Fighting Retreat

The battle began.

At the captain's command, all the disciples charged.

"Kill!"

One of the menial disciples shouted first, his voice filled with fear and despair.

Then he unleashed all his qi and blood and charged madly forward.

They had no choice.

Most of them were only menial disciples.

In the eyes of the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult's disciples, they were merely natives, ant-like cannon fodder who could be killed on a whim.

If they didn't charge,

the captain or the outer disciples would kill them on the spot.

But if they did,

they at least had a slim chance of survival.

Eyes red, dozens of menial disciples roared as they lunged at the Giant Whale Sect's people.

The Giant Whale Sect's disciples didn't dare underestimate them either. They charged forward to meet the enemy.

Fists and feet clashed, sending force bursting in every direction.

Flesh slammed against flesh, every blow heavy and powerful.

The Giant Whale Sect's disciples unleashed force throughout their bodies, using the combat methods of Secret Martial Arts to execute every move and form.

The Ten Thousand Immortals Cult's disciples, meanwhile, surged with qi and blood, and the outer disciples among them erupted in blood flames.

The chandelier swayed precariously as thunderous shouts rang through the air.

The hall instantly descended into chaos as the fighting grew disordered.

Screams, roars of fury, and the sound of bones breaking.

Blood splattered.

Su Han was in no hurry to act.

He stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching it all coldly.

Zhao Lei stood beside him, arms folded.

When he saw Su Han look over, he raised an eyebrow and said coldly,

"What are you looking at me for? Get in there."

He pointed at the chaotic battlefield ahead and instructed him,

"Find someone you can beat and fight them. The experts in the cult will deal with anyone you can't beat."

"Don't fight to the bitter end. Understand?"

Su Han wasn't in a hurry. He remained where he was, unmoving.

He stared at Zhao Lei and suddenly asked,

"What exactly is the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult's operation this time?"

Zhao Lei frowned. "Why are you asking?"

Su Han continued calmly,

"You're being so secretive about it."

"The cult has sent out so many experts. Even the core disciples have come in a group of more than thirty."

"The official Earth Condemnation Bureau and the Sturgeon Group have both joined in too."

He paused and stared at Zhao Lei.

"All sides have mobilized on such a grand scale."

"And is our goal really just to wipe out the Giant Whale Sect?"

"I don't believe it."

Zhao Lei fell silent for a few seconds.

He had intended to ignore Su Han outright. After all, he was only a native.

But then he thought of Su Han's talent and his recent promotion to outer disciple.

Su Han really was different from those menial cannon fodder.

After thinking it over, he looked around and made sure no one was paying attention to them.

Only then did Zhao Lei lower his voice.

"Su Han, you're different from that cannon fodder."

"Senior Brother Kong is very interested in you. You're halfway to being one of us."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice even further.

"So there's no harm in telling you."

"This operation is a major undertaking that our Ten Thousand Immortals Cult has been planning for two or three years."

"Once it succeeds..."

At that point,

a flash of fanaticism appeared in Zhao Lei's eyes, along with boundless anticipation and a trace of unconscious pride.

"When the time comes, not only will we be able to deal the official Earth Condemnation Bureau a heavy blow and greatly weaken its strength,

"we'll even be able to take direct control of half the outer city!"

"Then our Ten Thousand Immortals Cult won't have to hide from the official forces anymore. We can step out into the open and grow stronger without restraint."

"That will mark our true rise to power!"

As Su Han listened, he immediately noticed three key phrases in Zhao Lei's words.

Cannon fodder.

Halfway to being one of them.

A major operation.

With his comprehension now over six hundred points, he understood instantly.

The first, cannon fodder, referred to the menial disciples currently fighting for their lives.

Just like when Zhao Lei had treated him as cannon fodder back at the Red Fist Sect.

These menial disciples were likewise treated as cannon fodder by formal disciples like them.

They were pieces that could be discarded on a whim, summoned and dismissed at a wave of the hand. Purely expendable, they had hardly any value at all.

The second, halfway to being one of them, referred to him.

Because of his good talent, he was given a little more attention and seemed to have even attracted some of Senior Brother Kong's interest.

On top of that, he had already become an outer disciple.

So he could now be considered halfway to being one of the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult.

As for the third phrase, the major operation...

The various forces were locked in a struggle, each harboring ulterior motives, with despicable schemes running rampant.

It concerned a great upheaval that would affect all of Jinghai City.

And if the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult succeeded, it could even take control of half the outer city. It was terrifying indeed.

Su Han couldn't help pressing for an answer.

"What exactly is this major operation?"

But Zhao Lei wouldn't tell Su Han anything more.

Revealing this much information was already his limit.

"I can't tell you that."

"All you need to know is that if you follow the Ten Thousand Immortals Cult, your future will be limitless."

By now, heavy casualties had begun to mount in the battle ahead.

A scream rang out.

A Baodan Realm expert from the Giant Whale Sect struck a menial disciple in the chest with his palm.

"Crack!"

The disciple's breastbone shattered.

His eyes widened, bloody foam welled from his mouth, and he slowly fell to the ground.

Dead.

Another menial disciple had lost an arm and was crawling backward, screaming.

"Help me, save me..."

But in a battle like this, no one paid him any attention.

Everyone was struggling to save themselves.

Who could possibly come and save him?

A Hua Jin disciple of the Giant Whale Sect caught up and stomped his head to pieces.

Brains burst out.

It was a bloody sight.

But strangely,

the Giant Whale Sect's people weren't holding their ground to the death.

They killed enemies they could defeat outright, but fought while retreating from those they couldn't.

They struck hard at the weak.

Against the strong, they ducked their heads and kept out of the way.

A good many had already retreated straight into the corridor when faced with stronger opponents, showing none of the killing intent or attitude they had displayed against the weak.

Their conduct showed they weren't fighting with all their strength. They seemed to be stalling for time.

Su Han's expression was cold.

After observing the situation for some time, he had an idea.

He moved and joined the fight.

His qi and blood surged out, the flames burning only a few meters around him.

Then he found a Baodan Realm expert of roughly equal strength and engaged him.

The man was middle-aged, in his forties.

He used the Giant Whale Sect's fist techniques. His blows were heavy and powerful, every punch whistling through the air.

But as soon as Su Han engaged him, he concealed most of his strength.

Using only the fighting strength of roughly the Baodan Realm, he traded blows with his opponent.

The Ten Thousand Immortals Cult had its own goal, and he had one of his own.

Now, as he fought this Baodan expert,

fist met fist, and foot met foot.

One had force circulating wildly, while the other's qi and blood flames burned and surged outward.

Force circulated wildly as the fighter shifted and maneuvered, skillfully employing all manner of moves, combat methods, and techniques.

Blood flames flared around Su Han, and his power was more terrifying, but his moves seemed a notch weaker.

Su Han maintained this balance, making them appear evenly matched.

He also deliberately forced his opponent away from the main battlefield.

He blasted out a punch, forcing the man back three steps.

Then a sweeping kick drove him into the corridor beside them.

As the two fought, they left the chaotic hall behind.

They entered a narrow corridor.

Office doors lined both sides.

The lighting was dim.

Only the sounds of fighting drifted faintly from afar.