Chapter 255: The Battle for Three Mountains Island

"Young Master Gu!"

"The Heavenly Gu Society was founded as a protective force, specifically for your aid."

"Any who oppose you, any who obstruct you, they become our quarry for annihilation!"

"Should the You Clan dare to assault you, then we shall relentlessly decimate them."

"The Gan and Cai Clans, who dare to scheme in the shadows, aiming to exploit the situation and gain an advantage, they too deserve their demise!"

"You might have witnessed me retreating previously, but that was merely a simulated defeat. The objective was to provoke the You, Gan, and Cai Clans into battling each other first. When the moment arrives, we will confront all three clans simultaneously."

Liu Xiong proceeded, following Jiang Chen's instruction, his demeanor stern, his performance remarkably convincing.

After all, as a seasoned cultivator who had lived many years, delivering scripted lines was a simple task for him, wasn't it?

"Oh?"

"I was puzzled as to why you, once so brimming with confidence, abruptly retreated!"

Comprehension lit up Gu Ran's face, swiftly followed by a twinge of vexation in his heart.

It was precisely due to Liu Xiong's staged retreat that he missed the chance to eliminate the formidable Inquiring Journey realm warriors of the You Clan.

"Haha."

"That was all part of my tactical plan."

"Subsequently, we will unleash a fierce counterattack, obliterating all three key powers on Three Mountains Island, and presumably, we'll seize numerous cultivation resources."

Liu Xiong let out a robust laugh, patted his chest, radiating self-assurance.

After all, with the Esteemed Holy Son supervising the situation, what fear could they possibly harbor of a mere Three Mountains Island upsetting the balance?

"Excellent!"

"I too concur with retaliating against Three Mountains Island!"

A glimmer of thoughtfulness flashed in Gu Ran's eyes as he nodded, stating, "You needn't accompany me later, I wish to battle independently."

Having just ascended to the Early-stage Inquiring Journey realm, he relished the intensely thrilling sensation and was eager to expedite his next breakthrough.

The members of the You, Gan, and Cai Clans deserved their end, and he naturally intended to eliminate them and usurp their cultivation base.

"Absolutely not!"

"Young Master Gu, even if we all face our end, we cannot permit the slightest harm to befall you."

Liu Xiong quickly gestured with his hands, speaking urgently, "You have just weathered a significant battle, it would be prudent for you to rest here. I will manage the situation at Three Mountains Island."

"No!"

"I wish to go, I want to engage in combat independently!"

Gu Ran scoffed, "Aren't you my guardians? Are you going to disregard my commands?"

"Th-this is..."

"Very well then!"

"But, I will always be vigilant of your situation."

"Otherwise, if anything were to befall you, those above won't spare me."

Liu Xiong nodded, accepting the proposal.

This was also congruent with Jiang Chen's plans.

Compelling Gu Ran to remain here, aside from the question of feasibility under the influence of the Heavenly Fate, was not what Jiang Chen desired.

He needed Gu Ran to partake in the unfolding events to more effectively deplete his Heavenly Fate Value!

"Stay out of my affairs."

Gu Ran nodded subtly.

He could discern a trace of resolve in Liu Xiong's tone.

The Heavenly Gu Society appeared to hold him in high regard and incessantly ensured his safety, but in truth, there was supervision and control omnipresent.

This amplified Gu Ran's desire to eliminate Liu Xiong and the others even further.

'Hmph!'

'When the clash among the four factions erupts, I'll assuredly have the chance to annihilate many, amassing enough cultivation base to boost my combat strength!'

'Then, I'll address the members of the Heavenly Gu Society stationed here simultaneously!'

'They dub themselves my guardians; I yearn to see their response when I slay them with my own hands.'

'...'

Gu Ran's face was stoic, but within his heart, he sneered incessantly.

Subsequently, he lifted his gaze towards the direction of Three Mountains Island.

His divine sense had now also ascended to the Inquiring Journey realm, capable of enveloping an area with a radius of one hundred thousand meters.

Although the battlefield was beyond his sight, he could detect some residual waves of battle emanating from the island.

'The You, Gan, and Cai Clans have commenced their conflict!'

A hint of exhilaration and anticipation arose in Gu Ran's heart.

Previously, it was he alongside the Heavenly Gu Society who were in combat with the You Clan, while the Gan and Cai Clans seized the chance to play the opportunistic third party on the sidelines.

But now, he and the Heavenly Gu Society had become the ones exploiting the situation to their own advantage!

"The conflict has just begun."

Liu Xiong declared, his aura teeming with lethal intent. "When the moment is opportune, we will retaliate against Three Mountains Island!"

Gu Ran responded with a slight nod of agreement.

High above the sea.

'The three primary clans of Three Mountains Island have initiated their conflict.'

'This event should have unfolded in the original plot influenced by Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value as well.'

'After all, he could coerce the You Clan into a similar predicament by solely amplifying his own strength.'

'Accomplishing this independently is quite remarkable, I'm glad I intervened, hindering him from grandstanding.'

'If we continue to conjecture based on the original plot, Gu Ran should be capitalizing on the current chaos, eliminating the experts of the three clans, and thus augmenting his own power!'

'Then, likely due to a specific clan, Wu Qian would be roped in, instigating a new sequence of events.'

'Gu Ran already reached the Inquiring Journey realm now, his pace of progression is genuinely astonishingly swift. If unchecked, he could potentially overpower me, the universally acknowledged prodigious talent of the Immortal Martial Continent, prove all predictions wrong, and boast in an unprecedented manner.'

'...'

Jiang Chen gazed upon the battlefield from his aerial viewpoint, various thoughts coursing through his mind.

On the battlefield, one could observe Gan Ruifeng and Cai Xueqing besieging You Haiyin, engaging in a two-on-one combat!

The other experts began to encircle and suppress the remaining members of the You Clan.

The You Clan had already been fragmented by Jiang Chen's death warrior squad, with two Inquiring Journey realm experts eliminated.

The power differential between them and the united forces of the Gan and Cai Clans was substantial.

Hence, even though the cultivators of the You Clan exhibited commendable courage and displayed no fear of difficulties, they could not avert being entirely overwhelmed.

Time inexorably moved on.

Sword-like radiance and blade-like shadows flickered on the battlefield, with magical lights streaking past at high speed.

The terrifying battle had already inflicted significant damage to the surroundings of You Clan City.

Just at that moment.

"Attack!"

"If the You Clan falls, our end will not be pleasant either!"

"That's correct, my ties with the You Clan are profound, the Gan and Cai Clans will undoubtedly not spare me."

"I sought refuge within You Clan City because I had antagonized the Gan and Cai Clans. If the You Clan is vanquished, my fate is sealed. Curse the Gan and Cai Clans, I'm entering the fray."

"..."

A succession of rallying cries echoed from within You Clan City, and shortly after, several cultivators burst forth, aligning themselves with the You Clan's ranks.

These cultivators were primarily in amicable relations with the You Clan or were outcasts who had provoked the Gan and Cai Clans.

Their inclusion instantaneously provided a minor relief to the dire situation faced by the You Clan.

However, these reinforcements did not encompass any Inquiring Journey realm cultivators, rendering them still considerably weak.

They were merely a drop in the ocean, only capable of delaying the inevitable downfall of the You Clan.

"Ha-ha-ha!"

"Let the You Clan's little rabbits tremble in fear, embrace the despair!"

"Kill, kill, kill! Slaughtering you lot is as effortless as chopping vegetables!"

"..."

Members of the Gan and Cai Clans cackled maniacally, ruthlessly massacring the cultivators of the You Clan.

A few of the victors amongst them didn't instantly kill the young female cultivators of the You Clan.

Instead, driven by a blazing lust, they opted to restrain them, waiting until the end of the battle to 'handle' their captives.

Time continued its steady march.

The situation was entirely one-sided.

The You Clan, from the upper echelons to the grassroots, was utterly falling apart.

High in the sky, You Haiyin was drenched in blood, his face displaying intense agony and desolation!

He had already reached his breaking point.

The two reasons he had managed to endure till this point were, firstly, due to a secret art that consumed his lifespan, and secondly, it was because, despite the apparent cooperation between Gan Ruifeng and Cai Xueqing, the closer You Haiyin came to death, the more their trust in each other dwindled.

Each feared that the other would seize the opportunity to stab them in the back!

After all, sharing Three Mountains Island between two major clans was decidedly less satisfying than claiming it in its entirety for oneself!

Therefore, the effectiveness of Gan Ruifeng and Cai Xueqing's collaborative efforts was significantly diminished, enabling You Haiyin to persevere.

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