Dong Shuye had originally wanted to search for Lu Ye's corpse, but the message in his Battlefield Mark threw his mind into turmoil. How could he spare any thought for Lu Ye now?
Cao Ye had sent another message, only three simple words.
"Danger. Return quickly!"
He had previously received Cao Ye's message and knew that Mystic Gate cultivators had come to attack the Nine Stars Sect camp. Yet he had not been worried, because assaulting a sect's camp was no simple matter. By his estimate, even if Mystic Gate mobilized every last one of its people, the Grand Array protecting their camp could hold for a day or two. That would have been enough time for him to kill Lu Ye and hurry back.
But how long had it been? Cao Ye had actually sent such a message. It was clear that the situation at the camp must have become extremely dire.
He hurried back the way he had come while messaging Cao Ye to ask what had happened. Yet the message vanished like a stone sinking into the sea; there was no reply at all.
Beneath the pool, Lu Ye drifted in and out of consciousness. His Spiritual Power was nearly exhausted, while great quantities of blood swirled around him alongside severed limbs and chunks of flesh.
Only after entering the water did he discover that there had been someone beneath it. From the looks of him, that person had apparently been gathering something underwater.
The moment they saw each other, both were startled.
Lu Ye had no time to explain anything. Once he steadied himself underwater, he immediately activated the Defense Spirit Pattern above his head. Then, one Golden Arc Slash after another cleaved through the water toward him.
The unfamiliar cultivator did not even have