Chapter 403: Arriving Just in Time
Boom! Boom!
Intense waves of power rippled violently through the air, laced with the scent of blood and killing intent, turning the sky a dark shade of crimson.
In the vast expanse of jagged rocks below, chaos had erupted.
Two forces clashed with no words wasted. With their energy surging and martial skills in full display, red-eyed combatants hurled attacks at each other with deadly force.
The brutal nature of this battle could only be described as carnage.
"Emperor's Flame Technique: Fire Wolf!"
A shout echoed through the battlefield, and a giant fire wolf, radiating fierce red flames, suddenly appeared above Song Yun's head, raising the temperature across the battlefield.
Seeing this, even Cao Yu and his men's expressions changed slightly.
"Fire Division isn't that easy to mess with—go to hell!"
Looking at the wounded and fallen around him, Song Yun's face contorted in rage. With a furious cry, he sent the raging fire wolf charging toward the mass of Tianxuan Sect disciples with lightning speed.
Bang!
A massive explosion tore through the battlefield, followed by screams as more than a dozen Tianxuan Sect disciples were obliterated by the wolf's explosive impact before they could even react.
"Damn it, a tough one! Huo Tang, let's take him down!"
Seeing the heavy losses, Cao Yu gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he gestured to the black-clad man beside him. Together, they closed in on Song Yun.
"Didn't expect anyone as strong as you in Fire Division aside from Lin Langtian," Cao Yu remarked coldly, his gaze fixed on Song Yun.
"Hmph, there's a lot you don't know. Fire Division won't be wiped out that easily," Song Yun sneered.
Thanks to a recent encounter with the Heaven-Slashing Tomb's treasures, both Song Yun and Pang Lie, who had long been at the peak of Jiuyuan Nirvana Realm, had finally broken through to Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm.
"Big talk! Fire Division will fall today!" Cao Yu sneered, unimpressed.
He and Huo Tang were seasoned fighters in Tianxuan Sect, both at the Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm, and they had already seriously injured over a dozen Fire Division disciples in mere minutes.
"Finish him off," Cao Yu ordered.
The two shared a glance and charged at Song Yun in perfect coordination.
Watching the two vicious fighters closing in, Song Yun's face grew serious. The crimson flames surrounding him intensified.
Boom!
With a sweep of his hand, a fierce wave of Vermillion Bird's Heaven-Scorching Flame surged forward, its speed and intensity forcing the two Tianxuan Sect disciples to retreat in disarray. They exchanged wary glances as they steadied themselves.
Having reached Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm with the powerful flame granted to him by Lin Langtian, Song Yun was now strong enough to hold back two of Tianxuan Sect's Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm fighters single-handedly.
"You'll pay a heavy price if you want to destroy Fire Division!"
Eyes ablaze, Song Yun struck again, summoning torrents of crimson fire that filled the sky and swept toward Cao Yu and Huo Tang.
"The Fire Division is putting up a good fight—they've even managed to hold off Tianxuan Sect's powerful offensive. It's hard to believe they're only one division under Yuan Gate," whispered onlookers from the surrounding cliffs.
"True. Fire Division is stronger than expected, and Lin Langtian seems no ordinary leader. But if he doesn't show up soon, Fire Division's resistance will be short-lived."
"Ha! Lin Langtian's probably too scared to come—nothing but a coward," someone scoffed.
The crowd's murmurs rose as the power of Fire Division's resistance began to make an impression. However, they all understood that despite Fire Division's impressive stand, the strongest forces of Tianxuan Sect—Gengtian and the three great warriors—had yet to enter the fray.
If Lin Langtian didn't arrive soon, Fire Division's fate was sealed.
Not far from the battlefield, atop a high peak, a large group of disciples from Jiutian Taishang Palace observed the deadly battle below, their eyes reflecting the blood-red glow of the fighting.
"They're fighting with their lives on the line. Who would've thought Tianxuan Sect would go this far against Fire Division? Looks like Yuan Gate's inner conflicts are even known in the Western Profound Region now."
One disciple shook his head thoughtfully. If Lin Langtian and Yuancang weren't at odds, Yuan Gate's combined strength would have likely deterred even Tianxuan Sect.
"With Tianxuan Sect's numbers and strength, Fire Division's fierce resistance won't last much longer," said Wu Qun, the temporary leader of the Jiutian Taishang Palace group, watching the blood-soaked battleground.
"Yes, and Lin Langtian's nowhere to be seen. Maybe he's hiding because he's afraid of Gengtian's recent breakthrough to Shengxuan Major Realm?" another chimed in.
"Big Brother Lin Langtian would never fear Gengtian!" retorted Su Rou angrily, shooting the speaker a glare. Startled, he offered an awkward smile, not daring to argue further.
Su Rou's gaze turned back to the brutal scene below. She recognized many faces among the wounded Fire Division disciples: Mo Tie, Liu Yuan, Ling Zhi—comrades from their days in the Alliance of Flames.
"Fire Division can't be wiped out—I'm going to help them," came a firm voice from a cold-eyed woman named Shuang Wu, who had been silent until now.
"Sister Shuang Wu, this is a conflict between Fire Division and Tianxuan Sect. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to interfere," Wu Qun said, startled, as he quickly moved to stop her.
Shuang Wu didn't respond, only glanced his way before releasing a powerful wave of chilling ice energy from within her. The air around her turned frosty, seeming to freeze on the spot.
"She's reached the peak of Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm already!" murmured Wu Qun in awe, observing the extreme cold radiating from Shuang Wu. Unlike the rest, whose power contained a balance of yin and yang, her energy was pure and deadly cold.
"This isn't a request—I'm informing you," she said curtly before transforming into a beam of icy light and charging toward the Tianxuan Sect disciples below. Sharp blasts of frost erupted from her as she moved.
In her heart, Shuang Wu held Lin Langtian, her brother's sworn sibling, in high regard, almost as if he were her own brother. Though her bond with her family was weak, to her, this connection was rare and precious.
Even more, she couldn't stand by as Fire Division fell. She'd never be able to face Lin Langtian—or the brother she was searching for.
"Hmph, a young girl like you is just asking for death!" yelled one of the Tianxuan Sect fighters as Shuang Wu charged in. Laughing grimly, two fighters moved to intercept her, unleashing fierce palm strikes to trap her.
Swish!
Without hesitation, Shuang Wu met their attack. She conjured icy blades with a wave of her hand, sending sharp frosty slashes in their direction.
Swoosh!
The blades cut through the air, leaving cracks in the space ahead of her, like they were tearing the very fabric. One of the Nirvana Realm fighters barely dodged but still lost a chunk of flesh, blood trickling down his head.
"Watch out—she's at Nine Yuan Nirvana peak!" a Tianxuan Sect fighter warned, eyeing Shuang Wu warily.
The Tianxuan Sect disciples were shocked; the girl who looked so unassuming was actually a peak-level fighter.
Expressionless, Shuang Wu reformed her ice blades and unleashed a flurry of attacks, engulfing over a dozen Tianxuan Sect disciples, who were forced to defend themselves desperately.
"Sister Shuang Wu is being reckless!" Wu Qun sighed from the mountaintop, watching as she threw herself into the battle.
Jiutian Taishang Palace had no particular ties with Fire Division or Yuan Gate, but Shuang Wu's actions had now involved them.
Beside him, Su Rou bit her lip in determination. "Brother Wu Qun, Big Brother Lin Langtian once helped me greatly, and I know many of Fire Division's disciples—they looked out for me during the Great Battle of a Hundred Dynasties. I can't stand by while Tianxuan Sect wipes them out."
Without waiting for Wu Qun's response, Su Rou leapt from the peak, diving into the fight below.
With her talent and the resources of Jiutian Taishang Palace, Su Rou had already reached Eight Yuan Nirvana Realm. Armed with a spirit mark, she could hold her own even against a Nine Yuan Nirvana fighter. Her experience in Jiutian Taishang Palace had hardened her, and her fierce attacks quickly slowed the advance of Tianxuan Sect disciples, including one at Nine Yuan Nirvana Realm.
"Wu Qun, even Little Sister Su Rou has joined in!" one disciple cried in alarm.
Su Rou was not only talented but also beloved for her kind nature and beauty. Seeing her enter the brutal fray worried many of the Jiutian Taishang Palace disciples.
Sighing, Wu Qun muttered, "Jiutian Taishang Palace owes Lin Langtian now," and resignedly waved his hand. "Fine, as we're all from the Eastern Profound Region, let's lend Fire Division a hand."
With that, Wu Qun leapt into the fight, leading his disciples into the bloody battle below.
Wu Qun had initially hoped to avoid involvement, given the rocky relationship between Jiutian Taishang Palace and Yuan Gate. But with Shuang Wu and Su Rou so determined to aid Lin Langtian, he had no choice but to follow. After all, as core disciples, they were more valuable than he was. If anything happened to them here, he'd be held responsible upon returning.
Now he had little choice but to fight, hoping it might reduce his own punishment later.
Obeying Wu Qun's command, the Jiutian Taishang Palace disciples, though hesitant, soon followed him into the chaotic battle.
"Oh, it's Jiutian Taishang Palace!"
Seeing the tide of Tianxuan Sect fighters slowing, Song Yun and Pang Lie turned to see over three hundred disciples of Jiutian Taishang Palace joining the battlefield. Although they wondered at Jiutian Taishang Palace's involvement, they felt a surge of relief and redoubled their efforts.
The sudden appearance of Jiutian Taishang Palace's forces surprised many onlookers. Just as Fire Division was on the brink of defeat, one of the Eastern Profound Region's eight great sects had intervened.
With this new force, Fire Division's previously dire situation began to shift toward balance, the two sides now locked in a brutal deadlock.
Boom! Boom!
The rocky ground echoed with sounds of battle, filled with fighters red-eyed and frenzied. Bodies were sent flying and blood filled the air as the violent struggle continued.
There was no restraint in this battle. It wasn't a practice fight but a life-or-death clash between true enemies.
On a high mountain ledge, Nalan and Tianxuan Sect's three great warriors watched the fray, their faces grim. Nalan cursed, "That bunch from Jiutian Taishang Palace dares to meddle with Tianxuan Sect business? They're looking for death! Master, let us join the fight. Give us half an hour, and we'll obliterate Fire Division and Jiutian Taishang Palace together!"
Hearing this, Gengtian slowly opened his eyes and surveyed the deadlock below, his brow furrowing. Just as he was about to nod, he suddenly sensed something, his lips curling into a cold smile as he looked southeast.
"No need. The one we're waiting for has finally arrived…"
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