Splitting the Heavens-Chapter 2074: Exiting Seclusion, I’M BACK IN COMMAND FOOLS!
Although this was the first time the Cai siblings had taken full command of such a massive Star Ship fleet, the two of them had long been famed Star Pirate leaders in the Chaotic Sea of Stars.
Initially, because they were unfamiliar with commanding on such a scale, the various Star Pirate factions gained many advantages while making their probing attacks. More than a dozen of their small and medium Star Ships were lost.
As the fighting progressed, the Cai siblings divided duties and cooperated with a tacit understanding.
Though they still seemed passive under the uninterrupted harassment from all sides, their familiarity with how Star Pirate groups operated, the main portion of the fleet, and the integration and assistance of experts among the Essence Yue Heavenly Field’s survivors gradually allowed them to counterattack continually, even while defending. With some achievement, they started to expand their gains.
Before long, because the Cai siblings responded both promptly and sensibly, the repeatedly defeated Star Pirate Groups began to change tactics, shifting from scattered raids meant to slow the fleet’s progress to a pattern of continuing harassment with a few ships while concentrating part of their strength to surround and annihilate the fleet’s counterattack forces when the chance arose.
The Star Pirate Groups of the various sides were already increasing the intensity of their assault on the fleet. Very soon, Yuan Qiuyuan, who had not yet recovered from his failed attempt to break through to a high-level True Immortal, sought out the Cai siblings. "They should have discovered the Invincible Pirates’ attempt to come to our aid, so they have strengthened their offensive. This should be far from the true extent of their power. The main forces of the surrounding Star Pirate factions in the void have likely not fully assembled, and there are still gaps in the encirclement against us. However, the time left to us is very short, and the Invincible Pirates might also be intercepted."
"So that means we may still have to rely mostly on ourselves?" The Cai siblings wore solemn expressions, but showed little panic.
Yuan Qiuyuan took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I can gather the power of all the Stargazers in the fleet to draw down the strength of the stars. We can unleash power equivalent to one full-strength strike of a grand completion stage True Immortal when we gather enough starlight, and we should be able to do it three times in total. It is just a pity I failed to advance to the level of Dao Harmony. Otherwise, I would have been able to rouse the power of a Sage for a single strike!"
Hearing his suggestion, the Cai siblings’ spirits lifted. Cai Zhuifeng said quickly, "That is already tremendous support!"
A full-force strike of a grand completion stage True Immortal, delivered unexpectedly, was enough to heavily damage a large Star Ship.
Cai Yingxue said helplessly, "If not for the fact that almost every high-level cultivator from the Essence Yue Heavenly Field is injured, our overall strength would have increased by at least 30 percent!"
Cai Zhuifeng waved his hand. "With their Heavenly Field shattered, those high-level cultivators whose souls had been entrusted to the World Origin Source were lucky just to keep their lives, and luckier still to maintain their cultivation. Those who can still preserve some combat strength and are willing to fight are already experts with a strong martial will. We cannot ask for too much."
Cai Yingxue sneered, "But there are still some who are putting on an act."
Yuan Qiuyuan, standing to the side, snorted casually, "Everything that happens within the fleet is under Sage Shang’s watchful gaze."
Though Yuan Qiuyuan’s tone was even, the Cai siblings heard a trace of chill in it.
Fortunately, the Cai siblings had long since made their stance clear. They could only snort at those who were wavering.
Just then, Yuan Qiuyuan suddenly raised his head, gazed into the depths of the void, and said in a deep voice, "Large Star Ships are coming in three directions!"
The Cai siblings started in alarm and immediately moved to deploy their forces to the three directions Yuan Qiuyuan had indicated.
This time, however, the three super Star Pirate Groups, already committing their main forces, attacked fiercely. Even if they did not mean to carve up the fleet, they intended to tear a large chunk from it.
Even though the Cai siblings’ response was as sound as could be, under the assault of absolute strength, losses were still inevitable. As the enemies approached, each led by a large Star Ship, the fleet had paid for it with at least three escorting medium Star Ships destroyed and more than 10 small Star Ships damaged. By contrast, the price the enemy paid was only damage to several small and medium Star Ships.
This battle dealt a severe blow to their morale!
Their only consolation was that, though the ships had been badly damaged, casualties among the personnel were not too heavy.
Conversely, even though the enemies didn’t lose any ships, the dead and wounded among the Star Pirates on board were not much fewer.
"Damaged ships will further slow our speed, and that is likely exactly what they want!"
"Abandon those damaged ships. Evacuate their personnel to other vessels. As for supplies and resources... Abandon those too!"
"That may also be what those Star Pirate groups want!"
"I know. The supplies on the abandoned ships are basically a gift to those hyenas, but we cannot slow down!"
"This trick will mean little to the super Star Pirate Groups that truly hold the reins of the battle... they will not give up attacking us because of some scraps we throw their way."
"But for the large and medium groups, it may be a different story. If they can’t see the bigger picture, it could even spark a dispute, or an outright battle!"
"That is all we can do. But this probing earlier has probably let the super Star Pirate Groups feel out our strength. It may not be long before they launch an all out assault!"
"No, they are already here!"
In the depths of the void, the assault squads led by large Star Ships that had gone away earlier had already begun to turn back.
At the same time, following Yuan Qiuyuan’s warning, spatial ripples appeared from multiple directions. One Star Ship after another of all sizes emerged from the void, moving to complete a full blockade around the fleet.
Naturally, they wouldn’t wait passively for death or allow the encirclement to close at will.
Just as the number of Star Ships emerging from the void rapidly increased in number, Yuan Qiuyuan, aboard the Chasing Wind, led a host of Stargazers to unleash a fierce strike. Faint stellar radiance scattered through the void converged, and a pillar of dazzling starlight fell from the heavens straight onto a tunnel that was in the process of opening. In that tunnel, the prow of a large Star Ship had just completed its emergence barely appeared when the tunnel was completely shattered. The front of the ship was torn completely off, and the unleashed void turbulence raged through the surrounding space, flipping two nearby medium Star Ships. Several ships farther out were affected as well and barely managed to steady themselves.
The sudden strike by the fleet greatly cowed the Star Pirate Groups lurking in the surrounding void. The Star Ships that had been in the midst of transiting through the void immediately slowed their pace, while those that had already arrived hastened to form simple battle formations around each spatial tunnel that had formed.
Yuan Qiuyuan and his Stargazers seemed to have merely damaged one large Star Ship, but they had bought the fleet a significant amount of time.
However, with that lesson before them, it would not be easy for Yuan Qiuyuan to badly wound the enemy again.
The situation remained grim!
Yet at that very moment, a voice full of surprise suddenly sounded in the ears of the True Immortals in command of the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field’s fleet. "Huh? I only went into seclusion for a bit. Why is our fleet so massive now?”
