Lin Lei, dressed in a sky-blue robe, traveled between heaven and earth, his robe billowing in the strong wind. Behind him, ten six-star demons also wore various colored garments. During battles outside, using uniforms was too conspicuous and made it easier for the enemy to spot them.
"Everyone, be careful. Our target this time is a small squad from the Barbari family. Absolutely do not let any other families discover us. Fly close to the ground," Lin Lei ordered, diving down himself and then skimming just above the surface. The ten team members followed suit.
"Don't worry, Captain. If we don't actively engage them, they won't find us," said Melina with a smile.
Actively engage?
Lin Lei couldn't help but recall some information the Grand Elder had given when assigning this mission. Whether it was the Eight Great Families or the Four Divine Beast Families, both sides deliberately attacked each other, waiting for the opponent to come.
For instance, if the Four Divine Beast Families didn't want to fight and all retreated into the Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range, the Eight Great Families couldn't touch them. Similarly, if the Eight Great Families stayed in their own territory, the Four Divine Beast Families wouldn't recklessly go there.
But...
The Eight Great Families hated their opponents to the bone, and the Four Divine Beast Families hated them just as much! So they deliberately provoked and fought each other time and again! Neither side ever backed down. Knowing this was a war of attrition, the Eight Great Families were willing to endure the cost, while the Four Divine Beast Families were too proud to submit.
"The Eight Great Families are interesting. They always take the same route. It's purely to provoke," Lin Lei thought to himself.
Of the Eight Great Families, four were located on the eastern border of Azure Manor, and four gathered on its western border. They were united among themselves, fearing that if they scattered, the Four Divine Beast Families could defeat them one by one. In their current arrangement, the Four Divine Beast Families had no way to pick them off individually.
Moreover...
The Eight Great Families on both sides of Azure Manor frequently sent strong squads back and forth. Each time, they traveled along two fixed routes. Anyone from the Four Divine Beast Families encountered along the way was killed without exception! Sometimes, they even launched sneak attacks and murders at the outer edges of the Heavenly Sacrifice Mountain Range.
"With such provocation, how could our Four Divine Beast Families swallow this insult? They openly follow fixed routes. If we back down any further, we'll become a laughingstock," Lin Lei understood clearly. In their ongoing battles, the enemy held the initiative. After all, they had far more experts.
After flying for about three days, Lin Lei and his team reached their destination—an intelligence outpost along the fixed route. Lin Lei glanced at a distant sand dune, which was unremarkable in the surrounding grassy wilderness.
"Come out," Lin Lei said calmly.
This intelligence outpost had also been provided by the Grand Elder.
The sand dune warped, and a figure emerged from it—a slender young man in a yellow robe. Upon coming out, he looked at Lin Lei with slight confusion. Lin Lei smiled and flipped his hand, producing an elder's token.
"Greetings, Elder," the young man quickly said.
"When will the Barbari family's forces arrive?" Lin Lei asked.
Intelligence stations used special abilities and clones split between locations to relay information quickly. The transmission speed was incredibly fast; even if the enemy was millions of miles away, their movements might already be known.
"To be precise, it's a suspected Barbari family force," the young man in charge of intelligence reported. "That suspected Barbari force is still several million miles away. Based on their speed of advance, they should arrive here in about a day and a half."
Lin Lei nodded.
"You said 'suspected'? Are you unable to completely confirm it's the Barbari family?" Lin Lei asked with some concern.
"Cannot completely confirm. According to intelligence, most of that squad consists of Water System experts, but two are not. We can only tentatively judge it to be the Barbari family. It might also be a joint squad from two families," the young man explained.
Lin Lei's brow furrowed. A mixed squad? That was extremely rare.
Because elders of the Four Divine Beast Families usually possessed a drop of 'Divine Power.' If they disregarded their own lives and used a drop of Divine Power in desperation, even two seven-star demons on the opposing side would likely suffer. Therefore, both sides preferred one-on-one encounters unless there were special circumstances, such as facing a clan head or a Grand Elder—only then might a joint squad be dispatched.
"You may withdraw," Lin Lei ordered.
"You all, follow me." Lin Lei flew up directly, and the ten six-star demons immediately followed.
The intelligence youth watched them fly away and muttered, "Clansmen, you must win." As an intelligence operative, he walked the line between life and death. If discovered by the enemy, they would be killed without hesitation. Most of these intelligence personnel were very weak. They could only hope that strong individuals like Lin Lei would go and avenge them.
Several thousand li from the intelligence outpost, Lin Lei and his team stopped and lay in ambush in a nearby forest. Everyone's expression was serious; they all understood that once the battle began, death was likely.
"Captain, when the enemy arrives, how should we respond?" asked the burly figure 'Shanda,' and the other members looked at Lin Lei.
"First target: the enemy's seven-star demon," Lin Lei said with a faint smile. "Ambushing is useless—they'll definitely detect us with their divine sense. You just need to stay here. When the enemy arrives, fly into my 'Black Stone Space' to fight them."
"We fly in?" A member immediately grasped Lin Lei's meaning. "Captain, you're not attacking together with us?"
If they were together, Lin Lei's Black Stone Space would naturally envelop them, and there'd be no need for them to fly in separately.
"Right, I'll strike first alone," Lin Lei said with a smile.
"What?" All ten were shocked.
"Captain, you can't take that risk. It's better if we fight together. How can you go in alone? It's too dangerous. Even if all ten of us die, you must not die," said a gaunt man urgently.
A seven-star demon was the most precious asset in a family and a pillar of its strength.
"Relax, if I sneak in alone, I have over a ninety percent chance of success," Lin Lei assured them.
"Huh?" The ten team members were stunned.
"I'll conceal my aura. They'll only think I'm a middle-stage god and won't pay attention to me," Lin Lei explained. Azure Manor was like any other estate; tribes could be seen everywhere. A middle-stage god was the most common level in Hell.