A moment later, under Chu Tian's lead, the Xuanmen cultivators found a passage to rest and regroup.
Chu Tian leaned against the rock wall, waiting for supplies from the sect while using the battlefield imprint to send messages.
The Xuanmen base was a vast complex of buildings scattered among several spirit peaks, with spiritual energy swirling around the mountains. The entire base was enveloped in a thick mist, making it impossible to see the inside from the outside, clearly indicating that a great array covered it.
In the courtyard of one of the peaks, Wang Yang, with his handsome and elegant appearance, stood by the fish pond in a white robe, casually scattering fish food and watching the koi compete for it.
Behind him, Xiao Zhu stood quietly.
Suddenly, Xiao Zhu activated her battlefield imprint, sensed something, and looked up, saying, "Young Master, Chu Tian encountered Guoshan Hu, who invited him to be a guest, but he refused."
Wang Yang remained silent, finished scattering the fish food, clapped his hands, walked to a nearby chair, sat down, and took a sip of tea before calmly saying, "As expected, such a person wouldn't easily enter another sect's base."
"Why did you invite him, Young Master?" Xiao Zhu was puzzled.
Wang Yang chuckled, "Many of our junior brothers and sisters have been saved by him and have received benefits from him. We should at least show some gratitude. Whether we invite him or not is our business, and whether he accepts or not is his."
Xiao Zhu nodded.
"Anything else?"
"Chu Tian said that Guoshan Hu indeed has a fine spirit weapon, and he calls himself 'Yi Ye.'"
"Yi Ye?" Wang Yang's expression turned thoughtful. After a moment, he shook his head. He had never heard of this name. The cultivation world often saw the emergence of new stars who would draw attention, but before they shone brightly, few people knew of their existence. Once they did shine, they would be the focus of all.
Of course, many new stars would fade before they could shine, as the cultivation world was full of danger, especially the chaotic Lingxi battlefield, where countless geniuses died each year.
"Chu Tian also said that this person seems to have a defensive spirit pattern. During battles, the spirit pattern can be activated at will, blocking attacks from Lingxi Fourth Layer cultivators."
In the great battle, Lu Ye frequently activated the spirit pattern. The sharp spirit pattern was more hidden because it was attached to the long sword. Even when activated, others would assume it was a restriction on the sword and wouldn't think much of it.
But the defensive spirit pattern was different. Although it flashed briefly each time, it couldn't be hidden from Chu Tian's deliberate observation.
"A defensive spirit pattern that can be activated at will?" Wang Yang was truly shocked, "A Lingxi Third Layer cultivator?"
Spirit patterns were extremely complex and profound, requiring a great deal of time to study and research. Wang Yang had tried to learn them in his spare time, but the intricate and mysterious descriptions in the books always made him drowsy and his head buzz. In the end, he tore the book to pieces...
"That's what Chu Tian said."
Wang Yang's lips twitched, "What kind of freak has run away from a major sect?"
Indeed, Wang Yang was certain that Lu Ye was a disciple from a top-tier major sect, who had come to the outer circle for training due to his low cultivation level.
This conclusion was based on Lu Ye's astonishing performance over the past few days. According to Xuanmen's statistics, at least twenty Nine Star Sect cultivators had died at Lu Ye's hands, including several Lingxi Fourth Layer cultivators.
Being able to defeat higher-level opponents was a hallmark of disciples from major sects, which smaller sects couldn't cultivate.
Moreover, he had a beast pet, a majestic creature that wasn't easily tamed by ordinary people. Combined with the information Chu Tian had provided, Wang Yang was even more convinced of his guess.
Only someone from a top-tier power could have such a deep foundation and be able to activate a spirit pattern in battle at the Lingxi Third Layer.
The name "Guoshan Hu" had been coined by Wang Yang, who saw Lu Ye as a fierce tiger crossing the mountains!
"This style of raising disciples is somewhat like that of a certain sect in Tianzhou, where they have many top-tier spirit pattern masters!" Wang Yang mused.
Xiao Zhu didn't know which sect Wang Yang was referring to, but she knew that this "Yi Ye" must have an extraordinary background. She asked, "Young Master, should we secretly help him?"
"There's no need for that," Wang Yang waved his hand, "He's out here for training. Whether he lives or dies is his own business. If we go to help him, it might backfire and make things worse."
Many major sects had the habit of letting their talented disciples leave the sect's protection to wander and hone themselves when their cultivation levels were low. Although this was extremely risky, once they grew, their strength would far surpass their peers.
Therefore, there was an unwritten rule in the Lingxi battlefield: even if these training disciples were killed, the major sects wouldn't retaliate.
This was the price of growth. Major sects were never short of geniuses, and they wouldn't mourn the loss of those who died, unless they were close relatives of the sect's higher-ups, in which case it would be a personal vendetta, not related to the sect.
Wang Yang could guess that Lu Ye was a disciple from a major sect, and the Nine Star Sect naturally had similar suspicions. However, they didn't abandon their pursuit of Lu Ye, not because they feared the major sects, but because they knew the major sects wouldn't cause trouble over this.
"Besides, this person is the cause of this great battle. Our Xuanmen has already taken on enough pressure for him. If he's smart, he should come to pay his respects and thank me!" Wang Yang chuckled.
Xiao Zhu rolled her eyes. As Wang Yang's personal maid, she knew much more than others. This declaration of war seemed to be a natural move by Xuanmen, but in reality, it was a long-planned move. Wang Yang had just been waiting for the right opportunity, and Lu Ye's killing of the Nine Star Sect's young master provided that opportunity.
To Wang Yang, Lu Ye was like a blessing from the heavens.
Wang Yang was going to the inner circle of the battlefield, where the Seventh Layer cultivation level was nothing, and he might face life-threatening situations.
So before he left, he needed to deal a heavy blow to the Nine Star Sect. This way, even if something happened to him, the situation here would remain stable for a while until someone could take over.
"How are the casualties?" Wang Yang asked again.
"Thirty have died, but seventy percent of them were scattered cultivators," Xiao Zhu replied.
Wang Yang nodded, satisfied with the result. He instructed, "Increase the pressure and end this declaration of war as soon as possible!"
Only by ending this declaration of war quickly could the plan truly begin!