Chapter 210: Ripples Begin

A sinister aura surged forth like a tide, instantly shattering the tranquility of the valley. Zhang Cheng and the others looked up alertly, only to see a dense, black cloud layer appear in the sky, within which faint blood-red bolts of lightning flickered, radiating a heart-palpitating fluctuation of power.

"Hahaha, my reinforcements have arrived—just wait and die!" The Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family threw his head back and laughed, his voice filled with madness and triumph.

Soon, the black clouds dispersed, and a group of ferocious-looking creatures appeared before everyone. They wore black armor and wielded various weapons, each radiating a thick, nauseating evil aura.

"Elite warriors of the Blood Night Demon Family!" The Long Xing Sage frowned deeply and said in a low voice, "It seems they intend to eliminate us at any cost."

"Hmph, these scum think they can stand against us?" Mo Yi gave a cold snort, his golden eyes filled with disdain. "Brother Zhang Cheng, step back—let us deal with these fellows!"

"That's right, Brother Zhang Cheng, your task right now is to raise your strength as quickly as possible. Leave these fellows to us!" Xiao Dian also said in a muffled voice, his burly frame blocking in front of Zhang Cheng like an insurmountable mountain peak.

Zhang Cheng looked at them with gratitude. He knew that now was not the time to show off bravado. Only by raising his strength as quickly as possible could he truly help them and thoroughly shatter the Blood Night Demon Family's conspiracy.

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you!" Zhang Cheng took a deep breath, retreated a few steps, sat down cross-legged, and prepared to begin cultivating.

"Kill!" Under the Envoy's command, the Blood Night Demon Family's reinforcements surged toward Zhang Cheng and the others like a tide. A bloody battle was on the verge of breaking out.

Mo Yi and Xiao Dian exchanged a glance and charged forward without the slightest fear. Golden sword light and forceful fist shadows intertwined, sending the several Blood Night Demon Family warriors at the very front flying.

The Long Xing Sage, meanwhile, formed hand seals and cast powerful spells, enveloping large swaths of enemies within them. For a time, shouts of killing, screams of agony, and the booming of spells reverberated throughout the entire valley, deafening to the ears.

However, the Blood Night Demon Family's reinforcements were numerous, and every one of them fought fearlessly to the death. The battle quickly fell into a stalemate. Just then, the Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family suddenly let out a shrill screech. His body rapidly transformed, turning into a giant blood-colored bat that dove toward Zhang Cheng's direction.

"Not good!" The Long Xing Sage's expression changed drastically. He wanted to stop it, but it was already too late.

"Brother Zhang Cheng, careful!" Mo Yi and Xiao Dian also noticed this scene and shouted anxiously.

The blood-colored bat carried an ear-piercing sound of tearing air and arrived before Zhang Cheng in the blink of an eye. It opened its bloody maw, baring sharp fangs, and bit down viciously at Zhang Cheng...

A foul, bloody stench rushed at his face, and Zhang Cheng could even feel the viscous liquid dripping from those sharp fangs. In the nick of time, a formless power enveloped him and yanked him sharply backward. The blood-colored bat missed and let out an angry shriek, circling in the air as it waited for an opportunity to strike.

"Brother Zhang Cheng, are you alright?" Mo Yi and Xiao Dian asked anxiously, the veins on their weapon-gripping hands bulging. They were already prepared to fight again.

Zhang Cheng shook his head, steadied his stance, and looked at the blood-colored bat in the air with resolute eyes. He said in a low voice, "I'm fine, thank you." He could sense that it was that mysterious power that had saved him—a power both warm and mighty, as if it had been protecting him in secret all along.

"Hehe, how interesting." The Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family reverted to human form, licked his lips, and fixed his cold gaze on Zhang Cheng. "Kid, you actually managed to dodge my attack. It seems you really do have some secrets on you."

"Enough nonsense—use whatever moves you've got!" Mo Yi roared, golden eyes burning with blazing fury. With a sweep of the longsword in his hand, a fierce sword qi shot straight toward the Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family.

"Overestimating yourself!" The Envoy gave a cold snort, his figure flashing as he easily dodged Mo Yi's attack. At the same time, a black longblade appeared in his hand, its edge glinting with a chilling cold light.

Seeing this, Xiao Dian let out a great roar, swinging his massive fists and charging at the Envoy with a mountain-toppling momentum, wanting to force him back. However, the Envoy merely sneered, his figure moving like a phantom as he wove through Xiao Dian's attacks. Every swing of the black longblade trailed a streak of blood-red light, leaving deep wounds on Xiao Dian's body.

"Damn it!" Xiao Dian roared repeatedly, but could do nothing about the Envoy. Though his attacks were powerful, his speed was far inferior to the Envoy's, and he was instead checked at every turn.

"Hahaha, you trash actually think you can stand against me?" The Envoy laughed arrogantly while effortlessly dodging Mo Yi and Xiao Dian's attacks. "Today, all of you will die right here!"

Zhang Cheng watched the scene before him, his heart tightening. He knew he could no longer stand idly by. He had to master that mysterious power as quickly as possible to truly help Mo Yi and Xiao Dian, and to defeat the powerful enemy.

He closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and strove to sense the presence of that power. Gradually, he felt a warm current flowing within his body. The current grew stronger and stronger, ultimately converging between his hands to form a dazzling orb of light.

"What is this?" The Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family noticed the change in Zhang Cheng. He frowned slightly, a thread of unease suddenly rising in his heart.

Zhang Cheng opened his eyes, his gaze filled with resolve and confidence. He slowly raised his hands and thrust the orb of light toward the sky. The light grew ever more dazzling, finally transforming into a pillar of light that shot into the heavens, illuminating the entire valley.

At the same time, a powerful pressure descended from above, enveloping the entire battlefield...

The Long Xing Sage had been watching the battle with a cold eye. He had not rushed to act, because he wanted to see Zhang Cheng's potential—to see whether he could truly become the hope that would save this world. However, when he saw the light Zhang Cheng released, his expression changed, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

The dazzling light was like fireworks suddenly blooming in the night sky, illuminating every corner of the valley and also illuminating the Long Xing Sage's weathered face. A trace of astonishment flashed through his deep eyes, and then his brows locked tightly together.

"This power... impossible!" the Long Xing Sage murmured in a low voice, his tone filled with disbelief. "Could the prophecy be true? Could he really be..."

Before he could think further, an even colder, more sinister aura came from the valley entrance. Over a dozen figures clad in black cloaks appeared there soundlessly, each radiating a suffocating pressure.

"Hahaha, it seems I've arrived right on time!" The Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family threw his head back and laughed, his eyes glinting with greedy light. "Kid, the secrets on your body—I will definitely obtain them today!"

As soon as his words fell, those black-clad figures swiftly dispersed, surrounding Zhang Cheng and the others completely. Each of them held a weapon that glinted with cold light, their eyes flickering with bloodthirsty, murderous intent, like a pack of hungry wolves waiting for the moment to tear their prey to shreds.

"Careful!" Mo Yi warned in a low voice, his golden eyes filled with vigilance. He gripped his longsword tightly, ready for battle.

Xiao Dian also wore a grim expression, shielding Zhang Cheng behind him, and said in a low voice, "Brother Zhang Cheng, rest assured—even if I have to risk my life, I will protect your safety."

Zhang Cheng nodded, looking at the surrounding enemies with resolute eyes. He knew that a fierce battle was unavoidable, and that he had to master that mysterious power as quickly as possible to protect himself and his friends, and to defeat the powerful foes before him.

"Attack!" At the Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family's command, those black-clad figures charged toward Zhang Cheng and the others like arrows loosed from a bow. They coordinated flawlessly, their offensives fierce, every move and every strike aimed straight at vital points—clearly well-trained elite warriors.

Mo Yi and Xiao Dian fought hard to resist, but facing enemies several times their number, they soon fell to a disadvantage. Xiao Dian was wounded in multiple places, his clothes soaked red with blood; though Mo Yi could still barely hold on, his stamina was already exhausted, and he was on the verge of collapsing.

"Hahaha, all of you go to hell!" The Envoy of the Blood Night Demon Family laughed wildly, the black longblade in his hand transforming into streaks of afterimages, forcing Mo Yi and Xiao Dian to retreat step by step.

At this critical juncture, Zhang Cheng moved. He took a fierce step forward, raised both hands high, and let out a deafening roar.

"Stop!"

A formless power, like a volcanic eruption, surged forth from within his body...