Chapter 124

Several beams of light surged forth together, piercing all obstacles in their path. Nie Xing unleashed the Dragon-Elephant Divine Fist again, wave after wave of elephant phantoms charging out, mighty and imposing, undiminished even by daylight—clearly he was exerting his full effort.

Wang Yicai and his sister joined forces once more. Sword qi swept forth, transforming into hundreds of blades of light that slashed out.

In an instant, the four young elites each employed their trump cards. Though several dozen second- and third-rank demonic beasts should pose no threat to them, within just a few breaths their faces drastically changed.

The demonic apes were fearless and frenzied; the leading few third-rank demonic apes saw their aura surge to the extreme, exuding a terrifying pressure that unmistakably matched that of a fourth-rank demonic beast.

"We can't match them head-on; follow me and break out!"

Li Qingshan immediately shouted, sweeping out a single-handed seal; above his head the Haoyu Jade Disk radiated light tens of zhang high, illuminating the entire valley, and within a radius of a hundred li this glow could be seen.

With a boom, a tremendous qi pillar several zhang wide erupted, turning everything in its path to nothingness, not a trace left.

Li Qingshan leapt up, commanding the Haoyu Jade Disk to fly forth; the other three did not dare delay, closely following.

Howl——

The demonic apes roared in unison, their ferocity blazing heavenward, and immediately gave chase.

The surrounding forest erupted into chaos as Li Qingshan and his three companions fled ahead, while dozens of unusually ferocious demonic apes pursued them relentlessly.

Similar scenes unfolded in several corners of the secret realm; many small groups didn't even have time to react before being overwhelmed by the ferocious demonic beasts, and a tide of blood and qi spread through the forest.

In an inconspicuous hollow, Yang Sheng and his companions were exhausted, the formation's mystic light wavering on the verge of collapse, while outside lay a dozen or so demonic beast corpses of bizarre shapes.

"Brother Yang, if we keep going like this we won't be able to hold out—should we just flee?"

One martial artist's face was ashen, panting, his true qi in disarray, the sword he held limp and useless, barely any strength left.

"Flee?" Yang Sheng frowned, his expression grim. "Where to? Without this formation to conceal us, once our aura leaks we'll attract who knows how many demonic beasts—we likely won't survive the night, ending up as corpses."

His voice was unusually cold; hearing this, those around him all shuddered involuntarily, struck speechless with shock.

"Everyone, the time is nearly up; the nearby demonic beasts should all be dead by our hands. If we can endure just a few more hours, once the sun and moon turn, we will be safe."

Seeing the crowd's panic, Yang Sheng softened his tone and offered reassurance.

Hearing this, they were half‑believing, half‑doubting; they reassured themselves, gaining a faint confidence, drew a deep breath, and squeezed out the last wisp of true qi from their dantian, focusing and readying themselves.

At that very moment, a faint beastly howl echoed from somewhere far away, its chilling aura still surging over, making everyone shiver involuntarily.

Immediately afterward, it seemed all the demonic beasts in the secret realm were roared in unison, wave after wave, converging on one spot, their voices shaking the heavens.

Suddenly, a fierce wind swept up, ravaging the entire primeval forest.

"This is…" Yang Sheng's expression froze, then he realized what it was, his pupils widening as he bellowed, "Run! This is a beast tide!"

Hearing this, they blinked, thought it over, then realized what it meant and their faces paled—but it was already too late.

Grr——

A fierce howl rang out as a massive demonic beast, three zhang long and riding a gale, burst forth. Upon seeing Yang Sheng and the others, its eyes flashed with bloodlight; its sturdy forelegs thrust, it leapt through the air and lunged at them.

Everyone's faces went stark with shock, unable to react in the slightest. Though this demonic beast's size was no greater than the larger ones they had slain earlier, they inexplicably felt its presence could shroud heaven and earth, covering all things.

Yang Sheng bit his tongue hard; the sharp pain jolted him awake. He swung his sword without hesitation, thrusting it forward immediately.

His true qi surged, transforming into radiant light‑shadow sword qi that whirled outward.

Clang——

The condensed sword qi struck the beast's neck, emitting a metallic clang. Instantly the beast's fur stood on end like steel needles, reflecting the sword qi straight back.

"How is this possible?"

Yang Sheng couldn't help but cry out in astonishment, his eyes filled with shock and dread, his emotions tangled beyond words.

The fierce wind swept as the beast prepared to pounce. Given its might, neither the crowd nor Yang Sheng himself could likely withstand it; hope seemed slim.

Ah——

He let out a roar, his face twisted with ferocity as if bolstering his courage. He twisted his body, held his sword horizontally, gripped it with both hands, and flung it outward.

With a deafening clang, the void seemed struck by a giant shield; a thick, broad force condensed into a wind‑wall, sweeping up Qiu Sheng's companions behind him and bursting through the formation's mystic light that was about to dissipate.

"You all, flee quickly and scatter to break out!"

Only then did the crowd snap to their senses, faces filled with disbelief. At the crucial moment, Yang Sheng sacrificed himself, using the might of his true qi to sweep them aside, seeking a sliver of survival for them, while he himself fell under the shadow of the beast's hulking form.

The beast opened its maw, apparently enraged by Yang Sheng's dispersal of the crowd, its supreme ferocity and killing intent surging toward Qiu Sheng.

"Hmph! Beast, you dare not!"

Yang Sheng had not yet turned around, but the fierce force at his back and the beast's murderous pressure already bore down on him. He backhanded his sword, flinging it outward and thrusting it forward.

Howl——

A piercing shriek rang out as the sword plunged into the beast's mouth, drawing a spray of blood. Enraged, the beast clamped its bloody maw tight around the blade, its huge copper‑bell eyes blazing with menace.

Yang Sheng had no time to rejoice; a tremendous force slammed into his palm, wrenched the sword from his grip, and hurled him backward.

Bang bang!

He slammed into the formation's mystic light, blasting through it, barely managing to stop his retreat. With a "wah" he spat out a mouthful of blood, turned, and stared in horror at the fading mystic light.

"Brother Yang, how are you? Are you alright?"

A voice rose from behind, full of tension and worry. Those few had remained in place, seemingly with no intention of leaving.

Yang Sheng's face darkened as he snapped, "Why aren't you leaving? Do you insist on seeing me die pointlessly here?"

The few hesitated, then their eyes hardened as they stepped forward, arriving at Yang Sheng's side and speaking earnestly:

"Since we have formed an alliance, we must support each other. Brother Yang protected us earlier; now it is our turn to exert ourselves and jointly face this beast!"

Yang Sheng was momentarily stunned, a touch of emotion appearing on his resolute face, realizing their minds were made up and he could not dissuade them.

"Good! Today we'll fight with our backs to the water and slay this beast!"

He let out a fierce shout, leapt up, taking the few behind him, and they all sprang forth. Though they had just been cooperating under the formation's protection, now each individual swelled with fighting spirit and high morale.

The beast was baring its teeth, jaws locked tight around the sword. Although Qiu Sheng's sword had left his hand, the sword qi within it remained undispersed, raging inside the beast's maw; no matter how formidable its defenses, it could not attend to its own interior.

"Beast, receive your death!"

Yang Sheng roared from midair, his thick iron arm sweeping sideways, his iron hand grasping the void and pulling hard. The sword some ten‑odd zhang away quivered, slipping from the beast's mouth as a gush of blood poured out.

The beast let out a miserable cry, its bloody maw wrenched open from the pain; inside was a mess of mangled flesh, already riddled with countless holes from the sword qi's onslaught.

Yang Sheng and the others were all jolted mentally, sparing no effort, their speed suddenly surged to the extreme, and their momentum joined together, forming an arc as they pressed toward the Demonic Beast.

"Roar—"

The Demonic Beast was the tyrant of this primitive forest, never having suffered such injuries before; its ferocity flared, it lowered its massive head, and within its blood‑filled maw a shocking aura rose, turning into a blue light ball that it spewed out.

At the moment this light ball was born, it was clearly only the size of a washbasin, but when it reached Yang Sheng and the others it had expanded to a radius of several zhang; inside, strands of demonic energy churned like a vortex, and before they could react it exploded.

"Boom!"

The heaven‑shaking explosion rang out, the earth trembled and mountains swayed; though its power had not yet fully erupted, the towering trees within a hundred‑plus zhang around were blown outward and fell in all directions.

Yang Sheng and the others each lost control of their bodies, drifting like weightless dust carried by the current; had their combined momentum not been linked together, they would have been instantly blown away by the tremendous force, crashing into something and suffering broken bones and a miserable death.

This explanation sounds drawn out, but it actually took only an instant. In the span of three to five breaths, the blue light ball's force dissipated, and Yang Sheng and the others had already been pushed just over a hundred zhang away; the ground bore a gouge tens of zhang long.

Everyone's faces turned deathly pale, their minds shaken to the extreme. They had originally planned to pool their strength and fight with their backs to the wall; even if they could not kill the Demonic Beast, frightening it away seemed possible.

But now it is clear that this was nothing but a foolish daydream!

Yang Sheng's face was full of regret; at that critical moment he should not have acted impulsively. He rebuked the others to leave—perhaps a few could still escape with their lives from this place.

The Demonic Beast gave a feral laugh, its limbs thrust hard against the ground, and it launched itself into the air once more; over a distance of more than a hundred zhang it crossed half in an instant, opened its blood‑filled maw again in mid‑air, and condensed another blue light ball.

Yang Sheng and the others' faces were ashen; given the power of that light ball just now, even if they scattered and fled now, they simply would not have time.

"Friends, I, Yang, am incapable and have dragged you all into this!"

Yang Sheng let out a lament; his face held no fear, only reluctance and regret. If his strength were a little greater, his knowledge a little broader, he might have been able to save everyone—and himself—from dying pointlessly here!

The few behind him, though frightened and panicked, also knew this was not Yang Sheng's fault and instead felt great gratitude toward him. They all gritted their teeth, their true qi surged, and they pushed the linked momentum around them to the utmost.

Yang Sheng also sensed their feelings, and unbidden a spark of heroism arose in him. He said, "We disciples of the academy came to this secret realm knowing the danger. Today we have gathered together—it is fate. To go together to the Yellow Springs will not be lonely!"

As his words fell, they all lifted their heads and laughed loudly, glancing at the incoming blue light ball with the air of those who face death resolutely.

Just then, a soft sound came from the ground before him, and a gleam of yellow light burst forth. It bore no great power, yet at this critical moment it still drew their attention.

"What is this?"

Yang Sheng blinked slightly, somewhat bewildered, and everyone focused their gaze on it.

Only to see that yellow gleam unfurl, explode with a boom, a spark of fire appearing, suddenly igniting, and its soaring power burst forth.

Within the blazing light, a faint phantom of a cauldron appeared. Its body was ring‑shaped, with four legs below, steady and square, hovering in the void. Upon this body rested a cauldron lid, around which faint flames curled and surged.

Almost in an instant, the cauldron took shape, its light flashing, and it flew forth to meet the blue light ball, spinning as it went.