Chapter 183: The Great Battle Begins
Chapter 183: The Great Battle Begins
"Senior Liu Jing," Li Yuan heard the familiar voice and felt a surge of joy as he instantly emerged from the dark cave.
Standing several dozen meters away was a blue-robed elder, none other than Liu Jing.
Instinctively, Li Yuan used Divine Palace Scanning to confirm his identity—a 24.2-level Essence Warrior.
Without the reminder from his Spirit, he knew this was a Seven Stars Human Clan member.
This was a lesson from his General Studies class: When traversing the Star Realm, always stay vigilant and never let success and joy cloud your judgment.
"You've hidden yourself well. If not for the Smart Ring's positioning, I might have had a hard time finding you," Liu Jing chuckled.
Li Yuan smiled, "Senior, how did you get here so quickly?"
It had been less than five hours since his last communication.
"I received the news and, after discussing with the other two main officers, I set out immediately, rushing here as fast as I could," Liu Jing said with a serious expression. "Also, I just followed the map in your intelligence report and went to the Celestial Virtue Clan's base you mentioned... It was already abandoned."
"No one there?" Li Yuan asked, puzzled.
"I surveyed the surroundings and found many Flying Snake corpses outside the Flying Serpent Valley. They must be from your battle," Liu Jing said. "It seems like you've alerted the enemy, forcing them to retreat quickly."
"Senior, you're brilliant," Li Yuan praised.
"Alright, stop flattering me," Liu Jing smiled. "I've already scouted the Flying Serpent Valley and can confirm that your intelligence is accurate. There's a large number of Lifeblood Essence Spirit Ginseng growing on the canyon cliffs... I've sent a message back, ordering the base's main forces to come here. They should arrive within three days."
"Senior, you're amazing," Li Yuan was genuinely surprised and admired him even more. "In such a short time, you've done so much. I'm truly impressed."
In less than five hours, Liu Jing had rushed from the base and conducted reconnaissance.
What dedication!
"It's my duty as a main officer to stay vigilant," Liu Jing said, unperturbed.
In reality, Liu Jing had been resting nearby, adjusting his physical state. Once he felt his body was at its peak, he immediately came to find Li Yuan.
"Senior, what should we do next?" Li Yuan asked.
"According to your intelligence, if the Flying Serpent Valley is indeed suitable for large-scale cultivation of Lifeblood Essence Spirit Ginseng, it's worth our Xia Guo investing a substantial amount of resources," Liu Jing said. "Even if it costs hundreds of billions of Blue Star Coins or more to establish a War Base here, it's worth it."
Li Yuan nodded in agreement.
Indeed, the Lifeblood Essence Spirit Ginseng was not extremely valuable on its own, but if they could mass-produce tens of thousands or even millions of them annually, its value would skyrocket.
In a sense, it was far more valuable than the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Tree.
The Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Tree could only benefit a few Martial Artists, but a continuous supply of Lifeblood Essence Spirit Ginseng could aid the growth of tens of thousands of Martial Artists.
"Of course, I'm not an expert. We'll have to wait for the scientists to come and conduct tests," Liu Jing added.
Li Yuan nodded slightly, knowing that specialized tasks should be left to professionals.
"There are a few things we should be cautious about in our next move," Liu Jing said. "First, there's the Celestial Virtue Clan's strong warriors."
"But didn't they withdraw?" Li Yuan asked, confused.
"Didn't you say that Lord Xueshu had scouted the Flying Serpent Valley?" Liu Jing asked gravely. "We must always prepare for the worst-case scenario. Assume that Lord Xueshu also discovered the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Tree... He might be planning to consume the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruit alone, which is why he never reported it to the Celestial Virtue Clan's higher-ups."
"Of course, there are many contradictions. Even if he's a 19th-level genius, it's unlikely he could defeat two 2nd-rank Flying Snakes," Liu Jing added.
Li Yuan nodded, agreeing that this was indeed a confusing point.
However, neither Liu Jing nor Li Yuan knew that Lord Xueshu lacked Li Yuan's stealth abilities and was unaware of the 2nd-rank Flying Snakes at the bottom of the valley.
"Regardless..."
"Now that you've scared him off, what if he reports to the Celestial Virtue Clan? Will they come to claim the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruit?" Liu Jing looked at Li Yuan.
"The Flying Serpent Valley is much closer to our Seven Stars Human Clan's forward base," Li Yuan hesitated.
"But the Celestial Virtue Clan is stronger and has better long-range transportation capabilities," Liu Jing sighed. "Otherwise, how could they have dared to attack Observation Point 19?"
Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
Indeed, the Celestial Virtue Clan's power in the Mingxu Star Realm was formidable.
"But as you said, our advantage is the proximity," Liu Jing smiled. "Even if the Celestial Virtue Clan's Essence Warriors want to come, it will take them some time."
"What we need to do is use this time to seize the three Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruits."
"The Flying Serpent Valley is valuable, but it requires a significant investment of resources from Xia Guo and the Seven Stars Alliance to realize its potential," Liu Jing emphasized.
Li Yuan nodded in understanding.
The Flying Serpent Valley's value lay in its potential for large-scale cultivation, which required substantial resources from powerful nations or alliances.
For individual Martial Artists, its benefits were minimal.
However, the three Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruits could directly bring in billions of Blue Star Coins.
"After we obtain them, according to the Alliance's rules, you, as the discoverer, will receive 20%, and the remaining 80% will be divided based on our contributions," Liu Jing smiled. "No objections, right?"
"None at all," Li Yuan shook his head.
If he had ventured alone, he might not have gotten even 1%, but now he was guaranteed at least one Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruit, so he had no objections.
"Didn't you inform the other two main officers?" Li Yuan couldn't help but ask.
"There's no need. We have only three Essence Warriors in the base, so we can't afford to send them all out. There's no time to wait for other 1st-rank Martial Artists either, as they wouldn't be of much help," Liu Jing said calmly.
"I'll follow your lead, Senior," Li Yuan nodded.
Li Yuan would have been more cautious if it were another Essence Warrior he had only met a few times, but he respected Liu Jing.
Facing a dedicated Essence Warrior who had willingly guarded a region for thirty years, Li Yuan believed that the man wouldn't betray him for a few Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruits.
Of course, Li Yuan also remembered his teacher's advice—even with trust, one must always have a backup plan. Li Yuan secretly kept some tricks up his sleeve, as one could never be too careful.
In the Star Realm, warriors engaging in mutual slaughter was a common occurrence, and no one intervened.
"My plan is simple," Liu Jing said. "You'll take the initiative and scout the Flying Snake Valley."
"The deeper, the better."
"Your stealth capabilities are better than mine. You'll infiltrate and get as close as possible to the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Tree." Liu Jing looked at Li Yuan, "Then, I'll make my move from above, attracting the two Second Rank Flying Snakes and other Flying Snakes... You'll seize the opportunity to claim the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruit."
"After you've acquired it, if you remain undetected, you'll escape on your own."
"Once you've successfully escaped, send me a signal, and I'll find a way to leave."
"If you're discovered after obtaining the treasure, with your strength, ordinary First Rank Flying Snakes shouldn't pose much of a threat in a short time."
"Then, immediately flee towards me, and I'll lead you out," Liu Jing said.
"What about you, Senior Liu?" Li Yuan hesitated.
The plan sounded simple.
However, the crucial premise was that Liu Jing could withstand the siege of two Second Rank Flying Snakes and tens of thousands of First Rank Flying Snakes.
"Haha, do you doubt my abilities?" Liu Jing laughed. "While I can't kill tens of thousands of Flying Snakes alone, delaying them for a while and then escaping with you will be easy."
Li Yuan nodded slightly, his worries dissipating.
Senior Liu, with his decades of experience and leadership, would undoubtedly have a more comprehensive plan than him.
"In fact, if we weren't pressed for time and concerned about the Soul Infusing Ancient Spirit Fruit being destroyed by the Second Rank Flying Snakes..."
"We could have waited for the mechanized forces and directly eliminated the Flying Snake Clan with heat weapons. They are weak and not a significant threat." Liu Jing explained.
Li Yuan was speechless.
Weak? Only in comparison to Xia Guo's war machines.
Soon, Li Yuan and Liu Jing discussed the details, double-checking the timing, location, escape route, and emergency plans.
Without further ado, they set off.
...
The two suns hung high, their light illuminating the land, and the dense mist in the Flying Snake Valley seemed to have thinned considerably.
Li Yuan and Liu Jing, clad in their battle armor, had stealthily reached the edge of the canyon.
From this vantage point, they could already see numerous Flying Snakes in the canyon below.
"Let's begin," Liu Jing said in a low voice.
"Okay," Li Yuan nodded slightly, and his battle armor turned dark green, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.
Gripping his spear, Li Yuan moved swiftly along the vines, descending into the Flying Snake Valley.
On his second infiltration, following the familiar route, he moved with ease, significantly faster than before.
In just two minutes, Li Yuan had descended over 300 meters, completely disappearing into the mist.
"This young man is truly impressive. His stealth abilities... a perfect example of Heaven-Earth Unity!" Liu Jing observed from above, marveling at Li Yuan's skill, which even his keen eyes struggled to track.
Naturally, the descent became slower the deeper they went.
After fifteen minutes, the Flying Snake Valley remained as quiet as ever, except for the occasional roars of the Flying Snakes.
"Has he not reached the designated position yet?" Liu Jing felt a twinge of concern.
Suddenly, Liu Jing's smart ring on his arm vibrated, displaying a number—0!
0 meant safety, indicating that everything was going according to plan.
1 represented a predicament, requesting patience.
2 was a call for support.
Liu Jing sent a '0' with a thought, and his battle armor enveloped the smart ring, rendering him completely dark, except for his slightly widened eyes.
With a swift motion, he drew his battle sword and held up his shield, feeling a surge of hot blood within.
"Haha, it's been a long time since I've experienced such a grand battle," Liu Jing muttered.
Unconcealed, Liu Jing stood up.
With a swift movement, he leaped from the thousand-meter cliff, transforming into a terrifying streak of light, plummeting downward. The force of gravity, combined with his own power, propelled him to a speed approaching 200 meters per second.
The terrifying speed caused the air to boom and reverberate in all directions.
The sound alerted the Flying Snakes on the cliff, and many instinctively looked up.
"Boom!"
Like a thunderbolt, Liu Jing's battle sword cleaved two massive Flying Snakes perched on the cliff about 300 meters below, splitting them in half.
Blood and flesh splattered as Liu Jing's impact shattered countless rocks, sending them flying in all directions.
"Kill!" Liu Jing's eyes turned icy, and with a burst of leg strength, he dashed nearly a hundred meters along the cliff.
"Pfft!" Another 18th Rank Flying Snake was slashed mid-air, its massive body torn into pieces.
Blood and flesh rained down.
"Roar!" Finally, the entire Flying Snake Valley erupted with the deafening roars of hundreds and thousands of Flying Snakes, as if they had encountered a deadly enemy.
The sound rapidly spread, reaching the cliffs on both sides of the valley and even deeper into the Flying Snake Valley.
At that moment, tens of thousands of Flying Snakes realized—a Second Rank alien had arrived!
Within seconds, there was a series of explosions, and Flying Snakes burst out of the mist, roaring and flapping their wings.
Almost simultaneously, a large number of Flying Snakes emerged from the cliffs on both sides, their wings spread wide, and their eyes sharp. They quickly locked onto Liu Jing on the cliff.
"Haha, come and get me!" Liu Jing revealed a cold smile.
Boom! A faint glow of fiery flames seemed to envelop his body, resembling a battle god!
...
About 1200 meters below, in the canyon.
An inconspicuous dark green figure was hidden among the vines.
"It begins," Li Yuan held his breath. All around him, Flying Snakes were frantically rushing out of their caves, creating an overwhelming swarm.
The Flying Snake Clan's numerical advantage was fully unleashed in that moment.
(End of Chapter)
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