Unrivaled Martial Emperor

While Chen Fan and the others were strategizing how to chip away at the Clean-up Alliance, several silhouettes were moving together in a forest clearing.

A makeshift stronghold stood there. It was the base camp of the Clean-up Alliance.

In the largest room, Luo Hao, Ye Yuanming, and the rest were also deeply discussing how to eradicate Chen Fan's group.

Ye Yuanming's squad had suffered heavy losses this time, with only a few escaping. The expressions of those from the Clean-up Alliance were not good.

Luo Hao said, "Tell us about it first, Ye Yuanming."

Even though the Clean-up Alliance held the absolute advantage in terms of numbers, each casualty was still a significant blow to them.

Ye Yuanming said with an incomparably gloomy expression, "The Peerless Peak disciples truly are freaks. Sending individual squads after them is suicide. Among the eight, Huang Wuji is a Greater Legend, and he has also obtained an immortal artifact. Di Chen is a late-stage Lesser Legend; with his artifact, he can go berserk and match Greater Legends.

"Chen Fan and Duanmu Lingxing are in the middle-stage Lesser Legendary realm. Both are freakishly strong. Chen Fan... needs no introduction. And Duanmu Lingxing's treasure bone is no different from an immortal artifact. As for the other four, they are all in the early-stage Lesser Legendary realm."

Ji Feixue said indifferently, "Considering all that, those eight people are indeed a tough bone to chew. To wipe them out completely, we'll need to act together."

"It's not that easy. I'm sure they've figured out our situation by now. If we all move out together to hunt them, they'll just go into hiding. Finding them won't be easy."

"Then what do you suggest we do? Just let it go?"

"Let it go? How is that possible! I plan to lure them into taking the bait. Don't they still have two of their squads unaccounted for? We'll use them as bait."

"Not a bad idea, but those eight aren't fools. They'll know we're trying to set a trap."

"Hoho, that's easy to handle. We'll send a squad to do this..."

"A squad? Did you forget? Sending a single squad is basically sending them to die."

"Don't be so impatient. Hear me out." A venomous gleam flashed in Ye Yuanming's eyes. With a cold smile on his face, he continued, "They only know we have three Greater Legendary realms. But Brother Jiang has recently advanced to the Greater Legendary realm as well. He can hide within that squad. We'll handpick a team of elites for the mission. When the time comes, the two Greater Legends will deal with Huang Wuji, while the others deal with Chen Fan and the rest..."

Ye Yuanming explained his plan. The crowd present fell silent momentarily, their eyes flickering, ruminating over the feasibility of Ye Yuanming's plan.

A moment later, the man sitting on the far left said, "I think this plan can work. If we make it look like the other two squads are off searching elsewhere, Chen Fan's group will almost certainly take the bait and try to save them."

This person was none other than that "Brother Jiang" Ye Yuanming just referred to. He had advanced into the Greater Legendary realm half a month ago. His name was Jiang Xian.

Ji Feixue said, "The plan is not bad, but Ye Yuanming, you fought Huang Wuji before. You know best how strong he is. So, why don't we do this? Jiang Xian and I will lead this squad, and you lend us your immortal artifact to ensure that everything goes well. What do you think?"

Ye Yuanming thought for a moment before nodding. "No problem!"

Ji Feixue had advanced into the Greater Legendary realm before the Immortal Draft Assembly. His cultivation was more stable than Ye Yuanming's. Their chances would indeed be higher if he and Jiang Xian were the ones to take action.

"It's settled, then. But the key now is to locate one of those two squads. We can't execute the plan without them."

"That's right. Chen Fan, Huang Wuji, and the others must also be searching for them. Once those squads hear the news, they'll definitely head straight for Chen Fan's group and join up with them for sure. We need to find them first."

"There's no time to lose. Let's get moving."

......

Hurried footsteps echoed through a ravine.

Rustle.

Clang, clang, clang.

Suddenly, four figures sprang into view, weapons drawn, faces tense and alert.

"It's me, it's me!" called a voice from ahead.

The four tense figures relaxed.

These five were one of the missing squads of the Tianwu Continent.

Among them, a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped forward. His powerful aura marked him as a peak Lesser Legendary realm expert.

"Sun Hao, what's the current situation outside like? Did you find anything?"

The man was Cao Yin. He was one of the peak Lesser Legendary realm experts Ji Kong and Lu Xiu had mentioned, and a prodigy from a major cult from the Tianwu Continent.

Sun Hao had a short and skinny figure and an ordinary-looking face. If it wasn't for his early-stage Lesser Legendary realm cultivation, someone like that would not set off the slightest splash in a sea of people.

Sun Hao took two deep breaths and said, "One good news, and one bad news. Which one do you—"

"Spare the buildup. Say it straight," said Cao Yin, interrupting Sun Hao.

"Alright, good news first. Peerless Peak freaks have appeared, and they have successfully rescued Lu Xiu and Ji Kong, heavily injuring Ye Yuanming's group in the process."

Cao Yin and the others' eyes lit up.

"What about the bad news?"

"The Clean-up Alliance has intensified its efforts to find us, and we have no way of contacting Chen Fan and the others. It'll be incredibly difficult to find them."

"That's... bad news indeed. But since Chen Fan's group is no longer in hiding, we must find them. We can only survive by joining up with them. If we stay alone, the Clean-up Alliance will catch us sooner or later."

"Furthermore, since they saved Lu Xiu and Ji Kong, they must have learned about us as well. They will also be thinking of finding us. So, we still have a chance."

On a tall, ancient tree several kilometers away, a silhouette saw everything happening in the ravine from afar. The corner of his lips curled up into an arc.

"Hoho, so this is where you're hiding. Hoho, fine, fine, a fight between a snipe and a clam, huh. I love watching that the most..."

Immediately afterward, this silhouette turned into a cloud of black smoke with a noise, disappearing into thin air.

"Hmm?" Cao Yin furrowed his brow in the ravine. His gaze pierced through the void, looking into the distance.

"What's wrong?" Sun Hao and the others hurriedly asked, seeing the strange look on Cao Yin's face, sweeping their gazes around.

Soon, Cao Yin retracted his gaze, shook his head, and said, "Nothing."

However, he mumbled in his heart,Am I just being paranoid?

He was sure he had been watched; no matter how hard he looked, he found nothing.