Chapter 2966: Abnormal Conduct

After receiving the news, Ye Liuyun immediately ordered the main army to halt, and he led Tang Xinyao, Lei Ming, Long Nv, and the Nine-Head Demon Dragon to carefully scout the situation.

After returning from the Dragon Clan, Lei Ming, Long Nv, and the Nine-Head Demon Dragon all saw a great surge in strength. All three had received the full cultivation of the Dragon Soul, and their Soul, bloodline, True Essence, and Physical Body were greatly enhanced. Especially Long Nv, who was given special attention by the Dragon Souls, thus her realm advanced to the Return One Second Tier.

Ye Liuyun took Tang Xinyao along, intending to teach her some techniques for observing enemy movements and for hiding and evading.

They all donned Invisibility Cloaks and raced toward the Foreign Tribe Xingqiu. Along the way, they observed each Foreign Tribe Xingqiu they encountered, even approaching them, and, based on Tang Xinyao's eyesight, pointed out what she should observe.

Later, they finally rushed to the Xingqiu that Fu Yang was suspicious of, and met up with Fu Yang.

"Master, this is the Xingqiu; the number of Foreign Tribe soldiers here is much fewer, but their individual strength is considerably higher," Fu Yang reported to Ye Liuyun.

"Alright, we'll also go scout it."

Ye Liuyun gave a brief assent. In fact, their Golden Pupils could already discern the problem here without getting close.

The Xingqiu's soldiers total only ten thousand, clearly far fewer than those on other Xingqiu. Yet the Foreign Tribe's strength includes more than ten individuals at the Dominating Tenth Tier.

These Foreign Tribe members conceal their realms, blending among the soldiers. The other soldiers' strength is also two or three tiers higher than the soldiers previously encountered.

Tang Xinyao still wanted to get closer to observe. Her eyesight couldn't reach that far, so she used Divine Sense to probe, fearing some areas were not observed in enough detail.

Long Nv, however, stopped her and said to Ye Liuyun, "The Primordial Power of this Xingqiu is strange."

Long Nv's special black pupils can perceive energy fluctuations. Even Ye Liuyun hadn't noticed this. After Long Nv's reminder, he also used his Golden Pupil to scrutinize the Primordial Power.

"Not bad, but it's not a problem with the Primordial Power; it's that a Formation here is drawing on the Primordial Power to probe nearby Martial Cultivators," Ye Liuyun confirmed, preventing the others from approaching.

He also asked Fu Yang, "Have you approached and observed?"

Fu Yang replied, "We have approached, even entered this Xingqiu, and closely observed those few strong ones."

"I estimate this Formation can detect your strength. Yet they haven't placed many strong ones, so perhaps there's indeed a trap here. Continue monitoring, and we'll go check the nearby other Xingqiu!"

After Ye Liuyun finished speaking, he led the few with him to bypass this Xingqiu and continued forward to explore. He also circled the Xingqiu once, scrutinizing each soldier.

Subsequently, Ye Liuyun's Golden Pupil fixed on the Foreign Tribe's Altar here.

He discovered that the Altar here is powered by a Primordial Power, and multiple layers of Formation are arranged around it, evidently to prevent others from attacking the Altar.

"It seems the Foreign Tribe intends to use the Altar to reinforce troops here."

Ye Liuyun guessed internally that after leaving here, the next Xingqiu ahead already had the Foreign Tribe's great army prepared for assembly, and the soldiers' strength had suddenly risen to nearly match their own army.

There are as many as eight such arranged Xingqiu, clearly prepared to counter them.

The scouts dispatched from their army usually only observe three Xingqiu in advance and don't probe far. He hadn't expected the Foreign Tribe to lay out this far this time.

After briefing those with him, Ye Liuyun notified Yu Xiaofeng to dispatch a Spirit Cat Warship to scout around their own army in all directions.

He estimated that the Foreign Tribe's large-scale layout shouldn't be limited to the front; behind them and around the Foreign Tribe's outer defense line, there should be more Foreign Tribe armies approaching, ready to intercept them.

Ye Liuyun didn't stop, continued forward to explore, and after finding no anomalies on the Xingqiu ahead, he led them back to the main army.

"Among the Foreign Tribe's arrangements, there are no exceptionally strong masters. And the Formation they set up should have already detected Fu Yang's group's realms. Yet they haven't placed even a Return One level master, clearly intending to summon one later."

After returning, Ye Liuyun also discussed the situation with the various Leaders for analysis.

One Leader said, "If we don't know the opponent's strength, that's problematic. If they send a Bone Beast legion-type army, our losses will be great!"

Leader Duanjiao and other Foreign Tribe Leaders almost all confirmed that the Foreign Tribe this time is likely dispatching the Bone Beast army.

Although the Spirit Cat Warships scouting other directions haven't relayed any messages yet, it can be certain that the Foreign Tribe's massive layout would never send a very weak team.

Even if it's not the Bone Beast army, it must be a main force of comparable strength.

Ye Liuyun also thought it was good and added, "Perhaps it's more than just the Bone Beast army! Our Spirit Cat Warship is certainly known to the Foreign Tribe. They know we've arrived; if they act, they definitely won't drag it out long, giving us a chance to improve our strength."

"Indeed, striking before we warm up, a full-force assault could devastate us in one blow. That's quite possible!" Yu Xiaofeng also speculated.

All the Leaders looked at Ye Liuyun, awaiting his orders.

Ye Liuyun made a decision: "Attack! Xiaofeng, your main army together with the Spearhead Unit and the Demon-Driving Corps should primarily deal with the eighty‑thousand troops ahead, aiming to annihilate them all. First, contemplate, and after the Spirit Cat Warships bring back the reports, we'll finalize the final plan."

"Alright," Yu Xiaofeng replied, and first led Qin Peng, Ye Tiandao, and Tang Xinyao and others to study how to deal with those eighty‑thousand Foreign Tribe troops.

The key is they must also destroy the Foreign Tribe's Altars, otherwise more Foreign Tribe armies will be summoned. Simultaneously dealing with eight such Altars is not an easy task for them.

Not long after, the Spirit Cat Warship scouting behind them transmitted information, indeed locating a fifty‑thousand Foreign Tribe army. Though not heading directly here, it seemed intended to mislead them. That fifty‑thousand force also had strength comparable to Yu Xiaofeng's army.

However, the Spirit Cat Warship probing outside the Foreign Tribe's defensive line found no trace of the Foreign Tribe.

Ye Liuyun, however, did not trust this scouting result.

"Impossible. The Foreign Tribe wouldn't leave us a huge gap! I'll go investigate personally."

The others also didn't believe it, thinking the Foreign Tribe must be hiding too well for the Spirit Cat Warship to detect them.

Ye Liuyun immediately led Lei Ming, Long Nv, and the Nine-Head Demon Dragon to set out again, probing that direction.

They ventured far, yet indeed found no trace of the Foreign Tribe.

"That's odd! Let's look farther," Ye Liuyun said, and after traveling several days, his Golden Pupil finally spotted a distant Foreign Tribe warship.