Chapter 251: Sealing the Secrets

Inside the great formation, Zou Qi stared into Luo Fu’s eyes, as if trying to discern if he was lying, but couldn't make anything out.

"Aren't you going to flee? Then I won't hold back!" Luo Fu raised his hand with a smile, waved it forward, and lightly uttered two words: "Get to work!"

Behind him, multicolored lights bloomed, striking the Clear Sky Sect's protective formation and creating ripples.

The Clear Sky Sect had stood for so many years, enduring countless crises, big and small, but never before had a situation been so insurmountable as today's.

With the Flood Dragon charging from the front and Silverlight Island attacking from the rear, caught in a pincer movement, the Clear Sky Sect cultivators saw no hope.

"Senior Brother, let's retreat," Yu Hongbao said softly, standing beside Zou Qi.

Although the great formation could hold on for a while longer, it wouldn't last much longer in this situation. Once the formation was breached, the Clear Sky Sect cultivators would truly become trapped prey, unable to escape even if they wanted to.

"Where would we retreat to?" Zou Qi asked, his eyes dull.

Yu Hongbao's dry lips moved, but he didn't dare utter those two words.

Retreating now would mean returning to the main sect in Kyushu via the Heavenly Secret Pillar, but if they did that, the sect's accumulated legacy of so many years would be handed over to others.

Not to mention whether the two of them could bear the responsibility of losing the outpost, even this outcome itself was unacceptable to them.

With such a retreat, how could they live on with any dignity, or what right would they have to call themselves Clear Sky Sect disciples?

"We might not be without a chance!" Zou Qi suddenly said.

Yu Hongbao knew his senior brother always had ideas, and immediately looked at him expectantly: "Senior Brother, do you mean..."

Zou Qi said nothing, but simply sent him a message via their battlefield imprint.

Yu Hongbao read it, agreed, and couldn't help but nod slightly.

Zou Qi looked up at Luo Fu again: "Luo Fu, if it becomes known that Silverlight Island can control a Flood Dragon, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Luo Fu, who had been admiring the Flood Dragon's form as it struggled to breach the formation on the other side of the great formation's light barrier, was startled by the words. He instinctively felt uneasy and frowned, asking, "What do you mean?"

Zou Qi grinned: "Why don't you think about what I mean yourself?"

Although Luo Fu felt this guy was being an alarmist, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

The Flood Dragon was brought by Lu Yiye of the Jade Blood Sect and had nothing to do with Silverlight Island. Besides Hao Ren and his sister, only Luo Fu and Qi Shi knew this; the Clear Sky Sect was completely unaware.

In this situation, they would naturally mistake Silverlight Island for being able to control the Flood Dragon.

A fierce creature like the Flood Dragon, once it unleashed its power, even a sect's outpost formation couldn't withstand it. The Clear Sky Sect's experience was a precedent.

So if this matter really spread... Luo Fu's expression froze, and cold sweat began to appear on his forehead.

Originally, in this small region, the major sects' foundations were quite similar, and although there were constant skirmishes, no one could truly defeat another. But if Silverlight Island had a top-tier helper like the Flood Dragon... how could the Myriad Demon Ridge forces not be wary?

This wariness would inevitably provoke hostility from the Myriad Demon Ridge forces.

This was like putting Silverlight Island on a roasting fire!

"Zou Qi, you dog villain, don't slander us!" Luo Fu immediately roared. "The Flood Dragon has nothing to do with my Silverlight Island. It's clearly a monster from your Clear Sky Sect's outpost."

Although he wished his own sect could control such a monster, if they didn't have enough foundation, even if such a monster truly could be used by them, it wouldn't bring anything good; it would only invite hostility and targeting from nearby Myriad Demon Ridge forces.

What if four or five Myriad Demon Ridge forces united and launched a sneak attack on them? Silverlight Island wouldn't be able to withstand it...

"Whether it's related or not, who knows?" Zou Qi countered. "As far as I know, your main Silverlight Island sect has a demon cultivator elder. That elder seems to be a snake demon, doesn't he?"

These words were too poisonous, making Luo Fu momentarily hesitant to respond.

Silverlight Island indeed had a demon cultivator elder, and she was indeed a snake demon, a sea serpent, no less. This was no secret. After being neighbors for so many years, who didn't know the other's background?

Once today's events spread, it would be difficult not to arouse suspicion from others.

Even with a hint of suspicion, Silverlight Island's future situation wouldn't be very good.

Luo Fu vaguely understood Zou Qi's intention, and his eyelids drooped slightly.

"Are you trying to say that to prove my innocence, I, Luo, should ideally withdraw my people from this place?"

"I didn't say that."

"You're probably dreaming!" Luo Fu snorted coldly. "You dog, you like to bite indiscriminately. When your great formation breaks later, if I don't beat the living daylights out of you, consider yourself lucky!"

Although working with the Flood Dragon to break the formation would indeed cause some suspicion, how could Luo Fu be willing to miss such a heaven-sent opportunity? In any case, since the people of Silverlight Island had come, they wouldn't retreat.

As for later, later matters could be discussed later.

If the Myriad Demon Ridge dared to unite against Silverlight Island, the people of the Vast Sky Alliance weren't exactly lacking in unity. Zou Qi's delusion of making Silverlight Island retreat with a few words was simply wishful thinking.

While Zou Qi was negotiating with Luo Fu, Yu Hongbao stood beside him. Seeing Luo Fu unmoved, he couldn't help but sigh, thinking that Senior Brother Zou Qi had thought things too simply. If he were in Luo Fu's position, he wouldn't retreat either; this was a great opportunity to seize an enemy sect's outpost.

"Seal the Heavenly Secret!" Zou Qi suddenly gave a soft command.

"Hm?" Yu Hongbao was startled, his expression immediately changed, and he exclaimed softly, "Senior Brother!"

"Seal the Heavenly Secret!" Zou Qi gritted his teeth.

Yu Hongbao's face showed tragic resolve: "Yes!"

With his actions, the Heavenly Secret was sealed.

The so-called "sealing the Heavenly Secret" merely meant sealing the Heavenly Secret Pillar. This way, Clear Sky Sect cultivators would be unable to return to Kyushu via the Heavenly Secret Pillar. This was to prevent anyone from seeing the dire situation and escaping first. The Clear Sky Sect was already in a bad situation; if someone led a retreat, it would inevitably cause great chaos, and the outpost would truly be handed over.

Yu Hongbao thought Zou Qi intended to lead their disciples to fight to the death with the outpost, naturally feeling tragic and resolute.

Zou Qi also noticed this and comforted him, saying, "There's still a chance."

Yu Hongbao shook his head: "Senior Brother, do you think I'm afraid of death? The sect raised and nurtured me. Now is the time for me to contribute to the sect. I'm not afraid to die; I'm only afraid I won't get to kill a few Silverlight Island villains before I die."

Since Zou Qi had made his decision, Yu Hongbao could only follow suit, resolved that if Clear Sky Sect was in trouble, Silverlight Island wouldn't have it easy either, and before dying, he would drag a few down with him.

"The Flood Dragon wasn't controlled by them," Zou Qi said again.

His conversation with Luo Fu just now seemed to have no effect, but in reality, he was just probing. How could he not know that Luo Fu wouldn't be persuaded to retreat by a few words from him? He just wanted to figure out whether the Flood Dragon's attack was related to Silverlight Island.

Luo Fu's attitude confirmed one thing for him: the Flood Dragon had no connection to Silverlight Island; the two had truly just met by chance!

After confirming this, Zou Qi felt more bitter than if he had eaten a bitter herb, unable to comprehend why their luck was so bad, and even less why the Flood Dragon would target the Clear Sky Sect, when they had coexisted peacefully for over a hundred years.

He beckoned to Yu Hongbao and whispered a few words.

Yu Hongbao's eyes brightened as he listened, nodding repeatedly, and immediately, messages were sent out.

Soon, the Clear Sky Sect cultivators learned of their garrison chief's and deputy's plan, and also knew that the outpost's Heavenly Secret had been sealed, making it impossible to retreat to Kyushu even if they wanted to.

Their retreat path was cut off, and with Zou Qi's plan as a foundation, although the Clear Sky Sect cultivators' expressions were still tense, they were not as despairing as before.

The great formation's light barrier had become extremely dim, as if it could shatter at any moment.

Hundreds of Clear Sky Sect cultivators gathered in the square in front of the Heavenly Secret Hall, with Garrison Chief Zou Qi and Deputy Chief Yu Hongbao at the very front of the formation. The entire group faced the direction of the Silverlight Island cultivators, poised for action.

Luo Fu, who had been observing the movements, naturally saw this scene, and in a flash of insight, seemed to understand something, letting out a surprised cry: "Not good!"

By this point, he finally understood what trick Zou Qi was playing: The Clear Sky Sect wanted to divert the disaster and use the Flood Dragon's power!

He immediately wanted to send a message to Hao Ren, asking if Lu Yiye had a way to control the Flood Dragon, but it was already too late.

"Open the formation!" With Zou Qi's tragic roar, the great formation, which was on the verge of breaking, instantly dissolved.

Without the formation's obstruction, the Flood Dragon immediately charged into the Clear Sky Sect outpost, rampaging wildly and sweeping towards where the Clear Sky Sect cultivators had gathered. As it passed, it kicked up a storm of dust and stones.

"Kill!" Zou Qi roared again, and he and Yu Hongbao led their disciples in a charge forward.

The scene was momentarily spectacular: the Flood Dragon pursued the Clear Sky Sect, the Clear Sky Sect charged towards Silverlight Island, and the people of Silverlight Island were stunned where they stood...

Luo Fu's heart sank. The situation was as he had anticipated, but by the time he realized it, it was too late.

"Stop them!" Luo Fu roared.

On the other side, Hao Ren and his sister, watching from afar, also felt their hearts in their throats. Hao Ren whispered, "Brother Yiye, we can't let the Flood Dragon charge towards Silverlight Island!"

Lu Ye remained silent, jumped onto the slope, observed intently, his hand touching his battlefield imprint, continuously sending messages to Yi Yi.

He hadn't expected that the Clear Sky Sect would be so tenacious in such a desperate situation. He had originally thought that after Silverlight Island's people arrived, the Clear Sky Sect cultivators would immediately retreat to Kyushu, because under a two-pronged attack, the protective formation surely wouldn't hold.

Inside the Clear Sky Sect outpost, the distance between the two sides of cultivators rapidly closed. Lights of spells illuminated from Silverlight Island's side, blasting forward, followed by streaks of light from controlled artifacts.

But facing Silverlight Island's attacks, the Clear Sky Sect side only defended, without counterattacking, blocking all incoming spells and controlled artifacts.

When the distance between them was only forty zhang, Zou Qi suddenly roared, "Disperse!"

The entire Clear Sky Sect formation immediately split into two, led by him and Yu Hongbao, separating to the left and right, circling in an arc, preparing to flank Silverlight Island from the rear.

As the Clear Sky Sect cultivators spread out, the figure of a colossal creature came into the Silverlight Island cultivators' sight.

The spells and controlled artifacts they had launched then *thwacked* and *crackled* against the Flood Dragon.

With its demon energy swirling, and large patches of its snake scales falling off and many areas of its flesh exposed, the Flood Dragon raised its emerald-green eyes and looked at them.

"!" Luo Fu immediately cursed, his composure completely shattered.