NOVEL NEXT Chapter 286: Playing Another Card
Observing the unfolding situation, Jiang Chen quickly discerned Gu Ran's maneuvers. 'Is he setting his sights on the Golden Proud Cult now?'
'The Purple Heaven Holy Land is struggling to protect their own. Trying to intercept Gu Ran's targets would undoubtedly test their limits.'
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Jiang Chen murmured, "Perhaps it's time to play another card."
Having made up his mind, Jiang Chen swiftly relayed his instructions to Wu Qian and the team. The card up his sleeve was, in fact, Wu Qian's faction. To be exact, it was the trio of Ji Junhao!
Ji Junhao, Xu Yuqi, and their ally were demons and demonic cultivators, viewed as natural adversaries by the rest of the cultivation world.
When confronted with demons and their ilk, it's customary for humanity to set aside differences, banding together to drive out this common threat.
Such a sentiment is fundamental, a principle any righteous protagonist would undoubtedly champion.
Gu Ran, ever the principled fighter with a robust moral compass, had legitimate causes for his actions against both the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult.
Yet, introducing the demon race into the fray complicated matters. With both the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land uniting against this shared enemy, it would place Gu Ran in a precarious position. How could he justifiably act against fellow humans?
To continue on this path would mar his reputation, leading to a substantial dip in his Heavenly Fate Value. The keen instincts provided by the Heavenly Fate would likely sway him from proceeding further.
Tens of thousands of kilometers away, Wu Qian's group clashed fiercely with Ji Junhao's trio.
Wu Qian yelled amidst the cacophony, "Our Lord has issued an order, head to the Inheritance Peak!"
Lu An questioned, "You mean that collapsing mountain in the distance?"
"We can't waste a moment, move!" Receiving Jiang Chen's directives, Wu Qian's squad feigned defeat and withdrew, charting a path towards the Inheritance Peak.
Smelling victory, Ji Junhao roared, "They're faltering! Follow them, don't let them escape!"
Immediately, Ji Junhao and his comrades gave chase with murderous intent.
Thus began a high-speed chase, with one side fleeing and the other pursuing relentlessly!
At this moment, the Inheritance Peak was crumbling continuously, with massive chunks of rock plummeting downward, echoing the imagery of a meteor shower. Dust and smoke surged skyward, quickly obscuring the vicinity.
The already intense battle among the cultivators reached a fever pitch.
High above, Ji Mingxiu and his two comrades clashed with Bao Xunwu's trio. Their combined strength unleashed the formidable forces of various Great Daos, colliding in epic showdowns.
Brilliant streaks of light pierced the gloomy heavens, reminiscent of lightning threading through storm clouds.
In the skies below, cultivators of both the Dao Comprehension and the Inquiring Journey realms locked in intense combat. Energies of various Great Daos, along with the brilliance of Magic Treasures and Dao Tools, wove a dazzling tapestry of power in midair.
Within this fierce battlefield, Jiang Chen was concealed nearby, observing the clashes with a calm demeanor.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted to Gu Ran who was sneaking up on someone. In a fluid motion, Gu Ran attacked a cultivator from the Golden Proud Cult who was at the Inquiring Journey realm.
Slash!
With a swift movement of his sword, Gu Ran dispatched the unsuspecting opponent.
'Aah! I've managed to kill someone again!' Tears of sheer joy and excitement welled up in Gu Ran's eyes.
Suddenly, a shout echoed. "It's him!"
"He's the one who stole the inheritance!"
"He even attacked our outer sect elder earlier!"
"This lowlife! He's set our two major factions against each other, making us fight, while he sneakily ambushes and kills. Utterly despicable!" The voices, filled with resentment, rose from the Purple Heaven Holy Land crowd.
"What? It's him who took the inheritance? Is it true?!" a voice from the Golden Proud Cult group exclaimed.
"It seems so. I did witness him attacking the outer sect elder of the Purple Heaven Holy Land."
"But why would he stay and keep killing if he secured the inheritance? Why not escape?"
"I’m not sure, but everyone, stay alert! We can’t afford to be caught off-guard by him."
"Damn it, he's vanished!" The cultivators from the Golden Proud Cult shouted in disbelief. Whether they believed the news or not, Gu Ran had left a lasting mark on their minds—mixing caution, doubt, and perhaps even a hint of avarice.
'Damn!' Gu Ran swiftly concealed himself, his face stone-cold as he took cover.
He kept a close watch on the unfolding battle.
After all, a confrontation as intense as the one between the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land wouldn't just stop abruptly.
The skirmish in the high skies among those of the Dao Palace realm needed to wrap up first. Only then would the clashes between the Inquiring Journey and Dao Comprehension realms below possibly cease.
So, while the members of the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land were on high alert briefly, their focus soon reverted to the ongoing battle.
The battle's ferocity escalated once more.
'Now's my moment!' Gu Ran's eyes sparkled with intent, gearing up to ambush the Golden Proud Cult members again.
But just then, Jiang Chen looked to the horizon. A chilly smile played on his lips as he mused, 'You've had your share of the spoils, Gu Ran. It should be enough.'
Rumble! Rumble!
Suddenly, six rays of light, reminiscent of shooting comets, soared from the distance, halting around ten thousand kilometers from the combat zone. Three were as dark as the night, while the other three each bore a distinct hue.
The sources of these radiant streaks? They were none other than Ji Junhao, accompanied by Xu Yuqi and another demonic cultivator, and not to forget, Lu An, He Tian, and Wu Qian!
"What?! The peak has actually collapsed! What happened?" Ji Junhao exclaimed in shock.
"Look out! Six human Dao Palace cultivators are battling!"
"Let's make our escape!" However, upon spotting Ji Mingxiu and his allies, the expressions on the faces of Ji Junhao and his crew shifted dramatically, and they whipped around to retreat.
But at that very moment, He Tian burst out laughing, "Hahahaha! Now that you've stepped in, don't even dream of stepping out!"
"Scum of the demon race, freeze in your tracks!" commanded Lu An.
"Block their path! Today marks their end!" Wu Qian declared with resolve.
With renewed intensity, they tapped into their deeper reserves of power, ensuring Ji Junhao and his team were firmly cornered.
Bang, bang, bang! Boom, boom, boom!
The sheer might of the energy reverberated through the skies and earth, instantaneously catching the notice of the cultivators from both the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land.
"It's... the demon race!" An astonished voice cried out.
"Members of the demon race are actually here!"
"Hold your positions! The demons have invaded this Cave Heaven!"
"Halt the combat!"
"We have demons and demonic cultivators launching an attack! We must band together to fend off these adversaries first! If they were to breach the spatial channel leading to our sects, the aftermath would be catastrophic!" With these urgent realizations, all sides promptly stopped their confrontations, disengaging from their adversaries.
'What... The demon race...' The revelation rooted Gu Ran to the spot, grappling with indecision.
Acting now would not only clash with his moral compass but also paint a glaring target on his back.
Above, Bao Xun Wu and his team momentarily ceased their skirmish with Ji Mingxiu's group. Their faces were a tableau of disbelief as they turned their gazes towards Ji Junhao.
"What are you all staring at?" Ji Mingxiu roared, "Let's first deal with the demon race! Do we want to be like the clam and the sandpiper, allowing the demon race to capitalize on our strife?" Without hesitation, he soared in Ji Junhao's direction.
"Attack! We take down the demon race vermin first!" With gritted teeth, Bao Xunwu rallied his team, leading a fierce charge against Ji Junhao and his companions.
In an instant, six Dao Palace realm human powerhouses dove into the fray, bringing the total count to nine. They began encircling and assailing Ji Junhao and his two allies.
"My Lord! What do we do now? We're doomed if we don't move!" Xu Yuqi cried out to Ji Junhao, desperation evident in his voice.
Although the other Dao Palace realm powerhouse remained silent, the urgency in his eyes communicated his feelings clearly.
"Run! Make haste!" Ji Junhao commanded, his visage contorted with fury.
Without missing a beat, they invoked various self-sacrificing speed-boosting secret techniques, making a desperate dash for escape.
At that moment, Jiang Chen discreetly sent a divine sense message to Ji Mingxiu, Lu An, and the rest of his team. "Allow them to retreat. Once they're at a distance, I'll strike!"
Upon receiving the message, Ji Mingxiu and the others subtly relaxed their chase, affording Ji Junhao and his group a bit of breathing room.
Thanks to the unparalleled speed of those in the Dao Palace realm—a velocity that greatly surpassed those in the Inquiring Journey realm and Dao Comprehension realm—Ji Junhao and his companions vanished from everyone's divine sense in a mere heartbeat.