C282 Watching
Amidst the depths of the heavens, thunder roared and lightning wove a net across the sky.
A snow-white figure, once as tiny as a grain of rice, swelled to the size of a mountain in the blink of an eye.
"Crack!"
A whip, forged from bolts of lightning, lashed out like a galaxy torn from the celestial realm, striking towards the distance.
The mountainous snow-white figure snorted.
With a flick of his hands, he cast a spell and the electric net, once suspended high above, plummeted down.
It was as if an ancient deity was casting a net from beyond the heavens, intent on capturing the souls of the mortal realm.
"Crack!"
Elsewhere, in the northern skies, a cascade of ice shards collided and soared heavenward.
The countless fragments burst into a brilliant display of icy light, each etched with the essence of bitter cold.
A diminutive shadow seemed to divide the Yin God into thousands, imbuing each shard with a unique chill.
Beside the Cloud Sail, old General Lee Yuangui's eyes, once clouded, sparked with clarity as he uttered, "Remarkable."
He recognized that the hidden masters from the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect, allied with the Silverfrost Dragon and its Dragon Servitors, were targeting the commander of the Tusk Troops.
The Silverfrost Dragon alone was no match for the storied commander, and the Dragon Servitors were mere fodder, useful only for forming battle arrays.
Yet as the concealed Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect experts emerged, he realized the commander's predicament was worsening.
After a heavy sigh, Lee Yuangui cast a glance at Wai Feng.
Wai Feng's head hung low, her expression forlorn, clearly anxious for the commander's fate.
Yet she was powerless to intervene.
On a hillside adjacent to the battlefield in the north, Lei Xiao and Lau Wei were suddenly invigorated.
Each carrying a sect disciple on their back, they gazed up at the resplendent firmament, sensing the powerful stirrings of their kin and observing the galactic whip and the glacial glow from a myriad of ice shards.
They were well aware that their fellow sect members, having left the Heavenly Source Continent by order, must have shown themselves with full confidence.
The Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect, having fostered a longstanding alliance with the Divine Might Empire, would certainly not disappoint the empire's sovereign who had sought their aid.
Moreover, that individual was once cast out by the Ancient Desolate Sect. With the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect joining forces to besiege her, there was no concern about retribution from her former sect.
"The Tusk Troops have fled far and wide, yet their fate remains unchanged."
Lei Xiao gazed skyward and huffed, "Regardless of her past renown within the Ancient Desolate Sect, the moment she lost her sect's backing and stooped to serve a nation on the Profound Sky Continent, she forfeited her prestige and status. Besides, since her master's incident beyond the heavens, the Ancient Desolate Sect has disowned her."
"She can't return," Lau Wei murmured, a weight lifted from his chest.
They were acutely aware that the pursuit by the Tusk Troops would cease once the Silverfrost Dragon made its appearance.
The Tusk Troops would regroup at the earliest opportunity.
"We'll just watch how things unfold."
Lei Xiao plopped down, popped a pellet into his mouth, and put his worries to rest.
...
"Yu Yuan."
Old General Lee Yuangui, standing at the edge of the Cloud Sail, suddenly uttered the name.
Narrowing his eyes, he strained to discern the distant battle but couldn't make out Yu Yuan clearly. Puzzled, he turned and inquired, "Elder, may I ask why you've mentioned him?"
The newly emerged powerhouses from the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect didn't need visual confirmation to be recognized as Soul Wandering Stage practitioners.
Such cultivators represented the pinnacle of strength in the empires across the Profound Sky Continent.
Take, for instance, the Empress of the Silvermoon Empire, Zhou Cangmin, the Imperial Advisor of the Rainier Empire, and the esteemed commander—all were of this esteemed echelon.
The audacity of the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect's duo to ally with the Silverfrost Dragon indicated their comparable prowess.
On the Heavenly Source Continent and the Quietus Continent, reaching the Soul Wandering Stage was no mean feat.
For a conflict of this magnitude, the Silvermoon Empire's elite had no place to meddle.
In the vicinity, if anyone could sway the aerial conflict, Yu Yuan could only think of Yu Zhu.
Yet, he had no desire for Yu Zhu to emerge and risk exposure.
"Have you ever visited the Jade Peak Mountain Range?" Lee Yuangui's gaze lingered on the far-off clash as he posed the question.
Upon hearing the mention of Jade Peak, Yu Yuan felt a jolt of alarm.
Beside him, Bai Shenshen of the Medicine Sect turned her attention their way, intently listening to the conversation between him and Lee Yuangui.
The other members of the Silvermoon Empire remained engrossed in the ongoing battle between their commander and the formidable opponents from the Silverfrost Dragon, Thunder Sect, and Cold Yin Sect, paying no mind to the exchange.
"After I left the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, I roamed around Jade Peak for a bit before quickly moving on," Yu Yuan admitted, his curiosity piqued. "Why do you ask?"
"Some time ago, someone was inquiring about you," Lee Yuangui revealed.
"Who?" Yu Yuan pressed.
"A girl from the Luan Bird Empire, surname Chen," Lee Yuangui said, his gaze piercing.
Yu Yuan paused, then realized it must be Chen Qingyan. He wondered how she had managed to gather information on him—perhaps not directly, but through someone else.
"Oh," Yu Yuan responded with a composed air.
"You're acquainted with her?" Lee Yuangui asked, taken aback.
"We've met, but we're hardly close," Yu Yuan replied.
Bai Shenshen, overhearing this, wore a peculiar look. She mused to herself that Yu Yuan was a master of deception; not a word he spoke was the truth.
She knew the real story: Yu Yuan and Chen Qingyan had journeyed to Chilly Wind Valley together.
Following the calamity at Chilly Wind Valley, it was confirmed that many powerful individuals had perished, with both Yin God Stage and Penetrating Stage practitioners among the casualties.
Yet Yu Yuan had vanished without a trace, only to resurface within the borders of the Silvermoon Empire, in Elfview.
Chen Qingyan had also vanished. She hadn't returned to the Luan Bird Empire, and her whereabouts remained unknown.
As Lee Yuangui was about to continue, his brow furrowed, and he called out sharply, "Who's there, skulking in the shadows?"
Within the Cloud Sail, the elites of the Silvermoon Empire tensed, their eyes darting around in search of the unseen threat.
Alas, they detected nothing.
Yu Yuan, equally curious, scanned the area but noticed nothing amiss.
He trusted, however, that Lee Yuangui was not mistaken; there must have been something that triggered his question.
"Relax, it's just an old acquaintance making an appearance to say hello."
A streak of black and white light converged abruptly before the Cloud Sail, coalescing into a boy Yu Yuan recognized. With an air of nonchalance, he appeared and fixed his gaze on Yu Yuan, remarking, "What a coincidence, we meet again."
Their last encounter had been a hasty departure from Chilly Wind Valley.
A year had passed, and here he was again, seemingly more powerful in Yu Yuan's eyes.
"Why are you here?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.
Lee Yuangui's expression subtly shifted. Having previously met in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, he was well aware of the challenge this individual posed. "Do you intend to meddle in the distant battle?"
"Yes."
The Monochrome Boy nodded gently, his tone neutral as he inquired, "So? Is the Silvermoon Empire planning to intervene?"
Lee Yuangui was quick to clarify, "We're merely observers! Our presence is solely to ensure that the conflict doesn't spill over to the Silvermoon Empire. We hope the battlefield remains where it is!"
"That's reassuring," the Monochrome Boy responded, visibly easing. He then turned his attention back to Yu Yuan, "And you?"
His demeanor grew noticeably more earnest when addressing Yu Yuan, surpassing the gravity of his previous question about the Silvermoon Empire's intentions.
This shift cast a wave of puzzlement over the Silvermoon Empire's elite.
