154: Chapter 154 The Meat Grinder

The Disciple nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with gratitude and fear.

The two continued forward.

On the battlefield, there are no heroes, only survivors.

Li Changsheng saw with his own eyes a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Senior Brother from the Jinyang Sect being besieged by three demonic cultivators, eventually falling from exhaustion.

Before he died, he reversed his Meridians and self-detonated, perishing together with those two demonic cultivators.

He also saw a fellow Disciple from the Qinglan Sword Sect who had just slain an enemy and hadn't even had time to catch his breath before being run through by an attacker from behind.

He even saw a group of young Qi Refining Stage Disciples being slaughtered by demonic cultivators like vegetables on a chopping block.

They didn't even have the power to fight back; they could only scream in despair, run, and then fall.

War really is a meat grinder.

Li Changsheng gritted his teeth, killing one by one with his sword.

His clothes were already soaked in blood—some his own, some the enemy's.

Several more wounds had been added to his body, some so deep that bone was visible.

Most of his spiritual energy was depleted, and every swing of his sword began to feel strained.

But he did not stop.

Because he knew that stopping meant death.

Beside him, the young Disciple he had saved had also picked up a sword and was following behind him, fighting together.

Although he was still afraid, at least he was no longer paralyzed with fear.

"Senior Brother, over there!"

He suddenly shouted, pointing in a certain direction.

Li Changsheng looked in the direction he pointed and saw a group of demonic cultivators frantically attacking a grand hall.

The doors of the hall had already been smashed open, and the screams of women and cries of despair echoed from within.

That was the area where the female Disciples of the Jinyang Sect resided.

Li Changsheng did not hesitate; he swallowed a Medicinal Pill and then charged straight over.

At the entrance of the hall, several demonic cultivators were rushing inside with sinister grins.

They were covered in blood, their eyes full of madness and greed.

Li Changsheng pierced one with his sword and sent another flying with a punch!

The other demonic cultivators reacted and turned to pounce on him!

A chaotic melee broke out once again!

Ten moves, twenty moves, thirty moves—

By the time the last demonic cultivator fell, Li Changsheng could barely stand.

He leaned on his sword, gasping for breath; fortunately, he had the supplement from the pill earlier, otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.

A trembling voice came from behind him.

"T-thank you, benefactor..."

He turned his head and saw several female Disciples with disheveled clothing huddling in a corner, their faces covered in tears, eyes filled with fear and gratitude.

Li Changsheng shook his head without speaking.

He turned and continued forward.

Behind him, the young Disciple caught up and asked in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, won't you... won't you take a rest?"

Li Changsheng did not look back.

"There's no time," he said.

In the distance, the sounds of slaughter continued.

Flames soared into the sky, illuminating the entire night.

The battle lasted for the entire night.

When the first light of dawn appeared in the east, the sounds of fighting in front of the Jinyang Sect's mountain gate finally began to subside.

The Demonic Cult Alliance's offensive was temporarily repelled. The surviving Disciples gathered in small groups; some were bandaging wounds, some were collecting the bodies of their companions, and others sat paralyzed on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.

Li Changsheng leaned against a broken stone tablet, gasping for breath.

Several more wounds had been added to his body, but none were fatal.

The spiritual energy in his body had bottomed out; he fished out his last peiyuan pill, popped it into his mouth, and barely managed to replenish a bit.

The young Disciple he had saved was named Zhao Qian.

At this moment, he was squatting beside him, his face still pale, but at least he was no longer shaking.

"Senior Brother,"

he asked softly.

"Did we... did we win?"

Li Changsheng shook his head without speaking.

Win?

He was just alive.

That was all.

In the distance, a violent roar suddenly came from the sky.

Everyone looked up at the same time.

High in the sky, several figures were engaged in a fierce battle.

Sword Qi crisscrossed, Spells flew everywhere, and every collision erupted with a world-shaking boom.

That was a battle of the Nascent Soul Stage.

True Lord Three Swords, the Jinyang Sect Master, the Qingxin Pavilion Elder Matriarch Pavilion Master, and two other Nascent Soul Cultivators were fighting together against the Blood Fiend Sect's Elder Xue Yu, the Blood Fiend Sect's Grand Elder Ancestor Xue Ming, the Blood Fiend Sect Master Ancestor Xue Sha, and two other demonic Nascent Souls.

Ten Nascent Soul figures shuttled through the clouds, sometimes soaring into the sky and sometimes diving down, fighting until the world turned dark.

"Nascent Soul Stage..."

Zhao Qian murmured, his eyes full of awe.

Li Changsheng didn't speak, just watched quietly.

He couldn't intervene in a battle of that level, and he didn't even dare to get close.

Just the stray shockwaves were enough to tear him to pieces.

All he could do now was guard his own small patch of ground.

Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from behind.

Li Changsheng turned back and saw a Golden Core Elder from the Jinyang Sect hurriedly approaching with a group of Disciples.

The Elder's face was covered in blood, and his expression was anxious as he shouted in this direction.

"Fellow Daoists of the Qinglan Sword Sect!"

"The demonic cult is charging up from the eastern flank again! Quickly send reinforcements!"

Li Changsheng's heart tightened. He was about to stand up when he saw a Golden Core Elder from the Qinglan Sword Sect in his own camp suddenly raise a hand.

"Hold on."

He was a gaunt middle-aged man, at the Middle Golden Core stage, surnamed Gao, and one of the vice-commanders of this reinforcement army.

His eyes flickered at this moment as he stared at a spot behind the Jinyang Sect Elder.

Li Changsheng followed his gaze and saw the corpse of a black-clothed man lying in the ruins.

Hanging from the waist of the corpse was a faintly glowing Storage Pouch.

The aura of the Nascent Soul Stage.

That man in black was actually a Nascent Soul Cultivator!

Although he was dead, his Storage Pouch...

A hint of greed flashed in Elder Gao's eyes, and he said in a heavy voice.

"Senior Brother Chen is guarding the eastern defense line; it won't be in danger for a while. I'll go over there and take a look first."

He pointed in the direction of the black-clothed man's corpse.

The Jinyang Sect Elder's expression changed.

"Fellow Daoist Gao! The east is in critical danger, how can you..."

"I said, it won't be in danger for a while."

Elder Gao interrupted him, his tone somewhat impatient.

"I'll be right back."

After saying that, his figure flashed as he flew toward the black-clothed man's corpse.

The Jinyang Sect Elder's face turned ashen. He wanted to stop him but was pulled back by the Disciples beside him.

"Elder, he's from the Qinglan Sword Sect..."

The Elder gritted his teeth, stomped his foot hard, and turned to charge toward the eastern side.

Watching this scene, a wave of unspeakable emotion welled up in Li Changsheng's heart.

A Nascent Soul Cultivator's Storage Pouch was indeed precious.

But to disregard the defense line for a Storage Pouch...

He shook his head and said nothing.

He was just a minor Foundation Establishment Initial Stage Disciple, with no right to lecture a Golden Core Elder.

A moment later, the sounds of intense slaughter came from the east.

The Jinyang Sect Elder led his Disciples in a desperate resistance, but without Elder Gao's support, they quickly fell into a disadvantage.

One Disciple after another fell, and screams continued to ring out.

Li Changsheng gripped his sword hilt tightly, wanting to charge over several times, but ultimately he did not move.

"Elder Gao hasn't returned yet."

"If I charge over alone, I won't be able to save anyone; I'll only be throwing my life away for nothing."

Li Changsheng watched the battle on the field; seeing those Jinyang Sect Disciples fall one by one, he also felt helpless.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Elder Gao finally returned.

He had a satisfied smile on his face, and the Storage Pouch at his waist now contained the items left behind by that man in black.

But the eastern defense line had already fallen.

The Jinyang Sect Elder was covered in blood as he staggered back. Seeing Elder Gao, his eyes almost spat fire.

"Fellow Daoist Gao!"

he roared.

"Do you know how many Disciples I've lost?!"

Elder Gao's brow furrowed, and he said indifferently.

"If Disciples are lost, just recruit more."

"That Storage Pouch contained a Nascent Soul Stage Legacy; its value is immeasurable."

"You, you!"

The Jinyang Sect Elder trembled with rage, his hand on his sword hilt, appearing as if he might draw his sword at any moment.

Elder Gao also cooled his expression, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

The two faced off, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.

The surrounding Disciples looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

Li Changsheng stood in the crowd, watching this scene with mixed emotions.