Chapter 242: Cai Yao Has Been Targeted!

"Die! Die! Die!"

A few miles away from a large island, two figures could be seen engaged in a fierce battle.

Their outlines were difficult for ordinary people to make out.

The two figures constantly collided and separated before charging toward each other once again.

Every collision produced a deafening roar that echoed across the sea. Powerful waves of Spiritual Energy spread in all directions, causing the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

The endless sea below them was repeatedly pulverized, raising tsunami-like waves and sending them crashing toward the island.

For a moment, it seemed like a scene straight out of an apocalypse.

The enormous waves surged toward the island one after another, carrying enough force to destroy everything in their path.

Even so, the cultivators and mortals on the island did not panic.

Faced with the terrifying waves, they remained remarkably calm.

It was not that they were fearless in the face of danger. Rather, they knew there was no need for them to worry.

The reason was soon revealed.

Before the waves could crash onto the island, several elderly figures appeared above them.

Strands of Spiritual Energy emerged from their bodies, quickly enveloping the water and holding it firmly in place.

With a unified movement of their hands, the turbulent sea quickly calmed down.

The enormous waves collapsed back into the ocean, leaving behind only ripples spreading across the surface.

Despite this, the figures did not return to the island.

Instead, they looked toward the two figures fighting not far away, their eyes filled with interest.

"Who do you think will win? That man comes from the Six Galaxies Sect. Although their Soul Formation ancestor has perished, they are still not to be underestimated."

"The girl is not bad either. I’ve heard that it’s only been a few years since she appeared in our Archipelago. She has been constantly challenging people since then, growing stronger with each battle."

"Although no one knows which organization she belongs to, her techniques and spells clearly belong to the righteous faction."

The elderly cultivators commented among themselves. Their voices were calm, as though they were merely discussing an ordinary matter.

With their strength, they could easily capture every detail of the battle.

Not only could they see what was happening, but they could even roughly determine what the outcome would be.

If nothing changed, the woman would emerge victorious!

Indeed.

Only a few minutes later, the situation changed exactly as they had expected.

A saber struck down from the sky, splitting the heavens in two.

The dazzling saber light seemed capable of cutting through everything in its path. The disciple from the Six Galaxies Sect had no time to react.

His defensive technique was instantly split apart, and the saber continued forward without losing much of its momentum.

Slash!

The saber slashed across his body, leaving behind a large gash.

Blood sprayed through the air. Wen Huo’s body was sent flying backward before he finally managed to stabilize himself.

His face was pale, and his aura had clearly weakened.

"Wen Huo has been defeated!"

One of the elders sighed.

He was not pretending. He was truly saddened.

Although Wen Huo’s cultivation was lower than his, being at the Late Stage of Core Formation while he had reached the Peak of the realm, the difference between them was not too great.

Wen Huo’s cultivation was already approaching the limit of the Late Stage.

With his talent, it would only be a matter of time before he broke through to the Peak of Core Formation.

In a matter of years, or perhaps even months, Wen Huo might surpass him.

Fortunately, that was a matter for the future.

The woman before them, however, had likely already surpassed him.

Thinking of this, the elder couldn’t help but sigh again.

"The younger generation is terrifying. We old people can no longer keep up with the times," the man muttered under his breath.

Seemingly hearing his words, one of the female elders smiled faintly.

"Junior Brother, you don’t have to be saddened by this. Although strength is the most important thing in the cultivation world, other aspects also play a role."

"For example, no matter how talented you are, without someone to protect you, it is only a matter of time before you find yourself in danger."

The man’s eyes flickered.

"You mean...?"

He didn’t have time to finish his words.

In the sky, Cai Yao had just finished defeating Wen Huo when the clouds above her suddenly parted.

A giant palm emerged from within.

It was constructed entirely from Spiritual Energy, yet it looked no different from a real palm.

The enormous palm descended from the clouds with terrifying momentum. It was so large that it seemed capable of covering the entire sky.

Its shadow shrouded half of the island below.

The moment the elders saw it, their expressions changed. They immediately recognized what was happening.

"A Nascent Soul monster has taken action!"

"Cai Yao is in danger!" one of the cultivators shouted.

The calm atmosphere from before instantly disappeared. Everyone looked toward the sky.

Yet despite realizing the danger Cai Yao was facing, none of them chose to take action and help her.

Not only because they had no relationship with Cai Yao and thus had no reason to save her, but also because they couldn’t.

Although they all stood at the Peak of Core Formation, there was still a huge gap between them and Nascent Soul cultivators.

That gap was not something that could be easily overcome by relying on numbers.

No matter how many of them there were or how seamlessly they cooperated, they stood no chance against a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Even the thought of resisting did not cross their minds.

Cai Yao, being weaker than them and facing the brunt of the attack, fared even worse.

"She’s doomed!"

All of them reached the same conclusion.

None of them believed Cai Yao had any chance of resisting—unless another Nascent Soul cultivator appeared.

But if there was such a person, they would have already appeared instead of waiting until now.

Countless thoughts raced through everyone’s minds.

Some felt pity. Others sighed inwardly. There were even some people who gloated, happy to witness a genius’s death.

Yet none of these thoughts mattered.

The palm was already descending.

From the moment the Nascent Soul monster took action to the instant the palm appeared above Cai Yao, ready to capture her, only a split second had passed.

The speed was simply too fast.

Cai Yao was given no time to react.

She had just finished her battle with Wen Huo, and her attention had naturally been focused on her opponent.

By the time she sensed the terrifying pressure above her, the giant palm was already within reach. However, just when everyone on the island felt that her fate was sealed, something surprising happened.

Two lights suddenly appeared above her.

One green. One white.

The two lights appeared without warning.

The next moment...

Bang!

The two lights collided with the giant palm.

The terrifying impact caused the surrounding Spiritual Energy to erupt violently.

They only lasted for a split second before blood splattered everywhere.

The identities of the two lights soon became clear.

An enormous white rabbit. An ancient turtle bearing the marks of time.

Both were at the Peak of the Core Formation realm, with combat prowess that went beyond their cultivation.

However, even they were unable to withstand a Nascent Soul attack head-on.

Faced with the terrifying power contained within the giant palm, the two beasts could only retreat.

Countless wounds opened across their bodies as their skin and flesh were torn apart.

Fresh blood quickly stained their bodies.

The enormous white rabbit was sent tumbling through the air, while the ancient turtle was forced backward, cracks appearing on its shell.

Their condition was clearly miserable.

Watching this scene, Cai Yao’s eyes immediately turned red. She wanted to seek revenge for her pets’ injuries!

Anger surged within her.

However, reason quickly suppressed that impulse.

She knew very well what kind of opponent she was facing. The difference in cultivation was simply too great.

Even the rabbit and turtle had been injured by a single attack.

If she stayed behind, there was only one possible outcome.

Death!

The only thing she could do was run!

Taking advantage of the momentary pause of the giant palm, Cai Yao enveloped the rabbit and the turtle with her power before diving underwater.

Her figure quickly disappeared beneath the surface. The endless sea swallowed her completely.

"Do you want to escape like that? You truly underestimate me..."

A disguised voice echoed through the sky. The owner of the palm was clearly unwilling to reveal their identity.

However, that did not stop them from taking action again.

The next instant, the giant palm descended onto the water.

Boom!

The sea seemed to explode.

A several-mile-long gully was instantly carved into the ocean.

The surrounding water evaporated, leaving behind a vast empty space. Steam rose into the sky, and the remaining seawater surged violently toward the sides.

The cultivators watching from the island couldn’t help but feel their hearts tremble.

In their opinion, Cai Yao should have been within the attack’s range.

After all, she had only just entered the water.

With the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, escaping such an attack should have been nearly impossible.

Yet she was actually nowhere to be seen.

There was no trace of her. It was as though she had evaporated along with the water around her.

However, that was obviously not true.

The owner of the palm also seemed to realize this.

"A spatial fluctuation? A teleportation talisman? Or a secret realm?"

A thoughtful voice echoed through the sky. The disguised voice contained a hint of doubt.