Just as the various factions reluctantly reached a consensus and were about to move, a thunderous roar suddenly shook the valley.
The sound carried a terrifying force, making the entire valley tremble. Weaker disciples were sent staggering back, blood gushing from their noses and mouths. The oppressive aura of a late-stage Golden Core beast hit like a physical weight, and many disciples paled, almost dropping their magic tools.
"Form up!" Yuan Yingqi shouted sharply.
The Xuanyang Sword Sect disciples immediately arranged a sword formation. Ten long swords weaved into a dazzling net of light, barely holding back some of the pressure.
The demon side didn't fall behind either. Ten demon cultivators channeled their demonic qi, black mist coalescing into a barrier that blocked the terrifying aura.
Though awkward, they managed to withstand the initial wave.
"So scary…" a disciple from Medicine King Valley trembled, "Just the aura alone is terrifying… If it really attacks…"
"The humans are useless, as expected," the demon leader mocked, "The fight's started and you're already scared. Don't tell me you're gonna run?"
Yuan Yingqi's voice cut through the jeers, cold and commanding, "Shut up! Get ready to strike! Sword cultivators attack with me, demons provide support! Everyone else, stay in the rear for aid!"
Twenty vanguard members soared into the air, sword light and demon qi weaving together as they charged deeper into the valley. The other disciples took their positions, ready to support at a moment's notice.
Another thunderous roar echoed from the valley, even more violent than before. Clearly, the beast had been provoked by these unwelcome intruders. But just as the disciples were about to reach the valley floor, a world-shattering pillar of blood-red light shot upward, its suffocating pressure barreling straight toward them!
"Xuanyang Sword Formation, defend!" Yuan Yingqi yelled, sword blazing with golden light. Ten sword cultivators formed hand seals simultaneously, and the jade pendants at their waists glowed softly, creating a spiritual barrier.
Boom—!
The blood-red pillar slammed into the sword formation, erupting in a deafening roar. The formation shook violently, but the jade pendant barrier barely absorbed the first impact.
"Demon brats! What are you waiting for?! Die already?!" Yuan Yingqi gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his temples.
The demon leader sneered, summoning a black bone banner. "Need me to tell you? Rise, Myriad Demon Banner!"
Nine demon cultivators simultaneously activated their demon tools, each defensive artifact glowing faintly, reinforcing the sword formation against the blood pillar.
One demon sent a bone shield flying from his sleeve, instantly enlarging several times, blocking a stray bolt of blood energy. The collision of shadow and blood produced a chilling, corrosive sound.
Just as the sword formation and demon barrier teetered on the edge, reinforcements from the other sects finally arrived!
"Hehuan Sect disciples, support the formation!" Yu Xiaotang shouted. Her disciples formed hand seals, weaving spiritual energy into a network that absorbed part of the impact.
Medicine King Valley was busy too, showering the battlefield with various pills. Disciples hastily caught and swallowed them, their pale faces easing slightly.
Even the Mingguang Sect monks didn't shirk duty. They recited sutras and formed seals, golden swastika-shaped Buddha seals descending to stabilize the shaken defensive barrier.
The lights from various magical artifacts intertwined into a dazzling sea of brilliance. Though chaotic, they barely held the assault. The disciples were pale, worried about their damaged tools more than their own safety, but thankfully, the attacks were still within their manageable range.
As they caught their breath, the blood-eyed wolf finally emerged at the valley floor. Its three blood-red eyes coldly scanned the tiny figures, letting out a low, imposing growl. Crimson pupils flashed warning menace.
Xie Zhaolin watched from the shadows.
The wolf clearly guarded the nearly matured spiritual plant and didn't want to leave its nest. The earlier earth-shaking attack was mostly a deterrent, trying to scare away these intruders. But when it assessed their cultivation, a hint of human-like contempt flashed in its three eyes. It hadn't expected a group of Foundation Establishment disciples to withstand even one of its blows.
"Roar!"
The wolf lazily shook its head, casually shooting out several blood-red wind blades. Though seemingly casual, the attacks were deadly.
"Defend!" Yuan Yingqi shouted, frantically blocking with his sword. The demon leader also hurriedly activated his artifacts.
All the sect disciples scrambled. They managed to fend off the blows, but their qi and blood surged from the shock.
The wolf's contempt grew. It didn't even bother to rise, lazily flinging claws that sent out more wind blades. Though random in appearance, the attacks targeted weak points with lethal precision. One Hehuan Sect disciple failed to dodge, her sleeve torn, revealing the protective armor beneath.
"Damn it!" she cried, staring at her damaged armor—she'd spent a fortune on that lifesaving artifact!
Other disciples groaned. No one was mortally wounded, but the visible wear on protective tools was rapid. At this rate, even if they survived, it would cost them a fortune.
The wolf seemed to relish the cat-and-mouse game, a trace of mockery in its blood-red eyes. It changed attack patterns frequently, switching from wind blades to sound waves, keeping the disciples flustered.
Xie Zhaolin shook her head.
The wolf clearly wasn't going all out yet. It was toying with them. Once it was done—or once the spiritual plant matured—it would strike seriously. While the major sects' disciples barely managed, disciples from second-rate sects were in chaos behind them.
"Move out of the way!"
A Qingxi Sect disciple shouted in panic but collided with a fleeing Mingyue Sect disciple, both tumbling helplessly.
Worse, a blood-red wind blade shot straight toward them!
Screech!
Blood spattered. The two disciples, along with their defensive artifacts, were sliced in half by the wind blade. Their guts and shredded flesh painted the ground in a horrifying scene.
Similar tragedies repeated constantly.
A female disciple from a small sect slipped on a discarded talisman while dodging an attack, hitting a sound-wave strike and exploding into a cloud of blood.
"Useless!" The demon leader sneered coldly at the chaos behind, "If you're powerless, don't even bother showing up!"
Yuan Yingqi said nothing but his eyes were equally cold. In his view, these second-rate sect disciples were expendable. They couldn't help much anyway; their only use was to drain the wolf's energy.
The major sects' disciples tacitly shrank their formation, completely isolating the weaker sects.
The trapped disciples became living targets. Screams, cries, and pleas filled the air, but the major sects' disciples ignored them. Some even deliberately lured the wolf's attacks toward the weaker sects, using their lives to buy breathing room.
Xie Zhaolin watched coldly from the shadows. This was the cruel reality of the cultivation world—weaklings didn't even get the honor of being cannon fodder; they were simply slaughtered.
The wolf seemed to notice this and became even more vicious, focusing attacks on the defenseless disciples. The rear echelon became a scene of unending screams and carnage, like a living hell.
And while the wolf concentrated on slaughtering those weaker sect disciples, the major sects' disciples seized this perfect opportunity!