Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1954: 1446: A Casual Move

Now, let's discuss the situation on both fronts.

The camp was locked in a fierce clash, whereas on the opposite side, Li Zhixuan commanded the Li family's top warriors, planning to slip away under the darkness of night, rush back to the camp, and then coordinate a pincer attack from both directions to completely annihilate that horde of demons and beasts!

She chose not to inform the loose cultivators about the withdrawal; after all, with so many involved, the information could spread easily, and those loose cultivators were notoriously undisciplined—by the time they attempted to retreat, the plan would probably already be exposed.

However, what she never anticipated was that the loose cultivators didn't need to betray the secret, because the adversaries were constantly spying on their every action!

As soon as Li Zhixuan's group showed the tiniest sign of movement, a massive wave of demon cultivators and devil beasts surged forward to obstruct their path, steadfastly preventing any escape from the battlefield. The instant the forces collided, a savage barrage of attacks burst out.

"Courting death!"

With the camp under siege by Floating Light Creatures, uncertain about when the defenses might crumble, Li Zhixuan's face twisted into a mask of utter fury, dark energy radiating from her, and the murderous glare in her eyes froze everyone nearby in terror.

The epic showdown between the two factions was about to ignite. The Li family battled fiercely to hasten their return for aid, while the local realm's inhabitants aimed to eradicate the core strength of these intruders.

As a result, no one exchanged idle talk; instead, they simply unleashed their divine abilities and incantations, ignited their magical treasures and charms, each side desperate to overwhelm the other swiftly.

But out of nowhere, from the back of the native forces' lineup, a deafening blast rang out, sending a ferocious detonation that scattered innumerable unprepared devil beasts and demon cultivators in an instant.

Before they could recover from the astonishment, a second blast lit up with spiritual energy, claiming the lives of dozens more creatures.

On this occasion, it shattered their ranks entirely, carving a massive gap from the rear all the way to the middle.

Within under an hour, the battlefield's dynamics flipped dramatically.

Previously, the confrontation was balanced, with the Li family holding a slight disadvantage—but now, they stood no chance against the Li family at all.

"No! We've been ensnared!"

After enduring two relentless strikes, the demon cultivators couldn't ignore the obvious. Their complexions drained to ashen; continuing like this, caught in the web, they risked total extermination!

Observing the scheme unfold perfectly, a faint, icy smirk crept across Li Zhixuan's stern visage for the first time.

Every bit of this—every element—was a deliberate counter-plot!

The architect of this elaborate strategy was none other than Li Zhirui, far away across thousands of miles.

Upon hearing that the local creatures had gathered troops to strike the camp, he initially pondered having Li Zhixuan guide the entire group back, allowing them to assess the circumstances and choose between a front-rear assault or bolstering the defenses.

Yet for the second option, he devised an even superior tactic.

It involved calling upon kin and loose cultivators from the Primal Spirit Realm directly, leveraging their might to repel the onslaught.

Crucially, this approach could also be turned against the battlefield's native foes!

To start, he instructed Li Zhixuan, once informed, to act panicked and anxious, marching the clan toward the camp, while ensuring the apparently secure advance was "accidentally" spotted by the enemies.

The natives were bound to discover it, and they would likely celebrate Li Zhixuan's withdrawal with her troops—this opened the door for them to set up an ambush, blockade the route, or spring a snare en route, wiping out the Li family and ending the conflict abruptly.

Then, he covertly reached out to a few loose cultivator leaders, coordinating for the Li family to simulate a retreat, mimic a frantic aid run, enticing a swarm of demon cultivators and devil beasts into the open, pulling their focus directly. Following that, the loose cultivators would strike from the rear.

To guarantee the ploy worked, Li Zhirui dispatched couriers to relay the commands to Li Zhixuan at top speed, reaching her in just three hours.

She dedicated the next hour to organizing and positioning everything precisely.

At last, as dusk settled, she directed the clan in what appeared to be a stealthy exit, racing toward the camp.

In this way, events unfolded exactly as they did!

The devil beasts and demon cultivators tumbled headlong into the ambush, charging from the rear, oblivious that in the idiom of the mantis hunting the cicada, the oriole lurks in the shadows—and behind them, keen-eyed loose cultivators had been poised to pounce.

Having suffered two devastating hits from the loose cultivators with grievous wounds, now hemmed in from all sides, their plight grew hopeless.

Particularly because, to guarantee capturing Li Zhixuan and the rest, they had committed a substantial force. Should they all fall here, it wouldn't merely cost lives—it would cripple future engagements as well.

Thus, when the devil beasts and demon cultivators grasped the reality, their immediate response wasn't to press the assault, but to safeguard themselves and evade annihilation!

Yet as the disadvantaged party now, they possessed no means to reverse their fortunes.

With the passage of time, the death toll climbed, although a few succeeded in breaking free and fleeing to their base.

"What occurred? What's the situation? Weren't you tasked with pursuing those invaders from beyond? Why do you look so battered?"

Spotting their return in disarray, a cluster of demon cultivators and devil beasts rushed over, burning to uncover the details.

Truth be told, witnessing their condition had already sparked doubts—but the reality was too horrifying to embrace, so they clung to hope for a different account.

"We got duped by the foes' sly ploy. They faked a hurried return for support, just to draw us in, then allied with the loose cultivators to encircle and butcher us…"