HSSB696: With us, it will be different
Yan Zhaoge no longer looked in the direction where the Heaven Bearing Efficate Formation had been as he turned back and said, “Alright, I’ll not think about it for now. Let’s depart as well.”
Ah Hu asked, “Where are we going now, Young Master? To the northern regions of the Royal Reed Sea? Or to the Clear Scenic Region?”
Yan Zhaoge said, “We should not go to the Clear Scenic Region now. The Endless Magnetic Storms there are currently rampaging severely. Although Wen Luoxia did enter the sea, she was unable to unearth the treasures hidden within, from the looks of it.”
“As for the northern regions of the Royal Reed Sea, there is currently no need for that as well.”
Originally, the Grand Xuan Dynasty had stopped attacking the North Sea Sword Pavilion, changing their target to the Radiant Light Sect.
However, the anti-Xuan forces had decisively pursued them out of the vicinity of the North Sea, attacking and harassing the Grand Xuan Dynasty all the way. The two had clashed on and off, a neverending chain of battles arising.
They were still quite some distance away from the headquarters of the Radiant Light Sect.
Yan Zhaoge guessed that the Grand Xuan Dynasty had intended to bait the rebels out, making use of their assault on the Radiant Light Sect headquarters to force the anti-Xuan forces to give up on their geographical advantage over at the North Sea.
After the anti-Xuan forces had been lured out of the Grinding Hut Region’s sword domain, if they were still in close proximity, they could still retreat back in at any time.
After they had been lured far away enough into the middle of nowhere, the Grand Xuan Dynasty would suddenly turn back and counterattack, with the anti-Xuan coalition likely then unable to retreat into the Grinding Hut Region anymore.
This way, forcing a battle out in the open, the Grand Xuan Dynasty who held the advantage in terms of strength would inevitably have a greater chance of winning.
This was an aboveboard scheme. Even while the anti-Xuan forces knew of the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s intentions, they could only continue playing by their game.
Otherwise, the Grand Xuan Dynasty could simply just directly trample over the Radiant Light Sect’s headquarters, not meeting a loss however they fought.
The Grand Xuan Dynasty held the initiative in deciding where the main battlefield would be. This was where their advantage lay.
The anti-Xuan coalition could only look to make up for this in other areas as much as possible, creating the most beneficial conditions for themselves amidst a disadvantageous environment.
“Due to the Southeastern Exalt, the Grand Xuan Dynasty currently has to lower their flags and cease their drums. Even tricky methods like pretending to retreat and then attacking cannot be used. They will really have to honestly return home and lay low, not daring to do anything petty,” Yan Zhaoge said, “Therefore, in order to avoid the anti-Xuan coalition making use of this chance to pursue and kill them, they will have to make a clean retreat.”
“Retreating in a single go before hanging the flag of ceasefire high, retracting their defensive lines.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “They are more powerful. When they are lying low and in full defence mode, the anti-Xuan forces would not be able to start a war easily. The anti-Xuan forces only want to keep from provoking the Southeastern Exalt a step further with something already having been stirred up. Still, it is not to the extent that they would not retaliate when attacked.”
Ah Hu mimicked his movements, “They will definitely keep the news under wraps, certainly not allowing the news of them having offended the Southeastern Exalt to spread.”
“Young Master, are we going to look for the main anti-Xuan forces and tell them this news then?”
“As the Grand Xuan Dynasty is retreating, the anti-Xuan forces should make use of it to launch a fierce counterattack. That might just be the final chance to deal a heavy, severe blow to them.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “It is indeed so. Still, it might not definitely be possible. The Grand Xuan Dynasty should still be rather well organised in their troop deployment.”
Having said this, they continued on their way.
The Grand Xuan Dynasty and the anti-Xuan forces were currently still locked in the heat of battle, continually clashing with each other. It was not hard to locate them like this.
Checking for information along the way and eventually arriving in some northeastern region of the Royal Reed Sea, Yan Zhaoge’s group could even feel the shaking of spiritual qi over in the distance.
That was due to the standoff between numerous experts having disrupted the spiritual qi cycles of the surrounding environment there.
Gazing into the distance, Yan Zhaoge saw a streak of light and the light of fire flickering in the distant horizon.
A great battle was clearly underway yet once more.
Roiling waves of qi swept through the surroundings, instantly causing the great sea to surge as great waves of tsunamis arose, pressuring towards the current location of Yan Zhaoge’s group.
Yan Zhaoge’s eyes narrowed slightly, “What fierce attacks.”
This clash had begun very suddenly, and it now ended very swiftly as well.
In virtually just an instant, one side of combatants swiftly retreated, seeming like they desired not a battle to the death with their opponents.
Still, their formation clearly remained organised as they retreated in an orderly fashion, seemingly long having been prepared for this as they prevented their opponents from tying them back down.
As for the attacking side, their momentum remained fierce as they made as if to pursue with the look of definitely not sparing their enemies, wanting to permanently end them there for good.
Ah Hu asked rather hesitantly, “Young Master, are we too late?”
Yan Zhaoge said, “We aren’t. The most obtrusive things on the attacking side are a streak of sword-light and a streak of fiery light.”
These were indeed eye-catching due to the great strength of their wielders such that Yan Zhaoge was able to feel the aura contained within even from a long distance away.
Feng Yunsheng and Ah Hu were currently too insufficient in terms of cultivation base. All they could see was bright light all round, quaking their hearts into unease as they were unable to identify them.
However, with Yan Zhaoge’s current cultivation base, he was able to make the distinction.
That sword-light was like a long river of time, distant and eternal. Meanwhile, that fiery light was brutal and ferocious, with the silhouettes of seven birds as they soared high vaguely visible within.
The former was unquestionably the Time Flowing Sword as wielded by an expert of Shen Lingzi’s lineage, while the latter was the result of the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s royalty unleashing the Seven Fowl Treasured Spear with the Five Fires True Art.
Yan Zhaoge said, “If I were the Grand Xuan Dynasty, the decision to advance or retreat being in my hands and when to retreat being grasped by me, before I retreated, I would also launch a fierce attack like this. Anyway, as I possess the advantage, I definitely wouldn’t be taking a loss.”
The anti-Xuan coalition did not have the intention of battling the Grand Xuan Dynasty here in neutral territory without the battlefield advantage. They merely wished to delay the steps of their advance.
This act had already played out so many times before, the enemy advancing and they retreating, the enemy retreating and they pursuing.
Even if the Grand Xuan Dynasty did nothing, the anti-Xuan forces would first provoke them before retreating following that one strike. When the Grand Xuan Dynasty ceased in their counterattack, they would leave for the moment.
Now that the Grand Xuan Dynasty seemed like a completely enraged beast, no longer advancing towards the headquarters of the Radiant Light Sect as they instead launched an attack on their own, the anti-Xuan forces couldn’t be any happier. At the same time, though, they definitely wouldn’t have a decisive battle with them here as they also naturally retreated faster and more determinedly.
Yan Zhaoge curled his lips, “It is just that the Grand Xuan Dynasty likely has the same intentions as them this time. After the anti-Xuan troops have fled, the Grand Xuan Dynasty too will fly the coop.”
“When the anti-Xuan forces realise this and think of pursuing, it might already be too late then.”
Ah Hu asked, “Couldn’t the Grand Xuan Dynasty have used this method before?”
Yan Zhaoge replied, “Previously, the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s main target was not the Radiant Light Sect’s main headquarters but forcing the anti-Xuan forces into battling out in the open, thus being able to disperse their strength and destroy them to the greatest extent.”
Just destroying the Radiant Light Sect’s headquarters alone, the Grand Xuan Dynasty would actually not gain much as a result. The anti-Xuan troops could just stop thinking about it for good, retreating entirely into the sword domain of the Grinding Hut Region in the northern regions of sea.
It was not that the anti-Xuan coalition was not trying hard. It was just that the Grand Xuan Dynasty had a certain advantage in possessing the initiative.
The Radiant Light Sect would not be able to say anything about this, merely able to whole-heartedly assist the North Sea Sword Pavilion in defending.
Most of their experts were there, such that their legacies would not be discontinued as a result.
“Therefore, the Grand Xuan Dynasty did not want to shake off their enemy before this, and the anti-Xuan coalition was fully aware of this. One might say that the two sides actually had quite the rapport going, just that they were simply going at it over and over,” Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Now, however, the Grand Xuan Dynasty has changed its mind, while their enemy are completely in the dark about this.”
Ah Hu gave a simple and honest laugh, “With us, it will be different.”