Chapter 944: Leaving You No Choice

Liu Yuemei never imagined that a mere True Lake Realm Layer Three cultivator could possess such profound capabilities; it was truly beyond her comprehension. She had launched her three previous attacks with the sole intention of severely wounding Lu Ye, each one more fierce than the last. Yet, even after three spell attacks, this "Li Taibai" still retained his ability to move, and even had enough strength to resist her. Qin Shu had died by similar means.

She had heard that Li Taibai, who killed Qin Shu, was a sword cultivator capable of controlling sword energy to defeat enemies. This individual was cunning; in six battles against Hao Tian Alliance soldiers, he never used his full strength in the first five, not even harming or killing his opponents. Only in the final battle did he suddenly strike with lethal force. Qin Shu's death was partly due to his underestimation of the enemy, but it was also a result of Li Taibai's meticulous planning. Liu Yuemei utterly despised Li Taibai! She had come on this trip specifically to capture him and bring him before Qin Shu's grave, offering his life as a sacrifice and solace. She had expected an easy capture, but unexpected complications arose. The fact that her current methods were being resisted by a True Lake Realm cultivator only infuriated her further.

Just as she was about to make a decisive move to apprehend Lu Ye, a shout echoed from afar: "Fellow Daoist Liu, finish this quickly!" It was another Divine Sea Realm cultivator from Jinglan Lake Pass calling out. Although they had unexpectedly breached Jinglan Lake Pass's protective array using twenty thousand explosive fire spirit stones and the power of the Thunder-Shattering Spear, they had suffered significant casualties. In the current direct confrontation, the Hao Tian Alliance cultivators were not gaining a significant advantage. Furthermore, this was Wanmoling's territory, and Wanmoling must have already called for reinforcements. For the Hao Tian Alliance, a prolonged battle was disadvantageous.

He and Liu Yuemei had previously agreed that he and another invited Divine Sea Realm cultivator would hold off Lin Yue and Zhang Kun, while Liu Yuemei would swiftly enter the pass to kill Li Taibai and other Wanmoling soldiers, aiming to cripple the Darkmoon Forest Pass's defenders in this battle. Afterward, they would be able to retreat safely. However, it now appeared that Liu Yuemei had not honored their agreement; this woman was clearly attempting to capture Li Taibai alive, otherwise, she would not have been delayed for so long. The current situation was not favorable for the Hao Tian Alliance. If Liu Yuemei continued to be delayed, the Hao Tian Alliance forces would likely pay a huge price to withdraw. Left with no choice, he could only shout from a distance.

Although Liu Yuemei was somewhat blinded by hatred, she was still a Divine Sea Realm cultivator at heart. How could she not be aware of the changing battle situation? She had initially intended to capture Li Taibai alive, but seeing his methods, she realized she could no longer afford to delay. "You cannot be allowed to live!" Liu Yuemei roared, her intent to kill solidified.

A mere True Lake Realm Layer Three cultivator with such capabilities — if this child were to grow stronger, what then? In recent years, the Hao Tian Alliance had produced Lu Yiye of the Jadeblood Sect, a brilliant talent who had thoroughly disrupted the major sects of Wanmoling in both the Spirit Stream Battlefield and the Cloud River Battlefield, leaving even the top sects helpless against him. Due to some specific reasons, Liu Yuemei had also paid close attention to Lu Ye. However, from what she observed, this Li Taibai was no less impressive than Lu Yiye, perhaps even stronger. One could say that the Li Taibai before her was Wanmoling's version of Lu Yiye! Wanmoling had no effective way to deal with the real Lu Yiye, but at this moment, she had Li Taibai's life in her hands, compounded by a personal vendetta. This was a heaven-sent opportunity, and she naturally intended to eradicate him completely.

As she roared, her spiritual power surged, and simultaneously, a profound force undulated forth, charging directly towards Lu Ye. She had clearly activated a divine sense attack. Her cultivation was far stronger than Ning Hu's, whom Lu Ye had encountered previously at Mount Xianxia; she was at Divine Sea Realm Layer Seven. Ning Hu was considered a novice in the Divine Sea Realm, and Mount Xianxia, a fourth-grade sect, had weak foundations. Therefore, his application of divine sense attacks was very basic, merely activating his divine sense and projecting it. Liu Yuemei, however, was different. Hailing from the first-grade Tianyuan Sect, and with a cultivation level five layers higher than Ning Hu's, her use of divine sense was undoubtedly far more refined.

As her divine sense activated, Lu Ye instinctively felt a great catastrophe approaching. In a trance, he vaguely perceived a sharp attack cleaving from nothingness, instantly entering his mind. He immediately knew what was happening to him, as he had experienced this before. It was "once strange, twice familiar, thrice second nature." For a moment, he was torn between laughter and tears. Other True Lake Realm cultivators rarely encountered such unfortunate targeting by Divine Sea Realm cultivators, but he had already faced it three times since leaving the Cloud River Battlefield.

The first time wasn't direct targeting; he was caught in the residual aftermath of Wanzhang Gang's divine sense attack on Nianyue Xian. Even so, it rendered him unconscious, though he later gained a blessing in disguise by forming his own Divine Pool. The second time was Ning Hu from Mount Xianxia. This was the third time! Lu Ye was incredibly grateful for his foresight in spending a huge sum to protect his Divine Pool and for receiving the Twin Dragons Guarding the Sea technique from the two golden and silver flood dragons. Otherwise, he would have likely met a grim end back at Mount Xianxia.

The golden lock hanging on his chest flashed with light, and simultaneously, a dragon's roar echoed in his mind, indicating that two layers of protective measures had been activated. The golden lock's protection was barely effective, and the Twin Dragons Guarding the Sea failed to completely safeguard Lu Ye this time. The attack cleaving from nothingness actually breached the Twin Dragons' protection and directly struck his Divine Pool! It wasn't that the Twin Dragons Guarding the Sea was too weak; it was merely a protective measure left by two flood dragons near Lu Ye's Divine Pool. With Liu Yuemei's murderous intent fully unleashed, the Twin Dragons naturally couldn't defend against everything.

Liu Yuemei's divine sense attack was greatly weakened and then struck inside his Divine Pool. Yet, no ripples appeared... The Soul Suppressing Pagoda, redeemed from the Merit Hall, proved itself to be an excellent soul artifact. With this pagoda guarding his Divine Pool, there was no fear of his Divine Pool suffering a devastating blow. If it were any other True Lake Realm cultivator, even a Layer Nine one, they would likely have died instantly from such an attack. Lu Ye merely felt a slight pang in the depths of his mind, then remained unharmed.

However, he let out an exaggerated scream, and his spiritual power instantly became extremely dissipated, as if he had suffered a fatal blow. The dissipation of spiritual power resulted in the defensive barrier, composed of numerous sword energies, suddenly loosening and losing its ability to resist. "Die!" Liu Yuemei shrieked. The large spiritual energy hand pressed down, engulfing Lu Ye's figure. Dust flew up. Liu Yuemei swept her sleeve, clearing the obscuring dust, and looked down. Below, Lu Ye lay flat on the ground, a pool of crimson blood beneath him. His entire body looked like shattered porcelain, exposed skin covered in cracks, from which blood flowed continuously. He lay motionless, his aura weak. The spiritual power fluctuations emanating from him were clearly only at the Spirit Stream Realm level.

Liu Yuemei glared at Lu Ye with hatred, gritting her teeth: "You got off easy!" She had intended to capture him alive and bring him back, but now she was forced to deliver a fatal blow. A wave of suppressed anger was truly difficult to release. Ignoring Lu Ye's fate, she was confident that even if Lu Ye didn't die instantly from her previous attacks, he wouldn't survive for more than an incense stick's time. Leaving him to linger and experience the despair of impending death was more to her satisfaction.

She then turned and charged towards the densely populated areas of Wanmoling's forces. As an unconstrained Divine Sea Realm Layer Seven cultivator, her rampage was unstoppable. For a time, Wanmoling suffered heavy casualties, a sight that made Lin Yue and Zhang Kun's eyes nearly pop out, yet they were helpless. After a brutal slaughter that vented her inner malice, Liu Yuemei finally let out a low command: "Retreat!" The Hao Tian Alliance cultivators, who had been fighting the Wanmoling forces throughout Darkmoon Forest Pass, received the order. They fought as they retreated, in an orderly fashion, demonstrating excellent military discipline. Even if Wanmoling intended to pursue, they were intimidated by Liu Yuemei's power and dared not advance rashly.

Shortly after, just as the Hao Tian Alliance had arrived in full force, they departed in full force, taking all the bodies of their fallen cultivators with them. Although Lin Yue and Zhang Kun were enraged, they could only watch helplessly as Jinglan Lake Pass's forces retreated, both feeling a suffocating sense of frustration. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed in the sky, suddenly unleashing a torrential downpour. Darkmoon Forest Pass was left in utter disarray.

Amidst the ruins, large raindrops fell. Lu Ye, lying on the ground, slowly opened his eyes. With difficulty, he reached out and placed the Golden Body Token, which he had been clutching in his hand and hiding in his sleeve, into his storage space. If Liu Yuemei had insisted on killing him completely just now, he would have had to use the Golden Body Token for protection, otherwise, he would surely have died. Fortunately, Liu Yuemei believed he wouldn't live much longer and paid him no further attention. Of course, the primary reason was the pressing time; she knew she couldn't delay too long, otherwise, if the Divine Sea Realm reinforcements from Wanmoling arrived, not only would her own situation be perilous, but many Hao Tian Alliance soldiers would also suffer heavy casualties. Capturing him alive had turned into a killing, which was not what Liu Yuemei desired, but at least it counted as avenging the deceased Qin Shu.

"Liu..." Lu Ye's gaze was calm. He didn't know Liu Yuemei's full name, only that her surname was Liu, judging from the other Divine Sea Realm cultivator's shout earlier. Recalling the battle just now, it had been extremely perilous. It was only thanks to a flash of inspiration in his mind at a critical moment that he escaped the great danger. The instant his opponent used a divine sense attack, Lu Ye had only two choices: go with the flow, or counterattack against the current. Going with the flow led to the current outcome. Counterattacking against the current would only invite a fiercer assault, and the Golden Body Token would certainly not have been preserved then. So, Lu Ye made a decisive decision and feigned being severely affected by the divine sense attack, even allowing his spiritual power to become chaotic. He perfectly mimicked how a normal True Lake Realm cultivator would appear when attacked by such means, as he had genuinely experienced similar encounters before and was familiar with how to disguise himself. As for the Spirit Stream Realm spiritual power fluctuations emanating from his body, that was naturally the effect of "mimicking power."

Seeing his weak spiritual power fluctuations, his miserable appearance, and knowing he had directly taken a divine sense attack from her, Liu Yuemei naturally assumed he wouldn't live much longer. Unbeknownst to her, all of it was merely a disguise. He didn't harbor much resentment; he had no standing to resent anything. After all, he was a member of the Hao Tian Alliance, and he had killed Qin Shu, so it was only natural for the other party to seek revenge for Qin Shu. If he were truly a Wanmoling member, then hating Liu Yuemei would be perfectly justified. However... to wage such a large-scale war merely to avenge a personal grudge, even causing many Hao Tian Alliance soldiers to die here, that was greatly inappropriate! For Jinglan Lake Pass to have such a Divine Sea Realm cultivator in charge was truly a tragedy for the many soldiers there!