Translator: TheBrokenPen
Editor: Dhael Ligerkeys
“Many amongst the Thousand Demon Ridge sects and orders have been waiting for this day with bated breath. The day when the Crimson Blood Sect would become nothing but a footnote in history. That was when word came out about your existence. The Crimson Blood Sect acolyte who appeared out of nowhere just months ago and the one who would see their deepest wish become nothing more than wishful thinking! Your very survival, Lu Ye, spells the continuity of Crimson Blood Sect!” said Lan Yudie quietly.
“Everyone thought you were dead back then during the ambush on you and your mentor, until word came a few days ago that you still lived, larger than life, here inside the Battlefield. That prompted many Thousand Demon Ridge sects and orders to act. They needed to kill you for once you’re dead, the Crimson Blood Sect shall have to cease!”
Lu Ye listened quietly, still trying to digest what he had just been told.
He did not know that his survival was linked to the Crimson Blood Sect’s!
[Thirty years without a new acolyte?] Lu Ye recalled himself asking Tang Yi Feng about the other members of the order and how his mentor had looked reluctant to discuss further. At first, Lu Ye thought that the sect did not have many members. But right now, things seemed more dire than he expected.
It was not that the Sect had few members. It was on the verge of going defunct.
That would explain the waves and waves of Thousand Demon Ridge kill squads that he had been encountering. They were hunting him. That was why they looked so happy when they saw him.
“The Thousand Demon Ridge forces are riding in full force as we speak. At the same time, the Grand Sky Coalition is heading out to meet them. One side wishes to see you dead while the other wants to see you live. Right now, that is the story so far: the Spirit Creek Battlefield engulfed by total chaos where victory between both sides is determined by whether you’ll survive reaching the Crimson Blood Sect outpost.”
“Our order once enjoyed the kindness of one of your Crimson Blood Sect forebears. Hence here we are to protect you at our mentors’ bidding. We were worried that you might be suspicious of us, that was why we did not reveal ourselves the moment we met. Besides, it was also to prevent being ambushed by the Thousand Demon Ridge forces. Staying in the dark gives us more advantages. Sister Lan is strong enough to stay with you.”
“That is what we know for the moment. Do you have any questions you wish to ask?”
Qi Xin finished his lengthy explanation and looked at Lu Ye.
Of course, Lu Ye had questions. In fact, he had a lot to ask. For starters, he was worried if his mentor was injured from the fight that separated them. Then he wanted to know why. Why were all Thousand Demon Ridge sects and orders so intent on seeing the Crimson Blood Sect buried, although the real truth of this particular matter might only be privy to a select few?
Lu Ye paused. “Does that mean that more powerful people would come hunting for me?” he asked.
“Naturally. People from the inner areas or even the centermost region of the Battlefield would be here. They would be flying here, but that would still take time. At the moment, the ones we’re handling aren’t too dangerous; low-tiered Cultivators from nearby. But more will come, and you can bet your hide that they will be more powerful and more dangerous. But not all is lost; help is coming from our allies in the Coalition as well. At the very least, I know that person is coming. So long as we can delay everything until that person’s arrival, you’ll survive just yet.”
“Wait. Who’s that person?” Lu Ye interjected.
Lan Yudie shook her head. “You’ll know. That person doesn’t have a good temper and the last thing we want is to be caught gossiping behind that person’s back,” she said.
[Well, whoever this is, he or she must be somehow related to the Sect, and he or she must be immensely powerful too,] mused Lu Ye quietly. .𝒎
“I guess that is all for now,” he said.
“Let’s draw up a plan then,” said Lan Yudie. Her gaze fell on Amber, who had been curling up behind Lu Ye. “You now have two choices. First, you come with us—alone. The whole world now knows that you’re riding a white tiger. The moment the enemy sees him, they’ll know it’s you. This tiger of yours is like a beacon to them.”
“I’ll go for the second.”
Lu Ye knew full well that separating from Amber would mean the tiger’s death since Amber was now what the enemies were actively searching for.
“Hmph,” Lan Yudie snorted, “So be it then. The tiger comes with us. At least you can depend on him for speed if we get spotted.”
She rose to her feet gradually, her powers having fully restored. Solemnly, she regarded her squad. “We stick to the original plan. I’ll stay with Lu Ye in close detail while we do our best to keep out of sight. In the meantime, I leave the rest to you all.”
All six of her squad responded in unison, “Yes, Sister Lan!”
“Very well. Let’s move out.”
There was no reason to dawdle. They had established contact with Lu Ye and a plan was ready. Staying here would only bring about more unnecessary variables.
That improved Lu Ye’s mood not one bit at all. He could never believe that a lowly Fifth-Order Cultivator like him could set off such a powder keg that hurled the whole Battlefield into total war. Was that reason to be proud of or should he be worried, he really didn’t know.
He stood before the squad whose members had willingly come and done their best to protect him and bowed deeply. “Thank you, everyone.”
He couldn’t be certain if Lan Yudie and the others were lying to him—at least not yet. But the probability of that occurring was very, very low.
There was no reason for him to decline their help. He was curious enough to see if things really were as dire as they described. If it were true, then he would need all the help he could get. No Fifth-Order Cultivator could possibly escape such a deadlock. If there was anything that he could rely on, then that would be the favor that the Grand Sky Coalition owed the Crimson Blood Sect.
“Heh,” Lan Yudie chuckled. “That’s more like it. But if you really wish to repay us for our help, then live. We don’t know what happened between our forebears and yours, but live. Live or our mission is nothing but a stupid failure!”
As she spoke, she tapped and swiped across her Battlefield Imprint. A speck of bluish light flew up from her arm. Lu Ye held up his arm and showed his Imprint. The blueish light landed on the back of his hand and vanished.
Lu Ye now has another mark. The mark of another contact.
At the same time, a message was coming from another mark on his Imprint. It was Xie Jin of Green Feather Mountain.
[“We’ve heard some news, Brother Yi Ye. We don’t know if that’s about you, but if it is, be careful. The Thousand Demon Ridge are hunting for you.”]
Lu Ye thought for one beat and sent a reply, “Thank you for that.”
That even Xie Jin knew about what was going on really indicated how serious things had become. The whole Battlefield must be in utter pandemonium by now.
The rest of the Mount Aurora Cultivators were gone. Qi Xin had led them away.
Only Lan Yudie was there with him.
They waited in silence before an hour passed. Finally, Lan Yudie gave the signal to leave the cave, “It’s time.”
She vaulted herself up on Amber’s back, leaving Lu Ye staring at her incredulously.
“What are you waiting for? Get up now! Or are you thinking that I’ll be on foot while you’re riding comfortably on the back of your tiger?” Lan Yudie scowled at him.
Lu Ye flipped himself up without protest, but he rode behind her.
Amber bounded out of the cave. At Lan Yudie’s direction, the white tiger glided swiftly over fern and field. Having overheard Lu Ye’s conversation with the Mount Aurora Cultivators, the perceptive and intelligent animal knew how dangerous the situation was and he did his best to prevent causing unnecessary noises.
“Damn! Your Spirit Beast’s a fine animal! He’s so fast!” cried Lan Yudie over the winds screaming by their ears. That was to dispel the awkwardness between them. Having Lu Ye riding just behind her, in close physical contact with him was making her nervous. But there was little choice to be made since she needed to be close to keep him safe.
Despite her straightforward and boisterous demeanor, Lan Yudie had never been so close with any man before and the harmonic rocking motion was causing them to bump into each other in rhythmic cadence. That was enough to cause goosebumps to erupt all over the smooth surface of her back.
Four hours passed by uneventfully until they sensed violent pulses of energy signatures coming from not far away. A fight must be going on in that direction.
But Lan Yudie immediately directed Amber into another bearing, avoiding coming anywhere close to the fight at all. Keeping Lu Ye concealed took precedence and any battles were left to Qi Xin and the others.
In the meantime, a hawk was circling over Amber all the time, maintaining a clear bird’s eye view of Lu Ye’s movements.
Forward, forward, and forward they kept pressing on. But Lan Yudie would stop to let Amber and Lu Ye rest every four to six hours.
Lu Ye and she might have not needed the break, but Amber certainly needed it and so did Qi Xin and the others, who had been covertly trying to remove whatever threats before they could come near Lu Ye.
The journey went on for another day, until Lan Yudie asked suddenly, “Do you think you’ll be able to hold yourself against a Sixth-Order enemy, Brother Lu Ye?”
“Yes,” grunted Lu Ye from behind.
“Very well,” she nodded. In her last fight against him, she noticed that Lu Ye possessed strength and prowess far beyond ordinary Fifth-Orders. She might have not been fighting at her best yet, but no ordinary Fifth Order could easily take several blows from her and still deliver some of his own. “Then show me what you’re capable of then,” she cried from the front, “You’ll encounter a woman in red. Hold her off until I come back. But don’t be soft on her!”
“Is she pretty?”
“Well, I don’t know about that. But she has a great physique, that’s for sure. Is that you going soft already?!” Lan Yudie’s lithe face sank.
She almost wanted to steer Amber off in another direction.
But Qi Xin and the others could find themselves pinned down. Right now, they were already engaging another squad of Thousand Demon Ridge Cultivators.
At any rate, it was too late for a change of direction. Amber was just too fast and they could almost see enemies waiting up ahead.
Lan Yudie clambered up into a crouching position on Amber’s back. With both her daggers drawn and grasped in both hands, her limber and petite frame arched and ready to pounce like a lioness on the hunt.
Far ahead, the enemies had caught sight of Amber. Surprised at first, they broke into elation, crying, “That’s Lu Yi Ye!”
A vein became visible on Lu Ye’s temples. [I’ll make sure Le Shan pays for this stupid epithet!] he quietly cursed under his breath.
They were about seventy meters away when Lan Yudie growled, “Watch yourself now, kitty!” That was her warning for Amber to be safe.
Amber let loose a short wordless response. [I’m not a kitty! You are!]
Lan Yudie’s entire person turned opaque and she dove forward at her foes.
Her shadowy figure charged into the midst of the enemy Cultivators to wreak havoc. Spells fired her way, instantly ripping the mirage of her into shreds. Only then she reappeared behind their ranks, ready to unleash death and destruction upon her unsuspecting foes who were still searching for her in the wrong direction. How did she do it, Lu Ye did not even manage to see clearly.
But one thing was certain, he realized. Lan Yudie had not been fighting him seriously back then.
The flash of steel pierced the low light, followed by a shriek of pain. A Sixth-Order enemy crashed to the ground with a growing pool of red spreading across the ground.
[That’s a one-hit-kill that drew blood!] Even though she was the superiorly-rank Cultivator, being able to slay an enemy with one just one blow was by no means an easy feat.
The rest of the Thousand Demon Ridge Cultivators squealed, “A Seventh-Order Ghost Cultivator! Careful!”
All hell broke loose.
Silavin: Just catching up to the Patreon. It’s been 4 chapters a week for like 9 weeks. I scheduled the post in advance before I flew so this is to catch up. Will end on Sunday at chapter 159.
