A Move Remained Even in a Deadlock

Outside the tent, someone scrambled in, lifting the curtain as if they were crawling.

"Old Fan, enemy attack—"

"They're from Mystic Capital Prefecture!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the tent paled and exchanged incredulous glances.

"A sneak attack?"

"How dare the Mystic Capital Prefecture? Aren't they afraid that the Mountain-Quelling Palace will take advantage of the chaos to interfere?"

"Besides, several elders are stationed at the front lines, and with only a few men left behind..."

The words were left unsaid, yet everyone understood the unspoken meaning.

For a moment, the people in the tent were in turmoil and lost their composure.

Even Fan Yuan was no exception.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't flustered, as this was the first time I had ever commanded such a colossal entity and been involved in a battle of this scale.

But when he thought of his master's entrustment before his departure, he managed to suppress his panic.

Fan Yuan took a deep breath.

It's not that I'm not afraid.

"Quite the opposite—they were terrified."

"We're afraid Mountain-Quelling Palace will get involved, and we're afraid that if this battle drags on, one of those families will eventually take advantage of the situation."

"Instead of waiting around for someone to come and get a share, let's take the gamble."

"Let's launch a surprise attack under the cover of night and swallow us whole before Mountain-Quelling Palace can react!"

At this point, his eyes turned cold, his mind made up, and he no longer hesitated.

"Order: Assemble combat forces, ascertain enemy positions, identify their weaknesses, and launch a concentrated breakout!"

As soon as the order was given, everyone in the tent began to run around.

Zhou Heng stood to the side, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

He wanted to know what would happen to the wounded who were still lying in their tents.

But the words stuck in his throat.

In this situation, there's no time to worry about such things.

"Zhou Heng! Listen carefully."

Fan Yuan suddenly turned around, grabbed his shoulder, and stared intently at his face.

"This is no joke."

"Stay close to me from now on, don't worry about anything else, just follow me."

"I told you to run, so run—do you understand?"

Zhou Heng nodded emphatically.

"Good boy/girl."

Having said that, Fan Yuan was the first to lift the curtain and step out.

The scene outside the tent was even more horrific than I had imagined.

Flames shot into the sky, turning half the night sky red.

The air was filled with shouts and neighing, chaos reigned everywhere, and there was no trace of any military formation left.

Let alone assembling combat forces.

Even the simple wish to gather people together has become a luxury.

Zhou Heng's heart tightened at the sight, and he subconsciously looked towards a particularly fierce ball of fire in the distance.

That direction...

This was the place where he took care of the wounded during the day.

So many people are still lying in bed, unable to move; what a state of affairs they are in now.

I dare not think about it.

Meanwhile, Fan Yuan slowed down.

He was weighing his options.

There are only two paths now.

There were only a few people accompanying him, and the one with the highest cultivation level was Gu Hanshan.

Gu Hanshan was only at the Eighth Layer of the Cultivator Realm.

Such combat power would be enough to intimidate the enemy under normal circumstances, but now that the enemy dares to launch a sneak attack, victory is almost certain.

If it really comes down to a head-on confrontation, they wouldn't even last the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

If Fan Yuan were to simply take Gu Hanshan and escape amidst the chaos, it wouldn't be too difficult, given his abilities.

But by leaving like this, he essentially abandoned the thousands of people who remained behind.

The other option is to step forward, rally the remaining troops, consolidate their fighting strength, and fight their way out head-on.

But as soon as they peek out, those who were attacking will immediately pounce on them.

A near-death experience.

There is no perfect solution.

In such a critical situation, there's no time for careful consideration.

In the blink of an eye, Fan Yuan had made his decision.

He turned his head and gave instructions to Gu Hanshan beside him in a deep voice.

"Gu Hanshan."

"Take this kid with you."

Gu Hanshan frowned, instantly understanding Fan Yuan's plan.

"Old Fan, how can this be?" His voice was extremely low, but every word was urgent. "You are the backbone of Soaring Tower. If you stay, it will be a matter of life and death."

"Stop talking!"

Fan Yuan waved his hand to interrupt him, his tone decisive, "This kid is more important than me."

"If he's gone, even if I go back alive, I won't have the face to see you, sir."

After saying that, he gave Zhou Heng one last look.

In that gaze, there was reluctance, but even more so, an unyielding resolve that could not be disobeyed.

"Remember what I just said."

"Run—don't look back!"

"Master..."

"Run!"

A sharp shout.

Zhou Heng wanted to say something, but the roar silenced him.

Gu Hanshan knew that any further words would only delay things, so without further hesitation, he grabbed Zhou Heng and turned to rush into the shadows.

Behind him, the remaining people silently gathered around Fan Yuan's side.

An elderly man with gray hair rolled up his sleeves.

There was a man in his prime, gripping the knife at his waist so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Not a single person backed down.

Fan Yuan turned around and glanced at the crowd, then suddenly smiled.

I'm ashamed.

"You were all perfectly fine before I arrived."

"My arrival here is to drag you all along to this deadly predicament."

He gazed at the approaching flames and solemnly spoke:

I'm sorry.

"Old Fan, please don't say such discouraging things."

"I knew it all along. If I was really afraid of dying, I wouldn't have entered this Soaring Tower in the first place."

"Absolutely. I've had enough of all the backstabbing and scheming in this building. This is so satisfying—"

Just one word.

"Dry!"

"Dry!"

The crowd roared in agreement, their voices almost drowning out the raging battle.

"Good."

Fan Yuan nodded emphatically.

The next moment, he suddenly raised his head.

His inner True Qi surged, his robes billowed without wind, and he rose from the ground, soaring into the air.

"Fan Yuan of Soaring Tower —here I am!"

That sound, like a thunderclap, resounded across most of the battlefield.

Zhou Heng, who was being carried away by Gu Hanshan, looked back.

Several streaks of light could be seen rushing towards the lone figure in mid-air from all directions.

He opened his mouth, as if to shout.

I only caught a glimpse of it.

The next moment, Gu Hanshan, who was carrying him, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Zhou Heng stumbled and looked up.

Before they knew it, several figures had silently blocked their way.

The leader looked Gu Hanshan up and down, then suddenly sneered.

"Oh, who do we have here?"

"Isn't this Gu Hanshan from Soaring Tower?"

"They're issuing a challenge over there, which is exactly when they need manpower. Elder Gu isn't going to fight, but instead he's rushing over here in a hurry—"

Where are you headed?

Gu Hanshan didn't answer, but silently shielded Zhou Heng behind him.

I'm not leaving.

His voice turned somber.

"Let the child go."

"He's not one of our Soaring Tower members."

The man's gaze swept over Zhou Heng for a fleeting moment.

He then clicked his tongue and shook his head, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Whether they're one of your people or not, I don't care."

"I'm too lazy to guess what you're up to."

We have come tonight for only one thing.

The slight smile on his lips vanished completely in an instant.

"Kill them without mercy!"

Fan Yuan ultimately failed to break through.

Several figures surrounded him from all sides, trapping him inside.

His inner True Qi surged, metal clashed, and his robes were torn and fluttered loudly.

He was willing to risk his life to fight, even if it meant severely injuring one or two people; it wouldn't be a loss.

But just then--

"Stop!"

Gu Hanshan was brought over, covered in blood, with one arm hanging limply at his side, clearly broken.

Zhou Heng, who was standing next to him, was also forced to kneel on the ground.

The person holding the two hostage was a fair-skinned young Cultivator named Ji Changfeng.

"Old Fan, look what we've caught!"

Ji Changfeng gave a forced smile, grabbed Zhou Heng from the ground, and lifted him forward.

"Elder Gu, a dignified eighth-level cultivator, was in the midst of a fierce battle, yet instead of engaging the enemy, he risked his life to protect this unknown youth as he tried to break through the encirclement."

"Tsk, who would believe that this child is alright?"

The surging internal True Qi around Fan Yuan suddenly stopped.

That moment of loss of composure was crystal clear to the leader.

The man chuckled and slowly walked up.

This person is the leader of this group from Mystic Capital Prefecture. His surname is He, and his given name is Ge.

He Ge stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at him condescendingly.

"Look at Old Fan's reaction."

"Looks like we made the right bet."

He gestured with his chin toward Gu Hanshan and Zhou Heng.

"If you still want to spare their lives..."

"You'd better surrender and come with us obediently."

"Despicable!" Fan Yuan gritted his teeth. "Using their own children to blackmail people, is this what the Mystic Capital Prefecture is all about?"

"Oh, Old Fan, that's too harsh." He Ge wasn't annoyed; instead, he smiled. "In a battle, each side relies on its own methods."

"Besides--"

He glanced at Zhou Heng on the ground and said slowly, "It's your own fault for being reluctant to part with him; you can't blame us."

Fan Yuan's chest heaved violently.

He gazed at the blood-soaked Gu Hanshan, and at Zhou Heng, who was pinned to the ground.

A long time.

The surge of True Qi around him gradually dissipated.

As soon as he dispersed his True Qi, the Cultivator had been waiting nearby immediately rushed forward.

She twisted his arms behind his back, holding him firmly in place, giving him no chance to fight back.

Seeing this, a hint of smugness flashed in He Ge's eyes.

But instead of stopping, he raised his chin and went even further.

"Simply stopping isn't enough."

Kneel down!