The soldiers atop the walls cheered loudly, eager for Chen Mu to strike down the demon.
But Liu Qingcang's gaze tightened slightly, and he sighed.
"What a pity..."
As his words fell, the lightning on the battlefield dissipated.
Yan Qing staggered to his feet in the scorched pit.
Half his body was charred black, and even the remaining half of his face had been burned away by lightning and fire.
He had been burned down to little more than a skeleton beneath his white robe.
Yet he still stood with his sword in hand, refusing to fall.
The broken blade fragments scattered across the field swept back, gathering in his hand once more and bursting into Karmic Flame.
But as he raised his sword, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood.
His whole body seemed to waver. Only by planting his sword against the ground did he keep himself upright.
The surviving Demon Soldiers around him watched with eyes nearly splitting in anguish.
"General!!"
"Quick! Protect the general!!"
Every Demon Soldier still able to move gathered around him, shielding Yan Qing behind them.
Chen Mu frowned slightly at the sight.
He, too, had just been engulfed by Karmic Flame, leaving him no chance to press the attack.
Li Huanzhen had suffered worse. Most of Yan Qing's sword assault had been aimed at him, striking vital points all over his body.
Now that Chen Mu had joined Li Huanzhen, he saw that his companion's grievous injuries had left him barely able to hold on, and immediately spoke.
"Brother Li, fall back."
"I'll slay him."
Li Huanzhen was also leaning on his sword, his face pale. Helplessness filled his eyes at those words.
When the Karmic Flame had engulfed him, he had exhausted his true qi to crush it out.