Chapter 116: Bitter Victory

“Opportunity!” Ye Lingxi’s eyes flashed with sharp light; the Dragon Spear erupted in unprecedented radiance, piercing through the Yinglong’s inverted scale! The Yinglong let out a agonized roar as its dragon blood rained across the heavens.

Lu Wu seized the moment when Taotie was distracted, activating the Ten Thousand Thunder Prison, temporarily trapping Taotie; the Lei Di Slash followed instantly, nearly splitting it in two!

Ye Qing’s shattered divine form restored itself, its aura surpassing even its previous peak—two strikes had inflicted severe wounds upon them!

The two newly elevated Saints also grew bolder with each clash, joining forces to drive the Zhuhuai back step by step!

On the battlefield of the Semi-Saints and Sovereigns, the human forces likewise surged with renewed spirit, launching a counterattack!

Jiang Xia felt the warmth and resonance emanating from the Jade Seal within his body, along with the reinforcement granted by the Mountain-Sea Order—his left eye’s Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan power surged dramatically.

“Susanoo: Complete Form! Kagutsuchi: Yata no Kagami!”

The Complete Form Susanoo descended once more—this time, instead of a flame-blade, it held three massive hooks entwined in black Amaterasu flames!

“Go!”

The three hooks shot out in a triangular formation, carving strange arcs through the air before striking with pinpoint accuracy a Disaster-Level Peak Crack-Sky Rhinoceros that was furiously charging the line!

At the moment of impact, Amaterasu flames erupted in furious combustion; the internal repelling and attracting forces exploded, forming a twisted field of force that tore and incinerated the monstrous beast—famed for its strength and defense—into nothingness!

This strike drained nearly all of Jiang Xia’s remaining ocular power and spiritual energy, yet the devastation he wrought greatly boosted the morale of the defenders at the breach!

“Old Xia, Itachi’re awesome!” Wang Teng shouted hoarsely.

The tide of counterattack began. Amid the lingering reinforcement of the Mountain-Sea Order and the desperate valor of the human soldiers, the beast tide was gradually contained, and the high-rank demonic beasts began to be slain one by one.

“Damn it! We were just one step away from annihilating them! Why did this damned Mountain-Sea Order suddenly restore itself!” Di Jiang roared in frustration.

Qiongqi was even angrier: “Lu Wu, that damned bastard, refused orders! If he’d joined us, the humans would’ve been broken long ago!”

“Enough talk—retreat!” In the end, accompanied by the Yinglong’s final, resentful roar, the five demonic Saints, grievously wounded, tore through space and vanished.

The remaining Semi-Saints and Disaster-Level demonic beasts retreated like a receding tide, leaving behind mountains of corpses scattered across the land.

A bitter victory!

When the last demonic beast disappeared beyond the horizon, the surviving defenders collapsed, utterly drained.

No one cheered—only the ragged breaths of survivors, and silent grief as they gazed upon the corpses of their comrades.

The mist cleared; sunlight bathed the ruined battlefield, illuminating blood and charred earth, and also the towering, battered yet still standing Shanhai Pass.

Shanhai Pass held.

But the cost was the lives of countless brave warriors, the fall of innumerable Wang Hou and multiple Semi-Saints and Sovereigns, and severe injuries to three Saints.

Jiang Xia leaned on the Kusanagi Sword, standing amidst a sea of corpses and blood, gazing at the hellish scene before him, at his comrades, battered and broken beside him.

His heart held no joy of victory, no craving for greater power.

This war had made him understand fully: in this perilous world, only strength could protect what one wished to protect.

Without strength, even with system enhancements, one was but an ant beneath the might of a Saint.

Wang Teng plopped down beside him, leaning against the cold wall, staring at the sky, murmuring: “Old Xia… we made it.”

Ye Lingxi walked silently to Jiang Xia’s side, offering him a bottle of water, her cold eyes shadowed with unmistakable exhaustion.

Jiang Xia took the water, gulped it down, and gazed toward the distant, still fog-shrouded lands beyond the pass.

“Yeah… we made it,” he said softly, his tone unreadable.

{Thank Itachi to all readers who have supported "Watching Snow." But I’ve realized recently that the recent chapters have been too watered down, with too much repetition of earlier plot points. As this is my first novel, I wrote freely without structure, leading to inconsistencies. I’m truly sorry to those loyal readers who’ve stuck with me. I’m already planning my next book—I’ll prepare thoroughly before releasing it. I’ll still finish this one, but I won’t extend the plot further: after Jiang Xia breaks through to Godhood and repels the demonic beasts, it will end. There are roughly another 100,000 words left. Thank Itachi all so much for your support.}