Chapter 113: Is Chi You Trying to Escape?

Nuwa, assuming Li Tian was currying favor with the future Human Sovereign, walked over with a smile. She looked Xuanyuan up and down and chuckled, "With someone like you leading the human race, we can rest easy."

"Thank you, Heavenly Empress," Xuanyuan replied, bowing quickly.

At this moment, he found it increasingly difficult to fathom the intentions of these two. If they had come to assist the Jiuli faction, why would they express such goodwill toward him?

Chiyou’s side also watched this scene with bated breath. *Isn’t the Heavenly Emperor here to help us? We are right here!*

"Xuanming, I leave the rest to you." Turning around, Li Tian cast a faint glance at Chiyou and the many Great Sorcerers behind him. After saying this to Xuanming, he ceased to concern himself with the matter.

In truth, he had no desire to involve himself in the fate of Chiyou and the others. He had come here primarily to appease Dijiang, Xuanming, and the other Sorcerers, and to take a look at the lower realm.

"Yes..."

Xuanming had been weighing how to persuade Chiyou and his followers to return. Hearing Li Tian’s words, she nodded instinctively and flew to the front of the Jiuli camp.

"Chiyou, Xuanyuan becoming the Human Sovereign is the will of heaven. Now that the defeat of the Jiuli is inevitable, are you willing to return to the Heavenly Court with us?" Xuanming asked slowly after a long moment of deliberation.

"What?!"

*Not here to help us?*

Upon hearing this, Chiyou grew anxious. *We sacrificed our Great Sorcerer bodies, exhausted so much energy, and lost so many men... and now you want us to just turn back with a few light words?*

However, catching sight of the Youxiong forces opposite them and the Jie Sect disciples watching with predatory intent, Chiyou managed to calm down. Yet, if he were to return to the Heavenly Court just like that, he could not bring himself to do it.

After a brief moment of thought, he turned to the other Great Sorcerers and said, "Whichever of you wishes to return to the Heavenly Court, go with Ancestral Sorcerer Xuanming. I will never blame you!"

"Leader, what about you?" The Great Sorcerers, stunned by Xuanming's words and still reeling, looked at Chiyou and asked in unison.

"I swear to live and die with the Jiuli!"

Chiyou drew his demonic blade with a sudden motion, and a terrifying black shockwave erupted from his hand, instantly discoloring the heavens and the earth!

"Chiyou!"

Seeing this, Xuanming let out a sharp cry. The situation she feared most had finally come to pass. The Sorcerer tribe was impulsive by nature; with Chiyou striking such a pose, the bloodlust of the other Great Sorcerers was ignited. How could they possibly return with her now?

"We also swear to live and die with the Jiuli!"

Sure enough, no sooner had Chiyou finished speaking than a dozen of the most hot-headed Great Sorcerers stepped forward, drew their weapons, and let out a collective roar toward the sky!

Seeing this, the other Great Sorcerers took a step forward as well. "We swear to live and die with the Jiuli!"

After all, if they were to abandon their brothers to save their own skins, they would rather be killed on the spot.

Kuafu stepped forward along with the others. He had been debating whether to return to the Heavenly Court, but at this moment, his mind was made up. If he left now, would he ever find peace? And even if he returned to the Heavenly Court, what of it? Living under the constraints of those endless, trivial rules, attending court meetings every so often... living like an ant like that was worse than dying in a blaze of glory!

This was the sentiment shared by most of the Great Sorcerers.

Chiyou looked back and, seeing that not a single Great Sorcerer wanted to leave, but rather that all had chosen to share his fate, he felt a wave of emotion. At this moment, he still clung to a sliver of hope. Although the Jiuli tribe had fewer powerful fighters than the Youxiong, their casualty rate in battle was far lower. Besides, even if they lost this battle, they could regroup and try again; the Sorcerer tribe still possessed many ancestral formations... they still had a chance!

"Heavenly Emperor, Heavenly Empress, and Ancestral Sorcerer Xuanming, please return. My Sorcerer tribe has no cowards who fear death!" Chiyou stuck his blade into the ground, bowed to Li Tian, Nuwa, and Xuanming respectively, and spoke with solemnity.

"Let’s go."

Li Tian cast a faint look at Chiyou and the many resolute Great Sorcerers, then turned to look at Xuanming, who appeared to be struggling and clearly wished to make one last attempt.

"Heavenly Emperor..." Xuanming looked at Li Tian, her gaze flickering, but in the end, she said nothing.

"Let’s go. Don't forget, there is still the cycle of reincarnation in this world..." Nuwa, seeing that Li Tian had already boarded the Nine-Dragon Chariot, walked over and whispered to Xuanming.

"Yes..." Thinking of this, Xuanming pondered for a moment and nodded gently. Seeing that Li Tian and Nuwa had both boarded the chariot, she knew she could not linger. She took one last look at Chiyou and followed them away.

Li Tian, standing at the front, heard Nuwa's words but felt skeptical.

Reincarnation requires an intact soul, but there are far too many ways in this world to scatter a soul into nothingness... Furthermore, even if they were to be reincarnated, without the essence and blood of their former Great Sorcerer bodies, would they still possess their current talents? It would be lucky if they could even recover the memories of their past lives.

Moreover, Chiyou and these Great Sorcerers had incurred much blood debt over the years; their karma must be heavy. What kind of decent rebirth could they possibly hope for? As for the Book of Life and Death, which could control the direction of reincarnation... who would be willing to risk the backlash of the Heavenly Dao and the burden of karma to "defy the heavens and change the fate" of these rebellious Sorcerers?

Even if Dijiang were one of the top administrators of the Underworld, he could likely only arrange tasks for them to gain merit, such as slaying unruly vengeful spirits or suppressing the occasional rebellion of ghosts...

...

Following the departure of Li Tian and the others, the two sides—Youxiong and Jiuli—stood in a tense, murderous standoff once more on the battlefield of Zhuolu.

Xuanyuan felt a bit depressed that the Great Sorcerers had chosen to stay and fight to the death rather than leave. After all, these Great Sorcerers were headstrong, and he had never expected them to submit to him. If they had all left, he could have peacefully taken over the Jiuli tribe without further bloodshed. Who would have thought that not a single one of them would leave?

*It seems a river of blood is unavoidable this time,* Xuanyuan sighed inwardly.

However, he was not afraid. The victory of the Youxiong tribe was already certain; he just needed to minimize his own losses.

"Everyone!"

Amidst the oppressive silence, Chiyou suddenly raised his demonic blade and shouted.

As soon as his voice fell, the Jiuli faction began sharpening their blades and flexing their muscles, their eyes filled with killing intent as they glared at the Youxiong camp.

Seeing this, Xuanyuan and his men realized the great battle was about to begin. They looked at Chiyou’s side with cautious eyes, clearly prepared for combat at any moment.

"The Youxiong forces are overwhelming. Everyone, follow me and retreat! We shall discuss our plans another day!" Chiyou turned around and shouted to those behind him.

Jiuli faction: "..."

Youxiong faction: "..."

Xuanyuan: "..."

Great Sorcerers: "..."

Jie Sect Immortals: "..."

*Did I hear that right? Chiyou is running away?*