Chapter 1518: Huge battle on the wilderness

"We know Cloud Peak has teleportation equipment, but it is unclear whether they can move such a large force at once. If we assume they can, then once the enemy appears, we might face the combined forces of Cloud Peak, Beast Villa, Deacon Water's troops, the Resistance Zone, and possibly even many native secret realm warriors."

Under the Director's and Wen Yan's silent urging, the Great Chairman delivered the final summary.

"Since we’ve confirmed Ye Zhongming must be using teleportation to summon his army, there are only two possibilities. First, the equipment is on him. Second, it’s hidden nearby, controlled by others, and Ye Zhongming is leading us straight to it."

"Based on Ye Zhongming’s current escape route, we’ve determined that regardless of where the teleportation equipment is—whether on him or with others—the optimal summoning point is this plain! The open terrain allows for an efficient deployment of forces. In contrast, fighting in hills or forests would disadvantage them, not us."

"I must say, Ye Zhongming’s plan is well-crafted. Cloud Peak’s army might indeed have the strength to swallow us whole this time. But the King of Cloud Peak has made one fatal mistake!"

"He’s overconfident—so much so that he’s using himself as bait alone. This situation will persist until he reaches the plain. And that’s where our opportunity lies: we won’t let him... reach it safely!"

"Kill him, and no matter how many troops they teleport in, they’ll be doomed to fail!"

"Since he’s offering himself as bait, let’s devour this delicious lure! Gentlemen, the operation to assassinate the King of Cloud Peak begins now!" The Great Chairman laughed, his tone tinged with madness.

……………………………………

Ye Zhongming continued his measured retreat, occasionally turning to strike down pursuers.

The Soul Merchant squad, initially fifty strong, had already lost over a dozen members. Yet the survivors stubbornly pressed on.

They had no choice—their mission was to track Ye Zhongming’s movements at all costs.

Vice-Chairman Yang, however, remained eerily calm. Even as his men fell, he showed no agitation. Instead, he closed the distance, as if no longer fearing Ye Zhongming’s counterattacks.

Ye Zhongming quickly noticed the shift in behavior. After a moment’s thought, he abruptly accelerated, shaking off his pursuers within minutes.

Vice-Chairman Yang hesitated, then ordered his men to follow the trail he left while he sped ahead alone.

The plain wasn’t far now. Ye Zhongming surveyed the terrain from a hilltop—a few more slopes, a low mountain pass, and he’d reach the open fields. The valleys and woods between lacked proper paths, but for an eight-star evolved, such obstacles were trivial.

When Vice-Chairman Yang’s demeanor changed, Ye Zhongming decided to reach the plain as fast as possible.

A bad feeling gnawed at him.

As he descended the slope, that feeling materialized.

To his left, a faint glowing door appeared. From it emerged a man and a beast—both eight-star equivalents.

The moment they stepped through, the door vanished.

"Fixed Teleportation? You’re really going all out."

Ye Zhongming looked at the gate and said.

Ye Zhongming recognized the skill—a signature ability of a "Bead Teleporter," with a cooldown exceeding ten thousand hours. Essentially, they could only use it once a year.

This skill allowed precise teleportation to a marked location, with the option to return within the skill’s duration.

Simple in concept, but invaluable in practice.

Ye Zhongming remembered a faction with such a teleporter in his past life. Whenever the cooldown ended, they’d orchestrate high-risk missions—raiding dungeons for treasures guarded by powerful creatures.

Each use of the skill guaranteed priceless rewards.

Now, it was being wasted on chasing him.

From Ye Zhongming’s perspective, at least he found this a waste, as he didn’t believe this man could kill him.

"God Hall, Tong Lu. This is my partner, Nether Tiger."

The man introduced himself coldly.

Before Ye Zhongming could respond, Tong Lu added, "Killing you justifies any cost."

With that, he leaped onto his beast’s back and charged.

Ye Zhongming’s eyebrows rose as he observed Tong Lu and his mount merging during the charge. Tendril-like appendages sprouted from both their bodies, interweaving to fuse them into a single entity. Within breaths, the tendrils had encased Tong Lu’s legs, hips, and lower torso.

The transformation didn’t stop there. Tong Lu’s exposed face and hands morphed—fangs protruded, claws replaced fingers, his upper body swelling with grotesque muscle.

What the hell is this?

Under normal circumstances, caution would dictate retreat. Prudence was paramount when facing an unknown ability, especially one from the God Hall’s labs.

Yet Ye Zhongming didn’t retreat. Instead, he activated his buff field and swung the Undead Sand Moon Blade—Thousand Seal Blade Strike.

The bad feeling had solidified. A lone elite appearing, with Vice-Chairman Yang in close pursuit—those factions were making their move.

Ye Zhongming was powerful, but not invincible. Without Yellow Ball, Yangos, or female guards by his side, being surrounded by elites posed a genuine threat.

This man’s sole purpose was to delay him. More would follow. Ye Zhongming needed a quick, decisive strike—to break free and send a message.

So he struck with everything he had.

Countless blade shadows merged into a thunderous arc.

When it came to brute force, Ye Zhongming feared no one.