Chapter 264: The Retreat Plan
"The True Demon Sect is attacking? What kind of joke is Zhang Chi playing?"
Inside the Cangwu Celestial Palace, the Sect Leader was conversing with Junior Sister Yun when he suddenly received a message from Zhang Chi, causing his brow to furrow.
The situation at the Demon Abyss had been very stable recently. It was even said that Celestial Star True Monarch had performed a special divination, and the results indicated there would be no problems in the near future.
Besides, even if there were a problem, the one to report it shouldn’t be Zhang Chi, who lived a reclusive life at Nine Peaks Lake.
BOOM!
The next moment, he heard a tremendous crash. Stepping outside, he discovered it was a Help-seeking Golden Flame.
And it was coming from the direction of Nine Peaks Lake.
Clearly, this was Zhang Chi’s doing again.
"Nonsense!"
The Sect Leader grew even more displeased.
SWOOSH!
But just then, another Communication Talisman suddenly flew in. It was sent using a Cangwu Sect Secret Technique, so he knew at a glance that it was from the Sect’s Supreme Elder, Lu Daoyi.
The message’s content was simple. It informed him that the True Demon Sect was attacking in full force, the defensive line at the Demon Abyss had been breached, and he was to immediately lead his people to retreat into the Grotto Heaven. It also stressed that he must bring the two new Nascent Soul Seeds!
"This is bad! The True Demon Sect is really here! Quick, evacuate everyone at once..."
Only then did the Sect Leader realize Zhang Chi hadn’t been spouting nonsense. Although he wondered how Zhang Chi could have known the news in advance, he had no time to dwell on such things at this critical moment.
He then immediately took out a Golden Small Seal to activate the Mountain Protection Array, while simultaneously sending Communication Talismans to many of the higher-ups, ordering them to retreat.
It turned out that during this time, the major sects had discovered not only many Secret Realms but also three Grotto Heavens, making for a total of four, including the Ten Thousand Laws Grotto Heaven.
They had simply kept the existence of the other two a secret.
The Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the major sects had long ago performed Refinement on the entrances. For example, the entrance Stele to the Ten Thousand Laws Grotto Heaven had already been refined, modified, and moved to a hidden location controlled by the major sects.
Only an extremely small number of people, such as the Sect Leaders and Supreme Elders of the major sects, knew of these locations.
This way, they could take refuge inside in a timely manner should a great disaster strike.
Although Yuan South had only suffered a surprise attack and likely hadn’t reached the point of being completely occupied.
The major sects wouldn’t go into hiding prematurely, but seeking refuge at a critical moment was absolutely necessary.
Lu Daoyi’s message undoubtedly meant that this was such a moment.
However, the Sect Leader did not notify everyone, only a portion of the upper echelons and a few other important figures.
He notified the Cangwu Twin Sisters immediately, for instance.
BOOM!
The next moment, just as the Mountain Protection Array was fully activated, a fleet of Floating Airships descended from the sky, crashing violently against the Grand Array.
The Mountain Protection Array immediately shook violently, but it successfully withstood this wave of impact.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Under the impact, however, the Grand Array’s light dimmed considerably in an instant. Not only was a massive amount of Spiritual Power consumed, but cracks also appeared in the array’s foundation.
The Demons, Demonized Beasts, and True Demon Sect Cultivators aboard the Flying Boats immediately took to the air and unleashed a furious, storm-like assault upon the Grand Array.
Some Tier Three Demonized Beasts even spat out their Demon Pills, seemingly intending to blast open the Mountain Protection Array in a suicidal attack.
The Mountain Protection Array was immediately in dire peril.
"What’s happening?"
"Oh no, it’s an attack by the True Demon Sect!"
"Quick, the Sect Leader has given his orders! Get moving!"
"Thank goodness for that Help-seeking Golden Flame just now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had any time to gather my things!"
Countless cultivators within the Cangwu Sect cried out in alarm.
Fortunately, thanks to the buffer provided by the Grand Array and their experience from the previous sneak attack by the Celestial Corpse Sect, the situation wasn’t overly chaotic.
Of course, the Help-seeking Golden Flame that Zhang Chi released earlier also deserves credit, as it allowed many people to make preparations in advance.
It might seem like a very short amount of time, but at a critical moment like this, it could decide life and death.
In fact, Zhang Chi was even partly responsible for the Sect Leader being able to activate the Grand Array in time.
Because although he hadn’t believed it at the time, he had instinctively taken out the Sect Leader’s Golden Seal ahead of time.
This preparation allowed him to activate the Grand Array just in time. Otherwise, if he had been a moment later, those Floating Airships would have crashed down directly, causing immense casualties in an instant.
Moreover, one of the Floating Airships’ targets was the Cangwu Sky itself.
If it were destroyed, the morale of the entire Cangwu Sect would suffer a massive blow.
If the Sect Leader hadn’t come out because of the Help-seeking Golden Flame, he might very well have been killed inside the Cangwu Celestial Palace.
"Don’t panic! Everyone, follow my command!"
After that, the higher-ups used their Magical Power to broadcast their voices, and the cultivators immediately acted upon the commands.
However, the specific orders the cultivators received were completely different.
Most cultivators were sent to resist the True Demon Sect, while a small minority received orders to head to the Cangwu Celestial Palace and rendezvous with the Sect Leader.
This rendezvous was, in fact, for a group retreat, with the destination being a Grotto Heaven Secret Realm.
ROAR!
At the same time, the Grand Array was soon blasted open by the Demonized Beasts’ exploding Golden Cores, creating gaping holes. Numerous True Demon Cultivators, Demons, and other beasts roared as they scrambled to pour through the openings.
The Cangwu Sect’s main gate consequently descended into even greater chaos.
Meanwhile, in the territory under the Cangwu Sect’s jurisdiction, numerous cultivators received orders and rushed back from all directions, preparing to reinforce the main gate.
Of course, some cultivators hadn’t even gotten close before they were terrified by the horrifying sight of the sky filling with black mist and immediately chose to flee.
Deep within the Sect, many cultivators were led into the depths of the Cangwu Celestial Palace and passed through a huge, water-like blue array barrier into a large secret passage.
Runes flowed along the walls of the secret passage, making it not only sturdy but also able to block auras. At its end lay a Grotto Heaven Secret Realm.
Of course, these cultivators were all the Sect’s prodigies, such as Inner Sect Disciples, Golden Core Seeds, core members of the various great families, important figures of the Sect’s factions, and some of the Sect’s higher-ups.
The Cangwu Twin Sisters, in particular, were subjects of top-priority protection.
Only after personally confirming that the two of them had entered the passage to the Grotto Heaven Secret Realm did the Sect Leader and Junior Sister Yun finally breathe a sigh of relief.
However, for some to be given special treatment, others had to be abandoned, because someone had to be responsible for resisting the powerful enemy and buying time for everyone else.
Moreover, these people could not all be weaklings; otherwise, no matter how numerous they were, they would not be able to hold out for long.
"Quick, come with me to receive the second group of personnel!"
The Sect Leader hurriedly sent out more Communication Talismans, notifying more cultivators to retreat to their position.
Zhang Chi, Jian Jinfeng, and others were on the list for this second batch.
Of course, Zhang Chi should have been in the first group, but the Sect Leader was well aware of the Supreme Elder’s attitude toward Zhang Chi.
In addition, there were other reasons that led the Sect Leader to ultimately make such an arrangement.
What the Sect Leader didn’t know, however, was that Zhang Chi had long since lost all hope in the Sect and had already fled the Cangwu Sect at the earliest opportunity.
"Master, what should we do?"
"We can’t get through!"
At this moment, Li Ruohai, Jian Jinfeng, and others were gathered together, fighting Demons, Demon Beasts, and even True Demon Cultivators.
They had received the Sect Leader’s Communication Talisman and wanted to head to the Cangwu Celestial Palace, but it was already too late.
By now, the Sect’s Grand Array was riddled with holes and practically useless, allowing vast numbers of Demons and their ilk to pour in.
Any cultivator who dared to fly high in the air was immediately swarmed and killed on the spot.
Not even Golden Core Cultivators dared to take the risk.
Therefore, Li Ruohai and his group could only fly at low altitudes, sometimes even skimming the ground and using the terrain to fight.