Translator: CinderTL
Void fiends could evade most attacks by phasing their bodies into an ethereal state. However, Manager Yin's flying sword was different.
The sword erupted with a torrent of Sword Qi, each strand imbued with extreme cold. As the Qi swept outward, it coalesced into a massive block of solid ice, freezing the already phased void fiend within.
Suddenly, a long blade wreathed in roaring flames hurtled toward the ice and struck with devastating force.
The ice shattered with a thunderous crash.
Flames surged outward, engulfing the shattered ice fragments and the void fiend alike.
The fiend writhed within the inferno, its shrieks growing increasingly shrill before abruptly fading into silence.
As the flames dissipated, both the ice and the void fiend had vanished, leaving only a scattering of ashes on the ground.
The flaming blade belonged to Yan Tong. His coordination with Manager Yin was seamless, a testament to their frequent collaboration in hunting void fiends.
The group of five continued their advance, encountering no further resistance until they reached a cavern spanning tens of kilometers.
The Beauty Serpent hadn't fled either. Enraged by the interruption of its activities, it radiated palpable fury.
Hiss...
A piercing snake hiss echoed through the cavern.
The jade token hovering above Manager Yin's head flickered erratically, its silvery-white radiance dimming and brightening like a candle flame in a cold wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.
"This beast is only at the fifth-tier mid-grade! How can its divine sense attack be so powerful?" A flicker of terror flashed across Manager Yin's eyes.
Just then, Song Wen suddenly appeared beside Manager Yin.
The azure light emanating from the circular disk before Song Wen instantly intertwined with the silvery-white radiance. Their combined force resisted the Beauty Serpent's divine sense attack, averting imminent collapse.
Though Bu Ren, Yan Tong, and Feng Youyou hadn't activated their divine soul defensive spirit treasures, they were shielded by the combined radiance and remained unaffected by the snake's hiss.
Roar...
Screech...
Chirp...
A cacophony of bestial cries erupted.
More than a dozen void fiends of varying forms charged toward the group of five.
The two stabilizing beams of light faltered once more, threatening to collapse.
Refusing to wait for their doom, the group swiftly advanced toward the void fiends, unleashing their respective offensive techniques.
Manager Yin's flying sword, Bu Ren's long saber, Song Wen's thunder magic, Feng Youyou's nine black needles, and Bu Ren's three-foot-long sword all converged on the swarm of charging void fiends.
The clash was immediate.
In an instant, the cave erupted with the clang of metal against metal, the roar of thunder, and the piercing shrieks of the void fiends.
The cave trembled violently as the ground shattered and the ceiling collapsed.
"Fellow Daoist Ji Lin, unleash your thunder magic to its full potential! These beasts fear the might of heavenly thunder most!" Yan Tong's voice cut through the chaos.
To allow Song Wen to focus on his thunder magic, Bu Ren, Yan Tong, and Feng Youyou activated their divine soul defensive magical artifacts, releasing radiant light that intertwined to shield against the void fiends' divine sense attacks.
Meanwhile, Song Wen relentlessly unleashed a barrage of thunder spells: Thunder Spears, Falling Thunder, Thunder Spheres... each spell crashing down in an unending barrage.
Under the combined assault of the five, void fiends began to fall.
"Shadow Void, can you command the Beauty Serpent to retreat?" Song Wen asked telepathically, his frustration growing as the Beauty Serpent lingered.
They absolutely couldn't let the four capture the Beauty Serpent alive.
"It's a high-rank void beast like me," Shadow Void said. "It won't obey my commands."
"Is there absolutely no way?" Song Wen asked, his tone tinged with displeasure.
"Then I'll try."
As Shadow Void spoke, a strange spiritual aura surged from the center of Song Wen's forehead.
Seeing this, Song Wen immediately conjured a massive vortex of Thunderlight around himself, engulfing his entire body. This appeared to be a powerful secret art, but its true purpose was to conceal the spiritual aura emanating from Shadow Void.
In truth, Song Wen was being overly cautious.
Shadow Void, with its mid-seventh-tier cultivation, could easily conceal its spiritual aura. Manager Yin and the others wouldn't have detected it even if they tried.
A moment later, Shadow Void reported, "Master, it's escaped! Though it wouldn't obey my commands, my seventh-tier power frightened it away."
Just as Shadow Void finished speaking, Yan Tong's voice rang out from outside the cave.
"Damn it! The Beauty Serpent is escaping through another exit!"
"Quickly eliminate these pests! We can't let the Beauty Serpent escape!" Manager Yin shouted.
The group's attacks immediately intensified.
Under the relentless assault of divine sense attacks from over a dozen void fiends, the five cultivators, though protected by defensive spirit treasures, still suffered some mental strain. This hampered their ability to unleash their full offensive power. Compounding the problem was the sheer number of void fiends, their coordinated tactics, and their disciplined defense. The group's progress was minimal, managing to slay only five void fiends, three of which were fourth-tier.
Among the five, Song Wen's thunder magic posed the greatest threat to the void fiends.
Next came Manager Yin, Yan Tong, and Feng Youyou, whose mystic treasures had been specifically modified to counter void fiends.
The least effective was Bu Ren. His flying sword, though exceptionally sharp and arguably the pinnacle of low-grade spirit treasures, proved largely ineffective against the void fiends. His attacks were easily evaded as the fiends phased through his strikes with their incorporeal bodies.
Seeing this, a flicker of impatience flashed in Bu Ren's eyes before he executed a move that defied all logic.
Amidst the chaos of battle, he stealthily approached Yan Tong from behind and unleashed a sudden palm strike.
Instantly, a golden palm imprint shot forth, hurtling toward Yan Tong's back.
Yan Tong never anticipated such treachery. He had yet to secure the Beauty Serpent, and Bu Ren was still relying on his owl void demon to track her movements. Yet here Bu Ren was, launching a surprise attack.
Caught off guard, Yan Tong had no time for elaborate countermeasures. He could only frantically channel his spiritual power to reinforce his mana shield.
Boom!
The golden palm print slammed into Yan Tong's protective shield.
The shield didn't shatter, but Yan Tong felt a mountain-toppling force surge through him, throwing him violently forward. He crashed into the midst of the void fiend swarm.
Instantly, a tide of dark figures surged around him, engulfing him completely.
Manager Yin and Feng Youyou stared at Bu Ren in stunned disbelief, clearly caught off guard by his sudden attack. Yet neither moved to help Yan Tong. Feng Youyou even drifted several meters to the left, subtly increasing the distance between herself and Bu Ren.
Song Wen, however, had sensed Bu Ren's move the moment it began but made no attempt to stop him. With Yan Tong dead, no one could control the owl void demon, leaving the remaining three like blind men. This would greatly simplify Song Wen's plans.
"What are you all standing around for? Now's our chance to break through these beasts' blockade and chase after the Beauty Serpent!" Bu Ren shouted, charging forward at the head of the group.
Manager Yin scrambled to follow.
Feng Youyou hesitated, her gaze lingering on Yan Tong struggling in the void fiend swarm. But when she saw Song Wen also pursuing the others, she gritted her teeth and shot forward with sudden speed.
Instead of joining the chase, however, she turned sharply and fled back the way they had come, alone.
(End of the Chapter)
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