SWNOVELXO Chapter 66:
Chapter 66: Full Retreat:
It was over.
When Bai Qiulan caught sight of that piercing crimson light, an unshakable fear gripped her heart.
The Lotus of Slaughter’s Seed had finally activated, and with it came an unimaginable terror.
Retreat.
Retreat immediately.
Everyone must leave the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield at once. Remaining here was tantamount to a death sentence. No exceptions.
Lu Ye was no longer a person. He had become a monstrous force, driven purely by the instinct to kill. Anything and everything in his path would be obliterated.
“Retreat!”
Bai Qiulan formed hand seals, enveloping Yue Hongling and Sun Ruowei in her Taiyin divine power as she fled without a second thought.
She clutched her communication stone tightly.
“Junior Brother Feng, immediately notify all disciples of the Daoist Sect to evacuate the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield at once. Use the fastest means possible!”
“Inform all human sects and factions—anyone who can hear this message—leave the battlefield immediately. Abandon everything!”
Feng Tianchi was startled by Bai Qiulan’s frantic tone.
“Senior Sister, what’s happening?”
“A horrifying demon has emerged! Every living being that remains in the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield will die. I’m not exaggerating—this is far more serious than you can imagine. Follow my instructions immediately!”
“Anyone who doesn’t leave… will die! There’s no exception!”
Her voice carried an unmistakable urgency, laced with deep-seated terror.
Sun Ruowei, trailing behind, was utterly stunned. Her expression froze in disbelief.
Was it really that serious?
Was Lu Ye so terrifying that Bai Qiulan, an accomplished Harmony Realm cultivator, was in such a panic?
Yes, Lu Ye was strong, but he was just a disciple who hadn’t even spent much time in cultivation. Could he truly pose such a catastrophic threat?
“Qiulan, isn’t this an overreaction? Lu Ye… he’s only your disciple. As formidable as he may be, is it necessary to call for a complete retreat?”
“No matter how strong he is, there are so many non-humans here. Surely they’re enough to contain him.”
“You don’t understand! I’ll explain when I get out!”
“Feng Tianchi, did you hear me?”
“Yes, yes, Senior Sister, I’ll notify the other sects immediately!”
Bai Qiulan’s tone was too grave, too urgent for him to dismiss the situation. He quickly began contacting the other factions.
“What? Retreat now?”
The initial reactions across various sects were nearly identical—shock and disbelief.
Many had just entered the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield, eager to make their mark on the Eternal Prodigy Rankings. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
If they succeeded in leaving their name, not only would they gain eternal glory, but they would also receive extraordinary rewards.
To leave now, especially for those who had barely begun exploring, seemed unthinkable.
Moments later, Bai Qiulan arrived by Feng Tianchi’s side.
Her sudden appearance, with silver hair flowing and an intense expression, startled him.
She snatched the communication stone from his hand.
“This is Bai Qiulan!”
“By the authority of my Dao and all it represents, I swear I speak the truth. All prodigies and cultivators must leave the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield within one quarter-hour. Anyone who remains will die without exception!”
“I am not joking, nor am I exaggerating. Believe me—this is a life-and-death matter!”
“If you stay, you will die!”
Her emphatic declaration brought silence to the communication stone.
Some doubted her sanity. Yet, for Bai Qiulan—a cultivator in the Harmony Realm—to be so shaken, there must have been a truly unimaginable danger.
“Very well. All disciples of the Supreme Sword Sect, retreat!”
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
“The Calamity Sect… all disciples retreat immediately!”
“Senior Brother, I want to stay. I want to test myself on the Eternal Prodigy Rankings.”
“You… sigh… fine, but be careful!”
“The Central Continent Empire, all cultivators, retreat!”
“Yes!”
A voice Bai Qiulan recognized spoke up.
“Bai Qiulan, is it him?” asked Shangguan Huanling.
“Yes!”
“Understood. All cultivators of the Eternal Empire, retreat!”
A scoffing voice interjected, “And who do you think you are to command the Eternal Empire’s cultivators?”
“There’s no need for us to leave. I want to see for myself what kind of so-called demon could frighten these cowards so much!”
The Yin-Yang Sect hesitated.
“Our sect will remain. I don’t believe any demon can breach our Yin-Yang Universe Array!”
The majority of human factions, however, heeded Bai Qiulan’s warning.
A Harmony Realm cultivator panicked to this extent was proof enough of the threat.
“Spread the word to all unaffiliated human cultivators—retreat immediately!”
Bai Qiulan vanished, her voice echoing across the battlefield.
“A supreme demon has emerged, slaughtering indiscriminately. All who remain will die. I am Bai Qiulan of the Daoist Sect. To all who hear this, leave the Heavenly Prodigy Battlefield at once!”
Her message resonated across every layer of the battlefield.
She hoped to save as many as possible and to lessen the bloodshed Lu Ye would inevitably unleash.
…
At the Blood Sea…
Boom!
The Four Symbols Formation shattered completely, its focal points—the non-human cultivators—reduced to blood mist.
In the next instant, the blood mist coalesced and was drawn into Lu Ye’s mouth.
His body trembled slightly.
An overwhelming sense of exhilaration filled him.
“Ahhh!”
The Heaven’s Ghost shrieked. Lu Ye cleaved through countless beams of light, grabbed the ghost by its head, and crushed it with a single hand.
Boom!
The ghost’s remains were shoved into his mouth as he devoured it whole.
Sword lights—one after another—continued to erupt around him.
One sword. Ten swords. A hundred swords. A thousand swords.
Each blade carried a blood-red hue.
Through clenched teeth, Lu Ye spat a single word: “Die!”