Chapter 118: Facing a Thousand Alone (2)

"What are they aimlessly wandering around for?"

Outside the formation, Ye Yi and the others looked on with bewilderment. The soldiers within the array seemed like headless flies, scurrying about in every direction. Despite being right before their eyes, the soldiers never gave chase, which was baffling.

It wasn't just Ye Yi and his group; the pursuing forces behind and the Dragon Knights above were equally perplexed by the soldiers' behavior.

This was the marvel of the Qimen Array. Those on the outside could never comprehend the sensations, the scenery, or the state of those trapped within. No matter what the outsiders shouted or did, the people inside could neither hear nor see them.

Because of this, the reinforcements arriving later simply walked straight into the formation, intending to bark orders at the men inside, only to suffer the exact same fate.

As more people became trapped, those still on the outside realized something was wrong and stopped entering. But by then, the majority of their forces had already been ensnared.

When they attempted to bypass the area, they discovered they had only entered a new formation. Ye Lang had permeated the array to both sides, effectively surrounding the entire army.

Seeing this, the Dragon Knights were unsure whether to continue the pursuit. If they stopped, Ye Yi and his party would escape the effective control of the Xiang Kong Empire, and the Dragon Knights were forbidden from crossing borders unless under special circumstances, and even then, only in small numbers.

Even if they could send a few people across, what would they do upon catching up to Ye Yi? Could they defeat a Heaven-tier master?

Thus, they were left with two choices: give up entirely or descend to block them and wait for the trapped forces to be liberated. But how long would that take? Looking at the situation, it wouldn't be resolved anytime soon.

"Abandon the pursuit. We go back and call for help. If we prioritize capturing them while letting these hundred-plus thousand men below die in vain, our losses will be far greater!" the Dragon Knight squad leader said in a deep voice.

"Yes!" the Dragon Knights replied, seemingly relieved. It appeared they had no desire to clash with Ye Yi and his group, merely acting out of obligation to imperial decrees.

If one were to look closely, it would become clear that it wasn't just the pursuers who were reluctant to kill; Ye Yi and his companions were also holding back. Throughout these days of fleeing, they had avoided killing whenever possible. This entire escape felt remarkably nuanced. While imperial orders were difficult to defy, one could always pay lip service while acting otherwise.

Regardless, Ye Lang’s ability had become truly terrifying. If not for the Xiang Kong Empire suppressing the news, he would likely have become the focal point of the entire continent.

"What did you say? You mean to tell me Ye Lang held off everyone by himself—both the initial pursuers and the reinforcements?" Empress Zhao Yarou looked at the Dragon Knight squad leader in astonishment. By "initial and reinforcements," she referred to the army chasing Ye Lang and the border guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty! He used an alchemical formation I have never seen before, trapping everyone inside. They circled endlessly, unable to find their way out. Fortunately, the people inside are safe; his formation merely contains them without inflicting any harm," the captain replied respectfully.

"Everyone... adding them all up, how many people are we talking about?" Zhao Yarou asked, frowning. She wasn't unaware of the figure, but like anyone else, she felt the need to confirm a known answer from another’s lips.

"A total of one hundred and eighty thousand."

"One hundred and eighty thousand... held back by him alone. How is anyone supposed to believe this?" Zhao Yarou muttered to herself.

"No one dares to believe it, but it is the truth. That is why we were forced to abandon the mission," the captain seized the opportunity to explain.

"I understand. Without the help of those one hundred and eighty thousand men, it would have been difficult to stop them, and you might have suffered casualties—that is not something I wish to see," Zhao Yarou said. "You acted correctly; there is no need to blame yourselves." Although Zhao Yarou was a bit eccentric and twisted, she was a person who clearly distinguished right from wrong.

"The current priority is to find a way to rescue those one hundred and eighty thousand men. If this drags on, who knows what will happen? The border is now completely undefended; if the enemy finds out, it will be very troublesome." This was the primary reason the Dragon Knights had returned.

Ye Lang had trapped this massive army to facilitate his escape, but among those men were the border guards. Having them incapacitated required an urgent response from any nation.

"Take the Royal Alchemists immediately and deal with this. I hope they can find a way to break it!" Zhao Yarou ordered the Royal Alchemists to be brought to the scene, escorted by the Dragon Knights.

While waiting, Zhao Yarou seemed lost in thought. Anyone could see that Ye Lang’s value now far exceeded everyone else's. Imagine—if one person could hold off an army of one hundred and eighty thousand, sweeping across the entire continent would be a trivial matter. Never mind training others like him; he alone was enough.

"If—and I mean if—he manages to escape, you must all keep this a secret. No one is to breathe a word of this!" the Empress said sternly. It was clear that anyone who defied this order would be executed, and perhaps their families would suffer as well.

"Yes!" the captain replied.

It was understood: if Ye Lang escaped, he must not be allowed to fall into the hands of others. The best way to "protect" him was to ensure no one else knew of his capabilities.

Fortunately, while the incident was massive, only the military knew of the Qimen Array, and only a small fraction had witnessed him casting it. Everyone else could only speculate. Thus, sealing the news was not an impossible task.

Because of this, Ye Lang could continue to roam the continent freely, traveling wherever he pleased without being targeted by the centers of power.

"What did you say? He is actually capable of this? What kind of alchemical formation is he using?" The Royal Alchemists, who had originally been reluctant to come, set off immediately upon hearing that Ye Lang was at the center of the event.

They had been reluctant because of Ye Lang; they were deeply displeased that Zhao Yarou wanted to kill him. To them, Ye Lang was someone special, someone they had watched grow up as he ventured further and further along the path of alchemy.

Ye Lang was like their apprentice, though he would never admit it. They, however, shared that sentiment to some degree.

"How is it possible? Why is he able to reach such heights? Does this mean I will never be able to catch up to him in my entire life?" Among the Royal Alchemists stood a young woman, her fists clenched, her expression shifting between shadow and light. Clearly, Ye Lang’s fusion of alchemy and the Qimen Array made her feel that reaching his level was like climbing an almost insurmountable peak.