548: Chapter 548 Fighting to the death, but it was all too late.

The army of the Righteous Path Alliance began to move forward, surging from the mountain path like a tide.

The first to charge were Disciples from several small Sects; their Cultivation wasn't high, but they had strength in numbers, a dense black mass raising various Magical Artifacts with earth-shattering battle cries.

Yun Hezi stood at the very front, gripping his sword with both hands without any intention of retreating—if he had defended the mountain gate like this back then, would Xu Ruyu still have left them to face so many powerful enemies alone?

Unfortunately, some things, once they have set down the path of betrayal, can never return to how they were.

Behind Yun Hezi, Qingfengzi and Mingyuezi stood to his left and right, followed by over a hundred Disciples; some held swords, some held sabers, and some were empty-handed, but everyone's hands were trembling.

"Kill! In life, we belong to the Hehuan Sect, and in death, we are ghosts of the Hehuan Sect."

"Today is the day we sacrifice our lives for the cause."

The first Disciple to charge up was sent flying by a strike from Yun Hezi's sword.

The man flipped twice in the air before crashing to the ground, a bone-deep wound on his chest gushing blood.

But more people surged forward, as if they could never be fully slaughtered.

Yun Hezi struck again and again, each sword blow taking a life.

His sword techniques were fierce and his strikes ruthless; after all, with his Early Stage of Tribulation Transcendence Cultivation, those Golden Core Stage and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were simply no match for him.

But there were too many people from the Righteous Path Alliance, continuously swarming from the mountain path like locusts.

For every one he killed, two more came; for every two he killed, four appeared.

Qingfengzi and Mingyuezi also fought with bloodshot eyes.

Qingfengzi's longsword pierced the throat of a Tianxuan Sect Disciple; the man's eyes widened, unable to believe he had died just like that.

Mingyuezi sent an Ice Spirit Palace Disciple flying with a palm strike; the person crashed into a stone wall, their head shattering and blood splashing across the ground.

The Disciples were also fighting desperately.

Some had their arms hacked off yet still charged forward gripping a Magical Artifact with their other hand; some had their bellies pierced and their intestines spilling out yet still swung their swords frantically; some were covered in blood, unable to tell if it was their own or the enemy's, yet still roared as they charged.

But they were too few.

Over a hundred Disciples facing an army of thousands from the Righteous Path Alliance was like throwing a few stones into a great river—they kicked up a few splashes and then were gone.

While fighting, Yun Hezi shouted, "Don't retreat! No one retreat!"

"Sect Leader Xu will come to save us as we fight for our lives! He will see it! He will see us fighting with everything we have, and he will come to save us!"

His voice was faint amidst the din of battle, but the Disciples all heard it.

They gritted their teeth and continued to charge.

They believed Yun Hezi's words—as long as they defended this place to the death, Xu Ruyu would surely come to save them.

Qingfengzi was struck in the chest by a Nascent Soul Peak Cultivator's palm, spitting out a mouthful of blood and stumbling back several steps.

He steadied himself and charged back in.

Mingyuezi's sword broke, so he snatched an enemy's saber and continued hacking away.

The Disciples fell one after another; some died on the spot, some were still struggling, and some no longer even had the strength to struggle.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passed.

Bodies lay scattered in all directions on the ground before the mountain gate, belonging to both the Righteous Path Alliance and the Hehuan Sect traitors.

Blood flowed across the ground, gathering into small streams that trickled down the stone steps.

The air was thick with the heavy scent of blood, making one want to cough.

Yun Hezi was covered in blood, both the enemy's and his own.

A gash had been cut into his left arm, the flesh torn open to reveal the bone beneath.

His right leg had also been pierced by a sword, causing a piercing pain with every step he took.

He stood amidst the pile of corpses, gasping for breath.

Beside him, Qingfengzi and Mingyuezi were also panting, their bodies covered in wounds.

Behind them, fewer than thirty Disciples remained standing.

The mountain gate of the Hehuan Sect was not far away, the bloodstains on the stone steps not yet dry.

But inside the mountain gate, there was only silence; no reinforcements, no sound, no sign of anyone coming out.

Yun Hezi's heart sank bit by bit.

"Hold on a little longer!" He gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse. "Sect Leader Xu will come! He will definitely come!"

Another group of Righteous Path Alliance Cultivators charged up.

This time, the leader was not a Nascent Soul Peak Cultivator, but an old man in the Early Saint Realm.

He wore the Elder's robes of the Tianxuan Sect and held a shimmering golden longsword, his Aura as majestic as a rainbow.

"Traitors of the Hehuan Sect, die!"

The old man struck with his sword, the Sword Qi fierce and accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

Yun Hezi raised his sword to block, but was shaken back several steps; the web of his thumb split open, and blood flowed down the hilt.

His sword now had a notch, and the blade hummed as if it might shatter at any moment.

His face was as pale as paper, his blood and Qi churning; a mouthful of blood rose to his throat, but he forced himself to swallow it back down.

Qingfengzi rushed forward to help him block the second strike, but was hit in the shoulder by the old man's palm; he was sent flying and crashed to the ground, spitting out blood and unable to get back up.

Mingyuezi tried to go to his aid but was slashed by a Righteous Path Alliance Disciple; the flesh on his back was torn open, and blood gushed like a fountain.

"Retreat!" Yun Hezi finally shouted the word. "Retreat into the mountain gate!"

He turned and ran toward the mountain gate.

Qingfengzi was supported by two Disciples, while Mingyuezi stumbled along behind them.

The remaining few dozen Disciples also turned and ran toward the mountain gate.

The Righteous Path Alliance pursued relentlessly, their battle cries exploding behind them.

Yun Hezi rushed to the front of the mountain gate and stepped onto the stone stairs, about to cross inside.

Then, a silvery-white light suddenly flared up.