348: Kill

The five of them struck out boldly, their offensive as overwhelming as a thunderbolt. In an instant, the three Demon Race Cultivators were beaten into a disorganized mess, completely powerless to fight back.

To ensure a quick resolution and eliminate any variables, Crimson Sun Elder no longer held back. As the radiance in his palm surged, a black-and-white ring flew out from his storage ring—it was the Tianque Sect's guardian heaven-rank magic treasure, the "taiji yin-yang ring"!

Once this treasure was activated, it immediately hovered above Crimson Sun Elder's head. Black and white cyclones whistled and spiraled, releasing a majestic pressure as they complemented and countered each other.

The white cyclone condensed into substance, turning into a crystalline jade shield that caused ripples in the surrounding void; any Yao Race spells that touched the shield's surface had their power halved. The black cyclone coiled like an ink dragon, continuously surging into Crimson Sun Elder's palm, catalyzing his already overbearing fire Divine Ability into something even more terrifying.

Meanwhile, the Green-Robed Peak Master and the White-Bearded Peak Master did not delay for a moment either.

The Green-Robed Peak Master formed a hand seal, and a crystalline Jade Ruyi hovered in the air. Thousands of silver threads hung from the top of the Ruyi, covering the sky like an inescapable net as they trapped the black-robed demon Cultivator on the left; the White-Bearded Peak Master reached out and summoned an Ancient Bronze Mirror. The mirror's surface suddenly shone brilliantly, and a Moonlight Slash, condensed to the extreme, shot out through the air. Its edge was fully exposed as it slashed straight toward the black-robed demon Cultivator on the right with extreme speed.

"Boom!"

A muffled, thunderous roar echoed through the skies. Violent energy fluctuations swept out from the center of the battlefield, instantly tearing apart even the distant clouds.

Crimson Sun Elder's palm-fire Divine Ability, carrying the power of the taiji yin-yang ring's black cyclone, crashed into the burly demon Cultivator. Under this terrifying strike augmented by the power of a heaven-rank magic treasure, the demon Cultivator couldn't even let out a full scream before his massive body exploded into a spray of flesh and blood. A thick, pungent scent of blood drifted with the wind, permeating the air.

The black-robed demon Cultivator on the left was tightly bound by the silver threads hanging from the Jade Ruyi. His Spiritual Qi Meridians were instantly locked down, leaving him unable to even move a finger.

The Green-Robed Peak Master's eyes were cold. With a flick of his finger, the Jade Ruyi immediately erupted with a dazzling spiritual light. An invisible force pierced through the demon Cultivator's chest, shattering his heart and killing him on the spot. The black-robed demon Cultivator on the right was struck precisely in the head by the Moonlight Slash; his skull shattered, his Divine Soul was extinguished, and his corpse fell straight from the sky.

Within a few short breaths, the three core combatants of the Yao Race were all executed cleanly and efficiently, leaving no loose ends.

To the side, Daoist Gu Hong witnessed such thunderous methods, and his face instantly turned as pale as paper, devoid of all color.

How could this be? How could it be!

In just an instant, the situation had completely reversed; he had once again chosen the wrong side!

If he had been a moment more hesitant out of fear for his life just now, he might still have been able to concoct an excuse of being forced to join the Yao Race against his will, leaving a slim chance for survival. But now, it was all too late.

When the cold gazes of Crimson Sun Elder and the others landed on him simultaneously, Daoist Gu Hong trembled all over. No longer harboring any hope, he knelt in mid-air with a "thud" and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy:

"Fellow Daoists, spare my life! Seniors, spare my life!"

"I beg you all to consider how hard it was for me to cultivate for a thousand years and spare my dog's life! I am willing to have a Slave Seal engraved on my Divine Soul and serve you for the rest of my life to atone for my past sins!"

In this world, voluntarily having a Slave Seal engraved on one's Divine Soul was the ultimate sign of submission. It meant that from then on, one became a Puppet to be driven at the master's whim, with their life and death entirely in another's hands.

As a Void Refining Realm Cultivator, if Daoist Gu Hong were truly subdued, he would not only be a powerful asset in the future but could also serve as a shield in dangerous situations, perhaps allowing one to escape death by luck.

Chu Haotian's gaze was sharp as a blade as he said deeply, "You're dreaming!"

"Senior Crimson Sun Elder, do not be soft-hearted! He is clearly stalling for time, waiting for Yao Race reinforcements to arrive. He absolutely cannot be trusted!"

The flames in Crimson Sun Elder's palm still blazed. He turned and glared at Chu Haotian with a look of impatience, rebuking him harshly:

"I'm reminding you once more: it's not your place to tell me how to do things."

After speaking, he slowly turned his head, his gaze like a torch as it fell upon the trembling Daoist Gu Hong.

At this moment, the black and white cyclones of the taiji yin-yang ring still swirled around him, and the purple fire in his hand burned even more vigorously, the eerie light reflecting on his face.

"Spare you? We might agree, but how could the tens of thousands of Cultivators who died in Yaoshi City agree? When we go to the Ancestral Master Hall in the future and face the memorial tablets of our predecessors, how would we have the face to light a stick of incense for them?"

After thoroughly clearing the traces of the battlefield, the group did not dare to rest for a moment.

It was common knowledge that a Yao Race Cultivator had managed to escape to report back; the next battle could break out at any time.

Chu Haotian took out a healing Medicinal Pill and swallowed it, then immediately sat cross-legged with his eyes closed to regulate his breathing and repair his internal injuries as quickly as possible. Master Qing Xuan, holding his White Jade Brush with spiritual light flickering at the tip, continued to carve runes in the void to reinforce the Formation's defenses.

Crimson Sun Elder and the others looked up at the sky, seeing that four phantom suns had already formed, and a fifth phantom was slowly condensing.

By the look of it, once all nine phantom suns were condensed, they would form a massive defensive Formation capable of resisting ten thousand armies, just like in the southern territories.

In a moment, the fifth phantom sun in the sky became clearer, its halo flowing as it gradually solidified... "Ding—!"

Just then, a crisp sound like jade clashing suddenly cut through the sky, breaking the brief silence of the battlefield. The sound wasn't exactly piercing, but it carried a penetrative power that struck the Divine Souls of everyone present, making their hearts tremble.

Following that, an energy fluctuation far more majestic than before suddenly spread out from high above!

The energy was so strong that it caused visible ripples in the surrounding void, making one feel a slight chill down their spine.

The sudden turn of events caught Chu Haotian and the others off guard, their faces filled with alarm.

Master Qing Xuan was the first to snap back to his senses. He looked up toward the source of the energy fluctuation, his face full of horror as he cried out in shock:

"Senior Chen?!"

Everyone turned their heads at the sound, only to see a tall figure standing in the previously empty sky.

It was a woman dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, her dark hair fluttering in the wind to reveal her sharp neckline. Her beauty was cold and peerless, with a natural heroic air in the corners of her eyes and brows that was sharp and overbearing.

What was even more heart-palpitating was the faint aura surrounding her; though it seemed restrained, it was as steady as a deep abyss and as majestic as a mountain, as if any casual movement could stir the heavens and earth, making people feel awe and afraid to look directly at her.

Clearly, the soul-shaking Spiritual Qi fluctuation from before was caused by this woman.

Integration Realm!

Chu Haotian, Crimson Sun Elder, and the others all felt their hearts sink simultaneously. They instantly judged the other's cultivation Realm, and their expressions turned solemn.

A powerhouse of this level was already beyond their ability to contend with. Even with a heaven-rank magic treasure in hand, their chances of victory were extremely slim.

Chen Xuan raised his eyes and calmly looked at the woman in black. Floating before her were several long swords condensed from black water droplets, which were clearly the lethal weapons used in the sneak attack just now.

And these several Black Water Swords, which were meant to be certain kills, were currently being firmly blocked by the pale blue Spiritual Qi ripples generated by a suddenly appearing block card. The water swords vibrated violently, emitting a low hum as the sharp Sword Qi repeatedly struck the ripples, yet they were unable to advance a single step or even break a single ripple, left to be fruitlessly imprisoned in place.

Another block card consumed!