Front Line of the Beast Tide, Part 30

In the immediate aftermath of the Sword School’s desperate return to Zhenyao Pass, the beast tide riot surged to within ten li of the outer city wall.

In fact, as they flew on their swords from above the forest, they had already noticed demon beasts of all sizes rushing out of their lairs.

Even many nocturnal animals appeared, driven by some tyrannical aura, surging like a tide towards the front in a dark mass.

Seeing this chaotic situation, the Sword School’s Beast School students were all shocked, “How can these beasts act so strangely, completely defying natural laws? I see this Myriad Beast Forest likely has signs of yin and yang imbalance, and disharmony between heaven and earth!”

Even flying in the air by sword was not entirely safe.

Flying demon beasts were not uncommon, and the wings of the soaring bone-winged bird flocks were like steel knives.

In the blink of an eye, they gashed several unfortunate students who were caught in the flock, leaving them bleeding profusely.

Thanks to timely assistance from other students, they managed to escape.

But soon, blood-winged moths, like red snowflakes, swirled and drifted.

These demon beasts were disgusting in appearance and loved to cling to faces, enjoying burrowing into creatures’ respiratory tracts and mouths to suck blood and flesh.

Tang Yueling detested such ugly creatures the most. She released earth fire from afar, causing the moths to rush towards it and turn into black ash.

But soon, the demon beasts below the forest also became restless.

Snake-weasels had already coiled themselves on treetops, waiting for the sword-riding students to pass by, their poisonous fangs striking directly at their throats.

Fortunately, having lived here for so long, the Sword School students were somewhat accustomed to the habits of these beasts and had already preemptively increased their flying speed.

But some inexperienced rogue cultivators were still caught off guard.

Snowfall Sword’s speed was extremely fast, like a streak of ice light cutting across the forest sky.

Tian Ning stood steadily above, her sleeves fluttering. She specifically released spiritual energy, such that as she swept through the forest, the trees above were tinged with frost-white by the pure ice spiritual energy, branches and leaves frozen, like jade trees and crystalline flowers.

Even the small animals hiding in the branches, poised to ambush, were turned into ice sculptures, standing there dumbfounded.

Thanks to the icy path she left, the lower-cultivation Sword School students and rogue cultivators who followed her felt much less effort was needed for flying.

In short, the students each displayed their unique abilities, and with the teachers clearing the way ahead, they finally rushed back to Zhenyao Pass before dusk.

At this time, other factions led by Yan Yao and Yan Jin also returned to the pass.

They had already notified other camps stationed deep within the forest to retreat in time.

Soon, tens of thousands of people surged into this narrow pass. For a moment, the pass was in chaos, with people and horses overturned, a subtle unrest brewing.

As expected of experienced hands, this brief turmoil was quickly quelled.

The city gates were closed, but the auxiliary gates on both sides of the city wall had been opened, allowing people to flow into the pass.

All the city gates had high-level restrictions.

Even demon beasts disguised as humans, attempting to sneak into the pass in the chaos, would be harmed by the restrictions, and then be decapitated by cultivators waiting nearby, with a swift stroke of the blade.

With a major battle imminent, the soldiers on the city walls were already busy.

Sentries squeezed into the watchtowers to scout ahead.

Inside the city wall platforms, soldiers formed teams to patrol.

Beacon fires were lit, tongues of flame hissing and burning, devouring the night and scorching the cold air crimson. Ballistas and mortars were successively set up, facing the enemy head-on.

After Yan Chi dismounted, she didn’t even have time to take off her helmet and catch her breath before she was surrounded by her waiting deputies and escorted onto the city wall.

Little General Jiang quickly reported to her side, “The front line of this riot has already spread to within ten li of the city wall. According to intelligence from the reconnaissance cavalry, the aura of the demon beasts is strongest at Nascent Soul stage and above. Traces of activity from the Four Great Demon Kings’ tribes have also been found. It is likely that the Demon Kings themselves will also participate in this riot.”

Yan Chi ascended to the top of the city wall. Her eyesight was excellent.

She immediately fixed her gaze on the front. In the twilight, mist rose, and a colossal beast shadow slowly took shape.

At this time, the sun on the horizon had been hidden by the clouds, leaving only the outline of a perfect circle.

The moon emerged, and a bright Sirius hung not far away. Moon and star illuminated each other, casting a cold, clear radiance.

Demon beasts habitually worshipped the moon, and taking the moon as a deity was common, all because moonlight was beneficial to their cultivation. Sirius was also a well-known beast star.

The two appearing together augmented the night for them, making them even harder to deal with. Tonight would likely not end well.

Yan Chi withdrew her gaze and calmly said, “No more waiting. Dusk has passed. Close the city gates.”

The city gates closed, and the restrictions settled into place.

However, some rogue cultivators, either due to greed, wanting to wait a few more days, and not responding to the call to retreat in time, or because they were attacked by demon beasts on the way, got injured, and were delayed in their journey, in any case, when the city gates closed, about a hundred people still hadn’t managed to enter.

Some panicked individuals, resorting to desperate measures, even tried to attack the city gates.

However, the high-tier restrictions carved into them over several years were not something ordinary people could break through. This person not only failed but was also hit by the rebound damage, suffering severe injuries.

Under the deterrence of the beast tide, those outside the pass either pleaded or cursed.

Little General Jiang looked at Yan Chi’s expression.

Her brows were as cold and solid as if covered in frost and snow.

The old City Lord had not returned with the City Lord; she was likely gone.

She looked at the frantic crowd beneath the city gates, like ants, and said loudly, “Everyone, there are three more moats outside Zhenyao Pass’s city wall to defend against the enemy. Please temporarily stay beneath the wall for the night. The city gates will reopen at dawn!”

Those who were sensible had already found a suitable corner of the city wall to settle down. Others were still raging incessantly, but there was no time to pay attention to them.

At this moment, black clouds moved in patches across the sky.

A closer look revealed them to be swarms of bone-marrow-eating birds.

The flocks passed over the moats, intending to crash into the crowd above the city wall.

However, golden light emerged from the city wall’s restrictions, and complex runes formed an array formation in the air, blocking their path.

The bird flocks crashed directly into the array formation, falling as countless masses of bloody mud and feathers.

Seeing Zhenyao Pass’s defenses so impenetrable, many rogue cultivators showed expressions of relief, feeling their lives were secure.

Yan Chi looked ahead, her expression not relaxing one bit. She knew this wasn’t even the appetizer.

Sure enough, a massive fiery-red phantom burst through layers of dark clouds, leading countless demon birds to attack.

The leading red demon beast let out a long cry towards the sky.

Its voice actually penetrated the defensive array, erupting in concentric ripples.

The bricks and stones of the city wall cracked in response.

The soldiers on the watchtowers, having endured the first wave of attack, even with prior preparations, bled from their ears.

The flapping of thousands of demon birds’ wings was deafening.

They crashed fearlessly into the defensive array in the sky.

The defensive array, woven from complex runes and formations, instantly trembled under the impact of the demon birds.

Dazzling light flickered on the array’s surface, like a giant stone hitting water, spreading ripples.

Forcibly intercepted by the array, fragments of the demon birds’ flesh and blood flew everywhere.

Each demon bird’s death brought a burst, blood spraying. For a moment, it rained blood from the sky.

But that fiery-red phantom broke through the array and flew above the city wall.

Closely following it were endless demon birds. They surged through the fragmented gaps of the array.

The leading fire bird shrieked, actually unfolding four wings.

This was a fifth-tier demon beast, of the Emperor Jiang type, crimson as cinnabar fire, specializing in devouring unusual fires.

“Demon King Fen Tian (Burning Heaven).” Yan Chi raised her spear, instantly rising into the air, floating high above the city wall, directly facing that red phantom. The Dragon Swimming Long Spear erupted with white qi and hummed, “Come, fight!”

Since they had already reached this worst possible path, there was nothing left but to gamble their lives here.

The forest spirit desperately needed more blood food from the outside to replenish its vitality, which was why the forest was chaotic, the beast tide riot, and the Four Great Demon Kings were all bewitched in their hearts and had made their move.

The outside world was fighting to the death, and the inner world was no less intense.

But with the divine descendant manifesting, even the fiercest battle had to be halted.

Grass filaments pulled Ye Mingshi, who wanted to charge forward and counterattack, back to the rear.

Xiaocao also used part of his grass filaments to transform into human form, standing by her side.

He even deftly created a new body for Su Qing, but Su Qing hadn’t yet mastered such a profound skill as soul-splitting, so she simply made that body explode.

Xiaocao’s eyes lit up.

He immediately thought of a solution.

He released nearly a hundred third-generation puppets he had made on Gold Island in the Dragon Boat Secret Realm.

Su Qing’s eyes also lit up.

She charged in, and after successively blowing up a hundred puppets, she barely managed to cram her spirit into the remaining two hundred puppets, initially realizing what it meant for one person to be an army.

At this moment, a breeze swept through.

Grass filaments swayed and undulated.

Countless plants like Thousand-Layer Gold, Honeysuckle, Bellflowers, and Wild Chrysanthemums emerged.

Red, purple, yellow, and blue adorned the earth, wildflowers blooming. Suddenly, a crack appeared in the ground, and gurgling spring water, from an unknown source, meandered forth, nourishing the growth of beautiful new green along the banks.

Taihe Zhenren, who had been fighting each other in front, suddenly froze.

It turned out the forest spirit had directly abandoned control of that body and fled outwards.

The tree roots buried underground twisted like a swarm of snakes, shaking wildly beneath the soil.

But it was all too late.

The Earth Mother’s figure appeared. She was so incredibly tall that, upon her manifestation, she forcibly brought the entire underground world to the surface.

Su Qing and the others felt as if they were sitting on her shoulder, being brought out of the inner world and back into the real world together.

And they watched themselves rise higher and higher, until eventually, they stood directly within the clouds, looking down upon the entire forest spirit from above.

And the colossal, ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree in the center of the forest, which was as big as a city, no longer inspired awe from this vantage point.

The Earth Mother said nothing, only kindly blinked at Su Qing, Xiaocao, and Ye Mingshi.

Her eyes were like emerald lakes. Su Qing and Xiaocao immediately felt saved, almost tearfully calling out, “Earth Mother!”

Unfortunately, one of them was currently in a puppet body, and the other was a plant unable to shed tears, so tears were out of the question.

Only Ye Mingshi, who could cry, was a demon star reincarnation, lawless and unrestrained.

She still didn’t understand Earth Mother’s origin. She only knew that someone here had called upon a powerful being, and they were finally going to be saved.

Although she didn’t know whose backer was so strong, she thanked her!

Earth Mother possessed both a compassionate heart and thunderous methods. She merely cast a severe glance at the giant tree before her.

In an instant, this giant tree, which carried the forest’s consciousness, was uprooted and floated in the air, landing in her palm. The island-like tree, in her hand, was like a frail sapling, trembling.

This forest spirit, which had caused countless beings to bow down, was thus easily stripped from the land it depended on. From then on, it completely lost control of the Myriad Beast Forest.

The power of a divine descendant far surpassed everyone’s imagination.

“It’s just too dry here. Dry weather causes internal heat.”

The Earth Mother looked at the demon beasts and humans battling on the ground.

From her perspective, both sides were as small as miniature models on a tabletop. Yet, even so, their clashes resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives.

So, she turned around and gently blew a breath.

This breath transformed into a gentle spring breeze, leaping and speeding through the branches.

Wherever it went, branches and leaves undulated, and the forest sea surged.

By the time this breeze passed through the maze-like layers of forest and reached the front line, where blood and fire were about to intertwine, everything became still.

All the uncontrollable tyranny and agitation vanished.

The battle abruptly ceased.

The previously roaring demon beasts suddenly froze, their eyes gradually clearing.

Many nocturnal demon beasts even became bewildered, not understanding why they were here, and appearing alongside their natural enemies.

The human cultivators also stopped their actions in that instant.

A strange tranquility permeated the air. Sword blades had not touched bones, arrows had not flown into flesh and blood. All death and harm seemed to have been carried away by the gentle caress of the wind.

The Demon King let out a long cry, summoning its affiliated tribes to leave.

Beasts of all sizes slowly retreated into the forest.

The ground trembled, grass rustled faintly, and beast shadows gradually merged into the depths of the forest, returning to their most primordial nature.

The Sword School’s leading teachers, who had flown outside the pass for battle, witnessed such an anomaly and couldn’t help but have their eyes flicker, as if realizing something.

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Xu Ruyi’s lips trembled, “Is that…?”

Lin Hebai nodded, awe in her voice, “It is.”

This was the greatest backer Carefree Immortal had left for the Sword School.

Now that she had made her move in this demonic bone incident, it was no longer a big deal.

The only question was who could have persuaded her to come out of seclusion; the Sect Leader definitely didn’t have the face for it.

Yan Chi gripped the long spear in her hand, which was hot from battle intent.

The spear, frustrated by not being able to draw blood, trembled continuously, but Yan Chi exhaled a cold white breath.

This breeze gently lifted Yinlan City from the edge of the cliff and set it back on the ground, without a single soldier being injured. Everything ended with minimal cost.

This was the very edge of Earth Mother’s remaining territory. She couldn’t stay for long as she did in the back mountain.

The rules of the Heavenly Dao were repelling and binding her, urging her to leave quickly.

Therefore, her figure quickly became transparent, like the mists of dusk on the horizon, gradually disappearing.

Earth Mother softly murmured to herself, with a hint of reluctance, “It’s rare to come out even once…”

The forest spirit was forcibly taken away by her. As for its fate, perhaps only Earth Mother knew.

After the giant tree was uprooted, a huge, ugly hole appeared in the ground.

But soon, clear spring water continuously welled up from it, filling the hole, calm as a mirror.

Grass leaves grew comfortably by the lake, and even daring birds and beasts leaped to the lakeside, bowing their heads to sip the clear, sweet spring water.

Jiang Xiaocao exclaimed in surprise, “It’s a new spring! We’re saved!”

He looked at Su Qing. Su Qing also looked at him. She still couldn’t return to her physical body, so two hundred puppets all turned to face him, their armor clattering.

“Newborn spring water has a powerful restorative effect at its initial stage, as it contains much residual vitality. Its effect is like the spring water of Little Mirror Lake,” he explained. “After all, Little Mirror Lake’s source is in the back mountain.”

Su Qing immediately understood his next words, [It can temper the body!]

As long as her physical body was immersed in the new spring, and her spirit tried to immerse itself into and damage the physical body, and the new spring continuously repaired the physical body, she could temper her body again and again, finally refining a body capable of containing her spirit.

Su Qing inwardly thanked Earth Mother loudly. The situation was tense.

She clearly hadn’t told Earth Mother about her situation, but Earth Mother had still thoughtfully left behind the newborn spring water, resolving the predicament.

It wasn’t just her who needed the new spring for healing, but also the thousands of people who were trapped in the inner world, whose physical bodies were frail.

They had all been brought out of the underground world by Earth Mother and transferred to the forest. Now, they were slowly approaching this area.

Xiaocao was just about to tell everyone about the effects of the new spring when Ye Mingshi suddenly stopped the crowd, vigilantly saying, “Something’s not right!”

The charred figure actually swayed and reappeared before everyone.

He had used some unknown secret art to forcibly conceal his tracks, and instead of fleeing upon the manifestation of the divine descendant, he rushed towards Su Qing with even more desperate madness—

“Shameless scoundrel, take me with you to the grave!”

Taihe Zhenren’s action was solely because Su Qing had touched his spirit.

If she had spied on some memories she shouldn’t know and spread them, his blood relatives and future generations would probably die because of it!

Thinking of this, Taihe Zhenren’s skin beneath him bulged with uneven lumps like cysts, and his spiritual energy ran wild and chaotic.

It was actually a sign of self-detonation.

He had already been severely injured in his battle with Yan Yun, then successively injured in spirit by Su Qing and the forest spirit. Coupled with his dwindling lifespan, there was nothing left to regret.

The premonition of a late Spirit Transformation cultivator’s self-detonation directly triggered a celestial anomaly.

A black storm condensed, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The small animals originally gathered by the new spring were also scared away.

Everyone felt an ominous premonition.

They turned and fled. Xiaocao once again gathered grass filaments, carrying everyone away.

Ye Mingshi, while running, frantically cursed, “Are you sick?! No one wants you to die, but you’re seeking death yourself, and you want to drag us down with you?!”

Su Qing was about to shout to keep her distance, but in her haste, she suddenly remembered something.

But Taihe Zhenren could no longer hear.

He inflated like a balloon, his old skin swelling like a drum.

His spiritual energy condensed into a point, like a scorching falling star, rushing towards Su Qing. And once she was caught within his self-detonation range, Su Qing would have no chance of survival.

Time stretched, one second feeling like ten thousand years, incomparably long.

But everyone’s feet felt heavy as if rooted, able only to watch helplessly as Su Qing was forcibly swept away by Taihe Zhenren. The next second, a cluster of sparks exploded, like the precursor to a magma eruption, signaling an irreversible end.

However, what no one noticed was that a talisman suddenly floated out from Su Qing’s storage bag, shielding her.

This talisman was the sword talisman that Lin Hebai had personally given her when she entered the Inner Subsidiary City to resolve the poisonous mist.

The sword talisman naturally contained sword intent, but the sword intent in this talisman was not ordinary sword intent.

It was the sword intent from Sect Leader Wang Quan’s Taia Divine Sword, a sword intent that had been honed for ten years before being released.

The Taia Sword couldn’t even cut a piece of tofu, but it blocked everything, defended against everything. It was a guardian divine sword in the true sense.

The talisman sensed danger, shattering in the wind. In an instant, a flash of spiritual light swept across, actually erecting a transparent defensive barrier on the spot.

This defense looked extremely fragile, as if it couldn’t withstand a single blow, but who would have thought it could actually withstand the self-detonation of a late Spirit Transformation cultivator!

With a world-shaking roar, powerful spiritual energy exploded.

The entire heaven and earth seemed to be swallowed by this force.

The forest shook, the earth shattered, all phenomena collapsed, spiritual energy instantly annihilated, and the boundary between life and death became blurred at this moment.

But the people protected within this sword intent were unharmed.

“So effective?” Even though she was saved, Su Qing, for some reason, couldn’t help but feel bewildered. She always felt something wasn’t quite right. “How could he give me such good stuff? Did Wang Quan do something wrong to me…?”