Free Web NovelChapter 347: Chapter 342: Trap and Ambush, Surprise Attack to Encircle and Kill
「A few days later.」
Su Ye, who was in closed-door cultivation, received a Communication Talisman.
After taking the Communication Talisman and sweeping it with his Divine Sense, Su Ye raised an eyebrow, then rose to his feet and flew off in a streak of rainbow light.
「Giant Stone City.」
The royal palace.
After the war, the original royal family was expelled and imprisoned, and this place became a stronghold for the Nanyaoguang Corporation.
"Greetings, Mr. Su." A middle-aged cultivator with graying temples bowed respectfully with his hands clasped.
"Mm," Su Ye acknowledged with a slight nod.
"Explain the situation."
"Phantom Zhenren... something’s happened to her?"
"That’s right." The gray-haired middle-aged man wore a troubled expression as he explained the cause of the matter.
"Four days ago, native powerhouses from several different city-states, who had been roaming near the Fog Forest, began converging on Giant Stone City in a coordinated movement."
"Seeing this, Phantom Zhenren felt threatened. She took a team of our corporation’s elite cultivators aboard a Motorized Hovercraft and went to the border to drive them away."
Su Ye listened without comment.
There was nothing wrong with Phantom Zhenren’s actions.
As the governor of Hope Port, driving away hostile natives was her duty.
"The operation was going smoothly at first."
"But just today... we received an urgent distress signal, a Communication Talisman sent by Phantom Zhenren."
"In the message, she claimed that their Motorized Hovercraft had been shot down and that a large number of native powerhouses had ambushed them..."
"Right now, Phantom Zhenren and the cultivators with her are holding their position inside a temporary Array set up using the wreckage of the Floating Boat, and they are requesting immediate backup..."
"These are their current coordinates." As he spoke, the middle-aged cultivator activated a Map Jade Talisman, which marked the rescue location with a red dot.
Upon hearing this, Su Ye raised an eyebrow and cut straight to the heart of the matter.
"In the talisman, did Phantom Zhenren provide any details about the enemy’s strength?"
"She did not..."
"So, just the coordinates for a rescue?" Su Ye’s expression turned strange, his eyes glinting.
"Yes. In her talisman, Phantom Zhenren didn’t mention the natives’ strength. She only gave the coordinates and the request for help..."
’A trap!’
Su Ye’s instincts screamed that this rescue mission was a trap!
The native city-states didn’t answer to one another. For powerhouses from several different city-states to set up a joint ambush was something that defied all logic!
Besides, would Phantom Zhenren, a dignified Crystallization cultivator, be foolish enough to send a distress call without even describing the enemy’s approximate strength?
Su Ye didn’t believe it!
’So... there’s a high probability this incident is a trap.’
’A trap to besiege a point and ambush the reinforcements—a trap aimed at me!’
Su Ye’s mind was on high alert.
He remembered that he had a terrifyingly powerful enemy in the Far South Continent—the Eternal Hunting God!
Tens of thousands of elite troops from the city-states affiliated with this major god of the Northern Territory had fallen at his hands, and he had even slain one of the god’s divine descent avatars!
Su Ye had put himself in his enemy’s shoes. If he had a mortal enemy with whom he shared such a deep-seated hatred, he would seize any opportunity to grind their bones to dust and ensure they could never be reincarnated!
However, even if it was a trap, he still had to try and save Phantom Zhenren.
After all, she was the governor of Hope Port and a high-level executive in the corporation. If he didn’t even try to save her and just abandoned her... it would be too disheartening for everyone.
So...
"Ziyuan!"
"I have a mission for you."
"Phantom Zhenren is currently trapped at this location and in urgent need of rescue."
Ziyuan: "Huh?"
’Rescue her!’
’But not by me!’
Of course, this plan wasn’t meant to be a suicide mission for Ziyuan.
A Fourth-Order combatant who could double as a bed partner was far too valuable to just throw away like that!
Su Ye’s plan was to provide backup for her and enter the fight later!
’After all, with Ziyuan’s strength, even if there’s some kind of scheme, she won’t get insta-killed, right?’
And once the natives’ trap was exposed, Su Ye, knowing what to expect, could handle the problem with ease!
’In other words, Ziyuan, go face-check the bush!’
’The only drawback is that Ziyuan might have to take a beating?’
’It’s fine.’
’She’s hard to kill.’
Su Ye’s expression remained calm.
Ziyuan: "Oh, thanks so much."
...
BZZZT!
Within Giant Stone City, a deep purple Escape Light shot into the sky.
Ziyuan set off, heading toward the target location on a preliminary reconnaissance mission.
Su Ye himself remained in Giant Stone City, closely monitoring the operation.
He had provided Ziyuan with several Communication Talismans. By burning one, they could maintain real-time contact for a period of time.
Of course, this was not cheap.
Each Communication Talisman was a Third-Order talisman!
’Now, I wait.’
Su Ye calmed his mind and waited patiently.
Years of cultivation had tempered his disposition, giving him immense patience.
But...
He frowned slightly, feeling as if he had overlooked something.
’Is there anything wrong with my plan?’
’Right?’
’Wrong?’
’No, no, it’s fine!’
...
SWOOSH!
A Fourth-Order great demon’s Tunneling Speed was incredibly fast.
Ziyuan streaked through the sky like a rainbow, arriving at the distress coordinates in just half a day.
From a distance, she could see a crashed Floating Boat wreathed in the spiritual light of an Array, with black smoke rising from it.
Near the Floating Boat, a faint cyan fluorescence flowed and flickered, like a giant inverted bowl covering the entire vessel.
She could vaguely make out Phantom Zhenren and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators inside the faint cyan barrier, constantly bombarding it with magic treasures and techniques, striking it and creating ripples.
’This is...’
’A barrier made of Divine Power?’
’And it’s focused on the inside... a containment-type barrier?’
Ziyuan’s demonic eyes flickered as she swept the area with her Divine Sense to assess the situation.
’It’s a strong barrier. Without a Fourth-Order intervening, a Crystallization cultivator would probably be trapped for several weeks before they could break free...’
But...
Ziyuan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. All that was here... seemed to be just this barrier?
"No enemies detected."
She activated a Communication Talisman to relay the information.
Then, she cautiously began trying to shatter the barrier and rescue the targets.
Unexpectedly, her attack on the barrier went quite smoothly... there was no enemy interference, nor did the barrier retaliate.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Under Ziyuan’s assault, the Divine Power Barrier began to crumble in less than fifteen minutes!
"Everything’s going very smoothly."
"I expect to have the targets rescued in about six minutes... Mr. Su, I’ll be back in time for dinner~"
Ziyuan said in a light and playful tone.
However, at that very moment, as Su Ye watched the scene unfold through the Communication Talisman, his mind suddenly tensed!
An intense sense of crisis, like an electric current, shot up his spine and jolted his cerebral cortex!
’A god’s scheme is this simple?’
’No trap at all?’
’Impossible!’
The fact that the coordinates were safe could only mean one thing...
’Their target is me!’
Su Ye’s pupils contracted.
He had just realized his oversight!
Giant Stone City was no safe zone!
Unlike Su Ye’s own stronghold on Jade Dew Island, this native city-state was not protected by a Fourth-Order Array!
Strictly speaking, was there any difference between attacking him inside Giant Stone City and ambushing him in the wild?
Su Ye sucked in a sharp breath.
Realizing this, Su Ye immediately prepared to leave Giant Stone City!
But...
BZZZT!
Just at that moment, near Giant Stone City, four pillars of Spiritual Power that reached from the earth to the sky suddenly appeared!
