Chapter 2577: Opportunity

Yuan Xi has an extremely significant background. She hails from one of the Ten Great Dao Integration Cities and is the City Lord's wife.

It's not impossible for someone of her stature to be targeted by schemers. However, Lu Ye still had a slight doubt: the current situation was indeed significant, but if it was meant to deal with the wife of a City Lord from one of the Ten Great Cities, it seemed a bit meager.

Almost simultaneously with You Die's warning, Lu Ye spotted the two Dao Integration Cities in the distance. Before the cities even reached the battlefield, streaks of light shot out from them, heading straight towards the fray.

A rough count showed about a dozen Dao Integration realm cultivators emerging from those two cities.

These were two more Desolate-tier cities!

The situation was dire.

It would have been one thing if it were just a dozen Dao Integration cultivators, but the crucial point was that two Desolate-tier cities meant two City Lords would join the battle. That was the most concerning aspect.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan!" Zhao Lingfeng bellowed.

Although he was a Desolate-tier City Lord, he had been jointly besieged by three Dao Integration realm cultivators since the battle began, leaving him no room to maneuver. He had secretly rejoiced earlier, seeing Yuan Xi display her might, but now he felt a sense of dread.

He also sensed that the current situation was amiss, highly suspecting that Yuan Xi was being targeted by someone.

Yuan Xi's status was noble; even if someone plotted against her, they might not dare to take her life. However, others would not receive such treatment.

Zhao Lingfeng's death wouldn't make any difference.

Therefore, when the two enemy Dao Integration Cities arrived as reinforcements, he had already decided to retreat.

"Go!" Yuan Xi's reply came. She undoubtedly knew it was unwise to linger here and that they had to retreat before enemy reinforcements arrived, or they might not be able to escape at all.

Zhao Lingfeng dared not delay further. He immediately fought and retreated, intending to fall back to his city. However, the three Dao Integration cultivators besieging him would not let him go so easily; they instantly unleashed their full power, doing their utmost to entangle him.

This was true for him, and it was true for everyone else on the battlefield.

The only two whose situations were slightly better were Lu Ye and Lian.

Lu Ye's opponent dared not get close to him rashly and maintained a certain distance. Therefore, if Lu Ye wanted to retreat, it wouldn't be an issue, though he would certainly be pursued later.

As for Lian, it was simply because her own strength was sufficient; even if the enemies wanted to stop her, they couldn't.

"Get lost! Dare to entangle me again, and I'll kill you!"

As time passed, Yuan Xi grew more anxious, glaring fiercely at the new City Lord of Eaglefly City who was still entangling her.

This City Lord knew he was no match for Yuan Xi, so from the start, he focused on self-preservation. He was able to remain in Eaglefly City precisely because of his proficiency in defense.

Therefore, even though his strength was slightly inferior to Eaglefly's after becoming the new City Lord, it made it more difficult for Yuan Xi to succeed.

In a one-on-one fight, Eaglefly could last thirty breaths against Yuan Xi, but he could last forty!

Despite this, he was still battered and bruised, but fortunately, he didn't need to fight to the death, only to delay.

Seeing Yuan Xi's ferocity, his heart skipped a beat, recalling Eaglefly's tragic death. But he quickly calmed himself, remembering what "that Lord" had said: Yuan Xi's secret technique had a flaw and could not be used again within a short period.

Based on Yuan Xi's previous performance, the secret technique indeed seemed to have a flaw; otherwise, it wouldn't have been dispelled after such a short duration.

His expression hardened. He didn't need to do much; he just needed to stall for a moment longer, and more reinforcements would arrive!

"You seek death!" Yuan Xi erupted in fury. A flash of white light suddenly gleamed in her eyes, and then the black petals swirling around her rapidly converged onto her body.

The new City Lord of Eaglefly City saw this, and his face instantly changed dramatically, a single thought churning in his mind: "I've been deceived!"

The secret technique might indeed have some flaw, but it was certainly not as "that Lord" had claimed, that it couldn't be used again in a short time, because she was already using it!

In Eaglefly City, the young man who had remained unseen witnessed this scene, and his eyelids twitched. He knew in his heart that the Lady was truly enraged, and the new City Lord, having been in office for less than fifteen minutes, was likely about to follow in Eaglefly's footsteps.

"Fellow Daoist, calm your anger!" the new City Lord frantically shouted, his body rapidly retreating. "I'll leave right now!"

In his vision, Yuan Xi was now clad in snow-white armor, a blooming lotus emblazoned on her chest. Her eyes coldly fixed on the rapidly retreating enemy, she flickered and appeared directly in front of him.

Then, under the new City Lord's horrified gaze, she raised her hand, gripped his head, and gently twisted.

His solidified protective Dao power seemed nonexistent at that moment. The new City Lord's vision inverted, and he saw the scenery behind him.

"No need to leave!" Yuan Xi murmured softly.

If you don't leave when told, then leave your life behind.

She turned her head, her gaze locking onto the nearest enemy.

The young man was right; her Dao Soldier's second form transformation indeed had significant flaws and could not be maintained for long. However, she didn't need much time; she only needed to quickly kill a few Dao Integration realm cultivators to extract their own Dao Integration realm allies caught in the battle, and then find an opportunity to escape.

There was still time!

With that thought, she moved.

The enemy on that side realized the danger almost the instant her gaze fell upon him. Preferring to take a blow from his opponent, he used the force to escape, spitting out blood.

However fast he was, Yuan Xi was faster. She pursued him almost as a streak of white light, sweeping past without stopping.

But the next instant, the fleeing Dao Integration cultivator turned into dust.

The white light that was Yuan Xi flickered a few times across the various battlefields, and several auras were extinguished. The remaining enemies panicked, abandoning their opponents and retreating.

"Quickly, go!" Yuan Xi called out as her body stopped, her Dao Soldier's second form already dissipated.

From the four battlefields, numerous Dao Integration realm cultivators all dashed towards their respective cities.

Even the Soul Melting realm cultivators were fleeing.

The Soul Melting realm battlefield was not as volatile. Lu Ye's talent tree clone had been wreaking havoc there, and with him present, they were virtually unstoppable.

Consequently, the enemy Soul Melting realm cultivators suffered heavy casualties in this battle, and their own Soul Melting realm cultivators faced no resistance in their retreat.

A moment later, Yuan Xi City and Lingfeng City flew forward side-by-side.

Behind them, numerous Dao Integration realm cultivators pursued relentlessly, creating an intense scene.

In Eaglefly City, the young man watched the fleeing Yuan Xi City with a look of helplessness. He had calculated everything, but he hadn't accounted for the Lady's Dao Soldier, which caused this plan to fail completely.

However, it wasn't a major problem. His contingency plans weren't limited to what had just been revealed; he had mobilized a considerable number of people for this operation.

Not to mention anything else, right now, with so many Dao Integration cultivators pursuing and besieging them, it was already wishful thinking for the Lady's Dao Integration City to escape.

This matter was settled!

In Yuan Xi City, Lu Ye, who had returned to the city, looked back at the pursuing enemies, his eyelids twitching. With the addition of the two enemy Dao Integration Cities, the number of Dao Integration cultivators had risen to over thirty. If those previously killed were included, the enemy had deployed over forty Dao Integration cultivators in this battle!

This was truly a grand scheme!

The situation remained very troublesome. Yuan Xi City and Lingfeng City's escape speed was inferior to that of the pursuing Dao Integration cultivators, so they couldn't shake them off. As long as the enemies kept harassing them like this, there would be an opportunity to breach the city, and Yuan Xi City had never been known for its defensive capabilities.

Lu Ye secretly clenched his teeth, feeling that the current situation was incredibly difficult.

"My Lady, who exactly is targeting us?" He turned to Yuan Xi beside him.

Yuan Xi sighed, "This time, I've implicated you all."

She didn't answer directly, but she clearly had a suspicion about the identity of the person plotting in the shadows.

Lu Ye shook his head, saying, "My Lady, you're overstating it. Yuan Xi City is your city, and you are the City Lord. If someone targets you, they are targeting all of us. There's no talk of implication. Since we joined this city, we've been in the same boat."

Beside them, Lian looked at Yuan Xi with some concern.

Unlike Lu Ye, she understood Yuan Xi's situation extremely well. Today's events were very likely pressure being exerted by "that side"; otherwise, there wouldn't be such direct targeting.

But if that were truly the case, then things would be troublesome. Her close friend might not escape this calamity today.

Granted, if the situation became dire, one could abandon the city and escape to the Dao Harmonization Realm. But Yuan Xi would never make such a choice unless absolutely necessary. The reason she ventured out alone was driven by ambition. From beginning to end, she had only one goal: to build Yuan Xi City into a super Dao Integration City, surpassing even the Ten Greats!

Of course, this goal was grand and difficult to achieve, but Yuan Xi City had been striving towards this direction step by step in its development.

If she truly abandoned the city and fled, it would play right into the enemy's hands.

"There might still be a chance," Lian said slowly after a slight pause for thought. "The environment here is complex, with intersecting cold currents. We just need to find a way to block the pursuers for a while, allowing our city to find a suitable place to lie low and use Mirage's secret technique to conceal ourselves. We might then have a chance to escape this calamity."

If they were being pursued like this anywhere else in the Inner Realm, there would indeed be no hope of escape.

But the environment here was different after all. The numerous intersecting cold currents made this vast area like a beehive, with extremely chaotic internal passages, which could indeed be utilized.

Yuan Xi's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "Good idea. Lian, come with me to block these fellows."

Lian couldn't help but put a hand to her forehead: "I don't want to die yet!"

If things were truly as she suspected, those pursuing Dao Integration cultivators might not dare to lethally harm Yuan Xi, but they would have no qualms about her. With the current strength of Yuan Xi City and Lingfeng City, they simply couldn't be a match for the enemies.

"Don't be afraid. Zhao Lingfeng and the others aren't pushovers either!" Yuan Xi reassured her.

Although there weren't many Dao Integration cultivators from Lingfeng City, there were still around eight or nine of them. Combined with those from Yuan Xi City, even if they weren't a match for the enemies, they could still buy some time.

As long as Yuan Xi City could hide, they could successfully weather this calamity.

Yuan Xi's expression hardened: "Furthermore, these fellows might not be united. As long as I kill fast enough, I can create enough deterrence!"

Lian frowned, "Is your Dao power sufficient?"

Yuan Xi pursed her lips: "I can unleash it one more time!"