Chapter 90: Escape

Putting Lu Ye's suffering aside, Dong Shuye was genuinely surprised to see that a single spell of his hadn't killed Lu Ye. Only then did he realize Luo Ji's words were true. This disciple, whose origin from a top sect was unknown, could actually fight using spirit patterns. He personally saw a shield-like spirit pattern constantly flashing on the opponent's body, blocking several fireballs. No wonder even someone like Luo Ji returned defeated. When Luo Ji returned yesterday, Dong Shuye inquired about the battle report and learned that he had lost, thinking he hadn't tried his best. Now it seemed he had wronged him.

However, he was not Luo Ji after all. While Luo Ji had a better background and cultivated Heavenly-level techniques, his cultivation level was a major weakness. As a respectable Seventh-level cultivator, the methods he possessed naturally went far beyond that.

Spirit energy surged, and before him appeared a fireball the size of a washbasin. It blasted towards Lu Ye almost as soon as it appeared, moving incredibly fast!

“Let’s see how you block this!”

Watching the fireball descend, Lu Ye's scalp tingled. Although the previous fireballs were numerous, they were only fist-sized, and he could barely block those. How could he block this washbasin-sized fireball?

“Amber!” Lu Ye roared.

Amber's speed increased further, and it suddenly darted forward.

The massive fireball dropped from the air, blasting past, almost grazing Amber's rear. Lu Ye's face smarted from the scorching heat; even with spirit energy protecting his body, it was useless. He even smelled burning hair... He secretly felt fortunate that this thing, though seemingly large, was slower than the smaller fireballs from before. Otherwise, Amber really wouldn't have been able to dodge it.

However, the next moment, his expression changed. This was because the massive fireball didn't hit the ground; instead, it suddenly changed direction and chased directly after them. This thing could turn!

Mid-air, Dong Shuye glided, one hand behind his back, the other forming a spell. He floated gracefully, like an immortal. However, spirit energy surged wildly around him, as if a god of death had possessed him, radiating intense killing intent.

The massive fireball's speed increased rapidly. Seeing it about to strike, Lu Ye knew that if he didn't come up with a countermeasure soon, he and Amber would perish here in the next moment.

He took a deep breath, sheathed his long saber, and held his hands flat in front of him. As spirit energy surged, a Guardian Spirit Pattern immediately appeared before him. This was clearly not enough. The Guardian Spirit Pattern could barely block the smaller fireballs from before, let alone such a large fireball. However, as Lu Ye frantically poured in spirit energy, the palm-sized Guardian Spirit Pattern suddenly expanded, becoming desk-sized in a very short time.

On the spirit pattern, intricate and complex lines flowed and writhed as light burst forth. At that instant, Lu Ye felt his body being emptied. Although he had no time to check, this single spirit pattern definitely consumed at least thirty percent of his spirit energy. In other words, he could at most activate three such spirit patterns before exhausting all his spirit energy.

He had never activated a spirit pattern like this before. Previously, whether activating the Sharpness or Guardian patterns, it was always an instantaneous process. However, spirit patterns shared a common characteristic: as long as there was enough spirit energy to sustain them, they would persist. The reason Gathering Spirit Patterns could theoretically be maintained indefinitely was because they inherently possessed the ability to gather spirit energy from heaven and earth, and this gathered energy could then sustain their existence.

The massive fireball struck the Guardian Spirit Pattern. An overwhelming force transferred upon impact, pressing Amber's body down until it nearly knelt to the ground. Lu Ye's arms bulged with muscle, as if he were holding up something extremely heavy. Scorching heat assailed his face. From the fireball, tongues of flame flickered, and the Guardian Spirit Pattern's glow rapidly dimmed. Even with Lu Ye continuously pouring in spirit energy, it couldn't hold on for more than a few breaths.

But what gave Lu Ye a little relief was that he had blocked the attack... He was about to tilt the Guardian Spirit Pattern to push the fireball away. However, before he could make any move, Dong Shuye, not far away, coldly snorted, “Foolish!” and changed his hand seal.

With a loud boom, flames swept in all directions. A vast expanse of space became distorted, and the surrounding trees burned fiercely.

“Dead?” Dong Shuye descended and coldly observed. Under normal circumstances, a Spirit Stream Realm third-level cultivator would never be able to block one of his spells. However, the target he intended to kill this time was clearly not an ordinary third-level cultivator. This fellow was a disciple from a top-tier power; his mastery of spirit patterns alone was astonishing.

Rustling sounds came from the forest, quickly fading into the distance.

“Still not dead?” Dong Shuye's eye twitched, and his killing intent burned even hotter. Just as he was about to continue the pursuit, a message suddenly came through his battlefield imprint. He initially intended to ignore it, but then he remembered Lu Ye's previous words, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly checked it. It was a message from Cao Ye, simple and direct, yet it made his heart sink to rock bottom!

“Wang Yang is leading six hundred cultivators from the Profound Sect to attack our outpost! Senior Brother, return quickly!”

If he hadn't caught Lu Ye, Dong Shuye would undoubtedly have rushed back immediately upon seeing this message. But now Lu Ye was right before his eyes; how could he be willing to give up at this moment? Thus, after a brief moment of deliberation, he sent a message back.

At the Nine-Star Sect outpost, the protective formation was fully activated. Cultivators were stationed at all key locations, ready for battle. The Profound Sect had suddenly mobilized all its forces to attack, which was something no Nine-Star Sect disciple had expected. After all, they had just fought a declared war that ended with the Nine-Star Sect's defeat. Cao Ye couldn't quite understand what Wang Yang was trying to do.

But the matter had already occurred. As the cultivator with the highest cultivation level stationed at the outpost, Cao Ye unhesitatingly began to direct the cultivators within the outpost to participate in the defense. However, he couldn't do it alone, so he immediately sent a message to Dong Shuye. Dong Shuye's reply, however, made him feel helpless; it contained only three simple words: “Hold on!” At this moment, what else could they do but hold on?

The protective grand formation was fully operational. Large quantities of spirit stones were burning, transforming into defensive power that kept the Profound Sect cultivators outside the outpost. Conservatively, it could withstand the Profound Sect's attacks for a day or two without issue. Therefore, although the Nine-Star Sect was under siege, the cultivators within the outpost, aside from feeling some tension, were not overly flustered.

“That damned Wang Yang!” Cao Ye cursed inwardly. He truly didn't know what kind of madness had seized this fellow. Just then, a disciple suddenly rushed over in a panic to report something. Cao Ye was greatly startled and quickly stepped out of the main hall. He immediately saw a figure who was holding the hand of a purple-robed woman and hurrying towards them.

“Luo Ji!” Cao Ye roared. He leaped up on the spot and landed heavily in front of the figure. Looking at him, then at the purple-robed woman he held behind him, he demanded, “What are you doing?”

Luo Ji frowned and said, “I'm leaving.”

“Leaving?” Cao Ye was puzzled. “Where are you going at a time like this?”

“To leave this place, of course. Otherwise, are we just waiting to die?” Luo Ji said, with an expression like he was looking at an idiot.

Cao Ye frowned, unable to figure out what Luo Ji meant. Blocking him, he said, “You can leave, but why are you taking Ziyi?”

Luo Ji replied, “From now on, Ziyi is no longer a disciple of your Nine-Star Sect.”