“In a world where strength is par for the course, grudges oftentimes exist in those who insist that they are owed something.”

Qai and his team members had apprently set up few restrictions even beyond their station.

So when one of which was triggered, Qai immediately sensed the enemy.

“Sister Mo Shui, quick. Tell everyone to head back to the headquarters and report to Elder Li that Devil Dao elites have arrived.”

‘What!?’

Mo Shui’s face suddenly turned deathly pale.

“Core Formation stage cultivators?”

If Core Formation stage cultivators had already come, then it only meant that the war was already in the stage that the sect elders would be involved.

And with their team consisting of Qi Condensation stage outer disciples, it was unlikely that they would be able to defend their station, much less survive.

“Probably, I really can't sense their cultivation base and there are actually 2 of them coming this way.”

“Two!?”

Mo Shui panicked but Qai on the other was a picture of calmness.

“I will try to stall them. Don't worry about me, our Array formations can buy us time and I have a fast beast mount. So I'll be sure to follow.”

“But brother Qai..”

For Mo Shui, it was all the more reason for all of them to run together.

But in Qai’s mind, there would be better chances for all of them to survive if his team members could escape first back to the headquarters.

That was because, with the enemy's strength, it was doubtful whether Qai and his team members would really have the ability to flee from them.

“If we don't do this, there could be a bigger disaster once the headquarters were caught unaware.”

Mo Shui still wanted to insist on Qai to join them in their escape but Qai stopped her from saying another word.

“They are already aware that I sensed them. Go now before it will be too late!”

Mo Shui still hesitated but followed Qai's words nonetheless.

“You best be careful, brother Qai.”

With that, Mo Shui rushed to find the rest of the team while Qai rushed to arrange a few more Array formations around the hill.

Unknown to Qai and his team members though, the 2 Devil Dao Core Formation stage cultivators were actually sent by the one who fled from Qai’s hands during their first encounter with the enemies.

And in a time it took to brew a cup of tea, the 2 Devil Dao cultivators appeared just a few meters away from the hill.

One was a short cultivator and looked old as he held a staff while the other was tall but slim and looked like a middle-aged man.

They were both in the early Core Formation stage—but that was enough for them to appear deeply unfathomable in Qai’s eyes.

The much younger one harrumphed when he sensed the multiple Array formations in operation all at the same time.

And with a voice backed by a Core Formation stage cultivation, he thunderously yelled.

It was so loud that even the fleeing Ji Wuheng and Mo disciples were shaken when they heard the enemy spoke.

“Lord of the hill, you are just delaying your death. Why don't you just offer your head to me in exchange for humiliating our young master.”

Of course, the 2 enemies were also aware that 4 other Qi Condensation stage cultivators were already fleeing. But that didn't matter to them since their real target was Qai.

When Qai heard them refer to him as the ‘lord of the hill,’ he immediately understood that it was the late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator back then who actually sent for the enemies.

Qai took a deep breath as he tried his best to collect himself even if, in truth, he was barely struggling from the deathly crisis.

How he wished his Ant colony was around.

“I don't know who your young master is, what I do know is that you Devil Dao cultivators come here in our continent with ill will. And now we are enemies in war.”

Qai pretended not to know to buy some more time.

His only consolation was that before the 2 Core Formation stage Devil Dao cultivator could approach they would have to break multiple restrictions first.

But definitely, those Array formations would not guarantee that the enemies won't be able to get pass them.

“I have killed a few of you already so how would I even care who I fight with and who I kill. You come here to wage war so it's only natural for us to defend ourselves.”

Qai continued to play clueless.

“You’re courting death!”

“No, you're young master courted death. If he felt humiliated for being defeated, then he shouldn't have come here in the first place to offend us.”

“What gall! You’re just a puny Qi Condensation stage cultivator and you have the audacity to mock our young master!?”

Of the 2 Devil Dao cultivators, the middle-aged one seemed to be the easier one to get irritated.

But the short but old looking fellow appeared to be composed and profound.

In Qai’s mind, that fellow was the more dangerous one.

“If I am just a puny cultivator in your eyes, then what does that make your young master? He must be the trash of all trash for him to flee from a puny Qi Condensation stage cultivator like me.”

Qai would have none of the arrogance and unreasonableness of his enemy so he threw everything to piss them off all the more.

He was just hoping for Elder Li to come in time to save him.

“And you seniors, you speak about humiliation but here you are wanting to gang up on a puny Qi Condensation stage cultivator. What does that make you? Shame on you!”

“You..”

Unknown to him, the late Foundation Establishment stage Devil Dao ‘young master’ was just a few miles away from the scene—and although he could not particularly hear Qai’s words, he could feel he was being ridiculed.

Since the 2 Devil Dao cultivators had nothing to retaliate, they immediately flicked their hands like madmen—then waves of spiritual Qi energy simultaneously gushed forth towards the direction of the hill.

With the first 2 simple projectiles, the first Array formation had already been breached. And with another 2, the next Array formation shattered as well.

Baam. Baam.

Baam. Baam.

Qai was aghast when he saw how easily the enemies had dismantled his hard work.

The 2 Core Formation stage cultivators went to break Array formation after Array formation.

Baam. Baam. Baam.

And just like that, more than half of his defenses were already canceled.

Qai gritted his teeth as he summoned his formation plate.

In his improvised plan, the undying skeletons would be his first line of defense.

Then he pulled out his large cauldron he got and let it float in front of him.

He didn’t know whether it could absorb the spiritual Qi energy from a Core Formation stage cultivator’s ability—but he would try it just the same.

He also equipped himself with his Cornelia Sphere Shield. It would be his last line of defense.

And finally, Qai held an escape talisman with his left hand and his Guandao with his right.

“Haha, where is that earlier arrogance of yours, ant!?”

Baam. Baam. Baam.

It would take 2 days, maybe a day less with talismans, for his team members to arrive at the headquarters.

And Qai was completely convinced that he wouldn’t be able to last that long. And he was uncertain whether Elder Li could come but he was hopeful he would.

‘If I fall right here, then many will also die.’

He needed more time as he waited for the right opportunity to activate the formation plate.

“This is the price for pissing us off!”

The enemies continued to bombard the hill.

Baam. Baam.

Qai’s heartbeat thumped when he saw that only a fourth was left from the Array formations he and his team members had set up.

“Die!”

But just as he was about to throw the formation plate in front, a sudden burst of rich spiritual Qi energy converged bellow his feet.

Qai’s eyes went wide as his heart went wild in joy.

His thoughts suddenly turned from panic to being collected as he breathed a sigh of relief.

‘You’re back!’