Chapter 336: Behind the Scenes

The Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators, arrayed opposite them, were instantly stunned. No one had expected the Heavenly Alliance to launch an attack like this. They had assumed the situation here would be a standoff, similar to the Wei River, with both sides cautious due to their large numbers and the certainty of losses in a battle, and no one being able to guarantee victory.

Yet, the Heavenly Alliance truly attacked!

As they hastily arranged their formations, a massive figure swiftly swept through the sky towards them. It soared past the charging Heavenly Alliance cultivators, flapped its wings mid-air, and unleashed a sky-full of wind blades that instantly tore a gap in the Myriad Demon Ridge's front line.

Beasts like Little Ash and Ying Jiao were considered overlord-level spirit beasts across the entire Spirit Stream Battlefield.

Overlord-level meant their strength had reached the absolute limit the Spirit Stream Battlefield could withstand, making them beings capable of reigning supreme throughout the entire battlefield.

Even cultivators on the Spirit Stream Ranking couldn't compare to such beings.

Back then, Ying Jiao, drawn by the blood essence within the scales, almost single-handedly breached the Qingtian Sect's stronghold. Qingtian Sect cultivators fiercely resisted but still lost over a hundred lives to it.

As a spirit beast of the same caliber as Ying Jiao, Little Ash was certainly no less formidable.

Furthermore, compared to Ying Jiao, Little Ash posed a greater threat to cultivators because it could naturally fly, making it incredibly agile.

After several swoops, its wind blades swept through, sending limbs and flesh flying, and painting the ground red with blood. The Myriad Demon Ridge's relatively tight defenses were torn open with several large gaps.

Just as the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators were in disarray, the Heavenly Alliance's allied army, led by Lu Ye and Jujia, arrived. Like a hot knife through butter, the Heavenly Alliance effortlessly sliced through and divided the Myriad Demon Ridge's front line.

Although the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators attempted to resist, their lines were already in chaos. How could they possibly hold out? Often, they had barely activated their spirit artifacts when several attacks descended upon them, causing them to collapse into pools of blood without even a whimper.

The great battle lasted only for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before the Myriad Demon Ridge's front line completely collapsed.

What followed was straightforward. The Heavenly Alliance's allied army split into two groups: one, numbering over a thousand, was led by Lu Ye, and the other, with over two thousand, was led by Luo Fu. Both pursued the fleeing Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators.

In this battle, the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators suffered over a thousand casualties, while the Heavenly Alliance lost fewer than two or three hundred.

When the news spread, the world was astonished.

The Divine Sea Realm Grand Cultivators from both sides repeatedly issued orders to their garrison envoys at the Wei River, instructing them absolutely not to make any rash moves.

Half of Lu Ye's great victory was due to Little Ash. The deterrent effect and lethality of such an overlord-level spirit beast against cultivators were truly terrifying.

The situation at the Wei River was different; if a real fight broke out there, no one would benefit.

A day later, the two allied armies, which had split earlier, reunited. Along the way, they swept through several abandoned strongholds of Myriad Demon Ridge factions and continued their advance.

On the large ship, Lu Ye sat cross-legged, bare-chested. A shocking array of new and old scars covered his body. Hua Ci sat beside him, gently channeling spiritual power from her palms to heal his fresh wounds.

Hua Ci sighed softly. When she first met Lu Ye, his body was already covered in such gruesome scars. So much time had passed, yet it was still the same.

"Why do you push yourself so hard?" Hua Ci murmured. "If you keep this up, one day I might truly have to burn joss paper for you."

She glanced at Yiyi, who was nearby. "And you, why don't you try to stop him?"

Yiyi stuck out her tongue.

How could she stop Lu Ye when he charged into battle to kill enemies?

All she could do was stay close to Lu Ye and block some of the incoming hidden attacks for him.

"How is the stronghold doing?" Lu Ye asked.

"Very well. They all clamored to come and help when they heard about your activities in the inner circle. Chen Yu was originally going to come this time too, but I stopped him."

"Chen Yu is at the Eighth Layer Realm now, isn't he?"

"He reached the Eighth Layer Realm two months ago. It's just that there are many trivial matters at the stronghold, so he hasn't left yet."

"Since you're here, won't there be no one left to manage the overall situation at the stronghold?"

"Before I left, I already transferred the position of Deputy Garrison Envoy to Gu Yang, and Second Senior Sister approved of this."

"Gu Yang... that's good. Compared to others, his temperament is quite steady. Second Senior Sister is never wrong about judging people."

As they were chatting casually, Lu Ye's battlefield imprint suddenly vibrated. He quickly checked it and found a message from the Sect Master.

"We're almost at our limit here. Do you have any demands? You can bring them up, and I'll try to negotiate for them on this side."

Seeing this message, Lu Ye knew that the Myriad Demon Ridge was getting desperate. After a brief ponder, he sent a message back.

At the same time, on Spirit Peak of Wolong Mountain, the atmosphere among the Divine Sea Realm Grand Cultivators from both sides had grown tense.

The old man from Myriad Demon Ridge said gravely, "Pang Zhen, you don't want a lose-lose situation, do you? It's true that Myriad Demon Ridge currently has no way to curb Lu Yiye's tactics and can only passively resist. But if he's allowed to continue like this, it might trigger a full-scale war on the Spirit Stream Battlefield."

At these words, the Divine Sea Realm cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance all grew considerably more serious.

A full-scale war on the Spirit Stream Battlefield—if that happened, it would mean all sects throughout the entire Nine Provinces would be swept into it.

One should not underestimate the Myriad Demon Ridge's resolve and determination. They had already suffered significant losses and were being pushed to their limits. If Lu Ye continued his actions, it was genuinely possible that a full-scale war on the Spirit Stream Battlefield would break out.

'Since I'm already suffering, then no one else should have an easy time.'

It was foreseeable that the Spirit Stream Battlefield would then become a river of blood, and no sect would be able to live in peace.

"Half a province..."

"Do not mention that again. You know Myriad Demon Ridge cannot agree to such a condition. Other conditions, however, can be discussed further."

The implied meaning was clearly that they could offer more compensation in terms of resources or other items.

The old man then looked at the Sect Master. "If your sect's young friend Yiye has any conditions, he can put them forward separately. Myriad Demon Ridge will prioritize them."

The origin of the current situation lay with Lu Ye. Although Myriad Demon Ridge was negotiating with the Heavenly Alliance, represented by Pang Zhen, they still had to consider the feelings of the Crimson Blood Sect and Lu Ye himself.

"Yiye indeed has his own demands," the Sect Master said, and everyone looked at him.

The Sect Master slightly lowered his gaze. "Three months ago, Yiye went to the Heavenly Evolution Sect's stronghold, where he was poisoned and ambushed, nearly dying on the spot..."

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it; bringing it up instantly angered the Divine Sea Realm cultivators of Myriad Demon Ridge.

At the time, the Crimson Blood Sect members made such a fuss that the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators all believed Lu Ye had been poisoned to death, and they rejoiced for quite some time. But what was the result? Two months later, that fellow reappeared lively and energetic on the Spirit Stream Battlefield. Not only did his array formation cultivation greatly increase, but he also assembled a Heavenly Alliance allied army, stirring up a great commotion and causing immense suffering for hundreds of Myriad Demon Ridge factions.

When they heard about Lu Ye's resurrection, the Myriad Demon Ridge was completely dumbfounded, truly unable to comprehend how he had survived. That poison targeted not only the physical body but also the soul, making survival impossible for any Spirit Stream Realm cultivator once afflicted.

Just as the Divine Sea Realm cultivators of Myriad Demon Ridge wore uncertain expressions, the Sect Master changed his tone. "Fortunately, he is blessed with great fortune and a long life. Though he was on the verge of death several times, he was at least saved."

As for how Lu Yiye managed to escape death, Myriad Demon Ridge still had no definitive explanation, as only a few knew the full details. However, contemplating it now was futile.

"But as for the one who poisoned him, he has always kept that in mind."

If Shui Yuan hadn't arrived in time that day, and if Lu Ye hadn't happened to possess a treasure like Soul Cleansing Water, Jujia and Zhao Li would both have died.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor. Lu Ye didn't know which Myriad Demon Ridge faction was responsible, but how could Myriad Demon Ridge not know?

This vendetta had to be avenged.

"So Yiye wants to know which faction was responsible."

The old man from Myriad Demon Ridge waited for more, but there was nothing. He frowned and asked, "That's it?"

The Sect Master replied, "What else could there be?"

The old man pondered for a moment, then named a sect.

"Swear a Heavenly Secret Oath!"

The old man's face darkened. "Brother Tang, you and I have dealt with each other for so many years..."

The Sect Master bluntly replied, "It's precisely because we've dealt with each other for so many years that I know your character. If you just casually name a Sixth-Rank sect, how would I know if it's true or false? If it's the truth, what's the harm in swearing a Heavenly Secret Oath?"

The old man remained silent.

"Oh, look! Another Myriad Demon Ridge stronghold has been captured," the Sect Master suddenly gloated.

"Golden Cloud Tower!" The old man named another sect. "As far as I know, the Golden Cloud Tower was the mastermind behind this incident."

The Sect Master immediately cursed loudly, "I knew those bastards were scheming in the dark! We should have annihilated their sect back then!"

This time, he didn't ask the old man to swear a Heavenly Secret Oath again, because he could sense that the old man wasn't deceiving him.

He sent a message to Lu Ye, informing him of the matter.

Amidst the ruins of a captured stronghold, Lu Ye checked the message from the Sect Master.

Golden Cloud Tower, Lu Ye mused.

He had heard of this faction's name before.

On Golden Light Peak, his Eldest Senior Sister Wei Yang, who had come to rescue him, had specifically mentioned three sects: the Sacred Fire Sect, the Golden Cloud Tower, and the Hundred Refinement Valley.

These three factions were originally considered first-tier sects, either First or Second Rank. However, they had been heavily defeated by the Crimson Blood Sect, their Divine Sea Realm cultivators slaughtered, and had not yet recovered their vitality. Currently, they were only at the Fourth or Fifth Rank.

Lu Ye was not unfamiliar with the Sacred Fire Sect; his final opponent on Golden Light Peak was a Sacred Fire Sect saintess. That woman had crippled her own spiritual aperture just to fight him, only to be killed by him.

The Sacred Fire Sect's stronghold had already been breached. Lu Ye had a deep impression of these spell cultivators, whose minds seemed to have been burned out by their own sacred fire. Thus, when he led the first allied army on campaigns, he had specifically advanced in the direction of the Sacred Fire Sect's strongholds. It wasn't exactly targeting them, but rather acting with the flow of events.

Lu Ye had no contact with the Hundred Refinement Valley. He checked his map and saw that it was very far from his current location.

Then he looked at the location of Golden Cloud Tower...

It didn't seem too far. At the pace of his allied army's advance, they could reach the Golden Cloud Tower's stronghold in less than three days. He raised a hand and tapped his battlefield imprint.