Chapter 396: Song Ze's Scheming Plans

The Reedflame Valley cultivators closely following saw their fellow disciples' miserable state; at a point over a hundred zhang away from where their fellow disciples were injured, they hastily steadied their forms.

They all stared intently at the transparent space ahead, wanting to quickly locate the hidden danger.

Yet the space ahead was utterly calm, showing no abnormality at all, not even the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Power could be sensed.

"Fellow Daoists, what should we do?"

A cultivator from Reedflame Valley let out a fearful voice, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.

The Reedflame Valley overseers and sect elders on the Silverbreak City battlefield all perished, and the escape direction also hid killing intent; without eliminating the danger lurking in the dark, nobody could survive.

"I actually have an idea; let me discuss it with you fellow disciples."

"Behind us on the Silverbreak City battlefield, the remaining alliance cultivators are holding back the enemies of the High Purity Sect and the Slaughter Ghost Sect; the crisis lies only in this space before us."

"Fellow disciples can walk side by side holding treasures, attacking forward with each step."

"Even if there is an ambush ahead, seeing our actions, they would not dare to attack rashly."

A man holding a Profound Iron Fan spoke carefully.

The surrounding Reedflame Valley cultivators, upon hearing this, all brightened up.

"This method is not bad."

"With each step forward, we strike with deadly moves; even if it's a person, even a ghost would feel a chill through the body."

Among the Reedflame Valley cultivators, some who heard it echoed their agreement.

After everyone discussed, the Reedflame Valley cultivators began to act according to the agreed method, and they also optimized the proposer's method.

The Reedflame Valley cultivators stood shoulder to shoulder; when stepping forward with the first step, those who shouted odd numbers attacked forward; when stepping with the second step, those who shouted even numbers attacked forward, and so on, repeatedly, pressing their steps forward to advance toward the position where their fellow Reedflame Valley cultivators had fallen.

This approach has a great advantage.

As long as a teammate ahead encounters an attack, the companion closely following behind can swing and strike forward, delivering a thunderbolt blow to the enemy.

One, kill, ha

Two, kill, ha

Three, kill, ha

Four, kill, ha

……

As the Reedflame Valley cultivators marched ahead in the designated person-character formation, loud slogans rang out in the air.

Song Ze, Zhao Zhenhua, and Wu Zhenghao, hovering in the void, saw the Reedflame Valley cultivators' bizarre marching formation; all showed strange expressions, truly admiring which eccentric came up with this evasion tactic.

One must admit, this person-character formation with linked hands, for those lying in ambush to launch attacks, would indeed pose a significant hindrance.

Once the Misthidden Alliance cultivators' attack fails, they will face the frantic assault of the closely pursuing Reedflame Valley cultivators, directly falling into a state of mortal peril.

"Three alliance masters, what can we do about this?"

"We cannot act rashly now; should we instead go beneath Silverbreak City to pick up the cultivators' storage rings?"

The Misthidden Alliance's wandering cultivator Fei Zhu tentatively asked Zhao Zhenhua and the others.

"Just now you didn't see? The overseers and elders of Reedflame Valley and the Taiyin Shengdi have all perished; the battlefield has stalled into fierce intensity.

"That fight is not only in the sky, but also on the ground.

"If we continue to stay underground in Silverbreak City to pick up the fallen cultivators' storage rings, setting aside whether we'd be discovered, if we encounter desperate alliance cultivators, imitating the self-destruction of the Reedflame Valley and Taiyin Shengdi overseers,

"would our lives still be worth anything?"

"If one thinks they can block the self-detonation of an Earth Origin Realm cultivator, the alliance master will not stop them."

Zhao Zhenhua wore an expression of frustrated indignation as he looked at Fei Zhu, speaking with a slightly reproachful tone.

"This!"

Fei Zhu, upon hearing this, his expression became hesitant.

The Orthodox Dao Alliance cultivators have already clashed fiercely with the High Purity Sect and Slaughter Ghost Sect cultivators, with cultivators self-detonating occasionally in heaven and earth; the quiet opportunity to make a fortune is indeed gone.

Song Ze saw Fei Zhu show a hint of regret on his face and gently said, "You can hesitate, which shows you haven't been addled by petty gains."

Fei Zhu must remember, cultivators who defy heaven in their cultivation contend not only with heaven, but also with cultivators of the Huanyu.

Those cultivators who seize resources, if they cannot control their greed, will eventually see those resources change hands, becoming others' dowry.

Cultivators facing profit must learn to know when enough is enough; when faced with huge temptation, they must be decisive in letting go.

Uphold the three principles of 'detachment, relinquishment, separation'; constantly keep oneself in a relatively safe environment.

Only the victor can truly laugh last.

Fei Zhu, upon hearing this, felt as if bathed in enlightening nectar, his eyes shining.

Song Ze's words deeply awakened him; cultivators who defy heaven must learn to stop when ahead, absolutely cannot let profit cloud their judgment, putting themselves in danger.

Just like riding a horse, in dangerous times one rubs out trouble; after desire ceases, no responsibility is owed; if one cannot control oneself and insists on entangling, the other will cling to you for life.

"Thank you, Alliance Master Song Ze, for your guidance; Fei Zhu will surely keep your teachings in mind."

Fei Zhu bowed deeply to Song Ze, his words conveying deep gratitude.

"Three alliance masters, Reedflame Valley created this formation to avoid danger; what should we do?"

"After all, we've waited here a long time; the brothers all want to slay these cultivators and personally go to the High Purity Sect to exchange for heavenly essence."

Beside Fei Zhu stood a cultivator named Lan Yan, carrying a huge axe on his back, who asked roughly.

The High Purity Sect offered a sky-high price for heavenly essence as a bounty for slaying the Orthodox Dao Alliance's eight major sect cultivators; although the Misthidden Alliance cultivators have already obtained some storage rings from fallen cultivators, the Misthidden Alliance cultivators stationed here have also stood guard for a long time.

Simply proceeding like this wastes time, which is a great pity.

"Haha."

"You follow this alliance master; when have I ever let you work in vain?"

Song Ze made a joking remark.

He then looked toward the gradually approaching Reedflame Valley cultivators, a glimmer appearing in his eyes.

"Fei Zhu, Lan Yan."

Order the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators to take off the clothes inside the anti-peeking suit."

Song Ze's mouth curled into a cold smile, his face breaking into waves of a smug grin.

Fei Zhu and Lan Yan beside him shuddered involuntarily, and even Zhao Zhenhua and Wu Zhenghao were somewhat at a loss, unable to figure out what Song Ze was up to.

"That Sect Master Song, how exactly do you want the alliance cultivators to undress?"

They'll all become big white strips, right?

Subordinate suggests we still give the brothers a pair of four-forked pants; otherwise, the anti-peeking suit will just be pulling meat.

Fei Zhu, hearing Song Ze's words, dared not ask further, and could only voice what he thought as a suggestion.

Sect Master Song Ze has many devious ideas, many of which cannot be guessed by common sense. Now all Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators wear protective suits, appearing invisible; he simply doesn't know what bizarre trick Song Ze has come up with to pit people.

"Oh, right."

All stripped clothing is to be held in hand, then follow the Sect Master's order to ignite it.

Everyone present, hearing Song Ze's words, showed strange expressions; it was the first time they'd heard that defeating enemies in battle required stripping and setting fire.

Even if thrown, this fire would hardly have any effect; it would be difficult to burn to death even a single Reed Flame Valley cultivator.

"Yes, sir."

Fei Zhu and Lan Yan exchanged a glance, asked no further, and under the gaze of Zhao Zhenhua and Wu Zhenghao began preparing.

Seeing Fei Zhu and Lan Yan disappear, Song Ze sent a formation diagram to Wu Zhenghao and Zhao Zhenhua; upon seeing the revival marked on it, their faces immediately sank.

"Song Ze, what are you up to?"

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators are about to reach the ambush position of the Misty Hidden Alliance, and they're stripping and burning clothes.

Your cultivator troop's formation diagram is clearly not on the same level as the enemy's; moreover, compared to the Reed Flame Valley cultivators' formation viewed vertically, we are shorter than the alliance cultivators by a person's height.

If you want to let the enemy off by issuing an order directly, that's better than letting the Reed Flame Valley cultivators trample over the alliance brothers' heads. Zhao Jianhua's face grew dark as he spoke reproachfully.

"Brother Song Ze, I too will stand with Brother Zhao Zhenhua this time."

Earth cultivators can bend and stretch, but when facing unprecedented pressure and supreme power, that is the compromise they choose.

The fleeing Reed Flame Valley cultivators count as strong? At most they're a bunch of clumsy bears.

If you don't dare to face them head‑on, just say so; don't do something that insults the intellect of Earth cultivators. Wu Zhenghao, hearing Zhao Zhenhua's words, his voice also carried reproach.

Seeing this, Song Ze didn't elaborate, still having Zhao Zhenhua and Wu Zhenghao arrange all Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators in order according to the formation diagram.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators wore anti-peeking suits, each holding their own clothes in hand; as they watched the Reed Flame Valley cultivators about to reach this spot, embarrassment showed on their faces.

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators' formation is not on the same level as ours; their formation is a full person's height lower. Once they reach this spot, we cannot block them, and they will step over our foreheads.

All Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators wore grim faces, not knowing what Sect Master Song Ze was up to.

These Huanyu loose cultivators gathered together to slay the Reed Flame Valley cultivators and earn a reward from the High Purity Sect; now, following Song Ze's formation, the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators hover in midair.

Let alone slaying the Reed Flame Valley cultivators, even their foreheads would be trampled; most Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators felt they had lost face.

Song Ze hovered in midair, his eyes sweeping over every cultivator's face, the corner of his mouth slowly curling into a sly smile, then he sent a mental transmission.

"Everyone."

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators, ever since they saw us kill the first batch of fellow disciples who fled here, have already grown wary.

They hold hands, linking everyone's minds together.

Whenever a frontline cultivator comes under attack, the rear cultivators responsible for defense will immediately rush forward to counterattack.

Imagine if we offset ourselves by one person's height from them; even if they launch a counterattack along the horizontal plane, it would not harm the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators.

Song Ze's words echoed in each Misty Hidden Alliance cultivator's ears, and the eyes of the Huanyu loose cultivators suddenly brightened.

Just a thought, and instantly many cultivators grasped Song Ze's intent, their faces lighting up with excitement.

Seeing this, Song Ze raised a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture, then continued the mental transmission.

"Everyone, in a moment I will use my hand lowered as the signal."

As soon as the Sect Master lowers his hand, you will instantly ignite the clothes in your hands and smash them at the first wave of Reed Flame Valley cultivators reaching this spot.

When the first wave of Reed Flame Valley cultivators sees this, they will surely think they're under enemy attack, and the second wave will reflexively lunge forward at the fireballs to defend their fellow disciples.

When the counterattacking cultivators lunge at empty air, you will seize the chance to strike upward from below.

In an instant, the Reed Flame Valley cultivators treading on your heads will be split vertically from the perineum upward.

This attack brings only benefit and no harm; once the brothers succeed, they can immediately soar upward.

Even if the remaining Reed Flame Valley cultivators react and counterattack, you cannot predict at what height they will be.

Instead, they will feel fear toward you, thus facing immense mental pressure.

As Song Ze's mental transmission ended, all the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators present wore faces full of admiration.

Such an ambush method is virtually unheard of; fortunately Song Ze is the Misty Hidden Alliance's sect master, for otherwise just imagining the divine soul being split from the perineum upward in a bloody scene would give many Huanyu cultivators gooseflesh.

Zhao Zhenhua and Wu Zhenghao, hearing Song Ze's mental transmission, had their eyes light up.

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators fleeing toward this spot, hand in hand, formed a V‑shaped line; if the Huanyu cultivators seize the chance to ambush, the Reed Flame Valley cultivators, hindered by their bonded bodies, cannot react quickly, and the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators can instantly slay the enemy in a flash.

Moreover, the perineum upward is forever the weakest point of human cultivators; a surprise attack there can inflict 100% immeasurable bodily harm on Reed Flame Valley cultivators—even if they don't die, they instantly lose combat ability, leaving any remaining disciples negligible.

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators lost half their number in an instant, while the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators now vastly outnumber them; at that point, whether facing a frontal assault or an ambush, the Reed Flame Valley cultivators have no hope of survival.

The Huanyu loose cultivators present wore invisible anti‑peeking suits; the fully transparent visor on their light‑blocking helmets let them see each other's faces and builds, but the Reed Flame Valley cultivators lacked such a heaven‑defying treasure, so they could only be toyed with.

The Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, following Song Ze's instructions, began to wholeheartedly await the Reed Flame Valley cultivators' arrival.

In the eyes of the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, those Reed Flame Valley cultivators holding hands and helping each other approach are not enemies at all, but heavenly spirits walking in human form.

"All set."

Just when the Reed Flame Valley cultivators were ten zhang away from the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, Song Ze suddenly began a mental transmission to issue the command, raising his right hand high.

Seeing this, the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators all clenched their clothes into solid balls in their hands; one hand showed a strand of Spiritual Power flame, borrowed from a fire‑attribute companion, and now each cultivator held a cluster.

Once Spiritual Fire lands on the clothing ball, it instantly ignites into a raging blaze; if thrown, it can steadily strike the face of the first wave of Reed Flame Valley cultivators stepping onto this spot.

Countless Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, thinking of this scene, felt some anticipation in their hearts.

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators, because the sect's steward and senior elders had died tragically, scattered in all directions to flee for their lives.

As the cultivators who had just entered this place were wiped out by them, they all realized that a terrifying enemy lay hidden in ambush ahead, yet they could not see it.

The Reed Flame Valley cultivators intended to break the crisis with a V-shaped formation, but they never expected that among the Misty Hidden Alliance there was Alliance Leader Song Ze.

Kill.

Just when the Reed Flame Valley cultivators were still one zhang away from the hidden Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, Song Ze raised his hand high and pressed it down, suddenly issuing a command.

Bang bang bang.

Fireballs the size of washbasins, numbering over ten thousand, all at once shot upward from below at a forty-five-degree angle, striking the Reed Flame Valley disciples who were the first to step into the attack range of the Misty Hidden Alliance cultivators, frightening the Reed Flame Valley disciples so much that their gazes froze.