Chapter 356: The Tide of Death-Servants

"Oh no, the Mountain Protection Array has just been breached!"

Great Elder Lv Hong looked stunned, silently clenching his fists, "The Mountain Protection Array was set up by the four of us elders together. To reach the Taiyi Sect, one must pass through the array, and there are only two ways to do so. One is like you, Sect Master, utilizing the patterns of the array to slip inside; we wouldn't even notice that method.

But the other way is violent destruction. I have already sensed it, and I imagine the three of them have felt it too. Zanpu Dunzhu has finally come again!"

Lv Hong's face turned pale, then flushed: "To be able to violently break through the Mountain Protection Array, one must be at least at the Heavenly Master Realm. But Zanpu Dunzhu was already at that level a hundred years ago, and now... it seems the Taiyi Sect is destined for another calamity!"

"It is of no concern."

Chen Che said: "Since I am here, I will not let him succeed. No matter the outcome of this battle, I will stand guard until the very end."

Great Elder Lv Hong looked moved: "With the Sect Master here, the Taiyi Sect will surely give its all and fight to the death!"

"Great Elder, go quickly and organize the disciples to resist the enemy," Chen Che instructed.

"Understood!"

The Great Elder bowed to Chen Che and then vanished into the Lotus Cave.

Chen Che turned his head to look at Yang Simin. Yang Simin's body shuddered, and she subconsciously took a step back, guarding herself: "What are you doing?!"

"You are only at the Earth Master Great Perfection realm, and that is only thanks to the Heavenly Book's Seal; your realm is not stable. Zanpu Dunzhu is likely at the Heavenly Master Great Perfection realm, and there is no telling what strange techniques he possesses. So, if he comes to capture you, you will certainly not be able to escape."

"What exactly are you trying to say?!"

"My meaning is, even if you show me the Heavenly Book now, there is no time to comprehend it. Therefore, the safest way is for you to transfer the Heavenly Book to me. That way, Zanpu Dunzhu's target will shift to me, and you can save your life."

"Don't even think about it!"

Yang Simin's cheeks flushed red: "I hate you, I will not engage in dual cultivation with you!"

Chen Che looked at Yang Simin: "Then there is no other way."

"Ah! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

………

Night fell, the stars hidden behind thick layers of clouds. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, dappling this sacred and beautiful mountain peak, yet it illuminated groups of discordant, twisted figures.

They were like cursed spirits, their skin pale, eye sockets sunken, with eerie green ghost-fire burning in their hollow orbits.

These monsters were once human, but now they had become messengers of the devil, carrying death and terror as they charged toward the Taiyi Sect, wishing to drown it in a tide of death-servants.

The high walls of the Taiyi Sect appeared exceptionally isolated in the night, like a lonely island in the vast ocean, while the death-servants were like a surging tide, crashing against this final line of defense wave after wave.

Their roars tore through the silence of the night, like a call from hell, echoing in the empty valley and making one's blood run cold.

The once tranquil Taiyi Sect was now filled with the sounds of slaughter, the clanging of weapons, and the wails of wounded disciples.

The disciples within the sect gripped their weapons tightly, their faces etched with determination.

They knew that once these monsters breached the defense line, endless darkness and suffering awaited them.

The light emitted by their True Qi flickered like flames in the wind, reflecting their firm yet fearful faces. Sweat and blood mixed together, sliding down their foreheads and dripping onto the cold stone floor.

The death-servants climbed the high walls regardless of the cost, their nails sharp as knives, leaving deep gouges on the stone walls with every scratch.

Some high-realm death-servants were even able to release True Qi attacks, causing the defensive array on the walls to emit ear-piercing wails as its light gradually dimmed.

Battles erupted in every corner; the sounds of metal clashing against flesh, screams, and curses intertwined to form a symphony of death.

The Taiyi Sect disciples swung their blades, every strike carrying a longing for survival and a fear of death.

And those death-servants were already dead; they knew no pain, no fatigue, only endless attacking and biting.

The air was filled with the smell of blood and scorching, the firelight reflecting this tragic battle, each flicker of the flames seemingly telling of the fragility and despair of life.

The sect disciples stood back-to-back, forming small fighting circles; they knew that only by uniting as one could they possibly find a glimmer of hope in this terrifying night.

However, as time passed, the number of monsters seemed endless, while the strength of the sect disciples was gradually being exhausted.

Every swing of a sword was heavier than the last; every breath was more rapid than the one before.

Despair began to show in their eyes, but even so, the blades in their hands did not stop, for they knew that to give up meant the end of their lives.

"Everyone, fall back!"

Second Elder Shi Ning rushed out of the crowd and shouted, and the disciples quickly retreated and scattered. At the same time, the Second Elder struck out with a palm that carried the force of a landslide.

The giant palm of True Qi swept through like a gale, smashing the charging group of death-servants into fragments.

However, more death-servants followed in succession, launching even more violent attacks.

The Third Elder darted out from behind the Second Elder, countless chains of True Qi intercepting the death-servants, and the Fourth Elder, timing it perfectly, flicked his finger in tacit understanding.

The power of the Heavenly Master Realm was unleashed to its maximum in an instant; under that single finger, the death-servants intercepted by the iron chains were all annihilated.

"Pfft!"

The Fourth Elder spat out a mouthful of blood, and the Third Elder immediately used his chains to pull him to the rear.

"Junior brother, are you alright?" the Second Elder approached and asked with concern.

The Fourth Elder shook his head: "It is nothing."

"There are too many of them, and their strength is growing!"

The Third Elder also retreated and said: "This is the method Zanpu Dunzhu used back then. The higher the realm a person had before becoming a death-servant, the stronger they become, and I clearly notice that each wave is more troublesome than the last!"

The Second Elder thought of his disciples Chai Jing and Adili, punched the ground, and said viciously: "Zanpu Dunzhu, he really has returned!"

"Dong!"

"Weng~~"

A Golden Great Bell descended from the sky, and another wave of the death-servant tide was repelled.

Great Elder Lv Hong descended from the sky, handed the unconscious Adili to Second Elder Shi Ning, and said: "Do not blame him; he was controlled by Zanpu Dunzhu."

"Senior brother, what exactly is going on?"

The Third Elder asked.

"It is not something that can be explained in a few words. In short, Zanpu Dunzhu has returned, and he already knows that the Heavenly Book is sealed within the Saintess."

The Great Elder looked ahead, where another wave of death-servants was charging over: "Now that the Saintess is with the Sect Master, what we must do is guard the Taiyi Sect well; we must never let the Heavenly Book fall into his hands."

"Then what are we waiting for? The Taiyi Sect is no longer a group of dragons without a head like it was a hundred years ago. Although the Sect Master is young, his realm and strength are not below the four of us. With him protecting the Saintess, we can focus all our efforts on the battle."

"That's right, we won a hundred years ago, and we can do the same now!"

"Senior Brother, the four of us together, use the Binding Dragon Stabilizing Sea Array!"

The Great Elder's gaze turned stern: "Activate the array!"

………

Chen Che carried Yang Simin out of the Lotus Cave, leaping and darting across the roof of the main hall as if searching for someone.

Finally, amidst the intense slaughter in the plaza, Chen Che caught sight of Xie Wanning.

Xie Wanning was fighting four opponents alone and was gradually losing ground; the four death warriors struck in unison, and unable to block in time, Xie Wanning took a palm strike to both her shoulder and lower abdomen, her figure sent flying backward.

Just as she was about to crash into the stone wall, Chen Che flashed over, grabbed her slender waist, and after a few swift leaps, vanished from the plaza.

Chen Che arrived at the back mountain, set both women down from his shoulders, and used the Ghost Gate Needle to treat Xie Wanning's injuries.

Xie Wanning was not seriously injured; after circulating her True Qi a few times, she was nearly recovered, and she turned her head to look at Yang Simin beside her.

Xie Wanning noticed two Ghost Gate Needles stuck in Yang Simin's chest, her entire body stiff, unable to move anything except her eyebrows.

Xie Wanning knew everything about Chen Che's experiences, so she naturally recognized Yang Simin.

"Why is she here? And what are those monsters? How could they suddenly attack the Taiyi Sect? Do you know something?"

Xie Wanning looked at Chen Che, who was focused on treating her, and asked.

Chen Che put away the Ghost Gate Needle and said, "There's no time to explain in detail, Senior Sister, hurry and take off your clothes."

Xie Wanning was stunned, a blush rapidly spreading across her cheeks, thinking she had misheard: "What did you say?!"

"Hurry and take them off, or it will be too late!"

Chen Che urged Xie Wanning, then stood up to remove Yang Simin's clothes.

Yang Simin's eyes widened, her face instantly turning as red as a cherry; she was both ashamed and angry, but unable to move, she could only glare at Chen Che with a murderous gaze.

………