Seven Mysterious Spaces: My Rise to Power in the Cultivation World

Chapter 268 Outsmarting the Enemy's Trap

Chapter 268 Outsmarting the Enemy's Trap

Zhuang Yu led his elite troops, transforming into streaks of light as they sped towards the outskirts of the city.

The wind howled, making everyone's robes flutter and weighing heavily on their hearts.

Ghost Strategist's cunning is well-known within the alliance, so the danger of this surprise attack on the secret base is unimaginable.

Zhuang Yu took a deep breath, feeling the tense atmosphere in the air, his eyes sharp as he scanned the mountains and rivers rushing past below.

Everyone in the team looked serious, gripping their magical artifacts tightly, ready to deal with any sudden danger.

Wang Yao followed beside Zhuang Yu, dressed in a snow-white robe, which contrasted sharply with the somber atmosphere.

Although she appeared calm, she was secretly worried, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

After flying for about half an hour, a seemingly peaceful valley appeared ahead.

The valley entrance is wide, with steep mountain walls on both sides. The valley is lush and green, shrouded in a thin mist, obscuring the view inside.

"Alliance Leader, this valley has a treacherous terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. I'm afraid it's a trap." Old Zhang pointed to the valley ahead, his voice trembling slightly.

"Logically speaking, there must be an ambush here," Old Li said in a deep voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. "They are cunning and treacherous, and would never leave such an obvious flaw."

All eyes were on Zhuang Yu, awaiting his decision.

Zhuang Yu frowned slightly, gazing at the seemingly peaceful valley ahead, pondering to himself.

He was well aware of Gui Mou's cunning, and the quietness of the valley only made it more suspicious.

"Alliance Leader, why don't we take a detour?" Old Zhang suggested cautiously.

Zhuang Yu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Take a detour? Since the scheming villain has set up a trap, he must have already calculated that we would take a detour. Rather than being led by the nose by him, we might as well turn the tables on him."

"What the leader means is..." Old Li seemed to understand Zhuang Yu's intention.

"Go straight into the valley." Zhuang Yu's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

"What?!" Old Zhang's expression changed drastically. "This is too risky!"

"When a general is in the field, he may disobey the emperor's orders." Zhuang Yu's eyes were sharp as he scanned the crowd. "My mind is made up, there is no need for further words." With that, he took the lead and flew towards the valley.

Wang Yao followed closely behind, and seeing this, the others had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.

The valley was quiet, broken only by the occasional bird call.

A faint smell of decay permeated the air, making people feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Zhuang Yu slowed down, spreading his divine sense to carefully investigate the surrounding situation.

Suddenly, he stopped and his gaze fell on a withered ancient tree in front of him.

"What's wrong, Alliance Leader?" Wang Yao asked.

Zhuang Yu didn't answer, but slowly stretched out his hand, pointed to the ancient tree, and said, "There..."

Sure enough, as soon as they entered the valley, a strong, nauseating smell of blood hit them.

"Oh no, an ambush!" Old Li shouted, drawing his long sword, which gleamed coldly.

Before he finished speaking, countless men in black suddenly emerged from the mountain walls on both sides of the valley. Like ghosts, they wielded sharp blades and pounced on Zhuang Yu and the others.

The leader was none other than the Blood Shadow Assassin.

He wore a blood-red robe, a ferocious smile on his face, and a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

"Zhuang Yu, you have a path to heaven but choose not to, you've chosen the path to hell! Today is your death day!"

"Kill!" At the command of the Blood Shadow Assassin, his men surged towards Zhuang Yu and the others like a tidal wave.

The shouts of battle shook the heavens, swords clashed, and spiritual energy collided, instantly turning the valley into a battlefield of carnage.

Despite the danger, Zhuang Yu remained calm and wielded his long sword, unleashing a torrent of sword energy that killed the approaching men in black one by one.

His eyes were sharp, discerning every detail of the battlefield.

The Blood Shadow Assassin's attacks appear fierce, but in reality, they are full of flaws, and the transitions between moves are not smooth, as if he deliberately left himself vulnerable.

"Playing tricks!" Zhuang Yu sneered, already understanding the situation.

The Blood Shadow Assassins intended to use this ambush to weaken their strength; their real killing move was yet to come.

With this thought in mind, Zhuang Yu entered the mysterious space.

He quickly browsed through the martial arts techniques within the space and finally chose a movement technique called "Phantom Step".

This set of movements is exquisite and allows one to move behind the enemy in an instant, launching a surprise attack.

Back in the real world, Zhuang Yu vanished from the spot in a flash, like a ghost.

Upon seeing this, the Blood Shadow Assassin was startled and quickly looked around, but could not find any trace of Zhuang Yu.

"Where is he?" the Blood Shadow Assassin wondered, a chill running from his feet to the top of his head.

Suddenly, he felt a gust of wind behind him.

Before he could react, a powerful force struck his back.

He flew out like a kite with a broken string, crashed heavily to the ground, and coughed up blood.

"How is this possible..." The Blood Shadow Assassin stared incredulously at Zhuang Yu, who had appeared before him.

Zhuang Yu ignored him and turned to the other men in black, saying coldly, "Your leader has been defeated, so surrender now!"

Seeing this, the men in black had already lost their will to fight, and they dropped their weapons and scattered in all directions.

"The Alliance Leader is truly awe-inspiring!" Old Li and the others cheered upon seeing this.

Zhuang Yu smiled faintly, glanced at everyone, and said, "This place is not safe to stay any longer. Let's continue on our way."

Just as Zhuang Yu and the others were about to continue, Old Zhang stammered, "Alliance Leader... I... could I... could we return to the city first? It's too dangerous here. If we encounter another ambush by the Ghost Strategists, we might not be able to hold out..."

Before he finished speaking, a low murmur of discussion arose around him.

Old Li frowned and looked sharply at Old Zhang: "Old Zhang, what you said is too..." His voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, clearly disappointed by Old Zhang's timidity.

"Old Zhang, are you scared?" Wang Yao also spoke up. Although her voice was gentle, her tone revealed an undeniable firmness.

Old Zhang's face changed, and his body trembled slightly, but he still stubbornly said, "We can't take this risk, what if... what if..." His words became more intermittent, and he had obviously lost confidence.

"Old Zhang, you're undermining morale!" Old Li's voice rose several decibels, his eyes flashing with anger. "We've come this far, how can we back down because of your fear?"

Old Zhang's face turned even paler. He lowered his head, not daring to look into the eyes of the crowd.

The atmosphere became unusually tense, and everyone's breathing became rapid.

Zhuang Yu watched coldly, his gaze as sharp as a knife, without uttering a word.

After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice deep and powerful: "Old Zhang, you're destroying your own Great Wall!" His words echoed in the valley, carrying an undeniable authority.

Old Zhang's body jolted, and he looked up, his eyes filled with terror.

Zhuang Yu continued, "I understand your fear of danger, but you can't let your fear drag the whole team into pointless conflict. Our mission this time is not only to protect Spirit Realm City, but also for our future and hope. If we back down now, the Ghost Schemer will only become more arrogant!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Li and the others were immediately invigorated and nodded in agreement.

Old Zhang's face grew paler and paler, and finally he lowered his head and stopped talking.

Although the fear in his heart remained, Zhuang Yu's stern rebuke made him dare not raise any further objections.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yu nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over everyone with determination and confidence: "Let's keep moving forward. As long as we are united, we can overcome any difficulty!" His words were like a shot of adrenaline, making everyone feel their blood boil.

The team rallied together again, with Zhuang Yu leading the way as they continued deeper into the valley.

His back was resolute and tall, and every step he took was firm and powerful.

Suddenly, another strange movement came from the mountainside ahead, and several dark figures flashed by, seemingly watching them from the shadows...

Old Li gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. He whispered, "Everyone, get ready. This won't be the last ambush..." The valley meandered, and the heavy stench of blood lingered, like a leech stimulating everyone's nerves.

On the way forward, waves of evil forces ambushed them, one after another, surging in like a tide.

The assassins in black moved with unpredictable speed and ruthless moves, each attack aimed directly at vital points.

"Shield Formation!" Zhuang Yu commanded, and the guardians quickly formed a defensive formation. Huge spiritual energy shields shone with golden light, firmly protecting everyone within them.

Swords struck the shield, producing a piercing metallic clang and sending sparks flying.

"Arrow barrage!" Zhuang Yu gave the order again, and the guardians unleashed a barrage of arrows, raining down on the black-clad assassins, their screams echoing throughout the room.

"Charge!" Zhuang Yu seized the opportunity and led his elite troops like arrows released from a bow, charging into the enemy ranks. He brandished his longsword, and sword energy crisscrossed the area. Wherever he passed, the black-clad assassins fell one after another.

The battle was extremely fierce, with shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and screams of agony all mixed together, creating a deafening roar.

Zhuang Yu led from the front, each swing of his sword carrying the force of thunder. His figure darted across the battlefield, reaping the lives of his enemies like a grim reaper.

Wang Yao followed closely behind, wielding her long whip, creating a series of whip shadows that repelled the approaching enemies one by one.

Her figure was light and agile, like a butterfly dancing in the air, a stark contrast to the cruel battlefield.

In battle after battle, Zhuang Yu always manages to exploit the enemy's weaknesses and achieve the greatest victory with the least cost.

Each victory boosted the morale of the alliance members, and their admiration for Zhuang Yu grew deeper and deeper.

Finally, they approached the city of spirits.

However, the scene that unfolded before them made their hearts sink.

The area surrounding the spirit city was filled with countless array traps, shimmering with an eerie light.

A suffocating sense of oppression filled the air, as if an invisible giant hand was choking them.

“These formations…” Old Li’s expression was grave, and his voice was low, “They’re probably not easy to deal with.”

Zhuang Yu stared intently at the array traps surrounding the Spirit Realm city, his gaze deep and silent...