A month of intensive training passed in the blink of an eye.
The strength of Fang Yan and the other three had undergone a qualitative leap. Fang Yan's Profound Ice Force had stabilized at the second layer, and he had also mastered Ice Thorn to perfection. His qi and blood had reached 5.5, leaving him just one step away from Martial Master Late-stage. Chu Feng had successfully broken through to Martial Master Mid-stage, while Lin Mengyao and Li Hao had also touched the threshold of Martial Master Mid-stage.
The day they set out for Donghai City—the venue of the national competition—the sun shone brightly.
The four rode in a school-arranged vehicle, personally escorted by Su Wan. The atmosphere inside was relaxed. Chu Feng was excitedly planning where to go sightseeing after the competition ended, while Li Hao kept his eyes closed, resting and tempering his internal force. Lin Mengyao gazed at the scenery flashing past outside the window, occasionally exchanging a few cultivation insights with Fang Yan.
Su Wan sat in the passenger seat, but her eyes remained wary as they swept over their surroundings. She could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, as if a pair of eyes were spying on them from the shadows.
"Teacher Su, what's wrong?" Fang Yan noticed Su Wan's odd behavior and asked.
Su Wan turned around and forced a smile. "Nothing. Maybe I'm just too tense. The national competition is about to begin, so you must stay alert and not let your guard down."
Just then, the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes. The vehicle screeched harshly and stopped by the roadside.
"What happened?" Su Wan asked sharply.
The driver's face had gone pale. He pointed ahead. "Teacher Su, look!"
Everyone followed the direction he pointed. A fallen tree blocked the road ahead. Even more unsettlingly, a dozen or so shadowy figures had appeared among the woods on both sides of the road.
The figures were tall and powerfully built, with dark-purple skin and sharp horns growing from their heads. Their eyes were vicious, and they exuded a thick, bloody stench.
"An alien race!" Su Wan's expression changed dramatically. "They're from the Dark Demon Race! Why would they be here?"
The Dark Demon Race was humanity's mortal enemy. They lived year-round on the other side of dimensional rifts, occasionally invading the human world to burn, kill, and plunder. Their strength was generally formidable, and they were exceedingly brutal.
"Not good. We've been ambushed!" Chu Feng tightened his grip on his longsword, his expression grim.
A dozen or so Dark Demon Race warriors emerged from the woods. At their head was an exceptionally tall demon. Three eyes grew from his forehead, and his aura had reached the terrifying initial stage of Great Martial Master!
"Little human whelps, obediently surrender!" The leading demon let out a cold laugh, his voice hoarse and grating. "By our lord's command, we're taking you so-called geniuses back to be refined into blood pills!"
"In your dreams!" Su Wan rose and stepped in front of the four. "If you want to hurt them, you'll have to get past me first!"
She circulated her internal force, and a powerful aura erupted from her body. She was actually an expert at the initial stage of Great Martial Master as well!
"Oh? There's one opponent who's actually worth something." A flicker of surprise crossed the leading demon's eyes, followed by a cruel smile. "But one person alone isn't enough! Brothers, attack! Take them all down!"
At the leading demon's command, the dozen or so Dark Demon Race warriors immediately charged at the group.
"Get back in the vehicle and leave from behind!" Su Wan shouted, rushing forward first. A longsword appeared in her hand. With a flash of sword light, she stabbed at the foremost demon warrior.
"Teacher Su!" Fang Yan and the other three shouted in unison. How could they possibly abandon Su Wan and flee on their own?
"Don't worry about me! Your safety comes first!" Su Wan shouted while fighting. "The national competition still needs you!"
Fang Yan's eyes sharpened. He knew this was no time to hesitate. He said to Chu Feng, Lin Mengyao, and Li Hao, "We can't leave Teacher Su behind! Chu Feng, you and Lin Mengyao handle the left. Li Hao, you take the right. I'll support Teacher Su from the center!"
"Got it!" the three answered in unison.
The four immediately spread out and charged toward the Dark Demon Race warriors.
Fang Yan wielded the Ink Ice Spear and circulated his Profound Ice True Qi. With a thrust, his Profound Ice True Qi transformed into an ice spike that pierced through a demon warrior's chest in an instant. The warrior let out a scream, his body instantly freezing solid before shattering into countless pieces.
Chu Feng's Blazing Sword Technique was astonishingly powerful. The flames on his longsword resembled a fire dragon, and every strike could burn a demon warrior into grievous injury.
Lin Mengyao's Flowing Water Sword Technique was nimble and graceful. She darted through the battlefield like a butterfly, and wherever her longsword passed, the demon warriors were wounded one after another.
Li Hao was incredibly fast. With Gale Step pushed to its limit, he moved like a specter. His Thunderclap Sword Technique was even more fierce, every sword carrying crackling lightning that left the demon warriors unable to defend themselves.
However, there were simply too many Dark Demon Race warriors, and none of them were weak. Even the weakest possessed the strength of Martial Master Early-stage. Though the four fought desperately, they soon found themselves in a desperate situation.
Su Wan was struggling as well. Although she was at the initial stage of Great Martial Master, the leading demon was just as powerful, and several Martial Master Late-stage demon warriors were assisting him from the side. She gradually fell at a disadvantage, and several wounds had already appeared on her body.
"Pfft!"
A demon warrior seized an opening in Chu Feng's defense and raked his shoulder with a claw. Blood instantly dyed his clothes red.
"Chu Feng!" Fang Yan shouted and tried to rush over to help, but two demon warriors entangled him, leaving him unable to break free.
"I'm fine!" Chu Feng gritted his teeth through the agony and cut down the demon warrior who had ambushed him.
Just then, the leading demon seized an opportunity and struck Su Wan in the back with his palm.
"Ah!"
Su Wan cried out miserably and spat out a mouthful of blood. Her body crumpled to the ground.
"Teacher Su!"
The four were furious and frantic, their eyes nearly splitting from rage.
"Hahahaha! Now that you've lost your leader, you little whelps can wait to be captured!" The leading demon threw his head back and laughed. "Get them! Capture them all alive!"
The dozen or so demon warriors charged at the four again, their assault even more ferocious.
Fang Yan looked at the fallen Su Wan, then at his battered teammates. A trace of determination flashed through his eyes. He drew a deep breath and poured every bit of internal force within him into the Ink Ice Spear. At the same time, his qi and blood began to burn wildly.
"Ice Dragon Roar—Ice Version!"
"Great Desolation Prison Heaven Finger—Profound Ice!"
Fang Yan unleashed his two strongest techniques simultaneously. A massive phantom ice dragon roared forth, while countless streaks of ice-blue finger force shot toward the demon warriors.
"Not good!" The leading demon's expression changed drastically. He had never expected Fang Yan to erupt with such terrifying power.
The phantom ice dragon and the ice-blue finger force struck the demon warriors simultaneously. A dozen or so demon warriors were instantly frozen solid before shattering. Although the leading demon dodged the attack in time, the shockwave still sent him staggering backward, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"How is this possible? A human at Martial Master Mid-stage actually possesses such strength!" The leading demon stared at Fang Yan in disbelief.
Fang Yan's body swayed, and he nearly collapsed. That strike had almost exhausted all his internal force and qi and blood, leaving his face as pale as paper.
"Let's go!" Fang Yan shouted to Chu Feng, Lin Mengyao, and Li Hao.
The three immediately supported the injured Su Wan and ran toward the rear of the vehicle.
The leading demon watched the four flee, his eyes filled with unwillingness. But he had also been wounded, and the power Fang Yan had unleashed made him wary. He did not dare pursue recklessly.
"Damn it! I'll count this as your good luck!" the leading demon said viciously. "Let's go!"
The remaining demon warriors did not dare linger. They followed the leading demon and disappeared into the woods.
Fang Yan and the other three supported Su Wan into the back seat of the vehicle. The driver had long since been scared out of his wits. When he saw the four climb in, he immediately started the vehicle and fled in the opposite direction.
The atmosphere inside the vehicle was heavy. Su Wan lay in Fang Yan's arms, her breathing weak and her face pale. Chu Feng, Lin Mengyao, and Li Hao had also suffered injuries of varying severity, their bodies spattered with blood.
"Teacher Su, how are you?" Fang Yan asked anxiously, taking out a healing pill and feeding it to Su Wan.
After taking the healing pill, Su Wan's breathing stabilized somewhat. She opened her eyes and looked at the four, speaking weakly. "I'm sorry. I failed to protect you... The national competition, I'm afraid..."
"Teacher Su, don't speak. Get some rest." Fang Yan cut her off. "We'll definitely go to the national competition. And we'll make them pay for what happened today!"
Chu Feng, Lin Mengyao, and Li Hao nodded as well, determination filling their eyes.
The vehicle raced onward toward the capital. Fang Yan gazed out the window, a cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
Dark Demon Race, we'll settle this score sooner or later!
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