Aksai still had a future. And with his potential, it seemed really bright.
Unlike himself, Aksai possessed talent that even he found difficult to measure.
Of course, he was not talking about the Spirit Root Aptitude. He knew that Aksai’s inborn aptitude was mediocre at best, many levels lower than him. However, talent not only consisted of inborn aptitude but other factors as well.
The Purple River Lord had come to know many things about Aksai from his direct interaction with him as well as information about his past.
Aksai had overturned impossible situations again and again. He had rescued the three demonic Lords from their entrapment in the Holy Land Torel. He had ventured inside the Heavenly Poison Sect’s grounds and received its rewards, allowing the Purple River Sect to benefit from its connection with Aksai.
His recent infiltration into the depths of the royal faction was also a major feat.
Plus, he was still quite young. He had grown stronger at a frightening speed.
Now that the Dao Paths had reopened, Aksai truly had a chance to become a Nascent Soul King someday.
Perhaps...
He might even go farther.
The Purple River Lord slowly clenched his fists.
His expression hardened.
Using voice transmission, he replied in a low voice.
"Brat."
"You really think I’m going to leave you here alone?"
His tone carried obvious dissatisfaction.
"I’ve lived long enough. But you haven’t. If someone has to stay behind... It should be this old man."
Aksai immediately felt a headache coming on. He had expected many possible reactions. This was one of them.
The Purple River Lord simply would not run while leaving someone he considered family behind. Especially not someone he had already accepted as his little brother.
The old man continued before Aksai could interrupt.
’What kind of big brother would I be if I let my little brother face danger while I run away to save my own life?’
Aksai almost cursed out loud.
This old man!
Out of everything happening on the battlefield, the Purple River Lord was still worrying about playing the role of a protective elder brother.
His patience was running out. He immediately sent another secret voice transmission.
’Old Purple, I don’t have time to convince you.’
His voice turned impatient.
’Stop being an emotional fool. You are not even drunk tonight.’
The Purple River Lord’s eyelids twitched.
Before he could interrupt—
Aksai continued.
’Do you really think I would risk my life here? I told you to retreat because I have already set a trap. And unless you want your sect members and your old, wrinkly a*ss to fall into the same trap as our enemies, I suggest you do exactly as I say."
The Purple River Lord almost exploded.
’Brat! Whose a*ss are you calling old and wrinkly?’
More curse words reached the tip of his tongue. But he stopped himself.
He also realized that Aksai was also getting foulmouthed because of his interactions with him. It felt as if Aksai would surpass him in this field in the future as well.
Such was the blessing and curse of the male friendships. One might not pick up good habits but the bad habits were as contagious as viral fever among male friends.
He knew Aksai well enough by now.
The young Lord loved joking around whenever he felt relaxed. However, when Aksai spoke in such a hurried tone, it meant he truly did not have time to waste.
The Purple River Lord inhaled deeply.
Then he calmed himself.
’Fine. I trust you.’
Without wasting another second, he activated a secret voice transmission technique. His voice entered the minds of every Foundation Establishment expert from the Purple River Sect.
’All Foundation Establishment elders. Retreat with your teams immediately. Do not ask questions. Leave the battlefield. That is an order.’
Every elder froze.
Retreat?
Now?
Their eyes instinctively shifted toward the cloaked figure standing high in the sky.
The terrifying pressure pouring from that mysterious King still weighed heavily upon everyone’s shoulders.
What if retreating offended such an existence?
Wouldn’t they die even faster?
Some hesitated.
Some instinctively tightened their grips around their weapons.
Others simply looked confused.
At that moment, the Purple River Lord glared toward them.
Even from hundreds of meters away, his eyes carried unmistakable killing intent.
It clearly said—
Move now or I will kill you myself.
The elders looked at each other with blank expressions.
Nobody wanted to become the first person to move.
Then—
A calm female voice suddenly echoed inside the shared communication channel of the Purple River Sect.
’Since we are supposed to die either way...’
’...why not die while trying to flee?’
’It is still better than standing here and waiting to die.’
Everyone immediately recognized the speaker.
It was Elder Lian.
The same young Foundation Establishment cultivator who had suffered a deep wound across her stomach earlier in the battle. Her robes were soaked with blood. Her face remained pale.
She had long lost the ability to fly steadily and had been fighting among the Spirit Gathering disciples on the ground.
From the beginning...
Her chances of surviving this battle had been extremely small.
And yet—
The determination inside her eyes had never disappeared.
Only a few moments ago, she had looked toward the full moon above with despair in her heart. She had silently wished for a miracle.
Strangely enough...
It felt as though someone had actually answered that prayer.
Whether this mysterious King had come to save them or not no longer mattered.
An opportunity had appeared. She intended to grab it.
Without hesitation, she swallowed a recovery pill. Spirit essence immediately flowed through her injured body.
She stepped onto her flying sword. Then she transmitted another order.
’Third group. Follow me. We retreat immediately.’
Without waiting for anyone else—
She became the very first person to leave the battlefield. The surviving members of her team followed right after her even though it seemed like they were doing so with confused looks on their faces.
Whoosh!
Several Foundation Establishment experts under her command immediately followed.
Seeing someone take the first step, the hesitation among the others finally disappeared.
"Move!"
"Retreat!"
"Leave now!"
One squad after another quickly disengaged from battle.
Purple River disciples abandoned their positions and rushed away from the battlefield as fast as they could.
The retreat quickly became orderly. Nobody looked back.
High above...
The masked cultivators of the royal faction watched everything unfold.
Many of them became stunned.
"What is happening?"
"Why are they retreating?"
"Did the King allow this?"
Several Foundation Establishment experts instinctively turned toward their own superiors.
They were not fools.
Facing another Foundation Establishment cultivator was one thing.
Facing a Core Formation Lord was another.
But facing a Nascent Soul King...
That was simply beyond their place. Nobody wanted to stay.
Their enemies had already withdrawn. Retreating now would not look cowardly.
After all, who would dare continue fighting beneath the gaze of such an existence?
However, no order came.
The royal faction remained completely still.
High in the sky...
The bewitching beauty frowned. Her beautiful face remained calm. But inside, her thoughts raced rapidly.
’Why is he allowing them to leave?’
’Should I withdraw as well?’
She looked at the cloaked King again.
He remained motionless.
Silent. Impossible to read.
After a brief hesitation, she finally made a decision. She decided to test the waters as well.
She secretly transmitted an order.
’Everyone. Retreat.’
The surviving Foundation Establishment experts of the royal faction immediately felt relieved.
Finally!
Without hesitation, they prepared to withdraw. Some had already turned around. Some had already almost activated their movement techniques, their feet glowing in the nightly domain.
Then—
Boom!
The pressure in the sky suddenly increased several times over. It descended like an invisible mountain.
Every retreating cultivator from the royal faction froze instantly. Their knees almost buckled.
Many could not even breathe. Their spirit essence stopped circulating. Cold sweat instantly covered their backs.
Nobody dared move another inch.
Not a single step.
The cloaked King’s pressure had locked onto them alone.
Meanwhile...
The Purple River Sect members retreating in the distance barely felt any increase in pressure.
The difference was obvious. Painfully obvious.
The bewitching beauty’s pupils shrank. Her expression changed.
She slowly raised her head and looked toward the silent cloaked figure with three parts fear and one part doubt.
Something...
Something did not feel right anymore.
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