The three Golden Core Cultivators each faced a sixth-tier demonic beast. With the vast number of demonic beasts on the battlefield, the beasts gradually gained the upper hand.
The Coiled Dragon Halberd in Shen Yi's hand swung tirelessly, streaks of spiritual power roaring across the battlefield like black dragons.
"Wake up already, Little Black!"
He glanced at the Rune Egg. Runes flowed across its surface, radiating wave after wave of light. Little Black was inside. From the simulation results, Shen Yi had deduced that Little Black was the key to ending this war, yet it had stubbornly refused to hatch.
The comrades around him fell one after another, and the number of demonic beasts Shen Yi had to face kept increasing. The pressure surged, but even covered in wounds, he had never wavered.
Fight!
It had become his only belief at that moment.
Seeing the changes on the battlefield, Lin Hong and the others were equally anxious, yet they could not break away to offer support.
"You dare let your mind wander while fighting me!"
With a sharp cry, the Nine Nether Sparrow keenly caught the instant Chen Chong lost focus and raked a claw across his arm. Chen Chong counterattacked, his hand seals shifting before he finally broke free. His arm had turned pitch-black, emanating terrifying fluctuations of flame.
"Useless. This is a unique method of my Nine Nether clan—Nine Nether Flame!"
Seeing Chen Chong attempt to expel the demonic flame, the Nine Nether Sparrow could not help sneering.
As the dim flame was about to spread from his arm, a flash of resolve crossed Chen Chong's eyes. Circulating his spiritual power, he actually tore off his own arm. "Mere Nine Nether Flame—nothing more than this!" His face was pale, clearly showing that his injuries were severe.
The Nine Nether Sparrow's expression changed. It was plainly shocked by Chen Chong's action, but quickly recovered and attacked again.
"Old friend, I'll have to trouble you again this time."
Chen Chong's voice was desolate, as though he felt deeply guilty. He chanted an incantation, and a roar suddenly came from the direction of the Immortal Academy. Its force was no weaker than the three ferocious beasts present. An Azure Scale Eagle, blazing with towering fury, soared into the sky.
"I had long heard that the Immortal Academy concealed a sixth-tier war beast. So it was you!"
The Nine Nether Sparrow seemed to have expected the Azure Scale Eagle's appearance. It was not surprised in the slightest.
"Nine Nether, stop."
A trace of loneliness flashed through the Azure Scale Eagle's eyes. Looking upon the carnage of the battlefield, he could not bear it.
"Azure Scale, you are old. You have become softhearted!"
The Nine Nether Sparrow spread its wings, its baleful ferocity growing even stronger. Black mist surged forth and blanketed the entire sky. The Azure Scale Eagle's gaze sharpened as he released azure mist as well, trying to suppress the Nine Nether Sparrow's vicious blaze, only to be sent flying by a single claw strike.
"On the verge of death, and you still wish to contend with me!"
Chen Chong sighed. If the situation had not been so dire, he would never have wanted the Azure Scale Eagle to consume his life force again. Last time, Feng Yang had given him a drop of Essence of Flora, allowing him to recover somewhat.
"That is true. I am about to die."
The Azure Scale Eagle's voice was low, neither sorrowful nor joyful. In an instant, an aura of decay spread from his body. He no longer deliberately suppressed it, fully releasing that rotten, withered presence. Chen Chong revealed a sorrowful expression, and resolution flashed through his eyes as another deathly intent erupted from his body.
"Oh?"
Locked onto by two currents of deathly aura, the Nine Nether Sparrow remained exceedingly calm. Though their actions were worthy of respect, they were also foolish.
Noticing Chen Chong's change, Feng Yang's aura surged. Light radiated from his entire body. At this moment, his eighth-layer Golden Core cultivation was fully revealed, and even heaven and earth trembled. A bolt of lightning pierced through the Azure Giant Python, and Feng Yang's eyes brimmed with sorrow.
Chen Chong had ultimately chosen Liberation by Violence, vanishing in laughter alongside his longtime companion, the Azure Scale Eagle.
Endless deathly aura coiled around the Nine Nether Sparrow, relentlessly eroding its demonic power. For an instant, it sensed the breath of death and felt alarmed. Yet it quickly recovered, though its aura had visibly weakened considerably.
It used a secret art, damaging its own demonic power and cultivation before finally dispersing the lingering deathly aura.
Chen Chong's fall was branded into every cultivator's heart. In an instant of grief, their spirits abruptly flared. Roaring, they fought the demonic beasts with all their might. This was Chen Chong's final method: using his own fall to awaken the unyielding spirit in people's hearts.
Shen Yi was affected as well. At that moment, he was like a ferocious beast slaughtering his way through the horde of demonic beasts. The Coiled Dragon Halberd mercilessly reaped their lives, sweeping through all opposition and chilling all who saw it.
"Cold energy, burst!"
His left arm trembled as he drove a fist into the ground. The cold energy within his body was spurred into motion. Frost spread across a radius of ten meters, freezing the demonic beasts. The long halberd fell, shattering them into icy fragments that scattered into pools of blood.
Shen Yi's overwhelming might also drew the Nine Nether Sparrow's attention. A Qi Refining cultivator, insignificant as an ant, possessed such astonishing combat strength that it sparked a trace of its interest.
Shen Yi noticed the Nine Nether Sparrow's gaze as well. He stepped on a demonic beast and glared furiously at the Nine Nether Sparrow. A murderous look could not be concealed, and his rage seemed ready to devour the Nine Nether Sparrow alive.
"Heh!"
The Nine Nether Sparrow let out a shriek, releasing dim demonic power as it moved to seize Shen Yi, only for a powerful aura to block it. Feng Yang gripped the Azure Giant Python in one hand while shielding Shen Yi with the other.
"Even the Green Python was no match for him."
Seeing the lifeless Azure Giant Python, fear appeared in the Nine Nether Sparrow's eyes for the first time. The terrifying fluctuations emanating from Feng Yang made its heart tremble.
Suddenly, another icy aura appeared beside Feng Yang. A Pear Blossom Spear abruptly descended beside the Nine Nether Sparrow. The newcomer was Lin Hong. Though covered in wounds, he had finally killed the Great Strength Giant Ape and nailed it to a distant mountain.
Locked onto by two terrifying auras, the Nine Nether Sparrow felt fear well up inside it. It had only escaped disaster by lowering its own cultivation. Now, facing two Golden Core Stage Experts, it even felt as though it might fall here.
Feng Yang and Lin Hong's victory was like a calming pill, driving the cultivators still fighting on the battlefield into even greater frenzy. They slaughtered the demonic beasts until they retreated again and again.
"King, please take action!"
Feeling defeat drawing near, the Nine Nether Sparrow suddenly raised its voice and knelt on the ground.
A fluctuation suddenly appeared in the void. A humanoid creature abruptly appeared above the battlefield. No energy fluctuations could be sensed from it, yet a single glance from it gave everyone present the urge to kneel and worship.
"King beast, Qiongqi!"
Lin Hong and Feng Yang tensed as though facing a great enemy, watching that figure vigilantly.
"A seventh-tier exotic beast, perhaps even an existence beyond the eighth tier."
Qiongqi swept its gaze across the battlefield before finally fixing its eyes on Shen Yi. It sensed a familiar aura on that youth.
"I sense the aura of my clan on you."
Shen Yi's entire body shook. A flash of shock passed through his eyes as his thoughts raced.
"Give it to me, and I can fulfill any request you have."
Qiongqi's words surprised Feng Yang, Lin Hong, and even the Nine Nether Sparrow. What exactly did Shen Yi possess that could make Qiongqi offer such a promise?
Shen Yi took out the Rune Egg, but instead of handing it over to Qiongqi, he hugged it tightly against his chest. This was his Little Black. Even at the cost of his life, he would never hand it to Qiongqi.
"King-level aura!"
Feng Yang and Lin Hong suddenly cried out. Their auras instantly surged as they shielded Shen Yi between them. A King-level beast egg absolutely could not fall into Qiongqi's hands.
"Oh? You two Golden Core Cultivators think you can stop me?"
Qiongqi sneered, looking at the two with a playful expression.
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