Yan Qing's shout shattered the wind and snow, ringing out across the wilderness.
"It's the general!"
"The general is still alive!"
The demon soldiers, who had been wailing moments before, rallied anew, their faces burning with fanaticism.
On the city battlements, however, there was only deathly silence.
"We're finished! If that snake demon doesn't die, we'll all perish!"
"Even Grandmaster Liu's divine might couldn't finish him. Who else could kill him?"
"Oh no! Ninth Senior Brother is still down there!"
Everyone cried out, their expressions frantic.
Supported by Liu Meng and his other disciples, Liu Qingcang had returned to the city and taken a seat. His gaze was grave as he looked down beyond the walls.
Gravely wounded, he was now a lamp whose oil had run dry, with no strength left to strike again.
If Chen Mu fell in defeat, he could not save him either.
At that moment, only two men and one demon remained standing on the battlefield below the battlements.
Li Huanzhen and Chen Mu stood shoulder to shoulder.
"Brother Li, it's our turn."
Chen Mu drew his saber, answering Li Huanzhen's earlier jest.
But Li Huanzhen could no longer smile.
He tightened his grip on his sword and answered solemnly, "Then let us fight together and slay this fiend!"
With that, he struck first, darting forward and thrusting his sword.
"Demon, face my sword!"
Crackle!
Blue and purple lightning burst from the blade as it screamed through the air.
Yet Yan Qing's burned face remained utterly unmoved.
His snake eyes, burning with azure flames, lowered. With a slight turn of his wrist, he thrust his sword diagonally outward.
"You dare flaunt such paltry tricks?"
Hiss!
His Red-Tassel Sword was already riddled with cracks.
But karmic flame bound the fragments together, keeping them from falling apart.