Chapter 840: Bloody Hall's Scheme

Faster, even faster!

In the pitch-black night, Ye Chen's entire body seemed to burn like fire, radiating golden divine light that traced a brilliant arc through the darkness, reaching the peak speed he had achieved since starting his cultivation path.

Though he wasn't yet ready to accept the Haotian Shijia, he couldn't bear to see them destroyed by the Shixue Dian because of him.

This time, he was truly afraid.

Having experienced countless battles, he knew all too well what the Haotian Shijia was about to face.

The Shixue Dian's full army was comparable to the three armies of Zhengyang Zong. With such a massive force, breaking through the Haotian Shijia's mountain-protecting barrier would take at most three hours, and wiping out the Haotian Shijia would take no more than one hour.

He also realized that with such sudden changes, Tianting and its forces in Bei Chu wouldn't have time to send reinforcements.

"Shengzhu!"

As Ye Chen hurried along, he suddenly heard a call from behind.

Before the words fully registered, a ghostly figure appeared at his side. Upon closer inspection, it was the old man in plain clothes.

Ye Chen instinctively looked him up and down. "How did you get here so quickly?"

"I understand now. The Shixue Dian's cultivator army is heading for the Haotian Shijia," the old man in plain clothes said earnestly. "No wonder you're in such a rush, Shengzhu."

"It's impressive that you've figured it out."

"Shengzhu, there's no need to worry." The old man in plain clothes coughed awkwardly and continued, "Beizhen Cangyuan isn't a place where the Shixue Dian's single army can run wild. It's a three-way balance there, with the Haotian Shijia, but also the Yuan Jia and Yinyang Jia. They're united against outsiders."

"That's the most troublesome part." Ye Chen took a deep breath. "The three families are balanced through Chan Yuan Gu Cheng. On the surface, they're united against outsiders, but the Yuan Jia and Yinyang Jia have their own hidden agendas and have always wanted to absorb the Haotian Shijia. Now that the Shixue Dian's army is attacking, those two won't provide aid—they'd be doing well just not to add to the trouble."

"That can't be right!" The old man in plain clothes scratched his head. "It's a case of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold.' Surely the Yuan Jia and Yinyang Jia understand that? If the Haotian Shijia is destroyed, it won't be long before they follow suit."

"Do you think the Shixue Dian is really mobilizing such a large force just to avenge Cang Ming?"

"Isn't it?"

"You're overestimating Cang Ming." Ye Chen sneered. "He's just a minor elder in the Shixue Dian. Would they risk deploying an entire army for his death? Claiming revenge for him is a pretense; their real goal is to use this as a legitimate excuse to invade Beizhen Cangyuan."

"I don't get it." The old man in plain clothes scratched his head again. "Aren't they going after the Haotian Shijia?"

"They are going after the Haotian Shijia, but their true target is Beizhen Cangyuan."

"This is getting more confusing."

"Then tell me, is our Tianting stronger, or is the Shixue Dian?"

"Of course, it's our Tianting!" The old man in plain clothes answered without hesitation, full of pride. "Tianting is absolutely the top force in Da Chu right now."

"That's exactly it. Because we're strong, the Shixue Dian feels a major threat. They know that one day, Tianting will attack Bei Chu, so they're eager to boost their power in the shortest time possible: eliminating all forces that oppose them and allying with those that submit."

"I see." The old man in plain clothes suddenly realized. "So the Shixue Dian is clearing the field in advance!"

"You can put it that way," Ye Chen said. "Beizhen Cangyuan is in the north, Tianting in the south, and the Shixue Dian in the center. To avoid being attacked from both sides, Beizhen Cangyuan is their first priority. And killing Cang Ming gives them the perfect reason to invade."

"So, if things go as expected tonight, the Haotian Shijia will be destroyed, the Yuan Jia and Yinyang Jia will submit to the Shixue Dian, and all the other smaller forces in Beizhen Cangyuan will be absorbed by the Shixue Dian overnight. Damn, what a massive game they're playing!"

"In the end, the Da Chu landscape is basically a contest between Tianting in Nan Chu and the Shixue Dian in Bei Chu. Their move tonight kills three birds with one stone—it's forcing Beizhen Cangyuan to take sides early!"

"Is there any chance that Beizhen Cangyuan could band together to resist the Shixue Dian?"

"The possibility is almost zero." Ye Chen took a deep breath. "The Shixue Dian is far stronger than we imagined. If they really want to flatten Beizhen Cangyuan, they could do it in a single day. Those who follow will prosper, those who resist will perish. Under the Shixue Dian's overwhelming power, Beizhen Cangyuan has no choice but to bow in submission."

"This is really tricky. I'll go get reinforcements right away."

"It's too late." Ye Chen clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. "Nan Chu and Beizhen Cangyuan are over eight million li apart. By the time Tianting's army arrives, the Haotian Shijia will already be reduced to ruins. Even if the Haotian Shijia could hold out that long, Tianting's army might not even reach Beizhen Cangyuan."

"How is that possible?" The old man in plain clothes said hastily. "With Tianting's current strength, is there any force in Da Chu that could stop us?"

"You think Bei Chu is just any place? It's a complex web of powers with depths far beyond Nan Chu. Over eighty percent of them are friendly with the Shixue Dian. Launching a campaign across eight million li without any bases is a major taboo in warfare. If Tianting's army gets surrounded in Bei Chu, there's a constant risk of total annihilation."

"No reinforcements... this is a dead end!"

"Aren't we still here?" Ye Chen said calmly.

"Shengzhu, you're not thinking of taking on a war with just the two of us, are you?" The old man in plain clothes looked at Ye Chen with an expression full of surprise.

"This game isn't over yet." Ye Chen took a deep breath. "As long as we reach the Haotian Shijia before the Shixue Dian, we can turn this dead end into a way out."

"But even if we get there first, we still won't be able to hold the Haotian Shijia!" The old man in plain clothes glanced at Ye Chen. "That's the Shixue Dian's full army. The Haotian Shijia's mountain-protecting barrier will last at most three hours, and we have no reinforcements."

"Who said I plan to defend the Haotian Shijia?" Ye Chen said lightly. "Since there are no reinforcements, our job is to help the Haotian Shijia evacuate before the Shixue Dian's army arrives."

"I think defending is more reliable." The old man in plain clothes scratched his head. "In three hours, Tianting's main army might not make it, but our forces in Bei Chu could—about sixty percent of them might arrive. Combined with the Haotian Shijia, we might still have a fighting chance."

"Bei Chu isn't our territory. Even Tianting's army could face total destruction there, let alone our forces in Bei Chu, which are less than a full army."

"So where do you plan to lead the Haotian Shijia in retreat? It's not just a couple of people—they could be discovered at any time and surrounded without a mountain-protecting barrier."

"That's why we need to race against time." Ye Chen pondered for a moment. "We need enough time for the Haotian Shijia to evacuate safely. Once they're out, I have an eighty percent confidence in getting them back to Nan Chu."

"Shengzhu, just tell me what to do."

"Notify the Bei Chu Yanhuang and have them take a detour through Xi Ling to the mortal world and rendezvous with the Haotian Shijia at Xi Yuan Guo."

"Hold on, a detour through the mortal world?" The old man in plain clothes stared at Ye Chen in astonishment. "Shengzhu, you're planning to lead the Haotian Shijia through the mortal world to escape?"

"Is that so surprising?" Ye Chen smiled slightly.

"Of course it is!" The old man in plain clothes exclaimed in admiration. "I never would have thought of that. I bet the Shixue Dian won't expect the Haotian Shijia to take that route either."

"Go ahead and do it!" Ye Chen said immediately. "Also, pass on the orders: stick to the original plan, keep causing disruptions, make as much noise as possible, but avoid direct clashes with their cultivator army."

"Understood." The old man in plain clothes quickly set off, vanishing in a flash so fast that it left Ye Chen stunned.

"Tianting really has so many talents!" Ye Chen sighed, then continued on his way, heading straight for Beizhen Cangyuan.