We managed to escape the camp relatively safely, as the longer, it took for the Fire King's cultivators to catch up to us, the more the now released prisoners are able to gather their Qi and would be more able to protect themselves.
However, things weren't looking too good for Si Xue.
It was a simple factor that I didn't take into account from the first moment this whole thing started.
Where are the cultivators at the Formation and Transformation stages?
I've barely seen any one of them, and those are apparently the bulk of this invasion force.
The weakest I've seen were Nascent Souls, and the strongest was half-step ascendants, and from the rumors at the camps, every slave camp has one half-step ascendant protecting it.
We got extremely lucky here since we managed to escape, it was all thanks to the fact that I cannot be affected by domain for some reason, if he continued using his regular spells I would have never been able to find an opportunity to get closer.
Even after all the damage I've dealt with him, he didn't die, though he looked close to it, it was far from enough to take him out.
And that was just one.
the whole of the planet Si Xue has only three half-step ascendants. While for the enemy forces the reports speak of double-digit.
It's impossible to survive a full-on assault, there is no ifs and perhaps, it's clear fact. There is no way this god-forsaken planet can survive the upcoming trial.
I popped a few pills to help regulate the turbulent Qi in my body, but it was clearly not enough to get healed up in a short time.
That cultivator did a number on me, and I'm lucky to have survived. But luck will one day run out, and I can't have it running out on me while I'm still on this planet.
Soon I arrived to the perimeters of the city we left off from.
Many cultivators were in bad shape, they got healed up using pills and herbs.
I looked around until I found Wu Di and Xiao Lang, both sitting behind Yuzehan pouring their Qi into her back to help her regulate her own Qi.
I waited for them to finish before I looked at the three saying, "What are you going to do from now on?" I asked.
"Who is that?" Yuzehan asked.
"Take a guess," Xiao Lang said.
Yuzehan took a closer look at my monstrous-looking form and said as her eyes beamed with joy, "Uncle Shen-" but her mouth was immediately locked from finishing the sentence by Wu Di.
"Good guess, but think before you speak someone's name out loud…" Wu Di said."
Finally, having recognized the fact that she almost exposed a 'fugitive' from the Black Tower, she quieted down.
"Anyway, I've already spoken to them about your offer. Though it feels wrong leaving everyone here, we have to do what we have to do…" suddenly as he finished his words.
Something felt different, and the whole damn world felt as if it was shaking.
Looking at the distance, the top of the black tower had smoke rising from it then the shuttle surged up in the skies.
Even more, shuttles began moving away from all over us.
"Shit… it already began," I said.
The look of the cultivators around us was affixed on the shuttles before they finally began realizing what happened.
The black tower had decided that the fate of this planet is doomed and there was no need for them to stay any longer.
The cultivators realizing what was happening all began panicking and most of the ones capable of flight surged up to the skies trying to follow after the shuttles.
But it wasn't that easy.
Hundreds of thousands of cultivators began pouring down the skies like rain.
And then a slaughter began.
"Get in," I said as I used the Lord of Lords pagoda token and warped all three of them inside.
I can't headfirst into the skies now, not with so many cultivators coming down at once.
I turned and flew away from the city, with my bones in such a bad shape I couldn't muster much strength to fight not in this condition, I needed to dip out of here.
Soon the first crash happened and the incoming cultivator mowed the weak cultivators to the ground. All that hard work saving them went to waste when this shit happened.
Fuck.
I continued moving until I arrived at a crevasse that led deep into the ground.
I dove inside it and tore into its side, then made sure to cover the entrance I made with a formation to prevent divine sense.
I sat down and began popping pills to help accelerate the healing process.
The wounds I received weren't only on my bones and flesh, but deep into the spiritual vines. well more like Spiritual Poison vines.
I began by circulating Qi and slowly repairing the damage to my veins, I was feeling like a bucket with a thousand little holes and I needed to fix them all one by one.
The time it took to fix everything felt like ages, but I continued on fixing everything slowly and carefully making sure not to miss anything.
This is what they call Grievous Injuries I suppose… but before I start working on it…
"Automaton, I need a favor," I said.
"Yes sir."
I then gave the automaton an order, to give me information on what was going on in the outside world.
Since he was a being made by the Lord of Lords, he had abilities that far surpass a normal puppet, not only that he could keep track of what was going on outside the pagoda without him physically being out. Which is pretty helpful to what I needed to do.
It's too complicated to fix with mere pills and I need to actively heal up, by repairing it bit by bit. Slowly and carefully.
However, I can't take too much time.
"Master, it's already been a month, you need to leave now," came the voice of the automaton.
"Why what's going on?" I asked.
"In the month you have been recuperating, the majority of the cultivators of the planet Si Xue have been subdued and are now being oppressed.
"Once the Ten Thousand Incense Formation is finished, you won't be able to leave the planet your soul will be extracted and forced into the formation."
"What is this formation?"
"It's a soul sealing formation to enslave souls and use their power to amplify the Fire King's might. You need to leave soon."
I guess it's time I leave, even if I'm not fully healed, I should be strong enough to drive the hoverboard. Hopefully.
"Right now," the automaton said, "The Fire King's army is too focused on creating the formation, if you manage to escape while they're still finalizing it, they won't have the opportunity to stop you."
"Right, it's time to leave then," I said as I disabled the formation blocking divine sense.
I then flew up from the crevasse and headed into the high skies.
I sadly couldn't find anything about Meng Hao even when I sent people to ask about him, but I doubt he'll die. Not with his aura.
For now, I need to leave.
It's sad that I can't do much to help here, and it feels scummy to leave everyone and escape myself, but it is the only way to survive.
There is no way I can fight against people who are far higher in cultivation level than me. I've been shown how much I'm lacking, and I've been shown how outclassed I am.
I have to work a hundred times harder to become stronger.
Tools and trinkets are pretty powerful in stopping weak opponents, however, explosive canisters won't do much damage to a truly powerful cultivator, like Master Rain.
Anything I had was nothing but a joke compared to his power, unless I'm as powerful if not more, I won't feel satisfied.
Now, we leave this planet. And once I have enough power, I'll make sure to pay a few people back, ten…no a hundred folds more.
I hate being oppressed…
Never again, never will I be oppressed again like in that cave, this is a vow I vow to myself not the heavens.
I looked up at the skies and saw massive red inscriptions materializing in front of me.
A stench like nothing I've ever smelled before assaulted my nose.
It was coming from far up high in space, from pots of incense that a lot of cultivators were carrying.
I've been noticed, but it's okay, most of the cultivators were to busy chanting shit to intercept me. However, those people chanting weren't the only ones outside as a group of cultivators noticed me and came rushing towards me.
'Never be oppressed, never again!" I grinned as I dashed towards them with even faster speed.
