Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1350 - 721: Ambush (Part 2)

The Sword Cultivators aboard the other three long-distance Flying Boats were instantly alerted by his strike.

In response, they decelerated their Flying Boats, warily scanning for the source of the disturbance.

Li Yuanba felt a surge of anxiety about potentially making a mistake; however, given their proximity to the West Yan Continent, he felt it would be irresponsible to his fellow Sword Cultivators to remain silent if he sensed danger.

Possessing 'Divine Sight', he was arguably the premier scout in the Cultivation world, capable of perceiving threats from distances that even many Great Cultivators could not penetrate.

This was particularly true in environments saturated with water-attributed Spiritual Energy, where any fluctuations in a singular element become glaringly obvious under the scrutiny of 'Divine Sight'.

In contrast, on land where various Spiritual Energies mingle, 'Divine Sight' struggles to identify distant abnormalities amidst the energetic noise.

Great Cultivators Yan Gao and Wang He were stunned that their perfect concealment had been compromised so early.

Rather than being threatened by Great Cultivator Lou’s sword light, they were troubled by the loss of the element of surprise, which forced a sudden shift in their strategy.

"Eliminate Teng Wei first!" Great Cultivator Yan Gao ordered in a low, resonant tone.

Used to fighting as a pair, he and Great Cultivator Wang He released a soil-colored radiance to deflect the incoming sword light before lunging toward Master Teng’s Flying Boat.

Their velocity was staggering; despite the gap between the four Flying Boats, they were certain they could execute Master Teng before the other three Sword Cultivator Great ones could rally together.

Had they remained hidden, they would have preferred to wait for Master Teng’s vessel to draw closer to ensure a more lethal strike.

"It is Yan Gao and Wang He! Eradicate them!" Great Cultivator Lou shouted as he identified the duo.

Recognizing the danger posed by the combined strength of Yan Gao and Wang He, he remained on his Flying Boat, broadcasting commands via Divine Sense to every Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator.

Li Yuanba received his instructions from Great Cultivator Lou, requiring him to contribute his Spiritual Power Pattern and Sword Intent.

This was a collective offensive technique where the Spiritual Power Patterns and Sword Intents of all Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators were funneled to Great Cultivator Lou to be forged into a singular, devastating blow.

The integration of Spiritual Power Patterns was usually the most difficult hurdle, but the Chongxiao Pavilion was unique in that all its Sword Cultivators practiced the 'Sky-Surging Sword Intent Technique', varying only in the depth of their mastery.

Because they followed an identical Cultivation path, the nature of their Spiritual Power Patterns was uniform, making them easy to merge, while their Sword Intent acted as a catalyst to amplify the destructive force.

The Sword Cultivators on the other Flying Boats were also initiating this combined attack technique alongside Great Cultivator Lou.

Just as Yan Gao and Wang He closed in on Master Teng, they were shocked to see his aura erupt, as a massive energy sword—composed of the pooled Spiritual Power and Sword Intent of over a hundred Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators—materialized above his boat.

"Slash!" Master Teng roared, showing no hint of his previous injuries.

"How has Teng Wei recovered so quickly?" Yan Gao wondered in confusion, though he and Wang He did not halt their assault.

On one side, two top-tier Great Cultivators struck with their maximum power; on the other, Master Teng channeled the collective might of over a hundred Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators.

The three forces crashed together in mid-air. Though the combined strength of the Nascent Soul cultivators struggled to hold firm and seemed on the verge of collapsing, it was enough.

By successfully blocking the initial strike from Yan Gao and Wang He, the window for a surprise kill vanished; staying to attack again meant being surrounded by three other Great Cultivators.

Wang He did not hesitate to retreat immediately; Yan Gao considered a second attempt but followed suit once he saw his partner withdrawing.

Wang He was merely providing assistance and had no intention of sacrificing his life for the White Emperor Sect, especially since the rewards offered did not justify such a risk.

He had fulfilled his contractual obligations; whether the White Emperor Sect succeeded or failed was no longer his concern.

Great Cultivator Lou wanted to give chase, but he realized that even with the support of the other Sword Cultivators, they lacked the strength to defeat two top-tier Great Cultivators.

He knew Master Teng’s wounds were still present, leaving his combat effectiveness at only 70%; engaging in a direct confrontation with top Great Cultivators was still a deadly gamble.

The retreat of Yan Gao and Wang He was primarily due to the sheer power of the combined attack technique, which allowed a Sword Cultivator Great backed by a hundred Nascent Soul disciples to exceed the offensive output of two top Great Cultivators.

Even though Master Teng’s injuries prevented him from utilizing the technique's full potential, it was still sufficient to neutralize a full-power strike from his opponents, proving its terrifying utility.

"What has driven the White Emperor Sect to such desperate madness for revenge?" Great Cultivator Lou wondered aloud, sensing something was wrong.

Ever since the White Emperor Sect unexpectedly allied with the Yuqing Sect to ambush Master Teng, the situation had been shrouded in mystery.

Li Yuanba suspected the catalyst was his own slaying of Master Shi Dong.

However, he kept this to himself; the idea that a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator could assassinate a legendary Great Cultivator from a superpower was simply too incredible to be believed.

He had no desire for the fame such a feat would bring, nor did he want to become the primary target of the White Emperor Sect.

He was already in enough trouble with Great Cultivators hunting him; if they knew he had killed Master Shi Dong, the assassination attempts would become relentless.

Master Teng brought his Flying Boat alongside Great Cultivator Lou’s vessel to regroup.

He boarded the boat to offer his personal thanks.

"Brother Lou, I am grateful for your timely warning!" he said with a smile, bowing deeply to Great Cultivator Lou.

His recovery was far from complete; had Yan Gao and Wang He landed a surprise blow, he might have survived, but he would have been crippled by severe injuries.

"Brother Teng, your gratitude is misplaced; it was Master Li who first detected the threat. I only acted on his word to test the area, never imagining Yan Gao and Wang He would be so shameless as to set an ambush on the open sea!" Great Cultivator Lou replied, returning the bow and clarifying the situation.

"My debt to Master Li continues to grow; I must ensure he is properly rewarded once we return to the Pavilion!" Master Teng said, nodding toward Li Yuanba.

If the favor were owed to Lou, a simple thank you might suffice.

But between this warning and his previous medical aid, Li Yuanba’s contributions had gone far beyond what could be repaid with words alone.

He resolved to present Li Yuanba with significant gifts upon their return.

For the remainder of the trip, the four Flying Boats traveled in a tight, defensive formation.

The four Sword Cultivator Great ones did not dare to rest, maintaining a constant state of high alert.

Meanwhile, the news of Master Shi Dong’s death began to leak throughout the West Yan Continent.

Despite the White Emperor Sect's best efforts to keep it quiet, the passing of a Great Cultivator is nearly impossible to hide.

A Great Cultivator controls massive territories and resources, with countless practitioners operating under their banner.

When such a figure dies, their vast holdings become vulnerable to being seized by other Great Cultivators, involving massive political and economic interests.

Even if the White Emperor Sect tried to mask his death, they could not easily manage all his assets; without his presence, those hidden interests became easy prey for rivals.

Once observers noticed Master Shi Dong’s influence being carved up, the truth of his demise became common knowledge.