Chapter 265: We’ve Been Tricked

Chapter 265: Chapter 265: We’ve Been Tricked

Do not return unless summoned.

Seeing this final sentence, Yi Xiaoyao’s heart sank.

This meant that even though he was now a Captain, he still couldn’t set foot in the Primordial Evil Alliance’s Main Pillar.

"Cap... Captain, what’s wrong?"

The members of the Ninth Team asked, confused, when they saw the change in Yi Xiaoyao’s expression.

Yi Xiaoyao shook his head. "It’s nothing. Next, we’re going to garrison the Cold Blood Alliance’s territory and clear out its subordinate minor alliances."

"That’ll be easy! With your strength, Captain, those minor alliances are no match for you!" the men laughed.

It was common knowledge that minor alliances couldn’t survive in the Chaotic Alliance Domain on their own and could only take refuge under the banner of a major alliance.

The Alliance Leaders of these subordinate alliances were all experts in the early stages of Nascent Soul Transformation. The vast majority were at the First Realm, a few at the Second Realm, and practically none were at the Third Realm.

After all, if an alliance had a Third-Realm Nascent Soul Transformation expert, it would be more than capable of surviving and developing in the Chaotic Alliance Domain without having to hand over vast resources to a major alliance for protection.

That was why the members of the Ninth Team had complete confidence in Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao nodded. ’In that case,’ he thought, ’I’ll make plans for the Secret Collection after I’ve cleared out those minor alliances.’

As they were speaking, a cool and aloof figure suddenly drifted down from above the courtyard.

"Captain Leng Yan!"

the members of the Ninth Team called out.

As soon as Leng Yan landed, she walked toward Yi Xiaoyao. Although she was usually indifferent, there was none of that icy coldness in her gaze now. Instead, a captivating ripple flowed through her beautiful eyes.

Yi Xiaoyao looked at her and asked, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Captain?"

"You hold the same rank as me now. You can just call me by my name."

As Leng Yan spoke, she sighed inwardly with a trace of emotion. Not long ago, Yi Xiaoyao had been just a team leader she had taken in, but now he was already her equal.

"I assume you’ve received your orders? I’ll be joining you to clear out the remnants of the Cold Blood Alliance," Leng Yan said.

Yi Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. He had originally thought the order was a trap set by Yuan Lie, but he hadn’t expected Leng Yan to be involved. This put him much more at ease.

After all, Yuan Lie admired Leng Yan and would surely never let her walk into danger.

Yi Xiaoyao, naturally unaware of Yuan Lie’s true intentions, asked Leng Yan, "When do we leave?"

"Right now," Leng Yan replied.

Half an hour later, Yi Xiaoyao led the Ninth Team into the air alongside the team behind Leng Yan. They departed from the Primordial Evil Alliance and set out for the Cold Blood Alliance’s territory.

Back in the Primordial Evil Alliance, Yuan Lie watched the figures disappear into the sky and gave a sinister smile.

"Is everything ready?" he asked Black Crow, who stood behind him.

"Everything is ready," Black Crow replied.

Yuan Lie nodded in satisfaction, a smile playing on his lips as he murmured, "Next up: eliminate the dissident and play the hero saving the damsel in distress. I can do both at the same time."

...

Several hours later, Yuan Lie was reclining on the laps of two beauties clad only in thin gauze, blissfully drinking the fine wine they fed him.

"Report, Captain! There’s news from Captain Yi Xiaoyao and Captain Leng Yan!"

An Announcer at the early Nascent Soul Realm stood outside the door and shouted, "The two Captains have annihilated the Black Hammer Alliance!"

Yuan Lie showed no reaction. The Alliance Leader of the Black Hammer Alliance was only at the First Layer of Nascent Soul Transformation. Such an outcome was to be expected.

Then came the next reports.

"Report, Captain! The two Captains have annihilated the Heartless Alliance!"

"Report, Captain! The two Captains have annihilated the Cyan Wolf Alliance!"

"Report, Captain..."

Yuan Lie remained indifferent to all of this, sitting with his eyes closed in repose. None of this was the news he was interested in.

A little over an hour passed.

"Report, Captain! The two Captains have annihilated the Double Blade Alliance!" the Announcer shouted from outside.

"The Double Blade Alliance?" Yuan Lie’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

The Double Blade Alliance had two Alliance Leaders, one at the First Realm of Nascent Soul Transformation and the other at the Second Realm. Together, they were known as the ’Double Blades’ and excelled at coordinated Saber Techniques. Even a Third-Realm Nascent Soul Transformation expert would find them a massive headache.

"It’s only been a little over an hour since the last report. Not only did that Yi Xiaoyao destroy the Double Blade Alliance, but he did it so quickly?" Yuan Lie muttered, a little doubtful.

But then he thought it over and it made sense. After all, Yi Xiaoyao had the strength to kill Han Sheng, and Leng Yan was with him. With that in mind, it was plausible they could pull it off.

"Next, which alliance are they targeting?"

Yuan Lie asked, as there weren’t many of the Cold Blood Alliance’s subordinate minor alliances left.

"Replying to the Captain, Captains Yi and Leng are now heading to the Earth Return Alliance," the Announcer answered.

"The Earth Return Alliance!"

Yuan Lie’s eyes flashed. He stood up and shouted, "Black Crow, get ready to move out!"

...

Meanwhile, Yi Xiaoyao and Leng Yan were leading the ten squads behind them through the air, flying swiftly in a certain direction.

In his hand, Yi Xiaoyao held a Beast Hide Scroll that listed the names and locations of the Cold Blood Alliance’s subordinate minor alliances.

At this moment, ninety percent of the names on the Beast Hide Scroll had been crossed out, and they were advancing toward the next one on the list.

"The Di Ghost Alliance? Why have I never heard of this alliance?"

Yi Xiaoyao asked Leng Yan beside him, looking quizzically at the list on the Beast Hide Scroll.

Leng Yan was taken aback; she had clearly never heard of the Di Ghost Alliance either.

"There are countless factions and minor alliances in the Chaotic Alliance Domain. Plenty of them are not strong enough to make it onto the Chaos Alliance List. You don’t need to worry about it too much," Leng Yan said, not the least bit suspicious.

Yi Xiaoyao nodded and continued on their way.

Before long, the group arrived above a stretch of desert. Below them was the gaping entrance to a massive Underground Palace.

"An Underground Palace?"

"The Di Ghost Alliance must be entrenched beneath this Underground Palace. Let’s make our move," Leng Yan said.

Yi Xiaoyao gestured to those behind him. The members of the Ninth Team shot down toward the Underground Palace with him in the lead, while Leng Yan and her people followed closely behind.

A moment later, an enraged roar echoed from within the massive Underground Palace: "Who dares to cause trouble in my Earth Return Alliance!"

Standing in the vast, empty Underground Palace, Yi Xiaoyao and Leng Yan looked at each other, and both could see the shock and gravity in the other’s eyes.

"It seems... we’ve been set up."

As Yi Xiaoyao spoke, his gaze shifted to the stone stele at the entrance of the Underground Palace.

On the stele, the name "Earth Return Alliance" was clearly emblazoned—not the "Di Ghost Alliance" from the Beast Hide Scroll.

Leng Yan’s face paled as she nodded. From that enraged, Spiritual-Power-infused roar, she had been able to sense the cultivation aura of the person who shouted.

Third Realm of Nascent Soul Transformation!

The Earth Return Alliance. Its Alliance Leader was ranked 381st on the Chaos Alliance List.

If this was the name that had been recorded on the Beast Hide Scroll, Yi Xiaoyao and Leng Yan would have definitely recognized it.

It was obvious that, just as Yi Xiaoyao had said, they had been set up. The Earth Return Alliance had been deliberately changed to the Di Ghost Alliance.

"I can’t believe Yuan Lie would go so far as to drag you into this just to get revenge on me."

Yi Xiaoyao gave Leng Yan a helpless smile. It was precisely because she was with him that he had let his guard down. Otherwise, upon seeing a name he’d never heard before like the Di Ghost Alliance, he would have definitely been more suspicious.

...