Chapter 583 559: Withdrawal from the Front Line

The war had to end first.

And it might be a very long time before they could be brought back.

If the system's premonition was correct, this war wouldn't be ending anytime soon.

It certainly wouldn't stop this year, and next year was uncertain as well.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had deployed all its Nine-stars, and its one hundred million Beastmasters had all taken up arms.

But they were facing an all-out war from the Inner World. The scale and intensity of the Demon Fiends' mobilization far exceeded expectations.

The fall of the Cloud Country—overthrown in a single night and swallowed whole by the Inner World.

To this day, no one could claim to fully understand how it happened, and now, Great Zhou was following in the Cloud Country's footsteps.

And researchers like Teacher Tang, who came from an academic background and had always believed that reason and technology could solve any problem, were perhaps still unwilling to believe it.

This war was not an enemy that could be easily repelled, unlike those in previous large-scale conflicts.

"Teacher Tang," Gu Ming said, "I, for one, don't believe the war will end this year. You need to be careful."

Tang Tianyi's gaze flickered at his words, and he began to ponder Gu Ming's analysis.

Gu Ming gently shrugged off his jacket. He walked over to the two Cyan Cloud Falcons, crouched down, and extended a hand to one of them.

Teacher Tang snapped out of his reverie. When he spoke, his voice carried the instructional power of the Sound of the Great Dao.

In the most concise lesson imaginable, he explained all the principles required to pilot the Cyan Cloud Falcons.

The Seal Techniques for flight, perceiving air currents, Acceleration Commands, and disengaging from enemies.

Everything was compressed into a lesson lasting only a few minutes, each syllable vibrating within their Divine Senses.

Gu Ming and Lu You stood side by side, raising their hands to form the seals.

In the night, the light of the Seal Techniques flowed like water.

The two Cyan Cloud Falcons beat their wings in unison.

Though maimed, they were still fit for battle.

A layer of faint cyan light streamed along their wing bones, transforming them into two figures as swift as the wind. They rapidly closed the distance to their masters, who were completing the hand seals.

The contractual Heart Method flared into existence, designed to be used and then immediately dissipate.

Once they reached their destination, the contract would dissolve as the technique's effects faded.

The seals were complete.

The two of them mounted their respective Cyan Cloud Falcons.

Ah Ji dissolved into a streak of dark light and merged with the shadow at Gu Ming's feet. It then spread a thin layer across the falcon's back, using its Dark Attribute's holographic cloaking to alter the beast's perceived size and shape.

Meanwhile, the Star Spirit nestled in Lu You's arms pulsed with a soft glow, providing her with a thread of Prophetic Element support—imperceptible to the naked eye—to help her sense the air currents and the safest path ahead.

Gu Ming adjusted his posture, his fingers gripping the front of the saddle firmly.

He turned in the darkness toward his mentor, looking at that always calm, composed face.

Tang Tianyi had already looked away. He was gazing at the night sky above the battlefront, stained red by the glare of flames, his lips pressed into a thin line.

He still had a great deal of data to investigate, and a defensive mission loomed in his future—one he would have to lead himself, without waiting for a Nine-star Beastmaster to arrive in person.

"Teacher, we're heading out."

Gu Ming said.

Lu You also raised an arm, giving a small wave to bid Teacher Tang farewell. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she turned resolutely to face forward.

Tang Tianyi retracted his gaze and nodded at the two of them.

His lips parted, and he spoke two words.

Perhaps they were, "Take care," or maybe, "Be safe."

The wind carried the sound away before it could fully reach their ears, but the sentiment was received.

The next second, both Cyan Cloud Falcons spread their wings. The edges of their tattered feathers began to flow with the cyan radiance of the wind element.

With a powerful push from their legs, their plumage swept back as their wings sliced downward. In that instant, the surrounding air tightened, and a whirlwind kicked up from the flat ground.

Two cyan shadows sliced through the night, pulling into a low arc. They flew over the faint glow of the last row of Protective Arrays next to the institute, plunging headfirst into the continuous mountain range stretching toward the Desolate Wind Corridor.