Ye's main body began to construct a void spirit pattern. He then teleported beside one of the clones, looked around, and chose a good location, where he had Muhe and the Black Umbrella set up an ambush with two Tiger Shark battleships.

In space, there were many meteorites and floating landmasses, making concealment no problem at all.

The clone pursued by the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator desperately fled, but it couldn't escape for long before the distance between them reached a dangerous point. Sensing the fierce and turbulent power fluctuations behind it, Lu Ye's main body didn't hesitate, directly using the void spirit pattern to recall the clone.

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator's composure began to crumble...

The enemy was clearly right in front of him, and he was about to succeed, but with the appearance of a spirit pattern, the enemy simply vanished into thin air.

This left him feeling utterly helpless.

However, soon, a faint energy fluctuation came from behind him. He quickly turned his head and indeed saw the figure that had just disappeared fleeing in that direction.

So, while the opponent's method was extraordinary, they couldn't escape very far!

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator's heart settled, and he swore to destroy the opponent to vent his anger.

As the chase continued, their speeds steadily converged again. A moment later, a surprising sight appeared before the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator: two Tiger Shark battleships approached from either side in the starry sky ahead.

He recognized them as his own battleships at a glance. Although he found it strange that the two battleships had become somewhat battered and worn, as if they had been through a major battle, he didn't think much of it. He simply sent a telepathic message to both battleships: "Surround him, don't let him escape!"

The two battleships indeed obeyed, moving to surround the clone. As they advanced, light began to emanate from the battleships' main cannons, clearly indicating they were charging power!

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator, the Precious Blood clone, and the Tiger Shark battleships continuously closed the distance, and the light at the front of the battleships grew brighter and brighter!

At this moment, inside the Tiger Shark battleships, the space pirate cultivators, controlled by the Black Umbrella, were transformed into energy, pouring their power unreservedly into the battleships.

This level of power infusion was typically reserved for desperate situations. While it could greatly enhance the battleships' destructive power, it allowed for only a single attack and caused irreversible damage to the cultivators inside and even the battleships themselves.

This could be considered a forbidden power of the Tiger Shark battleships, never to be used by their controllers unless absolutely necessary!

The space pirate cultivators would naturally not do this willingly, but under the Black Umbrella's control, they had no choice.

Visibly, the cultivators inside both battleships began to waste away, quickly becoming skin and bones—a clear sign that their vital essence was being drained into the battleships.

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator immediately sensed something was wrong. He had only ordered his battleships to encircle the enemy, not to use such overwhelming force.

Even more horrifying to him was that the attacks of the two battleships... were locked onto him!

"What are you doing?" the Fire Clan cultivator roared in shock and fury. Even as a Moonfall realm cultivator, he was unwilling to directly withstand a desperate attack from two Tiger Shark battleships.

What was wrong with these two battleships?

He had no time to ponder further, because in that brief delay, the Tiger Shark battleships' attacks had condensed to their peak. The violent energy fluctuations were so intense that even the battleships themselves felt uncontrollable, and the already damaged vessels began to shake violently.

Seeing that the situation was dire, the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator had no more thoughts of pursuing the Precious Blood clone. He immediately turned around and fled.

It was too late, however. Two bright beams of light shot from the battleships' main cannons, like two heaven-piercing blades, crossing through the space where the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator had just been, at the very instant he turned.

"Ah!" A scream echoed, and simultaneously, two explosions erupted in the starry sky!

The two Tiger Shark battleships indeed could not withstand such a powerful discharge. Or rather, they should have been able to, but because they had sustained some damage earlier from the combined efforts of the Black Umbrella and Muhe, they failed to hold.

With such a violent explosion, even the battleships themselves detonated. The cultivators inside them were already in a poor state; how could they possibly survive?

As for the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator, who had been attacked by the two battleships... when the light from the two intersecting heaven-piercing blades dissipated, there was barely an intact part on his entire body. Blood gushed from his torn flesh, hot as lava, and his expression was one of discomfiture and deep regret.

If he hadn't activated a valuable defensive artifact at the crucial moment, he would likely have been killed instantly. Even so, he was severely wounded!

His heart burned with rage, yet he was also filled with doubt and bewilderment, as there was no reason for his own battleships to attack him in such a way.

What exactly had happened?

Before he could figure it out, his expression suddenly changed, as a Moonfall realm aura was rapidly approaching him from a nearby floating landmass.

The Fire Clan cultivator turned his head and was startled: "A Wood Spirit?"

The characteristics of the Wood Spirit Clan were too obvious; he recognized a Wood Spirit Moonfall realm cultivator at first glance.

But... with no prior grudges, why would a Wood Spirit attack him? And weren't the Wood Spirits supposed to be one of the most peace-loving races in the starry sky? This blatant murderous intent, completely disregarding him, was it for show?

For a moment, the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator thought he had encountered a fake Wood Spirit.

However, now was not the time to investigate. He was at the early stage of the Moonfall realm, and the attacking Wood Spirit was also at the early stage. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be afraid, but his current condition was poor. How could he possibly contend with this inexplicable Wood Spirit?

He immediately turned and sped away. But just as he darted out from behind a floating landmass, a large, cloud-like white mass descended upon him!

What was this now? As the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator stared blankly, he was completely enveloped by a cloud of spores.

Muhe, who had followed closely, boldly charged into it.

From behind a nearby meteorite, Lu Ye's main body leisurely appeared. He glanced at the two completely shattered Tiger Shark battleships, then turned his gaze towards the spore cloud.

He couldn't see much, only aware of intense fighting within, interspersed with the enraged questions of the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator.

"Why? Why!"

Why would this Wood Spirit and Spore Clan ambush him here? Why did they act as if they had an irreconcilable feud with him? What kind of grudge or enmity was this?

The battle didn't last long, only about thirty breaths of time before the spore cloud dispersed.

Muhe bore extensive burn marks. As a Wood Spirit, he was naturally most vulnerable to the Fire Clan—the two races were essentially natural enemies. However, with the Black Umbrella's assistance, dealing with a heavily wounded Fire Clan member was no problem.

It was merely a matter of sustaining some injuries.

The Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator had been slain, his body tattered and covered with vibrant red mushrooms, a truly horrifying sight.

Muhe and the Black Umbrella, however, were exhilarated. This was their first time slaying a Moonfall realm enemy. Both tribal leaders knew, however, that without Lu Ye's sharp mind and strategic planning, they wouldn't have been able to kill a cultivator of the same realm so easily.

Their previous dejection had vanished, replaced by the satisfaction of having avenged a great wrong!

Looking at the Fire Clan's Moonfall realm cultivator's corpse, Muhe thought fiercely to himself, "This is what happens when you target the Flower Realm!"

"Little friend, there's still a late-stage Moonfall realm cultivator!" Muhe's eyes blazed with battle intent. Having slain an enemy that inherently countered him, and with the Black Umbrella assisting, he felt invincible. Even a late-stage Moonfall realm cultivator, he believed, he could kill to show Lu Ye!

Lu Ye silently watched Muhe, whose confidence was soaring, recalling the records he had once seen among the Little People: "The Wood Spirit Clan is one of the most peace-loving races in the starry sky."

That record... had a major problem!

"Let's forget about that late-stage Moonfall realm cultivator," Lu Ye said, reining in Muhe's eagerness. Killing an early-stage one was fine, but a late-stage one... they wouldn't be able to match them at all. Muhe and the Black Umbrella would simply be throwing their lives away.

(End of Chapter)