At the center of this convoy, there was a pitch-black demon vessel several times larger than the other flying chariots. Most of it was shrouded in faint demonic qi, and within the haze, the silhouettes of several masked demon cultivators dressed in similar garb could be faintly discerned.
However, the auras emanating from these demon cultivators were clearly several grades more powerful than those aboard the other flying chariots.
"How much longer until Wood City? This time, we finally managed to lure all three of their Mahayana cultivators away. I paid an enormous price to slip past the Wood Tribe's surveillance and return to the
"Reporting to Lord Tuntian! At our current speed, we still have approximately half a month's journey before reaching Wood City!" another male voice replied with the utmost deference.
"Hmph, unacceptable. Too slow. Yuan Sha and the others may not be able to hold those three old ghosts for long. Increase our speed—we must reach Wood City within ten days. As long as we destroy the Sacred Tree within the city, the Wood Tribe will naturally have no ability to hold whatever territory remains. That Sacred Tree's importance to the Wood Tribe far exceeds anything you can imagine." The aged voice issued the order without a shred of emotion.
"But Lord Tuntian, we're already at the maximum stealth speed of the Arc Moon Flying Chariots. If we push any faster, I'm afraid we won't be able to evade the Wood Tribe's sentries." The male voice returned with a note of hesitation.
"It doesn't matter! The allied races' armies are already in retreat, scattering and pulling back in all directions. As long as we exercise some caution, there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, with me personally presiding here, even if a Wood Tribe scout were truly to stumble upon us, how could I let them live to send back word?" The aged voice let out a cold laugh.
"If Lord Tuntian is willing to personally take action, then naturally there's no problem. I'll relay the order at once!" The demon cultivator's voice turned to elation.
A short while later, the black demon vessel and all the flying chariots trembled as their speed surged dramatically. At the same time, a low humming filled the air, making it impossible to maintain the previous silence any longer.
……
Seven days later,
Almost simultaneously, the man and woman seated on either side of him also roused from their meditative states.
Without a single word, all three looked upward toward the distant sky.
After only a few breaths, the sound of something tearing through the air echoed from the horizon!
A flash of green light—a sword beam several feet long shot inward at tremendous speed. After several flickers, it hurtled straight toward the giant tree in the valley below.
Han Li narrowed his eyes. Without another word, he extended one hand toward the distance.
The sword beam arrived above the valley in an instant, circled once, then descended beneath the great tree.
Han Li closed his five fingers in a grasping motion. The green light converged, and in his hand appeared a small, palm-sized illusory sword glowing with green luminescence. Within it, a small white jade slip was clearly visible.
He pressed the sword between his two palms and rubbed. The green light dissipated between his hands, leaving only the miniature jade slip.
Han Li pinched the jade slip between two fingers, lifted it to his forehead, and sent his spiritual sense probing into it in an instant.
Beside him, Cao Ji and Fei Xiaoxi watched with solemn expressions.
After a brief moment, Han Li withdrew the jade slip from his forehead and casually tossed it to the burly Wood Tribe man, speaking in a measured tone.
"In one hour, the demon army will formally enter the formation zone. The entire Ultimate Formation must activate the power of the Wood Realm by midday, trapping two-thirds of the demon forces within."
"The demons have taken the bait after all. As long as we can annihilate this contingent within the formation, the allied forces may not be able to retake the occupied territories, but we can deal a devastating blow to the demon army's vitality—they'll lack the strength to launch another offensive for quite some time." Cao Ji's face broke into a broad grin after reading the jade slip, which he then passed to Fei Xiaoxi.
"Since that's the case, we'll follow orders and activate the formation's power on schedule. As long as all thirty-six formation clusters activate simultaneously, those demons trapped within will have no hope of survival." After Fei Xiaoxi swept her spiritual sense over the jade slip, a trace of a smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Naturally. However, once the formation's restrictions are fully activated, this area becomes one-way traffic—only entry, no exit. Tell everyone to remain on their highest alert." Han Li's gaze flickered as he issued the directive in a calm tone.
"Understood. Cao will relay the order at once and personally oversee the deployment of personnel." Cao Ji agreed without a moment's hesitation.
The defensive forces here consisted primarily of Wood Tribe members, so it was naturally most appropriate for this Wood Tribe Body Integration cultivator to issue the commands himself.
"Then I'll go inspect the restrictions to check for any oversights or areas that need adjustment." Fei Xiaoxi volunteered as well.
"Good. I'll trouble both of you, fellow Daoists. I'll hold the fort here. If either of you detects anything unusual, notify me immediately." Han Li nodded, offering no objection.
And so the burly Wood Tribe man and the Yaksha woman both rose to their feet and soared skyward, heading off in separate directions.
Han Li closed his eyes once more beneath the tree, his expression as tranquil as ever, as though the approaching demon army were truly not a matter that weighed on his mind in the slightest.
……