Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 743 Breaking the Stalemate (17)

Suddenly, the dust on the ground rippled outwards, spreading in layers like waves.

The tremors coming from underfoot became more and more obvious.

On the surrounding valley cliffs, pebbles crackled and tumbled down, creating a chaotic mess.

call out…...

Bang! ! ! ! !

The fiery red command arrow shot into the sky, and when it reached its highest point, it suddenly exploded, turning into countless red specks of light that scattered like fireflies.

Above the valley, a large force of the imperial army surrounded and sealed off the area around Moyou Valley. Rows of black flags hung on the battle lines, swaying in the wind as if a fierce storm was about to break. Cries for help and commotion could be faintly heard from above the valley.

While the two sides were fighting at the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's base, they were filled with doubt and uncertainty.

There was a loud bang.

A soldier, covered in blood, rolled down the almost vertical side of the valley like a gourd.

“It is… a beast…” One of his legs was already lame, and both arms were bent at an eerie ninety-degree angle, with pale bones faintly visible.

Miraculous.

He is not dead yet.

He even clutched tightly in his hand a distress signal arrow that had been launched and was emitting wisps of white smoke.

"It's a beast tide!!!!"

He used his last bit of strength to shout it out.

At the same time, large patches of shadow, like black dots, appeared above the valley.

The black dot was moving at high speed and rapidly magnifying.

White tiger, blue leopard, wild bull...

Red sand bear, king cobra, manticore...

Different species, different diets, and some are even natural enemies...

All sorts of ferocious beasts, exuding a strong and savage aura, surged through the government army camp like a tidal wave in the blink of an eye, charging madly towards the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's headquarters.

Behind the beast tide...

Waaaaaah~~~~~~

Huge, demonic wolves ran rampant, their long, mournful howls suddenly rang out.

Large packs of white demon wolves, their eyes reflecting an eerie green light.

Running, howling, hunting. The sounds rose and fell, driving countless demonic beasts out from within the mountains.

Monsters gather little by little, and swarm like grains of sand. Once a beast tide is formed, it grows bigger and bigger like a snowball, becoming unstoppable.

All those who stand in the way of the beast tide…

They will all be torn to shreds!

The location where the government troops were stationed... was right at the very center of the beast tide!

Bang.

Bang bang! !

"Help... Help..."

"I can't cut it... Run, run!"

"Please pass on a message for my mother... I'm not a bad person..."

Soldiers cried out for their parents, pushing and shoving each other, their heads surging, armor and weapons scattered everywhere. They couldn't care about anything else and frantically fled into the valley. Every now and then, someone would fall and be trampled by the surging crowd, their blood splattering everywhere.

It was clear that a riot had broken out in the camp, and even though the officers shouted and tried to maintain order, it was to no avail.

Once a large-scale riot breaks out, no one can stop it.

Click.

Stimulated by the blood, the many ferocious beasts' eyes turned bloodshot, and their mad and savage nature became even stronger. They would open their blood-red mouths and pounce on anyone they saw.

None of the monsters that survived in Black Miasma Mountain were weak.

As for these ferocious beasts, they have long lived deep in the mountains and forests, and their ferocity is even greater than that of those on the outskirts.

They were perfectly fine, eating and drinking to their heart's content in their territory, basking in the sun—wasn't that wonderful?

Misfortune struck uninvited. Driven out by a large pack of wolves led by Xiaoyue, they fled in terror.

They were all full of resentment and starving.

They ended up at the government army camp.

These ferocious beasts are indeed afraid of Xiaoyue, but they are not afraid of these ordinary soldiers.

It was like eating at a buffet; they easily broke through the government army's lines, reducing the government army by a third in an instant.

"What's going on?! Are all those people we've been supporting just to freeload?!" Qiao Xiu, who was fighting Gongsun Jing, suddenly changed his expression. He abandoned the fight and hurriedly jumped out of the battle circle to defend his back.

Actually, we can't blame those commanding officers for their negligence.

Their energy was mostly focused on fighting the members of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, and they didn't pay any attention to what was happening behind the scenes.

Who is Fan Hongchou?

In the Huayang area, which force would dare to risk offending him and come to the aid of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect?

There won't be, and there's no way there could be.

The reputation of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect is already ruined. Not kicking them while they're down is already an act of kindness out of respect for the former Jing Tian Manor.

Therefore, it is not surprising that they were lax in their precautions.

At first, some people noticed that there seemed to be some monsters gathering in the back.

But nobody took it seriously.

After all, it's normal for there to be more monsters in these deep mountains and forests.

By the time the herd of beasts had grown in number and become overwhelming, it was too late to stop them.

At this moment, the government troops were engaged in fierce fighting with the members of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect in front, while a ferocious beast tide surged behind them.

It's like trying to have your cake and eat it too, caught in a dilemma.

There was no way to move forward or backward; the predicament was unbearable.

They could only passively take the beating. The government troops were in a difficult situation, suddenly surrounded by danger.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Zhou Zhicheng and Zhao Xunyang, the remaining two experts, also withdrew and retreated to maintain the rear.

Only the battle situation on Fan Hongchou and Han Yi's side can truly determine the outcome of the battle.

Their first priority should be to maintain the stability of the situation.

At the very least, there shouldn't be too many deaths or injuries.

Otherwise, even if it's a Pyrrhic victory, it's not something to brag about.

"There's a horde of demonic beasts! Avoid their attack! Retreat ...

As soon as he finished speaking, a large horde of black and gray beasts surged past him like a giant wave.

Neither the Imperial Guard nor the Myriad Beasts Sect could withstand such a large beast tide head-on; it was a pipe dream.

The skilled soldiers might not die, but the majority of ordinary soldiers would likely be devoured whole.

The two sides, who were just engaged in fierce combat, were interrupted by the beast horde and forced to stop and take cover.

Led by three experts, the government troops huddled together in small circles, clinging to the cliff behind them to protect themselves and defend against the enemy.

On the other side of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, under Zhong Yunxiu's command, they gathered their disciples, with Xiaoyue at the center.

In the blink of an eye, thousands upon thousands of bizarre and ferocious beasts, each exuding a powerful aura, rushed into the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's territory.

In just one encounter, half of the surviving soldiers of the government army were wounded or killed.

The ferocity of the beast tide was such that it extinguished the raging flames the moment it surged into the camp.

On the side of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, all the ferocious beasts that approached spontaneously dodged and avoided them under the intimidation of Xiaoyue.

Like a reef standing firm in a turbulent ocean, the current flows around it, creating a clear dividing line. "Go!!!"

Zhong Yunxiu let out a low shout, knowing that her opportunity had arrived.

It must be a backup plan left by Han Yi, just to trigger the beast tide at this time, break the predicament of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, and seize a sliver of hope.

Under her skillful command, led by Xiaoyue and surrounded by a large pack of wolves, they quickly retreated into the distance with the beast tide.

The government troops on the other side, of course, were not so lucky.

Under the fierce onslaught of the beast tide, they could barely move and could only watch helplessly as the group from the Myriad Beasts Sect disappeared into the distance.

……………

……………

Crash... Bang bang bang...

The robes fluttered, and the heavy boots stomped on the ground, causing the dark green grass to groan mournfully.

call…...

It was panting heavily, like a drowning person craving air, its hoarse and labored breathing startling some lurking insects and beasts.

Amidst the grass and bushes, faint rustling sounds echoed everywhere—the sounds of small animals scattering in all directions after being startled.

“Hoo… The beast tide… can’t stop the government army…” Zhong Yunxiu activated her true energy, used the force to tap a tree trunk, and killed a black and red netted venomous snake before speaking in a low voice.

The ferocious beasts around her became increasingly sparse, but her heart grew more and more worried.

The government troops were caught off guard and were drawn into the beast tide.

But that doesn't mean they can rest easy.

With Qiao Xiu, Zhou Zhicheng, and Zhao Xunyang, three experts from the government army, there were essentially three Grandmasters of the Qi Condensation Realm present.

This small horde of beasts won't harm them.

At most, they can only hold them off for a short while.

As long as they can dodge the strongest first wave of the beast tide, the rest can be easily dealt with. This also means that the members of the Myriad Beasts Sect could be caught up with again at any time.

Therefore, someone must act as a check and delay.

“You… go…” Zhong Yunxiu stopped and paused. “I’ll stay behind… to cover our retreat!”

"Mother?!" Zhong Han was stunned, then realized, "Let's go, let's go together... Why bother..."

“I… can’t leave,” Zhong Yunxiu interrupted her with a bitter smile. “I’ve already used Ice Glass Sky-Severing Technique… If I don’t take advantage of its effects while they’re still working, it will be a complete waste.”

The battle with Zhao Xunyang, a top-tier Grandmaster of Qi Condensation, was not without its price.

What has allowed them to hold out until now is the mother and daughter who are barely able to contend with it.

This was Zhong Yunxiu's last trump card.

Ice Glass Severing the Void. For a short period of time, it greatly enhances the strength of true energy and improves physical attributes such as strength, speed, and defense.

The only side effect is that after it ends, you are forced into a state of weakness and lack of energy.

Therefore, while the effect is still there, use it as a rearguard to block the pursuit and delay the enemy as much as possible.

It is the optimal choice.

“Mother…” Zhong Han’s eyes immediately reddened.

Reason and emotion collided in an instant, causing tears to well up in her eyes.

She was not unaware that Zhong Yunxiu's choice was correct.

But... covering the rear... stalling for time...

To put it bluntly, it was a near-death experience.

The chances of survival are less than 10%.

Not everyone is like Han Yi, capable of bursting forth from a desperate situation and turning the tide.

That's a miracle.

A miracle is something extremely difficult to achieve, unusual, and usually considered impossible.

"Don't worry... I won't die..." Zhong Yunxiu smiled and gently tidied Zhong Han's hair. "I want to see the day when you and Xiao Yi truly become husband and wife..."

That's what she said.

He had already secretly slipped a poison pill into his mouth.

If he is captured, he can bite open the wound and commit suicide.

Zhong Yunxiu understood why Fan Hongchou had designated her and her daughter as key individuals and assigned experts to keep a close watch on them.

It was all to threaten Han Yi.

Therefore, in order not to be a burden to Han Yi or her daughter, she was prepared to sacrifice herself. It's clear that she didn't actually expect to survive her mission of covering the rear.

"Yunxiu, I'll go with you!" A slightly hoarse female voice rang out at this moment.

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw Zhang Ruoning, who looked exhausted.

Zhang Ruoning understood this as well, and used the beast tide to forcefully break the deadlock, thus opening up the situation where the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect was surrounded and blocked by the government army.

It was a desperate measure left by Han Yi for the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect to break the deadlock.

It is also the only chance to save the Myriad Beasts Sect.

This is an opportunity, and also where hope lies...

It is also a source of honor and achievement.

Therefore, she couldn't let Zhong Yunxiu enjoy it all by herself; she had to do something.

"You?" Zhong Yunxiu looked at her with surprise and suspicion. "You really want to cover the rear together? Ruoning, you should understand what it means to cover the rear." Her tone was somewhat unfriendly, but there was no malice in it.

She couldn't even guarantee her own life, so those who stayed behind to cover her retreat were unlikely to survive.

Especially the person who spoke…

If someone else had said that, I wouldn't have bothered.

The person who could speak... was Zhang Ruoning...

It's inevitable that some doubts will arise in one's mind.

“You alone cannot stop Zhao Xunyang. Besides, there are two others like him.”

Although Zhang Ruoning looked exhausted, her eyes shone brightly. "Delaying for too short a time is ineffective, so the so-called rearguard action... is meaningless."

The tone was relaxed, and the meaning was clear.

It's as if it's talking about a trivial, ordinary little thing.

It's as ordinary as eating and drinking.

“Ruoning…you…” Zhong Yunxiu stared intently at the other person.

She could hear the determination in the other person's tone.

Although he had a slight smile on his face, his eyes, filled with a death-defying resolve, said it all.

When Jing Tianzhuang was the head of the academy, she and Zhang Ruoning had many conflicts and looked down on each other.

After experiencing Zhang Ruoning's repeated betrayals and subsequent surrenders, her relationship with Zhang Ruoning reached a freezing point.

Zhong Yunxiu even felt a little contemptuous in her heart.

Such traitors are not worthy of being called fellow disciples; I am ashamed to associate with them.

Even though Zhang Ruoning later sincerely submitted to the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect and repeatedly offered advice and suggestions, making significant contributions.

But deep down, Zhong Yunxiu still harbored prejudice and discrimination against her.

only…...

Zhang Ruoning's current choice...

It made it difficult for her to reconcile this with the past, with the person who would surrender and run away at the drop of a hat.

seem.

At this moment, Zhang Ruoning, radiating an inexplicable aura, is revealing her true self.

A strong sense of contrast.

For a moment, Zhong Yunxiu was slightly stunned.

Everything in front of me felt so unfamiliar.