Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1954: 1446: A Casual Move
Let's turn our attention to the events on both fronts.
A fierce clash had erupted at the camp, and meanwhile, Li Zhixuan commanded the Li family's top warriors, ready to slip away under the darkness of night, race back to the camp, and then coordinate an assault from both directions to completely annihilate that horde of demons and beasts!
She chose not to inform the loose cultivators about the withdrawal; after all, too large a group meant the information could spread easily, and those loose cultivators were notoriously undisciplined—by the moment they started moving, the plan would probably already be exposed.
However, what she never anticipated was that the loose cultivators didn't need to betray them at all, since the foes had spies monitoring their actions constantly!
The instant Li Zhixuan's group showed any sign of motion, waves of demon cultivators and devil beasts surged forward to obstruct their path, staunchly preventing escape from the field of combat. The clash ignited right away in a ferocious barrage.
"Courting death!"
Considering how the camp was under siege by Floating Light Creatures, uncertain when the defenses might crumble, Li Zhixuan's face darkened to a fearsome degree, dark energy flaring across her features, while the murderous glare in her eyes froze everyone nearby.
The intense showdown between the opposing forces was about to ignite fully. The Li family battled fiercely to hasten their return for aid, whereas the local denizens of This Realm aimed to eradicate the primary squad of these outsiders.
Consequently, no one bothered with talk; they simply released their supernatural abilities and incantations, triggered treasures and charms, each side desperate to overpower the opponent without delay.
But out of nowhere, from the back of the local forces' lineup, a thunderous blast rang out, unleashing a devastating rupture that hurled aside numerous unprepared devil beasts and demon cultivators.
Before they could recover from the surprise, a second detonation flared with radiant spiritual energy, claiming the lives of dozens more beings in an instant.
On this occasion, the blast ripped through their ranks, carving a massive gap from the back straight to the heart of the formation.
Within a mere hour, the dynamics of the conflict flipped entirely.
At first, the matchup had been balanced, with the Li family holding a slight disadvantage—yet now, they stood no chance against the Li family's dominance.
"No! It's a trap we've stumbled into!"
Having endured two brutal strikes in a row, the demon cultivators quickly pieced it together. Their complexions drained to ashen hues; continuing like this, encircled and doomed, they faced total extermination!
Observing the strategy unfold perfectly, a faint, icy smirk crept across Li Zhixuan's stern visage for once.
Every bit of this—every element—was woven into their clever counterplot!
The architect of this elaborate scheme was none other than Li Zhirui, far off at a distance of thousands of miles.
Upon hearing that the local creatures had gathered troops to strike the camp, he initially planned for Li Zhixuan to guide the entire group back, allowing them to assess the scene and choose between a pincer attack or bolstering the defenses accordingly.
For the reinforcement option, though, he devised a superior approach.
It involved calling in relatives and loose cultivators straight from the Primal Spirit Realm to leverage their strength against the onslaught.
Even better, this setup allowed them to plot against the adversaries on the separate front as well!
To start, once Li Zhixuan got word, he instructed her to act panicked and anxious, directing the clan toward the camp, while ensuring the supposedly secure advance was "accidentally" spotted by the enemy.
The locals would inevitably catch on, and they'd likely celebrate seeing Li Zhixuan pull her troops away—this opened the door for them to waylay, cut off, or ensnare the group en route, wiping out the Li family and ending the conflict abruptly.
Then, he quietly reached out to a few loose cultivator leaders, coordinating so the Li family would simulate a retreat, mimic a frantic aid run, baiting out masses of demon cultivators and devil beasts for a direct confrontation. Following that, the loose cultivators would strike from the rear.
For flawless execution, Li Zhirui dispatched couriers with the directives to Li Zhixuan at top speed, reaching her in just three hours.
She devoted the next hour to organizing and positioning all aspects meticulously.
At last, as darkness descended, she guided the clan in what appeared to be a covert exodus, bound for the camp.
In this way, the scene unfolded precisely as witnessed!
The devil beasts and demon cultivators tumbled right into the snare, charging from the rear, oblivious to the fact that while the mantis hunts the cicada, the oriole lurks in the shadows—and that sharp loose cultivators had been poised to pounce behind them.
Having suffered two devastating hits from the loose cultivators with severe tolls, now hemmed in from every angle, their predicament grew hopeless.
In particular, to guarantee capturing Li Zhixuan and her fellow cultivators, they'd committed substantial numbers. Losing them all here wouldn't just mean personal demise—it would cripple future engagements as well.
Thus, upon grasping the reality, the devil beasts and demon cultivators didn't launch assaults first; instead, they focused on self-preservation and evasion of slaughter!
Yet as the disadvantaged party now, they held no power to reverse fortunes.
With passing moments, the death toll climbed, although a few broke free and made it back to their base.
"What befell you all? What's the story? Weren't you meant to pursue those invaders from the Outer Realm? How did you end up so battered?"
Spotting their return in disarray, clusters of demon cultivators and devil beasts rushed over, demanding details on the incident.
Truth be told, their ragged appearance had sparked doubts already—but the reality proved too horrifying, so they clung to hopes of a different tale.
"We got ensnared by the foes' sly plot. They faked a hasty return for support, just to draw us in, then teamed up with the loose cultivators to encircle and butcher us…"