Translator: CinderTL
Xun Yang, recognizing the urgency of the situation, made a snap decision to turn and flee. Once they reached the tribe, they would be safe; even Tu Niang, formidable as she was, couldn't single-handedly slaughter her way through the entire Dog Clan.
Hearing the fierce fighting behind them, Xun Hua's eyes burned with tears. She knew the clan chief had little chance of survival.
The clan chief had never been a match for Tu Niang in the first place. The relentless fighting of the past few days had drained her strength. Even if she sacrificed her life, she could only delay Tu Niang for a short time.
"Move! Hurry!"
Xun Yang glanced back once more, then sprinted madly toward the tribe, the others scrambling to follow.
After a long while, when the sounds of battle had faded into silence, Xun Yang looked back at the remaining forty-odd survivors. Anxiety gnawed at him, but even more overwhelming was his fear.
Still young and having served the clan chief for only a short time, he had yet to master many things. Now, this immense responsibility had suddenly fallen on his shoulders. He worried he wouldn't be up to the task, that he would fail to honor the clan chief's trust.
Xun Hua leaned against a tree trunk, gasping for breath. Her throat felt like it was burning with fire, and she could only swallow hard to find relief.
"Where's Xun Ancai?" Xun Hua scanned the group behind her, but Xun Ancai was nowhere to be seen. Could she be dead too?
Xun Yang shook his head. "I don't know. We probably got separated."
"Let's move on. This isn't a place to rest."
"Mm."
Meanwhile,
Xu Sanyan cautiously navigated the dense forest. Without Xun Ancai's protection, he felt uneasy.
Rustle...
Footsteps echoed in the distance. Xu Sanyan froze, his legs propelling him up into the canopy. The thick branches provided excellent cover.
Just as he concealed himself, a group of people hurried past below. At the head of the procession was Xun Ancai.
The four-headed dogs leading the way suddenly stopped, their nostrils twitching as if sniffing something. Slowly, they raised their heads, their gazes locking with Xu Sanyan's.
"Oh, you're back!" Xun Ancai exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise.
Thump!
Xu Sanyan landed on the ground, his eyes sweeping over the large group of Dog Clan people behind Xun Ancai. A wave of relief washed over him.
He hadn't expected such a coincidence—meeting Xun Ancai the moment he arrived.
"Perfect timing! Let's hurry and help the clan chief and the others," Xun Ancai said, immediately trying to hoist him onto her shoulders. Xu Sanyan quickly stopped her.
"I can keep up."
"Alright," Xun Ancai agreed, without insisting, and continued onward.
As dusk deepened, the dense canopy overhead blocked out the last rays of sunlight, plunging the forest into deeper gloom.
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed from the distance. Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes, though he couldn't see anything. It must be the Snake Clan arriving, already clashing with the Dog Clan.
"Move!" Xun Ancai's face grew urgent as she guessed the same. She charged forward, leading the way.
The Dog Clan people followed without hesitation.
Xu Sanyan didn't join them. Instead, he circled around the flank, pushing aside tangled undergrowth until the battlefield came into view.
"Kill!"
"Slaughter them all!"
"Clan Chief!"
A piercing scream tore through the air. In the fading twilight, Xu Sanyan saw a severed head lying alone on the ground. The ragged flesh at the neck's stump looked as if it had been torn off with brute force.
The head was covered in dried blood and dirt, making it look filthy. Yet, even through the grime, the unmistakable features of the Dog Clan Chieftain remained visible.
She's dead?!
Xu Sanyan felt a surge of elation. Had she died before he even had to strike?
His gaze swept across the battlefield. The Snake Clan reinforcements had arrived, numbering over two hundred warriors. Leading the charge was a middle-aged woman, her face noticeably younger than the Old Clan Chief's. This must be the Snake Clan Chief.
Xun Yang and his companions were desperately resisting, their eyes fixed on the severed head with utter despair. Their fighting spirit had instantly plummeted.
They hadn't expected their clan chief to fall so quickly. They had barely managed to flee before being overtaken.
"Ah, the Dog God has forsaken us..." Xun Yang forced a bitter smile, his lips twisting as he abandoned all hope of resistance.
"Kill!"
A sudden shout erupted from the flank. Xun Yang whirled around, his face lighting up with astonishment. Xun Ancai, her ribbons fluttering, was charging into the fray.
In that moment, she seemed like a celestial being descending from the heavens, injecting a potent surge of courage into every heart.
"Avenge the clan chief!"
Xun Yang's heart jolted with renewed hope. This unexpected lifeline granted him boundless strength, sweeping away the despair that had been weighing him down.
Xun Hua's eyes blazed with fierce intensity. She had never found Xun Ancai so utterly captivating, so irresistible that she yearned to pin her down and lavish her with affection.
Tu Niang frowned deeply. She had been on the verge of annihilating the remaining Dog Clan members when this new group suddenly appeared.
"Kill her first!" Xun Yang roared, pointing at Tu Niang. She was the strongest among them; only by combining their forces could they hope to defeat her.
"Hmph!" Tu Niang scoffed, her figure blurring as she lunged toward Xun Yang. She recognized him as the Dog Clan's leader; eliminating him would significantly ease her task.
"Kill!"
The battlefield descended into utter chaos. Xu Sanyan lurked in the shadows, observing silently, biding his time.
Tu Niang now faced seven opponents: Xun Yang, Xun Ancai, Xun Hua, and four others Xu Sanyan didn't recognize, all formidable fourth blessing cultivators. Even with the combined might of these seven and a pack of four-headed dogs, they could barely hold Tu Niang at bay, remaining at a distinct disadvantage.
Tu Niang's expression remained impassive, but inwardly she grew increasingly anxious. Her gaze swept across the battlefield, revealing the Snake Clan's deteriorating position.
The Snake Clan's elite forces had been ambushed by the Dog Clan Chieftain and his men, suffering near-total annihilation. The troops she had brought were ordinary clan members with limited combat prowess. With the sudden influx of fresh Dog Clan reinforcements, the tide of battle had swiftly turned against them.
Tu Niang gritted her teeth. She had to end this quickly!
Her five fingers extended, their razor-sharp tips stabbing toward Xun Yang's chest like daggers, moving with such speed that no one could react in time.
Xun Yang's face twisted slightly as he twisted his body to evade the strike, simultaneously raising his arms to block.
From the side, Xun Ancai leaped high into the air, her massive fist crashing down like a thunderbolt. The others also rushed forward, each employing their own methods to rescue Xun Yang.
They knew Xun Yang couldn't die. Blocking the attack was no longer an option; they had to strike where Tu Niang would be forced to defend!
But Tu Niang ignored everything around her, seemingly oblivious to the incoming attacks as she focused solely on Xun Yang.
Everyone saw her plan: she was willing to trade injury for a life!
"Careful!" Xun Hua shouted in alarm, rushing to warn him.
Whoosh—
Bang!
Everyone had underestimated Tu Niang's speed, or perhaps overestimated their own abilities. Before their attacks could land, Tu Niang had already appeared before Xun Yang.
She didn't need to trade injury for a life at all!
The gap between the Seven Blessings and the fourth blessing was as vast as the heavens!
Xun Yang couldn't block her full-force strike, and Xun Ancai couldn't even keep up with her speed. Even Xun Hua only managed to shout a warning.
Pfft—
Xun Yang flew backward, blood gushing from his mouth as he crashed heavily into a tree trunk.
Boom!
The tree snapped instantly, collapsing with enough force to crush the tree behind it before finally stopping.
Silence descended upon the battlefield.
Everyone stared at Xun Yang, whose life hung in the balance, then turned to Tu Niang, who stood motionless in her original position. Conflicting thoughts swirled through their minds.
(End of the Chapter)
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