Above The Sky
Chapter 983 - 983 95 Let's Fight and Retreat!

983: Chapter 95: Let’s Fight and Retreat!

(First Update) 983: Chapter 95: Let’s Fight and Retreat!

(First Update) Compared to the vibrant spring scenery surrounding the Agate Stone Plains, the humid climate of the South Sea Jungle Area past the Indigo Mountain Gorge Entrance was almost unbearable.

Leaving aside the mists and poisonous insects that filled the forest, the incessant rain alone caused no small amount of suffering for the Mountain People in Xiawei Territory’s caravan.

Though they were natives of the South Ridge, the names ‘Forest People’ and ‘Mountain People’ distinctly reflected the climates each group had adapted to.

This was also a flaw born from the Terra People’s extreme adaptability—once they acclimated to one extreme environment, they lost their ability to tolerate another.

Luckily, as a lord, Ian did not push for speed.

Showing great mercy, he allowed the caravan to rest for a time in Sanhe City, giving the members suffering from illness due to the unfamiliar environment a chance to recover.

Of course, there were other reasons for halting the journey: the seasonal rains had caused rivers to overflow, affecting the roads around Sanhe City, and numerous Magical Beasts had begun to stir during this time.

The incidents involving creatures from Fiery Flame Land attacking last year had not yet been fully resolved, and several smaller merchant caravans had already suffered heavy losses.

The caravan from Xiawei Territory naturally feared no attack from Magical Beasts, but avoiding trouble whenever possible was always preferable.

Beneath the shadowy rainclouds, the white-haired lord walked through the mist-filled jungle, while the green-haired swordsman kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings, as if ensuring they weren’t being followed.

The torrential rain washed over everything, the sound of raindrops colliding with leaves filling the air, punctuated by the occasional crash of thunder.

Under these conditions, it was nearly impossible for anyone to overhear their conversation.

Except for a group of assassins who had long been lying in wait, patiently observing the two men’s movements.

“The target and his guard have left the city and are heading into the wilderness… What are they planning?”

Though Ian and Qingchao leaving the crowded area aligned perfectly with their expectations, the uncertainty of their motives caused Mojian, the leader of the Fiery Flame Land Dragon Worship Cult members, to hesitate.

He spoke grimly: “Wait.

Let’s hear what they’re going to discuss—choosing this moment to meet must mean they are about to talk about something critical!”

Indeed, when Ian began to speak, everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to his words.

—The Prophet.

—The Foreseeing Bifoliate!

A piece of intelligence that stunned every member of the Dragon Worship Cult tumbled from Ian’s lips.

As it turned out, the Alchemist Lord’s journey from Xiawei Territory to Harrison Port wasn’t merely to visit family and former superiors; it was because he had received an earth-shaking piece of news in the Great Redwood Forest!

It was about an ancient hereditary artifact of the Redwood Natives, said to foretell storms and disasters: the ‘Foreseeing Bifoliate!’

The Fae and Demihumans, who had been critical of Mojian’s cautious approach and eager to ambush Ian directly, immediately became engrossed upon hearing this revelation.

It wasn’t because Ian’s voice was particularly captivating—anything involving a Prophet’s artifact was far more valuable in Terra than gold or Magic Potions.

“The South Ridge has Prophet artifacts as well?”

An Elf from the Dragon Worship Cult asked doubtfully.

However, it wasn’t Mojian or one of the Demihumans who replied, but a member of his own team, who excitedly said, “Yes, chief!

Though the Foreseeing Bifoliate has always been a mere legend in the South Ridge, in recent years, the local Redwood Natives have consistently taken effective measures to counter massive storms.

The natives here have hardly suffered any disasters caused by natural calamities!”

“Even if the Foreseeing Bifoliate isn’t a Prophet artifact, it’s at least a Sublimated Relic capable of predicting weather and natural disasters!”

—And that’s already more than valuable enough.

As they listened, everyone found their breathing growing audibly heavier…

and this slight flaw did not go unnoticed.

“Who’s there?!”

Just as Ian was about to share the precise location of the Foreseeing Bifoliate with Qingchao, he suddenly raised his head, his Spirit Energy Radiance flickering in his eyes as he exclaimed in astonishment, “Who’s here?!”

Knowing that Ian possessed ‘detection Spirit Energy,’ the Tri-Nation Dragon Worship Sect’s united assassination squad had specifically equipped themselves with a Sublimated Relic, the ‘Veil of Night,’ which used shed skins from a Sublimated creature known as the ‘Shadow Serpent.’

This creature couldn’t make them entirely invisible to Spirit Energy detection, but it could distort the feedback, reducing their signal to something as minuscule as an ant—or for a Sublimator like Ian, the size of a Brittlebone Sparrow.

And in the South Ridge, who would pay attention to a flock of Brittlebone Sparrows?

Unless the observer was overly suspicious or had extraordinarily sharp observational skills.

It appeared Ian possessed both.

“Attack!”

Since they’d been exposed, the assassins no longer bothered with concealment.

They struck boldly at Ian—the elven leader barked orders over the communication channel: “Change the objective!

Don’t kill him, capture him alive for interrogation!”

“The Foreseeing Bifoliate… The higher-ups will definitely have an interest in a treasure like this!”

Capturing someone alive represented a statement of utter dominance in their power.

It was akin to sparring while holding back to feed moves to an opponent—it was indicative of overwhelming superiority.

So, did the Dragon Worship Cult truly believe their team could completely overpower Ian?

—Though we aren’t professional assassins, we believe we’re stronger than Ian!

Usually, this would be true.

“Ten of them?!”

Seeing ten black shadows suddenly burst from the distant forest with a loud swish, even the prepared Qingchao couldn’t help but feel his mind reel.

He thought, “No wonder the boss said the entire caravan wouldn’t stand a chance—three at the Second Energy Level, paired with seven well-equipped at the First Energy Level.

Assassinate us?

Launch a frontal assault?

Either would suffice!”

“If the Rebel Highlanders back then had a team like this, I wouldn’t have dared lead the charge solo!”

“Take the front line yourself.”

Ian squinted, quickly analyzing the enemy before giving orders to Qingchao: “Remember—engage while retreating!”

“Understood!”

Qingchao immediately entered battle mode, shouting, “My lord, you retreat first!”

With that, he grabbed Ian’s right hand, used his arm strength to hurl Ian toward the forest exit behind them, then drew his sword to unleash a wave-like slash that extended over a dozen meters forward.

“The main target is the White Folk!”

Without hesitation, the assassination team split up.

A Demihuman captain from the Azure Sky Royal Court confronted Qingchao.

His weapon was a massive crescent blade resembling an oversized oar.

The pitch-black blade gleamed with the dense and oppressive glow of Earth Origin Quality, cleaving through the wave of Spirit Energy as it shattered and bore down on the swordsman without losing momentum.

“Dustrise Iron?”

Qingchao sidestepped and identified the weapon’s material—Sublimated Metal known to counter all ‘Phantom Shape’ or ‘Air Cleave’ Sublimation Skills.

He suddenly understood Ian’s earlier warning: ‘They will specifically counter our abilities, so proceed with caution.’

Having anticipated the attack, Qingchao dodged backward, and the Demihuman captain’s gigantic crescent blade slammed into the ground where Qingchao had stood moments before.

The impact created a massive pit, eight meters wide and three meters deep, with a surge of mud and sand spreading nearly a hundred meters, its thunderous reverberation akin to a lightning strike splitting the earth.

Qingchao evaded the devastating blow and took the opportunity to counterattack, lunging through the sludge to thrust his sword at the captain’s throat—a strike born purely of raw physical strength that would force even the most gifted Demihuman momentarily off balance if they overexerted themselves.

But facing Qingchao’s perfectly timed retaliatory thrust, the Demihuman captain raised his head and exhaled a stream of Dragon Breath.

Bzzz!

A gray Dragon Breath, reeking of corrosive energy, burst forward.

The rain reacted violently to its passage, evaporating into steam.

Qingchao, thinking he had imminent victory, suddenly found himself confronting a life-or-death predicament.

In a split second, Qingchao flung himself backward, lying flat against the soaked ground to evade the danger.

Using his Sublimation Skill for water manipulation, he propelled himself sideways like a torpedo—a maneuver he had learned from Ian.

It was undeniably effective, positioning him safely out of harm’s way.

Bang!

The corrosive breath scorched the spot Qingchao had been, igniting the ground with searing heat.

Beyond mere corrosion, the Dragon Breath’s explosive energy was extraordinarily potent, chemically breaking down materials and accelerating molecular activity to generate enormous heat!

Given time, this mundane acid breath might evolve into a ‘Fission Breath’ or ‘Electromagnetic Disintegration Breath!’

In an instant, the area within dozens of meters turned into a flaming inferno, evaporating all rain and sludge.

The last time Qingchao faced such mortal combat was against the Frostbait Moth inside the South Sea Great Labyrinth.

Ever since following Ian, even during the Mountain People’s civil war, he hadn’t encountered any real danger.

After advancing to the Second Energy Level, his increasingly refined swordsmanship and ever-growing raw strength made him one of Xiawei Territory’s strongest combatants.

But this opponent was no pushover.

Possessing the dragonized ability to unleash acidic breath, the Demihuman captain could easily annihilate any opponent of comparable rank.

Were it not for Qingchao’s caution and adherence to Ian’s teachings, he would have been killed just now.

Now, however, with the captain’s trump card exposed, he no longer seemed like an unconquerable threat.

“I can certainly hold him off or even defeat him—but what about the boss?”

At this moment, Qingchao found he had even a little leeway to glance toward the other side of the battlefield to check Ian’s circumstances.

And what he saw caused his pupils to dilate rapidly.

Because there, his lord had unfurled Fairy Wings, initiating a high-speed blitz.

In an almost teleport-like movement, Ian appeared beside an enemy, his Iron Pattern Sword slicing cleanly through the target’s neck.

The decapitated foe didn’t even realize they were dead, stumbling forward a few steps before collapsing in a pool of blood.

“Damn it!

He’s faster than we expected!”

“Is that the power of the Fae?!

Be careful; he can fly.

Suppress him!”

Qingchao heard the enemy’s gasp of shock and anger.

“Don’t scatter—form pairs!”

“He can’t escape our grasp!”