The fierce battle lasted for two full days, with reinforcements from the Xuantian Sword Sect pouring in like a tide, wave after wave, endless.
Although the overall strength of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan was not much inferior, under such pressure, they gradually felt powerless and ultimately had to choose to retreat in defeat in the face of the Xuantian Sword Sect's powerful offensive.
After the great battle settled, the battlefield was a mess, filled with smoke.
Li Mu, through the shared soul vision of the Sea Spirit Swallow, overlooked the once prosperous Wanxing Island, which had now become a desolate island of lava, covered in a bloody aura, and he felt a myriad of emotions.
Although he had avoided this battle, his connections were likely exposed. To prevent the higher-ups of the Xuantian Sword Sect from realizing that this great battle was caused by him, Li Mu decided to leave by other means. He controlled the Sea Spirit Swallow, flying towards the distant Central Plains Spirit Domain, preparing to cross the vast ocean between the two domains to avoid the sight of Sword Master Feng and the others.
As the Sea Spirit Swallow continuously flapped its wings, its figure quickly disappeared into the distant horizon.
Inside the main hall of the Sky Spirit Island's outpost, the high-ranking members of the Xuantian Sword Sect gathered. Their faces showed some fatigue, and they all carried more or less some injuries. However, an unconcealable Killing Intent emanated from them, a sharpness honed through life-and-death struggles. Their eyes shimmered with excitement, as if still relishing the intensity and thrill of the battle, each one radiant and full of fighting spirit.
The great battle had just ended, and they urgently needed to summarize the situation, tally the casualties, and assess the results. This was not only to understand the specific circumstances of the battle but also to prepare for future conflicts.
Sword Master Feng sat in the main seat, his expression somewhat solemn, with a hint of doubt between his brows.
The great battle initiated by the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan was too sudden, and the casualties were exceptionally heavy. Moreover, it felt somewhat anticlimactic, unlike the usual style of the Nine Demon Sect and Blood Demon Lord - Dana.
This great battle came too suddenly. The combined offensive of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan was as fierce as a storm, catching them off guard. Hundreds of thousands of Cultivators on Wanxing Island suffered heavy casualties. However, after they reacted, the casualties of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan were also exceptionally heavy, with many Demon Ancestors and Demon Venerables dying, almost all of them elites.
What puzzled Sword Master Feng was that the end of this great battle seemed somewhat anticlimactic. They paid such a high price just to destroy Wanxing Island. This alone seemed inconsistent with their usual style, especially Blood Demon Lord - Dana, who was known for his cunning and ruthlessness. Launching a major battle at such a high cost without achieving a strategic objective was truly perplexing.
Why would he easily pay such a high price to launch this great battle? What was his purpose? How could he make such an illogical decision?
Sword Master Feng's brows were tightly furrowed, his heart filled with doubt, unsure what unknown secret was hidden behind this great battle, which made him feel somewhat uneasy.
At this moment, Fang Yunjian entered the hall with a joyful expression, handing a battle report to Sword Master Feng. He excitedly reported, "Sword Master, this is the statistical result of this battle. Although the Cultivators on Wanxing Island suffered heavy casualties, our Xuantian Sword Sect also achieved a great victory. Sixty percent of the elite forces of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan were severely wounded. This can be called a great triumph!"
Sword Master Feng took the battle report and quickly scanned the numbers. Despite the glorious results, he was not satisfied.
Sword Master Feng frowned deeply and asked in a low voice, "Yun Jian, do you think this great battle was truly initiated by the Nine Demon Sect just to expand their influence? What exactly was their purpose? Why did they choose to attack Wanxing Island at this time? What was the significance?"
Fang Yunjian was startled by the question, then also frowned, carefully recalling the course of the battle, and also discovered the irregularities within it.
"Sword Master, your concerns are very valid. There seems to be a deeper reason hidden behind this great battle. The Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan launched such a fierce offensive, yet chose Wanxing Island as their target, which is indeed unusual. Logically, they should have chosen a target that poses a greater threat to us, such as Sky Spirit Island." Fang Yunjian nodded, agreeing with Sword Master Feng's conjecture.
Sword Master Feng said in a deep voice, "That's right! There must be unusual factors involved behind this battle. Wanxing Island is not a strategic location, nor does it have important facilities or resources. Their costly attack on Wanxing Island clearly defies logic. Immediately send people to investigate the truth behind this great battle, and be sure to ascertain the true intentions of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan."
"Yes!" Fang Yunjian nodded solemnly.
Several days later, Fang Yunjian's investigation finally yielded substantial results. Through inquiries and visits below, some mysterious clues were discovered, which gradually revealed an unknown secret. It turned out that the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan chose to attack Wanxing Island, which had little strategic significance, because their main purpose seemed to be to attack Li's Treasure Pavilion and capture Elder Li.
When Sword Master Feng received this report from Fang Yunjian, he was immediately astonished. He had always thought that the Nine Demon Sect's attack on Wanxing Island might have a deeper meaning, but he never expected their purpose to be so simple and clear.
"Are you sure? They went to such great lengths just to capture Elder Li?" Sword Master Feng looked at Fang Yunjian, his gaze sharp as a knife, and couldn't help but confirm again.
Fang Yunjian nodded affirmatively, "Yes, Sword Master. According to my in-depth investigation, after Elder Li appeared at Li's Treasure Pavilion via a teleportation array a few days ago, the Nine Demon Sect immediately launched their attack on Wanxing Island. Their actions seemed quite hurried, as if they were seizing an opportunity. Moreover, after the Nine Demon Sect captured Wanxing Island, they gathered several Demon Ancestor-level powerhouses specifically to attack Li's Treasure Pavilion's protective formation, expending immense effort. All these signs indicate that their emphasis on Elder Li is extraordinary, and the purpose of this island attack should be to capture Elder Li."
Sword Master Feng frowned deeply, his mind filled with countless thoughts. He couldn't help but recall the previous incident where Li Mu received special attention from Blood Demon Lord - Dana, being cursed with a Soul Chasing Blood Curse. Now it seemed that Dana's emphasis on Li Mu was indeed extraordinary.
Elder Li must hold extremely important value for the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan, otherwise they would not have gone to such great lengths, regardless of the cost.
But what was so special about Elder Li that made the Nine Demon Sect go to such great lengths?
Over the years, Sword Master Feng had been following news of Li Mu, knowing that Li Mu had refined many high-grade Spirit Swords for the Sect, significantly improving the overall combat strength of the higher-ups. His decision to introduce him to the Xuantian Sword Sect back then was definitely a wise one.
"Where is Elder Li now? Where is he located?" Sword Master Feng looked at Fang Yunjian, asking with concern, deeply afraid that Li Mu had been captured by Blood Demon Lord - Dana.
Upon hearing this, Fang Yunjian silently lowered his head, his face somewhat grim as he replied, "Currently, we have not found Elder Li's exact whereabouts. However, according to the information provided by the Ancestor Hall, Elder Li's soul lamp is normal, indicating that he should be safe for now."
Hearing this, Sword Master Feng's brows furrowed deeply, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes. Being safe did not necessarily mean everything was fine. If Elder Li fell into the hands of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan, the consequences would be unimaginable. They were willing to launch such a large-scale war to obtain Elder Li, clearly indicating their extreme emphasis on him, and there must be unknown reasons behind it.
"Does being safe mean everything is fine? Immediately send people to find Elder Li; we must not let him fall into Dana's hands!" Sword Master Feng gazed at Fang Yunjian and gave a decisive order, his voice firm and powerful, full of unquestionable authority.
"Yes!" Fang Yunjian gladly accepted the order, immediately turned and left, dispatching a large number of subordinates to search for Li Mu's whereabouts everywhere.
——
At this moment, Li Mu, Liu Yalan, and Xue'er had already emerged from the Painting World Treasure Mansion, switched to the Earth Element Spirit Ship, and were speeding through the air, rapidly sailing towards the Central Plains Spirit Domain.
Li Mu had no idea what was happening on Sky Spirit Island, nor did he know that Sword Master Feng had ordered his subordinates to search for his whereabouts with all their might. He only wanted to reach the Central Plains Spirit Domain and return to the Seven Profound Sect as soon as possible.
The seven types of fifth-tier spirit plants and several types of sixth-tier spirit plants planted on Seven Gods Mountain were being looked after by seven Soul Transformation Clones, so no accidents would occur in a short time. However, Li Mu still wanted to return as soon as possible to personally look after them. After all, those spirit plants held extraordinary significance to him, concerning the progress of his Cultivation, Lifespan, and Divine Soul in various aspects, and no mistakes could be made.
The Earth Element Spirit Ship, topped with a magnetic shield, cut through the sky like a sharp sword, moving at lightning speed. The magnetic shield formed an invisible protective circle around the ship, blocking all wind resistance and airflow, allowing the Spirit Ship to travel at a speed of thousands of miles per hour towards the Central Plains Spirit Domain. The entire journey was silent and smooth, as if floating in the clouds, giving a sense of tranquility and peace.
On the deck, Li Mu, Liu Yalan, and Xue'er sat around a table, with exquisite tea sets in front of them, and a faint fragrance of tea emanating from the cups. They sipped the precious spirit tea while admiring the rapidly passing scenery below. Mountains, rivers, and forests all receded quickly before their eyes, like a flowing scroll, beautiful and refreshing.
Liu Yalan curiously observed the Earth Element Spirit Ship, looking here and there, her face filled with astonishment and curiosity. She couldn't help but ask Li Mu, "Pavilion Master, the speed of this Spirit Ship is truly astonishing. At this speed, how long will it take us to reach the Central Plains Spirit Domain?"
Li Mu put down his teacup, smiled slightly, and replied, "If all goes well, we should reach the Central Plains Spirit Domain in about a month. However, this also depends on the specific route and weather conditions. After all, travel is always full of unknowns and variables, and if we encounter unexpected situations, it might cause some delays."
Xue'er, hearing this, couldn't help but ask with some worry, "Unexpected? Lord Li, our Spirit Ship's defense is so strong, will we still encounter any unexpected situations that cause us to stop?"
Li Mu's eyes flashed with a hint of solemnity upon hearing this, and he said in a deep voice, "The defense of the Earth Element Spirit Ship is indeed fine, but along the way to the Central Plains Spirit Domain, there are always unknown dangers, such as powerful Yao Beasts, harsh weather, or even attacks from other Cultivators. These can all become obstacles to our progress."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu suddenly frowned. His extended Divine Sense seemed to have discovered something, and he immediately became serious, not daring to be negligent in the slightest. He quickly used his magic power to control the Earth Element Spirit Ship, accelerating and changing direction.
At this moment, Xue'er and Liu Yalan also noticed the anomaly ahead. Their gazes followed Li Mu's line of sight, and upon seeing the situation ahead, their faces immediately turned pale, filled with fear.
They saw a vast and magnificent blue thundercloud in the sky ahead, rushing towards them at a swift speed. The blue thundercloud rolled and surged like raging waves, creating a powerful momentum.
However, when they looked closely, they were startled to discover that the blue thundercloud was not simply a cloud layer, but was formed by thousands of giant Thunder Rocs gathered together.
Those Thunder Rocs were enormous in size, each exuding a powerful aura. As their wings flapped, they brought forth streaks of violent lightning, gathering together as if to envelop the entire sky.
The Thunder Rocs emitted deafening screeches, their voices filled with wildness and Killing Intent.
Seeing this scene, Xue'er and Liu Yalan both felt a surge of terror. The scale of the Thunder Roc swarm ahead was truly immense. So many fifth-tier Thunder Rocs gathered together, their sheer momentum was enough to make anyone tremble.
"It's a Thunder Roc swarm! Such a large scale, what should we do?" Xue'er's voice trembled slightly, clearly shaken by the sight before her.
Li Mu took a deep breath, steadied his mind, and said in a deep voice to Liu Yalan and Xue'er, "Don't panic, stay calm. We must first try to avoid these Thunder Rocs. If we can't avoid them, then we can only face them with all our might."
As Li Mu spoke, he controlled the Earth Element Spirit Ship, rapidly changing its course, attempting to avoid the vast Thunder Roc swarm. Under his precise control, the Earth Element Spirit Ship moved like a nimble fish, drawing a graceful arc across the vast sky.
However, the speed of the Thunder Roc swarm was exceptionally swift. They possessed innate thunder Divine Ability, and with a flap of their wings, boosted by lightning, they could fly hundreds of miles away.
Even more surprisingly, this group of Thunder Rocs seemed to possess extremely high intelligence. Upon discovering the presence of the Earth Element Spirit Ship, they all let out deafening screeches and continued to attack the Earth Element Spirit Ship, appearing determined to fight to the death.
Facing this sudden crisis, Li Mu could only fully pilot the Earth Element Spirit Ship, dodging the pursuit of the Thunder Roc swarm, controlling the Spirit Ship to speed through the sky, sometimes diving, sometimes ascending, sometimes turning left and right, trying to confuse the Thunder Roc swarm's tracking.
Under Li Mu's precise control, the Earth Element Spirit Ship moved like a nimble Dragon, darting back and forth amidst the Thunder Roc swarm's encirclement. Although it was fraught with danger, it was never caught by the Thunder Roc swarm.
Li Mu sighed silently, hoping this chase wouldn't last too long and that the Thunder Roc swarm would give up after a fruitless pursuit.
As time passed, the aerial chase became increasingly intense. The Earth Element Spirit Ship constantly changed direction to escape, while the Thunder Roc swarm pursued with lightning speed, relentlessly giving chase, forming a unique and spectacular scene in the sky.
