"We absolutely can't beat them head-on. Whatever happens, let's relocate somewhere else first. We might run into other Hanlin Academicians!" With that, Fang Yun began writing "Night Raid."
"Relocate?" Pang Chaosheng froze, then realized this was the most tactful possible way of saying "run away." Fang Yun seemed to be saving face for the five Hanlin Academicians.
After finishing their Swift Movement Battle Poems, the six fled together, discussing their situation as they raced ahead.
"Those three Eagle Demon Marquises are about to catch up. If they only harass us without engaging, there's nothing we can do about them. Besides, Void Sage Fang just used his Military Text, so he can't use Deceiving Heaven to Cross the Sea or Crossing the River in Secret again yet. Even if he hadn't used them, Deceiving Heaven to Cross the Sea couldn't fool Eagle Demon Marquises. The Eagle Clan's eyes are sharper than the Snake Race's."
Fang Yun said, "Why don't we kill you first, then kill ourselves? That would let us leave the Heavenly Tree."
Pang Chaosheng replied, "That might have worked before, but... now they have a way to intercept our Divine Sense and kill us for good!"
"Only by using the Heavenly Tree's power to leave normally can we keep them from intercepting our Divine Sense," Peng Zouzhao said.
Fang Yun fell silent. So when these Hanlin Academicians had come looking for him to deliver that message, they had not merely risked death-they had come prepared to die!
The Kong Family's Hanlin Academician said, "Actually, we still have a thread of hope: the Heavenly Tree's transformation."
"Yes, hold out! Hold out until the Heavenly Tree transforms!" Fang Yun said, looking up at their surroundings.
"Right!"
Great leaves spanning dozens or even hundreds of li overlapped in layer upon layer, blocking