184 Chapter 184 (1/2)
Their protective shields weren't strong enough to last. The leaders did the correct thing and signaled for a retreat. One of their ships was going up in flames while falling. Before it could crash it was bisected by an enemy cultivator. This was Zhang Dong and he was just delivering the ending blow to the Dark Palm Elder. His nascent divinity was badly injured and the chase wasn't long, he was first grand elder causality.
”That other guy sure ran away fast, he didn't even bother to help his own comrade...”
Elder Wan looked like a grain of rice in the distance, even with Zhang Dong's enhanced vision he was hard to spot. He looked to the sides and saw the retreating ships and some Dark Palm Cultivators fleeing the scene. Even while escaping they were getting bombarded by Qi bullets, the scene was quite gruesome to watch.
”So this is war...”
”This is long past the point of no return...”
Matt frowned while clenching his fist. His hand started glowing as golden lightning crackled, he remembered the time he mercilessly finished of a band of bandits two years ago. This would be something similar just on a larger scale. He threw the improved lightning spear into the air and watched it whizz past the clouds. A loud boom of thunder resounded throughout the area and a shower of golden lightning bolts rained down on everyone in the vicinity.
The Dark Palm sect cultivators found themselves getting attacked from the back as they tried to flee and from the sky. Matt looked at the gruesome scene of people getting blown up and exploding while screaming for mercy. Deep inside he knew that these people came to his city to do the exact thing that he was doing to them. Still, it didn't sit well with him.
”At least I'll give you a quick death...”
He wasn't in the mood to chase any straggler, all of the ships were going down after his lightning barrage. He propelled himself backward and headed back into the city, he expected more of those Dark Palm members to arrive as he didn't think that killing one Grand Elder would be enough.
”It would be nice if this was the end... but knowing these murder hobos they won't take something like this lying down.”
While Zhang Dong was returning back to Spirit Spring City, Elder Wan was pushing his spiritual energy to the max just to get away from there. He was sweating bullets and using his spiritual sense to feel if he was being chased. He was vigilant as he barely noticed his opponent being there, only when the attack was fired off did he manage to react and dodge.
He shouted into his communication jade while flying without looking back. He thought that the man would give chase but Matt was worried that he would be lured into a trap, or that they might attack the city while he was busy fighting the grand elders. Back in the Dark Palm Sect main base, Yang Guanyu was getting his report.
”What... that fool Guo is already dead, just like that?”
He was sitting together with the rest of the grand elders that were waiting for further orders. After pulling back the grand elder that remained at the border they were down to four active ones and their sect leader. All of them would have to head out, they needed to protect the honor of their sect but they had already lost far too much in this battle.
”This... am I surrounded by fools? Can't you kill one whelp?”
The man's dastardly aura filled the whole room, the three grand elders that were with him went down to their knees under the pressure.
”Please grand elder, appease your anger.”
The woman cultivator called out while Yang Guanyu was having a fit of rage. The old man looked at his sect elders and finally stood up from his throne-like chair. He placed his long hands behind his back and floated forward.
”I'll take care of him, you fools follow me, I will not stand for this!”
”This problem has to be kept a secret, the other sects can not find out about this, we might suffer further losses to our lands.”
The group of elders floated towards one of the Harmonious mountain peaks. This peak in particular was responsible for the teleportation arrays and gates that went through the whole Dark Palm territory. The personnel was already waiting for them and the gate was activated.
”Mobilise the main troops, while I and the Grand Elders are taking care of the nascent soul threat, they will eradicate their crummy city, we will take no prisoners, no one will survive!”
He proclaimed in a calm voice, even though he wasn't shouting everyone at the sect could clearly hear this order. The proud sect members raised their weapons into the air and cheered out. With their Sect Leader leading them they had nothing more to fear. Everyone vanished through the large gate, even their large ships were able to fit through this thing that quite the wide diameter.
On the other side, they were greeted by part of the force that remained in the city. Everyone had their head lowered not daring to look at their sect leader. They knew that he had a no-nonsense policy and would strike them down in a heartbeat if they showed him any amount of disrespect.
”Where is Elder Wan?”
The sect leader asked while the rest of the army was going through the teleportation portal.
”Elder Wan has retreated, he is flying towards the city.”
One of the people reported while not looking up, far too scared to meet the sect leaders' eyes.
”So he left his men? Hm...”
The sect elder just nodded, thinking to himself that it was probably the right thing to do when fighting an unknown enemy at their territory.
”We will depart and meet Elder Wan halfway.”
”All the grand elders come with me, the rest of the sect will fly in the front.”
The sect leader didn't put his trust into his sect warriors all too much but he still could use them as meat shields or a distraction. If the flying ships gathered around they could match the firepower of a nascent soul master. The only downside was that they were slow and their defenses were lacking. In a true battle, they would lose out but could act as a decoy or provide supportive fire from the back.
Finally, everyone moved and the citizens of Jade Grass City trembled once more. This time around the armada was much larger, the ships blocked out the sky as their shadows were cast on the ground below. There was at least a hundred of those ships coming in, the teleportation formation was working overtime.
”We must hurry and get done with this today, before the other sects find out.”