After Zhou Haosheng had said what he did, complete silence instantly engulfed the entire area.

While they were unable to confirm that it truly was so, just this possibility alone caused a chill to run down everyone"s backs.

Currently, they were already a distance away from the sword domain of the Grinding Hut Region where the headquarters of the North Sea Sword Pavilion was located.

If they were attacked from behind and caught in a pincer attack, whether it was to the Radiant Light Sect"s headquarters or back to the Grinding Hut Region of the North Sea Sword Pavilion, there would be extreme difficulty in fleeing anywhere.

Those who had gone around and appeared behind them would not have to fight to the death with them. They would merely have to attack and delay them for a moment or lower their rate of advance. Then, the main force of the Grand Xuan Dynasty would quickly charge over.

At that time, the anti-Xuan forces would have been well and properly surrounded by the Grand Xuan Dynasty.

Having been avoiding battling with the more powerful Grand Xuan Dynasty out in the open all along, they would have been unable to maintain that wish as they would only be able to prematurely enter a decisive battle.

Like this, the anti-Xuan coalition would inevitably be in dire straits.

Someone gave a dry cough, “We have also been staying vigilant against such a thing happening all along, paying attention to our path of retreat at all times and keeping an eye on the movements of the Grand Xuan Dynasty"s experts.”

“If an Immortal Bridge Martial Saint had suddenly left their main force, we should have been able to notice it…”

Someone immediately sighed beside him, “But we all saw it just now! There were indeed only two of the Grand Xuan Dynasty"s peak experts who fought earlier. Also, we didn"t see the high-grade Sacred Artifact, the Cloud Circulating Heavenly Light Sword!”

That person from earlier stammered, “He could simply have been acting as backup, not partic.i.p.ating in battle. After all, their goal was actually to retreat, throwing us off their tail and preventing us from continuing to pursue them instead.”

Yan Zhaoge smiled, “It would already be impossible for us to catch up with the Grand Xuan Dynasty"s main force now anyway. Why not attempt for another possibility?”

“As for where that person could be, I believe that everyone already has a general idea of this.”

Gu Hong said, “If they had originally planned to ambush us, there are just those few possibilities.”

His gaze swept across Luo Zhiyuan, Zhou Haosheng and Gongsun Wu, “I intend to make a trip over. What say you three?”

Zhou Haosheng stroked his beard, smiling, “This old man intends to make a trip over as well. While the Grand Xuan Dynasty has enraged the Southeastern Exalt, this matter concerns just too much. What exactly the Southeastern Exalt will decide is still something that cannot be said for certain now.”

“If the Grand Xuan Dynasty is still allowed to continue acting as they please in the Royal Reed Sea, they will definitely strike back at us in a tide of resurgence afterwards.”

“Trying to decrease their strength now when they have been forced into retreat-really, why not?”

The white-clothed old man sighed, “They possess greater strength at the end of the day. After they have retreated and remain on defence, we will not be able to gain much of an advantage from them, dealing them a debilitating blow. If they did really split up their troops before this, now would be the best time for us to break through them all at once.”

Qi Wei and Madame Kang had definitely reported the incident directly to the Grand Xuan Dynasty"s main force. Still, they might not have known about their division of troops beforehand.

This way, when King Xuanmu"s group received the news and made the decision to retreat, they would still have to go out of their way to inform their other squad that had been acting covertly.

Under such circ.u.mstances, even if King Xuanmu"s group waited for a while before attacking the anti-Xuan troops, they might not definitely be able to ensure that their remaining forces would be able to retreat fully in time.

After all, they had to guard against Yan Zhaoge informing the anti-Xuan coalition of this matter as well, not being able to wait for too long a time.

Gongsun Wu nodded slowly, “It is such a good chance, and from the looks of it, possibly our best chance right now. If we miss this opportunity, it would be hard to find such a good chance again.”

Luo Zhiyuan pondered in silence for a moment before saying, “Agreed.”

Gu Hong nodded, “Since that is so, let us not harry. I will first depart with Chiefs Luo, Zhou and Gongsun.”

“Everyone else pack up on your own, steadily retreating to the Grinding Hut Region for now. Be vigilant on the way back, lest something crop up.”

He looked at Yan Zhaoge, “I will find some time to slowly talk with Little Friend Yan again later. If you are free, Little Friend Yan, you are welcome to visit my North Sea Sword Pavilion as a guest.”

Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Pavilion Lord Gu is polite.”

Having made a decision, Gu Hong"s group immediately left, directly transforming into four long streams of light which streaked towards the northern horizon.

Everyone else remained at their posts, setting off in an orderly fashion as per the orders of Gu Hong and the other bigwigs.

Comparatively speaking, how to explain things to their own people was something that left Wu Zixiu and the others feeling even more headached.

When the remaining troops of the anti-Xuan forces heard this news, like had been predicted, they were all stunned.

They had just been at a disadvantage a moment ago, suffering the threat of the Grand Xuan Dynasty at any time, any place, with the enemy"s momentum looming menacingly overhead like dark clouds in the sky, leaving everyone feeling short of breath.

While they had come to reinforce the Radiant Light Sect"s headquarters, they might still be forced to simply give up on it helplessly in the end.

While it was rather demoralising, they would have to take suffering fewer losses as a victory. This was what most people believed of this situation.

The next moment, however, news suddenly came that the Grand Xuan Dynasty had retreated. They had won…

How would they not be stunned by this?

They hadn"t even done anything! How had the other side been defeated just like that?

Faced with their bewilderment, the longtime Elders of the various sects who were conveying the news to them could only smile bitterly inwardly, “We didn"t do anything, but someone else did…”

However, they could only appear solemn as they explained in a stable, dependable manner, “The Grand Xuan Dynasty has finally shot themselves in the foot, their many immoral actions being exposed. Ever since they set foot in the Royal Reed Sea centuries ago, they already possessed untoward intentions, bearing unspeakable secrets.”

“Now, things have come to light, the Southeastern Exalt having been angered. The Grand Xuan Dynasty naturally wouldn"t dare to continue acting arrogantly.”

“In order to avoid angering the Southeastern Exalt yet further, they can only lay low for the moment, behaving themselves. We too cannot let down our guard. At the end of the day, the overall situation still remaining undecided, everything still remains a possibility.”

Only now did everyone understand what had happened.

Someone asked about the details. The name of someone whose role could not be understated at all in this matter was brought up.

Yan Zhaoge.

Some found this name familiar, while others found it foreign.

Previously, in order to secure internal stability as they rebelled against the Grand Xuan Dynasty together, the matter of Yan Zhaoge being the one who had broken the Heavenly Fire Tribulation Thunder Formation with Nong Yuxuan merely having stolen his credit had only been circulated amongst those of the higher echelons of the anti-Xuan forces, while most remained unaware.

Therefore, the rumours that concerned Yan Zhaoge mostly still remained what had happened back with the Dim Sun Cold Moon Ritual as well as the news the Radiant Light Sect had spread previously.

Some had taken note of it, while others had not paid too much attention to it.

Today, however, Yan Zhaoge"s name was destined to spread far and wide within the Royal Reed Sea, becoming renowned beneath the broad heavens.

Whether it was a good or a bad impression they had of him, there would definitely no longer be anyone who ignorantly asked who Yan Zhaoge was.

Within the Royal Reed Sea where the waters had already been churning unstably originally, things were shaken up much more due to Yan Zhaoge.

Yan Zhaoge himself calmly watched all of this. After conversing for a bit with a few longtime Elders of the North Sea Sword Pavilion, Yan Zhaoge exited and went to find the First Seat Elder of the Dim Darkness Sect"s Non-Brightness Hall, Wu Zixiu, once more.

The two of them were already well acquainted now.

Wu Zixiu smiled, asking, “Does Little Friend Yan still have any other special matters?”

Yan Zhaoge smiled, nodding, “This Yan inadvertently obtained a treasure previously. I would like to invite a senior expert of your sect to peruse it.”

“I will be waiting in the North Sea Sword Pavilion"s Grinding Hut Region. Please tell your sect"s Chief Zhou that we should meet up when he is free.”