Splitting the Heavens
Chapter 1770: ESCORT MISSION, BEGIN! Pt.5

Chapter 1770: ESCORT MISSION, BEGIN! Pt.5

The combined assault by the True Immortals from the Spirit Mammoth World and the Essence Hong World ended in disaster. 2 of their 5 mid-scale Star Ships were destroyed, and 3 of the 10 True Immortals they sent had been slain in battle. One of the True Immortals who was slain was even an expert at the level of Dao Harmony. The number of cultivators in the Martial Extermination Realm and Martial Dipper Realm killed was even more terrifying.

In contrast, the Essence Luxuriant World had paid a far lesser price. Only 2 of their mid-scale Star Ships suffered slight damage. Huang Jinghan suffered light injuries, and Kou Chongxue’s External avatar seemed to have exhausted more inner qi. At the same time, a dozen or so Martial Extermination Realm and Martial Dipper Realm cultivators were killed.

Under normal circumstances, such results would have been hailed as a perfect and decisive victory.

However, after the remaining ships of the Spirit Mammoth World escaped, the True Immortals of the Essence Luxuriant World did not appear the least bit excited. Instead, their expressions were somber and heavy.

Part of it was due to the unexpected strength of the Spirit Mammoth World forces. The other part was that despite all their careful preparations, they had failed to achieve their desired outcome.

Those remaining ships, along with the 7 surviving True Immortals from the Spirit Mammoth World and Essence Hong World, could return at any moment with renewed strength.

And as it turned out, their worries weren’t unfounded.

Before the forces of the Essence Luxuriant World could fully recover their strength or repair the damage to their ships, the Spirit Mammoth World’s fleet reappeared at the edge of their detection range. They continued to hover around, never drawing closer but acting in a way that felt almost like deliberate provocation.

By then, the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet had regrouped. Any sudden movement would likely force their enemies to flee once more.

With the appearance of the Spirit Mammoth World’s fleet, the True Immortals of the Essence Luxuriant World realized that their best chance to defeat the invaders by using their advantage of catching them off guard had slipped away. A far more difficult battle loomed ahead.

Almost as if to confirm their fears, just as repairs on Kou Chongxue’s damaged ship were barely completed, another fleet appeared. Like the previous group, they lingered just beyond striking range. Both enemy fleets even seemed to be communicating, likely coordinating for a combined assault on the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet.

Behind the fleet, the massive Azure Qing World trailed in tow through the void. The 7 mid-scale Star Ships that were originally assigned as escorts no longer positioned themselves apart to protect the flanks but instead clustered tightly together on one side, ready to form a united strike formation should any sudden danger emerge.

Above the fleet, shrouded in misty starlight, 2 clones created by Shang Xia sat facing each other. They quietly matched the fleet’s pace, but under the pressure of multiple Sages who had sent clones hidden in the void nearby, they couldn’t act rashly. All they could do was watch the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet get surrounded by packs of wolves.

At that point, the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet was nearly halfway back. However, the third wave of invaders had caught up with them and were roaming around the surrounding void. It wasn’t long before all of them established contact with each other. All 3 groups took up their coordinated positions as they remained in 3 separate directions while traveling in the same direction as the fleet.

Those 3 fleets varied in strength, and the Spirit Mammoth World’s fleet was the strongest among them. However, the other fleets still had at least 3 True Immortals each and among them, 1 would be a high-level True Immortal.

It wasn’t as though Kou Chongxue did nothing. He tried to strike at them, but as soon as his strike fleet made any movements, all 3 groups of enemies would start to move to encircle them rather than attacking the main fleet. Clearly, they wanted to get rid of the 7 ships before commencing their final attack.

Strictly speaking, none of the 7 mid-scale Star Ships commanded by Kou Chongxue had a high-level True Immortal.

Even though they could form a joint strike formation, it had already been difficult enough to repel the initial 5 Spirit Mammoth World ships and 10 True Immortals. With a combined enemy force of at least 7 high-level True Immortals and nearly 10 more True Immortals, their odds of winning didn’t seem great.

Realizing the enemy had not taken the bait, Kou Chongxue quickly ordered the ships to retreat and regroup with the main fleet.

The enemies dispersed immediately, returning to their respective positions and continuing to shadow the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet at a cautious but persistent distance.

Under such tense conditions, the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet pushed forward. However, a fourth fleet soon appeared in the far reaches of the void. Members of the earlier 3 fleets immediately departed to make contact with the newcomers, clearly intent on pulling them into a cooperative assault.

By then, the number of True Immortals who were ready to attack the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet had grown to 20. Of them, 9 were high-level True Immortals.

Still, none of them made a move. It was clear they were all waiting for someone.

Tension inside the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet grew increasingly suffocating. Everyone understood that the attackers would either do nothing... Or unleash a strike with overwhelming force. When it came, it would be time to face their final trial in order to get home.

Though they didn’t speed up, the Essence Luxuriant World’s forces didn’t remain idle. They used the time to quietly recover and store their strength.

Not long after, yet another fleet arrived. However... The newest fleet looked to be in a pitiful state. They were like disorganized rabble hastily cobbled together.

Actually, they were made up of the survivors of the 2 fleets Kou Chongxue and the rest had destroyed previously. They had regrouped in desperation and struggled to catch up.

Yet despite their sorry state, they still had 3 or 4 True Immortals and nearly 100 cultivators below the Martial Void Realm. Their morale, however... Was clearly lacking.

Perhaps because they appeared so weak, the other fleets didn’t even bother approaching them.

Only when the seventh invading fleet finally appeared in the void did things begin to shift. The aura of several True Immortals on board was not unfamiliar to the experts of the Essence Luxuriant World. They were experts of the Star Origin Dao Field and Spirit Abundance World!

With so many enemies gathered, even if Kou Chongxue wished to launch a surprise attack, it was no longer possible. All 7 enemy fleets started their assault on the Essence Luxuriant World’s fleet simultaneously. Among the strongest enemy ships, there were even faint signs of Seventh Order energy beginning to manifest.