Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1349 - 721: Sneak Attack

"They've arrived!" Yan Gao sent a transmission.

His attention was fixed on Master Teng’s Long-distance Flying Boat. Their objective wasn't to engage the entire group of Sword Cultivators, but to single out Master Teng specifically.

Even with their combined strength, he and Master Wang He lacked the confidence to face three Sword Cultivator Great Cultivators at their peak, especially when backed by hundreds of Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators.

However, Master Teng’s severe injuries made him a vulnerable target.

Eliminating Master Teng was seen as the only way to restore some semblance of honor to the White Emperor Sect.

Within the White Emperor Sect, it was widely believed that Master Shi Dong had fallen at the hands of a Great Cultivator from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion. After all, who else in the West Yan Continent possessed the motive, the capability, and the opportunity to strike down Master Shi Dong?

Such ruthless tactics were considered a trademark of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion’s Sword Cultivators.

Having failed to kill Master Teng during a previous encirclement, they now sought to exploit his weakened state. By ambushing and slaying him now, they could balance the losses between the two sects at the Great Cultivator level.

Furthermore, since all ties with the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion had been severed, the conflict had escalated into a full-scale war involving Great Cultivators.

While the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion had strategically pulled back for now, the White Emperor Sect knew that once their rivals regrouped, the coming battles would be incredibly violent.

Only a Great Cultivator like Yan Gao truly understood the depth of the White Emperor Sect's devastation.

Their war with the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion had wiped out over sixty percent of their administrative Nascent Soul Cultivators, along with a significant portion of those specialized in combat.

The White Emperor Sect was currently struggling to maintain its territory; the lack of Nascent Soul Cultivators to oversee and protect their lands was a ticking time bomb that would eventually lead to disaster.

Moreover, the massive loss of combat-focused Nascent Soul Cultivators meant that significant threats would emerge in the years to come.

Reputation, however, was the most critical issue. Losing Nascent Soul Cultivators during Middle Stage skirmishes was one thing, but the incident where Master Shi Dong was gravely wounded—unable to withstand even a single strike from Master Teng—had shattered the White Emperor Sect's prestige.

This disgrace existed even without the public knowing of Master Shi Dong’s death; had that news broken, the sect's reputation would have been utterly destroyed.

Their prior failure to stop Master Teng, even with the help of a Great Cultivator from the Yuqing Sect, had also tarnished the reputations of both sects.

Now, Great Cultivators Yan Gao and Wang He were working together to reclaim their lost standing.

Both Great Cultivators kept their eyes locked onto Master Teng’s Long-distance Flying Boat. They would have only one opening to strike. If that single attack failed to end the target, they would retreat immediately.

If they were swarmed by a massive force of Sword Cultivators, even as elite Great Cultivators, they could not guarantee they would escape unscathed.

Meanwhile, Li Yuanba was not staying in his cabin. He had no intention of spending this trip focused entirely on Alchemy like the last one.

He wished to experience the vastness of the ocean and observe the formidable spirit beasts that dwelled within its depths.

Having just left the West Yan Continent, his curiosity remained high, though he suspected the endless sea views might eventually become tedious.

He kept his Divine Sense active constantly. However, the Long-distance Flying Boats of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion followed a route largely devoid of powerful spirit beasts. Even if they strayed, the sheer aura of four Great Cultivators spread across the fleet was enough to scare off any nearby monsters.

Changing his approach, he used his Divine Sense to probe the water-element Spiritual Energy within the sea.

He theorized that areas with dense water-element Spiritual Energy might hide spiritual veins or buried treasures.

It was a long shot, of course; finding Spiritual Objects in the ocean was notoriously difficult, and treasures were even rarer.

Although the ocean was rich in resources, its immense scale made searching nearly impossible for anyone without a natural talent for the water attribute.

Even those with such talents typically stayed near the shores. Venturing into the deep ocean to harvest resources meant encroaching on the territory of the Spirit Beast Clan—an act they would never tolerate.

"Wait, is there a spirit beast lurking there?" Li Yuanba whispered to himself as his Divine Sense picked up a disturbance in the water-element Spiritual Energy ahead.

That specific area sat directly in the path of the Long-distance Flying Boat, right on the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion’s course.

He grew cautious instantly. While his Divine Sense couldn't pinpoint the exact nature of the anomaly, the unnatural fluctuations in the Spiritual Energy signaled that something was wrong.

"Junior Master Lou, there appears to be something suspicious up ahead!" Li Yuanba reported via communication.

Great Cultivator Lou looked toward the approaching coordinates. Lacking Li Yuanba's specific Divine Sense capabilities, he couldn't perceive the energy fluctuations at such a distance.

Nevertheless, trusting Li Yuanba's instincts, he gestured with his hand. His Lifebound Flying Sword emerged, launching a streak of fiery-red sword light toward the suspicious area.

Li Yuanba watched the soaring sword light with intense envy.

Normally, a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s effective range is limited to the reach of their Divine Sense, with long-range combat usually requiring bows or specific magic weapons.

Yet, Great Cultivator Lou had projected a sword light—a manifestation of Sword Intent and Spiritual Power Patterns from his Lifebound Flying Sword—well beyond the typical limits. It was a display of super long-range combat that few could replicate.