With the warriors of the three great families and the other rogue cultivators joining the battle, the human defensive line, which had been on the verge of collapse, finally held firm against the demon tide once more.
On the river.
Flashes of blades and swords suddenly grew dense.
The Tie Family's warriors formed small formations and met the Green-Armed Water Apes head-on.
The Tang Family's swordsmen moved through the ship formations in groups of three, intercepting and killing the Green-Scaled Snake Demons slipping in from either flank.
The He Family's warriors slew demons while sending men to haul the corpses to the rear for pill refining, neglecting neither task.
As for the rogue cultivators, their eyes had gone red.
"Ten Meridian-Opening Realm water demons!"
"Kill ten, and you can exchange them for a true art of the Martial Temple!"
"Brothers, give it everything!"
For a time, the water demons' advance was checked.
The pressure on the Dragon-Tiger Guards at the front dropped sharply.
Song Renli drove back a swordfish demon with a slash. His chest heaved as he cursed despite himself.
"Those bastards."
"They stood around watching the show all that time."
"Now there's something in it for them, they're all scrambling to charge ahead."
Li Tai leaped back from a wrecked boat nearby, soaked through, water still dripping from his hair.
He wiped the bloody water from his face and grinned.
"Song, never mind whether they're doing it for the rewards."
"As long as they're here to kill demons."
"If we Dragon-Tiger Guards had to keep holding the line alone, I'd soon have no strength left even to curse you."
Lu Chen stood beside them, demon blood still wet on his blade.
His gaze swept over the battlefield.
The three great families, which had been watching from the rear