Chapter 116: Desperate Counterattack in the Abyss

Ahead! Hurry! They're not far away!

The Wan Family Descendants' shouts rang like death‑summoning talismans, exploding through the dense forest behind, drawing ever nearer.

Wang Shan and his two companions fled desperately, the shattered stones underfoot crackling with each step.

"Brother Wang, why do these guys keep hanging around!" Li Hu gasped while running, panting heavily, sweat beads rolling down his face, his voice full of grievance. He glanced back and cursed, "Damn it, they're more annoying than flies in a latrine!"

Zhang Mei pressed her lips tightly, her complexion turning a bit pale, yet she dared not slow her steps.

Wang Shan's expression was as still as water, his eyes swiftly scanning the surrounding terrain.

Their luck seemed spent; ahead, a massive Cleft Valley yawned, bottomless, its pitch‑black mouth like a beast's gaping maw, exuding an ominous aura.

"We're doomed!" Li Hu halted, staring at the Abyss before him, his face turning green, "Now... there's no way out!"

Steep stone walls rose on both sides of the Cleft Valley, nearly unclimbable; below, miasma churned, and faint, strange roars could be heard, sending chills up one's spine.

"Heaven leaves no dead end," Wang Shan judged quickly, "Go down! The terrain of this Cleft Valley is complex, the miasma can conceal us; perhaps we can find a chance!"

"Go down?" Li Hu glanced at the bottomless Cleft Valley, then at the pursuers drawing nearer behind, gritted his teeth, "Fine! It's better than being caught by those turtle‑brats!"

The three ceased hesitating, following a relatively gentle slope, they slipped cautiously toward the bottom of the Cleft Valley.

Just as they reached the valley floor, before they could steady themselves, Wan Tianjue's cold, smug voice echoed from above, "Hehe, Wang Shan kid, you refuse the path to heaven, yet you barge into hell without a gate! This 'Zang Long Abyss' is a spot I specially chose for you!"

Wang Shan looked up and saw Wan Tianjue accompanied by over ten elite Wan Family members and several ferocious beasts, appearing at the edge of the Cleft Valley, sealing off the only passage above them. Those beasts' eyes glinted with bloodlust, fangs bared, drool dripping.

"Old dog, don't get cocky!" Li Hu shouted upward, "If you have the skill, come down and battle grandpa for three hundred rounds!"

Wan Tianjue ignored Li Hu's shouting altogether, looking down from his height, his gaze as if staring at a corpse, fixed on Wang Shan: "Wang Shan, hand over the Beast Taming Sect's inheritance and the secret you carry, and I might grant you a quick end. Otherwise, hum, I'll make you taste the torment of Ten Thousand Beasts devouring your heart!"

"Pah!" Wang Shan spat, "Want it? Come down yourself and take it!"

"If you won't drink the toast, you'll drink the penalty!" Wan Tianjue's eyes flashed with murderous intent, "Attack! Life or death doesn't matter, but that kid's belongings must not be damaged a iota!"

"Roar!"

Several beasts received the order first, roaring as they lunged down the slope, a foul wind slamming their faces. The Wan Family Descendants also drew their Magic Artifacts, ready to strike.

"Li Hu, Zhang Mei, find cover!" Wang Shan barked low, simultaneously pulling several Talismans from his satchel, "Coordinate, don't brute force!"

"Understood!"

"Brother Wang, be careful!"

Li Hu let out a roar, hefting his heavy axe, taking a protruding rock as cover. Zhang Mei quickly retreated to a stone crevice, nocking an arrow, aiming at the diving beast.

Wang Shan's gaze was sharp; with a single step, his form darted like lightning through the jagged rocks of the valley floor. The Zang Long Abyss's terrain was indeed complex, filled with oddly shaped rocks and pillars, perfect for his evasive maneuvers.

"Swift!" he barked low, a Second-Stage Explosion Flame Talisman flew from his hand, streaking through the air, striking the face of the fastest leaping black‑fur beast wolf.

"Boom!"

The fireburst exploded, the beast wolf howled miserably, blown backward, half its fur singed.

"Well done, Brother Wang!" Li Hu shouted, seizing the moment another beast was distracted by the explosion, he surged from behind a rock, his heavy axe whistling, slashing fiercely at the beast's waist.

"Clack!"

A bone‑cracking sound rang out as the beast let out a wail and collapsed.

"I'm still here!" Zhang Mei called sweetly, her arrow streaking like a meteor, striking precisely the wrist of a Wan Family Descendant attempting to ambush Wang Shan's flank. The man cried out in pain, his Magic Artifact clanged to the ground.

Wan Tianjue, watching from above, turned a steel‑blue with anger, "Useless! A bunch of useless! Can't even take down three youngsters!"

He personally ordered, "Use the beasts to entangle that kid! Others, first eliminate those two assistants!"

Wang Shan felt the pressure surge. He noted that the beasts commanded by the Wan Family Cultivators moved in perfect sync, clearly specially trained. A flash of Spiritual Light sparked in his mind, his fingers swiftly forming a seal.

"Soul-Disturbing!"

An invisible rune silently coalesced; he aimed at a dazzling tiger about to pounce on Li Hu, snapped his finger, and the rune sank into the tiger's brow.

The tiger's forward charge abruptly stalled, a hint of confusion flashing in its eyes, then it let out a roar and turned to bite a nearby Wan Family Cultivator!

"Ah! Beast! You've gone mad!" the Wan Family Cultivator shouted, caught off guard as his own beast knocked him to the ground, his hands flailing in defense.

"Effective!" Wang Shan thought with pleasure.

He repeated the old trick, unleashing several Soul-Disturbing Runes in succession, while also deploying Second-Stage Ice Spike Talisman and Second-Stage Wind Blade Talisman.

For a moment, the scene grew chaotic. Several beasts suddenly turned their heads, attacking their own, or aimlessly circling in place, causing the Wan forces' assault to falter.

"What... what's happening?"

"Why won't my Rift Sky Eagle obey?"

The Wan Family Descendants' formation wavered slightly.

"Good chance!" Wang Shan seized the precious opening, advancing instead of retreating, a newly forged Second-Stage Thunderstorm Talisman in hand, his form ghost‑like as he charged toward a Wan Family Cultivator wielding a long whip.

"Thunder comes!"

The Talisman ignited, several arm‑thick electric serpents spiraled wildly, instantly enveloping the cultivator.

"Ah—!" Amid the scream, the cultivator's body turned blackened, convulsing as he fell.

"Brother Wang, majestic!" Li Hu watched, blood boiling, swinging his heavy axe with even greater vigor; each swing was powerful and heavy, forcing the opposing beasts to retreat repeatedly.

Zhang Mei's arrows grew ever more precise and ruthless, targeting beasts' eyes, throats, and other vital spots, or restraining those cultivators attempting to swarm Wang Shan.

Wan Tianjue wailed in fury, "A bunch of idiots! Hold steady! Hold steady! What kind of beast technique is that?" He stared intently at Wang Shan, a glint of greed in his eyes, "Disturbing beasts' minds? Indeed a Beast Taming Sect method! Excellent! Excellent! Today you'll find it impossible to fly!"

He clenched both hands sharply, muttering incantations, his surrounding Spiritual Power surged violently.

"Ten Thousand Beast Method — Beast Torrent!"

With a roar, above the Cleft Valley, the beasts he summoned seemed injected with adrenaline, eyes blood‑red, aura surging, several even reaching Second-Stage Peak! These beasts roared, fearlessly charging at the three of Wang Shan, their assault several times fiercer than before.

"Bad!" Wang Shan felt the pressure mount instantly. These Second-Stage Peak beasts, each extremely hard to handle, now appeared in multiple numbers.

He dodged while hurling Talismans at speed, but his Spiritual Power consumption spiked sharply. Soon, several blood‑streaked wounds appeared on his body, his clothes torn in many places, and his breathing grew heavy.

"Brother Wang!" Li Hu and Zhang Mei, seeing this, were extremely anxious.

"I'm fine!" Wang Shan gritted his teeth, persisting; he knew now was not the time for heroics, yet he could not retreat. His gaze never left Wan Tianjue suspended in the air.

That old bastard, when invoking the Ten Thousand Beast Method, seemed not without cost.

Wang Shan keenly sensed that whenever Wan Tianjue commanded the beasts to launch a fierce attack, or summoned a new illusory beast to aid the formation, the Spiritual Power surrounding him would momentarily become stagnant and chaotic; though extremely brief, it was indeed present!

"Exactly! Though the Ten Thousand Beast Method is powerful, it demands great consumption and control from the caster themselves!" Wang Shan thought firmly, "This is the flaw!"

He drew a deep breath, a flash of resolve passing through his eyes. Opportunity often comes only once.

"Li Hu, Zhang Mei, cover me!" Wang Shan shouted suddenly.

"Brother Wang, what are you going to do?" Li Hu asked urgently while deflecting a ferocious leopard's claw.

"To catch the thief, first capture the king!"

Wang Shan no longer hesitated; he deliberately slowed his movement a fraction. When a gigantic lizard beast swung its tail in a sweeping strike, he seemed unable to dodge, and with a "Puff!" sound, the scale‑covered tail struck his shoulder blade.

He let out a low groan, staggered backward several steps, a strand of fresh blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his complexion paling a few shades.

"Hahaha! Kid, you can't hold out, can you?" Wan Tianjue exclaimed at the sight, truly overjoyed, "Take him down for me!"

He thought Wang Shan was already at the end of his strength, a perfect moment to strike a fallen dog, and could not restrain himself. He personally propelled his body, diving from above like a hawk swooping on a rabbit, forming a massive Spiritual Power claw in his hand, aiming straight for Wang Shan's celestial spirit crown!

"Brother Wang!" Li Hu and Zhang Mei were horrified, their faces turning pale.

Wan Tianjue's speed was too fast; they had no time to intervene.

Watching Wan Tianjue draw ever nearer, his face twisted in a snarling, triumphant grin, a cold, bone‑piercing flash flickered beneath Wang Shan's lowered eyelids.

"Old dog, I've been waiting for you a long time!"

This is the opportunity he needed—a moment when Wan Tianjue thought he had succeeded and let his guard down!