Chapter 1659: Tactical Retreat

In fact, Kou Chongxue had already secretly instructed the Spirit Luxuriant World's fleet stationed in the asteroid belt in the space around the Spirit Abundance World to evacuate a long time ago. Long before he even decided to risk exposing Feng Ziying’s identity to ambush the True Immortals of the Spirit Observation World who planned to interfere with Shang Xia’s breakthrough.

By then, the Spirit Luxuriant World's Star Ship fleet had already been under surveillance. The asteroid belt where they were located was secretly encircled.

However, what outsiders did not know was that as soon as the Spirit Luxuriant World's fleet entered the void of the Spirit Abundance World and decided to dock in the asteroid belt, several well-known Formation Masters of Spirit Luxuriant World, under Chu Jia's leadership, had already begun constructing a massive defensive formation system within the asteroid belt.

Unbeknownst to outsiders, the core of the massive formation system was not for defense, but for teleportation!

The actual purpose of the layered defensive screens displayed outside the asteroid belt was to buy time for activating the core ultra-long-distance Five Element Teleportation Formation!

Thus, when the forces monitoring the periphery and ready to attack were suddenly alarmed by massive spatial disturbances that couldn't be completely concealed, it was already too late.

By the time they forcefully broke through the defense formation system around the asteroid belt and rushed into the central core area, they found only a few small Star Ships left, Every single mid to high-level cultivator of the Spirit Luxuriant World, along with their larger Star Ships, had vanished without a trace.

When Kou Chongxue brought Feng Ziying and Feng Ziyuan to meet the fleet after they completed their teleportation around the outskirts of the void around the Spirit Luxuriant World, he explained the situation Shang Xia and their world were facing. He even spoke about the disagreements between the Tongyou Institution and the great Elysiums.

Naturally, those people weren’t exactly clueless about the changes that happened in their world.

Especially those from the Northern Sea Mystic Sect, Eternal Palace, and Divine Capital Sect... They had been communicating with the Elysium True Immortals of their factions all along.

Kou Chongxue also prepared for the possibility that the True Immortals of those Elysiums might part ways with their operation.

However, what he did not anticipate was that upon learning that Kou Chongxue planned to intercept the experts of the other worlds, everyone was in complete agreement. Led by the newly advanced third tier True Immortal, Huang Jinghan, everyone stood on the side of the Spirit Luxuriant World to prevent the process of world ascension from disruption.

Yet, even so, the total number of True Immortals the Spirit Luxuriant World had on their side were only 13 or 14. Apart from the high-level True Immortals, Kou Chongxue, Gao Qin, and Shang Xia’s External Avatar, there were the 7 True Immortals part of the fleet they sent out. Feng Ziying and Feng Ziyuan also joined them, along with Zhu Nang and Dou Zhong, who emerged from the Spirit Luxuriant World.

The strength they gathered was still vastly inferior compared to the three great powers.

When they gathered outside the void of the Spirit Abundance World to attack the fleet, there were 21 True Immortals in total. They could form 3 sets of battle formations. Among them, there were 7 high-level True Immortals at the very least, making up a third of the experts they gathered.

If they added the 7 from the Spirit Thistle World and Spirit Tinkle World, where 5 of them were actually high-level True Immortals. That would mean that the Spirit Luxuriant World was actually under siege by 28 True Immortals. They had double the number of experts possessed by the Spirit Luxuriant World!

Of course... It wasn’t that the Spirit Thistle World and Spirit Tinkle World managed to send a stronger force than the other 3. It was just that the Spirit Observation World, Spirit Mammoth World, and Spirit Abundance World left their main fighting force over at the Essence Ping World. There were 3 foreign True Immortals among those sent by the 2 weaker Spirit Worlds.

Because they couldn’t match up to the 3 powers, along with their inaction back then, causing Kou Chongxue to suffer at the hands of a sneak attack, the Spirit Luxuriant World’s ascension felt like a thorn in their hearts. They decided to head to the outskirts of the Spirit Luxuriant World to take a look at their progress, but they were instantly called out by the others. Their exposure placed them in a pretty awkward position.

Of course, the choice of the True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World to stand their ground was done after much calculation. They planned to keep the battle away from their world at all costs, preventing the disruption of Shang Xia’s breakthrough.

Even Kou Chongxue understood that it wouldn’t be realistic to stop them all. It would be impossible! All they could do was to buy some time.

The only reason he didn’t try to stop them further away was because they would be able to utilize greater assistance from the Spirit Luxuriant World.

At the very least, the 7 Elysium True Immortals would have to take part in the battle once Shang Xia’s breakthrough was affected. They had 2 more high-level Elysium True Immortals back home and they would be able to maximize the advantage of the Spirit Luxuriant World’s Will at such a distance.

As for the previous disagreements among the Elysiums and the schemes against Shang Xia’s breakthrough... Kou Chongxue wasn’t worried in the slightest.

The second the True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World chose to stand with Kou Chongxue, those concerns had long since disappeared.

The principle of mutual dependence was something they understood more thoroughly than anyone else.

Moreover, there was also Shang Xia, who was currently in the process of entering the Seven Star Realm!

If the other worlds failed to interfere with the process and Shang Xia became a Sage, their disagreements would be completely useless.

Although in the eyes of the other Elysiums in the Spirit Luxuriant World, the possibility of Shang Xia’s success was small, they would rather play it safe.

After all, if he survives, all of them would definitely turn into the prime targets for his vengeance.

Shang Xia’s reputation wasn’t a joke. He had an impressive battle record where he fought the Star Origin Lord’s clone outside the Essence Ping World. Everyone had seen the battle, and he didn’t just fight the clone. He even managed to escape unscathed. Not to mention the Star Origin Lord’s clone wasn’t the only Sage he fought. Shang Xia had already survived battles against multiple Sages!

Based on that alone, it wasn’t exactly illogical for him to be capable of pushing the Spirit Luxuriant World to a state of ascension in 30 odd years.

"... True Immortals of the Spirit Tinkle World and Spirit Thistle World... You know what to do!” After Pei Lu, the True Immortal of the Star Origin Dao Field spoke, she took the lead and led the other True Immortals of their Dao Field in launching the first offensive on the Spirit Luxuriant World.

The moment she made her move, she targeted Gao Qin. The 6 True Immortals with her quickly encircled Feng Ziying and Feng Ziyuan.

Pei Lu's decision to strike first without choosing the strongest Kou Chongxue made sense since both she and Gao Qin were fifth tier True Immortals. No one would question her decision to not fight the strongest expert present.

Moreover, with Feng Ziying and Feng Ziyun, 2 former Camp Commanders of the Star Origin Guards... There was all the more reason for her not to let them go.

With Pei Lu and the True Immortals of the Star Origin Dao Field leaping into action, the experts of the Spirit Mammoth World and Spirit Abundance World also followed suit. They quickly formed a pincer that trapped more than 10 True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World.

Even though they hadn’t communicated before taking action, they worked together multiple times in the battle around the Essence Ping World. It wasn’t difficult for them to achieve basic coordination.

As they pressed closer, Kou Chongxue suddenly made a decision that shocked everyone.

“Retreat!”

Under the relentless pressure from the 3 great Spirit Worlds, the True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World didn’t choose to stop their opponents. Instead, they rushed into the chaotic streams.

What the hell?

Was the stance of desperation just a bluff by the True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World?

"Stop!" Pei Lu roared just as the True Immortals from the Star Origin Dao Field were about to press forward.

"True Immortal Pei, this...” Yuan Chan couldn’t help but ask. However, as someone who was familiar with Kou Chongxue, he couldn’t understand why they would choose to retreat so suddenly.

Pei Lu replied seriously, "We've overlooked something!"

Her gaze swept across Yuan Chan and Xiong Xin, not waiting for them to inquire further before saying, "The juniors of the Star Origin Dao Field also have the Stargazer inheritance. If they are already prepared, the True Immortals of the Spirit Luxuriant World wouldn’t be lost in the chaotic streams. The moment we enter, we won’t be able to properly sense out surroundings and they would pick us off.”

A True Immortal from the Spirit Abundance World raised an eyebrow skeptically. “What’s the point? Their world is already exposed. We have long since created spatial tunnels through the chaotic streams to attack their world... Are they actually stupid? Why would we enter the chaotic streams to fight them?”

Quite satisfied with his comment, he looked around for recognition, only to realize the odd looks he was getting. It was as though they were looking at a complete fool, and his comrades from the Spirit Abundance World even distanced themselves as if his stupidity could somehow infect them.

The next moment, the experts from the Spirit Thistle World and Spirit Tinkle World stepped forward. Zuo Li’s voice rang in the minds of everyone present, “I didn’t think the Stargazer inheritance of the Spirit Luxuriant World is so highly regarded by True Immortal Pei. It seems like they have extremely impressive Stargazers... Patriarch Kou really kept a lot of secrets from his former allies...”

"However... Since True Immortal Pei mentioned that they have already charted out and prepared a battlefield in the chaotic streams, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to disrupt the spatial tunnels we set up... Unless you wish to enter the chaotic streams to travel to the Spirit Luxuriant World...”

The True Immortal of the Spirit Abundance World quickly lowered his head. His face was flushed red with embarrassment.

As Zuo Li swept his gaze around, it lingered on those who weren’t from the Heaven Observation Field.

The moment he mentioned their Stargazer inheritance, their faces clearly lit up. There was a look of greed that couldn’t be concealed.