With Lei Qiang calling for everyone to stop and observe the actions of Bai Qi, which were actually of interest to all the powerhouses present, they did so. After all, they would always have the option to intervene as the situation got dangerous. So why wouldn't they act in such a manner? Especially, with not a few Warrior Kings and all of the Emperors holding some curiosity towards the young self-made, if the latter was true, genius.
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While Bai Qi had prepared and considered everything, as he clashed with Yuwen Dong and saw Dongpo Liao just outside the formation, he couldn't account for the Warrior Emperors in the city simply ignoring the clash and having no intention to act.
He couldn't even imagine that the prowess previously shown had somehow convinced the hidden, but unexpectedly present Emperors' of his strength and that they had all decided to avoid acting if he or the others weren't under true threat.
Still, he was experienced enough to consider that no one would help him. And as Tang Chao's figure suddenly emerged from its concealment, with Bai Qi easily noticing the latter's presence, no matter the camouflage, he was ready and infused all of his available qi into the [Counting steps towards Hell and Heaven] technique.
Evolving techniques were fairly different from common spiritual techniques or martial skills, as while their starting level was low, they would grow along with the user, adapting to his advancements, as if they were meant for the latter's level. Granted, they had a peak that no advancement of the user could surpass, but, the [Counting steps towards Hell and Heaven] had been originally meant for Warrior Kings. So, such a small advancement, at least for the technique itself, from Sage to Warrior Lord, didn't affect it at all, its abilities expanding to a level correspondent to Bai Qi, allowing him to utilize it with success even against peak Warrior Lords, as well as some higher-level attacks which he could prepare and react to.
What Bai Qi didn't expect was for the man known as Minister Tang to have acted with such a precaution, releasing a barrage of spells to the utmost of his mind power, right away, nearly, as if he had guessed that there would be someone to resist his Warrior King aura—something he couldn't even consider, viewing the latter's manners from before. For everyone else, it was unthinkable, at least when the arrogance of higher major realm cultivators was considered.
***
With at least one spell aimed at everyone present, allies and enemies alike, although who could say if Tang Chao had even considered any as them, the situation quickly got panicked. The spells used by Minister Tang were neither eye-catching nor rare, but even the simple, pretty much basic, [Mind Arrow], one of the first and natural spells any Sage would learn, when infused with his 16th-degree Mind power, granting them a power not below a peak Warrior King!
In such a situation, even Bai Qi felt stressed, what to say about the average Warrior Lords present. Granted, heirs such as Pan Tong and the other two had numerous protective treasures on themselves, but even they were close to trying and acting in some way to avoid the spells. Maybe in a bit less dumb way as to try to escape the area, considering that the flag-formation would prevent them from leaving, and not even a Warrior King was able to break it, Dongpo Liao serving as a prime example, and a fact quickly confirmed as one of the ambushers got actually hit by recoil, sending him right into the path of a [Mind Arrow] and making him the first victim of this attack.
*Splatter*
While called an arrow, the [Mind Arrow] shared nothing with the projectile in name, as it was not only slow, but its effect was crushing, nearly exploding, and not penetrating as one sent by a normal bow. But, who would care about such a detail, as they watched an 8th level Warrior Lord, one of the ambushers, be crushed into meat paste as he was sent right into the path of one?!
The naturally learned [Mind Arrow] was a pretty basic spell. With force equal to the mind power of the caster and no added effect, plus their low consumption when compared to other 1-st level spells, it was probably the most popular spell among cultivators that didn't follow the mind path or even the latter, the benefits far above the disadvantages of low speed and no tracking.
But while the average cultivator would change the spell as soon as they got something better, from the ones created by their predecessors, a good mind cultivator would find out that continuing to master even such a basic spell as [Mind Arrow], would get unexpected results—or expected ones, if one had the relevant instructions, manuals, or teachers.
After all, the arrows sent by the spell, even if not becoming quicker, would become far more powerful, gain a fast reaction and turning speed, and when one neared full mastery, be able to track their target, following until they reached the latter or ran off the initial mind power. And if one reached absolute mastery, one could even input power when required, to make the spell nearly permanent until destroyed, the caster killed, or the target hit!
"[Mind Arrows]..! The only real way to avoid them, temporarily, is to use movement techniques to stay behind them! They can't rotate fully without slowing down even further! Also, don't overlook any nearby ones - they can change targets if sent against a group!" He shouted, not only revealing but also showing, avoiding the projectile meant for him with quick use of the [Seven Steps], appearing just behind the latter, and then simply moving with the arrow's changes in direction.
***
But, no matter his advice and that practically everyone followed it, it didn't help much, or for long. Many of the young Warrior Lords who had followed Bai Qi, especially from the [Dongpo] clan, had close to no battle experience, and their reactions towards the subtle changes in speed and direction were at best lousy.
For the ambushers, it was pretty much the same. Many of them more talk than actual fighting prowess. But well, what one could expect from people who had resolved to use assassins to solve their problems in place of using the far more accepted and open way of a duel to clear their differences? Not even a life-death duel would be required for such, so any cultivator sure of himself would go with such an option, with the only people resorting to far more hidden means being simply unable to stand their ground, or worse, using the latter as to cover for something they did wrongly, and simply had neither the position nor strength to prove themselves.
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Granted, some people had resolved to the [Lotus] services they had no other option, but if they were genius cultivators, why would they need to do so? After all, every known power followed the law of better to lose a dozen people than a single genius!
Thus, half a dozen people died as they failed to keep up with the [Mind Arrows]. Still, with the others surviving and Dongo Liao nearly going out berserk, her aura increasing as she clashed with one of the 4-flag formation corners, everyone forgot that the caster was still there. And as Tang Chao released a second barrage of spells, this time changing to a more direct and quick method, the similar but more advanced [Burning Bolt], even if Bai Qi managed to shout a word of caution, and many survivors reacted, the result would be truly destructive.
***
And as to fully disdain Bai Qi's impression of Tang Chao, at least the basic one he had gotten from his brief interaction, the so-called Minister, actually a mole, the latter didn't stop at that, having already prepared a 3rd wave of spells, these of a far higher power, and actual 2-nd level ones.
While far less in quantity, and probably consuming most of Tang Chao's available Mind Power, as they would actually nearly do so even for Bai Qi's higher level one, each single one of them was far more dangerous than the previous numerous waves.
With spells requiring time and concentration to be cast, it wasn't unusual for Mind cultivators to prepare a few beforehand, to avoid being dragged into a direct battle with martial path practitioners. For high-tier planes, it would be a plethora of special storing treasures. For middle-tier ones, it would be a mix of lot-level talismans, carved runes, and the so-expensive but so more secure one-time use [Spell Jades]. As for lower-tier planes, well, except for runes and talismans, which their plane could hardly produce, with not enough Grandmasters of the respective paths around, they could only wish for their body to support the so-basic and dangerous rune-tattoos, which required a caster to use their own body as the canvas and continuously infuse mind power to prevent the prepared spells from setting off or disappear.
***
Plus, he, by himself, if he didn't reveal any of his trump cards, he would die as well!
While it would be proven a bad decision later, Bai Qi had no way to know about it at that point. But even if he did, he still felt that how he had acted, no matter the result - he would have done it again.
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"That Tang Chao! He is too well prepared, there is no way that the youngsters will survive if we don't act!" Even if he had been the one to call to wait, now Lei Qiang was the one rallying everyone to act.
And indeed, how could he not?! While Lei Guying and Bai Qi, as well as the other important ones, survived both the [Mind Arrow] and [Burning Bolt] waves, it was clear that this third wave of spells, a mix of low- and medium-quality 2nd-level spells would definitively inflict unacceptable casualties.
"Zhu Chen, Du Ten, go!" Gao Zhuli didn't wait for confirmation or decision and immediately commanded the two Warrior Kings behind herself.
"Lei Su, let's go as well!" An Zhuo didn't wait for confirmation or even Lei Qiang's order, setting right away, even if it was somewhat disrespectful. He held interest in Bai Qi and owed a debt of gratitude to Lei Zedong, the clan's leader, and Lei Guying's father.
"Protector Boling, Caravan Master Teng, I trust you two know what to do?" The Guardian Emperor of Pan Tong didn't even command, simply nodding towards the somewhat dreadful Warrior King who served as a witness before the gathering, as well as to a man dressed in coarse fur robes, and who, honestly looked nothing like a caravan master, before nodding towards the barrier.
As for Dongpo Ao, he didn't even need to say anything. As soon as his desired situation was broken, with Bai Qi and the others facing real danger, not to mention the deaths of his clansmen, a simple nod had already sent Zhu Gao and Zhu Yun, his two present guards, as even if he was the host he had to keep numbers equal to the respected guests, to act and relieve Dongpo Liao, as well as to rescue Bai Qi and the others.
***
With a line-up of 8 Warrior Kings, two of his own, but that had acted without orders, Lei Qiang could do nothing but nod, "Well, that seems right, with such a line-up, there will be no other troubles, and we shouldn't act if there is no threat of our level." His worries about Lei Guying were true, as well as he didn't desire to become the one to lead any other of the ones present, especially Bai Qi, to their death. So, in his mind, he even pardoned An Zhuo's insubordinate. Not that he didn't try to salvage the situation, as if everything had happened as he was planning to offer, and the other Warrior Emperors didn't beat him.
"Mmm, that's right!" While the other two Warrior Emperors, even if their cultivation level was lower than Lei Qiang's could ignore his words, Dongpo Ao wasn't either in the position to do so or had the idea of ruining their previous agreements, agreeing to the comment as if it was Lei Qiang who proposed to send the Warrior Lords.
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With the third wave of spells sent, and Dongpo Liao unable to break through the reinforced barrier, Tang Chao relaxed.
While tattoos were usually considered the lowest type of spell-storing method, and he had thought the same, by this moment, as he easily released three waves of different-strength spells, and used up only 60 percent of his Mind Power, even if usually he wouldn't even be able to cast them all to such a level, Tang Chao could only be glad to have believed the beast-skin scroll he had obtained in an auction a few years ago.
[While tattoos are considered just the basic and most dangerous way of storing spells, after researching them, I, [Heaven Holding Hui], can say that everyone was mistaken, including me.
With the correct amount of strokes, every rune can be written, so when used on spells, why wouldn't we gain the same result, in an easy, impossible-to-steal or interdict, with the skin intact, spell?]
Reading just a few words of the scroll enlightened Tang Chao greatly. After discarding all of his previous misconceptions, and following the path created by such a great predecessor as the brother of the [Heaven Holding Hall] founder, whose apprentice later founded the famous, even if fourth-tiered [Seven Strokes Hall], he found that with just his mind power and a good deal of pain-relieving medicines, he could engrave even 2nd-level spells correctly into a string of tattoos, which didn't consume more than a few droplets from his mind power every moon and were stable until used!
Spells that he could previously not cast without a long preparation were always available, and his mind power path advanced quickly, with the tattoo path allowing him to avoid the expenditure of casting the spells themselves, and only using his mind power for activation, infusion, or reinforcing.
***
All of his advancements and gains crossed his mind, as the third wave of spells was close to obliterating the targets of the [Lotus], Tang Chao concentrated on Dongpo Liao, as his palms pressed towards his temples, where the two most powerful, and still unused, spells were stored.