“What should we do next?”
Moen’s weary voice reached Starlight’s ears before he could even turn around.
Under the current circumstances, escaping the Crimson City-State through normal means was practically impossible.
It went without saying that the House of Red had surely sounded the city-wide alarm after the battle broke out. Unlike Isabella, they didn’t possess a Crimson Smoke Merchant Group token that would allow them to pass through the barrier freely.
Especially with a figure as conspicuous as Yserazor among them, trying to leave quietly was nothing more than a pipe dream.
“The commotion just now was massive. We’ve likely been discovered already, so we must find a way to get out of here quickly.” Starlight glanced at the large rectangular hole smashed through the wall behind them, then looked toward the distant city walls.
Through the curtain of rain, several figures could already be seen rushing toward them—pursuers from the House of Red.
“If we have no choice, we’ll just have to force our way through. Little Star, you guys take this time to recover; Little Shadow and I will protect you.” Po Kong gripped the Sacred Wood Phantom, his eyes fixed on the distance with a look of grim determination.
Xia Duo took a step forward to stand beside him. Her eyes shone brightly as she stared at the flickering figures in the distance. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Right! We have to make these bastards pay!”
“No... there is another exit...”
Yserazor’s voice suddenly cut in. After a brief rest, he had regained some strength. Though his voice was still weak, he sounded much better than before.
“You know an escape route?” Starlight asked, surprised, looking at Yserazor’s round face.
“Yes. Back when I was collaborating with the House of Red, I left an anchor point in this castle. I can use it to teleport us back to my residence,” Yserazor whispered, his tone sounding somewhat conflicted.
He looked down at the slumped Little Gold, a flash of frustration crossing his eyes. “While I would love nothing more than to slaughter all these bastards, I must ensure Aidanach’s safety first.”
“A teleportation anchor?” Starlight felt a surge of hope. If what the Rift Dragon King said was true, they might not have to fight another brutal battle.
After all, they were all in terrible condition. If another conflict erupted, he couldn't guarantee they would all make it out safely.
He immediately asked, “Where is the anchor? Is it protected by any special mechanisms?”
“The teleportation formation is in a room at the top of the castle. There aren't any special defensive measures...” Yserazor grunted, but his tone carried a hint of helplessness.
“Then take us there, hurry!” Po Kong urged, his eyes widening.
“Uh... about that...” Yserazor scratched his head awkwardly, a look of embarrassment appearing on his round face. “I can’t teleport us directly there because I was the one who placed an anti-space magic barrier around that room...”
“What?!” Po Kong slapped his forehead in disbelief. “Are you saying the barrier you set up yourself is now our obstacle?”
Yserazor nodded helplessly, a trace of regret in his voice. “Exactly... To prevent outsiders from infiltrating using space magic, I specifically reinforced the spatial lock on that room. So, we have to go there on foot.”
“In any case, we should head toward the teleportation formation first. Will it take long to crack?” Starlight asked.
“At least three minutes,” Yserazor replied after a moment of thought. “And I cannot be disturbed during that time.”
“Three minutes...”
Starlight repeated softly, his gaze sweeping over the group. “We must buy him those three minutes.”
“No problem!” Po Kong and the others exchanged glances with Starlight and nodded in unison.
“Alright, let’s get moving!” Starlight said as he took Lian from Moen, gently cradling her slender body in his arms.
Lian was still unconscious, her brow furrowed, but her breathing had stabilized significantly.
Po Kong tucked Little Gold under his arm and turned to Xia Duo. “Little Shadow, I’ll leave the rear to you.”
Xia Duo gave a slight nod and quickly drew her bow. Several arrows shot out like falling stars, precisely striking the magic crystal blocks used for lighting in the area.
With several crisp shattering sounds, the garden, which had been somewhat illuminated, was instantly plunged into darkness.
Given their current state, they were indeed in no condition for high-intensity combat. While this wouldn't completely stop their pursuers, it would at least buy them some time.
Under the cover of darkness, the group quickly left the area.
To avoid alerting anyone, Starlight applied a layer of wind elements to everyone, and they leaped onto the castle roof.
The castle was nearly a hundred meters tall, rivaling the main buildings of the Spiritual Arts Academy. The room Yserazor mentioned was in one of the towers at the very top.
“This way!”
Yserazor led the way, running ahead. His round silhouette wobbled as he moved, looking rather comical.
However, no one was in the mood to joke about his physique. Everyone’s attention was focused on their destination.
Once they crossed the corridor ahead, they would reach the room with the teleportation formation.
Thanks to Xia Duo’s exceptional senses, they had managed to avoid several patrols along the way. So far, everything was going remarkably smoothly.
However, as they neared the end, Starlight and the others discovered a figure already waiting at the room's entrance.
Looking closely, it was one of the three Saint Rank elders who had left with Philip earlier.
After teleporting away from the hall, Philip and the others hadn't been idle; they had chosen to split up.
While activating the castle's outer defenses, they had also positioned themselves at various key passages. After all, they couldn't be certain that their trap would actually kill the Rift Dragon King.
The elder before them had been assigned to guard the teleportation formation used to connect with Yserazor’s treasury.
“Spatial Severance!”
The moment Yserazor saw him, he didn't hesitate for a second and launched an attack.
Before the Saint Rank elder could even react, a spatial rift appeared right in front of his chest.
The rift emitted a heart-palpitating pressure, as if it were about to devour everything.
“Pfft—!”
The elder’s chest was instantly torn open, blood spurting out like a fountain.
His eyes were filled with disbelief. He clearly hadn't expected that Yserazor, who was heavily injured and in human form, could still unleash such a powerful attack in an instant.
Although Yserazor’s sudden strike had gained the upper hand, it had only severely wounded the opponent.
Seeing the group approaching aggressively, the elder had no intention of fighting Yserazor head-on. He lunged to the side and jumped straight out of the window.
Rate on N.U.
