Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Very Reasonable

It truly wasn’t their fault. Who could have known a Hundred Star Realm expert was secretly approaching? Only Hundred Star Realm cultivators could sense the battlefield’s shifting tides. No one else had any hope of avoiding such disaster. That Wang Jie had survived was already a miracle—though he worried how Zhi Nan Xing was faring.

Normally, experts like Yue Bai would be under constant surveillance.

Thinking about it, their luck was genuinely terrible.

“Attack,” commanded a Hundred Star Realm cultivator. Immediately, everyone rushed out from the mountains, their battle cries shaking the heavens.

At that same instant, shouts of battle erupted from two other directions.

Wang Jie had not expected a three-way fight—so, where was Black White Heaven?

Those unfortunate souls who happened to be at the very center were completely stunned. They couldn’t even run before being wiped out entirely by the crossfire of three Hundred Star Realm masters, leaving not even ashes behind. Truly, their fate was tragic to the extreme.

From behind, a dense rain of arrows fell toward a single point.

It was Falling Bow Hall.

From shards of planetary debris at the side, the people from Shield Mountain rushed out, shields raised, toward the right. Gong Nation and Puppet Master Sect followed closely behind.

Yan Xiao Nian tugged at Wang Jie’s sleeve, pulling him along behind Shield Mountain’s warriors.

Wang Jie didn’t want to follow; he was afraid he’d run into Yue Bai. But since everyone was charging in that direction, he couldn’t simply turn back.

Ahead, another wave of battle cries surged closer.

The three forces collided fiercely.

Now Wang Jie finally recognized Black White Heaven’s position. That meant the other side must belong to the Second Star Cloud.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, his hair stood on end—a Dagger Bearer!

Instantly, he turned around, grasping the Dagger Bearer’s wrist and swung him aside. The immense force shattered the attacker, killing him immediately. Wang Jie quickly seized the man’s identity token. On to the next.

Yan Xiao Nian stared in astonishment.

Anyone unfortunate enough to meet a Dagger Bearer on the battlefield was doomed; Dagger Bearers could defeat enemies beyond their own level.

The Dagger Bearer just now was clearly at the Star Breaking Realm, the same as Wang Jie. How had Wang Jie defeated him so effortlessly?

Wang Jie looked at Yan Xiao Nian and said, “Take care of yourself. I need to go toward Black White Heaven.”

Yan Xiao Nian nodded seriously: “Be careful too.”

Having chosen his direction, Wang Jie swiftly rushed toward Black White Heaven. Just then, another wave of Second Star Cloud warriors charged forward, forcing Wang Jie to dodge rapidly. Looking up, he saw—Zhi Nan Xing?

Across the battlefield, Zhi Nan Xing happened to spot Wang Jie at exactly the same moment.

[Wang Jie?]

One among Third Nebula, the other in Second Star Cloud—yet both actually belonged to Fourth Star Cloud.

[What’s going on?]

Perhaps due to their experience—or maybe they’d simply had enough bad luck previously—this time, the two reunited smoothly. Together, they fended off their attackers without drawing the attention of any powerful foes.

“How did you end up over on Second Star Cloud’s side?”

“I should be asking you—how did you end up in Third Nebula?”

“We’ll talk later. Let’s leave the battlefield first and avoid getting noticed.”

Zhi Nan Xing nodded, fighting and retreating alongside Wang Jie. Their cooperation was flawless, careful never to display power that might attract attention.

Compared to their chaotic escape in the past, this time their movements were clear. Before long, they’d withdrawn to the rear area held by Black White Heaven, even encountering a few surprise attacks from Black White Heaven’s own warriors along the way.

Another beam of destructive light descended from above.

As if a map had formed within his mind, Wang Jie decisively moved to the right; Zhi Nan Xing reacted just as quickly.

They avoided the attack smoothly.

Both let out relieved breaths.

Their eyes met, each seeing the other’s helplessness clearly. If they’d possessed this clarity in their last battle, perhaps they wouldn’t have suffered so miserably.

They truly had become seasoned soldiers.

Wars could rage on for a very long time.

Together, they gazed into the distance, witnessing countless forces clashing. Above them, three Hundred Star Realm cultivators were still battling fiercely. Right now, the most critical danger they faced was the aftershock of those supreme experts’ battle. The main battlefield itself had grown somewhat safer for the likes of them.

Two days later, the fighting began to slow.

Many warriors withdrew.

Following the main force, Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing eventually retreated to a fragment of a planet, surrounded entirely by Black White Heaven’s people.

Only then did the two finally breathe easily.

“Why were you with Third Nebula?” Zhi Nan Xing questioned Wang Jie, his voice low and serious.

Wang Jie raised an eyebrow: “What do you mean? You were in Second Star Cloud yourself—how can you question me?”

Zhi Nan Xing snorted softly: “I belong to the Zhi family; I’d never betray Black White Heaven.”

“And I originally came from Third Nebula’s Frost Radiance Sect. Isn’t it perfectly reasonable I infiltrated them?”

Zhi Nan Xing’s eyes flickered, deciding not to dwell further on this point. “I thought Yue Bai had killed you,” he said, admiration clear in his voice. “To survive Yue Bai’s assassination would shock the entire sect if known.”

Wang Jie felt no pride at that statement. Yue Bai wasn’t much older than he was; he’d simply begun cultivating from a young age.

Yet, Yue Bai’s strength was still vastly inferior to Six Dao Wanderer’s. Six Dao Wanderer himself paled in comparison to beings from the Skeletal Clan at the same level—Wang Jie had personally seen him defeated in a single strike. And those Skeletal Clan beings were no match for Star Guardians.

Thinking further, was the gap between him and Shu Mu Night now even greater?

Wang Jie glanced around. Many warriors had gathered here, undoubtedly waiting to join the battlefield, much like those from Ornate Jade Gate.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened and quickly withdrew.

[It’s him.]

That cultivator from Death Realm.

Truly, fate had a sense of humor. He’d searched everywhere in vain, only for the man to appear right here.

Zhi Nan Xing, exhausted, sat down and leaned against the cliff wall. “You must be close to becoming a Battle Pawn now.”

“Not even close,” Wang Jie replied casually.

He made no move against the Death Realm cultivator, merely observing quietly. Since that man was here disguised among Black White Heaven’s warriors, he must have a hidden motive. If Wang Jie exposed him now, that cultivator might retaliate by exposing Wang Jie’s own qi cultivation secret.

He would wait.

An opportunity would present itself eventually.

In the distance, Cang Wu suddenly felt uneasy. He scanned his surroundings cautiously, feeling eyes on him from somewhere. But he’d always kept a low profile and had survived multiple battles. Who could possibly be watching him now?

Uncomfortable, he changed his position.

They rested less than ten days before war erupted again.

Having already experienced two major wars, Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing moved with greater caution, never leaving the main force. Though battles involving large groups were fierce and deadly, such fights provided more safety for warriors of their skill level.

It was certainly better than wandering the battlefield alone.

At least here, there were Hundred Star Realm experts standing before them.

As long as they were careful not to draw the attention of masters like Yue Bai, all would be well.

In this matter, Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing grew ever more attuned, no longer guarded against one another as they had been at first.

Zhi Nan Xing had never dreamed of a day he would become comrades-in-arms with Wang Jie; of course, Wang Jie had never imagined it either.

In the next month or so, the two followed the Hundred Star Realm into numerous great battles. Some fights were ambushes launched from behind shattered planets, others were surprise encounters, and still others involved stealthy strikes against the enemy.

People around them fell like leaves, wave after wave, the death toll shockingly high. Those who survived were seasoned warriors indeed.

Wang Jie roughly calculated: during this period, Black White Heaven alone had lost over two hundred thousand cultivators in battles he had personally joined. Counting the losses from the Second Star Cloud and Third Nebula, more than half a million had died in a little over a month.

No wonder fresh cultivators continually joined the Hanhai Sea battlefield.

Wang Jie himself had earned enough merit to upgrade his identity token to that of a war soldier. As a Star Breaking Realm expert, every higher-realm kill counted as a drop of blood, and defeating a Full Star Realm cultivator posed no great challenge for him.

Now he only awaited the warship home.

“KILL~~”

Shouts of battle erupted from every direction.

Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing swiftly and instinctively sought a suitable position, quickly locating one. In the next instant, a rain of arrows swept past their previous spot, closely followed by a wall of countless shields, behind which marched a vast army of Gong Nation cultivators.

On another flank, people were mysteriously dying one after another, the dagger bearers numerous beyond count.

Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing had already grasped the rhythm of every battle, usually able to evade these initial sweeps.

Yet this time something felt off. Gong Nation soldiers surged from every direction, and the arrow rain had not merely targeted the previous location but was now sweeping toward them. Moreover, shield-bearing cultivators had almost encircled their position.

“Something’s wrong—why are there so many cultivators from the Third Nebula?” Zhi Nan Xing’s face turned pale, “Third Nebula must have sent reinforcements, and in great numbers. Didn’t anyone intercept them from behind? When we arrived, our warships were destroyed before many could even set foot on the battlefield.”

Wang Jie’s brows knitted tightly, and he replied, “Move positions.”

He remembered something Yan Xiao Nian had said: if Ornate Jade Gate increased their forces in the Star Cloud battlefield, it meant they wanted to distract the Second and Fourth Star Clouds, their true goal being the conquest of the Third Nebula.

Could this be that very situation?

Was this reinforcement aimed at the entire Star Cloud battlefield, or was it specifically the Third Nebula’s central force reinforcing the Hanhai Sea battlefield?

Before he could ponder further, a sharp pain pierced between his brows. Instinctively, Wang Jie stepped out with Armor Eight Steps, narrowly avoiding danger.

A streak of bright light sliced through the spot he’d just occupied, brushing past Zhi Nan Xing’s cheek, and disappearing into the void, leaving behind a slender, precise mark.

Zhi Nan Xing touched his cheek, fingers coming away scarlet.

Wang Jie stared into the distance. Was that an arrow?

He saw a woman, equally surprised, staring back at him. Then, without hesitation, she raised her bow again and fired.

“Run, quickly!” Wang Jie turned immediately, fleeing without hesitation. This woman’s arrows were so subtle that even he barely sensed them at the last moment. She was undoubtedly a master.

Zhi Nan Xing didn’t need Wang Jie’s urging; he had already fled.

He recognized the woman: Lan Ning, one of the strongest disciples of Fallen Bow Hall, whose archery was unmatched. [Why would she be here?]

Far away, Lan Ning watched Wang Jie and Zhi Nan Xing split and flee in opposite directions. She disregarded Zhi Nan Xing entirely, her gaze locked onto Wang Jie as she shot another arrow. [You avoided the first arrow; let’s see how you escape the second.]

Wang Jie twisted his body and dodged again using Armor Eight Steps.

Lan Ning raised an eyebrow, coldly smiling as she fired again.

She shot arrow after arrow, yet each one was dodged by Wang Jie. The distance between them was great—if not, even sensing the danger, Wang Jie could never have dodged the first surprise arrow.

After Wang Jie had evaded nine arrows consecutively, Lan Ning’s eyes turned icy. She switched to a different bow.

Another arrow launched.

Wang Jie glanced back, his scalp tingling. [What kind of monster arrow is that?]

Behind him, the arrow flying toward him was at least ten times larger than any ordinary arrow—bigger even than most swords.

This arrow was slower than the previous ones but crashed directly into the ground with terrifying force, shattering a planet fragment into pieces. The resulting shockwave nearly hurled Wang Jie into the air.

This was an arrow that emphasized power alone, while the previous ones favored stealth and speed.

Barely dodging the blast radius, another arrow instantly descended toward Wang Jie. He drew his sword swiftly and threw it to intercept. Sword and arrow collided, exploding midair and crushing numerous cultivators beneath the fallout.

Clouds of dust swept through the air.

Taking advantage of the obscured vision, Wang Jie escaped swiftly, using Sword Step.

Lan Ning remained in place, unmoving. Wang Jie’s figure receded further and further until finally concealed by smoke. Lowering her bow, she realized she could not pursue him now.

His speed and footwork technique far surpassed anything Black White Heaven possessed.

Elsewhere, Wang Jie had distanced himself from Lan Ning but couldn’t entirely escape the battlefield. This battlefield spanned the entire starry sky, and even using Sword Step continuously, he couldn’t quickly escape its boundaries.

In such a large-scale conflict, blindly fleeing meant swift death.

Thus, seeing Lan Ning was no longer chasing him, Wang Jie slowed his pace, carefully finding a safer path through the chaos.