84: Chapter 84 The Challenge Arrives, the Three-Association Alliance

War countdown: five minutes remaining.

On the eastern wall of Chaos Valley, Lin Ye stood atop an arrow tower, his gaze piercing through the thin morning mist toward the rolling dust in the distance.

The 7,500-strong coalition of the three major guilds had Advanced to within ten miles of the valley, like a dark tide completely submerging the horizon.

On the city wall, two thousand members of the Heavenly Court stood in strict Formation.

The tower shields of the Azure Dragon Legion reflected a cold, hard luster in the morning light; the assassins of the White Tiger Legion were hidden in the shadows; the mages of the Vermilion Bird Legion had elemental light gathering at the tips of their staffs; and the healers of the Black Tortoise Legion whispered incantations of augmentation.

The air was so heavy it felt as if it could be wrung out like water.

"The enemy has stopped moving," Qin Ruoxue's voice sounded on the wall through a sound-transmission Jade Slip. "They are eight miles from the wall, currently forming Ranks."

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes. This distance was exactly at the edge of the maximum range of the Chaos Valley defense towers. The commanders of the three major guilds were cautious and had not rashly entered the area of fire coverage.

"What are they waiting for?" Su Qingyue, standing beside him, asked softly.

"They are waiting for the best moment to attack," Lin Ye said. "Or... waiting for us to show a flaw."

Before the words died away, three streaks of light rose from the enemy Ranks, speeding toward Chaos Valley. They were extremely fast, covering five miles in a few breaths, and hovered a hundred paces in front of the city wall.

There were three figures.

The one on the left wore golden armor and carried a long halberd on his back; it was Golden Halberd from the Imperial Dynasty. The one on the right wore a green shirt and carried a sword on his back; it was Sword Thirteen from the All Under Heaven Society. The one in the center wore brocade robes and a jade belt, smiling cordially; it was Qian Duoduo from the Misty Rain Tower.

The three stood in the air, their auras surging; all were at the Dao Palace Peak level of cultivation. Such means of flight, while not lasting long, were enough to demonstrate their strength.

"Leader Night Emperor, trust you have been well since we last met." Qian Duoduo's voice spread across the wall through an amplification Spell, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Lin Ye did not step into the air but stood on the top of the arrow tower, responding calmly: "The three of you have returned after leaving; have you finally figured it out and are preparing to retreat?"

"Not at all, not at all." Qian Duoduo shook his head. "We have come to give the Heavenly Court a chance."

"Oh?" Lin Ye raised an eyebrow.

Golden Halberd stepped forward, his voice like a booming bell: "Night Emperor, we respect you as a person and do not wish to see the Heavenly Court destroyed today. Therefore, after discussion among the three societies, we are willing to give you one last choice."

He raised his hand, and a blood-colored scroll emerged from his palm. The scroll unfolded, three feet long and one foot wide, blood-red all over, with golden runes flowing on the surface, exuding an ancient and murderous aura.

As soon as that aura appeared, everyone on the city wall felt a chill in their hearts, as if locked on by some invisible force.

[System Prompt: Detected the aura of the special item "War Letter: Blood Pact". This item is a war contract notarized by the System and bound by the rules of the Heavenly Dao. Once signed, the content of the contract will be enforced, and those who breach it will suffer punishment from the Heavenly Dao.]

Blood Pact!

Lin Ye's eyes narrowed. In the game System of "covering the heavens era", "Blood Pact" was one of the highest-level contracts, directly notarized by the System, with extremely severe penalties for breach. The punishment could range from resetting one's level to having the account banned. Usually, this item was only used for bets involving major interests or life-and-death duels.

"This is the War Letter: Blood Pact," Golden Halberd held the scroll high. "The content is as follows: Seven days from now, at the 'Meteorite Plain' in the Yan State, the Heavenly Court and the Three-Society Alliance will engage in a faction war."

"Rules: The Heavenly Court will field five hundred people, and the Three-Society Alliance will field fifteen hundred. Three times the troop strength, to show fairness."

"Combat mode: Life-and-Death Arena. The battle continues until one side is completely wiped out or admits defeat."

"Wager: The loser must withdraw from the Yan State, and all faction assets will be taken over by the winner. The winner will receive all the territory and resources of the other party."

"Time limit: The battle will last until a winner is decided, not exceeding twelve hours."

"Night Emperor, do you dare to accept this War Letter?"

As the words fell, there was an uproar on and off the city wall.

Five hundred against fifteen hundred, a three-fold difference in troop strength!

And the wager was to withdraw from the Yan State, which meant that whoever lost would lose all their Foundations in the Yan State and could only go far away to start over. For the Heavenly Court, which had already taken root in the Yan State, this was almost a life-or-death gamble.

"A good scheme." Lin Ye sneered. "The Three-Society Alliance has 7,500 troops, yet you only field 1,500. If you lose, you still have 6,000 in reserve, so you won't be crippled. If you win, you can take Chaos Valley without a fight and receive all of the Heavenly Court's assets in the Yan State."

"Moreover, choosing the Meteorite Plain as the battlefield—it has open terrain with no dangerous ground to defend, which is most suitable for the side with the numerical advantage. Three times the troop strength is enough to crush us on the plains."

Qian Duoduo's smile remained unchanged: "Leader Night Emperor is indeed perceptive. However, this is the greatest sincerity of the three societies. If we were to storm Chaos Valley as originally planned, with your two thousand people defending the city and our 7,500 attacking, the troop ratio would be close to four to one. Now it is changed to five hundred against fifteen hundred, three to one, and we have even given you seven days to prepare. Isn't that more favorable?"

Sword Thirteen added coldly: "Night Emperor, this is your only chance. If you accept the War Letter, the Heavenly Court still has a glimmer of survival. If you don't... today, Chaos Valley will definitely be broken."

A naked threat.

On the city wall, the members of the Heavenly Court had solemn expressions.

Everyone knew that the Three-Society Alliance did not propose this plan out of "goodwill." They must have some ulterior motive.

But as Qian Duoduo said, this was indeed a "better" choice than a direct siege. In a siege, although the defenders had the geographical advantage, the disparity in troop strength was too great, and once the city was broken, the entire army would be wiped out. Whereas in a field battle on the plains, although they were at a numerical disadvantage, there was at least room for tactical maneuvering.

More importantly, this gave the Heavenly Court seven days to prepare. Seven days was enough to do many things.

Lin Ye was silent.

He was weighing the options.

Accept, or not accept?

"Boss, we can't accept!" Chen Hao's voice came through the sound-transmission Jade Slip. "Five hundred against fifteen hundred, this is clearly a trap! They must have some underhanded tricks!"

"But if we don't accept, we have to fight the siege battle today." Su Qingyue's voice sounded, filled with worry. "With 7,500 people storming, our city walls can hold for at most six hours. Even if we can hold, the losses will be extremely heavy, and it's even possible... that the entire army will be wiped out."

"Then we can't go to the plains to die!" Shi Potian roared. "On the plains, three times the troop strength is enough to surround and kill us! Even if we can trade twice as many of them, we will still lose in the end!"

"But in a siege battle, we can't even trade one-for-one..." Zhao Wuji smiled bitterly.

The crowd argued endlessly.

Lin Ye raised his hand, silencing everyone.

He looked at the blood-colored scroll floating in mid-air, then at the dark mass of enemy troops in the distance, and finally swept his gaze over the tense yet determined faces on the city wall.

These were his brothers, his comrades-in-arms.

"Give me a quarter of an hour." Lin Ye said to the three people outside the city. "I need to discuss this with my members."

"Very well." Qian Duoduo smiled. "After a quarter of an hour, if the Heavenly Court does not accept the War Letter, our army will attack the city immediately."

The three retreated a hundred paces and waited quietly.

Lin Ye turned and said to the messenger behind him: "Pass the order: All hundred-man captains and above, gather at the Faction Hall for a meeting immediately."

"Yes!"

Faction Hall, main hall.

Over 130 people gathered, filling the hall completely. The four legion commanders, team captains and vice-captains, and department heads all focused their gazes on Lin Ye.

"Everyone knows the situation." Lin Ye got straight to the point. "The War Letter, accept or not? Everyone, speak your mind."

Wang Iron Pillar was the first to stand out: "Leader, I don't think we can accept! A field battle on the plains, with three times the troop strength, we have no chance of winning! It's better to defend the city; relying on the defenses of Chaos Valley, at least we can make them pay a heavy price!"

"I agree." Shadow Blade said coldly. "The three major guilds' move must have a conspiracy. They dare to propose this bet, which means they are certain of victory. We cannot be fooled."

Fire Dance, however, shook her head: "In a siege battle, can we really hold? 7,500 people, even if they use human lives to fill it, six hours is enough to fill our city walls. By then, Chaos Valley will still be broken, and we will still lose."

"Furthermore," she paused, "once a siege battle starts, it's a fight to the death. Even if we want to surrender, the other side might not accept it. But if we accept the War Letter, there is at least the option of 'admitting defeat'. Although we have to withdraw from the Yan State, at least our people can be saved."

Iron Wall said in a muffled voice: "I would rather die in battle at Chaos Valley than admit defeat and withdraw from the Yan State! This is our home!"

"But only by staying alive can we have a future!" A hundred-man captain said excitedly. "If everyone is dead, what is the point of having a home?"

"Coward!"

"What did you say?!"

The scene was chaotic for a moment.

"Enough." Lin Ye's voice was not loud, but it made everyone go quiet.

He looked at Qin Ruoxue, who had been silent: "Pavilion Master Qin, what is the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's analysis?"

Qin Ruoxue stepped forward and unfolded a Jade Slip: "According to the intelligence analysis and tactical deduction of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, the following conclusions have been reached."

"First, in a siege battle, our win rate is about 18.7%. The most likely outcome is: the city wall is breached in the fifth to sixth hour, our casualty rate is expected to be over 80%, and Chaos Valley is lost."

"Second, accepting the War Letter for a field battle on the plains, under ideal circumstances (the opponent has no special trump cards, and our tactics are perfect), the win rate is about 21.3%. Although slightly higher than a siege, it is still very low."

"But there is a key variable here—" Qin Ruoxue looked at Lin Ye. "Why would the other side propose this plan? They clearly have the troop advantage; a frontal assault is the safest choice. Unless..."

"Unless they have a reason why they must choose a field battle on the plains." Lin Ye continued.

"Exactly." Qin Ruoxue nodded. "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion speculates that the three major guilds may have mastered some kind of trump card that can only exert its maximum power on the plains. For example, a large-scale battle Formation, special props, or... some kind of terrain-based killing move."

"Meteorite Plain..." Lin Ye pondered. "What is special about that place?"

"Meteorite Plain is located in the northern part of the Yan State and is a circular plain with a diameter of about a hundred miles. Legend has it that stars fell here in ancient times, hence the name." Lu Ming spoke up. "I have consulted ancient books; there is a 'Star Meteorite Iron' vein under the plain, but it has long been mined out. Apart from that, there are no special records."

"But since the three major guilds chose that place, there must be a reason." Zhao Wuji interjected. "Boss, I suggest we accept the War Letter first and fight for seven days. In these seven days, we can do three things: first, fully investigate the secrets of the Meteorite Plain; second, urgently improve our combat power; third, prepare a way out—in case we lose, our people cannot all be wiped out there."

"But if we accept the War Letter, we are bound by the Blood Pact." Chen Hao frowned. "If we lose, we really have to withdraw from the Yan State, and all assets must be handed over to them."

"If assets are gone, we can earn them back, but if people are gone, they are truly gone." Zhao Wuji said solemnly. "And, by accepting the War Letter, we at least don't have to fight a siege battle today. Seven days is enough for us to do a lot of preparation, and we might even find a way to break the deadlock."

Everyone looked at Lin Ye again.

All the analysis, arguments, and suggestions ultimately had to be decided by him, the leader.

Lin Ye closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

In his mind, fragments of memories from his previous life surged. He vaguely remembered that about three months after the game launched, a battle that shocked the entire server indeed broke out in the Yan State, involving several major guilds, and the location seemed to be... the Meteorite Plain.

But the specific details were already blurred because too much time had passed.

He only remembered that the result of that battle was tragic; both sides were almost wiped out, and in the end, a third party picked up the spoils.

"Third party..." Lin Ye's heart stirred.

He opened his eyes, his gaze clear.

"Accept the War Letter."

Three words, final and decisive.

The hall was silent for a moment, and then everyone bowed in unison: "Understood!"

Lin Ye stood up, strode out of the hall, and climbed back onto the city wall.

Outside the city, Qian Duoduo and the other two were still waiting.

"A quarter of an hour has passed, Leader Night Emperor." Qian Duoduo smiled. "Have you made your choice?"

Lin Ye raised his hand, and a strand of Chaos Divine Power shot out, rolling the blood-colored scroll to him.

The scroll was heavy in his hand, exuding a faint smell of blood. Lin Ye unfolded the scroll and carefully read the terms on it.

[War Letter: Blood Pact (System Notarized)]

[Contracting Parties: Heavenly Court (Defending Party) VS Imperial Dynasty, All Under Heaven Society, Misty Rain Tower Alliance (Attacking Party)]

[Battle Time: Seven days later, at the Hour of the Dragon (game time)]

[Battle Location: Meteorite Plain, Yan State (Coordinates: 41.2° N, 118.7° E)]

[Number of Participants: Heavenly Court 500 people, Three-Society Alliance 1500 people]

[Battle Rules: Life-and-Death Arena mode. After the battle begins, the Meteorite Plain will enter a closed state, continuing until one side is completely wiped out or admits defeat, or for a maximum of twelve hours.]

[Surrender Conditions: The leader of the participating side must voluntarily declare surrender and hand over the faction token.]

[Wager: The loser must withdraw from the Yan State, and all faction assets (including but not limited to territories, resource points, chambers of commerce, warehouses, etc.) shall be received by the winner.]

[Breach Penalty: If either party breaches the contract (including but not limited to failing to participate on time, incorrect number of participants, using forbidden Spells during battle, etc.), they shall suffer Heavenly Dao punishment: all members' levels will decrease by 10, the faction will be forcibly disbanded, and the leader's account will be banned for 30 days.]

[Special Clause: During the battle, no third-party faction is allowed to intervene. Violators will suffer the same punishment as the breaching party.]

[Contract Effectiveness Conditions: Both leaders must sign with their essence blood and inject Divine Power to confirm.]

The terms were very detailed and also very harsh.

Especially the breach penalty, which almost cut off any possibility of cheating. A 10-level drop for players who were generally around level 40 meant their accounts were effectively ruined. The disbanding of the faction and the account ban were burdens even harder to bear.

But correspondingly, the binding force of the contract was extremely strong. Once signed, it had to be executed; no one could go back on their word.

"Leader Night Emperor, have you seen clearly?" Golden Halberd asked.

Lin Ye nodded: "I have seen clearly."

"Then sign it."

Lin Ye bit his fingertip, and a drop of essence blood seeped out. Using his finger as a pen, he wrote the two characters "Lin Ye" at the bottom of the scroll in the "Defensive Side" position.

The essence blood seeped into the scroll, transforming into two blood-colored runes. One merged into the scroll, and the other flew into Lin Ye's body—this was the mark of the blood contract, meaning he was now bound by the contract.

Meanwhile, Qian Duoduo, Golden Halberd, and Sword Thirteen also signed with their essence blood separately.

After the four finished signing, the scroll automatically flew into mid-air and unfurled to its maximum extent. Four rays of blood-colored light shot up from the signatures, converging in the air to form a massive blood-colored rune.

The rune rotated slowly, emitting a terrifying pressure, as if the eyes of the Heavenly Dao were watching all of this.

[System Announcement: Player factions "Heavenly Court" and the "Imperial Dynasty, All Under Heaven Society, Misty Rain Tower Alliance" have signed a blood contract war declaration. The content of the contract has been notarized and is protected by the rules of the Heavenly Dao.]

[The battle will take place seven days later at the Chen hour (game time) on the Meteorite Plain in the Yan State.]

[Wager: The loser must withdraw from the Yan State.]

[This announcement is hereby made to ensure fairness.]

The announcement rang out three times, echoing throughout the entire "covering the heavens era".

The entire server was in an uproar.

"A blood contract! It's actually a blood contract war declaration!"

"Five hundred against one thousand five hundred, has the Heavenly Court gone crazy?"

"This is a life-or-death battle! The loser withdraws from the Yan State, which is equivalent to being erased from the Yan State!"

"Seven days later, at the Meteorite Plain, there will be a good show to watch!"

"Betting is open! Bet on the Heavenly Court to win at 1 to 5, bet on the three-faction Alliance to win at 1 to 1.2!"

"These odds... even the bookmakers don't favor the Heavenly Court."

Outside Chaos Valley, Qian Duoduo retrieved the scroll, his face full of smiles: "Leader Night Emperor is indeed courageous. Then, see you in seven days at the Meteorite Plain."

"See you in seven days," Lin Ye replied calmly.

The three turned around and transformed into streaks of light, flying back to their own camp.

Moments later, the allied forces of the three major guilds began to retreat in an orderly fashion. Seven thousand five hundred people receded like a tide, leaving only dust in the sky.

The crisis was temporarily averted.

But everyone knew that a greater storm was brewing.

"Pass the order: all core members, gather at the main hall for a meeting," Lin Ye turned around, his voice echoing across the city walls. "Also, notify everyone: starting from today, Chaos Valley is entering a state of Level 1 combat readiness. All members are to cancel leave and prepare for battle with full force."

"Yes!"

The faction's main hall, front chamber.

This time, the atmosphere was even more solemn than before.

"We only have seven days," Lin Ye stood before the sand table, which had already been changed to a topographical map of the Meteorite Plain. "Five hundred against one thousand five hundred, three times the force. Since they dared to propose this wager, they must have absolute certainty of victory. What we need to do is find their trump card within these seven days and formulate a way to break it."

"Pavilion Master Qin," he looked at Qin Ruoxue, "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion's primary task: at all costs, investigate the trump cards of the three major guilds and the secrets of the Meteorite Plain. I need to know what gives them the confidence to make this wager."

"Understood," Qin Ruoxue said solemnly. "I have mobilized all the forces of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, including the sleeper agents buried within the three guilds. I will give you an answer within seven days."

"Zhao Wuji," Lin Ye turned to Zhao Wuji, "Logistics and support are entrusted to you. I need a detailed list of supplies and a procurement plan. In this battle, we must convert all of the Heavenly Court's resources into combat power."

Zhao Wuji's face turned bitter: "Boss, our warehouse... is almost empty. We already consumed most of our reserves preparing for the city defense. Now we need to prepare for a field battle on the plains, and the expenses..."

"How much is needed?" Lin Ye asked.

Zhao Wuji calculated quickly: "First is equipment. For five hundred participants, we need at least five hundred sets of standard-issue equipment of Fine-grade or higher. We have three hundred sets in stock and need to purchase two hundred more. At market price, one set of Fine-grade equipment averages five thousand Spirit Stones, so two hundred sets will be one million."

"Next is Medicinal Pill. Blood Recovery Pills, spirit recovery pill, detoxification pills, berserk pills... based on a combat standard of fifty portions per person, five hundred people means twenty-five thousand portions. Calculating with Intermediate Medicinal Pill, each portion averages one hundred Spirit Stones, which is another two point five million."

"Then there are Talismans. Attack Talismans, Defense Talismans, Speed Talismans, Stealth Talismans... these are consumables, and the demand is even greater. Calculating at one hundred per person, five hundred people means fifty thousand sheets. One Intermediate Talisman averages fifty Spirit Stones, which is another two point five million."

"There are also Formation Materials, mounts, disposable items, life-saving items..."

As he calculated, his face grew paler: "Rough estimate, to fully equip everything, we need at least... eight million Spirit Stones!"

Eight million!

A collective gasp of cold air echoed in the main hall.

The Heavenly Court's total assets right now, at most, were only a little over one million Spirit Stones. This was the valuation including fixed assets. Liquid capital was less than five hundred thousand.

Eight million was simply an astronomical figure.

"But we don't have eight million," Lin Ye said calmly. "Compress it. Purchase only the essentials; anything optional is out. For equipment, prioritize the five hundred elites of the four great legions; the others will use the ordinary equipment in stock. Medicinal Pill, distribute based on a standard of thirty portions. Talismans, cut by half."

"That will still require at least... four million," Zhao Wuji smiled bitterly.

"How much can the chamber of commerce withdraw?" Lin Ye asked.

"At most five hundred thousand. Any more, and the normal operations of the chamber of commerce will be affected."

"We are still short three point five million," Lin Ye pondered for a moment. "I have a way."

He took out a communication Jade Slip and entered a message.

Moments later, the Jade Slip lit up, and a reply came.

After reading the reply, Lin Ye said to Zhao Wuji: "Within three days, three million Spirit Stones will arrive. But this is a loan, with an annual interest rate of thirty percent, to be repaid within half a year."

"Three million... that's enough!" Zhao Wuji's spirits lifted. "Plus the five hundred thousand from the chamber of commerce, and if we scrape together a bit more ourselves, we can barely make four million. Boss, where did this money come from?"

"A friend," Lin Ye did not say much more. "You just focus on procurement. Remember: Quality first, price second. In this battle, the quality of equipment and supplies might directly determine the outcome."

"Understood!"

"Lu Ming," Lin Ye looked at Lu Ming, "Your task: study the terrain of the Meteorite Plain and design the battle Formation and tactics most suitable for us. Five hundred against one thousand five hundred, we cannot fight head-on; we must use tactics to compensate for the disparity in forces."

Lu Ming nodded: "I need a detailed map of the Meteorite Plain, the more detailed the better. Additionally, I need to know the composition of the members and class combinations they might deploy."

"Pavilion Master Qin will provide it."

"The four legion commanders," Lin Ye looked at Wang Iron Pillar, Shadow Blade, Fire Dance, and Iron Wall, "Your task: select one hundred and twenty-five of the most elite members from your respective legions to form the participating team. Criteria: level not lower than 43, rich in combat experience, obedient to orders, and fearless of death."

"Five hundred people—I want five hundred elites who can fight three, not five hundred ordinary members."

"Understood!" the four said in unison.

"After the selection is complete, start targeted training immediately. Lu Ming will provide tactical guidance, and Zhao Wuji will distribute equipment and supplies. In seven days, I want to see a team that has been reborn."

"Yes!"

"Chen Hao, Shi Potian," Lin Ye looked at the two, "You each lead a small team to infiltrate the Meteorite Plain in advance and establish observation points and hiding spots. Before the battle begins, I want to know every corner of the plain like the back of my hand."

"Su Qingyue, you are responsible for coordinating all combat readiness work and reconciling the various departments."

One order after another was issued, and the entire Heavenly Court began to operate like a precision gear.

Over the next three days, Chaos Valley entered an unprecedented state of busyness.

The intelligence personnel of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion scattered like shadows to all parts of the Eastern Wasteland, sparing no cost to gather information. Zhao Wuji's chamber of commerce purchased supplies day and night, and cartloads of equipment, Medicinal Pill, and Talismans were transported into Chaos Valley. The four great legions conducted cruel selections internally, and finally, five hundred elites emerged and began hellish special training.

Lin Ye himself was not idle either.

He went into secluded cultivation for a day, completely stabilizing his Spleen Divine Palace, and his level rose to 43. Then he began to study the fragmented information about the Meteorite Plain in his memories from his past life.

Meteorite Plain... Star Meteor Iron... Stars falling...

He always felt that he had overlooked some key point.

On the evening of the third day, Qin Ruoxue brought the first piece of important intelligence.

"Leader, I found it." Her face was a bit pale, clearly from days of exhaustion. "The trump card of the three major guilds might be a type of... forbidden Spell."

"Forbidden Spell?" Lin Ye frowned.

"To be precise, it's a remnant of an ancient battle Formation." Qin Ruoxue handed over a Jade Slip. "According to the data the Heavenly Secret Pavilion found in ancient books, the Meteorite Plain was once the site of a 'star guiding altar' in the ancient era. The star guiding altar was a place for ancient Cultivator to channel starlight power for cultivation."

"And among the three major guilds, the president of the Imperial Dynasty, 'Son of Heaven', is actually a descendant of an ancient Family in reality. Their Family possesses a fragmented 'Star Battle Formation Map', which is said to have been obtained from the ruins of the star guiding altar."

"Star Battle Formation..." Lin Ye took the Jade Slip and inserted his Divine Sense.

The Jade Slip recorded scattered information: Star Battle Formation, an ancient battle Formation, must be deployed in a place where starlight power is concentrated. The more people forming the array, the greater the power. The complete version of the Star Battle Formation is said to be able to mobilize the stars of the entire heavens, and its power is sufficient to slaughter saints.

However, the remnant only has one-tenth of the content, and the conditions for setting up the Formation are harsh.

"They chose the Meteorite Plain because the Formation base of the star guiding altar remains there," Qin Ruoxue continued. "Although the Formation has long been damaged, the base is still there. If they can activate the base and combine it with the remnant of the 'Star Battle Formation Map', they can channel a portion of starlight power to buff their own side and suppress the enemy."

"Fighting in this environment, the strength of the three major guilds can increase by at least thirty percent, while we might be suppressed by twenty percent. With the increase and decrease, the actual disparity might reach... five times."

Five hundred against one thousand five hundred is already a three-fold gap. Adding the environmental suppression, it is indeed close to five times.

This is an almost impossible battle to win.

But a gleam of light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

"Starlight power... star guiding altar..." he muttered to himself, "I understand."

"Understand what?" Qin Ruoxue asked.

"Understand why they dared to make this wager," Lin Ye stood up. "And I also understand how we can win."

"Pavilion Master Qin, continue the investigation. I need to know the exact location of the star guiding altar base and what conditions are required to activate it."

"Also, notify Lu Ming and have him come see me. I have a new tactical idea."

"Yes!"

Qin Ruoxue left in a hurry.

Lin Ye walked to the window and looked at the night sky.

Night had just fallen, and the stars began to appear.

One, two, three... the sky was full of stars, twinkling with mysterious light.

"Star Battle Formation..." a curve formed at the corner of Lin Ye's mouth. "You can channel starlight power, but can't I?"

"Don't forget, I am... the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body."

"Chaos encompasses all things, naturally including the stars."

In his heart, a bold plan gradually took shape.

In this battle, who will win and who will lose is not yet known.